Vietri Sul Mare

 

Buongiorno!

Now that we’re in Salerno, you may have remembered that we’re now attending Italian Language training at the Accademie Italiano.  Here’s an anxious boy, getting ready to leave for the first day of class:

Got his book bag packed, water, pens, pencils and most important, his phone for Google Translate!!!!  And yes, if you noticed the clock, it is indeed 8:10 in the AM!  We had to be at the school ready for a placement test at 8:30.  Phew, what pressure!

The first day went pretty well.  Aside from Vince and I, we have 2 guys from Nazareth in the class and 1 gal attending on-line from Switzerland (Svizzera).  We have a great instructor, Andreina who is quite a linguist - she speaks Italian, English, Japanese and, I think she mentioned she took some Chinese at school.  Impressionante! 

Like last year, there is an after-class activity program which is designed to get everyone out into the RW (real world) to test their language skills in practical situations.  On the second day, there was a field trip to a small village just west of Salerno, called Vietri Sul Mare.  If you’re someone interested in Italian ceramics (ceramiche), you might recognize this name.  It is quite famous worldwide for the beautifully hand-crafted dishes, table tops, mirrors, etc., that get shipped around the globe.

Here’s an example of a storefront:

I hope you’re able to enlarge the picture to see the detail in the work that is on the exterior walls.  Inside, you can make out the endless supply of bowls, plates, canister sets that all come in a variety of vibrant colours.  Because we’re in the Campania region of Italy, known in part for the growth of lemons and the production of limoncello, many artists use a combination of rich blue and bright yellow.

But you can get just about anything in any colour!  Here for example, is a wall mural in ceramics:

Again, if you’re able to enlarge the photo, you may be able to pick up the storyline.  Remember that I was telling you in an earlier posting about the attack of the Turks on Otranto and the massacre of over 800 men because they wouldn’t give up their Catholic faith, c. 15th century?  This is depicted in this mural, which is about 5’x8’.

Here are a couple of other shots from Vietri.  As you can see in this picture below, ceramics appear everywhere in this very pretty community.

The Duomo

(Perched on the side of a very steep hill.)

And, of course, the fabulous view of Vietri, one of the first communities starting along the Amalfi Coast (leaving from Salerno).

That’s it for today.  I have to get to my compiti (homework!) for tomorrow’s class!

Ciao for now!