Visiting Nonna Maria and touring Catanzaro
Category Archives: Languages
Paris
Montreal Visit
Un Pochuchedru du Calabria
If you ever want to see my relatives in Italy laugh, speak to them in dialect. They are tending not to speak it in the newer generations themselves, but to hear ME, a straniero (“foreigner”), speak even a word or two, makes them roll over with laughter. To demonstrate to people how dialects are truly other languages, the title of this blog is a phonetic (since I’ve never seen Calabrese written) of the translation for “A little piece of Calabria” which in Italian would be “un piccolo pezzo di Calabria.”
In addition to my relatives, I spent a lot of time with their dogs and cats because this was getting toward the end of my trip and I really missed my Yorkies, who I had only seen once live from Rome with Skype and spoke to noticing that they recognized my voice. It was great to see most of my relatives there, and I got pictures of most of them, but a few of my uncles and aunts are having major health problems and are in the throes of their treatments. I also got to see two of my newest cousins, the daughters of Giusi and Ramona. It was strange being in Italy for the first time in my daughter’s life without my daughter there, but seeing my Mom and grandmother is important, although I see my mom throughout the year as she lives in Hayward near me when she’s not in Italy. It was nice to see both my mom and her mom at the beach too.
When in Roma…Boy Did I Fool Them!
I got to feel like a native Italian doing some grocery shopping to cook in my little kitchen, speaking the language and showing off how much better I am at it than most Americans, although I couldn’t speak it as well as the black, east Indian and Asian people I saw walking around in Rome who are the true Italians of the future as they live, breathe and literally eat their ways into the culture, which if one really thinks about it, was always multi-cultural. As you will see, I had to take a sign in Chinese on the street I was staying on. I even learned how to make espresso with the very clear illustrations in English on how to do that with the little espresso machine the apartment came with.
I did get to the Coliseum, as you will see, which happens to be by the nicknamed “Gay Street”, There are no official gay establishments to my knowledge in Rome, but there are some gay parties in various venues. Gay Street and the Ice Cream Bears establishment where I’ve been to before and had to see again, was walking distance from where I stayed on Via di Porta Maggiore. The only video I took was of the piazza inside the building where I stayed. You wouldn’t necessarily think that there were several elevators and hundreds of units with very high ceilings beyond these very plain doors facing the street, but the buildings aren’t that many stories high, after all.
I did stop by one of the more famous “gelato” parlors and got lots of good coffee while I was in town, not really getting an explanation but being secretly happy that there are NO STARBUCKS in Italy, not even in the airports.
I did Bear Monday, which was very well attended for a non-holiday Monday night, but some of the people I knew from online or would know online or who saw me on Growlr last year even came up to me there and knew who I was. I also made some friends who lived directly across the street from where I stayed, and it was helpful to use their electricity and internet when I had a fire in my apartment. There was an apparently electrical overload with the air conditioner when I went out for the evening, so there was some charred wall by where my head would have been. When I got back the electricity was off so I just went to sleep and texted the landlord, who was actually just next door. Meeting them and making friends with lots of the local Italian men was a great experience. I do feel very much more at home in Rome now that I ever did. The city itself used to intimidate with its crime and corruption, even when I had gone there with my ex wife and tried to buy something from a street vendor. Now I realize I have to be like a savvy New Yorker rather than a gullible American tourist, and truly let my passionate culture come out, even if I am only 5/8ths!
Renting a Pis…In Barcelona
The Brits say “flat” and the Spanish say “piso” (although that also means floor), but be careful when you say you want to buy someone’s PIS in Catalan, because that’s how they say apartment. I did so on Airbnb this summer. I was remarkably lucky to be right downtown and have a world class view, reminiscent of my childhood when my dad got an apartment on Governor’s Island overlooking the World Trade Center/Twin Towers, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty in panorama…with ZERO rent.
Many of you heard of how I was bragging to other Anglophones on the train from the Barcelona airport how well I knew the city and then when I changed trains to get to Estacio Sants I forgot all of my clothes and a few other non-critical items in the overhead and, despite filing a report with the help of my Airbnb host, I was not able to find it. I only had the clothes on my person and lost all the other clothes I was planning to use during my five weeks of travel, although I was only half way through it at this point. My tablet, my ipod, beard trimmer and various other items were gone forever. Fortunately my documents and critical computer and camera components were all in my briefcase which I kept by my side. I have great friends in BCN who helped me right away to get shirts and another sack. Xavi and his friends also helped me get to a discount store to get a bunch of underwear and socks before things closed on Saturday (as nothing would be open Sunday). I also had a couple of great guys help me out with suggestions of what to see that I had never really checked out up close in my previous trips. Those photos are showcased here. In particular the. I also got in a lot of good relaxation and fun with the great nightlife they have there. The bear beach was fun too. It’s called Chernobyl. As you will see the decaying factory is why it is so nicknamed. It’s just north of the city, although there are great beaches in the city itself.
