I was strolling along a little town named Recanati the other day and I saw a sign outside a cemetery pointing to the tomb of B.Gigli. I was immediately carried back to the old days in Dublin when I never missed a performance of the Rome and Milan Opera when they came to Dublin every spring and I used to queue up to get a seat up in "the Gods" for 2/6. I went straight from school and did my home work there on the side of the road while waiting. Those were the days when young Irish kids would wait outside the Gaiety for such greats as Gigli, Gobbi, Clabassi and all those wonderful singers who came out smelling beautiful like no men we had ever met in Dublin in the 50s. Among them Benamino Gigli who was so famous and yet took time to speak with all of us. Once a group of them even invited about 10 of us to come to their hotel for breakfast on Sunday morning - it was to the Russell on Harcourt Street. How kind and I have loved Italians and Italy ever since.
I stayed in a parking place by the town as as so often happens in Italy I was invited by nice neighbours to share their evening meal with them. That happens so often in camping places unlike staying in a hotel where there is no contact with any one else. I went from there over to Monte Falco, a well known place for great wines and there happened to be a weekend festival of tasting - all the stalls were serving local specialties like olive oil, Sagrantino wine, truffles, salami's, cheese etc. Great fun.
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| The tomb of Gigli |
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| Outside the tomb |
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| The town of Recanati and statue of the poet Leopardi |
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| Learning to make pasta |
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| A bride among the tasting stands |
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| Tasting and buying the vino |
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| Nice Enoteca |
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