There is just so much to see and experience and we hope folks will continue to make their way to this part of Abruzzo. We have found a house but not just any house. We first rented a farmhouse in a small town about 15 minutes from the Adriatic Sea just north of Pescara. For me, with my daughter already grown and my husband a busy chef, I was able to balance training commitments, searches with my career & family life. We were ready and Abruzzo Rural Property handled the rest. We would be ready for our last stage tomorrow. The hotel is family run and set up as a ski lodge, but I am sure as COVID restrictions are disappearing, many guests will return also for the local hiking trails. I almost backed out of trying to reach out to them. I not only video chat with my daughter, but catch up with work and my close friends from my tribes there all important to my well being and happiness. But now that we are able to go out and be with friends and family, I found that I was experiencing a huge disconnect with my Italian friends with my rusty language skills. And of course we have been hiking, whether a road trek, some trails around Roccaspinalveti or now back out in other areas. You could not tell that I am Italian by heritage with such a name, except possibly for the Rosalie. We knew that we wanted to be closer to my cousins in San Salvo, so we checked out some towns closer to the sea. The two cabinets were spray painted a cream color very similar to the painted tile and plaster walls were painted a calming sand/mocha color. During the move and adjusting to life here in Tufillo, we had a vacation planned well in advance, a cammino in the region of Puglia. Take a break in their friendly restaurant and coffee shop. We were Americans! I wish I had room in this post to go into all the spiritual nuances of the hermitages, but I leave that to the professionals on the many sites that can be found on the internet! We are already planning a 6 day cammino in Puglia this fall. This evenings stop, the B&B in Centro a Pacentro, was just what we needed: quiet, lovely views, center of town, gracious hosts. If you follow any Facebook Abruzzo nature sites, this is the famous hermitage where a belly crawl along a narrow ledge is required to enter the hermitage. But know this about John and I; we have a higher compass that we trust. And I highly recommend any guided hike with Ercole! We were determined to visit the quieter towns to truly experience Italy, and not the regular tourist stops. When I last posted, we had just listed our home in Roccaspinalveti . Wed greet our guests across the courtyard, but we all maintained our distance. No going back for me. And as our older cousins are unable to travel to Rocca in their advancing years, it just made good sense for us to cut the drive time so we could visit them more often. WebNationality: American Welcome to Sulmona For expats living in Abruzzo, there is no better resource than this blog, which provides information about what to get up to in the area. So what else have we been doing besides hiking? We do it for many reasons and I have to say that we are a bit tired and overwhelmed, but so very happy. The edges of the new tiles were beveled where they met rooms with original tiles. I am 100% Italian, Italian/American that is, with dual citizenship with the United States and Italy. A few factors led us to choose this particular cammino, apart from the breathtaking scenery and history. Not worth it was it because it was never large enough but certainly annoying enough. I have to say that I am one of the lucky ones. Now the goals for updating our home here in Rocca are a sweet response to us finding family! We passed on by and continued our trek with the forest opening up to spacious meadows and views of the Gran Sasso. A day for another well-known and stunningly beautiful hermitage Eremo San Spirito A Maiella. Sue moved to Le Marche in Italy from London in the UK in May 2013 after falling in love with the country during a holiday. As the house is about 45 years old, there was some cosmetic updating to be done along with a few major additions, such as adding a new boiler and double-glazed windows to our living space. Best Places to Live in Italy Italy is beloved by expats, global nomads and retirees. Were in love with our house, with all its twist and turns from one level to the next, and as we slowly complete the interior and add our own touches, it is being transformed into our cherished home. Searches could be anywhere in the state of Virginia. Moving not an easy process as many of you have experienced. The setting is impressive, set against a rock cliff, this extensive hermitage is a work of art in itself. The wall had been cracking substantially due to moving water. Here there is so much beauty with the surrounding mountains and hilltop villages, local artists and artisans, welcoming citizens, and pristine beaches a short drive away. During this past winter, I set my bike on a training platform and cycled in our dining room. We completed our upgrade projects and our curb appeal was at its all-time high, with many of our flowers blooming, especially my roses. Its been a tough time for everyone, especially when large gatherings amongst family and friends are on hold now. Unfortunately, another appointment in town pulled us away, as we left with promises of being reunited soon. The air cooled, we gave a sigh of relief and caught our breath. We are functioning again. There are definitely parts that I would love to revisit and slow down the pace. Family names became tied to these individual locations and their descendants are still prominent in certain towns. Guests had instructions sent to them prior to arrival and also instructions in the apartment. I leave you with a sweet, heart-tugging picture of Romeo, our dear boy, now 9 years old. With only 10 shy of 1000-strong inhabitants, Schiavi di Abruzzo is just the tonic for a quiet, pleasant retirement location. Though we are worn out physically and possibly a bit mentally and emotionally as well, we approach the finale with lifted spirits. Our cats, Pierre and Sofie, will have few levels to run up and down as well as a new cat enclosure for the terrace. Bars and restaurants are closed, only allowing takeout (or takeaway as it is called here). After visiting a number of different villages, we kept coming back to Tufillo, a small medieval village with so much character and the nicest folks! Im either alone, hiking with John, or sometimes in a larger group, most likely strangers with a guide. We will be certain to return for many a visit! So we felt it was time to close on a high note and we are very grateful and thankful to the wonderful guests we were able to host. As children, we were not allowed to learn or speak Italian. Just many hours on call and lots of driving ahead. I hope that some of you reading this posting will consider