WE LAST LEFT OUR PROTAGONISTS HAVING WINED AND DINED IN FLORENCE AND DRIFTING OFF TO SLEEP DURING A TENDERLY ADMINISTERED FOOT MASSAGE.

UP IN THE MORNING, OUT ON THE JOB, WORK LIKE THE DEVIL FOR OUR PAY.....TOUGH WORK BEING A TOURIST AND WE WERE GLAD TO DO IT.................

WE CAUGHT THE TRAIN TO BOLOGNA AND CHATTED THE WAY AWAY WITH A FLORENTINE WOMAN IN OUR COMMON LANGUAGE, SPANISH. FUN !! DURING A TWO HOUR LAYOVER IN BOLOGNA WE BUSED TO THE CITY CENTER AND ATE SOME PASTRY WHILST ROVING THE OLD TOWN, AVOIDING THE GYPSIES AND VIEWING THE CATHEDRAL.

CAUGHT THE TRAIN TO ANCONA ON THE ADRIATIC SEA AND SHARED OUR COMPARTMENT WITH A FAMILY OF THAT SAME CITY RETURNING FROM LUCA. BY CHITTING AND CHATTING IN BROKEN ENGLISH / ITALIAN, WE QUICKLY AND ENJOYABLY SPED TO OUR DESTINATION.

IN ANCONA, FROM IN FRONT OF THE TRAIN STATION, WE CAUGHT THE BUS TO CASTELFIDARDO AND WERE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED WITH THE TOWN. I HAD SENT FOR AND RECEIVED LITERATURE FROM THE TOURIST BUREAU AND IT TOLD OF THE SURROUNDING AREA AND THE ACCORDION FACTORIES LOCATED THERE, BUT SHOWED NOTHING OF THE CITY IN THE PHOTOS. I ASSUMED THAT IT WOULD BE A HIDEOUSLY MODERN INDUSTRIAL BURG...WRONG !!! CASTELFIDARDO TURNED OUT TO BE AN INCREDIBLY CHARMING ITALIAN HILL TOWN, WITH WINDING NARROW STREETS.....COBBLESTONES.....FRIENDLY INHABITANTS AND THE TWENTIETH ANNUAL ACCORDION FESTIVAL.

AS YOU MAY HAVE ASCERTAINED BY NOW, CASTELFIDARDO IS AN ACCORDION MANUFACTURING CENTER. IT, ALONG WITH ANOTHER ITALIAN TOWN, STRADELLA, MANUFACTURES ABOUT 80 % OF THE WORLDS ACCORDIONS. PONDER THAT FOR A MOMENT, IF YOU WILL.

WE CHECKED INTO OUR HOTEL, A MODEST YET CLEAN AND COMFORTABLE HABITATION, WITH TWO OLD SISTERS RUNNING IT FOR ONE OF THEIR SONS. ANNA & LENA AND OUR HOTELIER, PAOLO. AFTER A SHOWER, HERE WE ENJOYED THE LUXURY OF A BATH IN OUR ROOM, NOT DOWN THE HALL, IT WAS OFF TO SEE THE ANCIENT VILLAGE AND GET ORIENTED. AFTER STEPPING INTO THE TOURIST BUREAU, IT WAS OFF TO THE 6 P M PERFORMANCE IN AN OLD ROMANESQUE CHURCH. SMALL, INTIMATE, RECENTLY RESTORED W / FAUX PAINTED MARBLE COLUMNS AND WALLS AND LOVELY RELIGIOUS FRESCOS ON THE VAULTED CEILING. A WONDERFUL ROOM WITH GREAT ACOUSTICS, IN WHICH WE HEARD CLASSICAL ACCORDION. IT SOUNDED LIKE A LARGE PIPE ORGAN. A WONDERFULLY GIFTED YOUNG MAN OF 24 YEARS ENTERTAINED US FOR THE EVENING. GIORGIO DELLAROLE PLAYED FOR OUR LISTENING PLEASURE: DOMINICO SCARLATTI, SONATA IN D MINOR K 158 AND SONATA IN D MAJOR K 159 (LA CACCIA); JOHN PACHELBEL, CIACONA IN F; OLE SCHMIDT, TOCATTA # 1; ETTORE PUZZOLI, VALZERDA CONCERTO; AND CONCLUDED WITH NILOLAJ TSCHAIKIN, QUARTO TEMPO DELLA SONATA # 1. AS AN ENCORE OUR YOUNG MAESTRO TREATED US TO OCHICHONIA (DARK EYES), A TUNE I KNOW FROM ALL THE OLD MOVIES I’VE SEEN WITH RUSSIAN CHARACTERS IN THEM.

