Beach time

 This week has been hot here, and more humid than usual. Just tonight it was 88 degrees with a real feel of 95, at quarter to 8 pm. I've brought a little fan I bought on Amazon, and it has been great hooking it to my lounger at the beach and always having air movement. I've also started to make some headway on my next script. 

Yesterday, I went back to Termoli, the town just north of here. I had one more bill that I had to pay, but I had to print it out in order to pay it. I went back to my banker and had him print it, and paid it on the spot. While I was there ( first return trip home is 4 hours after I get there), I went for a walk to the coast to enjoy a focaccia breakfast with a view, then walked across town to the Centro Commerciale (mall) for some unnecessary shopping. I stopped for a little while in the train station and called Zia. I'm still getting used to her not being in Campomarino with me. It's definitely an adjustment not having someone I can turn to here everyday. But she is doing well all things considered.

Today was the first day that I went to the beach in the morning, or before lunch. I decided to take a shorter walk this morning, and head to the beach around 10 am. I know I got more color than when I lay out starting around 3 pm. But I also went back this afternoon for a few more hours in the sun. My cousin Roberto and his friend Massimo, who I've known for 30 years now, stopped by for a quick visit tonight. It's always great to see them. Every time we get together I feel like we pick right up where we left off. Me and Roberto are probably the closest in age of my first cousins. We went for a passiagiatta (walk) and just hung out for a little while. 

I've started to put together my list of chores to complete to close this place back up. Tuesday is going to be a busy one. 

Foodtopia Moments

I forgot I had a photo of this. On Sunday, I went to the Conchiglia Azzuro for lunch with family. They had a tourist menu featuring a tremendous plate of raw and lightly cooked seafood. I followed this with some spaghetti and vongole (clams), but the appetizer plate was the star of the show. The polpo (octopus), calamari, seppia (cuttlefish), salmon, clams and other smoked fish were delicious. I especially loved the octopus.

Foodtopia Moments

 Usually I like to talk about great food that I come across. I could write an entire book about the delicious food I've had since I've been here, but this time I wanted to mention a soda that I had. In the states, we can regularly find San Pellegrino sodas at the local supermarket. But one brand that is harder to find is called Lemon Soda, and they have a phenomenal mojito (non-alcoholic) version of their lemon soda, made with only Sicilian lemons. It's refreshing as anything, and the perfect compliment to a snack or a meal. Wish we had these regularly available in New Jersey. 

Fun, relaxing weekend

 It's dawned on me a few times since I've been here that when my father decided to purchase our condo, he could stand on the patio and look in one direction and see his brother's balcony and look in the other direction and see his sister's balcony. The brothers have passed away and the sister is living in a rest home. One of the families has since sold their place and moved on from Campomarino Lido vacations, and the other family is in the early stages of building their life several hours north of here. But I still enjoying traveling to this little coastal outpost surrounded by rural farmland Italy. 

On Saturday, I went into Termoli in the morning. It might sound crazy, but I keep thinking of things I need and head there to get them. I criss-crossed the old city, heading to the castle of Federico II, seeing what time the stores I needed to visit opened. I was looking for a birthday gift, a cover for the AC unit outside, flour, and a new tile piece to replace the one that fell off of my garage a couple of months ago. Very random things, and they were in different parts of the city. So I started walking early, and did it often that day. By lunch time, I'd logged close to 18,000 steps.

After spending a few hours resting on the beach, I went to the birthday party for my cousin Mario's daughter. She's 4 now and had a great party here in town. I got to see Mario and his wife Cassandra, plus both kids and his mother, Dorette. It was a really nice evening and a great celebration of Arianna. By the end of the day I was sitting at more than 27,000 steps. 

On Sunday, my cousin Vincenzo, his wife Mariella and their daughter Mila came for a visit. We went out into Campomarino for lunch, which I haven't done in years. There aren't a lot of restaurants to choose from during the afternoon hours, but what we have are good. We settled on a beach club called the Conchiglia Azzuro (Blue Clamshell in translation). I ate there a couple of times in 2015, and it was still very clean and the food was delicious. I really enjoyed getting to see them again and spend some time with them. 

Project wise in the house, the electrician work is done for this year, barring anything unforeseen. The plumbing issue is sort of working itself out, but the plumber is coming tonight to see the job. About to head to the beach for the afternoon. 

