Ricardi train station

As we were waiting in the train station  I could not help but notice how much graffiti one could see and how run down this station was. Like most stations now in Calabria with the exceptions of the major ones these small town stations all look like this.

 Yet standing there I  could not help but remember how these train stations were the connection to the world of the Americans, Australians, French ,and the Milanese and more. People would be waiting in anticipation for their families to arrive for their summer vacations. Grandparents ,aunts, uncles, cousins would be jumping up and down as the trains would pull up to the stations. 

I remember looking around and seeing beautiful birdbaths and amazing little gardens with vibrant colored flowers and benches everywhere at these stations. For you see train stations back then were a place where seniors like my grandparents would go  to sit and relax on the bench reading the newspaper while listening to the sounds of the little birds . You could hear  faint echos of conversations people were having as they were waiting for their trains to pull up to the station. How can I forget the train masters wife who would be hanging out clothes from her window while saying hello to all in the station she knew every ones name and would strike up conversations with them . People would just stroll up and down admiring the little gardens that they could take there passegiata . 

While we were waiting for the train to take us from Ricardi to Scilla . I noticed a women walking my way and she stop and sat next to me on the bench. She started a conversation with me about this particular train station. "Up until 2 years ago this train station was the most beautiful one in Calabria." She told me that she and her husband would come her and just walk through the little garden filled with the most beautiful flowers one could imagine. The structure of the building resembled a magnificent villa . She told me that the government can not afford to keep this small stations going anymore and that were left abandoned .In fact not to many trains stop in the small towns anymore. 

Yet like all Italians it has not stop them for going back to the place with emotional ties and looking ahead  hoping that one day these little stations will make a come back and be what they once were. 

missing the connection

Well it has been a while since I have written in my blog. I have to say that not a minute goes by that I do not think about how beautiful  Calabria is. I miss not being able to talk to the warm Calabrese people I meet all the time. The smell of every ones kitchen as I pass there houses along my way to the store every morning. The voices of the kids getting ready to head down to the beautiful blue sea. Yes I miss all that. It is no wonder I go back every year.

reunion for all Calabrese

Hello all you Calabrese.
If any of you are interested in a trip to Calabria in 2010 LETS ALL MEET IN CALABRIA!!!!
If you have never been and want to find your roots this is perfect for you.If you have been and want to go back and be with all your Calabresi piasani from Massachusetts or anywhere in the USA I am willing to put together a trip for all.
I think it would be great to share stories and to meet. We can invite others and show off our beautiful land. Travel through all the different regions. Can you imagine ?
When I was a little girl and would tell people that I was born in Calabria Italy they would say WHERE IS THAT?
Today however it is a different story. Now I take friends and family with me and they all say WE WANT TO GO BACK THERE.
I do have a website. www.ionianjewel.com . I must admit I do take my clients all over Italy.

I will reserve 2010 for Calabria only.
VIVA LA CALABRIA!!!!!!

Calabrese people I meet

I have been home one  week now. I miss Calabria. I miss the walks I would take with members of my husbands family in the mornings and stopping at the end of the road to chat with an elderly man . He told us his name was Silvester. He was the only one in town with that name. He was a very young 87 years. Everyday we would learn more about him as would would speak to him through the mesh fence surrounding his garden. He spoke to us of his capture during the war in Tunisia by the Americans and sent to Kansas to work on the corn fields. He said it was difficult but never uttered a bad word about America or the Americans. 
There is the little market we would go to in the mornings. The woman who got to know me so well that she wrote down a wonderful recipe for me on making eggplant balls in stead of meat balls. Her conversations everyday telling me how she admired the fact I loved Calabria so much that I returned every year and this time with my husbands family. It made her orgogliosa!!! Which means proud. This trip was not just about the beauty of the sea and the little towns . This was also the beauty of the Calabrese people.

Capo Vaticano Calabria

After  all the trips I have made to Calabria, taking one day excursions to Tropea and Pizzo Calabro I finally made this area my destination point for a vacation and  was not disappointed. The beauty of this area has to be seen by ones owns eyes. It was better than I imagined. The sunsets over the island of Strombli with it's beautiful pink sky every night was just the invitation we need to visit the Aeolian Islands . 

The cooking school with Marianna and Franco and our host Tania was  a setting I can not forget. The rustic setting is what this area is all about. The wonderful dinner prepared for us by Rosanna at her and Roberto's  resort was also amazing. The wines of this area are a compliment to the Calabrese cuisine 

 Scylla a picturesque fishing village where today some still fish for swordfish the old fashion way. The boats are called passerelle. This town is also the home of the Odyssey.

Calabria is a hidden gem. It must be toured with people who know here well.

The say Rome is the soul of Italy. I say Calabria is the heart.

I will post pictures soon.

Soon to discover Capo Vaticano Calabria

Hello fellow traverlers

I have decided to start this blog on Calabria because I feel that such a rustic part of Italy does not get a fair share of reviews such as other parts of the country.
I was born in Montepaone which is the province of Catanzaro and for many years now I have been a personal tour guide for this area of Italy. I have been doing many genealogy tours and continue to do so today.
There is so much to discover in this part of Italy. I know have decided to go back to Calabria not as a tour guide but as a tourist myself. It will be interesting since this time I will be staying in Ricadi the province of Vibo Valentia.
I will keep you all posted and bring back lot's of foto's . In the mean time I do have a web site
www.ionianjewel.com. I encourage anyone who is looking for an adventure to go to the site.
I will be leaving on the 26th of June . I will get back to my blog then.