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Why Ischia Italy Is Whispering Your Name as the Lover You Can’t Escape

Posted on August 27, 2017

FAMILY TRAVEL – VIAGGI

Ischia Castello Aragonese and Beach - Photo by Francesca Di Meglio
Ischia is an aspiration and an inspiration. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples in Italy, is more than a vacation destination. It’s a state of mind. There is an entire culture built around this little piece of land in the sea. Truly, the sweet life of Italians – as Americans have come to know it – begins and ends here.

The photo above says it all. After all, who can resist the romantic ambiance of a real life castle in the middle of the sea positioned next to bronzed sunbathers and swimmers? There’s even a grapevine and all that greenery. It is the picture of a place that soothes the body and opens the mind to endless possibilities.

A Melody Like No Other

Life’s rhythm is different here. There is no frenetic pace of workers pounding the pavement. Instead, the tourists and natives alike are swayed by the sea. So, their step is gentler, their sense of purpose less directed. The breeze moves them. By the way, that’s not always a bad thing. It takes some getting used to for an American such as I. But once you stop fighting it and let your body relax, you flow like the waves kissing the shore.

Stepping lightly is foreshadowing for the siesta of every afternoon. Families gather for long lunches that they follow with a nap. The force of the sun and the pull of the waves unleashes unbridled passion. You’ll find yourself making love in the middle of the afternoon. Maybe you’ll sleep, too. In the evening, the people return to work. But first they share a coffee with their friends at the bar. After all, there’s always time for espresso.

Friends become family. Family becomes friends. Everyone gets in everyone else’s business, but that’s the way it is supposed to be. Neighbors still help each other. If you stay long enough, you might feel suffocated by their love. If you leave, however, you long for their affection and can never replicate it.

Food That’s Better Than Sex

Your whole world revolves around food when in Ischia or with people from Ischia. For it is food that unites you with lovers and neighbors. It is food that sustains you. You will feed each other endlessly for food is love. Love is food. Biting into the island’s lush vegetation – peaches, tomatoes, figs, and more – is a revelation. It is as though you’ve never eaten before.

Bottomless plates of pasta doused in the finest sauces, shellfish and octopus plucked right from the sea in front of you before arriving at your table, and the coniglio Ischitano (Ischia rabbit) dressed in its glorious simplicity will fill your heart as much as your belly. Indeed, you will feel healthy and indulged all at once. And don’t forget to top it off with fresh, artisanal gelato.

La Bellezza

Green hills, fragrant flowers, luxurious spas and hotels, sexy beaches, and pretty people are lovely distractions. Your brain will take a vacation. When you carve out time to sleep, you will restfully doze. You drift away from everyday worries and the person you are in the real world. You become someone else. When you look in the mirror, you see someone you like better. She is prettier, smarter, more capable, and she knows it. The people all around you will look at you differently, as though they are finally seeing you. No matter how hard you try, you can never replicate this experience anywhere else.

Ischia State of Mind

Perhaps, that is why island life becomes a drug for many. You can never have enough of that feeling it induces deep inside you. It has a grip on your heart because Ischia makes you stronger, more desirable, more beautiful, more alive than ever. The earth in Ischia will move you but only in the best of ways for it is a force of nature that never really leaves you.

Di Meglio is the author of Fun with the Family New Jersey (Globe Pequot Press, 2012). She also has written the Our Paesani column for ItaliansRus.com since 2003. You can follow the Italian Mamma on Facebook or Twitter @ItalianMamma10.

Posted in: Uncategorized | Tagged: ischia, italy, tourism, tourists, travel, vacations

Ischia Italy Beach Day – People Watching and Philosophizing

Posted on July 12, 2017

MAMMA’S DIARY – DIARIO DI MAMMA / FAMILY TRAVEL – VIAGGI

Beach in Ischia Italy - Di Meglio
When your day on a beach in Ischia, Italy is over, you will be a changed person. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

An Ischia Italy beach day can change the way you think. The intoxicating scent of the sea lures you like the sirens of Greek mythology. When you first squish your toes into the hot, soft sand, you think you’re walking on fire. So, you get your ballerina on and tip toe, tip toe, tip toe to a lounge chair. A tall, dark teenager leads you to the perfect spot nearest the sea. Exhale.

