Some photos we took around the Royal Palace today.
Sunday 31 December 2006
Plan C
The following nicely sums up the frustrations of planning things in this country.
A childhood friend of Gigi's, Claudio, moved to Pordenone in the north of Italy to live with his girlfriend Belinda and work. Claudio called to invite us up for New Years as his cousin, Carlo, was driving up. The plan was to drive up on the 30th, spend New Years in nearby Venice and drive back to Naples on 2nd January. After a couple of days deliberating Gigi called Carlo to tell him we'd love to hitch a ride and share the petrol costs...only to find out that he and his wife have just booked Eurostar train tickets to Venice. The cost of a return train ticket, booked at this late stage, rules us out of that. Cancel Plan A.
Then Gigi's colleague Marcia generously invited us to stay at her 'farm' shack, somewhere out of Naples in behind the Amalfi Coast. So, having confirmed that we could borrow the car, he called back the next day only to find out that she's just had some work done and because she didn't know we wanted to go up the work is still in progress...and the toilet is not working. Cancel Plan B.
Plan C...to stay at a rough and ready farm stay recommended by Marcia in the same area. Of course now we can't get through on the number that she's provided. It would be nice if this plan came to fruition as Gigi and I often spend New Years somewhere quiet, romantic, away from the city.
The back up plan is to spend New Years Eve down in the huge square in front of the royal palace and celebrate with a free concert amongst the thousands of other locals and tourists that venture out on what is always a wild night of amateur fireworks and people throwing furniture out of the apartments as a sign of 'out with the old, in with the new' to beckon the new year.
I'll let you know how things go...
Tuesday 26 December 2006
Christmas 'Neapolitan' style
I'm not really sure what a traditional Neapolitan style Christmas looks like, but I do know that a Christmas with Gigi's family is almost the complete opposite to celebrating Christmas in Australia with the Banham/Bonner/Thurlow families. We arrived at Rosa's early evening on Christmas Eve. They have just moved so the house is still full of boxes and things that are waiting for other things before they can be progressed. This is, of course, a universal phenomenon of moving house. Nevertheless I was surprised at the lack of the habitual Christmas tree....something about not being able to locate it following the move.
We sat down at about 9pm to Christmas Eve dinner, which was a slight variation on the traditional fare. Ordinarily they eat a very local dish of spaghetti with shellfish with a touch of fresh tomato and parsley. The last two occasions I've eaten shellfish in Naples I've ended up unwell, so instead Rosa kindly prepared the same dish but with local bugs. (see unfocused photo). The bugs are like mini lobster, very tasty, to the point where you really wish it was a full size lobster sitting in front of you. These little guys are like the women in the Victorian age giving you a flash of an ankle, just enough flesh to entice you and tease you but not enough to satisfy.
The bug teasers and the view from their new place.
This was followed by a delicious salad of smoked salmon and salty cod with onion, dressed with lemon, salt and olive oil. For Gigi's veganism Rosa had prepared a quintessential local dish made with florets of cooked cauliflower and pickled vegetables (the mixes available in a jar - pickled onions, gherkins, capsicum, olives, carrot) and dressed with light vinegar and olive oil. It's good, but something of an acquired taste I suspect. It's appearance on the table always reminds me of Gigi's grandmother, Nonna.
This was followed by a delicious salad of smoked salmon and salty cod with onion, dressed with lemon, salt and olive oil. For Gigi's veganism Rosa had prepared a quintessential local dish made with florets of cooked cauliflower and pickled vegetables (the mixes available in a jar - pickled onions, gherkins, capsicum, olives, carrot) and dressed with light vinegar and olive oil. It's good, but something of an acquired taste I suspect. It's appearance on the table always reminds me of Gigi's grandmother, Nonna.
Just when you think you are nicely full the main course, 'secondo', arrives. Fresh salt water mullet baked in alfoil with a large, juicy prawn. The flesh just melted in your mouth, and I spent considerable time working my way through the bone wreckage enjoying each morsel. Ironically, I am usually the laziest eater I know - give me a big spoon and everything cut into bite size morsels as in most Thai cuisine and I'm a happy girl. Anything that requires too much effort or use of the fingers and I lose interest pretty quickly ... like chicken wings, spare ribs, quail, fish on the bone and spaghetti (that whole twirling it around your fork thing is so laborious!). But the fish was worth the effort.
