For those of you who don’t understand Italian the title of this blog reads, ‘Welcome back Ninette where’s Geoff? And yes, run into one sentence.
We took an unexpected trip back to Le Marche, to the area in Italy where we lived for eight years, from 2008 until 2016. The Man decided, on the spur of the moment, that he wanted to rush back to Petritoli to watch the end of season football match. Actually, he’d wanted to go back for the 27th April but that was the day of my book event in Belvèze du Razès in France, where we live now. Yes, we do get about. The point was that the local Petritoli football team, who’d been relegated to the seconda categoria for six years, managed to win enough matches this year to go back up to the prima catergoria — I’m not sure if all this is correct but if you want to know more, which I’m sure you don’t, you can look here. It’s all in Italian though.
The Man told me the match was on the Sunday 5th May and we planned accordingly. We had to take The Man’s bike with us so that he could ride some of his old routes with a friend, just because he could. The trip is around 12h 30mins and we made two overnight stops. First one at Privilège Appart -Hotel De Mai beside the motorway, near Mougins. Reasonably priced and a good breakfast, of which we ate half and took half with us on the road for lunch. Our second stopover was also just off the motorway at Hotel Real Fini Baia Del Re – great place with a fabulous restaurant.
We arrived in Le Marche and drove immediately to our old town Petritoli. We had a coffee at the bar and met a few people who warmly welcomed us back. The Man and I were together at this time so no need for anyone to ask where he was. We met friends for lunch at the Ristorante Roma; a place loved by all our family for many years. Good, reasonably priced Italian food complete with a bottle of wine (for those who drink it) and plenty of water for around €20 a head. (it used to be a lot less, but it’s still good value). Over the next few days we stayed with friends near Monterubbiano at the home of the Big Bear Bakery! Yummy hand/home made biscuits devoured in seconds by all canines who get a chance to have one of these delicious treats. Check them out…I believe they can be delivered outside Italy (if you order enough packets).
Over the next few days Geoff cycled either alone or with his mate Gordon, and I went to visit old friends meeting them mostly at the Tre Archi in Petritoli…each time I went I saw other familiar Italian faces, and they always greeted me with hugs and kisses and said, ‘Bentornata Ninette where’s Geoff?’ It wasn’t that I minded being sidelined but honestly. . .
Italy. . . it’s all about the food 😊😊😊
The football match turned out to be a late kick off on Saturday the 4th not Sunday 5th and we’d already said we would go to a cello and piano concert that the evening in Altidona. It was wonderful to sit and listen to live music. I love the sound of the cello and Mayke was an excellent cellist. Her husband Matthijs was on the piano playing a very difficult piece of music. Apparently, and according only to him, he made a few errors but you would never have guessed.
The Man never actually managed to see the football match. But he did get to see some of the team and other important members of the community including our good friend the mayor Luca Pezzani.
Photos from top left: the concert, Petritoli town, one of the narrow streets of Petritoli with a stunning view at the end, my friend Brunella with my debut novel Loose Ends and a familiar sight in Petritoli – a wedding. It has become well known as a wedding town!
A few more random photos from Le Marche:
I found it very nostalgic returning to a place we lived for 8 years. Tosh was still alive when we first went to Italy and he died during our time there. I have so many memories, involving a great range of emotions. I try just to remember the happy ones. I recently looked back at a video the family made in 2009. Everyone together in Italy at our farm. Bitter sweet.
We’ve been in France now for three months and the whole time I’ve been here I have found it difficult to speak the French language because Italian came out of my mouth whether I wanted it or not. As soon as we got to Italy, I began speaking French!! I have no idea what to do about it. Stupid brain just does its own thing. I have been told to try counting in whichever language I need to use, before I start and that way, the grey matter will have some idea of where to go.
I don’t think it will work.
We left Le Marche early on Wednesday morning and headed to Milan. A place that neither of us had visited before. To read about that then do watch out for the next blog post coming soon!