Monday, 12 October
I wear a Garmin semi-smart watch that tracks my activities. I took a look last night and I averaged the equivalent of 40 flights of stairs each day for the last week. That includes one day with no stairs since it rained all day. No wonder I feel like I am backpacking.
Today is my last full day in Anzi. Tomorrow night I stay in Naples near the airport for my Wednesday morning flight home. I had another good night’s sleep and was up early. I started organizing things and doing a little packing.The weather forecast is for more rain this afternoon and evening.
Today turned out to be my lucky day, if I were home, I would buy a lottery ticket. I started the morning going in the direction of the elementary school. It is mostly a newer section and I really had not taken photos of the newer apartment buildings to show what Anzi is like today. Death notices are placed on bulletin boards in town. I am not sure if there is a newspaper. I did see an ambulance go by that stopped in the square near the main church. Monday seemed like laundry day, more clothes hanging out to dry than usual.
While there I thought I would check and see if the Chiesa di Sant’Antonio happened to be unlocked. The lock was hanging on the door but unlocked. As I tried to figure out how to work the locking mechanism a gentleman approached. I thought I would be in trouble. Google Translate to the rescue and I told him I was visiting from the US. He let me in and I was able to take photos. The church building which dates to 1587 is in the midst of a major renovation. It was still possible to see the beauty in the midst of construction.
Later near the main square I met Guiseppe Tortorelli, a structural engineer. He was trying to tell me that I was headed up a one way street. He shared an office with his niece who was also an engineer. He was proud to tell me that he had graduated from the University of Naples Federico II which was founded in 1224. It was a nice meeting thanks to my translation app.
Since I have not figured out the pizzeria opening schedule yet I planned on a nice lunch at Ristorante Pizzeria Iris. I was trying to balance lunch time with a late dinner, I headed up at 12:30 but Google showed it closing at 2:00. Near the restaurant there were a bunch of sheep grazing on the hill. I was the only diner when I entered. The waiter was wearing a tee shirt. He turned on the lights and changed his clothes. Finally two men came in. One of them spent a bunch of time taking phone calls and going outside. Another couple also came in making me feel better about my lunch timing.
Lunch was Medaglione Lucano, a grill roasted cheese with sauce. The sauce was spectacular. Next up was Orecchiette con rape e acciughe, pasta with greens and anchovies. The flavor of the anchovies was a little strong but overall tasty. Finally Grigliata Mista, mixed grill, beef, pork and lamb. The pork and lamb were my favorites. I thought I had ordered Spezzatino di maiale con peperoni all’aceto, a pork stew but such is life when you point instead of speaking the language.
After I paid and headed to the door. I met the man who had stepped outside for a phone call. Google Translate again and he asked me what I was visiting for and then what were the names of my ancestors. He mentioned that there were still Rubolinos in town (my grandfather, Luciano’s mother, Maria Teresa Rubolino) and he would phone them and have them meet me at the restaurant. Somehow the woman of the couple became involved in this conversation. During the tran\slations I did pick up the waiter telling her I had been there earlier in the week. She called him stupid for not seeing why I was visiting and helping me! Lots of commotion and a short wait before she asked me to get in the car with her and her husband. She would take me to the Rubolinos who were auto mechanics.
A short ride to San Donato, where I visited yesterday and I was dropped off at Rubolino Service di Vincenzo Rubolino. There I met Salvatore Arcangelo Rubolino who is my age and his son Vincenzo. They were most interested in why I would be interested in my ancestors and visiting Anzi. Salvatore said that he had been told by his father that no Rubolinos went to America. We shared contact information and some family facts. I hope to be able to make a connection when I get home. Anzi is not that big. As I was leaving, Vincenzo gave me a pullover with Officina Rubolino Service embroidered on the breast. A souvenir I will cherish. It turns out that Ilaria, the B&B host, is a cousin of the Rubolinos. On the way out I met Vincenzo’s wife and son.
On the ride back in Salvatore’s Fiat 600 automatic he told me that his father was a contadino working in the vineyards. Salvatore liked fixing things better that working the fields and became a mechanic. Vincenzo did the computer work on the cars. He had moved from Anzi to San Donato in 1988.
Last day and i found the unlocked church, meet a fellow engineer and met possible relatives! Good day. Well it is now 7:30 and the predicted rain is falling outside. The big lunch and excitement along with it seems to have been a good idea. I do not plan to venture out in the rain to the pizzeria so this post is early tonight.