Dessert was traditional Neapolitan Christmas affairs with a bundle of little baked pastry balls, coated in a honey syrup and sprinkled with cake decoration of silver, white and pastels. There was also a tray of pastries - refer to the photo. If you've been reading my blogs you know that the pastries don't grab me here, and the appearance of these heavily sugared, artificially coloured pieces of art didn't change me opinion.
In order to take the edge off, I polished off the majority of a bottle of white wine. I was preparing for the 'we are just talking' episode of raised voices and wild gesticulating hands that I've experienced on previous Christmases, but alas it was not to be.
Now I understand that traditionally gifts are opened at midnight. Now, I would appreciate that with smaller children you might want to bring this forward but for some reason as soon as Gi's sister is ready - say at 9.45pm - we are at the opening present stage. Gigi scored a new winter jacket - see photo - and I received a huge English-Italian Italian-English dictionary to replace the one we posted last January that never arrived, plus a dictaphone (the highlight of my Christmas as I can now go around Naples recording things, in particular Gigi when he starts telling stories) and a diary.
At about 1am we headed home, stopping at the clinic to briefly make a MSN messenger call to my family who are all gathered in Melbourne for Christmas. Australia is ten hours ahead of Naples, so it was getting close to lunch on Christmas Day when I spoke to them. Surprisingly it was only 15 degrees in Melbourne, much like the maximums we are having in Naples, and certainly not a typical Christmas summer day. I was delighted to speak with my parents, sisters and their spouses and three of my four nieces/nephews. We also spoke to our god son who lives in central Queensland, and starts prep school next year. It was 5am by the time we packed up and headed home to bed...where Gigi tested out the new pyjamas his mother had given him, and promptly removed them for more gift giving.
What's so different to the Banham version? The main meal and exchanging of gifts was over in Naples well before midnight on Christmas Eve. At home we do presents in the morning, with Dad having nominated one person to hand out the gifts piled up under the tree, one at a time while each gift is unwrapped, appreciated and the giver thanked...although this does seem to be slipping with the rif raf approach of the newest members of the growing family. (I'm sure their grandfather will pull them into line over the next few years though). We then drift off to shower, dress, tidy up the mess of wrapping paper and discarded packaging whilst the serious business of preparing lunch gets underway. Lunch will be served, sometime between 12noon and 2pm depending on a variety of factors, with the obligatory popping of bon bons, wearing of silly hats and reading out of jokes. It might be a hot lunch of roast turkey, pork, ham and vegetables, or perhaps a cold spread of seafood, sliced meats and salads. Everyone will eat too much, and then this will be followed by desserts of maybe pavlova, Christmas pudding with custard and brandy butter, and a tray of tropical fruit. There will have been significant saucy conversation during the meal, and much interest as we watch how the children deal with the excitement of finally receiving Santa's loot and all those new toys to play with. Inevitably it will be the empty boxes and wrapping paper that attract the most attention.
Following clean up, everyone will collapse onto beds or sofas or tiled floors to escape the heat to rest and recuperate, swearing never again to eat that much in one sitting. Someone will play some corny Christmas music, Bing Crosby or The Wiggles. We'll all sit around marvelling at how Kim, Tania and I are all adults and married and that Katy starts school next year, and baby Lachlan, who is not turning one until February 2007, is already scooting up the stairs and climbing up on the furniture.
The main difference though is the atmosphere, celebrating being together and enjoying the it all.
The main difference though is the atmosphere, celebrating being together and enjoying the it all.
Here are the photos that I took of Gi and Irene on Christmas Eve...they pretty much sum up her mood.
White Christmas in Australia
It's beyond imagination but it's happened. Snow in parts of southern Australia for Christmas, but the usual heat and humidity in Qld. Beautiful one day, perfect the next!
Below is the Ninemsn story:
Santa has delivered a gift of wild and unpredictable weather to Australians this Christmas. Residents in two bushfire-affected states awoke to a white Christmas, while Queenslanders sweltered in hot and humid conditions. Storms caused havoc in suburban Melbourne, while residents in a NSW town were celebrating record drought-breaking rain.
