Colleen's Italy

Summer has arrived but brings worries with Sox and Mitz.

After a cool and wet spring, summer has come to Le Marche and it is wonderfully hot.  My neighbours, who have their shutters closed most of the time, probably think I am mad, but I like to have my shutters and all my windows wide open; light is very important to me and the quality of light here is excellent.  My cats were going stir crazy all winter as they have no outside space apart from my terrace which leads out from a bedroom and gives access to the roof, which is very high.  In the cold months the door to the terrace is kept closed, but is open for most of the day in good weather.  You can image how my heart is in my mouth when Sox and Mitz jump from the terrace on to the roof.  As Mitz was just a baby last summer - I think he was probably born early in July - he only spent time outside when I was able to watch him; besides, he was too immature to jump.  This year of course he is very enthusiastic but still a bit silly and likes to do everything that Sox does, and some!

Enough of my cats.  So far this year I have had lots of visitors and expect many more.  There is usually something of interest going on, whether it be religious or entertaining.  On 6 June we celebrated Corpus Christi which was quite beautiful.   Flower petals were strewn all along the street with patterns of crosses;  townspeople hung banners from their windows; there was a procession which went all around the town before going into the basilica for mass.  Very moving.

Schools have closed until September which means that I must get a new timetable for the buses.  Last year, I hadn’t realised just how many of the buses run only on school days; but soon learned when I was stuck in San Benedetto for two hours.  

I am awaiting the information for all the 2010 summer events in my town and, I know this is very un-Italian, I would have liked it sooner.  My sister wants to come when the opera is here but needs to book her flights and make other arrangements, soon.   We have a mediaeval, open-air theatre (Le Fonti) and each year a brilliant international opera company performs two operas, usually with one night between, during July.  Last year it was the third week in July but who know for this year?

Another really good night out in the summer is La Passatella.  You buy a ticket for ten euro and are given a map with nine-or-so properties marked on it; you are also given a wine glass and a little pouch which you wear around your neck (to carry the glass in).  At each address you can taste different wine(s) with a little something to eat, and when you have been to all nine places, and made notes about the wines if you are thinking straight, you can choose a bottle of your favourite to take home.  That’s not bad for ten euro is it? 

Next time I shall let you know what else has happened, or is going to happen, here this season; if I get the schedule! 



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