When I first started coming to Italy with some regularity in the 1990s, nearly everyone looked like me. Yes, you would see young men from Africa selling counterfeit purses laid out on blankets on the streets, and women dressed in traditional Romani dress with their children, often begging, but they were visible and notable exceptions … Continue reading 206. Immigrati
I don’t consider myself a spiritual person. I don’t even understand what people mean when they say they are. But there is something about doing one of those long pilgrimage walks, the most famous being the Camino de Santiago through Spain and France, that has always intrigued me. A while back, I learned about the … Continue reading 205. Walking the Walk
September will mark my 55th year of trying to learn the Italian language, starting with two resentful years in college to fulfill the language requirement, and continuing to today: the past twenty years or so, I’ve met every Monday evening with a group of friends for Italian conversation. One might think I’m being modest when … Continue reading 204. Learning the Lingo
I’ve arrived! And after having my ritual welcome cappuccino, the next step is planning. What now? What’s next? Even though we slept pretty well on the flight over, we were a little too dazed to do anything too ambitious. But because it’s Italy, and because we’re us, we were not too dazed to start making … Continue reading 203. Going with the flow
Now it's for real. On Friday, I leave for a six-week adventure in Italy. A year ago, I applied for and received Wellesley College's Mary Elvira Stevens Traveling Fellowship, for my proposal for intensive language study and cultural immersion in Italy. According to the will of Ms. Stevens, Class of 1891, the Fellowship should go … Continue reading 202. Here I Go!
After a recent trip to England, my friend Maureen Tripp brought me back something she knew would be of great interest: a travel book by Charles Dickens, Pictures from Italy. It turns out that Dickens lived in Genoa for more than a year, 1844-45, and traveled extensively around the country, by horse-drawn carriage. He wrote … Continue reading 201. Mr. Dickens Goes to Italy
An article from August popped up on my online New York Times feed: “My Beloved Italian City Has Turned into Tourist Hell. Must We Really Travel Like This?” Ilaria Maria Salas, an Italian journalist, voices a familiar complaint about the over-touristing of Italy, particularly the must-see destinations like Venice, Florence, and Rome. The two iconic … Continue reading 200. Bologna
My mother always said I should marry someone Italian. Not that she thought Italians were superior or anything (okay, maybe a little), but she just felt things would be "easier" if I was with someone with a shared background, culture and values. Of course, I thought that was ridiculous. But the thought came back to … Continue reading 199. My Peeps
Even at my (very) advanced age, I love my birthday. I really don't want stuff. What I want is experience. And this year was a real humdinger. It turns out that the Facebook gremlins have noticed that I'm interested in Italy, so they send a load of Italy-related posts my way. Most are from affinity … Continue reading 198. Photo Ops
It practically jumped off the shelf. I was browsing around my public library, and there it was on the "new arrivals" shelf. An Italian cookbook featuring a shirtless young man and the word "betch." How could I not take it home? It turns out the young man, Gianluca Conte, is an "influencer" and an Internet … Continue reading 197. Buon Appetito, Betch!
Gigi's Italia 