Sorry for today's and yesterdays posts being late. This is the second time Blogger has changed a 'scheduled' post into a 'draft' post on me.
Bertolotto Cova Apartment, Levanto 1305 EET
Well, beyond my wake up at 0430 as told by the bells, upon waking at a more appropriate time again in the morning I remained in bed until 0905 and then decided to rise. Breakfast was toast with jam and a bowl of strawberry yogurt with strawberry slices, followed by a thorough shower. Emerging from the shower, I wished Mom a happy birthday to which she remarked she had forgotten. Then I spent time writing nine postcards, discussing how to address mail, noted a translation error on the card selected, for Chris and decided to send a postcard to the Slemmings noting how many of the pages I have used of this journal they gave me.
Before addressing and stamping all the cards, Zio James buzzed to talk about attending the drumming at 1800 this evening so today is the first day of the San Giacomo festival. Afterwards we hope to eat at Ristorante da Rino, just a few doors down and recommended as well as attending the flag performance. Once decided, I returned to my postcards and shortly afterwards we attempted to catch Zio James and the Bertolotto’s in the park for Giovanni’s walk and read, but missed them and decided to look for a post office on our own. As we were leaving the park, a group of flag bearers, trumpeters, and drummers assembled but because of their colours of flag and period-dress I suspect they are from rival towns.
Standard holders near the park.
Drummers near the park.
Flag wavers near the park.
Within Piazza Cavour we found come children flag performers practicing and an information map of Levanto, which showed the location of the post office. I posted the stamped cards in the box outside and entered to purchase ten more stamps. The ticket dispenser and signboard were not working so I actually had a brief wait standing in line. This time the stamps I got are self-adhesive, so not more licking, and larger than the previous ones leading Mom to remark how they fit on our postcards.
Exiting the post office, I lead Mom past the bakery as requested, Non Solo Pane, where we purchased our fucaccia previously, where this time she bought two poppy seed buns, for €0.72 [$0.9636]. As it was lunchtime, we returned to our place, took another moment to admire the third division of the original apartment floor, which Marco is renting out as a room of his B&B with very nice orange décor, and then I fixed lunch using the buns, prosciutto, cheese, and some greens which I don’t really recognise.
Bertolotto Cova Apartment, Levanto 1630 EET – Entry Made at 1726 EET
Well, I’ve lost my glasses to the Mar Ligure, and in the moment was pissed beyond consolation. This entry is written later, though as the time stamp indicates I recorded the time right after returning from the beach but did not trust myself to write anything more with an niceness.
So after lunch, we relaxed some more and decided to go to the beach after three o’clock and enjoy today’s gorgeous blue sky and brilliant sun. So packing ourselves up, off we progressed to the free sand beach in the middle of the harbour. Along the wallboard, with our view blocked by change stations, we could then hear the ocean and it sounded rough. Clearing the row of change rooms, we saw that the surf was very strong and there were a few boarders on the outer swells with the lifeguard working on keeping swimmers away from the rock pier. We sunned ourselves for a period of time, living dangerously without sunscreen, before deciding to swim and enjoy the waves. The first wave knocked me off my feet, started to steal a show and byt the time I thought to grab for my glasses underwater, stole them. We spent a few moments attempting to search, a useless endeavour with my vision and the waves turning the water white, so I packed us back to the apartment.
Once back and feeling like being destructive, I decided the best thing was to sleep it off.
Bertolotto Cova Apartment, Levanto 2330 EET
Zio James buzzed us at 1736 and then visited to get a spare set of flip-flops from the closet as his sandals broke. I shared my woe with him, and proceeding down with Zia Michela and Nichola as we progressed to find a spot to watch the San Giacomo parade of flag barriers, drummers, trumpeters, and others in period costume. Levanto as host town lead with their procession and there other competing town’s processions followed. I enjoyed spotting the women musicians in tunics and leggings and seeing the different uniforms and nobility costumes.
Standard holder in the parade.
Trumpeters in the parade.
Standard holder in the parade.
Drummers in the parade.
Flag wavers in the parade.
Directly after the parade, Nichola and I went pine nut hunting and after gathering a suitable amount, had to go wash our hands for about five minutes to deal with the pinesap. Following the pine nut endevour, we proceeded to Ristorante da Rino for a deviously tasty dinner. While I cannot recount all of the dishes served, though I was once again amused by the translation errors on the menu, I can list what I had. From the appetizers, I tried the lemon anchovies with local olives, octopus with potatoes, tuna, swordfish, and salmon. My pasta dish was herb filled ravioli with a white walnut sauce and absolutely delicious. I also had some mouthfuls of Zio James, Zia Michela, and Nichola’s seafood spaghetti but I am starting to thinking I cannot even have food contaminated with shrimp as shortly afterwards my stomach started to hurt badly.
Mom holding gathered pine nuts, Alanna and Nichola holding pine cones and showing sappy fingers.
Zia Michela, Zio James, Nicola ,and Mom at Ristorante da Rino.
We enjoyed our meal and after dinner conversation and then made our way to Piazza Cavour for the flag competition. It really is quite interesting what they do, twirling the flag poles with hands and feet, as well as tossing them in the air. The sings all started with one flag and all progressed to handling four although they did not all end their routine with the four. Following the singles were the groups of five bearing two flags which they proceeded to wave and toss to each other in unity. It was all very interesting to watch, but not the easiest to photograph although I did get a decent video of the Levanto group, with us being at the back of the audience as Zio James said we did not need to be there for the 2100 start time. Of interest of the Levanto group was the there were two women flag throwers and Zia Michela’s cugino Alessandro, who is the present of the association, though he started with Marco.
Levanto single competitor with four flags.
Competing team at flag waving competition.
The Carswell males find the contest repetitive and as we were standing at the back, I agreed to go fro a walk which took us to the Il Porticciolo, and even with my upset stomach and feeling it might help, I accepted the offer of a gelato and got blueberry and created flavour. In the shop’s courtyard we met Enrica and her family, Eliza again, a sleeping P., and popsicle eating one-year-old L., and her husband Massi. Family was everywhere that night as leaving Piazza Cavour we ran into Giovanna, Anna, and Cladio.
Alanna with gelato cone at Il Porticciolo and sunglasses that will now be signature.
After getting our gelato cones, we enjoyed them while walking along the path above the beach. The moon is full and was lovely with the sight of the green and white Sant’ Andrea belfry and Levanto at night. Sitting down for a time, Mom remarked and I agreed, it was the first time since we had come to Italia except for the second train to Venezia, that we had been cold! Retreating from the chill, we passed back by Piazza Cavour to catch two pairs performance by the flag wavers before retiring for the night.
Nobles watching the flag waving competition on the stage set up in Piazza Cavour.
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