Your son is ready to jump in. But you’re l’Americana. So, you first cover him in cream and sheathe him in a rash guard. Then, you warn him of the dangers of going too deep. You tell him to stay close to his father and never go past the buoys. Just then, your husband whisks away your baby and takes him past the buoys. Inhale.

Who cares? You’re at the beach…on an island…in Italy. Pull up a lounge chair. Exhale.

La Gioventù

Other children are running in the sand. Or they’re trying to catch waves. A few are making rocks dance on the water. An Italian mamma in a skinny bikini is bouncing a naked baby on her hip. She covers him with a blanket in the hopes that the sound of the sea will help him drift off to sleep.

Teenagers are finding excuses to climb on one another, forming human pyramids in the sea. They are young and pretty and seem to know it. Bronzed and carefree, they are like the personification of hedonism. For a moment, you are both nostalgic for your own youth and jealous you never experienced being a native of an island. Then, they topple and crash onto one another with a thunderous flop. Suddenly, you recall that youth truly is wasted on the young. And the island limits where you can go. Next, one or two of the young couples steal a salty kiss. You lean back and the mind wanders.

These are not the youth of your America. They are distinctly different. Italian children are less tame, far less controlled. Many of the babies – boys and girls alike – are nude. They splash and pee with wild abandon. Little girls as old as 8 wear no bathing suit top. An American lawyer I know once visited and would not allow his wife to photograph the beach for fear it would be considered child pornography Stateside.

Still, one of the little girls toddles over to your son and asks to borrow his shovel for building palaces and pools in the sand. He gleefully obliges. A friend for a moment is better than none at all. Despite the language barrier, they get along well. Pointing and hand gestures work. And they look at each other in wonderment.

Revealing Revelations

Then, of course, the place is teeming with adults. The amount of flesh on display takes some getting used to for those of us from comparatively puritanical America. The natives, in fact, mock your one-piece bathing suit and shorts. You once wore skimpier swimsuits. But now you’re a mamma of a certain age. You like your cover up covering up things. Of course, the damage the sun can do is another excuse – err, reason – to hide skin. But the sun is life in Italy.

So, natives have a different take. Some of the men, especially the older ones, still wear speedos. It’s hard to avert the eyes. The image of a banana hammock burns into your memory much like Vesuvius at Pompeii. More modern men wear a regular bathing suit. Of course, theirs are shorter than yours. This is not the place for board shorts. While Jersey Italians are spraying on their tans, Italian Italians are doing it old school. They drench themselves in sun. Many still use oil. They shimmer like diamonds. Nearly naked diamonds. They jeer you for your milky white skin and 50+ sunscreen. Don’t even get them started on your kid’s rash guard and long swim trunks.

Even the nonne (grandmas) wear two-piece bathing suits. Many don bikinis that leave little to the imagination. Let’s just say you are seeing more than just the cheeks on their faces. The foreign women are even less reserved than the Ischitani. Finding tan lines intolerable, they go topless. Some are old and wrinkly. Others are young and perky. They all take your breath away.

Ischia Makes You Feel Sexy

Even among those who work on the beach – delivering drinks or renting umbrellas – there’s a casualness. It’s as though the heat makes it all right to be in various stages of undress. While closing your eyes, you have a revelation; what’s beautiful is the acceptance of all shapes and sizes. Because it’s hot, everyone can uncover herself. It’s permitted. There’s a freedom that comes with this acceptance. Removing shame of the flesh is actually empowering in a way. But your Americanness prevents you from fully appreciating it. And you can’t bear showing too much of yourself in Ischia. It takes a kind of courage you’re not sure you have.