AFTER THIS WONDERFUL INTRODUCTORY CONCERT IN THE ACCORDION CAPITAL OF THE WORLD WE RETURNED TO OUR HOTEL FOR DINNER AND MET A COUPLE FROM NORTH CAROLINA WHO WERE IN PARIS WITH A JUNIOR YEAR ABROAD PROGRAM. HE, MICKEY, MY LORD, A FRENCH PROFESSOR AND SHE, SUSAN, A MEDICAL TECHNICIAN WHO IS INVOLVED WITH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH, WHAT EVER THAT IS. WHICH NATION ? HE, AN ACCORDIONIST PURIST,.....IF IT AIN’T CLASSICAL, IT AIN’T FOR POO.....HE ALSO DEFECTED FROM YUGOSLAVIA DURING THE 1950’S TO ITALY AND THEN FRANCE...INTERESTING FOLKS, WITH WHOM WE WENT TO THE PICCOLO RANCH TO HEAR SOME, FROM MICKEY’S PERSPECTIVE, PHEW !! POPULAR MUSIC. IT WAS, TRULY, FOR THE MOST PART, GOOD, YET UNINSPIRED. THE MUSIC CRITIC RAISES HIS UGLY HEAD, ONCE AGAIN.

IN THE MORNING WE ARE UP EARLY, WITH THE ALARM , TO A BREAKFAST OF GREAT CAFE LATTE AND WRETCHED ROLLS. THEN IT’S OFF TO SALA "A", TO THE JAZZ COMPETITION AT 8 A M.....SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, AFTER ALL JAZZ MUSICIANS ARE CREATURES OF THE NIGHT.....THE JUDGES STROLL IN (THEY KNEW BETTER) AROUND 9:15 AND THE PLAYERS GET GOING AROUND 9:45.....IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT !!! THERE WERE FOUR GROUPS TO ENTERTAIN US. TWO ITALIAN, THE SECOND OF WHICH I THOUGHT WAS THE BEST, AN AUSTRIAN GROUP...VERY GOOD BUT THE ACCORDION COULD HAVE BEEN MIKED UP A BIT LOUDER AND LAST A RUSSIAN DUO...THE ONLY GROUP NOT TO USE AMPLIFICATION, YET STRANGELY THEY FILLED THE ROOM WITH ALMOST AS MUCH SOUND AS THE OTHERS. " THEY " WERE A SAXOPHONIST, WHO LOOKED SUAVE AND SOPHISTICATED AND LIKE SOMEONE WHO WOULD MAKE YOU BLANCHE IF YOUR DAUGHTER BROUGHT HIM HOME AND A LITTLE MUNCHKIN OF A VERY RUSSIAN LOOKING RUSSIAN ACCORDIONIST WITH WHITE SOCKS. A LESS HIP INDIVIDUAL, I MAY NEVER SEE. WHEN HE REALLY GOT INTO THE GROOVE HE WAS SEEN CONTENTEDLY BITING HIS TONGUE. THEY WERE GREAT. TUNES DONE, PACK IT UP, PACK IT OUT, EXIT STAGE RIGHT TO.....

A PIZZERIA FOR A BITE. GNOCCHI FOR ME AND LASAGNA FOR ROSEMARY. THE GNOCCHI WAS GOOD, THE LASAGNA MELTED IN YOUR MOUTH AND YOU JUST KNEW THAT THE PASTA WAS MADE THAT MORNING. AFTER WARDS R WENT OFF TO SEEK A MANICURE AND I WANDERED THE TOWN TAKING PHOTOS AND THINKING I WOULD GO TO THE NEXT EVENT AT 14:00. REALIZING THAT I WAS EXHAUSTED, IT WAS OFF FOR A NAP INSTEAD. TO MY SURPRISE...THERE WAS THE ROSE, FAST ASLEEP. SHE FINALLY DID FIND HER TEMPLE OF BEAUTY AFTER HER NAP AND I SLEPT THE SLEEP OF THE DEAD.

