L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2020 www.italoamericano.org 4 MARIELLA RADAELLI NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS Alluring Italy remains our dream even from the armchair A q u o t e a t t r i b - u t e d t o t h e 1 8 t h - c e n t u r y British writer, l i t e r a r y c r i t i c and moralist Dr. Samuel Johnson goes: "A man who h a s n o t b e e n i n I t a l y i s always conscious of an infe- riority." I am not sure that strong statement is still valid today, but I know for a fact that "Italy is a dream that keeps returning for the rest of your life,", as the 20th c e n t u r y R u s s i a n A n n a Akhmatova wrote in her memoirs. Once back to the US, my I t a l i a n - A m e r i c a n a n d American friends often con- f e s s a w i s t f u l d e s i r e t o return in thought and in f a c t t o l a B e l l a I t a l i a . There is something magical about it. Italy is a time machine that brings them back to the times when the things they love are still alive. Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples, the incredible Sicily of course, and Milan will always be there for them. Although everyone's trav- el plans have been disrupted b y t h e C O V I D - 1 9 p a n - demic, I am confident my f r i e n d s w i l l a l l r e t u r n t o enjoy authentic Italy when the health crisis is finally over. This unprecedented situation will not kill off the yearning to visit this out- s t a n d i n g n a t i o n i n t h e future. N o d o u b t , f o r l o n g months people won't travel f a r f r o m h o m e . " S t a y c a t i o n s , " s t a y i n g i n their area for holidays, will be favored over long-haul f l i g h t s . B u t s l o w l y , t h e t o u r i s m i n d u s t r y w i l l resume. After a period of regional travel, international t r a v e l w i l l p i c k u p a g a i n once a COVID-19 vaccine is developed and used world- wide. However, I have to con- f e s s t h a t I w o u l d n ' t approve of over-tourism returning to my coun- try. In the last decade, in many places such as Venice a n d t h e C i n q u e T e r r e , tourism grew beyond sus- tainable bounds to the detri- ment of the local community and our cultural heritage. C i t i e s w e l c o m e d m o r e t o u r i s t s t h a n t h e y c o u l d handle. T h i s h e a l t h c r i s i s w i l l allow us to instill a n e w travel mindset. Hopefully, w e w i l l t a k e i n d i v i d u a l action for the good of our cities, seas and mountain resorts, and our planet in general. During Italy's lock- d o w n , w e h a v e s e e n d o l - p h i n s f r o l i c k i n g i n t h e Venice canals. The planet is healing and nature is rejoic- ing. T h i s i s a t e a c h a b l e moment. The way we trav- el will transform. We will be more socially responsible, sustainable, conscious and e t h i c a l . P e r s o n a l s p a c e becomes important in a new era when the entire tourist industry has to make plans to guarantee that space to travelers. I t a l y w i l l r e m a i n a beloved locale to visit. "For us to go to Italy and to pene- trate into Italy is like a most fascinating act of self-dis- c o v e r y , " w r o t e A m e r i c a n novelist D.H. Lawrence. To him, Italy was a utopian p l a c e , s o m e t h i n g t h a t doesn't even belong to this world. Americans will continue to love Italy as part of their DNA. "Italy has drawn me back more times than I can count," recently wrote the celebrated American pho- tographer Steve McCurry as an intro of his tribute to Italy, a selection of stunning images that aim to capture the Italian spirit, culture and traditions. McCurry, who is best known for his Afghan Girl portrait which appeared on the cover of N a t i o n a l G e o g r a p h i c i n 1985, also said: "I stand with all the Italian people. You are always in my heart." F o r n o w , t h e r e a r e s o many things Americans and Italian-American can do to keep their love for traveling to Italy alive while indulging their armchair wanderlust at home. First, they can travel to Italy through books. They let you travel without m o v i n g y o u r f e e t . S o g e t your hands on books that tell you about the ancient country that was the core of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire between the 4th century BC and the 5th c e n t u r y A D . T h e y c a n b e history books, Italian nov- els, travel memoirs, plays and essays. The list is too long to be enumerated here. I w i l l o n l y s u g g e s t a f e w travel books. A t f i r s t , I w o u l d p i c k Italian Journey, a classic f r o m G e r m a n n o v e l i s t J o h a n n W o l f g a n g Goethe. In 1786, when he was already the acknowl- edged leader of the Sturm und Drang literary move- ment, he traveled to Venice, Rome, Naples and Sicily. His fascinating observations o n a r t a n d h i s t o r y , t h e seductively wild landscape, and the people he encoun- tered were the basis of his celebrated Italian journal that stated "we are all pil- grims who seek Italy." A view of Matera, gem of Basilicata and Italy (Photo: Dreamstime) Continued to page 6

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