Help to find your family roots in Italy

Home To Italy:  Now there is help to find your family village or town.

During the past two years on my trips home to Italy, I tried to find and visit the village where my grandfather and great grandparents were born.  During the three months I lived in Sorrento I did not feel comfortable with the bus system to attempt the trip to the small mountain town of Petina, south of Salerno, Italia.

So before I took off for my most recent adventure I sent email requests to all the language schools in Salerno and Sorrento to find someone who would be willing to translate for me.   I did find a car service which had been in business since the 1940's who agreed to drive me to Petina.  But this is not about the great visit to Petina I made in October, it is to tell others Italian Americans who may be looking for their family towns, that I have set up a small network of Italians who are available to help you.


In Sorrento, Italy, Peppe Fiorentino was an "angle" to me while I lived in Sorrento.  I wanted to try to live as an "Italian" and rented an apartment in a town where I only knew Mr. Firentino.  He was always there to help me with any problem or a friendly chat when I walked by his wonderful store, Cumo Lucky Store  .  http://bit.ly/gEainH     The store has been in business since the 1800's and has wonderful items.   

Now Peppe will be able to help travelers, Italian Americans and tourists with finding their home villages,
Contact Peppe by email at:  cuomols@libero.it



My next contact to help you find your Italian roots is Maria Lavergat, in Salerno.   Originally from Britain, Maria visited her Italian grandmother every summer and has lived in Italy for almost 25 years.   

I met Maria  when I sent a request to the Leonardo Accademy, a language school in Salerno, asking if any of the instructors would be willing to translate for me. 

I was incredibly surprised to find that Maria was willing to go with me to Petina (see our separate story) and assist me in obtaining my grandfather's birth certificate,  a requirement to apply for dual citizenship with Italy. (dual citizenship to be in a future blog)

After helping me with the required paperwork, she and her photograper husband, found out that there might be decendants in the next town.   We did find a possible relative!   After more than 100 years since the family had left for America, a possible distant relative was living in the next town!   (home to Petina blog in the next few weeks) 

, Maria has agreed to help other "searchers" find their Italian roots.  You can expedite your search by having Maria research Italian data bases that we do not have access to.   

Don't take years trying to locate your family village.  Speak with Peppe or Maria and begin your search now. 

Please contact Maria at   marialavergata@hotmail.it





How much to use the bathroom?

While on my adventure to Italy this past year I visited Burano. This is an island outside of Venice that is an easy ferry ride from the city. However, when there are an extra 100 tourist at the stop in Murrano who want to also visit, the ferry is PACKED and everyone is hanging on as we hit the waves.  A quiet visit to this charming village becomes a massive tour group.  It makes you wonder what it is like to really live there.

Burano is a disney world-like village with multi pastel colored houses along a small canal. I expect tourism is an important part of the economy and many of the regular home fronts had tables set up with handicrafts or souveniers for sale. I would have been happy to speak with a resident and share a coffee for a fee!

Who needs another plastic gondola?

 But to get on to my story: It is often difficult to find public bathrooms while traveling. there are limited fast food restaurants so you can not always expect to find a McDonalds.   I have been told by Italians that they usualy use the facilities at a bar (cafe) after ordering a drink. But I find Americans do not like to ask "where is the toilet".

So I was pleased to see signs in Venice for WC. The European symbol for bathroom. I expect with the millions of tourists in Venice, they had to do something! Of course you have the facilities at the train station, near the tourist office in St. Marks Square (this is a two story one!!!) and signs in the maze of streets leading from St Marks to the Rialto bridge. I felt like I was a live piece in a monopoly game following the sign for the WC, sent to dead ends, down dark alleys that I would NEVER take in any city in the USA.


There were stickers attached to the pavenment in Burano saying WC !  Yeah.  I followed  ! Only to find this handmade sign delaring this the MOST expensive bathroom I found in Italy.

 A euro at the time was between $1.37 to $1.45.
But there was no other alternative.

Even nuns have a bad day sometimes.....

I am traveling in Italy for 30 days and this is not a glamor trip. While doing several other projects, see other posts, I am trying to see if I can do Italy on 100 a day. NO not 100 dollars, 100 euors and it is difficult. So I am staying in convent hotels in most of the cities I will visit. I break up these austere accomodations with hotels and an apartment for a week in Spoleto.

In Rome I stayed at one location two separate times. The building has the most amazing roof terrace! Had dinner up there and videoed the sunset over St Peters. But on my second visit in 10 days when I asked for a fan for my room I was given a hair dryer. No i dont know the word for fan or hair dryer but hair dryer is easier to pantomine! I offered to draw a pictue and received the usual Italian hand signal to go away and see me tomorrow. Well I didnt need a fan in the morning , i needed one TONIGHT.