THE EVENINGS PERFORMANCE WAS IN THE SAME AFOREMENTIONED CHURCH. ANOTHER ITALIAN YOUTH OF 26 YEARS, WHERE DO THEY GET THESE NAMES, MASSIMILIANO PITOCCO. FOR OUR LISTENING PLEASURE HE PLAYED: J S BACH, FANTASIA E FUGA IN SOL MINORE BWV 542; SERGEJ RACHMANINOV, SERENADE (TRASCRIZIONE F. LIPS); VYACHESLAV SEMGONOV, SONATA # 1, IN TER MOVIMENTI; VLADIMIR CHERNIKOV, INTRODUZIONE E JAZZ VALZER.

THIS DUDE WAS THE BEST PLAYER WE SAW IN OUR BRIEF STAY HERE. FANTASTIC !!! HE PLAYED A BANYON TYPE ACCORDION BY PIGINI. DOES THAT MEAN THE PIG IN I ? I THINK NOT !!

DURING THE THIRD NUMBER, THE LIGHTS FAILED AND THANKFULLY HIS INSTRUMENT WAS ACOUSTIC. HE KEPT PLAYING IN TOTAL DARKNESS !! DURING A THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE THE LIGHTS CAME ON, REVEALING HIM SITTING THERE AND SOAKING UP THE RAPTURE. HE PLAYED HIS FINAL TUNE AND WE LEARNED A NEW ITALIAN WORD, AFTER TWO CURTAIN CALLS, OR WAS THAT SACRISTY CALLS ? BIS !!! BIS !!! WE HOLLERED...ENCORE !!! ENCORE !!! AND PLAY SOME MORE HE DID, A TUNE FAMILIAR TO ME BUT OF UNKNOWN NAME. THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE ONCE MORE...BRAVO !! BRAVO!! BRAVISIMO !!! TWO MORE CURTAIN CALLS.....STANDING OVATION !!!

TO DINNER WE WENT WITH MICKEY AND SUSAN AT THE TRATTORIA DIONEA...A FAMILY STYLE PLACE WITH LONG TABLES.....WE HAVE NO RESERVATIONS, YET THEY GRACIOUSLY FIT US IN...ALONG WITH COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF VINO ROSSO WE HAVE...1. RAVIOLI, FETTICCINI WITH TOMATO MEAT SAUCE, TAGLIATELLE WITH PEAS AND BURRO, GNOCCHI WITH TOMATO MEAT SAUCE; ...2. MIXED MEAT PLATTER (GRILLED PORK, CHICKEN, RABBIT, STEAK, LAMB), FRIED POTATOES...3. INSALATA MISTA... 4. TARTUFFO (BIANCO E NERO), TIRA MASU... COFFEE WITH ANISE LIQUEUR THE TARTUFFO BIANCO WAS WHITE CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM WITH COFFEE ICE CREAM INTERIOR AND AN INTENSE ESPRESSO CENTER...FROZEN...DELIGHTFUL !!!

IN THE BASEMENT THERE WERE STONE GROTTOS FILLED WITH RATTAN COVERED WINE VATS...THE OWNER AFFABLY TURNED ON THE LIGHTS AND INVITED ME TO TAKE THE PHOTO OP...I DID.

WE WANDERED BY A ONE MAN ACCORDION FACTORY AFTER DINNER AND TOOK THIS PHOTO OP ALSO. A 10’ X 15’ ROOM.