Snow fell in Victoria and Tasmania, which are still battling fires that have blackened thousands of hectares this month, and in alpine areas of NSW. In Tasmania, the weather bureau reported five centimetres of snow had fallen at the summit of Mount Wellington in Hobart. Snow was settling 800 to 900 metres above sea level on the mountain, Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) duty senior forecaster Shane Wells said. Cradle Mountain and Mount Read also were likely to have received a dusting, he said.
Snow capped Victoria's Mt Buller and Lake Mountain, where the temperature plunged to minus two degrees Celsius. In NSW, four centimetres of snow fell at Thredbo, in the state's Snowy Mountains, late Monday morning. Up to 20cm of snow was expected to fall by early Tuesday at altitudes above 1,200 metres around Thredbo, Perisher and surrounding areas, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said.
Below is the Ninemsn story:
Santa has delivered a gift of wild and unpredictable weather to Australians this Christmas. Residents in two bushfire-affected states awoke to a white Christmas, while Queenslanders sweltered in hot and humid conditions. Storms caused havoc in suburban Melbourne, while residents in a NSW town were celebrating record drought-breaking rain.
Snow fell in Victoria and Tasmania, which are still battling fires that have blackened thousands of hectares this month, and in alpine areas of NSW. In Tasmania, the weather bureau reported five centimetres of snow had fallen at the summit of Mount Wellington in Hobart. Snow was settling 800 to 900 metres above sea level on the mountain, Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) duty senior forecaster Shane Wells said. Cradle Mountain and Mount Read also were likely to have received a dusting, he said.
Snow capped Victoria's Mt Buller and Lake Mountain, where the temperature plunged to minus two degrees Celsius. In NSW, four centimetres of snow fell at Thredbo, in the state's Snowy Mountains, late Monday morning. Up to 20cm of snow was expected to fall by early Tuesday at altitudes above 1,200 metres around Thredbo, Perisher and surrounding areas, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said.
Meanwhile, Queenslanders in many regions sweltered through high temperatures and humid conditions. Brisbane recorded a muggy 32 degrees, with temperatures in far north Queensland reaching as high as 37 in areas like Weipa on the Cape York Peninsula and Normanton on the Gulf of Carpentaria. Cunnamulla received some welcome rain over Christmas, recording 25mm in the past 24 hours, with Quilpie in the state's west also receiving a light drizzle. Strong winds and heavy rain have caused Christmas Day havoc in suburban Melbourne, dislodging roof tiles and causing flooding. The State Emergency Service (SES) said volunteers responded to 50 calls for help after a storm passed through the Frankston and Seaford areas, south-west of Melbourne, around 9.30am (AEDT) Monday. At least one home lost its roof in the storm, and dozens other suffered water damage. There were no reports of any injuries.
The BOM forecast local hail along with thunder and fresh to strong and gusty winds for the Melbourne metropolitan region. Gusts nearing gale force were recorded at the bureau's Frankston automatic weather station throughout the morning.
Meanwhile, residents in the drought-stricken NSW town of Goulburn also have celebrated Christmas rain, with a record 27.8mm falling on the southern highlands town Sunday morning. It was a much-needed present for the town's residents, as Goulburn's main Pejar dam was only 1.5 per cent full on December 17.
The town's two smaller dams, which together are two-thirds the size of Pejar, were less than half-full. Goulburn's total usable water supply stood at 9.5 per cent of capacity at the end of last week. More rain fell on Sunday than in the past three months combined. Top-level water restrictions have been in place in Goulburn since October 2004.
The town's two smaller dams, which together are two-thirds the size of Pejar, were less than half-full. Goulburn's total usable water supply stood at 9.5 per cent of capacity at the end of last week. More rain fell on Sunday than in the past three months combined. Top-level water restrictions have been in place in Goulburn since October 2004.
Monday 25 December 2006
Small World
Below is a newstory from Ninemsn...about a guy arrested in Naples. Interestingly, one of my students, a member of the Province police force was telling the class two weeks ago about a raid they had just conducted on this guys apartment in Via Foria, just across the road from our urban cave, collecting documents and evidence....
