Trafford Publishing: A Month in Riva Trigoso

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A Month in Riva Trigoso

by D. Jean Lang

153 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #02-0744; ISBN 1-55395-030-5; US$26.00, C$29.58, EUR21.50, £15.00

Anyone interested in travel will enjoy this easy-reading tale of a month in a small seaside town in Northern Italy.

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about the book about the author what people are saying... sample excerpt and Table of Contents catalogue info

About the Book

Anyone interested in travel will enjoy this easy-reading tale of a month in a small seaside town in Northern Italy. The writer and her sister-in-law, both recently retired educators, take an unforgettable trip in September of 2001 to Italy and experience the endless hospitality of an extended (aren't they all) Italian family, their friends and others. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 strike the first week they are there, but despite this the trip continues to Rome, Venice, Florence and Pisa. Travel with them on the trains, buses, and water-taxis as they see the sights, struggle through the language and have an unforgettable month among their amici!

About the Author

D. Jean Lang retired from her position as Middle School Guidance Counselor after 25 years of working with students. She has a Masters and Certificate of Advance Study in Counseling from SUNY/Brockport College in Upstate New York. Prior to her career as a counselor, Jean worked as an editor for a small motivational publishing company in Rochester, New York. She wrote management articles and editorials for motivational posters. During the same time she authored a weekly light-hearted column in The Henrietta Post, a local newspaper, called "It Seems To Me." Over the years she traveled extensively to Spain, Ireland and most recently Italy. While pursuing her Masters degree in Counseling, she studied Spanish, Russian and is now taking courses in Italian. Her first love has always been writing.

What people are saying...

"I enjoyed reading your book. It flowed beautifully. Not just a journal, but a heart warming story. So glad you had it published. Brava-Auguri."

Sample Excerpt and Table of Contents

Table of Contents

I. INTRODUCTION

Making travel/living plans for a month in Italy--how it happened.
Retiring from my job and taking Italian language classes.

II. FLIGHT TO ITALY

Arrival at Kennedy, our flight to Milan.
Arrival in Milan, chauffeured to Riva Trigoso, meeting friends and "family".

III. GETTING SETTLED IN RIVA

The apartment. Escorted tour of Riva. Invitations for dinners.

IV. FIRST WEEK IN RIVA

Trip to Sestri Levante. Meeting travel agent. Dinner in Sestri. Introduction to train/bus transportation. Motor trip to Cinque Terra.

V. SEPTEMBER 11TH HAPPENS!

Our reaction. Italian's reaction. Trying to get information with Italian-only language television stations.

VI. TRIP TO ROME

Bussing to Sestri. Working with travel agent for train/hotel accommodations.
Arrival in Rome, tours of Ancient Rome, Spanish Steps, The Vatican, etc. Return to Riva.

VII. RELAXING IN RIVA

Beach. Dinners with friends. Shopping excursions. Planning next trip.

VIII. TRIP TO VENICE, FLORENCE AND PISA (By train).

Planning again with travel agent. Excitement of Venice, Murano glass, churches, tours, points of interest. St. Mark's Square, etc.
Florence: Uffizi Gallery, Museums, Statue of David, restaurants, Open-air markets.

IX. RETURN AGAIN TO RIVA

Beach. Dinners with friends. Shopping. Packing and planning return to U.S.A.

X. RETURN TO U.S.A.

Saying arrivederchi to friends. Overnight in Asti with friends. Return flight to U.S.A. New security measures. Fear of a fellow traveler. Incident on plane.

Sunday in Riva

The notice on the door of San Pietro listed a 10:30 Mass which seemed like the ideal time for me. Especially since I was still adjusting to the 6 hour time difference. I was anxious to see the beautiful Lady of Buon Viaggio again. Walking down the narrow street with other men and women headed for the Chiesa, I notice the tall green palm trees next to the church. The wide plaza in front is full of people chatting quietly and waiting to go in. I had noticed earlier that the church bells would ring at 8:05, 12:05 and 6:05. Working for 30 years in a school system one develops a keen sense of time. Class periods begin at 10:07 or 11:21 and minutes are precious. Three minutes are allowed between classes for bathroom or chat time. When teachers arrange to meet other teachers it is usually at exact times, never - "around noon" or "about 9 o'clock."---no siree, it is 12:10 or 9:20! And you better be on time!.
So this casual attention to time has me revisiting my perspective. Was the priest's clock 5 minutes slow? Did mass really start at 10:35 instead of 10:30? How important was all this really? The church bells begin to ring and I go inside with the others forgetting for now the pointless question.
No virgin! She had been put away for another year until August 16, 2002. I take a seat in an empty pew at the rear of the church hoping that seats aren't reserved. Catholic Mass in Italy is the same as Catholic Mass anywhere in America or wherever I have traveled and there is a certain comfort in that. I know exactly what is going on, but understood very few of the Italian words that the white-haired priest utters. I am pleased to see that the first and second readings are spoken by a teenage girl and boy.
I let my eyes wander around to the ornate religious paintings and the large silver crucifix with a pensive Jesus, his head adorned with a crown of thorns, hanging sideways on the cross. I read the church bulletin and can actually comprehend some of the Italian words, "Pater, et figlio..." Father, son...almost Latin as I had grown up with before Masses were to be said in the local language. One difference I do notice is that when people enter into church, instead of kneeling down to say prayers, they stand silently for a few minutes before sitting down. Also, there is no wine at communion, only the bread wafer.
After mass I exit down the narrow street with others and decide to stop at Paola's brother's shop to buy a birthday card for a friend. All they have is a postcard with "Feliz Cumpleanos" on the front along with two stuffed bears. When I take it to the counter, he says, "Gratis...un regalo" Free, a gift! "Grazie....grazie" I reply. One does not refuse a gift in Italy or argue about it.
The day is perfect for the beach, and I can see that the hotel on the the beach near the church is filling up with small cars with license plates from Genova and Milan. So the beach would once again be full of the string bikinis and slim sun-tanned bodies. Except for my pinkish white body. Maybe I could start a light tan today. Janet likes the idea and puts her suit on as soon as we finish lunch. I take the small beach chair in the closet that will solve my trying to dig sand groves to match my own. As we cross the street to the sea, we met Paola who says she will try to join us after she does some errands. We walk over the grainy sand and between people lying on their stomachs soaking up the early afternoon sun. White caps are breaking on the shore and there is a fairly stiff breeze. But the sky is dark blue with no sign of a cloud. Across the sea from us, probably a hundred miles (not sure) is the French Riveria, Nice, Monaco, etc. I wonder if those beaches are the same. I know the eastern coastline of Italy which is on the Adriatic Sea has whiter sand beaches and warmer water (well, I guess it was warmer because it was August when I was there in '97). Too soon we decide to go back to our apartment . We meet Paola again--she heading for the beach, and us heading home. We each apologize for the bad timing.
The phone is ringing when we enter the apartment and it is Walter. He and Gianna are coming to pick us up for a drive to Cinque Terra. Five lands. It is a famous group of lands/towns connected by hiking paths through the mountains. One can also take the local train and get off at each town, walk around and then take the next train to the following town.
We are going to do neither. Walter will drive us up into the hills as far as we can go by car, and we will see the view from the top--and bottom. Since I am not into hiking or heights, I thank God for the manna of not having to do that....

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