Friday, 9 October

After another good night’s sleep, I awoke to more rain in the forecast. After starting coffee, I put a load of wash on. That should last me until I return to VIrginia. I will spend the morning trying to plan the rest of my stay and possibly updating some of my family tree. A first look at some of the cemetery photos (not posted!) has information to add some more distant relatives.

My plan for later today is to be a little brave and make the short drive to Santuario di San Donato. It is only a few minute drive back in the direction that I have already driven. I believe there is a gas station and cafe nearby. I fear the church will be locked as are two of the churches here in Anzi. So I will plan on later in the morning to time lunch there.

Well today can be best described as rain, thunderstorm, rain, thunderstorm, more rain. I’ve spent the day in the apartment. Every time I was ready to head out, I heard thunder or checked radar and saw more rain on the way.

Today’s torrent was at least as big as yesterday. This was the view outside my front door and this outside my window..

There are, only a few photos for today, so here are some photos from the Church of San Donato Bishop and Martyr (Main Church).My grandfather, Luciano, was baptized in this church in 1882 and married here in 1904.

One thing the rain has not done is chase the stray cats away. There are many outside and cat fights common with fur flying and cats screeching.

The evening ended on a high note. I have been trying to get to the pizzeria, Toffi, for the last few nights. Toffi is open at only eight pm until midnight. It was closed Wednesday, yesterday it was full of kids, and tonight perfect. Only a few others in the restaurant, The waiter was wonderful. My Google Translate was out of service, thick stone walls and cell service are not very compatible. The waiter brought me a note with the wifi password. That was important because in addition to allowing me to communicate, the menu is accessed with a QR code. A gentleman, Rocco Marino, spoke a little English and helped me with the beer selection. Rocco is a psychology doctor. It was really nice to meet him and have some conversation. It was a pizza Margherita and an Italian craft beer for dinner. The Margherita pizza is named after Queen Margherita of Italy, it has tomato sauce, mozzarella, and basil; red, white, and green; the colors of the Italian flag. The pizza was delicious with a thin, light crust. The menu also has an American pizza with Tomato, Mozzarella, Sausage, French Fries. I don’t think I will be trying that. Why do they think we put French fries on our pizza?

I’ve added a historical summary of Anzi to fill in for today.

Anzi is a high-altitude mountain village located in the Province of Potenza, Basilicata, Italy, sitting at over 1,000 meters (3,000 feet) above sea level along a rocky ridge of Mount Siri.

Ancient Origins

• Pre-Roman Era: Known originally as Anxia (or Anxa), the site featured human settlements dating back to the Iron Age on Mount Siri.
• Lucanian Culture: By the 5th century BC, it became a lively cultural hub for the Enotri and Lucanians, famed across the region for producing high-quality red-figure ceramics and pottery.
• Roman Period: The town achieved strong prosperity under Roman rule, aided by its strategic placement near a key regional road network.

Medieval Period & Feudalism

• Lombards and Normans: During the early Middle Ages, Anzi’s high, defensive position turned it into an important military stronghold—first under the Lombards and later fortified by the Normans in the 11th century. Local tradition records that town natives participated in the First Crusade.
• Noble Fiefdoms: Through the Angevin and Aragonese eras, the strategic fief was held by a succession of prominent noble houses, including the De Ligario, Malasorte, Gallard, De Guevara, and Carafa families. Ottavio Carafa purchased the town in 1574, taking the hereditary title Marchese di Anzi, which his descendants kept until feudalism was abolished in 1806.

Modern Era & Unification

• Revolution and Resistance: In 1799, Anzi actively supported the short-lived Parthenopean Republic. French garrisons were stationed in the area between 1806 and 1815 to quell local unrest, and the town later operated as a hidden center for the anti-Bourbon Carbonari movement.
• Seismic Disasters: The community suffered severe structural damage and loss during major southern Italian earthquakes in 1857 and 1860.
• Kingdom of Italy: Following the campaigns of Giuseppe Garibaldi, Anzi officially transitioned out of Bourbon rule into the unified Kingdom of Italy in 1861.