Poisoned spy: KGB expert arrested in Naples
Italian who met Litvinenko arrested
Mario Scaramella, the Italian contact of the dead former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, was arrested on Sunday in connection with an investigation into arms trafficking, a judicial source said.
The source said Scaramella was arrested at Naples airport as he arrived on a flight from London, where he was hospitalised this month for treatment for suspected radiation poisoning.
He was one of the last people to have met with Litvinenko, who died last month of radiation poisoning.
Scaramella, an Italian KGB expert who was a consultant to a parliamentary commission that investigated spying in Europe during the Cold War, was arrested in connection with an investigation into arms trafficking and violating state secrets.
Italian media said he would be transferred to a Rome jail.
Scaramella met Litvinenko at a London sushi bar on November 1, the day the former Russian spy fell ill.
Both Russian and British authorities have started murder investigations into Litvinenko's death from poisoning by a lethal dose of polonium 210.
The attention surrounding Scaramella has thrown the spotlight onto Italian judicial investigations that involve him, including one into arms trafficking.
In a telephone interview with Reuters earlier this month, Scaramella said: "I need to come back to Italy as soon as I can and to clarify with authorities," he said.
Litvinenko, in a statement released after his death on November 23, accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of masterminding his poisoning.
The Kremlin has denied involvement in the case, which has sparked conspiracy theories, revived memories of Cold War spying and strained relations between Russia and Britain.
Marina Litvinenko, in media interviews, said her husband had made enemies by speaking out about corruption in the FSB, the KGB's successor. She said Russian authorities might have killed him.
Sunday 24 December 2006
Christmas Eve
Everything seems ambigious today. It's Christmas Eve, traditionally the day that Italians, and most Europeans, celebrate Christmas with a family dinner and then presents at midnight. Gigi's mother has just moved house in the last week, and he seems a little vague about the planned festivities for tonight.
We are leaving soon, to catch the train to their new place. I will just have to wait, and deal with the ambiguity in true 'foreigner living overseas' fashion, and in accordance with the 'Ways to Deal with Culture Shock' suggestions I have recenlty written (and posted as a separate blog).
I have noted the following internet news headlines with great sadness this afternoon:
- US fails to curb radical cleric
- Suicide bomber kills 7 police in Iraq
- Ethiopia lauches attack against Somalia
- Nigerian militants bomb government facility
- US military kills Taliban's key leader
- Iran rejects UN sactions, will pursue nuclear plans
So, as you celebrate the festive season with your loved ones, a laden table, a sparkling tree and gifts spare a thought for peace, and those that will not share the same Christmas spirit in safety, in a stable, prosperous community and home. Remember to give thanks, for it's only by the luck of being born in the right place, to the best of families, that we have the lives that we do.
Saturday 23 December 2006
Buon Natale from Jenny & Gi
Here's a copy of the Christmas card (read email) I sent out this year, just in case yours didn't arrive in the post. Look at the blogs below for a wrap up of 2006. Promises to post some photos for Gi and I enjoying Xmas in Naples soon...
Here it is, your Christmas card from Jenny & Gigi.
It looks a little different…the regular folded cardboard format (you know, with Santa in board shorts on a surfboard or delivering gifts in the bush from the back of a ute, or a ‘never-to-be-experienced-in-Australia’ scene of snowy rooftops, carol singers wrapped in long coats and mittens and the glossy red sleigh pulled by twelve prancing reindeer) has been traded in for a Christmas email story.
“Why?” I hear you scream. “Where is my recyclable Christmas card?” Well, I’ve discovered that it is impossible to buy packs of Christmas cards in Naples. I can’t just wander into the supermarket, or newsagent or department store and pick up a pack of twenty cards for a reasonable sum. Oh no. The only Christmas cards I have come across are horrible musical ones that are tack, tack, tacky and cost about $2 (AUD) each. Now, we love you all, but when you add on $1.40 postage and the emotional hassle of dealing with the postal system, and multiply all of that by about 100 or so you can see why the Hotmail delivered Christmas card has become this year’s preference.
Rest assured though that it comes with all the usual sentiment, so let’s get that out of the way first:
Merry Christmas
Happy New Year
Season’s Greetings
Now, if you’ve been paying attention you will know that Gigi and I are now living in Italy. The question we are most asked, here in Naples is ‘Why? Why leave the paradise that is Australia?’ The answer: because we could, and because life in Naples is infinitely more challenging (read difficult) and it was time to shake things up.
