Greve In Chianti
So Mimma and I have driven into Greve In
Chianti. Now this puts life into
perspective. The well-worn stones on
which we're walking were centuries old before Columbus even discovered
America! The town is now 1,069 years old
and one of the town's famous citizens was Giovanni Varrazano who's name is
recognizable to anyone living in and around New York City as the bridge was
named after him. Here in Greve there's a
statue of Giovanni in the main town piazza as well as a stone
commemorating the bridge in New York.
And in New York alongside the bridge is a similar stone commemorating
the town of Greve In Chianti. As immigration and migration have played such a
vital role in America our current political administration should take note as
without it the U.S wouldn't exist at
least as we know it (some would say couldn't into the future) and certainly not
without the Italians who helped make America great just as every other ethnic
group that has contributed (something our alt-right and conservatives should
also take note of as they undoubtedly descend from some of the immigrants, as
we all have, at one time. Saying we are taking back our country just
highlights the extent of our murderous, racist thievery as it was really the
North American natives' country when we arrived and before we raped, pillaged
and appropriated it away from them. But
this kind of talk is leading me down the path back to too much of today's sad
realities.
As part of the lost luggage I was to blame for
losing my own sunglasses so Mimma very kindly took me to an optical shop in
town to buy a new pair on a beautiful non-mall side street off the piazza. Most
of these side streets house small shops, pasticcerias, and of course the
ubiquitous gelato shops!
We also went to the food market to buy a few
things. Both were a wonderful
opportunity for noi parleremo in
Italiano! I've been trying to learn
Italian over the last year but it's been slow.
Actually having to survive by living in the local environment and using
their language is a much better way to learn a language. It's comical, but effective if you want to
buy something like toilet paper instead of asking mistakenly for sugar! I knew zucchero! I also wanted to buy a small amount of sliced
meat I watched the butcher cut for another customer, but was so intent on asking
in Italian for "a small amount....
just one more slice" that I ended up with enough slices to feed four
people before I realized what I’d been saying!
Exhausted and finally a healthy meal in me I'll
sleep well tonight!
