"My Trip Diary: Read it. You'll like it!" :: Submitted by Lou Ponsi
My First Trip to Italy (October 1999)
My 1st trip to Italy – a gift from my son & traveling companion, Michael, who gave up a week of his time to treat his Dad to the vacation of a lifetime. Our objectives:
Meet and get to know some of our Italian relatives
Visit birthplace of my ancestors, a tiny little town outside of Naples called Casola
See the sights of Rome and Naples
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Tuesday October 12, 1999 – We’re on our way
Our flight from Philadelphia to Rome turns out to be overbooked.
After confirming our seats (…sigh of relief…) we sit back to wait.
Bumped travelers are being called to the front desk.
Unexpectedly, our name is called too.
Momentary panic when asked to give up our seats.
Our mood changes quickly to exhilaration when asked to move up to First Class!
Whatta way to begin our trip:
Champagne, wine, drinks, shrimp, shrimp and more shrimp for dinner
Complementary toiletry kits
Individualized selection of movies for viewing on personal monitors
A nice breakfast
No lineup at the lavatories, … and most importantly …
All That Luxurious Elbow Room
We sleep well on the flight. Fortuitous since we plan to cope with the 6 hour time zone change by keeping on trucking upon arrival, rather than take naps. We hit the ground running when our flight arrives at Fiumicino airport Wednesday AM.
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Wednesday October 13, 1999 – Rome
By 11AM Rome time we arrive at Hotel Due Torri, near Piazza Navona.
Very nice, small hotel we would enthusiastically recommend to others:
Five stories, with a tiny elevator
Friendly helpful staff
Centrally located
We can walk virtually anywhere from the hotel
Well under a mile to most sights (Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Roman Forum, Castel Sant’Angelo, Piazza Venezia, Spanish Steps, etc)
Just over a mile to Colosseum, St. Peters Basilica & Vatican museums
No need for taxi or bus except to and from airport and train station
The only negative is ineffective room air conditioning (not a major problem in mid-October, but would be a concern during heat of summer)
Our room's not ready, so we check our luggage & immediately begin to see the sights:
We explore Piazza Navona and its three magnificent fountains.
Restoration is complete on one, but underway on the others, which we still can view up close even though not operating.
With its fountains, outdoor cafès, caricature & portrait artists, souvenir stands and shops, Piazza Navona is a busy place. Lots of energy. Great for people watching, one of our favorite pursuits.
We move on to Piazza della Rotonda:
In it stands the Pantheon, which we visit, and by which we are very impressed.
Mike is particularly interested in its architecture and, from his own perspective of managing construction projects, in what it must have taken to design and build this huge temple (now a Roman Catholic church) so long ago.
Next, to Piazza Capranica for a very special visit:
I want to see Palazzo Capranica, an original 15th century building where Great Uncle Mario studied for the priesthood nearly a century ago, when the Vatican used it as a seminary
Per our guidebook, the palazzo now contains a popular movie house
We discover it also houses a nice ristorante (Cafè Capranica) & decide to have lunch here after check in at Due Torri.
Our charming fourth floor room at Due Torri is now ready:
The balcony provides a fascinating view of our very old Roman neighborhood
Juxtaposes quaint rooftop gardens & makeshift clotheslines bearing a day's laundry
We feel like we are part of the neighborhood, not just visitors
We’re on the inside, looking out not only on tourist sights but on the back alleys and inner workings of an active but relatively quiet neighborhood
Evenings, we will overhear music & song emanating from a neighboring building as we approach our hotel. Wish we had a tape recorder in addition to our camera!
This idyllic scene contrasts strangely with what we will observe a couple of streets away. A heavily armed police car always is parked in the same spot, which we pass daily on our way to & from the hotel. The two carabinieri always there seem very young. I wonder what the heavy-duty security is for in this innocent appearing neighborhood. [We hypothesize a VIP is staying nearby. The Italian Senate's not far from here.]
Nonetheless, we feel totally secure in this location. Never even a hint of disruption of any kind. Next time in Rome I will definitely book Due Torri again.
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It’s time to call cugino Nicola Mascolo:
We don’t know him, but have word he'd like to meet us if possible before we leave for Naples
I have his phone number & news of his request, from Alberta Crescenzi, another cugina we have never met face to face, who emailed me just before our trip began
I speak with Nicola’s daughter, Barbara, who thankfully speaks English very well. We agree to meet tomorrow evening at Due Torri after our Vatican visit.
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By now we are pretty darn hungry. So what do I do next on my 1st day in Rome?
I must confess (hope no one’s offended) that before moving on I simply MUST figure out the mechanics of that strange device in our bathroom.
You know which one I mean.
That mechanism sitting next to the toilet, complete with its own hot & cold water faucet, soap, & convenient towel rack.
After educating myself on European indoor plumbing (remember this is my first real venture outside the USA), we return to Cafè Capranica for lunch.
As our meal begins, we ceremoniously toast our trip & Uncle (Monsignor) Mario, our lunchtime host (in spirit). I keep the menu as a souvenir and special gift.
We then take a wide-ranging self-directed (non-directed?) walking tour.
Our meandering includes classy shops of via Condotti, Trevi fountain, assorted fruit, vegetable & flower markets; etc.
And yes, we do scrounge up a couple of coins for Trevi. (Wow is Trevi packed! As crowded as any spot we see in Rome (except maybe the Sistine Chapel!)
We also cross the Tiber (Tevere) and circle Castel Sant’Angelo & the Palace of Justice. Restoration is underway in the moat area surrounding Castel Sant’Angelo
Throughout the day I have many opportunities to practice Italian (more accurately my ‘pigeon Italian’) along the way, in taxi, shops, restaurants, etc.