We are both on a no-choice break as the inlingua language school where I teach and the two clinics Gi practices massage and Chinese health therapies from are all closing from Xmas until 8 January when Italy cracks up again. However, I am planning a bunch of day trips visiting museums, volcanoes, churches, and abstract places we’ve been talking about for months but never find time for. In addition to that we have to find a new place to live as we have to move out of our urban cave on 6 January. We are hoping to move into a bigger place and possibly share. But we would love to have guests in 2007 so come and visit. Suffice to say we have a busy couple of weeks ahead.
We are both enjoying work, although my writing has slipped a bit and I need to find some sort of routine to refocus my energies on getting something published. Of course Naples is a city where self employment is not an easy choice and there are times when we both have clients – patients and students – cancelling lessons, leaving the budget a little battered. But slowly, very slowly, it’s improving. I have a much greater appreciation for why so many people are out of work, and why so many people in their 30’s and 40’s still live with their parents...but I still struggle the idea.
So Xmas will probably be at Gi’s mother’s place, most of it happening on Xmas Eve in accordance with the local traditions. I will be trying to get to a phone and internet MSN messenger access Xmas Eve (Aust is ten hours ahead, so Xmas morning in Oz) and/or on Xmas day which would be Xmas night in Oz so look out for us on messenger for a chat. I can feel a bit of homesickness coming on already.
It’s been unseasonably warm here for weeks, but after dropping a teacher friend, Dana, at the airport on Wednesday the weather has turned cold, cold. First the rain came and now the wind has joined it. Gi has been out and bought a coat, scarf and hat so he’s set. I just need to find a hot water bottle.
We are both well. I will post a snapshot of 2006 on the blog for those that are interested. Go to www.jennygi.blogspot.com .
We miss our family and friends. There is no doubt that Australia is the best place to be, especially for Xmas, with the heat, seafood and the possibility of a swim.
Love and have a great Christmas to all
Jenny & Gi
It looks a little different…the regular folded cardboard format (you know, with Santa in board shorts on a surfboard or delivering gifts in the bush from the back of a ute, or a ‘never-to-be-experienced-in-Australia’ scene of snowy rooftops, carol singers wrapped in long coats and mittens and the glossy red sleigh pulled by twelve prancing reindeer) has been traded in for a Christmas email story.
“Why?” I hear you scream. “Where is my recyclable Christmas card?” Well, I’ve discovered that it is impossible to buy packs of Christmas cards in Naples. I can’t just wander into the supermarket, or newsagent or department store and pick up a pack of twenty cards for a reasonable sum. Oh no. The only Christmas cards I have come across are horrible musical ones that are tack, tack, tacky and cost about $2 (AUD) each. Now, we love you all, but when you add on $1.40 postage and the emotional hassle of dealing with the postal system, and multiply all of that by about 100 or so you can see why the Hotmail delivered Christmas card has become this year’s preference.
Rest assured though that it comes with all the usual sentiment, so let’s get that out of the way first:
Merry Christmas
Happy New Year
Season’s Greetings
Now, if you’ve been paying attention you will know that Gigi and I are now living in Italy. The question we are most asked, here in Naples is ‘Why? Why leave the paradise that is Australia?’ The answer: because we could, and because life in Naples is infinitely more challenging (read difficult) and it was time to shake things up.
We are both on a no-choice break as the inlingua language school where I teach and the two clinics Gi practices massage and Chinese health therapies from are all closing from Xmas until 8 January when Italy cracks up again. However, I am planning a bunch of day trips visiting museums, volcanoes, churches, and abstract places we’ve been talking about for months but never find time for. In addition to that we have to find a new place to live as we have to move out of our urban cave on 6 January. We are hoping to move into a bigger place and possibly share. But we would love to have guests in 2007 so come and visit. Suffice to say we have a busy couple of weeks ahead.
We are both enjoying work, although my writing has slipped a bit and I need to find some sort of routine to refocus my energies on getting something published. Of course Naples is a city where self employment is not an easy choice and there are times when we both have clients – patients and students – cancelling lessons, leaving the budget a little battered. But slowly, very slowly, it’s improving. I have a much greater appreciation for why so many people are out of work, and why so many people in their 30’s and 40’s still live with their parents...but I still struggle the idea.