An ad once suggested Ischia was where you eat, you drink, and you “whistle.” The latter is in quotes because it is a euphemism for sex. Some, however, say it just points to the laid-back vibe of the island. The heat and scent of the sea and all that natural beauty certainly have their influence. You’re suddenly lightheaded. You notice your husband swinging your son into the sea for one more run. The sunlight is bouncing off his curly locks. Sure, he’s gotten older as have you. But his midlife paunch and a few gray hairs don’t change the fact that his green eyes are twinkling. He’s Italian. He’s yours. And he’s friggin’ sexy.

When he comes over and brushes your hand as you offer him his towel, you still feel electricity. It’s time to head for the restaurant on the beach, just behind you. Tonight your son demands a chicken cutlet and fries. And you’re having linguine and clams. The Ischia sun is setting in the background. The sea breeze lightly caresses your face. Your husband gives you the look. And your son begins to fall asleep in your lap while twirling your hair. It is the end of a perfect day.

Di Meglio has written the Our Paesani column for ItaliansRus.com since 2003. You can follow the Italian Mamma on Facebook or Twitter @ItalianMamma10.

Posted in: Uncategorized | Tagged: beach, beaches, day at the beach, family travel, ischia, ischia italy beach day, islands, italy, tourism, travel

Ischia Italy Postcard

Posted on July 11, 2017

Postcards from Italy

Ischia Italy Postcard - Di Meglio

An Ischia Italy postcard calls your name. Can’t you just picture yourself diving into that picture? On this Neapolitan island neighboring Capri and Procida, you will find many beaches that allow you to escape everyday life. While falling asleep on the sand, you will dream long and hard. Anything will seem possible. You’ll feel stronger and prettier. There’s something about a lazy day on the beach that is inspirational. It’s almost like going to church. You’re renewed.

Di Meglio has written the Our Paesani column for ItaliansRus.com since 2003. You can follow the Italian Mamma on Facebook or Twitter @ItalianMamma10.

Posted in: Uncategorized | Tagged: family travel, Ischia Italy postcard, island, italy, ocean, post cards, postcards, sea, tourism, travel

La Mortella in Ischia, Italy Offers Beautiful Serenity

Posted on July 6, 2017

FAMILY TRAVEL – VIAGGI

Lily Pad - La Mortella - Ischia, Italy - Di Meglio
Lotuses are just one of the charming aspects of a walk through La Mortella in Ischia, Italy. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

Giardini La Mortella in Ischia, Italy, an island off the coast of Naples, gives visitors some tranquility. The beautiful plants and flowers provide the backdrop for a leisurely walk. Even though you sometimes have to climb steep steps, you feel at ease. There are waterfalls, whose natural music is welcoming. An aviary filled with majestic birds catches the eye and elicits gratitude for nature. When you’re feeling down, a piece of lemon Caprese cake will lift you up. I ate it a decade ago, and I still remember it. Every so often, the gardens become a concert venue. I can only imagine how delightful it must be to hear the strumming of a violin amid all this beauty.

The gardens are the creation of Susana Walton, the late Argentine wife of British composer Sir William Walton. Designed by  his is the home to both subtropical and mediterranean plant life. Many of the species are exotic and not easily maintained on the island. In 1956, Susana Walton turned to landscape designer Russell Page, who envisioned a plan to include the view of the sea and the volcanic rock formations naturally in the garden.

A Tour of La Mortella in Photos

Orchids

Orchids - La Mortella - Ischia, Italy - Di Meglio
Some of the most beautiful orchids I’ve seen grow in La Mortella. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

Located in the town of Forio in Ischia, the gardens are displayed in two levels. The lower level is called the Valley, and the upper level is known as the Hill. From the top, you can take in the view of the stunning San Francesco beach in Forio. In the Orchid House, you will find some beauties. In fact, there is an orchid hybrid that was created in honor of Susana Walton because of her passion for gardening and contributions to the community.

The Old Man

Olive Tree - La Mortella - Ischia Italy - Di Meglio
This is the oldest tree I’ve ever seen in person. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

Take a Seat

On the other hand, one of the most memorable parts of my walks through La Mortella is this olive tree. It is hundreds of years old and truly spectacular.

