Wednesday, 7 Ocober

Finally I adjusted my schedule and slept until after seven. Another bright sunny day here, even a little warmer than yesterday. After coffee in the apartment, I headed up to the bakery for an expresso and cornetto. Today’s pizza choices included a pizza with french fries for topping. I think I will pass on that one. I did pick up a panini for lunch or maybe dinner. Expresso, cornetto and panini total was 4 euros, less than $4.50. I am considering a nice lunch at the IRIS restaurant again. I think my budget can afford it even after my documentation expense yesterday.

I was off to find the Chiesa di Sant’Antonio. This was a different route than I had taken before. There were a few shops and two hairdressers. This section seemed a little newer. The church was locked, it is next to the elementary school. The photos in the link are probably better than any I could take. The church had a plaque wtitten in Latin that said “The monastery dedicated to the holy saints Francis and Anthony, having fallen into ruin through the damage of time, Archangelo Fittipaldi, patrician of Anzi (Ansanus), moved by pious devotion, completely restored and more elegantly rebuilt it at his own expense in the year of our Lord 1829.” I am beginning to think that only the Mother Church and Church of St. Lucia will be open. I plan to make the short drive to Santuario di San Donato hoping it is open. San Donato is the patron saint of Anzi and the focus of the main festival.

Many Italians immigrated to Hazleton, Pennsylvania, from Anzi. Most Precious Blood church in Hazleton hosts an annual Madonna del Monte and Saints of Cilento Festival. The festivals in Anzi and Hazleton share the same schedule and customs.

I headed back to the apartment to put my sandwich in the refrigerator. Earlier this morning I had a text from Ilaria asking if tomorrow was okay for cleaning. I guess there was a little mixup. A nice lady came by while I was here and changed the towels and mopped the floor. The apartment is spotlessly clean.

Many of the buildings are coated in stucco but they usually keep a section that reveals the original stone and mortar construction. In some places you can see that broken ceramic roofing tiles were included in the construction. I did find a house dated 1799 in my wanderings today.

I decided that the sandwich in the refrig is dinner and headed back to Ristorante Pizzeria Iris for a big lunch. I cannot eat a large meal at eight in the evening and then go to sleep so I might as well enjoy lunch. I did order a bit too much. The Antipasto Iris included two plates one with meat and cheese as well as stuffed eggplant(?), another with broccoli, mushrooms, and spinach. That was followed by the pasta, Cavatelli con Peperoni, the peperoni are dried red, not spicy, peppers that seem to be on many items at this restaurant. Somewhere I think I have read that they are a local delicacy. Finally, Coniglio alla Cacciatora, rabbit.

I had a conversation with my Aunt Anne many years ago about what it was like growing up. She mentioned that they raised rabbits. I asked her if they ate the rabbits. She paused for a moment and said “We must have eaten them, we were too poor for pets.” When I saw rabbit on the menu, that conversation came back to me and I thought it was time to try rabbit. The meat is the consistency of chicken but maybe tastes a little like veal. Lots of bones. Tasty.

So tonight’s dinner was the sandwich I picked up this morning. Pizza for dinner tomorrow?

I had corresponded with a lady I saw on Facebook that had visited Anzi. It turns out Cecilia is a distant relative and lives in Argentina. Cecilia put me in touch with a cousin of hers who lives in Anzi, Donato Tito. Donato and I have been chatting for several months, thanks to Google Translate. He has. provided me with much information and has researched his family. I am not sure we are related through blood. Tonight I was in touch with Donato and we are planning to meet tomorrow afternoon.

I plan to go for a hike to the cemetery in the morning before it gets warm and be back in town by noon. I think I ate enough today that I will not be hungry at least until noon or later.

Today’s panorama from near the school.