It's been a while since our last post, and a lot has happened since then so put on your reading shoes:
Siena a Caserta:
When I originally planned our travel from Siena to Caserta, I overestimated the travel time. I thought that we would be able to leave Siena on a sleeper train and arrive in Caserta early the next morning. As it turns out the entire trip is only 5 hours and includes 3 separate trains (Siena -> Chiusi, Chiusi ->Roma, Roma -> Caserta). That posed a slight problem becuase our car reservation wasn't until the next morning and our hotel until the next afternoon. We were, however, saved by Gaia the manager/receptionist/bar tender of the Borgo Grandaie. She called the car rental place and the Villa De Pertis and took care of switching around our reservations.
So we left Siena about 12:20 PM and three train rides later arrived in Caserta a little after 5:00 pm. We were to pick up our car in the Piazza Girabaldi in Caserta, but we had no idea where it was in relation to the train station (or how to get out of Caserta once we got the car). We didn't have a city level map of the region, but we figured we just pick one up at one of the kiosks in the train station when we arrived (all of the train stations we had been into this point hand an abundance of local maps available). We got of the train and went to the kiosk in the station. No Maps.
That left us to find Piazza Girabaldi on our own. After we picked up the car we would be able to get a map from the rental agency. Since we had no idea where we were going, and there aren't many english speakers in Caserta, we decided to just get in a cab and have them take us to Piazza Girabaldi. As we approached the taxi stand we decided to do our best to find out how far away this place was. Good thing we did, because the man indicated that we were, in fact, IN piazza Girabaldi. We quickly located the rental agency and went to pick up our car (a blue fiat). Still no maps. The guy in the rental agency did his best to point us toward Piedimonte Matese and Dragoni (where are hotel is). Here were his directions as close to verbatim as I can remember
First you go that way (right) then you go the that way (left) . You drive in front of the palace and after about 20.. no 50 meters you will see a small alley. Turn that way (right) into the alley and drive until you reach a wall and can go no further. You will see a sign on the wall that says "Caizzo". Follow that road for a long time until you get to Caizzo. When you get there stop and ask somebody for directions.
So we left Caserta, fully expecting to spend the next several hours trying to find our way out of the city. As it turns out, however, the mans directions were accurate and we made it onto the road to Caizzo with no problems. About 10 or so km don the road we started seeing arrows indicating the direction for Piedimonte Matese, and shortly after, Dragoni. So we followed the signs along small two lane roads through little towns, and around valleys full of farms and surrounded by cloud ringed mountains. After about an hour (and a small delay when a herd of sheep overtook the road) we rolled into Piedimonte Matese. This was very exciting but for the fact that at that particular moment we were looking for Dragoni. So we did a quick drive through of the town (the first thing that struck us was the large number of young people. I would estimate that about 65% of the people we saw were under the age of 25, and most of those were in their teens). After hour brief tour we headed out of town in the direction of Dragoni. We first mistook Alife for Dragoni, and after stopping at a computer repair shop for some charades, we got back on rack. We checked into the Villa De Pertis, which is an expansive house that looks like it could be in a 20's horror movie. I half expected Igor to answer the door, but to our relief, it was Biaggio - the friendly cook that Uncle Rob had told us about. We checked in and headed to Il Buccou Divino (another one of Uncle Robs suggestions) for dinner.
Il Buccou Divino
The restaurant was, just has Uncle Rob had described, completely empty when we arrived (and remained that way until we left two hours later). The staff remembered Unclde Rob's visit a week earlier and asked if we would like them to choose for us. We said yes, and the gastronomic adventure began. We started off with a bottle of red wine typical to the region (our favorite wine so far), hour first antipasto was a kind of uncased sausage wrapped in a dense pastry (gourmet pigs in a blanket if you will). After that we had a second antipasto: layers of the local cheese (made in Piedimonte Matese) alternated with paper thin slices of smoked buffalo. It as extremely good. Our pasta course was Gnocchi with bacala (some sort of fish) and zucchini in a butter sauce. I tried to ask Giancarlo (owner i think) what bacala was and he replied in english "salt goat". I'm assuming something was lost in translation. Our main course was beef medalions in a rosemary red wine sauce, followed by a a moist fig pound cake covered in cream sauce for desert. After that we had some coffe and went home to sleep. Overall all I would say this was up there with the best meals i've ever had.
A few pictures from Villa De Pertis - note joey standing in the front door to provide a sense of scale.