either doing the cammino in its entirety or parts. Even during COVID, we stayed open. Buck and I, after two years (this is about normal) became an operational team for the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, as eventually my second and fourth dogs, Luce & Romeo. Having hope for better times keeps us going when were living through lockdowns. Sicily If youre seeking island life in your golden years, Sicily is a great choice. WebTuscany is quite popular with expats. Weve been pushing hard on updates, as we have decided to sell our home here in Roccaspinalveti and move closer to the Adriatic Sea, in turn being closer to my San Salvo cousins. We decided a more tranquil color scheme would work for us and future owners. John Wiankowski chose this town as his home in Belize. The bathroom consists of two rooms joined by a very narrow opening. When I was young, I would camp out in the backyard. The inhabitants go to great lengths to reach out to you as you settle in, inviting you to a lunch or coffee. The movers will arrive at the end of this month to take our larger pieces of furnitureOh.. and if youre wondering, we are taking the statue of St. Joseph to our new house. These rooms were traded back and forth amongst families and neighbors throughout generations, and ownership could be by a handshake, word of mouth or who has the lock on the door. We added self-checkin with a lockbox for the keys. On this cammino, we will travel many miles on secondary roads, so we made certain our feet could handle the hard surfaces as we carried all we would need for the week in our backpacks. My search dogs, now all gone from this earth, but not from our hearts. We made a point to stop at a refreshing fountain in the hamlet of San Vittorino, as again, the weather we would find this week, warmer than normal. Touring Abruzzo was able to give me a contact name and number of one of my cousins (more like a fifth cousin). And just because you speak the same language, you may find that you dont share similar interests and it is hard to include them in your tribe. We knew these 6 days would be a challenge, but oh so rewarding. Not to be missed. John had a few projects, one being a retaining wall between us and our neighbors field. The regions climate is mild in the coastal areas but rainier and harsher the further inland you live. What was the Search and Rescue that gave substance to my life for so many years? Many settle in larger cities such as Florence. It is true that many of the younger folks have left these rural towns for the larger cities along the Adriatic coast, but the ties to family are strong and gatherings bring everyone together once again. We plan to head back to this area to discover more. Did we use our insurance to cover? Little did I envision how much more it would mean to me and what it would require of me! I was clueless. Locorotondo Martina Franca, 16+ km /10+ mi. The communities involved in this project include: Carunchio, Castelguidone, Castiglione Messer Marino, Celenza sul Trigno, Fraine, Montazzoli, Municipality of Roccaspinalveti, Schiavi Di Abruzzo, Torrebruna, as well as the Proloco San Giovanni Lipioni. Ancient olive groves, fields of salad and many other vegetables, grapes, trulli, wonderful lunch with Maria (Trulli alla controra)..the list is long of all the wonderful experiences today. Coming soon Home | Terms | Contact | RSS, American Expat Living in Italy - Interview with Alexa, American Expat Living in Italy - Interview with Sophie, Canadian Expat Living in Italy - Interview with Jasmine, British Expat Living in Italy - Interview with Sue, Australian Expat Living in Italy - Interview with Cherise Vecchio, Best expat retirement destinations on the planet, American Expat Living in Spain - Interview with Jiab & Jim, German Expat Living in Jordan - Interview with Bastian, American Expat Living in Germany - Interview with Cherie, Filipino Expat Living in United Arab Emirates - Interview with JM Kayne. There is a moderate number of youth and I believe the town has about 1700 people residing there. But let me back up a bit prior to this new lockdown. Jump to Latest Follow 1 - 5 of 5 Posts. I did all the social media & website, handled the bookings, laundry, making up beds, restocking. Bursting with history and character, the Do I enlist an Italian friend to come with me to interpret or just take the chance on my own? Today the landscape changed from yesterdays field crops to more pastureland and dairy farms but still plenty of groves of olives and almonds and of course, the architecturally unique trulli. WebIt is a traditional town from the mid 1600's, where the men still sit in the piazza to play cards all day and the women are cooking or taking their walks together. , Until next time, thank you always for stopping here at my blog to catch up on our adventureshope you are having a great summer! It is peaceful and true to history and Italian culture. The sad outcome of the phone call was that a meeting was not immediately arranged. So we are preparing for this new adventure in Tufillo. My fathers family was from Naples (Giordano Americanized to Jordan) and my mothers family was from Abruzzo. The length is good for us, just 90 km, so Romeo and Miss Kitty do not have to stay in the kennel too long. The Parco Nazionale della Majella office is situated inside the Abbey, where we received our first stamps, pin and patch, etc. If he is spending 400 on rent. Thankfully, with our few stumbles along the routes and a water slip, we all were able to smile and keep hiking. During my adult years, a desire to visit my familys homeland grew stronger. We realized, after the first season, we had to set a minimum of 2 nights for a booking. Each one so different from the other, with their own talents, strengths and personalities. I take good care to have all the information and supplies we will need to make sure were safe and not lost: maps, GPS with tracks loaded , potable water locations noted, understanding daily expectations of a section (tappa) length and elevation changes, electrolytes, light source (flashlight or headlamp) etc. Puglia This large region juts into the Adriatic sea, 50 miles from Greece, and is the ideal choice for a retiree craving beaches, waves and seafood. The blog is run by Katy and Susanna, two expats residing in Sulmona. Our range of movement went from the whole of Italy and beyond down to just our town. The 7 Best Places to Retire in Italy 2022 Guide to Living in Italy Pros and Cons of Living in Italy 2022 2022 Guide to Moving to Italy More Advice about Retiring in After lunch we headed down from the pass in the direction of Caramanico Terme (a famous town here in Abruzzo for their thermal baths). Boots (Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid GORE-TEX) are now well broken in and they are a dream. 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