Mr. Spadari, a one man show, displays his wares

EARLIER IN THE DAY WE HAD STUMBLED UPON ANOTHER SUCH ONE MAN OPERATION AND ESPIED HIM CUTTING DADOS IN A SOUND BOARD (TO HOLD THE ACCORDION REEDS) AS WE DISPLAYED INTEREST, HE INVITED US IN AND I POINTED AT HIS WORK AND SAID "PHOTO ?" SI, SI SAID HE,.....I TOLD HIM I AM A CARPENTER AND HE BID US FOLLOW HIM UPSTAIRS TO ANOTHER SMALL WORKSHOP (HIS CLEAN ROOM) AND SHOWED US A FINISHED INSTRUMENT. A CAJUN TYPE ACCORDION...MORE PHOTOS...HE THEN USHERED US INTO YET ANOTHER SMALL ROOM AND SHOWED US A PIANO ACCORDION THAT HE HAD MADE AND DISASSEMBLED IT TO SHOW US THE WORKMANSHIP OF THE INTERIOR. MANY, MANY LAYERS OF FINISH ON THE BLONDE AND MAHOGANY WOODS. SIMPLY AMAZING AND BEAUTIFUL...THIS ONE HAD HIS NAME ON IT, SPADARI, THE OTHERS HE WAS MAKING FOR ANOTHER MANUFACTURE, CURIOUSLY THEY HAD TINY PORTRAITS OF PRETTY WOMEN ON THE FRONT. HE TOLD US AS HOW THERE ARE ONLY A FEW OLD TIMERS LEFT THAT KNOW HOW TO MAKE THE WHOLE MACHINE AND AS HOW HE IS ONE OF THEM. A BRIEF MOMENT OF LIFE SPENT WITH THIS OLD CRAFTSMAN AND BACK ON THE STREET FEELING WHELMED.

ALSO EARLIER DURING THE DAY: ROSEMARY AND I WERE STROLLING THROUGH THE CITA AND HAPPENED UPON AN ACCORDION ORCHESTRA OF ABOUT 15 TEENAGERS. WE STOPPED TO LISTEN AND SNAP A PHOTO.....THEY GIGGLED AND A DARLING, DARK EYED, ITALIAN GIRL LOOKED ME IN THE EYE AND SMILED. WE TESTED THEIR COMPOSURE BY DANCING TO THEIR VIENNESE WALTZ.....THEY LAUGHED MERRILY AND AS WE WALTZED AWAY, THE ONE WITH DARK EYES GAZED AT ME AGAIN AND WAVED. AHHHHHH !! QUE BELLA !!!

THE DAYS MOVE ON...IT’S BEEN SAID THAT IF YOU’RE WAITING FOR A TRAIN AND ONE COMES A MINUTE EARLY, IT’S PROBABLY NOT YOURS. WELL, THAT’S ALSO TRUE FOR BUSSES !! IT HAD ALL THE RIGHT NAMES ON IT, LARETO, CASTELFIDARDO, RECONATI, ANCONA. WE GOT ON. IT WENT TO LARETO, RECONATI, LARETO, AND BACK TO CASTELFIDARDO, BEFORE EVENTUALLY HEADING FOR ANCONA. HUBBA, HUBBA !!! I HAD MY PACK ON THE SEAT NEXT TO ME AND IN RECONATI, THE SECOND TIME, UN HOMBRE VIEJO GOT ON AND EVEN THOUGH THE BUS WAS ALMOST EMPTY, HE INSISTED ON SITTING NEXT TO ME.....WHAT A PUTZ !!! I MOVED OVER, PUT MY PACK ON MY LAP AND IN ENGLISH PUT A CURSE ON HIS MOTHER’S GRAVE.

ALTHOUGH IT WAS, INDEED, OUT OF OUR WAY, WE ENJOYED THE COUNTRY SIDE AND THE CITIES MENTIONED ABOVE. ON OUR FIRST TOUR, THERE WAS A GROUP OF 8 AMERICAN CATHOLIC PILGRIMS HEADED FOR LARETO. APPARENTLY AT SOME DISTANT DATE, IN THE HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY, SOME HEAVENLY SPIRITS DEPOSITED THE BIRTH HOME OF THE VIRGIN MARY THERE, AND IT HAS BEEN A DESTINATION FOR PILGRIMS EVER SINCE. REMINDS ME OF JOHN WAYNE SAYING TO A GREEN HORN..."WELL, HOWDY,..... PILGRIM !!"

WE FINALLY ARRIVED IN ANCONA. MY OLD FRIEND DISEMBARKED AND SMILINGLY I BID HIM "BUORNGIORNO, PADRE, MAY YOU CONTINUE TO HAVE A MISERABLE LIFE..." HE IGNORED ME, BUT HE WAS SMILING, FOR HE HAD WON THE SEAT OF HIS DREAMS. I WAS SMILING TOO, AS IN TRUTH, I DIDN’T REALLY CARE.....I WAS HAVING AN ADVENTURE.