A day by the Adriatic Sea......
After promising ourselves for many months a trip to the sea, Nick and I finally made the trip which took just a little over an hour. We had heard from friends that the small town of Cesenatico would not disappoint and they were right!
Cesenatico lies 64 miles north-east of the Chestnut Barn
on the Adriatic coast. The town dates from 1302, when the harbour was created
and a fortress built to protect the town. In 1502 the famous renaissance artist
Leonardo da Vinci was commissioned by Cesare Borgia to design the harbour
canal. It was from here on the 2nd August 1849, that Garibaldi
sailed with his wife and 200 members of his army to save Venice
from the Austrians. Today, ten traditional sailing boats or ‘bragozzi’ line the
canal and are a sight to behold, especially when used as part of the towns many
festivals which take place during the summer months, the brightly coloured
sails or ‘Vele a terzo’ compliment the colourfully decorated homes and
businesses that line the canal on both sides. The town also boasts a wonderful Maritime
Museum
The beach is sandy and is normally lined with umbrellas and loungers which can be hired for the day, it being October the loungers had been stacked away for the winter. Now it was dotted with the odd Italian couple enjoying the sunshine and the plus 30 degree temperature before the autumnal weather firmly took hold. The sea was also very warm and Nick and I enjoyed a walk along the shore letting the waves gently lap at our feet, others were more adventurous diving from the breakwater!
Cesenatico is
renowned for the ‘Adriatic Blue fish dish’ the name taken from the colour of
the fishes dorsal fin, which is available in most of the fish restaurants that line the old canal, the choice of fish and shellfish available is amazing and it is all freshly caught. There was nothing nicer than sitting there gazing out over the water towards the boats whilst enjoying a fish lunch and a nice chilled glass of white wine to compliment the dish....We had a great day and will definitely be back with our friends in tow........
Ciao Catherine x
Catherine,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on another superb literary effort! I finally got around to purchasing and reading Back to Tuscany and the Barn.
The book, just like The Chestnut Barn, will appeal to the general reader. The mix of Italian and regional history, the cultural insights, and glimpses of what daily life is like for an expatriate are all woven together so well—a mix of tour book and daily diary. The addition of recipes will likely be welcomed by many as well.
However, the degree of your success in conveying what life in Italy is like is only evident to someone who has been in your shoes or situation. You and Nick deserve a medal or award for your courage—cutting the physical ties to England—and patience and perseverance with the Italian bureaucracy. Back to Tuscany and the Barn was like a trip to Anghiari without the trans-Atlantic flight. Debbie and I have been to so many of the places you describe so perfectly, e.g., La Verna, Villa La Ripa. However, there were several places you detailed that we haven’t been to yet that I’ve added to our “must see” list.
There were several spots in the book where you struck some especially sentimental chords for us.
• We especially loved your descriptions of Bar Baldacico and Carla and Maurizio. And now with “little Ricky” waiting tables there is yet another reason to eat there!
• Your description of constantly gazing out your windows at the Barn to see the wildlife made me realize we do essentially the same thing—except it is “people watching: on via Garibaldi!
• We both laughed about your anecdote about going to Naples. We lived there three years and considered ourselves lucky that our house was only broken into once. A year after we left we returned on vacation only to have our rental car broke into and my luggage stolen. The beauty of Naples can certainly override any measure of good judgment!
• I also could closely identify with your Rover stories and having parts shipped from England. When we were in Naples, our Honda’s electrical system died and we had the replacement part shipped from the US because it was half of what we were going to pay in Italy.
• The “repair estimates plucked from thin air” also really resonated. As you noted, the price or estimate is usually tailored to the degree of proficiency with Italian with which it is requested.
In closing, while we are not at the point to fully follow in the footsteps of you and Nick (still a few more years to work at the grind) in living in Toscana year round, you’ve provided us with a wonderful glimpse of what we can expect, both good and not so good!
Ciao!
Jim & Debbie Marchio
Dear Jim and Debbie,
ReplyDeleteFirstly I must apologise for not replying to your comment, but I have only just seen it as my Blog went by the wayside sometime ago. Now with Facebook and Twitter I tend to post my news and views there. Your comment was much appreciated, it must have taken you sometime to write and very well written it is, perhaps you too should take up the pen and write of your experiences in Naples, I would love to hear all about them. I have tried to find you on Facebook but without knowing where you are it is a little difficult, I therefore hope that you can find my page "A Chestnut Barn in Tuscany" and that we can be friends there......With very best wishes and sincere thanks for your time. Catherine