The Belvedere

A few years ago I wrote a blog post entitled "Why Italy Makes Me Cry".  It was about how, when blessed with such natural and man made beauty, the people of Italy all too often not only ignore it but deface it.  I found it sad that while the interior of every home I have ever entered has been spotlessly and meticulously clean, the outside areas and public buildings are littered with garbage and graffiti.  If only a small fraction of the attention that is paid to their private spaces were dedicated to the public spaces, Italy could truly be a remarkably beautiful country.  Sadly, I see very little progress in that regard.

As we exit the Nazionale (the main artery that takes all traffic into the Valle Caudine), the off ramp is strewn with plastic bags tossed recklessly from passing cars.  Discarded tires, mattresses, and all manner of litter adorn the route to Cervinara.  I don't know how much of it is from local traffic and how much is from those just passing through....it just indicates a lack of civic responsibility on a national level.  Not all areas of the country are as egregiously littered as the region of Campania, but graffiti abounds everywhere and it is clear that there is much progress to be made regarding respect for the environment.

So yesterday as we were planning a small excursion, I decided it was time to finally go up to the Belvedere of Nazareth.  I had seen signs for this spot for years but we never bothered to follow through and scope it out.  But we had an open day with nothing on the agenda, and it was beautifully clear and relatively cool, so we headed up into the hills.  Coppola is not the area we usually climb.  It's another mountain that leads out of Cervinara and we had never gone up in that direction.  We followed the signs until, as is typical, there were no more.  But knowing that we had to go up, we followed a relatively steep road that became full of the twists and turns that we have come to expect.  After five or six hairpin turns, there it was, and it indeed was a Belvedere (beautiful view).

There was a large statue of Christ set on a rock pedestal.  Arms upstretched, he looks down on the valley below as if giving a benediction.  Carved into the surrounding rocky outcroppings are sculptures and inscriptions, all reflecting the beauty of the area. 

Unfortunately, along with the beautiful view came the disappointing lack of care and respect that this spot should be provided.  The bench meant to allow a restful place for contemplation was in disrepair, but I could handle that.  It's a wooden bench exposed to the elements and, while in need of some sprucing up, it still was able to do its job.  But the litter and dirt surrounding the viewing area was sickening.  Empty cigarette packs, cigarette butts, paper and general detritus, and of course the ubiquitous used condom were all present.  Nothing huge, nothing that couldn't have been easily brought home in one's car (well except maybe the condom!), but garbage that was just carelessly tossed away without a thought for those who would follow, to say nothing of a general respect for the purpose of the area. 

Coincidentally, my friend Francesco, who happens to be one of the biggest supporters of Cervinara and its beauty, also happened to go to the Belvedere yesterday.  He posted pictures of the area showing the sad state it is in and expressed his rage at how thoughtless his fellow residents were.  He routinely comes up here to clean the area but it continues to be abused and disrespected.  I didn't take pictures of the trash, preferring to remember it as the lovely area it was intended to be.  But the images remain in my head, the anger remains in my heart, and a lack of hope for what this country will become remains embedded in my soul.  Italy can do better.  We can all do better.  It's not that hard.  So just do it!

A Little Night Music

Cervinara is a small town and oftentimes it seems that there's not a lot to do here.  Sometimes that's true!  But in August, there is l'imbarazzo della scelta for fans of festivals and music.  And we are especially lucky when those events are held in our lovely Piazza Elena, where the fountain and plane trees and the Palazzo Marchesale provide a lovely and quaint backdrop for these public events.

During one of our first stops upon arriving in town at the end of July we picked up a little pamphlet with a listing of all the events scheduled for the month of August.  Cervinara Sotto le Stelle (Cervinara Under the Stars) is the slate of performances and processions that await the vacationer to our little town during August.  There is something for everyone....classical music, popular cover bands, religious processions, theatrical performances, and even operas and marching bands!

My first show this year was a band from Taranto, a port city in Puglia.  Every town of any size has a number of brass bands that are hired for everything from functions of public entertainment to funeral marches to wedding celebrations and more.  This band was quite good and the audience enjoyed a selection of works from Rigoletto by Giuseppe Verdi.  Everyone knows La Donna E Mobile and the Rigoletto sextet, but one of my favorites is Questa o Quella, where the Duke who sang about how women are fickle goes on to sing This One or That One, it really doesn't matter, because all women are essentially the same.  Shame on him!

Something that takes some getting used to is the ambient noise that accompanies any outdoor performance.  We've gone many times to Tanglewood where even in that casual atmosphere there is a general quiet in the audience and a respect for the performers.  But here, children run free through the piazza, waving their laser swords and blowing bubbles from their electronic bubblers, complete with music and flashing lights!  The occasional dog wanders through the seats.  People get up to smoke and chat with friends, and conversations continue throughout.  While some in the audience try to give the evil eye to the worst noise-makers, it's generally considered the norm to have these distractions.  I've gotten used to it, as have the musicians apparently, because they continued through their repertoire without batting an eye.  And, even though they are not actively listening to the music, I have to believe that it is sinking in to the little folks who are running around and that little by little they are developing an appreciation for the music of their heritage.  This was evident by the reaction of one little fellow who, at no more than 18 months or so, kept rushing the stage to get closer to the musicians and who did his darling little dances in time to the music that charmed us all.  


There have been other performances and we look forward to participating in others, along with the religious processions that accompany the national holiday of Ferragosto.  August 15 is a national day of rest, fun, picnics, and music.  While this is the Feast of the Ascension and an important day in the Catholic church it is more often now an opportunity for families to get together for a "grigliata", for a game of soccer in piazza, or for an evening of music.  Cervinara Sotto Le Stelle is a festival for the whole month and we are lucky to be able to participate!