On Sunday, I met my Italian cousins, Matilde (center) and Luciana (left), Luciana’s daughter Monica, and Monica’s family: husband Livio, and children Katarina (14) and Filippo (7). We had a wonderful visit. We went first to the home that Luciana and Monica’s family share, then later to Matilde’s. Luciana showed us family photos covering the last 30 years or so, paintings of family members going back a couple of generations and gave me a packet of letters that my great grandfather Agostino had exchanged with his brother – her great grandfather – between 1907 and 1914. She also gave me beautiful photo book of Liguria, the province in which Genoa, the Chique Terra, and Porto Venere are all located. I gave her a small album I had put together of Agostino’s family in America and an Alaskan smoked salmon filet. It was a joyous exchange and we were both very moved. Luciana’s family all speak some English. My Italian is mostly Portuguese, but we managed to communicate quite well.
Luciana’s house dates to the 1700’s, Matilde’s to the 1800’s. They are actually large, spacious flats (whole floors) in multiple story buildings, chock full of antiques that have been passed down through family generations. Luciana served us a delicious 3 course, midday meal. When we got to Matilde’s she asked if we would like a ‘digestivo’ and proceeded to wheel out a wood cart full of liquors, juice, and bitters. So there we were sipping our drinks and come to find out that we were resting our glasses on a table that dates from the 5th century!
Peggy and Kath took their leave and went back to Porto Venere. I stayed the night and went the next morning with Luciana and Livio to see Camoglie, the little fishing village south of Genoa where great grandpa Agostino was born. A gorgeous place. The weather was cool and wet, but it was still beautiful. We spent an hour or so there and they then brought me back to Porto Venere. We talked about family, work, politics, religion, health, life, death. It was a wonderful visit, and it ended with promises that we would do it again. The next time I hope to know more Italian!
The ocean side town is Camoglie, where great grandpa Agostino was born. Let me assure you that beautiful photos of Italy barely do it justice. The cities, the landscape, the sea are stunning.
A very happy Rosemary
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