So Xmas will probably be at Gi’s mother’s place, most of it happening on Xmas Eve in accordance with the local traditions. I will be trying to get to a phone and internet MSN messenger access Xmas Eve (Aust is ten hours ahead, so Xmas morning in Oz) and/or on Xmas day which would be Xmas night in Oz so look out for us on messenger for a chat. I can feel a bit of homesickness coming on already.
It’s been unseasonably warm here for weeks, but after dropping a teacher friend, Dana, at the airport on Wednesday the weather has turned cold, cold. First the rain came and now the wind has joined it. Gi has been out and bought a coat, scarf and hat so he’s set. I just need to find a hot water bottle.
We are both well. I will post a snapshot of 2006 on the blog for those that are interested. Go to www.jennygi.blogspot.com .
We miss our family and friends. There is no doubt that Australia is the best place to be, especially for Xmas, with the heat, seafood and the possibility of a swim.
Love and have a great Christmas to all
Jenny & Gi
2006 Snapshot
Here’s a broad outline of how the year 2006 has unravelled:
January: sell the great majority of our furniture, put the rest into storage and move out of our house to prepare it for rental.
February: finish up being a Management Accountant at SDS and Tui Na Therapist at Newstead Holistic Medicine, last flurry of goodbyes and panic before flying to Melbourne to greet newborn nephew Lachlan and farewell family. Fly to Thailand for a week of eating, shopping and the amazing city that is Bangkok.
March: arrive in Naples, and stay with Gi’s mother and sister in their one bedroom apartment at Casalnuovo. We spent a day in the snow on the nearby Vesuvio Volcano. Then we took a train north to Udine to visit Gi’s relatives living in the small village of Lavariano. The toddler that we last saw 12 years ago is now a budding 13 year old, Marianna. She wants to go to Australia. Who can blame her?
April: Gigi trying to complete the relevant bureaucracy so he can work. We took a Sunday drive and found ourselves in the lovely Sant’Agata de Goti. A weekend trip to Paestum, the site of the best preserved Greek temples, and celebrated Jenny’s 36th (tick tock) birthday watching the sun set over the Mediterranean Sea from the small harbour in Agropoli.
May: Moved into our urban cave, raided IKEA and rediscovered our independence and personal space. Gi starts working at New Form Care clinic, giving Tui Na massage by appointment. He later joins the Centro Shen association and is allocated all day Tuesday to work from their clinic. Both clinics are within the historical centre. We flew to London and spent ten days visiting friends Garo, Sonya, Tom, Ciro, Fulvio and Sophie in Wantage. Had a great trip but arrived home with what was probably a broken hand after an incident with a bus arm rest.
June: Hannah, AFS’er from Brisbane, came to visit just weeks before returning home. We also had a visit from Doeng, Jenny’s Thai friend Doeng. We took him on a day trip to the gorgeous Procida Island. Danced and sang at a fantastic outdoor Sting concert, held in the biggest piazza in central Naples, for free. Started asking Australia Post ‘where are our three big boxes that we sent in January?” Gigi starts giving early morning Qi Gong lessons twice a week.
July: Witnessed the pomp and ceremony of the inauguration of the new Archbishop of Naples. Jenny photographed New Form Care clinic activities, five of the photos were used in colour promotional brochure. Watched the World Cup, Italy beating Australia remains a contentious issue, and Italy taking the finals against France saw the city of Naples explode – literally and figuratively – with excitement and pride. Met three Sydneysiders and played local tour guide including a day trip driving along the Amalfi Coast.
August: Italy closes for the summer, except for the high tourist trade areas. Jenny’s mum and dad arrive in Naples for the start of a three week tour of Italy. We visited Naples, Amalfi, Florence, Siena, Udine, Parma, Pompeii, Macerata, Abruzzo National Park, Assisi and Rome. Three nights in Tuscany were a highlight. In Rome we met up with our Swiss AFS daughter Lucie, and friend from Brisbane Cieon who returned for a few days of the Neapolitan experience.
