Back from Italy. Lots to share.

My intentions were good, but I posted not one photo, not one story, not one anything while Harry and I traversed Italy.  We had a grand time, loved the people, loved the landscape, saw incredible ruins at Ostia Antica, and ate our way across the regions of Umbria, Abruzzo and Lazo.  Sometimes, though, we went hungry.   Not possible in Italy, you say!  Yes, it is -- a story I'll tell you later.

Actually, I have lots of stories to regale you with.  It will take awhile to unfold them all, and they will be slightly patched together, definitely not in order of occurrence.

Today, I start with the people. 

...the people who made our journey so very special.  We went to Italy for the people, but we had no idea how many would touch our lives.  We encountered the kindness of countless strangers and two now-even-dearer American friends, in part because the trip was not without incident -- but those tales come later.

Harry with Christine and Mark, Santa Feans living part-time in Italy.  They came to our rescue the first time!

Viviana and me.  Owner of Hotel Europa in Rieti with a lively, sweet personality, she was my rescue angel #2.  (More later.)

Meet Giada - what a sweetheart!  Owner of B&B Il Viaggiatore in Popoli.  Gracious, smart, and a real live-wire, Giada "made" our visit to Popoli.

Found someone online with family from Popoli!

In early July this year, googling Popoli for seasonal temperatures, on page 1, I found a "travelogue" written by an American whose grandparents emigrated from Italy.  Not unusual - except it showed up on the weather page because his grandmother was from Popoli!  I couldn't believe what I was reading.  It only got better when I clicked to his blog and he was talking about his trip to Popoli and searching for his grandmother's home.

Well, fortunately, when I reached out to him, he supplied me with many great tips for my upcoming trip.  Plus, he shared things he was unable to do while he was there that he thought would be valuable in my search.  Go to the Comune di Popoli (equivalent to our municipal hall of records) for the addresses where Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop were born.  Try to find a 1900's map because street names have changed.  Visit the cemetery to search for my great grandparents or possibly other family members, etc.

This chance online meeting energized me even further and greatly enriched my experience.  I accomplished all three of his major suggestions (which you'll read about as I pull my story together) and, now that I'm back, I'm doing the best I can to enrich his knowledge of Popoli as well.  Thank you so very much, Armando.

First stop...Perugia for a week. Reservations made.

Making progress.  Harry and I decided to enjoy Perugia as a home base for one week in September.   So  we booked our airline reservations to set our travel dates.  And then we booked our room in Albergo Anna, the charming small hotel pictured at right whose staff has already made us feel welcome.

We'll settle in and "just be Italian" every day in Perugia, plus make a few day trips into the surrounding villages.  Albergo Anna is nestled in Perugia's historic district and we intend to walk, walk, walk everywhere -- like we did in Florence several years ago.  Nothing finer!

Destination Popoli, birthplace of my grandparents.

All aboard for Perugia, Deruta, the Marche region, and ultimately Popoli in the province of Pescara in the Abruzzo region of Italy.  Birthplace of my grandparents!  (If you have not read my earlier posts about Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop, read here about how they are the likely link to my Italian pottery obsession and about when they immigrated thru Ellis Island.

For three weeks in September, we'll travel by train as much as possible, because it's our absolute favorite mode of transport in Europe.  I promise to share my travel research as Harry and I make plans.  At present, we intend to fly into Rome, spending just enough time to catch the train to Perugia.  Along our route, we will seek out small towns and villages in which to wander, soak up everyday Italian life, sip cappuccino in the morning, improve my Italian...you get the picture!

And, when we arrive in Popoli, I've joked that I will stand in the piazza with copies of my grandparents birth certificates and see if anyone "claims" me as kin!

Year of the Dragon - Italian and Chinese style

The Chinese ushered in The Year of the Dragon on January 23 this year with the beginning of their new year.  Even the United Stated Postal Service honors the Year of the Dragon on new issue stamp. And me?  I celebrate doubly for the dragon also graces (strange dragon description) Italian myths and legends.

Perhaps it began with an early portrayal of this dark creature painted by Raphael around 1504 in his depiction of St. George and The Dragon.  His second version of St. George's heroism induces a dragon even more robust and sinister.  Over the centuries, however, the romantic Italians transformed that mythical beast and made it their own.

The Italians "morphed" the dragon from dark to full of light and delicious tones of rich yellow and golds, touches of red, blues and greens.  From terrifying to not only whimsical but to a symbol of good fortune.  Puffed-cheeked and ensconced in curlicues symbolizing fair winds to relieve the doldrums for seagoing merchants.  The Italians' medium?  Not the canvas and fresco employed by Raphael, but their "ceramiche," their handmade and hand painted pottery patterns proudly baptized Raffaellesco.

I have my own myth!  In true fire-breathing dragon style, I believe the dragons still puff out their curlicues to ignite the fires of today's Italian kilns. It's to their advantage, no?  They're inspiring both their own continued existence and that of new offspring. (Call me a romantic, too.)

Life happens...

There's an expression about how Life happens while we're off making other plans.  That's kind-of, sort-of what happened here.  Things happened that made me close MyItalianPottery, the website.  But I've decided to continue MyItalianPottery, The Blog.  It will re-invent itself as we go along.  It will still be about things Italian.  And we'll see where it takes us.  Like to Italy early this coming Fall!

For today, I'll take you no further.  I just wanted a recent post so that if you've been visiting and wondered why nothing was new, you'd at least know The Blog had not been abandoned.

I'll be back!