I’m surprised at how patient most natives are with my efforts.
At the same time, I also am surprised that most Italians seem as mono-lingual as Americans.
We gradually become proficient in the art of walking the streets of Rome:
It is essential to be determined, assertive & a bit of a risk taker to successfully negotiate Rome on foot.
Above all, never have eye contact with an oncoming motorist or motorcyclist.
If you do, they simply speed up, expecting you to move out of the way since they know you see them coming. Quite an experience.
It must be even worse for tourists foolhardy enough to attempt driving in Rome without prior experience at demolition derby & figure-eight race track events.
At our hotel’s recommendation we dine at Ristorante la Campana, a neighborhood establishment on vicolo della Campana billing itself as the most ancient spot for dining in Rome. (Il locale più antico di Roma).
Despite its ‘ancient’ roots, the food is fresh & our excellent, multi-course meal delicious
Again, I collect a souvenir menu
So far we have encountered not a word of English on the restaurant menus from which we have ordered (all two of them)
Menus defy translation into English due to my very limited Italian vocabulary.
At the same time, our waiters have less command of English than I have of Italian!
I know its naïve, but I interpret this as an indicator that we are hitting authentic local dining spots and not places catering essentially to tourists.
Requires gambling on our part in menu selection, but the outcome is consistently outstanding meals – just what we want.
After dinner we continue our purposeful meandering:
We come upon borders of the Roman Forum, which we will explore another day.
We return to the Pantheon, where Mike picks up an old souvenir
We haggle a bit with a local artist on his price to draw a portrait from a photo of Mike’s children (my grandchildren), Caroline and Will.
We then return to Piazza Navona. Mike begins checking out portrait artists here too for reproducing Caroline & Will’s photo.
We finish the day with a late gelato. Outstanding. Mine is nocciola (hazelnut).
Best ice cream I can remember tasting.
To bed after 1AM.
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Thursday October 14, 1999 – Rome – The Vatican
Small talk on way to breakfast with Signore DeNiro, a friendly hotel guest in Rome on business. An opportunity to practice my limited Italian.
He recommends that I read Gaitalese, novelist/poet who he says is very popular in Italy; captures the Italian spirit well. Scriva in inglese.
He comments on our Ponsiglione surname (shortened to Ponsi by my grandfather).
Per DeNiro, our family’s original surname was probably Pungiglione and may have evolved into Ponsiglione in the distant past.
English translations of pungiglione include ‘sting (of insect)’ & ‘stimulus’.
Interesting, but I suspect Signore DeNiro’s conclusion is flawed, or he is kidding me. There are far more Ponsigliones in Italian phone books than Pungiglione’s, although neither is common. (Ponsiglione appears in 19 localities, with the largest concentration in Naples. Pungiglione appears in only one location of Northern Italy
Nice continental breakfast at Due Torri:
I easily could get used to steamed milk with my morning coffee.
And who needs ham & eggs when such great baked goods are on the table?
We cross the Tevere over Ponte Umberto I on our way to the Vatican.
Great photo spot from bridge – with St. Peter’s & Palace of Justice as background
Closer look at Castel Sant’Angelo along the way.
At Piazza San Pietro:
I’m surprised it is not as huge or crowded as I imagined.
We may have been wise to arrive early, before the crowds.
Inside, unlike the piazza, the Basilica appears more immense than I imagined
So many side altars, nooks, crannies, etc.
We examine floor markings that illustrate where within St. Peters other great cathedrals of the world would end
We explore below to view tombs of prior popes. Some ornate. Some austere.
Then an elevator, followed by hundreds of exhausting steps to top of cupola.
Vatican views from top of the cupola are well worth the effort. Magnificent.
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Lunch is entertaining:
Another multi-course meal – at Ristorante M. Papalino, not far from Vatican
I must say first that our meal is heavenly. Very appropriate for a day at the Vatican
The 'entertainment' relates to our waiter’s pride in proper Italian cuisine.
He does not permit Mike to add calamare to his dish, because calamare simply are not served on pasta bolognese.
And when Mike asks for grated parmesan to accompany his new order of special sea food pasta, our distressed waiter breaks into a high-energy lament, complete with appropriate gestures, complaining to the Italian couple at the next table about this young americano who wants to play havoc with his cuisine!
And we grew up thinking it okay to sprinkle grated cheese on darn near anything! You know, just like some Americans add salt, pepper & catsup to anything in sight
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We spend rest of the afternoon in the Vatican Museums:
Endless
Breathtaking; Especially the Raphael Rooms & Sistine Chapel
Even the hallways themselves
Rented CD-tours helps us avoid being overwhelmed by sheer volume of exhibits
Souvenirs in Vatican gift shop for Mom – she’ll appreciate religious gifts (rosary beads & a framed papal medallion)
Mike picks up an old souvenir along the way
We begin a ‘scientific’ test, pitting Vatican vs Italian postal system, by mailing Mom a postcard. Later we’ll mail one to Lorri from the hotel & see which is received first. [Unexpectedly, despite a horrendous reputation Italian Postal Service bests Vatican by 3 delivery days!]
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Thursday Evening, October 14, 1999 – Rome – We Meet Nicola & Barbara
After returning from a very full day at the Vatican, we call Nicola to let him know we're back (about 7PM).
Daughter Barbara answers & says to expect them around 9PM. Ample time to rest up from the day’s exertion & freshen up for the evening.
Nicola & Barbara arrive 9:30, by taxi.
