In recent years I have noticed more vending machines appear here in Italy, usually in cities. These will frequently be in a small alcove on a main street open to the public 24/7. You can get a coffee, snacks or cold beverages.
In this particular machine with beverages, there are sodas and fruit drinks and... beer on the top row and a couple options for mixed cocktails. This is available to everyone, even minors?!
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!
We flew back to Ohio to visit our families and friends for three week in June and had no issues. Unfortunately, when we flew back home all of the anti-Covid precautions for traveling had been dropped and we had two flights and three airports full of people unmasked. We are fully vaccinated and wear masks whenever we are in public settings.
About a week after returning to Trivigno we both became sick with strong flu-like symptoms and tested positive for Covid. Based on our lack of exposure to unmasked groups in Italy we are certain we contracted this during our travels from the US to Italy.
In Italy we are required to remain in quarantine until testing negative. We are fortunate to have friends and neighbors who brought us medicines, groceries and some meals during our confinement.
After 10 days we tested finally tested negative but still feel weak and lethargic. Our experience was certainly not mild symptoms but also not as bad as others have had. We will continue to be cautious and follow procedures to avoid another infection as new variants develop and spread around the world.
