T ucked on the side of the tallest disney world florida swan hotel towering mountain in Italy, Monte Cimone , lies the native hometown of my family, Montecreto . This little town of 950 people is nestled among fir and beech trees in the Apennine Mountains in the Provence of Emilia-Romagna. Although Monte Cimone has many ski routes nearby, Montecreto has never grown into a wealthy ski village because it's location is more hidden, remote and difficult to get to.
This was a most desperate place to live in Italy and at the turn of the 20th century, which compelled both sides of my impoverished grandparents to search for a better life in America around 1910. My ancestors lived on 'cucina povera' (food of the poor) out of necessity and not because of its trendiness today. disney world florida swan hotel My grandfather hated chestnuts because that's about the most that they had to make flour with and other recipes. Pasta and rice were staples with a bit of little meat. Chicken and rabbit were common, but never, EVER did they eat fish because of the distance from the sea. That explains why my family has never celebrated the traditional Italian Christmas Eve dinner known as the "Feast of the Seven Fishes". They could not get to the fish, nor afford it if it were in front of them, nor was fish brought up into the mountains. As a result disney world florida swan hotel they had never heard of the feast. disney world florida swan hotel My family also never could afford any of the rich desserts such as cannoli disney world florida swan hotel or ricotta cakes, but they did bake biscotti, which we have always called 'contucci' that they dipped disney world florida swan hotel in wine after dinner.
Similar to thousands of Italian immigrants at that time, my grandparents' families were dirt poor, period! And they certainly did not travel to 'America' on the ocean ships in first class . . . I imagine they were in the bottom level of those ships with just one trunk with all of their belongings in two (of which I am the only fortunate grandchild to have one trunk from both sides of my grandparents, each over 100 years old, to cherish and pass down to my children).
But only two people people from each side (maternal and paternal) of the family moved to America. Their sisters and brothers stayed disney world florida swan hotel behind on the mountain and never left Italy. Eventually they moved to where they live today in the nearby disney world florida swan hotel bustling city of Modena , home of Luciano Pavoratti, both the Ferarri and Maserati sports cars, and balsamico disney world florida swan hotel vinegar . Today my relatives' quality of life is such that my aunts, uncles and cousins have absolutely no desire to ever leave Italy. It just couldn't be any better today!
A part of me wishes that my grandparents had never left Italy and that I would have had the opportunity to grow up in this beautiful country. But that was obviously not part of the bigger picture/plan and so here I am, a fortunate U.S. citizen visiting the land of my heritage with my parents (ages 85 and 92 years young). My mother and father have returned to Montecreto and Modena about six times, so they know their way around and are quite fluent in Italian. At one time I was fluent in the language, but you know what they say, "Use it or lose it" and I had no one to speak Italian to once I left home after college.
Today the only things that I can say in Italian are pretty censored, disney world florida swan hotel sex-related comments! My Scottish/German husband knows exactly what I'm saying disney world florida swan hotel though and it always brings a big smile on his face! :-D
One of those homes on the top of that ridge is my grandmother's disney world florida swan hotel childhood home. There's only one road going through this tiny little town and you're looking at it in both of the photos above! To get up here, one has to drive straight up twisting and winding roads with hair-pin turns, something I am SO not crazy about driving on. But chauffeur of this trip, I am. So I need to just get over my fear of mountain road driving (it's something I usually let my husband do while I keep my eyes shut). I just pray that they have guard rails on the side edges of the road! Luckily for me, my sister who has driven this road before told me that there's not a lot of traffic!
After I return to the States, I'll share more photos. For now, I'm off exploring this little mountain town, visiting family, talking, eating delicious home-made Italian food, drinking some vino, looking disney world florida swan hotel through dust-covered, aged record books in a church basement, and thanking God that I've got this moment in time to be in this lovely disney world florida swan hotel little spot on earth.
