John opened up the narrow doorway between these two rooms with an archway for an elegant look. What a wonderful discovery. WebIrish Expats In Abruzzo, Italy If you are looking to connect with Irish expats in Abruzzo, Italy, then this page brings together all the latest expat blogs Abruzzo written by Irish bloggers, any interviews, articles and news items we have here at ExpatsBlog.com. This was early May and we figured that maybe by mid July or so we would have some interest with serious buyers arriving in Abruzzo for the summer months. It is everchanging depending on the weather and lighting and I just cant get enough. Take a peek. WebIf you are looking to connect with Irish expats in Abruzzo, Italy, then this page brings together all the latest expat blogs Abruzzo written by Irish bloggers, any interviews, A journey; a bit daunting, a little scary but full of exciting possibilities.Family heritage and just an outright love of Italy and all that encompasses has led us to this exciting beginning. Thankfully just wet boots and socks, no major bumps and we climbed a short steep path to the remnants of the hermitage San Onofrio AllOrfento. After lunch we headed down from the pass in the direction of Caramanico Terme (a famous town here in Abruzzo for their thermal baths). on your back, that you keep the weight to a minimum. John and I divided the labor. This town is at the edge of Abruzzo with Molise (the next region south of us) just across the Trigno River. Our range of movement went from the whole of Italy and beyond down to just our town. Wed been training for this one on an off during the past 4 or 5 months, but as this one didnt have a lot of elevation changes like the cammino in the mountains last year, we put in a lot of road time. Let me take you back to the early 90s. Monday morning we picked up our pets at the kennel and headed home for a long week of rest and naps . We continued our vacation to other parts of Abruzzo, Marche, and Tuscany. Searching for lost individuals can be very taxing on the mind and body, and it is important to have strong trusting relationships in the field. I have to say that I am one of the lucky ones. We have arrived at our last stage excited, tired but ready to see what todays trails were like and to reach Taranto on the Ionian Sea. Im either alone, hiking with John, or sometimes in a larger group, most likely strangers with a guide. The views are always captivating and beautiful, the food amazing, the people of the villages friendly and helpful, and every day we are so thankful to be here. John opted to watch our packs, as he and I both started this cammino with compromised knees due to recent injuries. We invite guests from all over the world to visit us to experience Roccaspinalveti and the surrounding region. As we decided to leave our car in Sulmona for the week, we added 3 miles to our day by hiking from the B&B to the Abbey Badia Morronese, the beginning of the cammino. I did not know what to do next. Being more of an outdoors person, nothing offered at my church seemed to call to me. And during this search for my family, John received his Italian citizenship by being married to me (Jure Matrimonii). Good thing Im hiking a lot as our daily calorie intake is astonishing! Below are some of the towns & areas we will be staying in. They are water resistant and by giving categories to each bag, I can quickly remove what I need with out having to search and repack. They will stop by from time to time to check in on you and there is always a friendly wave or honk if they pass you along the street or in town. And it was a grand success! And Giacomo has to be one of the nicest men we are blessed to call friend. A note about lunches, every day we packed Il pranzo al sacco, whether a pizza, panino or some other bar type food. But at our age retirementwe just didnt need the hassle. The weather has been clear (thankfully) and hot so spending most of the day on a lovely and well-shaded wooded trail was a blessing and a pleasure. It does make a difference, so do not give up on your dream. Alberto gave us a most interesting tour of the family museum rooms of the B&B, with a long generational history in Pacentro. We added Self Check-in as well as got onboard with Airbnbs Enhanced Clean program. How I miss those times, as we all grew older, moved further apart, and our grandfathers and grandmothers passed away. Come join the discussion about Finding a property in the Abruzzo region gives you a perfect passport to some peaceful and tranquil country life. This astounding villa not only provides some amazing views, it's also close to the National Park of the Gran Sasso. At the moment, this property is used as a B&B, so what you do with it is up to you. My tool man, as always, had a plan and the wall is now stable after a lot of cement work. Boots (Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid GORE-TEX) are now well broken in and they are a dream. The gauge is that your pack, with all your stuff apart from food and water, should be about 10% of your body weight. Navigating Life in Abruzzo | Not Really Expats Living the Dream Over the past few years, we came to the realization that we were slowing downjust a little.. and to have a smaller home to care for was in our more immediate future. This trip was not for the faint of heart or a casual hiker. We finished up the days walk in the historic center of Locorotondo. Since my grandfather, Carlo De Felice, had lived in San Salvo, a nearby city on the Adriatic Sea, I hoped that a few relatives remained in the area. John and Alex just go by end weight and shake their heads at me, but I reveled in it! But truthfully it was one of these most challenging, tiring but exhilarating experiences of my adult life. We just miss our animals so much that its difficult to stay away for more than a week. Both John and I have lived most of our adult lives out in the countryside and certainly, whether in the US or here in Abruzzo, weve lived the past 20 years with few or no neighbors. It is