First off, this post is not about the Saint, but look her up. Second, this post was supposed to be about the town and my relations to it. But, the town itself needed its own post. And third, my story about how and why I went, and the relationship I now have with it, deserves its own post as well.
So while I think about how to do this rehabbed post, I give you these flowers I took photos of on the way there.
This part of our adventure started off on the Via Appia, The Appian Way. We left the city as they did 2000 years ago. Ok, not quite the same, but the road was so bumpy at times I don’t think it changed much.
By way of Via Appia we drove through catacombs (think dead people). Then into the open country side where we visited dead buildings (my new phrase for ruins) of what was once a huge Palazzo and property.
We found a smooth highway to scoot over to for our drive through the mountains & then a yummy lunch in the small village of Ceprano.
First I have to explain the dish above … One of my fav the whole trip. It’s pasta with pistachio sauce with shrimp tartar and basil on top. Yum.
Upon arrival, the adorable Gothic town of Sant’ Agata di Goti that’s situated high on a rock surrounded by a river and a deep ravine, we sighed. It felt like home, like my past Italian life’s new body was back where it belonged.
After we figured out how to get in our 1600s Rainone/Mustilli Family Palazzo Inn. By the way, I am related to the Rainone Family by my great grandmother. See, I told you there was more to the story.
Just think… We are in a 17th century family home/Inn in a room decorated like it’s the 18th century, writing on a 21st century device in a 4th century town. Mind blown.
The town and tiny narrow streets, some barely big enough for cars others are not, are charming enough, but then you throw in views that don’t stop, and you get yourself a destination. Yes, Sant’ Agata di Goti is a destination, but thankfully enough it’s not an international hot spot…yet.
We walked around, had dinner, went wine tasting, and we even made our way down inti deep cold basements/excellent wine cellars.
Truly a beautiful place, but the real magic happened the next day.
The reason for going there in the first place was family. My paternal grandfather is from Sant’ Agata di Goti, specifically the area of Bagnoli. Did I have family left? If so, will I get to meet them? Will they think of me as family?
Thank you for visiting MY GNOME LITTLE WORLD and come back soon to hear about th magic I call “family.”
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I have 3 favorite flowers. The first being a gerbera daisy. My Mother liked daisies, when I learned about gerberas they just made me smile. Another favorite flower is for its smell is gardenias. We had a plant in our yard growing up and my mother taught me to love its smell. The last one is hydrangeas because my maternal grandmother had a huge bush of them in her front yard and they always reminded me of her. All of my favorite flowers are family related. Sant’ Agata di Goti had hydrangeas and it is family related. So this is why I posted the photo. On a side note, on our first date, my husband brought me hydrangeas he picked from his own yard. He did not know my love for them. They mean a lot to me.
My Gnome Little World 