Weekly Stories

Praiano: basking in the glory

I cannot look at the Christ and his sacred heart. All I can see is Tina Turner shot in the chest. So, I focus on the fresh birds of paradise, calla lilies, tulips and day lilies beautifully arranged around his feet. This metaphor is more symbiotic with my sense of Jesus. A little church lady was scuttling around caring for the flowers when I peeked into the San Gennaro chiesa. I was drawn in by the magnificence and could not help but utter a deep loud WOW. The uniqueness of this church is the inclusion of ceramic art, famous…

A family travels Italy 18-19: travel days and the gift of Amalfi

From what I have gleaned in the past three weeks I can confidently say I see no evidence that Italians believe in fluffy towels, breakfast, or the right of way for pedestrians. Nobody seems to be afraid of heights, concerned about cholesterol or trying to actively avoid motor vehicle accidents. I have yet to meet someone who is poorly dressed. Even the beggar ladies have an eye for colour. I have not missed Costco, Starbucks, bacon, peanut butter, soy product, bad ice-cream, or the current US president’s pinched and petulant face plastered everywhere. I am really enjoying the local markets,…

A family travels Italy day 16-17: a perfect day trip to the Cinque Terre and a tour of the Uffizi and Accademia

As my eyes fluttered open from a post gelato afternoon nap, I heard the ubiquitous church bells of Italy joined gently by…yes…a choir of monks. Really? Monks are singing me awake? Really. Ridiculously perfect. I was dozing on the flat sunny rocks of Vernazza’s beach. It was about twenty degrees with a slight breeze. A group of boys were kicking around a soccer ball in the tiny town square above me. They were surrounded by restaurant patios. This is the only flat surface in this jewel of a seaside town clinging to the side of a cliff. Waiters come out…

a family travels Italy day 15: the San Lorenzo market, the Galileo science museum and modern Italian cuisine in Firenze

“I want the pigeon” says my step son. “I want to try something unique.” This is the boy who has ordered Margarita pizza from southern Italy to northern Italy, give or take a plate of gnocchi which is basically the same thing in ball form. Nora chimes in, “Me too!” Fantastico! We are still up for adventures! This is a good sign. We are at la Beppa di Fioraia, a shabby chic garden cottage turned into a restaurant with a beautiful hip sparse patio and a clean lined quirky interior. The waiters are all handsome young men with fabulous swirly…

A family travels Italy day 13-14: grumps

My husband gave me a time out today in front of the Pitti palace. I was on my fourth shot of espresso. I was vibrating with annoyance and he was right to banish me. I stomped over to a pigeon poopy end of the ticket booth area and concentrated on calming the heck down. He stayed in line for the Boboli gardens with the kids behind a flock of young nuns. I looked ridiculous in my sassy striped INC wrap dress with bare legs and my bright purple and green Pumas. My sandals were starting to hurt already and I…

A family travels Italy day 12: where to stay and what to eat in Firenze

As we wheel our wheelies over cobblestone streets we come to a big wooden door a few blocks behind the Uffizi, “16”. A little lady hears us coming and waves us in. “Lucia?” “Si.” “Giovanni’s Mama.” “Allora.” Giovanni has the airbnb and his Mom is taking care of the check in. She leads us up three flights of ancient stairs and opens up the complicated suite door to AHHHHHH. Bright airy eighteen foot ceilings, a full kitchen and living room with two pull out beds, an elegant master bedroom with an antique bureau and desk, and a huge regal bathroom….

A family travels to Italy day 11: losing my child in the labyrinth of Villa Pisani in Stra

Nora put on her new Italian designer dress and combed out her curls all fluffy and angelic. She was ready for her magical day traveling to Stra to wander the famous labyrinth of Villa Pisani and climb the tower in the centre and stand victorious over the maze with the statue of Minerva. This was her day, she planned it, she was ready for a transformative experience. She instructed, “I want each of us to go into the labyrinth alone and experience our own connection with God.” She’s been doing a lot of spiritual investigation lately all on her own…

A family travels Italy day 9-10: Lido, Venice, Burano, Murano

As we headed left towards the train station the kids instinctively made a sharp right and ran towards the sea. I decided in that second to pay attention to the sound of the waves and to forget about any kind of schedule. We chose to stay on the Lido instead of right in Venice. It added to the cost of transportation but we found a nice cheap two bedroom airbnb suite, right off the beach, with a well equipped kitchen, bikes, and it was super quiet. The sand was icing sugar tender and the seaside stretched as far as the…

A family travels Italy day 6-8: slowing down in Southern Italy

My Zia M peels my husband his sixth orange. A dare. I’ve only seen a gorilla eat more citrus. Everyone laughs because the more she peels, the more he eats and it’s one of the few moments that doesn’t need to be translated. She’s hung my laundry out on her deck to dry and somehow I manage to get the joke across that her neighbours will be thinking she’s started wearing sheer lacy red panties. She swats me and throws back her head and laughs. The town where my family lives is about nine hundred years old. It was the…

a family travels Italy: Pompeii Palazzo San Gervasio Matera and Altamura the best cheese I’ve had in my life and the best capicola (but you’d have to know my Zia)

We are bombing down a back road on the border of Basilicata somewhere between Palazzo San Gervasio and Altamura. Nunzio is playing my sister’s CD (Eve Hell – Snake Oil) full blast for the fifth time straight. I brought it for him from Canada, at his request. He always turns it up during Blue Eyed Devil. His hands tap the steering wheel and he says this music reminds him of when he was nineteen and he can’t stop moving his body. He says he’s going to pass this CD onto a friend of his that arranges tours for bands. He…

Lucia Frangione