L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 www.italoamericano.org 20 L'Italo-Americano A s s o o n a s I b o a r d e d m y flight home, I was scheming and plotting on how to return, how to get myself back to this enchanti- ng land that had captured my heart. That first expe- r i e n c e i n I t a l y l e f t a n indelible mark on my soul: I was hopelessly hooked. But I'm by no means unique. The deep allure of Italy and all her beguiling offerings enrapture most all who visit. While that other country famous for maca- roons and a tall tower holds t h e c l a i m o f n u m b e r o n e t o u r i s t d e s t i n a t i o n i n Europe, Italy most certainly steals an exponentially larg- er number of hearts causing the smitten to return again and again and again. Much of Italy's appeal is f o u n d i n i t s d e e p - r o o t e d tangibles – buildings, art- work, relics, food, all those things that fill a glossy post- c a r d s e n t h o m e . A n e v e n deeper draw, and quite pos- sibly what converts one to an Italophile in short order, is the sense that Italians have figured out what m a t t e r s m o s t . L i v i n g through countless millennia b r i n g s p e r s p e c t i v e , r e s i l i e n c e , a n d o p t i m i s m that wavers but little. This seems to have percolated i n t o t h e i r D N A ; I t a l i a n s k n o w h o w t o l i v e l i f e n o matter if the sky is falling a r o u n d t h e m . T h e b i g , r o w d y , g l o r i o u s w h o l e o f I t a l y i s r i f e w i t h u n t o l d beauty and charms that lure the human soul. A s c h a l l e n g i n g a s i t i s with the limits of editorial real estate, a worthy distilla- tion of the inexplicable draw o f I t a l y ' s c h a r m s h a l l b e attempted! HISTORY Time is truly immemorial in Italy, a land that has host- ed mankind for over 8,500 years, including perhaps the greatest reign in history – t h e R o m a n E m p i r e . Covering close to two mil- lion square miles, the mark of the Empire is still present today. Magnificent ruins of a r e n a s , t h e a t e r s , b a t h s , a q u e d u c t s , f o r u m s , a n d entire cities such as Pompeii stand proud, seducing our curiosity. F r o m n o r t h t o s o u t h , along any cobbled street or village pathway one is sur- r o u n d e d b y t h e v i s i b l e , touchable passage of time. Staggered and stacked like an after-thought jigsaw puz- zle, walls of buildings rise up with their haphazard lay- ers of bricks, stones, and w o o d , e a c h t r a n s i t i o n revealing an era of time long past. Ancient ghosts of win- dows and doorways are scat- tered like graffiti on build- ing walls, long-ago filled in a s t h e n e x t g e n e r a t i o n e x c u s e d t h e i r e x i s t e n c e while creating their mark. W e ' d b e a m i s s t o n o t highlight the rich history of The Vatican, its undulat- ing story played out within m a g n i f i c e n t S t . P e t e r ' s . Florence, Venice, Perugia, Milan, Rome, and so many more…all resplendent with h i s t o r i c r i c h e s f r o m E t r u s c a n t i m e s t o t h e M i d d l e A g e s t o t h e Renaissance. Even the tini- est village is rife with fasci- nating stories waiting to be discovered. Antiquity swirls around one at every turn, whispering her secrets to those willing to listen. LANDSCAPE Practically any object that can be printed on has fea- t u r e d a n I t a l i a n e s q u e landscape. Italy's exquisite a n d d i v e r s e g e o g r a p h y o f f e r s s t u n n i n g v i s t a s o f every type. Undulating vine- y a r d s , p a t c h w o r k o l i v e g r o v e s , t h e m a r c h i n g c y p r e s s o f V a l d ' O r c i a , award-winning turquoise water beaches, the peaks of Dolomites as they pierce the sky, or a serene walkway along a northern lake – the lay of the land is contrastive and glorious. Human hands h a v e c u l t i v a t e d a n d c o n - structed over vast numbers of years, adding value in an e x c e p t i o n a l w a y . F r o m Tuscany's picturesque hill- top villages to the Amalfi coast's vertically stacked buildings tumbling towards a shore, imagination gives way to reality. Wandering through stalwart castles and forts found throughout Italy brings a shiver as the past becomes real. The wow-pro- voking combination of nat- ural and manmade beauty can stir even the most stoic heart! PEOPLE S t e r e o t y p e s a s i d e (Italians are loud, they love to argue, how much pasta can one person eat?), the w a r m t h a n d v e r v e f o u n d within the populace of the Bel Paese is exceptional. Where else can one strike up a conversation in the piaz- za, and within an hour be taken home for coffee as a new friend? It's happened to me more than once. As with a n y c o u n t r y , t h e r e a r e exceptions to the rule, and yes…be wary of pickpockets i n t h e b i g c i t y … b u t a s a whole, personalities as warm as the Sicilian sun radiate from most Italians. Learn a few phrases before you go; I t a l i a n s w e l c o m e y o u r e f f o r t s . O f f e r "Buongiorno" when you enter a shop; by the time you pay for your goods, you've gained a friend. Exuberant, passionate, and loving, how can one not fall in love with the human element of Italy? SEASONS AND FOOD The two are truly insepa- Why is Italy so irresistible? PAULA REYNOLDS rable. Afterall, are Italy and great food not practically s y n o n y m o u s ? P i z z a a n d pasta probably do reign as king in all their various pre- s e n t a t i o n s , b u t t h e r e i s m u c h m o r e t o t h e h i g h - q u a l i t y c u l i n a r y d e l i g h t s Italy is famous for. And it pretty much boils down to seasonal simplicity. The finest ingredients found in- s e a s o n e q u a t e t o w h a t becomes your memorable m e a l . S u m m e r b r i n g s vibrant colored melons and s u c c u l e n t g a r d e n g r o w n tomatoes ready to morph into a thousand delights. Fall and winter don't lag far b e h i n d . E v e r d u g i n t o a steamy bowl of ribollita on a cold Tuscan night or blew the steam from a mouthful of savory cinghiale over polenta? And spring…the promise of warm summer days to come are found in chartreuse fava beans, aro- m a t i c f e n n e l , a n d c r i s p pears. Fortunately, however, gelato manages to find its Continued to page 22 Her landscapes and her history: two of the reasons why Italy is irresistible (.©Evgeniy Parilov | Dreamstime.com) LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE

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