The Mayor, an Italophile extraordinaire, managed to pull off a recent visit to southern Italy, that part that is rarely visited by North Americans of any stripe. Maybe some folks will venture to Naples; maybe go a little farther to Sorrento, or Positano. Then, there's Pompeii which is on many lists. But beyond that, not much interest at all unless you are a German who likes beaches and good camp sites, relatively unspoiled.
A few years ago, an adventurous American woman school teacher decided to apply for a teaching job in Italy. She found out that this is next to impossible unless you can obtain a special visa, rarely given. But then, she received an offer from a private school in Locri, down south about as far as one can go. She thought about it for a short time and then got on a train bound for the deep south, aka Calabria.
Calabria is a mountainous region with a long coastline. It fronts on the Ionian Sea, the Aegean Sea, and the Tyrrhenian Sea. Much of the population lives on the coasts, especially in the city of Reggio Calabria across the strait of Messina from Sicily, not quite in the shadow of the volcano, Mt. Etna(very active today). Author, Ms. Karen Haid, tells a lively story of her singular experience as she manuevers through the cultural landscape of an area of Italy often forgotten by the federal government in Rome. However, Ms. Haid discovers a distinct version of Italy, a version that opens up a new understanding of Italy and its extensive history. Layer upon layer of history is found wherever one stops to look. Over millenia, various folks have established themselves in the province: Greeks, Carthaginians, Saracens, Romans, Spaniards, and Normans, to name a few. All have left evidence of their occupation.
Today, Calabria has experienced its own rebirth or refounding. With the help of European Union funds, old facades have been repaired and rebuilt to put a new face across the landscape. Efforts to promote business and tourism have been paying dividends. While much more can be done, the evidence is clear that the beginning has happened.
Ms. Haid has taken the reader on a detailed tour of the entire province, providing insights that only a foreigner can provide with fresh eyes. She doesn't miss much, and is a sharp contrast to old guides such as the British Blue Guides of the late 20th century.
I highly recommend this modern, intimate memoir provided by a very capable writer/journalist.
4 1/2 stars(needs a few more maps and a better foto effort).
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