Tuesday 4th October

To divert from just a record of our activities it is appropriate at this time to reflect a little soberly on the world and the state of it. This is somewhat prompted by Stefania’s remark recently that she worries that’s there will be a revolution in Italy as the poor increasingly cannot manage to live. Such worries have also arisen in the USA where talk of a civil war has been heard. Prices everywhere have risen enormously for basic food stuffs such as bread and the rocketing costs of energy have resulted in bakeries, hotels, light manufacturing and many power-dependent businesses no longer being able to survive. Even the Murano glass works have closed. The gap between the rich and the poor is only getting wider. This is not confined to Italy as the same is happening in the UK where a political disaster is under way,  and, to some extent in the US. When this underlying discontent is added to the idiotic and nationalistic activities of Messrs, Putin Kim Jong Un and Xi Jin Ping, not to mention Trump, Orban, Salvini, Le Pen and some others in Poland, Sweden, Germany and elsewhere, the tension and worries are magnified. When we met our UK/Polish lady yesterday it sparked a look at property prices in Cugnoli, could we hide here and avoid the storm? Spaces and restored houses are available for euro 100,000 or less. I am not sure if we are ready to abandon New York for Abruzzo but with the tense state of the world, would it be better to be here ‘off the grid’? Maybe. Certainly, I personally, haven’t felt so uncomfortable with the state of the world for a very long time. 

There seems to have been a loss of reason with large numbers of people who believe in conspiracy theories and wildly radical beliefs, such as the election result in 2020 in the USA, Q Anon, and the systematic undermining of democratic processes which has taken place with the further erosion of trust in governments and elected officials. In the recent election in Italy, only 60% of people voted, one of the lowest turnouts in recent years. Turnouts in the USA are seldom above 60%. People we spoke to in Italy just said that they stem is corrupt and that they would not vote. How will such a lack of faith in institutions resolve our problems? Radical change is needed to reduce inequality which, perhaps even more than climate change may signify a serious disruption to civilization. Man may not be able to live by bread alone, but he cannot live without some of it. Is there a political leader for the ages in the world who can bring some sanity back? Right now, I do not see him or her.

Today I am going to Alanno to have a haircut!! Stefania will make an appointment and I will go to Bruno’s barber!!

So the appointment for the haircut is at 4.30 p.m. In the meantime we decided to go to Ortona which is a port on the coast south of Pescara. There was a restaurant there which was recommended so we thought it would be worth the visit to try it. We drove the 45 minutes, mostly on the motorway to get the the city which has quite a large port and marina. The usual pro me was top park and at last we found a small spot up a very narrow street just next to the restaurant called TerraMia. This is a small place well known for fish dishes. We had a very pleasant lunch there and then set off back towards Alanno and the haircut! We arrived at Alanno a bit early, parked in the square and then had a cold drink at a local bar until the appointed time. Then it was to the barbers. His cut was excellent and very quick and cost a very reasonable euro 10. I was extremely satisfied and both MAC and Stefania approved of it!!

Close by there was a stationery shop and I managed to obtain some interesting writing and erasing instruments there and MAC a couple of books. Then it was back to Cugnoli and preparations for dinner at 7.30 p.m. Dinner was a risotto as well as some very tasty chicken finished with melon and a small piece of a Scanno speciality called mostaccioli. During dinner we said we were going tomorrow to Anversa where there is a gorge and botanical gardens, this is near Scanno. Then we have invited Stefania and Bruno to a day out to have a visit to L’Aquila followed, on the way home by a lunch at Locanda Mariella. We have yet to fix a day for this but we hope that it will be soon in case the weather breaks which the forecast says it might next week.

After dinner is was off to bed.