I Wish I Were Parisian
Since I was a little boy growing up in Catalonia, Spain for a few years, I have been going to France regularly, but it wasn’t until 1991 that I got to go to Paris and as I expected, I fell in love with the place. The last time before this year that I was in Paris proper was nineteen years ago, and I regretted that I never went INSIDE the Notre Dame, thinking it wasn’t all that impressive, but then realizing I missed the best part of the architectural wonder. This year, despite the long tourist line, I got inside (without cheating and pretending I was going to the mass). The timing worked out well, and I got to see most of the other must-see tourist sites that I had seen before. The other regret that I had when I was in Paris was that I saw everything through the black and white viewfinder. Not until weeks later when I returned and looked at the video did I realize how bright and beautiful Paris was, but I wanted to capture everything on videotape when I was there. I also remember having dreams about a whirring sound which I later determined to be the camera next to my ear on my shoulder for hours each day. This time I took it a little easier, finding it very easy to walk and going at my own fast pace, not fretting if I didn’t see all the best sites. I got to see everything I wanted anyway, although I did not have time for the Moulin Rouge or Sacre Coeur. For some reason I didn’t remember the entrance to the Louvre being in a plaza. I thought there was a road that went right by it. I wonder if that changed. I also saw a large ferris wheel, which reminded me of the large on in London, both of which are apparently new, permanent structures. I think it’s a clever addition to the downtown and tourist areas, because I imagine the views are phenomenal.
I had to take at least one picture of the women who throw themselves onto the Champs-Élysées begging for coinage. It was very shocking and depressing at first, but then I saw they were lined up almost taking turns with the dramatic stance. It was a very hot day, but they apparently make a statement of how poor they are by doing this.
I was also disappointed that there were lots of American chains including a very well patronized McDonald’s right there next to the Arc de Triomphe. I did think the Smurf advertisement was cute and it reminded me of the Despicable Me 2 advertisement I took a picture of in Berlin a few days earlier.
All that being said, I’m a huge Francophile and love the language. Staying in an apartment in Marais was a wonderful experience that helped me feel like a Parisian, especially when I got to the point that I did not have to speak any English and was able to understand the fast-spoke French that was being hurled at me by shopkeepers and friends alike. My native French friend Sebastien told me that I would be able to speak fluently if I stayed there a few months, which really thrilled me to hear. I know deep down that French is within my grasp, even though I’ve never had a lesson in it (but knowing Italian pretty well and having some good experience and a few years of Spanish helps).
Italy General Visit Pictures Alex, Joe, et al.
Ramblings
My Yorkie Monte got a stimulating two mile round trip walk to BART station this morning, that lucky dog. Bobby joined me and made the walk much more interesting. We’re thinking about dressing the dog up as an ewok for a dog costume contest in Alameda if not too rainy on Halloween.
I wish I was with my friend Rick at Sanity rally in DC; I had my moment on Colbert once, though. See the link on the contents here.
I’m excited about the permaculture yield from backyard that Bobby already orchestrated. We worked pretty hard on it (more him than me).
I gave mom a lesson in the content management system called WordPress, and she seems to have it down. She is going to help me with the Trupa.com genealogy site.
Spoke t my old high school friend Jan today. She married my other high school friend Mike and they live in Colorado. Bobby and I are going to visit there for the holidays, so I will see them in Fort Collins, north of Denver. She told me to be prepared for some really cold weather, but probably not as cold as New York.
I’m very surprised Christina Aguilera is already divorcing, and more surprised that I care. Love her pipes. Supposedly she was going out with the lesbian DJ that Lindsay Lohan was seeing before rehab (again).
Auguri to Celine Dion on her twin boys. My favorites divas never have girls! Very cool gesture that Celine named one of her sons after Nelson Mandela, who she met.
Had a great polyglot dinner and art discussion at Tropisueno with friends on Yerba Buena Lane last night before we went to the Badass Bear-aoke at Deco Lounge.
Oprah touring Yosemite is inspiring me to make concrete plans. We’re seeing Grand Canyon in 7 days!
Phoenix Phurfest 2010
Some of us did the Dining for Life at Alexi’s Grill in downtown Phoenix Thursday night.
I got a nice tan at the pool parties at the hotel, saw a lot of old friends and made some new ones. I got to speak a little Italian, Spanish and ASL (something I’m definitely an extreme amateur in). I really like the dry heat and climate of Phoenix, not to mention the wonderful topography that is visible from almost every horizon.
The luau they we had was amazing with authentic dancers and a fire/sword tosser. The music gave me chills and the dancers were stunning. Unfortunately it started to get dark toward the end of the video, but I’m so glad I got the video footage that I got. The (authentic?) and exotic buffet was awesome and I got to wear my barely ever-used Hawaiian shirt.
Also see my blog on going to Sedona with my niece to see my uncle.
