Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Fun Facts on Carovigno

I live in a 2nd story apartment on one of the many little streets in Carovigno.  As part of this building is another apartment around the corner.  That's where Gianni and Grazziella live during the olive harvest.  Grazziella was born and grew up in the cellar apartment here where her sister and husband now live.  By the way Grazziella's sister is married to Gianni's brother.  The street is only about 1/8 mi. long.  The apartment down a little from my door I see the priest go in and out somedays.  Apparently, as Gianni tells me, there have been several priests come and go in the church in the piazza here.  There are 3 women who live here on the street.  One likes men in uniforms.  The priest always wears his long, black dress- like outfit.  She apparently "hosts" the current priest but after a short time he disappears, goes to another church and a new one appears here.  The whole time Gianni tells this he's chuckling.
Across the street and down the hill at the corner lives a young girl, maybe 20 or so.  Several times a day (maybe 2 or 3) I hear her 2 little dogs barking like crazy.  They bark when she puts them on their leashes to take them in the car for a short ride to do their business and then come home.  All the while they are barking like crazy, they're wagging their tails madly.  I think they are just so happy to get out and go for a ride.  Really funny.  I've tried to get friendly with her so maybe I could take her dogs for a walk (I miss my animals) but she is stone faced and won't even crack a smile my way.  I've given up.

When Gianni first came to Carovigno with his new bride, Grazziella, he said it was a totally different world.  NO autos or electronic anything.  People had donkeys and the donkeys were kept in the house. I called Gianni on that but he insists they did.  Grazziella and family had indoor plumbing but most did not.  This was just 50 years ago!  There was NO money.  Every night the men would go to the piazza (much like they do now).  But then it was to meet and discuss who would be going to "the land" the next day to work.  There were no phones so they had to meet in person this way. There were no stores. If you needed something like a new dress, you went to the seamstress in town and had one made but traded maybe some vegetables for the dress.  Grazziella's dad was a carpenter.  There were times when he had a job to do out in "the land" and would move out there for a week or so until the job was done.  He might trade for some food.  Still NO money exchanged hands.  It did not exist in these people's lives
People in town would come to Grazziella's door just to meet this 'man from the North'.
Sometimes a siren would go off alerting everyone of the presence of BANDITS in town.  So everyone would go inside their homes and lock their door.  If you were left outside, that's where you remained.
Most stores in town today lock their door even during business hours.  You must ring the door bell to be let in.
I don't know how Gianni came in to town.  He came from modern Milan.  I'll have to ask.  Get back on this later.  I'll have to pick his brain before I leave. 

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