Newsletter 23 03 2009

8/4/2019 Newsletter 23 03 2009

1/11

www.pietrasantaresort.com

Pietrasanta Newsletter

Inside this issue: pageTravel diary 1History and stories 1The Golden Guestbook 2Do you know Pietrasanta ? And win! 2Weather forecast: look at the past 3Whats on at Pietrasanta 3

Italian language tips for smart tourist 4Your comments 8Less money, more holidays 8

Palazzo Ferretti special offer 11

The cheer rose from

the right of my openapartment window and

traveled across

Pietrasanta like a wave

until finally subsiding

somewhere past the

piazza; the Azzuri had

scored! In Italy,

youre still more likely

to hear classical music

than the blare of a TV

coming from an openwindow - except when

the Italian soccer team

plays for the World

Cup. Rarely in modern

America have I felt

part of a community,

but in Italy, where air

conditioning still

means leaving the

windows and doors

open in the evenings, a

sense of belonging stillflourishes. Pietrasanta

has become the

occasionally touristy

heart of the Italian

sculptural arts: stone

sculpture, bronze

casting and mosaics.

As a thousand year old

city sandwiched

between the Italian

Riviera and the marbleladen Apuan Alps,

Pietrasantas location

is an idyllic union of

both cultural and

physical beauty.

Pietrasanta buildings

share all the artistic

elements necessary for

a sculpture to be

exemplary: a

randomness that lendssurprises at every turn

and yet also retaining

an overall feeling that

all the elements work

together; a variety of

textures,

complementary shapes

and most of all

originality. Modern

cities, like modern

sculptures, created withlarge power tools

cannot match the

complex patina evolved

by thousands of

individual hands

working for hundreds

of years. Each building

possesses a slightly

different angle,

(Continues to page 5)

Travel diary.Pietrasanta Pastimes

by Jim, Bellevue, WA, USA

History and stories: Guglielmo Marconi in Versilia

Guglielmo Marconi

loved Versilia and he

had been several times

here, mainly in Viareg-

gio, where he anchored

his boat Elettra in theport, he used to spend

summertime with his

family, he made some

tests and experiments

from the Elettra towards

the radio station on the

coasts.

Gugliemo Marconi wasthe inventor of the ra-

dio, the wireless com-

munication system that

he developed from the

telegraph and the ra-

diotelegraph system.

He shared the 1909Nobel Prize in Physics


WhatsonatPietrasantaa

ndits

surroundings

Quaterly newletter

Easter issue

8/4/2019 Newsletter 23 03 2009

2/11



Do you know the name of thesculpture and its location

(address) ?

The first who emails us the

right answer will win one of

our T-shirts:

Hic manebimus optime

(specify your size).

Glen & Sandra, West Vancou-

ver, Canada

Michael & Michelle, North

Vancouver, Canada

Mario & Louise, Vancouver,

Canada

Soren & Annette, Copehagen,

Denmark

Christian, Ganges, France

Marty, Vetraz-Monthoux,

France

Stuart, Dublin, IrelandKiean & Aisley, Dublin,

Ireland

Orla & Antony, Dublin,

Ireland

Ofra e Israel, Ramat, Israel

Mira, Israel

Simone, Italy

Stefania, Italy

Veronica, Sesto Calende, Italy

Simone & Mara, Milano, Italy

Walter, Italy

Luca, Biella, Italy

Massimo, Pietrasanta, Italy

Carlo, Montalcino, Italy

Stella, Milano, ItalyJan, Castricum, The Nether-

land

John & Maria, Amsterdam,

The Netherland

Jean & Annelie, TK 's-

Hertogenbosch, The Nether-

land

Oladapo, Nigeria

Per, Norway

Even, Norway

Erika, Bergem Norway,

Mette & Slettingdalen, Sande-

fjord, Norway

Christine, Oslo, Norway

Fredrik, Norway

Steffan, Norway

Elena, Trinex, Switzerland

Adam, Stockholm, Sweden

Diana, Sweden

Eva, Stockholm, Sweden

Richard, Sweden

Daniel & Victoria, Mamo,

SwedenPer, Sweden

Carina, Sweden

Carolina, Sweden,

Caroline, Sweden,

Katie, UK,

Mark, UK,

Gary & Joanne, Chester, UK

Robert & Gilian, Milford Haven, UK

Andrew & Annaleen, UK

Maureen, Northampton, UK


Page 2

The Golden Guestbook: worldwide guests at Palazzo Ferretti

Do you know Pietrasanta ? (.and win !)