Il Altri Civitilli
The next morning we headed into Piedimonte armed with a map of the Piazza where Great Grandpa Salvatore was born that he drew back in the 80's (included in the "roots" post) and another map of the route to the piazza that Uncle Rob gave us when we met in Rome. The path looked simple enough, but we misjudged the starting point and ended up on an unintended tour Il Centro Storico (historical center) above the Piazza we were looking for. We wandered around for a good two hours before we finally realized that the path started in Piazza Roma. So we headed up the path this time (turns out that it intersected with our previous walk and if we had gone the way I wanted instead of the way Joey wanted we would have found the piazza). When we arrived at the water source we took a wrong turn and ended up in what we think is som sort of pumping station. One of the workers came out and told us we couldn't be there so we showed him our map and asked him where we needed to go. He motioned for us to come with him, and led us into the Pizza Di San Sebastiano where grandpa was born. There were a few people standing around and the worked basically yelled into the air (in italian) does anybody here speak English?. A few more people came outside and there was a little imprompto town meeting. They finally settled on a house that contained an english speaker and went to knock on her door. She didn't answer but a few seconds later she pulled up in her car. Enter Antonella.
The people in the square did their best to describe that we were Americani and she took over from there. When we established that we were Civitillos she went and rang the door of Renato Civitillo (the person who Uncle Rob and Theo met and had lunch with). He came downstairs but when he realized we didn't speak Italian, he kind of lost interest. Shook our hands and went back upstairs. At that point the members of the town meeting decided that I looked like Giovanni Civitillo, and that we must be related. So Anotella asked us to wait for 15 minutes.
So we waited in the Sqare next to Angelo, an old man (probably in his 70's) with a raspy voice who didn't speak a lick of english. We had a few pantomime sessions but mostly just stood in silence. About 15 minutes later Antonella pulled up with her husband Giacamo and their niece Federica. She told us we would go now to see Giovanni (who happens to work as a forest ranger with Giacamo). So we hopped in the car and headed a short way down the road.
When we arrived Giovanni came out wih his mother Vittoria, sister Anna Lia and Wife Loretta. I would guess that Giovanni and Loretta were in their 20's and that Anna Lia somwhere between 13 and 16. Another town meeting ensued as we tried to figure out if we had any common ancentors. Anotella translated bits and pieces but it was mainly in Italian - every once in a while would catch a Civitillo or a Pastore (great grandmas maiden name). At some point an old woman (maybe 80) joined the meeting from an overlooking balcony. After a while we decided that we would come back when Giovanni's father Michele returned from work that evening.
At this point we learned that today was Federica's 13 birthday and Anotella invited us back to her parent's house for a late lunch. Her Parents' house was located just below the footpath to Castello (which we plan to walk today). We entered the house and were introduced to her parents Luigi and Imperia. Anotella filled them in on the situation and before long Imperia was on the phone to her friends in Castello seeing if anybody knew any Pastori. (also should note that throughout the day Anotella encouraged Federica who is taking evening english classes to practice on us. She was a little shy about her english at first but warmed up eventually).
For lunch we had pasta in a spicy red sauce, antipasti made with eggplant (i think) and artichoke (i think) from the garden. The wine was made by Giacamo's father and was served in an old soda bottle. We started to eat and talk, and soon after Luigi who was standing behind the table said that we should eat first, talk after. So we did. Everytime we stopped to take a breath during the meal Anonella would prompt us to eat! eat! It was advice well taken becuase the food was delcious. After pasta we had a selection of local cheeses and cantaloupe followed a cheesecake topped with a strawbeey jam for Federica's birthday (it's her favorite). After dinner Imperia and Luigi showed us their gardens and we snapped a bunch of family pictures and talked for a while longer.
Luigi, Imperia, Federica, Me, Joey, and Giacamo:
Luigi, Imperia, Federica, Anotella, Giacamo
We hung out at the lake for about 1/2 hour and on the way back got a call indicating that Michele had returned and so headed back to the house of Il altri Civitilli (the other civitillos). We arrived and were warmly greeted by the family and invited into the living room. Again there was much talking and discussion about possible links between our families, but despite my strking resemblence to both Giovanni and Michele decided that there is most likely not a recent connection. We drank peroni and munched on some pretzel like pastries, took some more pictures and left after about 1/2 hour. Antonella and Giacamo then drove us into town, made some copies of their road atlas for us (finally we have a map!) and dropped us at our car. We are meeting up with them again tonight for pizza at a place in a neighboring town that is supposed to be good.
CIVITILLI: Joey, Me, Michele, Giovanni, and Anna Lia
At the end of the trip Anotella said in an apologetic tone - "we are sorry that this is all we could offer you". We told that she had given much more than we could have ever expected.
Il Altri Civitilli (and Giacamo) looking at grandpa's map of La Piazza San Sebastiano. In order to fully appreciate this picture it is important to note that everyone you see (and some you don't) were, with the exception of Michele, talking at the same time.
We are running out of time, but i will try to post some more pictures of the town in general when i have a chance. Also we will be off the grid for a couple days so probably no more posts for a few days.
2 comments:
Fabulous! As we turn the pages of your "book", we live the experience! Thanks for sharing every step.
Hugs~ Aunt Jean
Hello Civis. I wanted to thank Mrs. Civi for the nice message she left on my blog...I'm glad you've enjoyed it Mrs. Civi. Although, I must admit I cringed a bit knowing you had read some of my printed vulgarities. Ah well, the bane of an artist, I suppose.
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