Chair out of Tree Stump - La Mortella - Ischia, Italy - Di Meglio
This chair had me imagining a real-life fairy garden. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

Truly, seeing this chair carved out of a tree stump is a whimsical touch. Indeed, there are many objects like this at La Mortella.

The Unexpected

Alligator - La Mortella - Ischia Italy - Di Meglio
A little bit of kitsch is welcome at La Mortella with its otherwise elegant gardens. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

When you turn a corner, and see this life-size alligator figure amid these short cascades of water, don’t be frightened. Simply put, it’s a touch of humor.

Woodsy

Bamboo - La Mortella - Ischia Italy - Di Meglio
Stalks of bamboo add to the serenity of the place. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

After you have photographed lots of plant life, you might opt for a selfie. This bamboo makes for a lovely backdrop.

When Water Falls

Fountain - La Mortella - Ischia Italy - Di Meglio
Gushing water is a vision at La Mortella. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

Just when you think you can’t be any more relaxed, you hear this – the sound of running water. The various fountains around the gardens are as beautiful as they are soothing.

Let the Light Shine

Sunlight and Water - La Mortella - Ischia Italy - Di Meglio
A bit of sunlight streaming in makes for a pretty picture. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

This little nook in the gardens is typical of Ischia. The wall, fountain, and moss harken to the island’s beginnings. Known as L’Isola Verde or the Green Island, Ischia offers many scenes just like this.

Being One with Nature

Statue - La Mortella - Ischia Italy - Di Meglio
Statues like this add to the spirituality of the gardens. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

In fact, gardens like this are a perfect fit on the Green Island. While religion is not at the forefront of the images in the gardens, there is a spirituality that resonates. Statues like this capture the mood and make for an appropriate accent.

La Mortella is a great place to take a stroll. You can unwind and witness breathtaking views worthy of photographs. Even if you don’t have a camera, you will carry the images in your memory for years to come.

Di Meglio has written the Our Paesani column for ItaliansRus.com since 2003. You can follow the Italian Mamma on Facebook or Twitter @ItalianMamma10.

Posted in: Uncategorized | Tagged: family travel, flowers, gardens, giardini, ischia, italy, la mortella, nature, plants, tourism, travel, viaggi

Some Must-See Sites in Underrated Puglia

Posted on June 27, 2017

FAMILY TRAVEL – VIAGGI

Trulli - Francesca Di Meglio
The trulli of Alberobello with their characteristic round rooftops make for a dramatic image. #169; Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

Puglia is underrated among tourists. Overshadowed by Tuscany, Venice, and Florence to the north and Sicily and islands, such as Capri, to the south, the capital Bari and its surrounding area offer hidden gems. Much like Naples in Campania, the area is grittier than most tourists prefer. But if you know where to visit, you can be safe and enjoy some must-see places. Long ago, before we were married and had our son, my husband and I ventured to Puglia. It. was. epic. See below for some highlights from our trip. You should put these sites on your bucket list:

Road Trip

The street signs include a town named Monopoli. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

We saw Puglia by car. The signs are easy to read and follow. My husband and I got a kick out of the town named Monopoli. We had a long-running inside joke with my parents about the game. We took this picture with them in mind.  The Grotte di Castellana called our name. We had hoped to see the animals at the Zoosafari in nearby Fasano. But it was closed the day we were in town. Just our luck. Maybe someday we’ll get back there. I’ve heard good things.

Grotte di Castellana

Grotte di Castellano sunlight - Francesca Di Meglio
From inside the grotte, you can look up and out onto the street. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio
Stalagmites in Grotte di Castellana - Di Meglio
The stalagmites in Grotte di Castellano in Puglia, Italy are impressive structures. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

The Grotte di Castellana are a study in science and a tourist attraction. Found in the town of Castellana Grotte, they are underground cavities, where limestone has eroded. Over time, this limestone has formed a landscape brimming with fissures, sinkholes, ridges, and towers. The most impressive scenery is the stalagmite and stalactite covering the ground and roof respectively. A museum neighbors the caverns. There, people can get a deeper understanding of the natural wonders they just visited.