called La Valle DellOrfento. Our two favorites were Ristorante Antiche Mura in Polignano and Gaonas in Martina Franca. So what else have we been doing besides hiking? I will explain that decision in a bit. Thats all changing now, as as I meet up with my Italian speaking friends, whether were out hiking or meeting at one of our local bars. They include Liguria, Puglia, Rome, Le Marche, Abruzzo, Sicily and more. John finished the renovation with a glass enclosure (Amazon.it), towel warmer and floor tile. But this did not dissuade me, so my husband and I made our first trip in 2011. We became candidates for Dogs East SAR group, but after a few months we moved to K9 Alert SAR Dogs located closer to my home near Richmond. During this past winter, I set my bike on a training platform and cycled in our dining room. Virginia Department of Emergency Management, Abbazia Di San Liberatore in Serramonacesca, Follow Navigating Life in Abruzzo on WordPress.com, My grandfather, Carlo De Felice, and his wife, my grandmother Maria Laura Paciello, Brooklyn, NY, De Felice Family Business, Blacksmiths, San Salvo, Filippo De Felice, father to Michele De Felice, San Salvo, Michele De Felice & Adalgisa Maccarone on their wedding day, San Salvo, Raffaele De Felice, 1st cousin to my grandfather, Carlo, and grandfather to Michele, San Salvo, My mother, Helen Mary De Felice, Brooklyn, NY. I also have an app on my phone (View Ranger) for addition location backup. I shifted gears, got certified with a police dog association and became a Special K9 Officer (strictly volunteer) for the Nelson County Sheriffs Office. We just couldnt work that into our pricing during COVID, but it is definitely one way to manage a holiday apartment. We really must return someday soon.. Our first day started out with clear skies and a bit warmer than we expected for the first of June. But first the signs took us through the State Agricultural Technical Institute and its large complex, which included historic gardens and the Masseria (farmhouse) Ferragnano. We passed on by and continued our trek with the forest opening up to spacious meadows and views of the Gran Sasso. Expat Story #3. As the house is about 45 years old, there was some cosmetic updating to be done along with a few major additions, such as adding a new boiler and double-glazed windows to our living space. I think other workouts are needed to make you stronger and flexible, for sure. Another item I got on board with this time is using dry bags to organize my stuff. Mom wasnt big on us having pets, so once I got married, all bets were off. But undaunted, we entered this evocative and challenging valley. Socks that Ive found work best for my feet are Smartwool and Darn Sock. So it began all about woods and dogs but it morphs into so much more! As we settled into life in Roccaspinalveti, I decided to reach out to find if I had any living relatives in Abruzzo. WebExpats In Abruzzo, Italy If you are looking to connect with expats in Italy, then this page brings together all the latest expat blogs Italy written, any interviews, articles and news We previously had visited Sulmona a few years back, but never took the time required to truly appreciate this city. I was clueless. Then there were the solid bonds built between me and the people of SAR, whether in my group or throughout the state. Whether you need primary care or complex John Mariani. I may have not been active in search and rescue for the past 4- 1/2 years living here in Italy, but with Romeo by my side, we never truly left that life. True that some of my younger cousins do speak some English and they wanted to practice their language skills, but most of the day was in Italian. I had been actively looking for a volunteer group to join, to give back to the community where I was living in central Virginia. Loads of fun and I encourage you to watch if you enjoy beautiful places to stay and food porn! Until next time. Now these guests were not the norm and we had many wonderful guests, but it was just time for us to move on to another adventure. I did not pay a lot of attention to the conversations when I was young, as Grandpa would speak in dialect and Mom would answer him in the same. Now that I think about it, it was a big deal for me to hike with lady friends. Unfortunately, another appointment in town pulled us away, as we left with promises of being reunited soon. The most recent COVID regulations allowed takeway or outside seating. Unfortunately, we didnt quite make it and the morning stretched on hot under the clear skies until we reached the most beautiful beech forest. My search dogs, now all gone from this earth, but not from our hearts. Today the landscape changed from yesterdays field crops to more pastureland and dairy farms but still plenty of groves of olives and almonds and of course, the architecturally unique trulli. Others went hiking, headed to the beach for the day, went house hunting, and others came to work in the area. . WebExpat community in Abruzzo, Italy: Just Landed Abruzzo Abruzzo Events Post event Meet fellow expats in Abruzzo Living in: Advanced options Ralf Damasus Oenning Dale Once John completed the hall & kitchen tiling project, he was ready to renovate our master bathroom. It did make the longer days a challenge, but such a great experience! This hike was just before lockdown and we were legal. Think of the clans, groups of related people protecting and fighting for their loved ones. Best Places to Live in Italy Italy is beloved by expats, global nomads and retirees. We mentally needed the break as we had been going full tilt getting our house in Roccaspinalveti ready for sale as well as moving belongings to Tufillo. Finding this home here in the Frentani Mountains of Abruzzo, didnt actually scream downsize. I did the regular route of online sites of a few realtors as well as sites with listings by owners. Latest Blogs by Irish Expats Living in Italy Green Holiday Italy For those of you thinking of moving to rural Italy, and in my limited experience, to