Busy Week so Far

 This has been a busy week, but hopefully it gets a little lighter as we head into the weekend. Saturday night, I met up with my cousin Mario and his wife Cassandra along with their kids for some pizza at a campground five minutes walk from my house...that I'd never set foot in. I will be going back sometime as Camping Smeraldo did not disappoint.  

Sunday was very windy. I went to the beach for the first time this year, and on the way I was getting my face blasted with dirt and sand. I sat under my umbrella, number 71 Sud (south), and enjoyed a Lemon Soda. As I was just getting comfortable for my first day on the beach, I could smell smoke, and ash started falling from the sky. I looked up and noticed a wildfire had started in the farming area of the town, just beyond the hillside behind my place. I left the beach, went home in the smoke (thank you Canada for preparing my lungs for wildfire smoke), and waited for the firemen to do their best. After lunch I noticed the wind had changed direction. It wasn't much help to the firefighters, but it was good for the homes nearby. Eventually air support arrived and the fire was put out overnight. Smelled like smoke for a couple of days though. 

Monday, I woke up early and headed on the bus to Termoli, the bigger city just north of us. I wanted to deposit some money, and pay some bills. This was a no-go for Monday. My banker informed me that I needed to get an ATM card from them and do all of the banking and bill paying through a machine. They got me the card, but I'd have to come back the next day because it takes a day to activate and receive a pin. I left the bank, passed the castello of Federico II, and decided to head to La Fontana mall. It was a mile and a half walk from where I was, but I needed some Brita water filters, which I know they sell, and I had an hour and a half of time to kill before my bus ride back to Campomarino. I did spend the remainder of the day on the beach.

Tuesday I woke up early again and headed back into Termoli. I took care of most of the banking, then had two hours to kill, so I went back to the mall, and got a few more things that I needed, including a new internet hotspot. Mine finally died, after 10 years. This new one isn't working yet so I'll have to go back sometime in the next week to exchange it. In the meantime, I figured out how to get my Italian cell phone to work as a hotspot, so that's how this is getting posted.

Today, I got up early again, took the same bus trip north, but this time I was heading a few hours north to Ancona to visit Zia Carmelita at her rest home, and spend some quality time with my cousin Valeria. Zia was in good spirits, and ate her lunch while we were there. When her roommate came back from the cafeteria, and it was time for their nap, Valeria and I headed up to Senigalia, a seaside town about a half hour north of Ancona. It was beautiful there and we had a fantastic lunch overlooking a port. A few hours later, I was back at my place with a plan to sleep in tomorrow. I'll keep you posted how that goes. 




  

Made it to Campomarino

 Three trains and a mile and a quarter walk later, and I have made it to town. I'll be at our family place in Campomarino Lido for the next 19 days. Luckily, I had a lot of energy when I arrived and was able to get the patio washed and the house swept. I put the paddles on the outdoor fan and uncovered the AC unit. It's a beautiful night with a slight breeze and little humidity, so I'm excited to get some good sleep. I have about 5 loads of laundry leftover from last year to go through, then I'll be caught up. 

Tomorrow I'm heading to the beach club to reserve an umbrella and chairs, and then to the market to get some food in the house. My neighbors were kind enough to give me a bowl of fruit and some mozzarella cheese tonight, which went well with a couple of slices of pizza. 

My cousin Greta and her boyfriend Danilo stopped by after dinner tonight. It was great to see them and just have some conversation after three days of traveling alone. 

Foodtopia Moments

 Part of my early journey this summer included a layover in Lisbon, Portugal. For lunch, I stopped at a hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop and got a local pork sandwich called a befana. It was simple, yet delicious. The pork was cooked in butter, and very flavorful on its own, but they suggested mustard and that took it to another level. At then end of the meal, I ordered a pastel de nata. I've had them from a Portuguese baker in North Jersey before, and also from Lidl, but this one was next level. The flaky layered pastry of the cup was delicious without the vanilla custard. The custard was perfect the perfect blend of rich and delicate. I culd've eaten a dozen of them. I only had two on the day, and each time I ordered one the people asked me, "only one?" I guess it's odd to only order one, or I look like someone who would order more than one.