Abandoned Italian Paradise!!
Posted 09-06-2007 at 05:45 AM by Farfallina
Before going ‘home’ for the holidays in Norway, the Viking and I spent over a month in a picturesque Italian town nestled at the foot of the alps. Population: 750. Language: Venetian Dialect. Streets: only one street rich in history and tradition.
I arrived in Italy a week before he did and boy was I in for a surprise! In that little town I learned the meaning of "friendship, family, fresh food, and small town charm!".
It took me a full day of travel to finally reach the small secluded Italian town from California. When I finally arrived to the train station on the valley below, I hadn’t been able to sleep in over 30 hours and I was exhausted! but had to wait in the crisp December breeze for the landlady, since she insisted on picking me up from the train station.
"Leave the luggage in the car, lets go shopping!". The "quick drive home" twisted and turned through a dangerously narrow alpine road with breath taking views, and the minutes turned into hours of shopping and meeting her friends. She treated me like a guest, and I felt at home!
Ah, but afterwards she refused to take me home since "it's dark, no one is there, and the grocery store is closed", so she insisted I joining her for a meal with her husband, two very well behaved courteous young boys, and many of the town residents.
After full day of schmoozing Italian style, I finally opened the door to my cozy apartment and went straight to the bedroom and opened the window taking in the crisp winter air, and fell in bed admiring the massive view of the alps with a smile. My first day back in Italy had been very heart warming!
When the Viking finally arrived from Norway to join me, he had it coming since by then the entire town knew about us and wanted to know all about these two foreigners in this very history rich small corner of Italy!
Two days before Christmas, we left to Venice in order to finish our Christmas shopping and we rushed "home" to Bergen, Norway to spend Christmas with his family… but this small Italian town stayed in my heart!
Today I came across pictures of another small town gifted with similar breathtaking views, but something else happened and it's hard to explain! All the citizens left!
They abandoned their roots, local traditions, and homes! I'm sure this town also had so much to offer! What causes citizens to abandon en masse their beloved traditions and home?
Ironically! the top picture on the right says "I'll be right back!" but no one came back!
This entire village in Northern Italy, west of Genoa is empty!
There are many flowering small towns in Italy, still true to their roots and Italian charm! I know, I've seen them! I've visited them, and I've lived in them!
How could a full group of people, young and old, together decide to abandon their paradise roots?
It took me a full day of travel to finally reach the small secluded Italian town from California. When I finally arrived to the train station on the valley below, I hadn’t been able to sleep in over 30 hours and I was exhausted! but had to wait in the crisp December breeze for the landlady, since she insisted on picking me up from the train station.
"Leave the luggage in the car, lets go shopping!". The "quick drive home" twisted and turned through a dangerously narrow alpine road with breath taking views, and the minutes turned into hours of shopping and meeting her friends. She treated me like a guest, and I felt at home!
Ah, but afterwards she refused to take me home since "it's dark, no one is there, and the grocery store is closed", so she insisted I joining her for a meal with her husband, two very well behaved courteous young boys, and many of the town residents.
After full day of schmoozing Italian style, I finally opened the door to my cozy apartment and went straight to the bedroom and opened the window taking in the crisp winter air, and fell in bed admiring the massive view of the alps with a smile. My first day back in Italy had been very heart warming!
Two days before Christmas, we left to Venice in order to finish our Christmas shopping and we rushed "home" to Bergen, Norway to spend Christmas with his family… but this small Italian town stayed in my heart!
Today I came across pictures of another small town gifted with similar breathtaking views, but something else happened and it's hard to explain! All the citizens left!
They abandoned their roots, local traditions, and homes! I'm sure this town also had so much to offer! What causes citizens to abandon en masse their beloved traditions and home?
Abandoned Italian Village!
Ironically! the top picture on the right says "I'll be right back!" but no one came back!
This entire village in Northern Italy, west of Genoa is empty!
There are many flowering small towns in Italy, still true to their roots and Italian charm! I know, I've seen them! I've visited them, and I've lived in them!
How could a full group of people, young and old, together decide to abandon their paradise roots?
Total Comments 1
Comments
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Beautiful photos.
A friend of mine here is Italian American, she wanted to come back to Italy but her parents think she is crazy. They left one of these Alpine villages for better work and pay.
It is so sad though, I am happy with the number of Italian-Americans I know who have come back to Italy to live and work. My roots are too scattered to return to, Ia m happy to see it work for other people!Posted 09-13-2007 at 07:26 PM by Liz