Alberobello

Alberobello - Francesca Di Meglio
Alberobello is a town famous for its rooftops. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

In Alberobello, you might feel as though you’ve arrived in a giant Smurf village. The round rooftops of the houses, known as trulli, are among 51 sites in Italy on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. They are stunning. We looked at the town from above on a flat rooftop, and all you could see were these charming homes that didn’t even look real lining the streets. It was lovely to walk through the streets and just take in the scene. I also really enjoyed the shopping, which included many handmade souvenirs.

Pottery Offers Pizzazz

Clay vases in Puglia, Italy - Francesca Di Meglio
Clay vases in Alberobello were eye catching. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

While I would never lug one of these babies home, I couldn’t help but photograph them. They were gorgeous. And the pottery piled together like that looked like a painting. The setting sun only added to the artistry. Although I was sad a vase of this stature was too big a purchase to bring home with me, I found other souvenirs. All these years later, I still cherish the treasures from Alberobello. I bought some beautifully decorated bath towels for relatives. Also, I found hand embroidered towels with images of the trulli on them. We still keep a mini trulli replica front and center in our china closet. The trip was a long time ago, but the memory lives on in our hearts.

Di Meglio has written the Our Paesani column for ItaliansRus.com since 2003. You can follow the Italian Mamma on Facebook or Twitter @ItalianMamma10.

Posted in: Uncategorized | Tagged: alberobello, family travel, grotte di castellana, italy, pottery, puglia, souvenirs, tourism, travel, trulli, viaggi

Day Dreaming about Ischia in Italy

Posted on June 20, 2017

FAMILY TRAVEL – VIAGGI

Ischia Porto park - Di Meglio
© Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

Ischia, Italy, an island off the coast of Naples that is the home of my ancestors and husband inspires beautiful daydreams. Anyone who goes there for vacation will see it as paradise. The reality for those who live there is different. But daydreaming is not about facing real life; it’s about escaping it. So, as a gift to you (not to mention me) I thought I’d share some pretty pictures. Go ahead pretend you’re in the image. And forget about all that other stuff.

Castello Aragonese

 

Castello Aragonese in Ischia with beach umbrellas - Di Meglio
© Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

The centerpiece of the island is Castello Aragonese. This castle has been a dungeon, fortress, and even love shack. It’s best known for housing Vittoria Colonna. Guests can visit the castle’s interior, which is a museum. They can even stay on the grounds, which includes a hotel. Previously a monastery, the rooms are not the most comfortable. There is no television. And the beds are literally hard like rocks. But the view of the bridge connecting the castle to the island and the town of Ischia Ponte make up for it. Seriously, quella bella vista is the vision of romance.

Ischia Porto Beach - Francesca Di Meglio

Ischia’s biggest draw, of course, is its many beaches. This is one of the most crowded in Ischia Porto, the island’s capital and bustling hub. But it’s a nice place for its central location. Maronti in the town of Barano is the biggest and most popular beach. San Francesco in the town of Forio offers lovely views while you’re lounging. It’s also a bit quieter than the beaches in Ischia Porto and Barano. Some, however, prefer the sand or rocks surrounding Castello Aragonese. They jump in as though they are Gwyneth Paltrow and Jude Law in the Talented Mr. Ripley, who had lived on the island while filming there. The Bay of San Montano, which is in the middle of the Negombo thermal spa is a great spot for families because of the calm waters. Of course, there is also the beach in Sant’ Angelo, the poshest spot in Ischia.

