A TRAGIC WEEK

Both Britain and the US have had a good, or a bad, week, depending on your point of view but there is no doubt that Italy had a tragic one:

As further eathquake tremors again brought fear to Central Italy, on Wednesday an avalanche weighing 120,000 metric tonnes and travelling at 100 km per hour struck the Rigopiano Hotel in Abruzzo. So far six people have been declared dead, 23 are missing and 11 have been pulled out alive.  Among the missing is a young Senegalese, Faye Dame, who had refugee status in Italy and was proud to be the factotem of the hotel. I keep thinking of this young man who had, like so many others, come to Europe in search of a better life. He must have been so happy to have been granted permission to stay and to work and to be able to live in a little apartment near the hotel.

Geologists say the tragedy was caused primarily by three strong earthquake tremors combined with heavy winds blowing in from Siberia, much heavier snow than usual and ground that was already wet.

We were all cheered when the Rigopiano's's Abruzzese shepherd dogs, Lupo and Nuvola, were found alive and well in a village 11 km away, where they are being cared for. Lupo and Nuvola, who are symbols of the hotel, always greeted guests and enjoyed their attention. Fortune was also smiling last week upon this young man, a member of the singing group Il Volo.

On the same day, another earthquake hit Amatrice, the town that suffered so badly in the quake of 24th August. "What, in God's name, have we done to deserve this?" asked the Mayor on Italian radio. The people of Amatrice could certainly have done without Charlie Hebdo's cartoon [not for the first time] but the Mayor's response was, "We will reply to this macabre provocation with life."

Better news from Amatrice was that the first 25 wooden houses have been allocated, by ballot, to some of those made homeless by the 24th August quake.

Tonight my thoughts are with all affected by the avalanche and tremors, all who grieve and all who wait for news of their loved ones. I'm sure that yours are with them too.

Update at 16.34 on 23.1.17:

Lupo and Nuvola's three puppies have been found alive and well in the wreckage of the hotel.

REMEMBERING L'AQUILA

The main shock of the 2009 Abruzzo earthquake struck the town of l'Aquila at 3.32 am on 6th April, also causing devastation in Castelnuovo, San Gregorio, Paganica, Poggio Picenze, Sant'Angelo, Tornimparte, Fossa, Onna and other towns. Today I am thinking of earthquake victims everywhere and would like to dedicate Gianna Nannini's stupendous homage to the women of Onna to all of them:

Gianna Nannini, Laura Pausini, Giorgia, Elisa e Fiorella Mannoia - Donna d'Onna

Gianna Nannini - Donna d'Onna

Ora dorme
E chissà se ci sarà
Un letto così grande
Che copre la città D’amore
Sogno che si salverà
Tra le memorie
Sogno che non finirà
Scende la notte nel cuore
Donna non smetterai
Di far nascere il sole
Donna non mentirai
Nel nome della madre
Donna corri nel cielo
che affonda
Tutto il coraggio è con te
Bellezza sogna
Donna dentro ai tuoi occhi ritorna
Luce che ferma la terra
E per la vita resterà
Cade giù dal cielo
come pioggia quel respiro che
ha tremato assieme a te
Non aver paura guarda
la dolcezza cosa fa
Apri le tue braccia e poi sei madre
mentre Dio non guarda più.
Non aver paura guarda
la dolcezza cosa fa
Donna corri nel cielo che affonda
Tutto il dolore che c’è Bellezza
sogna Donna fuoco che sale nell’ombra
Nelle tue mani la guerra
È il figlio che raccoglierai
Cade giù dal cielo come
pioggia quel respiro
che ha tremato assieme a te
Non aver paura
senti la dolcezza che rumore fa
Donna canto nel cielo che affonda
Tutto il coraggio è con te
Bellezza sogna
Donna dentro ai tuoi occhi
ritorna Luce che ferma la terra
E per la vita resterà Donna D’Onna Donna.

Woman of Onna

Now she is sleeping
and who knows if there will be
a bed big enough
to cover the city with love
A dream that will be saved
among the memories
A dream that will not end
Night is falling in the heart
Woman, you will not stop
making the sun rise
Woman, you will not lie
in the name of the mother
Woman, run in the sinking sky
All courage is with you
Dream, beauty
Woman, the light that stops the earth
returns in your eyes
and will stay for a lifetime
That breath that trembled with you
falls from the sky
like rain
Don't be afraid, look
at what gentleness can do
Open your arms and you are a mother
while God is looking away.
Woman, run in the sinking sky
All the pain that there is, beauty
Woman, dream of the fire that rises in shadow
War is the son
you will hold in your hands
That breath that trembled with you

falls from the sky

like rain

Don't be afraid

Listen to the sound of gentleness

Woman, I sing in the sinking sky

of all the courage that is with you

Dream, beauty

Woman, the light that stops the earth

returns in your eyes

and will remain, for a lifetime

a woman,

a woman from Onna.

ITALY MAGAZINE ROUND-UP - 11

Here is my pick of last week's Italy Magazine articles:

If you are going to be in Abruzzo between tomorrow and 5th September, there is a fascinating, traditional festival in Lanciano.

Still in Abruzzo, Nick Calvano told us the touching story of how he traced more members of his family in Vasto.

Then we went to Tuscany for our summer film, Stealing Beauty.  Staying with film, a famous friend of Italy is shortly to return.

I had to laugh at this story, though I don't suppose I would have been amused had I been one of the passengers! One of the saddest stories of the week was this tale of our times and it was also the week in which Italy said goodbye to former President Cossiga.

For my personal Patti Chiari column, I wrote about how books led me, in a way, to Sicily.  This is to be continued.

I hope you enjoy these stories.