It seems Barbara’s brother Davide borrowed the family car without notice.
We sit in hotel lobby & introduce ourselves around.
I learn from Nicola that the correct pronunciation of Mascolo is MÃ scolo
Incorrectly, as long as I can remember, I have always used Mascòlo
We share family photos we have brought with us – old and new.
Nicola’s parents & grandparents in 1920s & 1930s + some even older pix
Our own family members – Nicola’s present-day State-side relatives
They are of great interest; particularly older ones from turn of century & 1920s
Some confusion about dinner:
Nicola & Barbara have eaten.
We had planned to dine together.
At Nicola’s suggestion we all walk to a Campo dei Fiori café for a bite
We talk incessantly:
In Due Torri lobby
on the way to the cafè
while eating at the cafè (We order gnocchi with tomato sauce. Barbara solicitously asks if we know what we ordered. We assure her we do, and enjoy the treat. Nicola and Barbara snack on french fries)
after dinner on the way back to Navona
Quite a cacaphony:
Mike speaks only English; Nicola, only Italian
Barbara, English & Italian; and I, ‘pigeon Italian' & English
On the way back to Navona Nicola invites us to his home for dinner tomorrow
We accept & ask for address (for taxi)
Nicola insists on picking us up at Due Torri
We arrive back at Navona.
Barbara helps Mike haggle with artist about cost of the portrait of Caroline & Will
Mike’s earlier haggling had price a bit over 300,000 Lire for a large B&W portrait
With Barbara’s help they settle on 200,000 Lire for a large color portrait
The artist will hang around Piazza Navona till midnight tomorrow to exchange finished portrait for payment of balance due after tonight’s 10% deposit
Nicola, who seems to have a sweet tooth, suggests a gelato ‘nightcap’
Nicola & I exchange email addresses
Nicola’s professional training is as Electrical Engineer
Son Davide is studying to be mechanical engineer
Barbara is studying to be a psychologist
Per Nicola, next Tuesday we’ll dine at his sister Caterina’s home on via Aventina
When in Napoli we should consider calling Maria Sofia in Pozzuoli, north of city.
Per Nicola, the Mascolos remaining in Casola are not directly related to us. Not even those presently on via Roma, the street on which our Mascolo ancestors’ home was located (via Roma is Casola’s main drag).
I mention a Stato di Famiglia certificate we recently obtained from Casola. It is how we knew via Roma is location of ancestral Mascolo homesite. Nicola would like to see the document, so I’ll bring it with me to dinner tomorrow night.
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Friday October 15, 1999 – Ancient Rome
After breakfast we buy train tickets for tomorrow morning: Rome to Naples express
Then we start our trek to explore the Ancient Roman Forum
It encompasses a much larger area than I imagined
The ruins are in varying condition, but some are quite large & impressive
We explore, but don’t really have a good feel for what we are seeing
We entertain ourselves by watching pick pockets in action
Our travel guide mentions ‘gangs of thieves’
We observe only a small troop of young boys
We don’t see them succeed; but they never stop trying
And when they fail they bicker among themselves about who screwed up
We view the Arch of Constantine
one quadrant is under restoration;
the remainder still is quite a sight
We tour the Roman Coliseum
Two burly guys in cute Roman Soldier costumes outside Coliseum, for photo ops (at least that’s what we assume; I doubt they are there to pick up dates!)
We take a self-guided tour via rented multi-lingual tapes. Very effectively done.
We miss 'The Games’; and no scores are posted. Maybe next time.
Other meandering:
To top of Spanish Steps
More shopping on via Condotti
The Capuchin Crypt – Eerie. Walls, ceilings decorated with thousands of human bones!
Local market near Navona. We buy 2 bottles vino for tonight’s dinner at Nicola’s
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Friday October 15, 1999 – Dinner with Nicola & family
Nicola calls at Due Torri alone to pick us up.
Explains private cars are prohibited on vicolo del Leonetto (alley where hotel entrance is located) due to congestion & tiny size.
His wife Graziana is waiting in the car, a couple of blocks away. Battery is low.
Davide has other family car. (He is beginning to sound like a very American kid)
We need to push car to jump start it at the same time I’m getting acquainted with Graziana – a very friendly, outgoing woman who speaks some English, comparable to my minimal grasp of Italian.
Graziana and I excel in bilingual conversation, filling in missing words for each other in whichever language comes to one of us first. I’m certain our conversation is comical, but we manage to communicate.
Nicola drives to an overlook of the city that he and Graziana want us to see.
As we arrive it begins to rain. We get out anyway to briefly take in the sight, (don’t ask me where).
But our conversation never stops. Graziana asks why in the world I want to go to Casola. I explain. She wants me to know Casola is changing. A ‘bad’ element is emerging in the area. Actually centered more in Gragnano, a larger town adjacent to Casola, but also in Casola. Mentions organized crime, drugs.
Nicola is a typical Roman driver. The ride to his home, on wet roads & in heavy traffic, is a harrowing experience (at least for those of us who keep our eyes open).
After a close call or two we arrive at their very nice 2-level apartment (a condo, I believe). They are original occupants, and have lived there, I think they said about 15 years.
Nicola plans to renovate the second level soon to provide expanded living quarters.
Barbara, who is not home at present, is at work – a part time job which calls for her to be part of a TV audience.
We meet Davide. Also limited English, but we are able to converse with him.
He is busily ‘plugged-in’ to his computer.
Davide & Nicola invite me to use the PC to email messages home. I take them up on the offer, composing a message to several family members. Some fumbling with keyboard, which contains Italian characters not on standard English keyboard.
