Valnerina: Piedipaterno for Earthquake Solidarity

On a rainy November Sunday, Pino and I headed to the Valnerina for lunch, planning to go on to Norcia for espresso afterwards, just a small solidarity gesture. Close to the Norcia/Preci epicenter of the late October 2016 quakes, Valnerina tourism has evaporated. Norcia is a zona rossa town (evacuated and no admittance inside the 12th-c devastated walls) – but three cafes are open outside the walls.

Just below Piedipaterno, clinging to a mountain outcrop jutting out over the Nera River valley, we pulled into the parking lot of Hotel Umbria, the sign indicating a ristorante there, too. The parking lot had a quite a few cars, always a good sign.

Inside, we found out why so many cars: a few couples sat at smaller tables in the dining room but a large group feasted together at a long corner table. The cars were theirs and they’d be parked there for quite some time: our young server, Rachele (daughter of owner, Gianpiero), told us that all at the long tablewere now temporary guests in the hotel. They were all from Piedipaterno where cracks had appeared in their homes after the October 30th earthquake. The Region of Umbria has provided them secure housing in the hotel until completion of necessary inspection of each of their homes.

Piedipaterno hotel guests – now unable to return to their own homes

Rachele and her papa’ Gianpiero

In the “solidarity spirit,” we both ordered dishes typical of the Valnerina and the Norcia area (epicenter): local grilled lamb for me (the mountainous Valnerina – Nera River Valley – has always been a shepherd area) and soup of the famed Castelluccio lentils (crowned with juicy Norcia sausages) for Pino.

Local Valnerina grilled lamb for me

Pino opts for the lentils of Castelluccio with Norcia sausages

Suddenly, lights dimmed: Rachele was bringing a birthday cake to the elderly gentleman at the head of the long table. As soon she set the birthday sweet down – a rich tiramisu with two candles and “Auguri” in white chocolate letters on top – Guido bowed his head to hide a sudden burst of tears. I thought it might have been an “aftershock trauma” but his daughters and wife assured me it was turning eight-nine trauma!
(They had a hard time keeping the two candles lit for trear droplets). I wished Guido a “Buon Compleanno” – and he smiled, a wet one.

Buon compleanno, Guido. (Please don’t cry.)

Before heading on to Norcia for espresso, we chatted briefly with the couple at an adjoining table, Orietta and Pasquale. Now living in Citta’ della Pieve, they’d returned to the Valnerina to check out their family home, once of Pasquale’s father. All fine.

As we paid our bill, Guido’s daughters brought us plates of the birthday tiramisu. We waved “mille grazie” to Signor Guido – and as we left, I called out with a smile, “Ci vediamo l’anno prossimo per Numero Novanta!”
(“See you next year for Number Ninety!”)