[Peter] In late October we returned to Würzburg and began catching up on the changes in the city since we left. Mozart stopped briefly here for a coffee in 1790; today there is a renowned annual festival devoted to his work. This year, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the festival, talented young artists put new life and joy into a gloomy, graffiti vandalised pedestrian way; the colour and width of the rectangles represent the pitch and duration of the notes of a well known Mozart serenade. more
It has been a year full of anxieties as the Covid pandemic took its toll. So many died, so many have been left debilitated; governments struggled with their lack of preparedness; citizens struggled to cope with ever changing expert advice, instructions, restrictions, injunctions, disinformation, and ill-perceived threats to their freedom. Throughout we were sustained by close communities of expats and nationals in Monte Castello di Vibio and Montefalco providing mutual support in times of difficulties, misfortune, distress and tragedies; illustrating the best aspects of true friendship. So is good to be able to report that we have come thru unscathed and strong in body and spirit, grateful that we were together and had each other’s support, fully vaccinated against the next surge of Covid and this year’s variant of influenza.
[Uschi] And now, we are back in Würzburg we are seeing firsthand the Covid situation is so bad and difficult. But we try to be careful. I’m very happy to see my doctors for annual Check-ups and to meet my friends – every time one and mostly outside of the house.
Twenty years and 300,000 kilometres.
[Peter] In January I celebrated twenty years of driving my much loved Mercedes SLK. Sadly, a few days later that enjoyment was shattered by a reckless Italian who crossed the centreline of a narrow country road and left me with nowhere to go. Fortunately, neither of us were injured. After deliberating for two months, the police wrote to the insurers to say that I was entirely blameless. However, the estimated cost to repair my car greatly exceeded its insured value. So, I decided to take the insured value and to buy a new car, availing myself of generous incentives from the Italian government to scrap and replace old vehicles.
After much research and discussion and several test-drives with Uschi I settled upon a BMW X1 hybrid. It is a lovely car but has involved a steep learning curve to move from the largely mechanical driver interface of the 1990s to the electronic sophistication of the 2020s; fortunately, it has very intelligent default options. It prefers voice communications, in English from me, in German when Uschi is driving, and in Italian when driven by Italian friends. Which would be fine if my new hearing aids did not try to interpret all spoken words as Italian commands and assail my ears with requests for clarification or ring someone I had intended to delete from my contacts!
.
[Uschi] I am so happy that Peter’s new car is a “normal” car – with the steering-wheel on the left hand side!! Now I can use it too – and I love to do so. My good old car stays in Umbria (I miss it a little bit because , being smaller, it was much more practical in the city)
“I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky”
[Peter] In the late Spring, restrictions were eased so that we could travel beyond the confines of our region. We decided to head for the sea – not the wild oceans immortalised in Masefield’s poem but the long sandy beaches of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
[Uschi] I found a very well appointed campsite that accepted dogs, had some small permanent villas surrounded by maritime pines, and were just 200m from long sandy beaches and clear salt water.
We all enjoyed it very much….but a week was enough! Navina loved playing in the sea but by 11.30 the sand was too hot for her paws. —
We ate out every day – because the “kitchen” was very “limited”. But happily the restaurant on the camping site was very nice and offered many different treasures of the sea each day.
.
[Peter] It turned out to be very happy choice and a convenient base to explore the area that includes the impressive Etruscan tomb complexes and museum at Tarquinia, and the remarkable Tarot garden of Niki de Saint Phalle.
[Uschi] I had been here before and it was a big joy to see the figures of the Tarot again and to show and explain them to Peter.
Rigoletto on Lake Constance
[Uschi] During the lockdowns we watched many operas and ballets via the Internet but we were starved of live performances. So, to celebrate Peter’s birthday we went to see a production of Rigoletto, at Breganz on Boden See. We drove to Lindau a very pretty town on the north shore of the lake where my daughter, Judith, lives. From there we took a ferry that delivered us to a jetty inside the theatre complex and returned to take us back to Lindau.