Nicola shows Mike literature on a window cleaner mechanism for large buildings, which he markets. Has seen NYC skyscrapers and is certain his equipment is superior to that being used in US. Asks if Mike will show architects and provide feed back on what they think. Mike’s association with Renzo Piano (came up in last night’s conversations) must have impressed him.
Before dinner, I present the wine we brought to Graziana. Wish I had more to offer.
Dinner:
1st plate: Ravioli stuffed with cheese and spinach, in a butter sauce.
2nd plate: Fish (don’t know the variety) baked whole in parchment. One whole fish per serving. Delicious.
Greens – escarole – I remember Mom used to serve it
Graziana kindly helps me bone my fish the moment she sees me begin struggling with it.
Five people, but only four fish. I don’t notice, but Mike does and offers to share his portion.
Maybe Davide wasn’t expected home for dinner.
Nicola & Graziana share the fourth fish.
Dessert: Fresh fruits
Aperitifs: Refused – too full for after dinner drink &/or coffee
We gab throughout dinner, continuing to learn about each other and our families.
TV stays on during dinner, even though not watched, tuned to an English version CNN (heavy British accents). Since no one pays attention to it (except maybe Davide once or twice), I don’t know if it is on for us or is normal family practice.
After dinner, only one TV show seemed to grab everyone’s attention – an Italian show called Scherzo, involving practical jokes played on unsuspecting victims.
We feel welcome, comfortable; accepted members of the household for the evening
More than once Nicola has invited me to return for a longer visit & stay at his place. Given a good month together, he says, we both can become bilingual.
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Nicola & Graziana drive us back to Due Torri late in the evening
Traffic is still heavy, and it is raining. The streets are slick.
Along the way we divert to a ‘cook’s tour’ of major churches pilgrims to Rome commonly visit in addition to St. Peter’s, including S Giovanni in Laterano, S. Paolo Fuori le Mura & Santa Maria Maggiore.
Nicola also drives by & points out the ‘Square Colosseum’ in the futuristic EUR district created by Mussolini
On the road we witness our first motorcycle accident, as a biker trying to weave around traffic loses control on the wet pavement
The bike skids on ahead & crashes into a car, and its riders skid along the wet roadway on their backs. Luckily they appear to be wearing helmets, their heads are up & they seem okay.
It is past midnight, but we still hope to pick up Mike’s ‘bargain’ portrait of the kids.
The forlorn artist, umbrella in hand, is standing in the middle of an empty, very wet Piazza Navona, probably figuring on a lost payday.
The color portrait is done well. A relieved Mike pays a relieved artist the balance, and takes possession of his prize.
To bed after 1AM. This is becoming a habit. My normal bedtime is 10:00 Eastern Standard Time. Yet here I am routinely hitting the sack at 1 AM Rome time. My body clock is sure gonna be mixed up when I’m back home!
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Saturday October 16, 1999 – On to Napoli
6AM wake up call; 7:15 taxi; 8:10 train to Napoli
Should have booked to Mergellina Station. Booked Napoli Centrale in error.
No sweat; only means a longer taxi trip to hotel from train station.
We’re a couple of amateurs on the local train system
We have first class tickets & reserved seats.
The only problem is finding our seats. Sounds easy. Ticket says seats 51 & 52.
But the ticket also says car # 6 and the darn cars all look alike.
Seems like we end up lugging our baggage through half the train to find car #6!
In the process we manage to find the only discourteous Italian of our trip.
A dining car attendant.
Before I can formulate my question & without even turning to face us, he barks a clear, firm Non lo so. (In English: "I don’t know").
I’d feel far better about non lo so if it came after & not before my question!
We are in a compartment with four others: Three Japanese, speaking in Italian and in Japanese, plus a young Italian fellow. No introductions. No interaction with our co-passengers during the 2 hour trip.
Scenery outside is nondescript. We get some much-needed rest.
Cab to hotel
Driver turns meter off, but Mike catches it. We insist that he turn it back on
His name’s pretty similar to ours: Postiglione
We ask about our Ponsiglione surname. He says it is pretty common in Naples
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Hotel Paradiso is a grand place – pretty luxurious by our standards
Part of the Best Western Chain. Comfortable beds & all the amenities, including that contraption in the bathroom which had me so intrigued in Rome
Built high on side of a steep hill called Posillipo, overlooking the Bay of Naples
Our balcony view of the Bay of Naples & Vesuvio in the distance is magnificent
Panorama from hotel lounge & restaurant is even more striking. Not to be missed.
Hotel access by taxi is via a winding road that gradually climbs the hill
Convenient, cheap alternative access from ground level is the funicolare, a light rail that climbs a very steep track straight up the hill. It runs every 15 minutes, and stops within 100 meters of entrance to Hotel Paradiso.
And our concierge is exceptionally helpful:
We wish to dine tonight at the exclusive La Sacrestia, hoping space is available. Done. He makes our reservations in the Hotel’s name. And La Sacrestia is only a 200 meter walk from here.
We discuss tourist sights we'd like to see. He provides good options at reasonable prices
But we want more – a side trip to Casola di Napoli. The Concierge & hotel staff have no idea what or where Casola is. So we show them on our map. We negotiate a tour for tomorrow to include not only the standard Pompeii, Amalfi, Positano and Sorrento, but also Casola. The side trip adds 100,000 Italian Lire to the price – a bargain. For me, it’s the most important part of tour.
We want to see the important sights in Napoli proper. Done. He maps out a long walking tour and talks us through it. This one’s ultra cheap. Will cost only a taxi to center city and the funicolare when we return. Our walking route will lead us back to the Mergellina-Posillipo funicolare, which lifts us to within 100 meters of the hotel.