So I just put it in my funny story pile.

I was lucky, I was not asked to leave when my alarm clock went off at 7:00pm. No I did not wake anyone but as I walked down from the roof terrace I heard a noise similar to a car alarm.... this is from the 4th floor. As i got closer to the 2nd floor where my room was I realized it was my alram clock! You could hear it from four floors away and through thick stone.... jsut another travel event, small and trivial...

Solo Travel To Rome: where to eat solo????

As I prepare for my 8th solo Trip Home to Italy I asked a colleague where would she recommend to eat, solo, in Rome
I think I shall try at least one of them next week when I am home in Italia!!!

Here are some restaurants for a solo dinner:

1 - "Le Finestre” in via Chiana 80, Tel.: 06-8551076, http://roma.2night.it/locali/cena/pizzeria/1946/le-finestre.html. This is an informal restaurant for every age that serves pizza, meat and salads. Outdoor space. The area is Trieste near Parioli (villa Borghese)

2 - Always in Trieste is "Napolitanos", an Italian Steak House, there is another one in NYC, that also serves pasta and salads in viale Regina Margherita 72, Tel.: 06-8844684, http://www.oltreillimite.com/aziende.asp?id=180 
slightly dim, relaxing atmosphere inside and an outdoor space in spring/summer, casual, also for solo people who are in Rome for work

3 - In the historic centre in a side street off  piazza del Popolo there is "Gusto" which is restaurant, pizzeria, bar. There is always a lot going on, casual and mixed customers. http://www.gusto.it


Where do you suggest a solo traveler to eat in Rome???

Flash Backs of Italy! Or just dreams of a life in the Tuscan Hills?

Have you visited Italy or have you dreamed of a trip to the wonderful areas of Italy?

Take a moment to meat a colleague of mine I met while promoting Italian real estate here in the USA.

Ms Ford and I stayed in touch over the past 6 years and visit every trip I return HomeToItaly.

Now I find there is an artist behind the real estate professional! 

Do you remember the incredible light, the colors and how they change as the day progresses when you walk the streets of a very old town or city in Italy? 

Now you can take that image home in photos or even note cards.

Take a look at Sheilas gallery of art treasures and make one your own.

From her web site:

NOT ONLY HOUSES

Real Estate agent by profession but by passion photographer, Sheila Ford has lived and worked in Florence for more than 25 years.


"Of English origin she has always had a love for photography. On her eighth birthday she was given her first camera a Kodak Brownie 127 which she still keeps! 
Today her photography is much more involved and wishes to share her emotions captured through the eye of the lens. The Florence and Tuscany she knows, the streets, colors, ancient stones revisited time and again from angles less known."

http://www.florenceprimopiano.com/photo/

ice cream the next food group!

once again, Dream Of Italy, (subscribe to their news letter) has captured a part of Vita Italia that we do not have here.  read and dream.   This is something any Solo Traveler can do!   Go now, Go Home To Itlay!!!

Dream of Italy Travel Newsletter: A Reason to Fly to Italy: The Florence Gelato FestivalDream of Italy Travel Newsletter's Notes.


A Reason to Fly to Italy: The Florence Gelato FestivalShare. Thursday, April 22, 2010 at 8:55am

Florence, what some consider the mecca for gelato lovers, will host the Florence Gelato Festival from May 28th through the 31st. Gelato (to call it ice cream is to not do it justice) is practically a staple food in Italy and especially in Florence. The festival expected to draw 300,000 visitors to the city for the weekend event.

Piazzas and squares all over the city will turn into outdoor gelato markets where the public can line up to sample the rich, creamy ice cream served in biodegradable, earth-friendly cups. The Gelato Festival will also incorporate gelato-making demonstrations and games for children.

Visitors can also attend meetings and seminars in Piazza Santissima Annunziata to learn about the history and consumption of gelato in Florence, starting with the man who invented gelato – Bernardo Buontalenti, a 16th-century Florentine architect, painter, and food enthusiast – and continuing to present-day gelato artisans. These workshops will also educate participants about the range of techniques used in the production of gelato.
The festival aims not only to provide visitors with delicious ice cream, but also to educate foreigners about the quality and importance of gelato as an indispensable Italian product. Besides its large contribution to the Italian and global economy – gelato has increased in sales and production during the current recession – the unique ice cream is also recommended by some Italian doctors for the reported “happy effects” it produces in consumers. -- Elaine Murphy