Ups and downs

Monday 21st Sep First job today was to see the Caltrano parish priest to tee up time for access to parish registers for Frank's family history research. New priest, so hopefully more cooperative than the last incumbent, who gave access for a couple of hours over a 3 week period....even though he knew we were visiting from Australia...poor show seeing this is the only place information is found. Anyway appointment made for 9am Tuesday.

 Off to Lavanderia (laundromat) in Zane - so hard to understand machine instructions, even for Frank who parlez'es the language.

 Note about this area, it consists of many different villages in foothills/onto the plains of the Dolomites. Over time they have expanded to be joined or just about. Where they join there are newer houses, supermarkets, shops, factories etc but centre of each is the old town, houses 500 plus years old, tiny narrow streets twisting and turning around the houses. Communal courtyards going off in all directions allow access to several houses. Streets through the old part of town are often 1 car width, in fact some houses have had their corners chamfered to allow passage of cars. From John's little house in Camasino - village adjoining Caltrano- he could probably give the trucks a pat as they pass his kitchen window. He has 1/15th of the carparking space in front of the house.

 Next to the hospital to visit Aunty Rosina, 95 and not too good. Surprised to learn that they had given her an endoscopy that morning. Considering that she has been feed artificially for several years hard to understand, anyway doped out. we spoke to the badente (carer)- from Romania who has been looking after her for the last 5 or so years at her son's home. Funny thing she knew we were here as John had alerted her when he saw her in the Piazza.... he's good!

Just on the eastern European carer, apparently she is paid 1100 euro per month - which is double what she would earn back home as an RN - and of course accomodation is included. No wonder they come! Also it appears no locals want to do this type of work, sound familiar?

 Next to see cousin Luciana's husband in the same hospital, also not looking good with recurrance of cancer which started in the neck and now is in the liver and other organs. Poor thing, hard to see him so reduced as very exuberant, lively man, played the trumpet in the local Mosson district band. . I remember the first time I met Romano, he was having a very excited discussion - arm-flinging, table-banging etc - with Aunty Isetta's husband Tony. Of course all in Italian so I asked Frank afterward what it was all about... debate was whether the pope lived in the Vatican or had an apartment outside the walls. So funny...I thought it was something serious! Poor Botox (as we always referred to Luciana as she is so young looking) has both her husband and mother in hospital at the same time, both seemingly in a v bad state.

Frank's mother's childhood home, about 600 years old

These arches lead into communal courtyards

Street in the old part of Caltrano, then again it may be Tezze