We want to visit Capri. Done, at a discount – For 60,000 Lire per person our hotel covers hydrofoil to Isle of Capri & back, funicolare on Capri to the town of Capri, and full-choice of menu at half a dozen ristoranti on the Isle.
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We take a taxi to the starting point of our long walking tour
Concierge collects taxi fare from us.
We just give cabby the hotel receipt as payment, plus tip.
Great system to avoid being cheated by Napoli’s notorious cabby’s
Cabby tries to sell his tour services during our stay. Looks kind of sleazy. I tell him in my shaky Italian that we are already booked and paid through hotel.
We walk ourselves nearly to exhaustion, but enjoy every minute.
Our route starts at Piazza Gesù Nuovo, which we visit (the church). Strange place. Ceremony of some sort under way inside.
Seedy, crowded side-streets/markets/vendors. This is great, just as anticipated.
Pickpockets, but none a threat to us.
Kid with knife bumps us, looking for action. Hope we didn't disappoint him by not reacting.
Here we are, midway through our Italian vacation & still not a bite of pizza!
Wandering through central city we stop twice for pizza to remedy the omission.
Our 1st slices – from a Ciao Pizza stall on vicolo S. Geronimo – are great. Mike’s is a traditional pizza margherita. Mine, pomodorina (covered with bright red chunks of fresh tomato)
Our 2nd, from another vendor, are okay, but not great. (Sacrilege of sacrileges – she reheats the slices with a microwave!)
The Duomo is closed; too bad. I had planned to enter and explore.
We don’t make it to Museo Archeologico Nazionale (insufficient time)
Teatro San Carlo
Piazza dei Plebisciti, flanked on one side by Palazzo Reale and the other by San Francesco di Paolo (which we visit)
Castel dell’Ovo
Full range of shops, from classy to trinkets
Funicolare back up Posillipo hill to hotel
Near the Funiculare, the newsstand boy who makes change for us and helps Mike with the ticket machine refuses to take the tip Mike offers. Twice! A pleasant, unexpected, unneapolitan surprise. Funny how such little things can be so memorable!
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8PM dinner at La Sacrestia (via Orazio, 116)
We ‘dress up’ for La Sacrestia. Clean shirts and jackets. No ties. This is as formal as we will get while on vacation.
Before leaving Hotel Paradiso, we enjoy a half bottle of Lacrima Cristi, rosso, a very pleasant local wine, in the lounge overlooking the bay. It is 7:30PM. The lounge and hotel restaurant are completely deserted except for us. Italians really don’t like to start their evenings so early. At 8PM we leave for La Sacrestia.
We are wise to have booked an early reservation (8PM is the 1st seating). Restaurant is nearly empty when we arrive & are seated. But a steady, heavy flow of customers begins around 8:30.
Great décor.
Our waiter is attentive but not intrusive – very helpful (patient) interpreting menu for us
Great meal. My insalata caprese appetizer is incredible. The texture of the huge ball of mozzarella is literally creamy. The miniature bright red plum tomatoes which encircle it are sweet & juicy. I can stop now and be totally satisfied, but it is only the beginning. By the end, we have no room left for desert.
The bill presented us at this exclusive ristorante totals 200,000 Lire, including coperto and 15% for servizio. In American dollars that’s only $110 for dinner for two, including vino, aqua minerale (no gas), a three-course meal and coffee, at presumably the classiest restaurant in Napoli. A bargain compared to home.
Only one disappointment at La Sacrestia – unrelated to service, ambiance or cuisine
At the start of our meal I ask our waiter to advise Marco Ponsiglione, owner of La Sacrestia, that il pazzo americano who wrote a few months back about the Ponsiglione surname is in the restaurant, and would like to meet him.
Marco is not in yet, but our waiter will deliver the message when he arrives
Since Marco doesn’t appear, we assume he is too busy with customers or doesn’t wish to meet il pazzo americano whose ancestors were Ponsigliones.
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Sunday October 17, 1999 – Pompeii, Casola, Amalfi Coast
We rise early for our all-day taxi tour. But those breakfast buffet baked goods are so good that we can’t resist a brief detour to the terrace to grab some grub on the run.
Taxi tour: Pompeii, Casola, Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento.
Massimo is our driver – well groomed; neatly dressed, including sport coat. Hotel Paradiso influence?
Shortly before Pompeii, we stop at a ‘cameo factory’. More like a huge cameo shop. Massimo must get kickbacks.
But the demonstration of cameo materials, design & construction is instructive, the wares for sale are nice, and there is no pressure to buy.
I select a small cameo to bring home for my wife. Very expensive, but she’s worth every Lira. (Hon, are you reading this?)
Pompeii:
Massimo remains outside; we’re on our own in the scavi for a couple of hours
Pompeii is a fascinating, huge site
Not many visitors at first, but becomes crowded in waves as tour groups arrive
German groups in particular seem overly assertive – insensitive to others
Can it be the Germans of today have replaced the ugly American of the past?
We don’t hire a guide. We explore on our own. And take lots of photos.
I search for same photo spot as in pix I have from Grandpa’s 1926 visit, but I’m not very skilled at finding needles in haystacks. The pix we take will do just fine
Mike finds an old souvenir to add to his collection
Intriguing buildings. 2000 year old paintings still visible on some walls
Plaster casts of victims of the AD 79 eruption
Amphitheater at end of town is like mini coliseum. Not crowded. We relax here
We browse the gift shops on the way out. Trinkets, film, phallus’, etc.
