Summer in a small hill town in Basilicata is a mixed
blessing for us. In August many Italians return to their ancestral towns all
across Italy to reconnect with friends and family for several weeks. They come
from the big cities and other parts of Europe to enjoy the “tranquility” of
these smaller towns.
Italians started traveling this past weekend, which was one
of the busiest traffic weekends of the summer. Summer vacation in Italy is not a
privilege but a right for many.
It is a plus that there will be a series of events planned
by the Pro Loco and the church around Ferragosto and our town’s festival for
Sant’Antonio di Padova the first weekend in September. (His feast day is in
June but he is celebrated at this time in honor of the summer harvest). We will
see people that we may only see once or twice a year and the town will
certainly take-on a new life for several weeks.
The problem for us is that for most of the year our town has
about 600 residents but this summer influx adds almost 200 more people to our
town for most of August - people who clog the already limited parking and our few shops.
Some act like it is their right to supersede the everyday life of the
year-round residents. This is especially troublesome for someone with mobility
issues, like myself.
Here’s looking forward to September and a return to some normalcy!
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