Thermal Spas

© Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

The photo above shows Bagnitello, a thermal pool park and beach area in the town of Casamicciola. Ischia sits atop a volcano. As a result, the soil is fertile, which might be why the fruits and vegetables are so plentiful and delicious. These volcanic beginnings also explain the thermal waters and mud, which are believed to have healing powers. Indeed, athletes often come to Ischia to sooth sore muscles, joints, and bones. The waters at Nitrodi natural springs in Buonopane help those with skin afflictions, such as acne, rashes, and fungi. You can stand under the showers there and then pull up a lounge chair overlooking Maronti. The most famous thermal spas, however, are Negombo, Poseidon, and Castiglione. Negombo is my personal favorite. They created the pools to look like they naturally evolved from the rocks in the hillside. The hammocks that are hidden away and overlook the Bay of San Montano will quickly become your happy place. Poseidon is the most well known of the three and offers lovely gardens alongside the thermal pools. Castiglione is the most quaint. It offers many pools, a warm atmosphere, and less chaos.

Best thing about daydreaming? I’m already there in my mind. Hope the same is true for you.

Di Meglio has written the Our Paesani column for ItaliansRus.com since 2003. You can follow the Italian Mamma on Facebook or Twitter @ItalianMamma10.

Posted in: Uncategorized | Tagged: daydreaming, ischia, italy, photos, pictures, thermal spas, tourism, tours, travel, vacations

Italy Vacation – Where Is Ischia?

Posted on May 24, 2017

FAMILY TRAVEL – VIAGGI

Castello Aragonese in Ischia with beach umbrellas - Di Meglio
Castello Aragonese is a symbol of the island of Ischia. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

My People, My Island

This is the first in a series of stories about traveling to the island of Ischia in Italy. 

Mine are the peasant people of Ischia in Italy. This island is considered a province of Naples in Italy. Ischia neighbors the more famous Capri. Another neighboring island, Procida, had its 15 minutes of fame when the charming film Il Postino was released. When my people left in the 1950s and 1960s, the island was suffering. World War II had decimated the economy of the entire country. And the spirit of the people was shaken. Italians are not ones for war. Truly, they are lovers and not fighters. Fighting Americans (many of whom were related) and changing sides took its toll.

Challenges Change the Islanders

Food and family are the top priorities in Italy. Back then, getting food on the table was difficult. My father disagrees. He doesn’t remember scrambling for a meal. But his older siblings have different memories. They were working the land to make ends meet. It was a tough life. In 1960, when my 13-year-old father left, everything changed. Tourism began to replace agriculture as the island’s prime business.

So, where is Ischia?

Well, it is the largest island in the Gulf of Naples. It is 17 miles southwest of Naples on the western edge of the gulf, according to the World Atlas. Foreigners travel by plane. Often, they have to take a flight to a European capital. Then, they take a shorter flight to Naples. During some times of the year, you can get direct flights from New York’s JFK.

You can easily access the island from Naples or Pozzuoli (birthplace of Sofia Loren). You simply have to take a boat or hydrofoil from either of those places. You go with the boat if you need to put a car or motor scooter on board with you. You go with the hydrofoil if you’re traveling without additional transportation. The hydrofoil, of course, is faster and takes about an hour. The boat will take about 1.5 to two hours. It all depends on whether you make a stop in Procida first.

What Makes the Geography Special

The island is actually a volcano. It last erupted 700 or so years ago. But in 2010 some experts warned it might blow again. No joke. Before you run away from Ischia, consider their final thoughts on the matter. The experts also said an eruption was not at all imminent. Still, they are monitoring it along with nearby Vesuvius.

These volcanic origins are not all bad. They provide rich soil for vegetation. You might credit it with the sweetest fruits and most delicious veggies you’ve ever eaten. Your body might also appreciate thermal waters and mud. Many athletes and ailing people come to Ischia for their healing powers.

For those who trace their roots to Ischia, it lives within the heart. It is where we find family and friends. It is where we find a slice of piece and Nonna’s parmigiana. Can’t beat that.

Di Meglio has written the Our Paesani column for ItaliansRus.com since 2003. You can follow the Italian Mamma on Facebook or Twitter @ItalianMamma10. For handmade crafts and party gear, visit the Italian Mamma store on Etsy.