I try out my Italian again to haggle with a merchant for a ‘genuine lava’ necklace Mike wants for Melanie. We feel good when we get it for half the asking price. (Later, in the taxi, Massimo assures Mike he got a good price.)
I’d like to return one day & give more time to Pompeii. A more structured, guided tour would be informative. Something for my next todo list.
[Note: in a later conversation, Nicola tells us he considers Ercolano a much better site to visit than Pompeii. Another item for my todo list. Wonder if doing both would be overkill?
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Casola di Napoli:
Casola seems not so easy to find. Massimo has to stop & inquire more than once before we arrive
Indescribable feeling. This is where generations of my ancestors were born and raised!
Hilly. Grape vines; olive trees.
Much hustle & bustle. Many people out on street: on foot, on motorcycles, in cars
Everyone speaks a dialect I can’t begin to comprehend. Luckily we have Massimo
Homes seem kind of rundown & area appears relatively poor, although Massimo insists its ‘average’, not poor
We find the church (Parrocchia SS Salvatore) & cemetery well into Casola. Given the town’s small size, that’s not very far!
Both are on via Roma, at top of a hill, on the left. First the church, then the cemetery, which is tiny, and immaculately kept. Many flowers. Everything neatly manicured and in place.
The cemetery is filled with people. Maybe church just let out? It is Sunday after all.
Several chapels (cappelle) in the cemetery. We have to ask for the right one.
Massimo serves as interpreter as we look for cappella Mascolo and its key, held by ‘Vienna’ who we understand owns the local Alimentare (general store)
We learn the Alimentare is no longer Vienna’s. She sold it, but is home. Her place is nearby, next to the Alimentare, on via Roma too. It’s just across the street & a few paces back down the hill we had come up to arrive at the cemetery.
I accompany Massimo to find Vienna. We find her & obtain the key (la chiave) after a brief conversation about who we are, why we need it, & a promise to return it promptly
We visit Cappella Mascolo. The locals identify it as del Generale, referring to Luigi Mascolo, cugino Nicola’s father, who is interred here with some of his siblings, including Antonio, Ida and Ester, and maybe Raffaele and Ugo.
In the cappella we find an altar, Nicola & Clementina Mascolo’s burial places (my great grandparents), several photos, a side table for offerings & several chairs.
Decorated with colorful artificial flowers and votive candles. Some spent. Some lit.
I ask Massimo what is appropriate for me to leave, assuming a donation or offering to church or cemetery may be in order. Massimo says not to worry, walks away, and later returns with a large votive candle in red glass.
Massimo helps me light the candle, and I place it alongside two others (one burning, one spent) on the small side table to right of the altar.
Massimo shakes his head and moves it ostentatiously to center of the altar. This will make my gesture unmistakable to whoever enters the chapel next. Understatement clearly is not the way of the world in Napoli.
I thank Massimo and ask what the votive candle cost. I want to reimburse him. Again he shakes his head no, and says this is his gift to me. Good businessman, this Massimo.
Mike takes many photos of the chapel, cemetery & surrounding parts of Casola.
We do not realize at the time that the chapel has 2 levels. We visit only the one containing the remains of my great grandparents Nicola & Clementina Mascolo.
A 2nd level, below, contains the remains of the next generation. It has a separate entrance, I believe on the left side of the chapel. I must see it in a future visit. (My todo list grows longer.) During our earlier conversations about Casola, Nicola clearly tries to tell me about the cappella's 2nd level, but my poor grasp of Italian leads me to misinterpret what I hear.
I accompany Massimo to return the key to Vienna. Her 2nd floor apartment buzzer is labeled ‘Vienna Mascolo’. When we return the key with mille grazie, we have a brief conversation – Vienna speaking from her balcony and we standing in the street. Although I find her dialect impossible to comprehend, Massimo explains she wants to understand better who I am, and from where – and indicates she and I are distantly related. We part with friendly waves and smiles.
Leaving Casola, we want to stop for a farewell photo. Massimo parks the cab at a convenient spot on via Roma.
I guess tourists don't often appear here, and we certainly look the part. As we pose, local residents stare down from their balconies to see what’s going on. We also give them friendly waves and smiles, and receive the same in return. I guess that says ‘hello’ or ‘good-bye’ in any dialect!
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Time for another ‘entertaining’ lunch.
On the way to Amalfi, Massimo stops at a small tavern in the hills, with a few roadside tables, on via Giovanni Agustariccio
Al Pesce D’Oro is run by an older man and his two sons.
We invite Massimo to join us. He declines, but before disappearing inside, he assures us the food is fine here and vaguely recommends the special of the day as our best choice.
Our hulking waiter (one of the sons) is a John Belushi ‘Samurai Tailor’ type. As each of us in turn selects from the menu, he explains what we should have ordered instead, and tells us it will be primo. We know without a doubt that the special of the day is whatever our friendly waiter tells us to eat.
Well, we order the specials of the day and proceed to enjoy another 3-course meal. Mainly seafood. A highlight is Mike’s calamare. Large pieces of grilled calamare; very fresh; very tasty. I'd return for more in a heartbeat.
No negatives except the house wine, which is pretty bad. So Mike switches to coca and I to aqua minerale.
We enjoy a moment of levity when the Italian couple at the next table orders limoncello, a strong lemon-based liquor. Our waiter places 2 very chilled bottles & 2 shot glasses on their table. When the customer tries to pour, nothing comes out. He calls this to the waiter’s attention, who offers a very creative solution – place the bottle mezzo alle coscia (between the thighs). Honest. That’s what he said. My grasp of Italian is not very strong. But I heard it clear as a bell. And his suggestion has a certain earthy logic given the need pour the frozen liquor.
