Camping (7/7-9/1979)

Thursday, July 5, 1979

Elena and her mother are flying to New York today, and this means my job is finished here in Italy. I opted not to return to the U.S. with them, but to stay until my Eurailpass arrives and go on to Morocco to meet Kathy C who is there with the Peace Corps. We will then travel through Europe together. In the meantime I am moving in with the Ps.

Signore B paid me for the full six-month contract, and gave me a return airplane ticket, good for one year.

Saturday, July 7, 1979

Mid-afternoon, Gianni, Franco, Maresa and I left my new home in Nole for Pian della Mussa to camp. On our way we stopped in Voragno where I saw Debora’s mother. After arriving at our destination, we found a spot next to a stream. The guys set up the tent while the girls prepared dinner. After dinner with all the usual courses, we went to the bar set up in the area for drinks of Genepi (an aperitif made with Alpine plants). I could not feel my feet after that drink, which made crossing a stream by stepping on rocks a bit tricky. Later we built a small fire to heat up some wine with cinnamon, sugar and cloves. There was a nearly full moon that night, which lit up the surrounding mountains; it was beautiful. Four of us crowded into the tent to sleep. A strong wind started up that night, threatening to blow the tent down.

Sunday, July 8, 1979

We all got up early and had breakfast at the bar. A little while later Aldo, aunt and uncle (Franco’s parents), and a cousin, Gianni, arrived. Most of us took a walk to the refuge and looked for stambecchi with binoculars. Saw a large herd of about ten of them. We returned to the camp to help stir the polenta cooking over the fire. There was still a strong wind blowing smoke and ashes all over the place.

Tamiko mixing polenta

So we had lunch of polenta with ashes and beef salami. Afterwards, Gianni, Franco and I took a hike, ending up at a cow herder’s where we drank fresh milk and sampled freshly-made butter. After a leftover dinner, we headed home, stopping in Ceres for coffee. I also stopped in Voragno to see Debora and say goodbye.

Pian della Mussa souvenir

Monday, July 9, 1979

I was invited to spend the afternoon with Maresa. Franco’s mother accompanied me to the train station in Nole (Gianni drove us in his truck). I took the train to San Maurizio where Maresa met me. We started off on her bicycle to her home in San Francesco, but got a flat tire less than a kilometer away. Just as we arrived on foot at her house, Gianni arrived with his truck! Took a tour of her house and looked through photo albums. Then we walked to San Maurizio and took the train to Nole. Later Franco drove us back to San Francesco where Maresa did some chores. Then we went to Cirie for shopping. Maresa has a lot of pets; cats, dogs, rabbits, hens, doves, and parrots.