Roz, Your stories of your grandparents pull on my heart...Can t help but marvel at the Grace which takes individuals and families around those twisty disney world florida swan hotel roads that lead to more bountiful destinations. Reply Delete disney world florida swan hotel Angie #39;s Recipes October 09, 2012
It s all so amazing, isn t it? The seeking of a better life - that really took guts - to move away and start again. It s a place of beauty (all of Italy is). I hope you have better luck looking up baptismal records than my parents did. (Churches were burned during disney world florida swan hotel the 2 world wars). But however the outcome, you re just soaking it all in, aren t you. Enjoy! disney world florida swan hotel Reply Delete Crystal October 09, 2012
So happy for you, Roz. Love these updates and seeing what you are up to while you are there. Thanks for sharing this trip with us all, I look forward to seeing the new messages in my inbox with you so many miles away. Reply Delete The Captain #39;s Daughter October 09, 2012
You are living my dream right now... disney world florida swan hotel To travel with your parents in a place of your heritage... I am so happy for you! I am desperate to return to Germany but I only want to do it with my parents along. disney world florida swan hotel We left Germany when I was nearly 14 years old and although I have MANY fond memories and I remember a lot about everything, I wouldn t even know where to begin to go see the many places that make up all those wonderful memories. However, my parents... disney world florida swan hotel They know Germany and all the places I wish to see again like the backs of their hands. So going with them is a must. They are now 70 and 71 years old and beginning to say that they are too old to make the trip at all. I plan to share your post with them and say, SEE?! You can do it! Sending you always my best with thanks for your beautiful blog! Janet Reply Delete Ciao Chow Linda October 09, 2012
What a beautiful disney world florida swan hotel place to call home Roz. And how wonderful that you and your parents are sharing the experience. My mom was from Emilia Romagna, but I never heard of Montecreto. I m off to look it up on a map. Have a wonderful time. Reply Delete disney world florida swan hotel Catherine October 09, 2012
Dear Roz, your posts bring me to tears. My family is originally from Italy and one day I would love to go back there...I have never been to Italy, but it is my destination. It s beautiful that you still have family over there to visit. disney world florida swan hotel I wish you and your mom the best of luck with your search through the records. I look forward to more posts. Blessings my dear, your friend, Catherine xo Reply Delete anniebakes October 09, 2012
so nice to hear so many of the familiar food words on your site that we speak of in my home! looking forward to your photos and more posts on your amazing trip! so jealous! Reply Delete mjskit October 09, 2012
What an absolutely breathtaking place! How wonderful to have come from such a place and be able to return to see it still there! A lot of these quaint, beautiful places in the states are disappearing. Reply Delete Patricia October 10, 2012
I truly enjoyed reading your post this morning. Ten years ago I made the trip to the ancestral homes of my maternal and paternal grandparents...one disney world florida swan hotel in Le Marche (Orciano di Pesaro) and the other in Sicily (Ferla). As I stood in one location disney world florida swan hotel looking out at vistas such as you show in your post, there was a village standing next to me. He spoke halting English and I spoke halting Italian. I said How could my grandfather leave such beauty? He responded... You are looking at it with a full stomach! Reply Delete rita cooks italian October 12, 2012
Congratulations on making it back to Montecreto. My family is also from Montecreto and as a 2nd generation Italian-American, I look forward to returning home. I am eager to hear about your experience when you are finished. Reply Delete Add comment Load more...
Savoring and sharing my bliss and passionate love of cooking, gardening, traveling, and living life surrounded by nature's beauty on a peaceful country acreage . . . thus "la bella vita" ~ "the beautiful life". I hope that you'll feel inspired to welcome more beauty and deliciousness into your life. Mangia! disney world florida swan hotel .
How To Become a Valued Guest Poster on 'la bella vita': Are you a food, gardening, or travel logger that would like to guest post on 'la bella vita? If so, it would be great to have you write for us. Here are a few pieces of information for you: Posts need to be focused on the content of 'la bella vita' which is food, gardening, and quality travel experiences and restaurant reviews (nothing negative disney world florida swan hotel accepted). Recipes, tips for cooking, disney world florida swan hotel gardening, and travel, health-related food recipes and weight-loss oriented recipes, videos, and ANYTHING creative and interesting to the readers of this blog. The guest post must be original and never before published. The post must include your own photography or give correct and accurate citation to the origin of the photo. The guest post must be of average length. An introduction about you, your blog (with link), and your post will be written by Roz, the author of 'la bella vita' If you like, please include a 3 sentence short 'bio' of yourself and your blog. Please forward your post and photo attachments to me at: paige1and2@centurylink.net .. I will copy and paste it to match the font of 'la bella vita'. Keep in mind to send photos in their original size or at least 'medium' size. I will adjust them to fit the blog appropriately. References to other links will be eliminated if inappropriate and promotional. Please disney world florida swan hotel send your request at least one week before you'd like to have your guest post appear on 'la bella vita'. Guest posts are posted on Fridays. Your guest post will also be posted on Facebook through my "networked
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