Abruzzo, you may need to have a tribe. It was an intensely hot climb to the hamlet and cold drinks awaited us and cool rooms to relax at Agri Pietrantica. An old window that connected a hallway to the bathroom had to be removed and the opening blocked in and tiled over. I have to proudly say that we did this rental well. To think of the number of sheep that passed through this area years ago, is extraordinary. The decision was made. So here we go together as we navigate through this journey with eyes wide open. WebIt is a traditional town from the mid 1600's, where the men still sit in the piazza to play cards all day and the women are cooking or taking their walks together. The narrow street through the medieval center just captured our hearts, with many stone houses and palaces along the way. Why? Interesting note about the hermitage San Onofrio De Serramonacesca: the rendition of the saint is clothed only in his long hair. A few factors led us to choose this particular cammino, apart from the breathtaking scenery and history. The air cooled, we gave a sigh of relief and caught our breath. And it has always stuck in my mind. What ensued was me obtaining my dual citizenship and then the decision was made to retire in Italy. It lives in my heart and I encourage you to visit this breathtaking area of Abruzzo. Just many hours on call and lots of driving ahead. He is fearless on long ladders, both when he built our home in Virginia as well as painting here. We opened the apartment, after the spring lockdown and had guests in July and August, to our surprise. John, Alex and I carried all of our necessary supplies for the week apart from breakfast and dinner. On a personal note, we are loving this cammino. Certainly, family and friends would come to visit us here in wild Abruzzo! It just took too long to clean, and then turn the apartment around to be rebooked after just one night. In small towns you can find rentals from $300 and up. I believed both Angela and Paola were equally as excited. The people of Abruzzo are just wonderfully friendly people. The climb moderated and we came to the side trail that would take us down to the hermitage San Giovanni allOrfento. I believe now that she said this as it was engrained in her to not look back at the old country but to embrace America. We are family we are blood we are Italian together. Im not good with ledges edges of cliffs with too many feet between me and the ground below. My fathers family Brooklyn early 1900s. We viewed a couple of prospective homes in Tufillo but they didnt meet our criteria. It was a perfect match for us. It was my pride of being an Italian and the love of Italy that spurred me on to apply for recognition as an Italian citizen by blood (Jus Sanguinis). As October marched on and the numbers of positive cases escalated, we decided it was a safer bet to hike just with each other. Quick note about lack of food pictures. But our town, or municipality, is relatively large, with mountains, forests, rivers; lots of places to exercise, relax and not see another person. Once the main kitchen is completed, we will turn the lower one into our dining area. Admittedly, we were exhausted at this point.. the 6 days rushing up to us as we toured the cathedral. On this cammino, we will travel many miles on secondary roads, so we made certain our feet could handle the hard surfaces as we carried all we would need for the week in our backpacks. We completed our upgrade projects and our curb appeal was at its all-time high, with many of our flowers blooming, especially my roses. As we are very avid promoters of this area, we then decided to offer the apartment on Airbnb & Booking.com. Also, we can happily say we can now meet again with my entire family of cousins, living 40 minutes from us. But after the month of August, when European holidays end, it got quiet for us. I leave you with a sweet, heart-tugging picture of Romeo, our dear boy, now 9 years old. Light fixtures still need to be installed, artwork to be hung, kitchen, master bath, etc. They include Liguria, Puglia, Rome, Locorotondo Martina Franca, 16+ km /10+ mi. So apart from gear, maps, route preparation, there are room and dinner reservations to be made and sack lunches to reserve (il pranzo al sacco). Sicily If youre seeking island life in your golden years, Sicily is a great choice. I hope for many more trails with these ladies. The wall had been cracking substantially due to moving water. How did we get from putting our house on the market in May to this point? Here there is so much beauty with the surrounding mountains and hilltop villages, local artists and artisans, welcoming citizens, and pristine beaches a short drive away. Ive had dogs all my adult life. Times and technology have given us the freedom to go light and Im loving it. Most of our bookings were from the US, UK and Italy, with a few other countries mixed in. And of course we have been hiking, whether a road trek, some trails around Roccaspinalveti or now back out in other areas. After we stripped the old wallpaper and gave all the walls fresh paint, John was ready for some major tiling work. Interestingly, an astounding 80% of the people who live here own their home. The bathroom consists of two rooms joined by a very narrow opening. I think if we had done this fulltime while we were younger, it may not have been so taxing. As we found out, most of the hermitages are only open on the weekends, especially so early in the cammino season, so we enjoyed the expansive views, a short respite, before we continued back down and onward to Pacentro. Not to be missed. Outside management may be worth considering for those thinking of doing this type of rental. So truly our world, even right now, isnt that small, but rather large and grand. We even buried a statue of St. Joseph in our front yard ;-). Would they genuinely want to know me, to take the time even though my understanding of the Italian language is still somewhat basic? 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