September: Jenny completed induction and training at inlingua School and commenced teaching English as a second language. Learning grammar on the fly and drawing on what must be an inherited ability to teach and manage a large group of attention deficit Neapolitan adults (thanks Mum, aunts and sisters). The lovely Peter Turner came to eat pizza with us mid September. Jenny witnessed the biggest religious festival in Naples on the 19th when they celebrate San Gennaro.
October: Day drive up Mt Taburno, where we raided prickly pears, apples trees and chestnut trees. Another visit to Procida Island with Dana and Seb, teacher friends, while Gi gave a Qi Gong demonstration. Gi’s sister, Irene, has enrolled in, and commenced her tertiary studies in Fashion Design. We have been told by both Australia Post and Italiane Poste that our three boxes of stuff can’t be located. Australia Post claims it left the country and Italiane Poste claim it never arrived. Now we start the process of claiming the insurance, and discourage anyone from sending anything to Italy that isn’t registered post as theft seems to be a big problem.
November: Day trip to Sorrento, in an unusually miserable day of rain. It continues to be unseasonably warm for this time of year. Spending time with teacher friends, especially Dana, and have hosted a number of dinner parties. Gi and I seem to be the only one’s who (really enjoy) cook(ing) from this group of transient ex-pats. We are both working and getting on with daily life in Naples. Gi’s sister, Irene, has now successfully got her driver’s licence and has started working part time over the Xmas period. I have started attended Italian language class on Monday nights.
December: Celebrate Dana’s birthday and Irene’s birthday. We attended a jazz concert with musicians from Naples, Israel and Palestine. Jenny had in-classroom observation, received good feedback and finished the teaching year with gifts of jewellery from the attention deficit group, sparkling wine and Pandoro (traditional Christmas cake, a kind of sweet, light bread). Doeng visits again for two nights, bringing fresh lemon grass and tiger balm amongst other goodies from Thailand. Gi’s mother moves house. We have been looking for a new place to live, as we need to move by January 6th. Naples is awash with people shopping and preparing for Xmas.
January: sell the great majority of our furniture, put the rest into storage and move out of our house to prepare it for rental.
February: finish up being a Management Accountant at SDS and Tui Na Therapist at Newstead Holistic Medicine, last flurry of goodbyes and panic before flying to Melbourne to greet newborn nephew Lachlan and farewell family. Fly to Thailand for a week of eating, shopping and the amazing city that is Bangkok.
March: arrive in Naples, and stay with Gi’s mother and sister in their one bedroom apartment at Casalnuovo. We spent a day in the snow on the nearby Vesuvio Volcano. Then we took a train north to Udine to visit Gi’s relatives living in the small village of Lavariano. The toddler that we last saw 12 years ago is now a budding 13 year old, Marianna. She wants to go to Australia. Who can blame her?
April: Gigi trying to complete the relevant bureaucracy so he can work. We took a Sunday drive and found ourselves in the lovely Sant’Agata de Goti. A weekend trip to Paestum, the site of the best preserved Greek temples, and celebrated Jenny’s 36th (tick tock) birthday watching the sun set over the Mediterranean Sea from the small harbour in Agropoli.
May: Moved into our urban cave, raided IKEA and rediscovered our independence and personal space. Gi starts working at New Form Care clinic, giving Tui Na massage by appointment. He later joins the Centro Shen association and is allocated all day Tuesday to work from their clinic. Both clinics are within the historical centre. We flew to London and spent ten days visiting friends Garo, Sonya, Tom, Ciro, Fulvio and Sophie in Wantage. Had a great trip but arrived home with what was probably a broken hand after an incident with a bus arm rest.
June: Hannah, AFS’er from Brisbane, came to visit just weeks before returning home. We also had a visit from Doeng, Jenny’s Thai friend Doeng. We took him on a day trip to the gorgeous Procida Island. Danced and sang at a fantastic outdoor Sting concert, held in the biggest piazza in central Naples, for free. Started asking Australia Post ‘where are our three big boxes that we sent in January?” Gigi starts giving early morning Qi Gong lessons twice a week.