We can’t resist ordering a round of limoncello for ourselves. Luckily, it pours just fine. No need for le coscia!
After our fine lunch, Massimo drives on to Amalfi, where we browse a while after visiting the local cathedral.
Our trip along the breathtaking Amalfi coast then continues as we wend our way first to Positano and then to Sorrento.
Several stops along the way for photo opportunities.
During the drive Mike spots a resort to consider seriously for a future vacation with his lovely wife, Melanie – Santa Caterina, about a mile from Amalfi, and an absolutely stupendous view from the road above.
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Monday October 18, 1999 – Capri
A great continental breakfast at Hotel Paradiso, enjoying our Bay of Naples panorama
Next, a weather check.
The concierge assures us it will be a sunny day, so we leave our rain gear behind.
Big Mistake. Our favorite concierge is not on duty & the others turn out not quite as reliable
Now we head for Capri:
First, the Funicolare down to the Mergellina waterfront
Then a short walk to catch the 9:10 AM hydrofoil to Capri.
The hydrofoil is not crowded. In fact, more seats are empty than filled. Napoli doesn’t wake up very early in the morning.
As we glide into Capri about ½ hour later, it begins to drizzle.
No lineup for boats to the Blue Grotto.
No wonder – they are not running today. Seas are not calm enough.
We have mixed feelings. Friends’ reviews of the Blue Grotto had ranged from don’t miss it to don’t waste your time. The weather makes up our minds for us.
But the weather doesn’t stop us from enjoying Capri:
We explore the isle’s harbor level. Little shops with inexpensive tourist-type stuff
By funicolare we move up to Capri itself. More exploring, window shopping & honest to goodness shopping as it drizzles
Mike finds ‘perfect’ one-of-a-kind gift for Melanie. This is critical. An essential task. After all, Melanie let Mike take his Dad on this trip even though tomorrow is their Eighth Wedding Anniversary. He owes her BIG. We both owe her BIG.
We break for lunch when the rain gets too heavy. Pizza, lasagna, calamari, gelato. This time the calamare are prepared more like the deep fried dish we know from home, but the fish itself is vastly superior. Fresh & prepared in larger pieces.
I try out my Italian on the towel lady in restaurant washroom
After tipping for my paper towel, I ask: È tutto pazzo quando piove qui vicino?
My weak attempt at small talk earns a big wide smile and a very friendly hug. Can you imagine this happening in a major US city?
We continue to shop in the rain, admiring an incredible array of exclusive shops for those with luxurious taste & pocketbook to match. Then moving on to more inexpensive shops where I acquire gifts (2 pinocchios and a wonderful rag doll) for three grandchildren. I’m blessed with five, so I still have two purchases to go.
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Dinner at Hotel Paradiso
The Paradiso’s panorama of harbor and bay is even more magnificent at night
Another great meal. Maybe the best so far. (seems EVERY meal is ‘the best so far’)
This is our last night in Napoli. Our favorite concierge isn’t in.
His replacement isn’t helpful dealing with our wish to find limoncello to ship home to use as gifts
He does obtain train tix for our return to Rome tomorrow from Mergellina station
Loud storms during the night. I hear them; Mike doesn’t.
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Tuesday, October 19, 1999 – Back to Rome from Naples
Early morning we see storms in the distance over Bay, from our room. An hour later its raining like the dickens. Glad we have no last minute touring plans in Napoli.
We pack for the trip back to Rome. This time no mistake about it. We have our raingear out and ready.
Late breakfast on the terrace. The sky already has cleared. The panorama is delightful for our final view of the Bay of Naples from this vantage point.
Mike finds the ‘right’ concierge to tip as we leave hotel
Pure sun by the time we leave by taxi for Mergellina train station (11:30 AM)
Waiting for express train to Rome:
Mergellina Station is much smaller than Napoli Centrale & Rome’s Termini.
The correct binario (track platform) is easy to identify.
We take seats at a snack bar on the binario, order due coca, and begin our wait.
A little 3 or 4-yr old panhandler approaches me, low pressure, but with hand out. Well dressed. Angel faced. A kid you’d love to pick up & hug. A shame.
We nearly board the wrong train a couple minutes before ours is due. My pigeon Italian saves us. Va questo treno a Roma? Turns out the Metropolitana (local Naples subway) & Express to Roma share the same track in Mergellina station. A friendly commuter tells us to wait for the Express to Roma which is about to arrive. (I wonder where we would have ended up.)
This time we find our car quickly. Its a more traditional American type train car. Not with compartments, but with seats facing front or back of train & a central aisle. Two seats on left & one on right of central aisle. Mike and I are in singles, one behind the other
Bright sun throughout the two hour return trip to Roma.
Complementary snacks (limoncini biscuits), drinks (acqua minerale), and newspapers are provided on the trip. (These were not offered during our earlier trip from Roma to Napoli)
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Arrive Roma 2:30
Our room at Due Torri is not ready. Again we check luggage & march out to maximize time
Lots of shopping. Especially for Melanie. Mike’s still determined to find the ‘right’ clothing and now is after the ‘right’ sunglasses for her too.
We take a late lunch at a Tavola Calda – very good grilled sandwiches; mine’s an omelet with melanzane (egg plant) and cheese. Mikes’ are seafood and cheese.
I find a plant for cugina Caterina, which the street merchant wraps and decorates very nicely in bright red when I explain in pigeon Italian that its a gift for relatives who will host us for dinner tonight. (È regallo per una famiglia dei nostri parenti, dove mangiamo pranzo stanotte). He praises our choice of a living plant rather than cut flowers because the plant will remain to remind them of us while cut flowers will not last.
