Easter Sunday
As Easter Sunday's go, this one is definitely different. Since I was four I've been to the church in my village on the Isle of Wight for the Easter Sunday service, then spent the day with my family. In fact, I don't think I've been anywhere else on Easter Sunday morning...ever. Even when I lived in London I returned to the island for Easter and attended that service so to find myself miles away from my, let's say "traditional" Easter celebration...I've done the same thing for twenty years, makes today a weird day.
Ravenna is about a three hour drive north of Pescara although if you make three stops on the way; one to a garden centre for a quick shop and a coffee, one for lunch at an Ikea (and a coffee), and another at a castle to take in the scenery (and to drink a coffee) it takes the whole day! It's a place with a lot of history; including Dante's tomb, as in the guy that wrote the Divine Comedy, and a pedestrianised centre filled with old buildings and piazza's, each with a story to tell. I like it.
Last night I spent the evening in a wine bar, time passed so slowly. However, when I glanced at my watch for the umpteenth time to see that it was a minute past midnight, I was met with no urge to drink any alcohol. This was strange. Ok, so I gave up alcohol for Lent and at midnight I could officially drink alcohol again. Instead of grabbing the nearest alcoholic beverage and downing it in one I chose to wait for Easter lunch. After all, a glass of wine with dinner is what I've missed the most in these forty days. I must say an Italian dinner is not the same with only a glass of water as an accompaniment.
This morning I went to the Easter mass at the local church. At this service I managed to understand at least 50% of the sermon whereas in Pescara it's nearer 25%. This is definitely due to the difference in accent between "the north" and "the south" of Italy. The accent of the people I've listened to here in Ravenna is much, much easier for me to understand. People seem to use actual phrases marked out with pauses after each "sentence", rather than a continuous phrase with ups and downs. My friends have told me there is a difference between the regions when it comes to the language but I suppose my Italian comprehension hasn't been good enough to pick it up, until now. What a nice Easter gift...to realise my pitiful, sporadic Italian study might actually be paying off!
Ravenna is about a three hour drive north of Pescara although if you make three stops on the way; one to a garden centre for a quick shop and a coffee, one for lunch at an Ikea (and a coffee), and another at a castle to take in the scenery (and to drink a coffee) it takes the whole day! It's a place with a lot of history; including Dante's tomb, as in the guy that wrote the Divine Comedy, and a pedestrianised centre filled with old buildings and piazza's, each with a story to tell. I like it.
Last night I spent the evening in a wine bar, time passed so slowly. However, when I glanced at my watch for the umpteenth time to see that it was a minute past midnight, I was met with no urge to drink any alcohol. This was strange. Ok, so I gave up alcohol for Lent and at midnight I could officially drink alcohol again. Instead of grabbing the nearest alcoholic beverage and downing it in one I chose to wait for Easter lunch. After all, a glass of wine with dinner is what I've missed the most in these forty days. I must say an Italian dinner is not the same with only a glass of water as an accompaniment.
This morning I went to the Easter mass at the local church. At this service I managed to understand at least 50% of the sermon whereas in Pescara it's nearer 25%. This is definitely due to the difference in accent between "the north" and "the south" of Italy. The accent of the people I've listened to here in Ravenna is much, much easier for me to understand. People seem to use actual phrases marked out with pauses after each "sentence", rather than a continuous phrase with ups and downs. My friends have told me there is a difference between the regions when it comes to the language but I suppose my Italian comprehension hasn't been good enough to pick it up, until now. What a nice Easter gift...to realise my pitiful, sporadic Italian study might actually be paying off!
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