Author: gigisimeone

It felt like being on the set of a horror movie, with life-size figured just waiting to come to life and terrorize us all. But in reality, it was a field trip to the Bureau of Antiquities in Matera, a facility staffed by only four women, that restores damaged and deteriorating pieces of art from … Continue reading 21. Saint Chuckie

We took the finiculare up to the "heights" of Naples, and were strolling around looking for the best view, when a man, hearing our English, came up to help. One thing led to another, and before you know it, he was leading us to his cameo factory, which his family had owned for five generations … Continue reading 20. Cameo Appearance

In 79 AD, the people of Pompeii had everything going for them. They lived in a prosperous town of 10,000 outside of Naples, with a view of the Mediterranean about a mile away. They had houses and baths, gyms, bakeries, artwork, and even a system of raised crosswalks to avoid the sewage flowing down their … Continue reading 19. Environmental disaster

I was surprised to learn that only three-quarters of Italians are Roman Catholic, and only a quarter are observant in any way. But somehow, there are tangible symbols of the faith everywhere, from the churches on every corner, to the little shrines on the streets. Here are some examples seen in a 15-minute stroll through … Continue reading 18. Devotion

If an American is in charge of leading a group of sixteen on a three-hour excursion and feeding them lunch, he or she will pull into the nearest Subway, buy a few foot-longs and get a mess of paper plates and napkins, and call it mission accomplished. Not in Italy, however. Today, the entire group … Continue reading 17. A picnic lunch

Scrape, scrape, scrape. Seven hours of scraping. In the morning, we worked on Jesce, a farmhouse structure filled with frescoes from the 1600's. Our job was to scrape away the "improvements," where people had applied layers of whitewash and plaster over the original frescoes. One of our group uncovered a painting of an angel hidden … Continue reading 16. Scrape Diem

We went on an excursion to Bernalda to see Palazzo Margherita, the estate that director Francis Ford Coppola bought in his ancestral village and restored to be a luxury hotel. According to Tonio, who was involved in the three-year restoration, no expense was spared, from the Murano glass chandeliers to the special movie screening room … Continue reading 15. Mob Money

I am lucky to be both an early riser and a runner. When I travel, I have the joint pleasures of getting in some exercise before anyone else is up and ready to go, and most especially, having the joy of getting to know a foreign town as it wakes up and starts its day, … Continue reading 14. Morning run

When we left our restoration work yesterday, we noticed that they were setting up a large stage in the town piazza. After dinner, the streets were packed with people of all ages, all a little dressed up to see and be seen. The occasion? It turned out to be a dance recital of local kids, … Continue reading 13. Dancin’ in the Street

It is well-known that you cannot get a bad cup of coffee in Italy. There are virtual temples to coffee, like Gambrinus in Napoli, with gleaming equipment and baristas in tuxedos. Less well-known is that this includes 24-hour coffee vending machines that can be found all over Gravina. For the equivalent of 55 cents, you … Continue reading 12. Coffee Talk