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Tuesday October 19, 1999 – We meet more relatives
We return to Due Torri after shopping and lunch. Our room is ready.
We phone Nicola and let him know we have arrived. Graziana and Nicola pick us up about 8PM.
We arrive at Caterina’s about 8:30. Family members we join there in addition to Nicola & Graziana include:
Caterina Nista (our hostess, Nicola’s sister)
Ada & Vittorio Crescenzi (Nicola’s sister and brother in law)
Barbara Mascolo (Nicola’s daughter, who we met earlier)
Flavia (or Fulvia?) Crescenzi (Ada’s older daughter)
Alberta Crescenzi (Ada’s youngest daughter)
Laura Mascolo (Ada’s, Nicola’s and my cousin)
Small talk
Introductions (about half there and half yet to arrive)
Mike presents our plant to Caterina
I present my gift for Ada – a framed family tree superimposed over an old photo of Ada’s (& Nicola’s) parents holding an infant (Ada) in their arms. Ada has been corresponding with us – mainly with my brother Bob – about family genealogy.
I announce I know we need to fix an error in it (we discovered the error after arriving in Italy)
The framed family tree creates some excitement while everyone studies it
We break out our old and new photos
More excitement as the pix are examined, identified, evoke memories, etc
We are called to the dinner table in midst of the ‘uproar’
Dinner:
When Caterina begins to open a bottle I mistakenly think she is opening a bottle of red wine for the meal
I stop her & break out my special gift of Pinot Noir Ponzi 1996 Reserve, brought all the way from home to serve with the meal on this special occasion
But Caterina is opening a pre-dinner drink – a sparkling wine, so my interruption is unnecessary. We all toast each other before dinner with the sparkling wine.
Primo Piatto: Pasta ai quattro formaggi (4-cheese pasta) with sausage bits
Best pasta we have had
No red sauce; only the cheeses and the sausage bits. Very filling.
Graziana explains that Caterina has prepared us an old family favorite recipe
I must have the recipe. Will write to Caterina for it.
Break out the wines. Both my Pinot Noir Ponzi and an Italian red.
We Americans drink the Italian red.
The Italians drink the American Ponzi red, which draws much praise
A good Italian vinyard in USA seems surprising to our cousins
When Vittorio realizes that we carried the bottle from home he comments that reds don’t travel very well. Is very surprised at its quality.
Secondo Piatto: Melanzane; large thin slices; appear to have been seasoned and baked; but served cold.
Terzo Piatto: Roast pork, potatoes (pan fried) and more melanzane
Insalata: (mixed), with what looks like balsamic vinegar dressing on side
Tiramisù: Big pan of it; GREAT. (I wonder what Tiramisù means?)
Frutta: Grapes, figs, tomatoes
Limoncello: Home made; (Ada’s recipe). Very chilled, but not frozen, so we don’t need anyone’s coscia before pouring. Very strong. Delicious.
Had to turn down coffee; too full!
Sounds like Laura may soon be in US (not sure where) on business. We exchange email & mailing addresses & phone numbers.
When Alberta arrives a little late, I can’t resist breaking out the 50+ page Family History printout I had brought for her, even though we are still at table.
She is intrigued. Starts devouring it on the spot -- identifying corrections and clarifications. Takes my pen to mark it up.
I ask her to keep the printout. She can email me any corrections and I can always supply an updated, corrected printout.
I know from our correspondence with Ada that Alberta (her daughter), who speaks English like an American, has considerable interest in family history.
Alberta & Ada indicate they are not aware of a Luigi Mascolo from the late 1700s who appears in my database and Family History printout. I tell them I don’t know source of this information other than that it was given to us by Marie Gagnon, youngest daughter of Ada’s Aunt (my Great Aunt) Consiglia Mascolo, presently living in Maine
Another invitation from Nicola for a future visit, while returning to hotel. This is an invitation I must take seriously. Mi è molto simpatico. (I like him very much.)
Once again – to bed late – after 1AM
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Wednesday October 20, 1999 – Trip Home
8 AM breakfast
We agree to share taxi to airport with young American (also from Baltimore) on his way back to Bulgaria
State Department employee, but not Embassy staff
Speaks 5 languages
Most recent prior post – Haiti
Administers an aid-type program
We wait patiently at the airport for a repeat of the surprise which started our trip off so well a week ago. But we are not called forward for another upgrade to First Class.
Our flight home leaves more than an hour late, and we must make do along with the rest of the ‘peons’ in coach. It is so easy to become spoiled, isn’t it.
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A disappointing loss on the way home:
The color portrait of Will & Caroline disappears.
We don’t know when or how it happened.
We may have dropped it. It could have been pilfered.
We are in Philadelphia when we notice the loss.
We backtrack within the airport without success, searching right up until flight time for the final leg back to Baltimore
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A week later we learn Mike’s precious package has been found in Philadelphia. As I write it is already in the mail, on its way to Baltimore.
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As fate would have it, our trip is destined to produce only good memories, and many of them
Even though we have so little time (only a week) and so much to accomplish, we manage to meet all of our trip objectives, and more
We are left not only with wonderful memories of what we have seen, what we have done and who we have met, but anticipation of so much more yet to come
Thank You, Mike. You Done Good!!
And Thank You too, readers interested enough by my story to read so much of it.
I enjoyed my trip so much that I had to share the experience, hoping others could gain some enjoyment or other benefit from it.
Lou Ponsi October, 1999