We really appreciated how flexible Chiara and Leonardo (our driver) were. We were scheduled to do Ripa Teatina on Friday. Because our cousins wanted to treat us to lunch on Saturday we were able to switch the schedule around so we could join the Marcello family in Ripa on Saturday. They gave us gifts from Ripa and from Abruzzo. They showed us pictures of the visit our grandmother, my mother and my Aunt made to Ripa in 1967. We have a family photo of our Cousin Antonio and his siblings they had reproduced for us. There was a picture of my grandmother standing with Antonio in 1950. Antonio is the spitting image of our cousin Bob. Santina let me have the picture so I could show it everyone here. I also had taken a few pictures from my mother's album from the 1967 visit. It turned out they were taken in Antonio's house. It was such a special lunch that I cried when we were leaving. Chiara had to tell our cousins I was crying from joy. I was so thrilled to meet everyone. The town hall was open on Saturday so I wanted to get my mother's birth certificate and my grandparent's marriage certificate. It was taking a long time so Antonio just walked into an office and 10 minutes later he came out with the reproductions of the certs.
We met Antonio and Santina on our first day in Pescara. On Thursday we had a free day. No Chiara and Leonardo. So we sat at the breakfast table trying top decide what to do when the hotel clerk came in to tell us we had company again. We met Vincenzo, his daughter and his granddaughter who live in Pescara. Thank goodness Anna, his granddaughter, spoke English. They walked us back to their home to meet another daughter, Vincenzo's wife and a grandson. We spent about 2.5 hours with them. Through Anna we were able to tell them about the cousins we left behind in America. They wanted to know as much as they could about us and all the rest of my grandmother's grandchildren.
Abruzzo is a beautiful part of the world. Its hills are endless. Leonardo was such a wonderful driver. He knows those hills like the back of his hand. We appreciated how flexible he was. My cousin Tina's husband, Tony, had the name of the town that his grandparents came from. Leonardo researched it and drove us into the town one day. We did a photo opt so Tony could bring back pictures for his mom. I know Tony's mom she will be thrilled.
I don't know of many tour company's that would be as flexible as ABRUZZO TOURS. You planned a trip for us that we will never forget. Our cousins from Ripa Teatina want my cousin Tina and her husband Tony to send their 16 and 13 year olds over to Ripa for the summer. That opens up possibilities for all of us to get together again. I doubt a 16 and 13 year old would want to leave their home and friends for 2 months but it would be a wonderful opportunity for them.
I've spent so much time talking about the relatives that I haven't even touched upon the rest of the tour. The restaurant selection was superb. We ate in out of the way country restaurants where the owners were the chefs. The food was outstanding. Each restaurant was located in a wonderful little town built on a hillside. Each town had its share of churches and shops and forts or castles. Each had a history that went back hundreds, if not thousands, of years. In Ripa I asked my cousin Antonio how far back the town dated. He said Atilla the Hun's mother lived there. I guess that answered my question.
The hotels were great. They were beautiful, clean, comfortable and in the center of activity. In Pescara we were on the beach. In L'Aquila we were in the heart of town. We were within walking distance to everything at each hotel. We were not scheduled to be in Rome at all. But ABRUZZO TOURS switched some leisure time around and we had a day and a half in Rome. We made the best of that time and saw more of Rome in 1.5 days them some see in a week. We did the Vatican on Wednesday afternoon and the rest of the city on Thursday. I think we did 10 miles on foot in 10 hours on Thursday in Rome. It was great.
My cousins and I would like to thank every one who had a part in our tour of Abruzzo. It is a trip that left us with memories we will cherish forever. Thank you for the family research and for putting us in touch with our Italian cousins.
Ciao!