Tag: Italy

Off the Beaten Path: San Giovanni in Fiore

In 2001 we made our first sojourn to southern Italy by car. Our destination was Sicily and we had several stops along the way. In Cosenza we stayed at the Hotel San Francesco. Cosenza was a nice town and we were going to take a day drip. The receptionist at the hotel suggested San Giovanni in Fiore.  Her directions ( pre GPS days) were follow the signs for Sila, a mountainous region about forty-five minutes away. It is home to the Parco Nazionale della Sila. We followed the signs and eventually arrived in San Giovanni in Fiore.  fullsizeoutput_147f.jpeg

At first there  was not much to see. The streets were empty of people but as we approached  the center we came upon the Abbey.  Music was coming from the abbey and a young man approached us.  He said he was a tour guide and brought us into the Abbey,fullsizeoutput_51fd.jpeg

The town appeared deserted.fullsizeoutput_51fe.jpegThe abbey.DSCN3958.JPGToday there was a wedding in progress.

DSCN3959.JPGThe original abbey burned in 1215 and  was rebuilt on a new location in 1230. DSCN3960.JPGThe interior shows the stone walls.    We left the abbey and our tour guide took us to a piccolo ristorante.  As is common in Italy, there was no sign and the door was a strubg if beads hanging down to prevent flies from coming in. DSCN3968.JPGThe entrance certainly did not attract a crowd. DSCN3969.JPGLunch was fantastic.  We were give a glass of grappa to finish off the meal.  In the mirror you can see the only other customers that day. I especially liked the stone work which is so prevalent in Calabria. DSCN3970.JPGAnother street with out anyone around.fullsizeoutput_51ff.jpegAs we left to head back to  Cosenza, we ran into a small traffic jam. This is why I love Italy.

Map of San Giovanni in Fiore

https://goo.gl/maps/YqthxkPg6hq

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TODAY IN THE WASHINTON POST: The Ape celebrates 70 years.

What you say is an APE, not an ape, but the ubiquitous little combination of a motorcycle and pickup truck that plugs along all of Italy’s roadways.

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Credit photo and text above from the Washington Post.

The Ape hauls almost anything, from buildng materials to fruit and fiish. fullsizeoutput_d66d.jpegA clasic Ape in Toscanafullsizeoutput_d66f.jpegNothing elegant about this baby, plain  and simple, it does the job.fullsizeoutput_d66a.jpegThis one was at an Airbnb in Montepulciano.

fullsizeoutput_d664.jpegfullsizeoutput_d665.jpegfullsizeoutput_d666.jpegNot only did he sell fruit and vegetable, he serenaded the streets with his words on the health of his produce.

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This fruit vendor was in Cefalù, Sicily.   (fruttivendolo)

Some info from  Wikipedia:

At the end of World War II, most Italians, badly affected by the war, lacked means of transport and, more importantly, the financial means to acquire and maintain full-sized four-wheeled vehicles. In 1947, the inventor of the Vespa, aircraft designer Corradino D’Ascanio, came up with the idea of building a light three-wheeled commercial vehicle to power Italy’s economical reconstruction, an idea which found favour with Enrico Piaggio, the son of the firm’s founder, Rinaldo. The very first Ape model and the mark immediately following it were mechanically a Vespa with two wheels added to the rear, with a flat-bed structure on top of the rear axle. The early sales brochures and adverts referred to the vehicle as the VespaCar or TriVespa. The first Apes featured 50 cc,[3]125 cc or 150 cc and more recently 175 cc engines.

It is hard to imagine a 125 CC engine pulling a big load.

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La bella lingua Learning Italian

Our first trip to Italy was without the benefit of any knowledge on my part of Italian. My wife with he Sicilian parents had a knowledge of some words and phrases.  I realized this was a disadvantage but not the end of the world.  So much English is spoken in Italy most people can get along. Most restaurants in the tourist areas have dual or triple language menus. English, German, and Italian are  prevalent.

I want to go further and speak to people and know what the road signs say. Not having access to  an Italian teacher, I took another route.  Pimsleur had a CD course in Italian.  I bought the course and ripped the CD’s to my iPod. That was the beginning. It is a good way to learn conversational Italian. Eventually I  progressed from levels 1 through 5 which encompasses about 48 hours of  lessons. I did enjoy it as I was able to listen while driving or riding my bicycle.

Pimsleur Italian Levels 1-5 Unlimited Software

PIMSLEUR ITALIAN LEVELS 1-5 UNLIMITED SOFTWARE

Pimsleur. The Art of Conversation. Down to a Science.

  • Format: Download
  • Lessons: 150
  • ISBN: 9781442396180
  • Availability: In Stock: Available for immediate download
  • List Price: $575.00
Free Audio Lesson

Learn a new language while commuting, while cleaning the house, or working out. Like millions before you, discover the power of the scientifically sequenced and portable Pimsleur Method.

As you can see, it is not cheap.  Try the audio only from Audible for a more reasonable price.

Italian Level 1: Learn to Speak and Understand Italian with Pimsleur Language Programs
    • By Pimsleur
    • Narrated By Pimsleur
    • Length: 15 hrs and 56 mins
    • Release Date: 04-01-10
4.6 (69 ratings)
Regular Price:$173.27
Member Price:$121.29 or 5 Credits PRICE VARRIES.  Credits are about $10 each depending upon the plan you subscribe to at Audible 
Beyond this I also used  duoLingo. This is a free program with excellent content.
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Exercises progress from basic to upper intermediate.  It is easy and I have been using if for about 6 months now. You can progress at your own pace and go back to. From time to time you may be asked to donate, but this is minimal.  An excellent program for iPhone, tablets, and Android products. You must have WiFi or cellular data connected.

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There are many exercises to improve listening and writing skills.  Voice recognition is available for pronunciation practice.

Next there is Rosetta Stone. This is my least favorite method.  The program has five levels and retails for about $200-250 on Amazon.  It is available for PC and MAC.  It does a good job of teaching vocabulary and grammar, but I find it painful obtuse. In many cases you have to decipher a photograph and  answer questions based upon your interpretation of the picture. 

Some times the photos are not clear and you may give a wrong answer.

Screen Shot 2017-06-20 at 10.59.37 AM.pngTOOLS.jpgnouns, of places in nature.jpgIt is your choice on Rosetta Stone, I just find it slow. But the content is good.  It has voice recognition to help you with pronunciation.

.  There is also a subscription version. Te computer version is copy protected to one PC or Ma and can not be used on another until it is deactivated.

There are other programs out there. Transparent Language as a program for phones and tablets. It is subscription based.  Seems ok. They offer a free blog with the word of the day.   Michelle Thomas has CDs for many language and they are priced reasonably.

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Buona fortuna!   or as they say: In bocca al lupo

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