We select distinguished guests

from all over the world.

Are you one of them?

8/4/2019 Newsletter 23 03 2009

3/11



Weather forecast ? Look at the past !

In April the average temperature isbetween 52 and 68 degree F at

Pietrasanta. Usually, we have 3 days of

strong rain, with a total of 103 mm of

precipitation. In London, they have a

mean temperature that goes from 42 to55 degree F, and in New York the

minimum temperature is 43 on average,

In order to forecast the weather of theSpringtime period, we can consider the

characteristics of the weather of the last

years.

We can say that the Easter weather at

Pietrasanta is warmer than in London

and New York.

and the maximum is 58. In New Yorkand London there are more rainy days

than in Pietrasanta, 9 and 13 days,

respectively.

Carnival at

Pietrasanta

Page3

Whats on: Heaster Holidays and Springtime 2009

April

Mean Temperature C Mean TotalPrecipitation

(mm)

Mean Number

of P recipitation

Days

Daily Daily Daily Daily

Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum

Pietrasanta 11,6 20 52,9 68 103 3

London 5,6 13 42,1 55,4 47 12,7

New York 6 14,6 42,8 58,3 99,1 8,6

Mean Temperature F

Whats on at Pietrasanta:

Springtime events

5 April and 3 May: antique-

brocante open market, Domesquare, Pietrasanta

12 April and 10 May: artisan open

market, Dome square, Pietrasanta

Every Thursday: street market at

Pietrasanta

Every Saturday: street market at

Marina Pietrasanta

Every Wednesday: street market at

Forte dei Marmi

11, 12 and 13 April: Horse Fair

at la Versiliana Park, Marina diPietrasanta

11, 12 and 13 April: Laces Fair at

la Versiliana Park, Marina di

Pietrasanta

April and May: Marina in fiore:

flowers, plants and gardeningexhibition

Exhibitions:

28 March-3 May:Enzo Esposito:

Anni Ottanta, paintings, Sala

Putti and Sala Capitolo, Chiostro

di S. Agostino, Hours: Thur-Sun

4pm-7pm

4 April-7 June: Viviano Tabarella:

Genesi,, marble sculptures and

bronze works, Chiostro di S.

Agostino, Hours: Thur-Sun 4pm-

7pm

Surroundings:

18-19 Apr: Enolia: lectures on

properties, use and comparative

tasting of high quality virgin olive

oil. Sale of typical local foods,

Seravezza, Palazzo Mediceo,

1-2-3 May: 42 Palio Madonnadel lago: Massaciuccoli Lake

boat race, Ph: 0584-979296

First Sunday of May: Palio dei

Micc, Donkey race and parade in

traditional costumes, and art

exhibition at Palazzo Mediceo,

Seravezza

Club Alpino organizes trekking,

mountaineering and tourist hikes on

the Apuan Alps, the Tuscan Islands,

and the Carrara quarries:

- Sunday 19 April, Trekking in Val

dOrcia (for expert hikers);

- Sunday 24 May, Gorgona Island

(for tourist hikers).

8/4/2019 Newsletter 23 03 2009

4/11



Vis arranges for a lake triprenting rowing boats andcanoes.

C) Do you know about thebeautiful lake in Versilia?There you can sail with smallboats and you can canoe. Youmay also have your lunch in alake dwelling especially usedby the fishermen. Its name is:1-bilancia2-palafitta3-pescheria4-nassa

Vis arranges also short coursesregarding the comprehension ofPuccinis Opera. We will be

your tour leader during theperformances and we can planyou the dinner on the lake.