[Peter] The staging is spectacular. The head and hands are those of Rigoletto. The head is 15m high and weighs 33 tonnes; it sinks into the lake and rises up again, twists and turns left and right, the mouth opens, the eyes too as they follow the movement of Gilda; actors emerge and disappear inside. The changes in the head depict the changes in the mood and state of mind of Rigoletto as the tragedy unfolds. The hand on the left is fully articulated while that on the right contains the mechanism that allows actors / singers to rise high above the stage in the basket of the balloon. A very dramatic performance with the Vienna Symphony orchestra and chorus. There are more good photos here.
Verona and the labyrinth della Masone
We also made our way to Verona in early September to see the productions we booked in 2019 for summer 2020 but were then postponed to 2021. Because of Covid restrictions all spectators had to provide a Covid Green Pass to enter, wear masks and sit with one vacant seat on either side, behind and in front. To minimise demands on the stage crew only the central portion of the set was modified during the performance. Now vast LED screens surround three sides of the stage and enable dramatic video effects. As usual the singing and acting was of a very high standard.
We met up with Italian friends the first evening for Turandot, and returned the following evening with German friends to celebrate 150 years since the first production of Aida. As the musicians entered the arena the video screens showed featureless sands; as the conductor lifted his baton the sands blew away to reveal dramatic scenes of deserts, temples and pyramids!
We returned home via the largest labyrinth in the west; the Labirinto della Masone near Parma. Nine hectares of bamboo forest and three sinuous kilometres of paths with the promise that, “If you get lost, phone this number and we will get you out within five minutes.” Great fun!
Family visits
In June Louise was the first member of my family to come to Umbria since my 80th birthday party two years earlier. It was wonderful to spend time with her. Soon after the trip to see Rigoletto she returned again, this time with Elena, and a few days later with Mauro and Giulia for a very joyous late birthday lunch in Perugia. In October Mark’s braved the ever-changing UK travel restrictions and regulations to come and spend time with us. It was great to see him in such good spirits after his sojourns in China and Mexico.
[Uschi] In between we had welcome visits from my family and friends. Judith and Anja in May, Michael and family in August when he undertook tasks in Montefalco that were too difficult for Peter alone, like pruning the big walnut tree that overhung the stables and was encroaching on the house.
Moving on
[Uschi] After 35 years as a house owner in Montefalco I have decided it is time to simplify my life, to sell my home there, and to live in MCdV when in Italy.
Of course, being Italy that is easier said than done. The regulations governing sale have become much more complex since I last compiled the necessary dossier. We have talked to estate agents and charged my geometra with bridging the void between the documents I have and those I need. (If anyone knows how to obtain a “Certificato di conformità” for the very professional electrical installation work performed 15 years ago by two holidaying German electricians, we would very much like to hear from you!)
To live together comfortably in MCdV we need a bigger property. We have approached Peter’s landlord with a view to taking over the tenancy of the adjoining apartment and reintegrating the two; that would be a very good solution. In case that is not available, we have started searching for an alternative.
Wintering in Bavaria
[Peter] On return to Würzburg we found Bavarian weather distinctly autumnal as this view of different varieties of apple trees lining a farm road near Würzburg attests
Around each trunk was a notice naming the variety and inviting passers-by to enjoy the fallen apples. 🍏🍎🌳 A nice touch.
Uschi is busy picking up the threads of her life with family and friends. frequently I join her and am made to feel most welcome but it hard not being able to follow the flow of a conversation. It is reminiscent of starting out in Italy so many years ago with the consolation that once home we can converse freely in English and Italian.
That said there are many things that I can enjoy such as a day at the KissSalis spa, an orchestral concert in the Mainfranken theater, a live streaming from the ROH or Met in a cinema, a visit to a gallery or museum, a weekend in a country hotel with Navina…
And so dear family and friends we think of you as we prepare for Christmas,
[Uschi] We remain full of hope that it will be possible to hold the party we have planned for two days later to celebrate my birthday but being worldly wise we have a Plan B!
"Christmas is a coming..." 