Returno to Roseto

Pretty Roseto in the hills.

After 4 years, I headed back to Roseto.  It is worth it to read my original blog post here to put this trip in better context.

I took the train to Roseto and was picked up by my cousin Michele Policelli. From this point forward, I would spend the duration of my trip using pretty much Italian only.

I was looking for my cousin Domenico DelGrosso, but was disappointed to learn that he wasn't in town.  I sent a Facebook message to my cousin Gregorio and he said he was in Calabria, but would be back in town the following evening.  So, in the meantime, I decided to just enjoy the small town of Roseto Valfortore and just hang out.

Street market

Walking around Roseto, I couldn't help but notice the smell the fresh garlic, tomatoes and peppers in the air, the clanging of the church bells every quarter hour, and the chatting of Italian women on the streets of the old city.  I felt as if this is what Italy was like in the 1950's.

I hung out at the main restaurant "Locanda" most of the time mostly because it was the only place that has internet, but also because the food was great.  There were some people that live in the US part-time that started chatting with me.  

I asked them if they happened to know Bibbiana DelGrosso.  They said they did and that she was in town!  One small problem; they couldn't remember where she lived exactly and neither could I.  They suggested, "Hey! Just walk down the street and yell, 'Bibbiana DelGrosso Romano!'  Someone will come out!"

I decided not to do that.   

I eventually did find Bibbiana, but she told me Domenico is in Canada.  She gave me his number and told me I could call after October 1.  Curses.

There was a street market my first day  in Roseto.  I headed over to it and ended up buying some Italian shoes and handmade jewelry for my friends in the UAE.

My apartment was just up the stairs.

Fabulous pork for dinner at The Locanda.

Full house at church.

I opted to head over to the cemetery that afternoon to see if I could find any Cotturos there.  I found a few, but I don't know who any of them are.

Roseto Cemetery.  A pretty cemetery in the hills. 

I loved how the sun was shining through the translucent marble.

 I'd be willing to bet that these two Grazias are the same person.  They look the same as well.













I sent my cousin Gregorio Policelli a FB message, letting him know I was in town.  He was just heading back from business in Calabria.  I decided to stay an extra day to be sure to meet up with him.

The next morning, I was walking down the street when I heard a cheerful, "Lisa!"  It was Gregorio!  We took a walk together to his house to say hello to his parents and sister.  Just in time for a nice lunch!

While I was home this summer, I made it a point to scan as many pictures as I could from my grandpa's photo album.  I also spent $600.00 on a Samsung Android S4 so I could store the pictures on Dropbox to have them handy at all times.  The Samsung is also great because it has a translator on it.  Just say something to it in English, and it will translate to one of several languages.  The problem is that you need an internet connection for it to work.

As we sat in his kitchen with his mom, dad and sister, we were looking at some pictures and here is what happened next:

Me: Here is a picture of my grandmother on a donkey with her brother in Calabria.
Gregorio:  Calabria?!  No, Roseto!
Me: No, it can't be! Why would my grandmother and her brother be in Roseto?
Gregorio:  I'm telling you, that picture was taken right here outside this house!  Look!

We went outside, and I couldn't believe what I saw:

 He was right.  This picture was taken just outside his door.  I'm guessing my grandma and her brother must have gone to Roseto to visit my grandpa's family at some point.
1940s or 50s?
Could the shadow of the man taking the photo be my grandpa?

They changed the door from an arch to a rectangle.  You can see on the picture on the left, a thing to tie your horse on on the far right of the picture.  You can see the same on the picture on the right. Also, on the picture on the left you can see the shadow of the balcony in the pic on the right.

I think this is worth showing again.  Roseto 1929

Same spot when I was here in 2009.

Another amazing shot of the street that I didn't realize was the same one my grandpa lived on.

The same street today.  Just out side of the Policelli home.

One subtle difference in the two pictures above, is that there is a noticeably taller building in the back of the original photo.  This is due to the top of a church being cut off.  We walked down the street, and here you can see that is was a church but the bell tower is now gone.

Me & the Policelli family in Roseto! From left:  Rosa Giovina, me, Gregorio Policelli, Filippo Cacciacarro & Maria Policelli.

Nothing like drinking Italy's first beer in an official USA 1994 World Cup glass.

They were really excited to have this old family photo I found of a Policelli wedding!

  Good thing he was meticulous about labeling photographs. "Wedding of Maria Policelli" 

I told my cousin I was going to head to Calabria the next evening.  He said, "Oooh, mafia!"  It was going to be a 10 1/2 hour train ride, which I was not looking forward to.  I told him I was looking for a place to stay in Locri.  He said, "Oooh, Locri.  Not good."

We shall see.