D) Im in fond of musicalculture and I especially love theopera. I would like to watchsome of the famous GiacomoPuccinis . I know that on the

Massaciuccoli Lake theressomething special for the operacalled:1-Un teatro allaperto

TEST AND WIN !!

This is an easy test for your Italianlanguage.

Send us your answers: well

correct them and if you got the

right answers youll win a T-Shirt

(Hic Manebimus Optime).

What can you do while learningItalian in Versilia? Complete the

test:

Vis School arranges you one dayor half day trip by bicyclediscovering the beauti fulitineraries on the beach, in thewood, at the lake and atcountryside.

A) There are so many interestingitineraries to be ridden. If you areon a dirt road and you get a flattyre you say:

1-Devo cambiare il manubrio2- Per fortuna ho la camera dariadi scorta3-Devo chiamare un carro-attrezzi4-Devo chiamare lambulanza

Vis arranges also lessons on thebeach at your beach club.

B) I want to go to Versilia to enjoythe sun, the beach and the tanwhile I relax lying on:

1- La sdraio2-Lombrellone3-La sedia4-Il lettino

2-Un cinema3-Una gradinata4-Una scenografia

Vis plans also fashionable nights inthe most famous pubs and discos inVersilia.

E) Im twenty years old and Iprefer house and modern musicthan classical one. I cant waitgoing to the famous Versiliandiscos. I want to run wild on:1- sul bancone2- sulla pista da ballo3- sul palcoscenico

4- sui divanetti

Page 4

Italian language tips for smart tourists

LEARN ITALIAN LANGUAGE AT PIETRASANTA

This test is edited by Ilaria and Cristina, teachers of Italian as a foreignlanguage at Pietrasanta. They manage the VIS Vers i l ia I ta l ianS c h o o l , Italian for everybody and for all your needs.

Courses for artists: professional people, trainees, special lessons aboutart, Tuscan and local culture. Commercial and officialese support.

Courses for tourists: individual, small groups, school groups. Tour leaderservice and tourist excursions together with language teaching, kitchenand art for a pure Versilia experience.

Courses for manager and leading companies in order to get a businessand working improvement in the territory (sailing, etc.).

Courses for university students (Erasmus students): specific teaching

support in getting through the exams.Open air school: outdoor lessons set in the most famous tourist places orduring excursions.

For information and bookings: [email protected] [email protected]

8/4/2019 Newsletter 23 03 2009

5/11



contrasting color, a

window box, a smallgarden or just a pot of

petunias. The ancient

walls of a fort have been

built and rebuilt, patched

with cobbles or bricks

and speckled with ferns

and stonecrop to become

a retaining wall for my

apartment courtyard.

Sometimes, the

precarious nature of thebuildings here makes

them appear to be held

up by nothing more than the

warm Mediterranean sunlight

chinking the remaining cracks

in their walls.

But Pietrasanta has stood for

over 1,000 years as a testament

to the Papal and Medici desires

to break the marble monopoly

held by the former

Roman slave colonyof Carrara only a few

miles away. Even

today, Carrara still

has a mountain of

marble to mine, but

the convenience and

quaintness of

Pietrasanta has drawn

much of the marble

carving community

away from Carrara.The economics of

(Continua da pagina 1)

commercial mining and carving

continue to shift the stone trade

away from Italy in general to

countries with cheaper labor like

Brazil, India and China.

When I began to investigate

sculpting opportunities in 2006, I

was leery of joining a commercial

operation that relied too much on

machines in windowless baking

sheet metal buildings or

succumbing to the tourist trade

sculpting studios that dont even

let participants use a diamond

saw. There are many

commercial operations that will

rent you space or hire them for

help, but sometimes you

are left alone with

people that only speak

Italian and need to buy/rent tools that operate on

220v.

By chance, I found the

right combination of

atmosphere and

instruction for me with

Kyle Smith at ArtSpace.

Kyle, an American, has

lived and worked near

Pietrasanta as a stone

sculptor for over thirtyyears. Her studio is a

covered but open air on all sides

and spaciously located at the

end of her five hectare hillside

park like property in the nearby

village of Valdicastello. I

selected a 150 lb piece of white

statuario No. 1 with a fine grain

and a few grey shadings.

