Sunday 2nd October

We were up a bit late and had breakfast of some cut fruit, yoghurt and, of course, coffee. It’s was one of those beautiful a soft clear and sunny mornings where the air is really like wine. We dressed and met Stefania and explained about the Great Saunter Virtual Challenge where we have to walk 32 miles in 16 days between 1^st and 16^th of October. We just have to keep a record of the steps and distance we have walked each day until we have completed ‘the course’. It is just a fun way of exercising. So we decided to go for a walk and Stefania suggested a circular route. We set off down the road and then turned left down the hill of a small road where we were joined by a rather scraggy dog who decided that it would be fun to walk with us. It had an injured leg but managed to jump up at us and also to be able to run alongside us making excursions into fields and in some cases peoples gardens! As we descended the hill and climbed up the others side of the valley, the dog ran on ahead and then came back every now and then to check we were still around. We thought it might be a stray. Eventually we came to the top of the other side of the valley and walked along the road parallel to where we started and could see the house and buildings of La Fattoria di Maria Donata across the olive groves and plowed fields. Walking along this road, the dog left us and seemed to go to someone’s house. More of this dog later. 

Soon we found a dirt pathway on our left which wound up the hill back to the road upon which the house stands. It was a hard climb up but we made it and were soon back at base. Telling Stefania of our walk and then dog she immediately exclaimed that she knew the dog as it belonged to a man who lived next door and who did not keep it under control. In the summer it had jumped into her swimming pool and this resulted in bacteria being detected in the water which meant the pool had to be sanitized at a cost of euro 800!! This happened more than once and at last, Stefania had to call the police to intervene. So much for our friendly pooch!!

Emanuele and her daughter Elisabetta were coming for lunch as it was ‘Nonni’s Day’ or Grandparents’ Day. Stefania had prepared a lasagne in advance. Sadly, Bruno had woken up earlier and not felt well and suspected some urinary problems and had driven into Pescara to consult a doctor. He made it back for lunch and was feeling better and Stefania served some wonderful zucchini flowers fried in batter as an appetizer, then there was the lasagne and to follow some prosciutto and cheese with green beans and fries potatoes, altogether too much food!!!! This was washed down with s simply excellent Primitivo wine which Emanuele had brought with her. 

Deep fried zucchini flowers

Family lunch

By the end of lunch we felt like a nap. But not so. We had to go to the Uva Feste at nearby Alanno as there were some local events which we should see. So we drove the short distance to the center of the village which was decorated for the festival of the grapes to celebrate the harvest. There were floats and stalls selling food and trinkets and many people dressed in local dress.

At about 3.30 p,m. The treading of the grapes took place. A number of young ladies all dressed in local costume, stood in rectangular wooden boxes into which were dumped crates of grapes. Then to the sounds of local music they began treading the grapes and the juice flowed into barrels below them. This went on for nearly and hour and the poor girls must have been exhausted as the music speeded up every now and then requiring them top tread faster.

During this time Stefania and Elisabetta joined us and we sat and had a cold drink together before the dancing began.

At around 5 p.m. 52 couples, all dressed in local costume formed up, with each couple carrying a big container of flowers. They paraded around the square and then left the flowers on the stage as each couple passed it. Then, led by a ‘caller’, they made a lot of intricate movements around, sometimes changing partners, twirling and breaking into male and female formations. It was quite intricate and obviously, they had been practicing this for some time. It was very pleasant to see everyone enjoying themselves. The music was simple and played by a band with accordions. It was very nice to watch and was a source of pride to the locals which is so nice to see in this day and age.  

Dancing 1

Dancing 2

This Grape Festival has been going on for many years and there were photos posted up of festivals from years past. Naturally, the last couple of years there had been no festival due to the pandemic so this was a joyful revival.

After seeing the dancing we drove back home and had a rest as the spectacular ending of the festival was the arrival of a ‘pupa’ at 11 p.m. Stefania decide not to come to that but we left at 10 p.m. and drove back to Alanno. The place was still crowded but we found a parking space. The public dancing was just finishing with a Conga Line. Soon the center of the square was cordoned off and the elaborate headdress of the pupa was set in place. It is difficult to describe this event and it needs to be seen to be believed!! The ‘costume’ is that of a doll and the pupista, usually a man gets underneath costume which has a large headdress which contains the fireworks  which will go off as he dances around the square. The music started and immediately great spurts of fire come out of the headdress as he whirls and twirls around the square. Fireworks shoot into the air and some fireworks placed on the ground also shoot out fountains of fire. Spectacular just does not describe this event which goes on for a full five minutes or more. How this headdress contains so much pyrotechnics, I will never know! Of course it is a huge hit withy the crowd and such a fitting end to the Grape Festival of 2022. We were lucky to get to see it and it was well worth staying up for. I will find out some information about the origins of this and whether it is confidential to Abruzzo or is more widely spread in the country.

“The dance of the Pupa is a popular tradition of Abruzzo, an Italian central region. A puppet made of paper mache, shaped like a girl (the "pupa") is set up with fireworks. A man slips under the puppet and starts dancing when another turn on the fires. The dance is done so under crackling fireworks. At the end of the dance the "Pupa" bows to the four corners of the square, receiving applause.”

There seems to be some sort of purification ritual attached to this but what it is I cannot tell. It is without doubt a wonderful and spectacular event well worth watching is you have the chance. The link below is to the YouTube which I took at the event and although a bit long, it is worth watching.

La Pupa at Alanno

We drove home well satisfied with the day and soon to bed.