Posted in: Uncategorized | Tagged: europe, family travel, geography, ischia, italy, tourism, travel, vacations, viaggi, volcano

Greetings from Ischia in My 20s

Posted on October 4, 2016

FAMILY TRAVEL – VIAGGI

Woman in Ischia 2005 - Gerenini
A photo of me from 2005 in Ischia, Italy © Photo by Antonio Gerenini

I’ve become one of those people. You know, the kind who is always waxing nostalgic. I’m my grandparents now. Every sentence seems to begin, “Back in the old days…” And so it begins. In 10 days, I’m going to turn 38 years old. It’s not 40. But it’s closer to 40 than 30 was. Suddenly, I’m clinging to whatever time I have left with older relatives, recognizing my parent’s age, and feeling, well, old – or at least much older. It has me thinking about the past – a lot.

Rather than bore you with details of how I had it better back then in that time and galaxy far, far away, I thought I’d share some pictures. These are my keepsakes from Ischia in 2005, when I visited my then boyfriend (now husband) in his home and met his family for the first time. It was an age of innocence. It was also a time when Ischia was not a second home but still a dream vacation for me. It’s funny what a difference living in a place – seeing all its warts up close – makes in your perception of it. Anyway, here’s what I’ve been looking at, staring at, and wondering whatever happened to:

Two Italian men - Di Meglio
Two men commiserate while I’m waiting in a car. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

I couldn’t help but snap this shot while waiting in a car for someone’s arrival. Who? I can’t remember. But I do remember seeing these seniors sitting out there and fondly thinking about my grandfathers, both of whom were born and raised in Ischia. They always had close friends from the island, and whenever they got together, there would be intense conversation and rounds of Italian cards. They also all owned one of those hats.

Ischia view - Di Meglio
Ischia is just plain pretty. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

This photo always spoke to me. I believe I took it from Villa Arbusto, a museum in Ischia, where my husband and I would return to take wedding pictures. For one, the photo provides a beautiful look at the residences of the island. For two, it seems like a metaphor for life with its peaks and valleys.

Il Fungo Mushroom in Ischia - Di Meglio
The Mushroom, as this rock formation is known, is the highlight of Ischia’s Lacco Ameno town. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

Ischia has quite a few naturally formed rocks that jut out of the ocean and are in the shape of something. This one, called il Fungo or the Mushroom, is the most famous and it is the symbol of the town of Lacco Ameno. From above, you can’t miss it.

 

Goat in Ischia - Di Meglio
Gotta love a goat. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

This is near my father’s hometown of Buonopane in Ischia. My husband was showing me around, and we spotted this goat on someone’s property, on top of a roof of sorts. I had to take his picture, but there was nowhere to park. So, I just took it from the car. It came out pretty well. And I always wonder what that goat was doing up there. Somebody was missing their milk or dinner with him hiding out up there.

Ischia Porto - Di Meglio
As an island, Ischia sees its ports as its epicenters. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

There was a refreshing quiet about the sea on this day in spring 2005. The docked boats – waiting for summer’s return – spoke for all the Ischitani natives anxious to get back to work. Most of them are in tourism, which is a seasonal industry lasting only about six months out of the year.

San Pietro in Ischia - Di Meglio
This is the quiet before the storm at San Pietro in Ischia Porto. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

In early spring, there are few tourists hanging around the beach in Ischia. But a few more weeks after this picture was taken and the place would see wall-to-wall people from sand to shore and in the sea. Taking a stroll on the sand with my then new love – hand in hand – with no one else around was a kind of peace I haven’t experienced in a long time, and for which we all long.

Di Meglio has written the Our Paesani column for ItaliansRus.com since 2003. You can follow the Italian Mamma on Facebook or Twitter @ItalianMamma10.

Posted in: Uncategorized | Tagged: family travel, ischia, italy, photo album, tourism, vacations, viaggi

Ischia Awakens from Its Slumber

Posted on April 20, 2016

VIAGGI – FAMILY TRAVEL

Ischia Porto park - Di Meglio
Soon, this park in Ischia Porto will be bustling with tourists and natives alike. © Photo by Francesca Di Meglio

The streets are still fairly quiet. The natives are still smiling. The stores and restaurants have just reopened and are showing off their Sunday best – new curtains, a bedazzled window display, or the promise of the freshest octopus you’ve ever eaten. It’s springtime in Ischia, a small island off the coast of Naples in Italy that is the home of my ancestors and husband.