July: Witnessed the pomp and ceremony of the inauguration of the new Archbishop of Naples. Jenny photographed New Form Care clinic activities, five of the photos were used in colour promotional brochure. Watched the World Cup, Italy beating Australia remains a contentious issue, and Italy taking the finals against France saw the city of Naples explode – literally and figuratively – with excitement and pride. Met three Sydneysiders and played local tour guide including a day trip driving along the Amalfi Coast.
August: Italy closes for the summer, except for the high tourist trade areas. Jenny’s mum and dad arrive in Naples for the start of a three week tour of Italy. We visited Naples, Amalfi, Florence, Siena, Udine, Parma, Pompeii, Macerata, Abruzzo National Park, Assisi and Rome. Three nights in Tuscany were a highlight. In Rome we met up with our Swiss AFS daughter Lucie, and friend from Brisbane Cieon who returned for a few days of the Neapolitan experience.
September: Jenny completed induction and training at inlingua School and commenced teaching English as a second language. Learning grammar on the fly and drawing on what must be an inherited ability to teach and manage a large group of attention deficit Neapolitan adults (thanks Mum, aunts and sisters). The lovely Peter Turner came to eat pizza with us mid September. Jenny witnessed the biggest religious festival in Naples on the 19th when they celebrate San Gennaro.
October: Day drive up Mt Taburno, where we raided prickly pears, apples trees and chestnut trees. Another visit to Procida Island with Dana and Seb, teacher friends, while Gi gave a Qi Gong demonstration. Gi’s sister, Irene, has enrolled in, and commenced her tertiary studies in Fashion Design. We have been told by both Australia Post and Italiane Poste that our three boxes of stuff can’t be located. Australia Post claims it left the country and Italiane Poste claim it never arrived. Now we start the process of claiming the insurance, and discourage anyone from sending anything to Italy that isn’t registered post as theft seems to be a big problem.
November: Day trip to Sorrento, in an unusually miserable day of rain. It continues to be unseasonably warm for this time of year. Spending time with teacher friends, especially Dana, and have hosted a number of dinner parties. Gi and I seem to be the only one’s who (really enjoy) cook(ing) from this group of transient ex-pats. We are both working and getting on with daily life in Naples. Gi’s sister, Irene, has now successfully got her driver’s licence and has started working part time over the Xmas period. I have started attended Italian language class on Monday nights.
December: Celebrate Dana’s birthday and Irene’s birthday. We attended a jazz concert with musicians from Naples, Israel and Palestine. Jenny had in-classroom observation, received good feedback and finished the teaching year with gifts of jewellery from the attention deficit group, sparkling wine and Pandoro (traditional Christmas cake, a kind of sweet, light bread). Doeng visits again for two nights, bringing fresh lemon grass and tiger balm amongst other goodies from Thailand. Gi’s mother moves house. We have been looking for a new place to live, as we need to move by January 6th. Naples is awash with people shopping and preparing for Xmas.
Wednesday 20 December 2006
Hello Doeng!
Jenny and Doeng, friends since 1987!
Doeng at Sant'Elmo
Vesuvio from the marina
Hotel along the esplanade
Castle of the Egg
Bay of Naples
Jenny, Castle of Egg
Doeng on the esplanade.
View of historical centre
Merry Xmas Provincia 20
My Provincia 20 English class celebrated Christmas on the last lesson for 2006 with traditional Panettone and sparking wine. I was delighted to have them all singing 'Jingle Bells' and 'Silent Night' - in English - with special thanks to Fabio and his Baritone vocals.
I'm looking forward to working with them again in 2007. They are a great group, fun and dynamic. Some individuals more so than others!
Provincia 20 group below includes: Renato, Enzo, Roberta, Maria, Anna, Stefania, Fabio, Francesco, Raffaele, Serena, Marina, Nicoletta, Carmen, Luisa and Ciro (missing are Francesca, Vera, Luca, Lucia, Matilde, Salvatore, Gennaro, Domenico ...)
Provincia 20 Group
Panettone and sparkling wine to celebrate Xmas
Francesco and Maria
Quirky Raffaele Charming Ciro
Fabulous Fabio
Delightful Carmen
Charismatic Enzo
Thursday 7 December 2006
Irene turns 24
Yesterday was Irene's birthday. We went to her favourite pizzeria for dinner. She's wearing the new scarf I bought her. Some pictures below.
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