While summer is the epicenter of travel to Ischia, which offers beaches at every turn, and the fall is a beautiful alternative for those who want to experience the glory of the island, including the grape harvest for wine making, without the crowds, spring is perfection. Unfortunately, with its unpredictable weather and just-the-start-of-the-season feel, it often gets ignored. I probably shouldn’t be letting you in on my little secret; consider this revelation a gift. Spring is when the island – and the islanders – spring back to life.

I relish the silence when you walk onto the street in the early morning as the sun is just starting to kiss the sky. I love walking on the shore in ripped jeans and a button-down shirt and sweater, allowing myself to feel the sand between my toes but falling short of getting wet. Then, I sit still for but a moment and let the breeze gently push my hair and stroke my cheek. Instead of people watching in the piazza, I gaze at the budding blooms, getting enthralled by the island’s natural beauty as it returns from hibernation.

Sure, it may rain and I sometimes feel the deep freeze in my bones. But my favorite zia (real or adopted) will make me a hot cup of minestrone while we gossip about the neighbors and wonder aloud about when Nonno (real or adopted) started to lose his mind. I’ll lose track of time and we’ll have to eat dinner together, too. Maybe we’ll order in some pizza. We won’t have to wait because there has not yet been a deluge of tourists. And we’ll be able to chat with the delivery guy about the prospects for business this season (never good enough) and the lousy weather (which probably isn’t as lousy as we make it out to be).

All over the island, wherever I go, I will find pockets of sanctuary without many other souls in sight. The ones I do find will be welcoming and will not intrude on my quiet (unless I signal that I want them to). In my single days, I might have just pulled up a bench in one of the pine tree forests, tied my scarf a little tighter, and read a good book. With my son, it’s a chance to play on the swings and grab a gelato in peace. Now, if only we could find a way to bottle up that tranquility and unleash it in the middle of the August intrusion of an otherwise perfect place.

Di Meglio has written the Our Paesani column for ItaliansRus.com since 2003. You can follow the Italian Mamma on Facebook or Twitter @ItalianMamma10.

 

 

Posted in: Uncategorized | Tagged: family travel, ischia, italy, tourism, viaggi

Gone to Ischia

Posted on August 4, 2015

IMG_7089

As much as I hate to admit it, I come from a gorgeous place. Sure, there are no opportunities for work, and some would argue that the tourism industry has destroyed the culture, not to mention the environment, in Ischia, a small island off the coast of Naples that is the home of my ancestors and husband. And I’d never want to live here. Never. But to vacation here is bliss.

One look at those views (the one above being of Castello Aragonese from Zi Nannina a Mare’s restaurant) and you’re breathless. You pretty much forget everything else, and calm washes over you. Then, you eat the food – rabbit, mussels, clams, the fruits and veggies fresh from the thermal earth, and all the spaghetti, pizza, and gelato you can fit into your belly – and you’re certain you’ve died and gone to Heaven. Amen.

If you’ve been wondering where I’ve been since I haven’t posted in such a long while, well, I’ve been here in paradise. In between working – writing for all my various editors in the States about things like applying to business school, moving, and getting married – I have been going to the beach and eating as much as I humanly can. (To be honest, sometimes more!) Anyway, I’m doing this all for you, dear reader. This way, I can report back. Expect more posts in the coming days replete with food porn pics and some scoop on Italian life and that dolce vita I keep promising you.

Di Meglio uses the written word to help families create memories and stick together. You can follow her on Facebook at Francesca’s Newlyweds Nest and on Twitter @ItalianMamma10.

Posted in: Uncategorized | Tagged: castello aragonese, food, ischia, italians, italy, tourism, travel, vacation
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