During the three weeks, during

which I learned I had been

misusing most of my tools, Kyle

and I teased each other about the

merits of carving versus

grinding. Kyle, brought up in

the traditional carving style,

strongly encouraged using

pneumatic hammers and chisels

to get the feel of the stone while

I pointed out that if I had a

diamond cup wheel, myForedom grinder and a

couple of Zec disks I would

be finished in half the time.

At lunch, I could hike

five minutes into town

and order a sandwich from

a little Italian woman with

jet black hair and dark blue

eyes in a shop the size of a

walk in closet one entered


Page 5

Continued from p.1 Travel Diary

.a sandwich from a little Italian

woman with jet black hair and dark

blue eyes in a shop the size of a walk

in closet one entered through a fabric

draped doorway.

One icecream after the job

Puccini is the Jims loved apartment at PalazzoFerretti, Pietrasanta downtown.

8/4/2019 Newsletter 23 03 2009

6/11



with Karl Ferdinand Braun,

"in recognition of their

contributions to the devel-

opment of wireless telegra-

phy.

Marconi was born near Bo-

logna and studied at Bolo-

gna, Florence and Livorno.

He had a fascinating life,

rich of honors, awards,

prizes, fame, adventures,

business. He had also a

large family. In 1905, Mar-

coni married Beatrice

O'Brien (18821976) andhad four sons (three girls

and one boy). In 1924, he

divorced and in 1927 mar-

ried Maria Cristina Bezzi-

Scali (19001994) and had

one daughter. Marconi

lived and worked in Italy,

but also in London and

New York.

Marconi died in Rome in 1937at age 63, because of a series of

hearth attacks.

Degna Marconi (19081998),

daughter of Guglielmo and Bea-

trice, wrote an interest-

ing book about her Fa-

ther. The book is very

interesting, if you want

to understand how themiddle-class and the

aristocratic class lived

in Italy from the begin-

ning of the XX century

and at the beginning of

the II World War. If

you wish to read the

book, do not hesitate to

email me your request,

and I will send you my

PDF copy of the book My Fa-ther, Marconi, written by

Degna Marconi (Frederick Mul-

ler Ltd, London, 1962).

As far as the relationships be-

tween Gugliemo Marconi andthe Versilia area, if you read

the Degnas book you can find

a lot of interesting passages

that talk about Viareggio, Forte

dei Marmi, the Apuan Alps,

and so on.

We read that Marconi had

strong friendships with all the

most important people living in

Versilia, not only the poet Gab-

riele Dannunzio (that used to

spend his holiday at the Ver-

siliana park in Marina di Piet-rasanta) but also Giacomo Puc-

cini, the famous opera com-

poser living at Torre del Lago:

We stopped at Viareggio

where Puccini came aboard

and the following day we

visited him at his house

at Torre del Lago where

he played parts of Turan-

dot for us.

Elettra was the name of the boat

that Marconi used for scientific

tests and experiments, but also

the name of his youngest

daughter of Guglielmo and

Maria Cristina. Marconi suf-

fered from hearth attacks and

hid bad health affected his pro-

fessional life. Sometimes, he tried

to overcome the health problem

by using the Elettra boat and theVersilia good weather:

The doctors in Rome vetoed

the journey, to my lasting

sorrow. They wanted him to

remain in Rome, or within

easy reach of Rome. With

this restriction imposed on

him, Father visited

several places in the

Alban Hills nearby

but none of them

suited his purposes

which were, as al-

ways, to make experi-

ments. A compromise

was finally effected.

Father would go to

Viareggio where he

could stop at the

comfortable Hotel As-

tor, with the Elettra

moored in full view

of the front windows.

Game to the last, he

firmly informed his

doctors that this wouldonly be a postponement. He

intended to go on to London

as soon as his stay at the

Continued from p.1 History and Stories : Marconi

Page 6

The Marconi apartment at Palazzo Ferretti: in hon-

our of the Nobel Prize winner for Physics

(continues to page 7)

8/4/2019 Newsletter 23 03 2009

7/11



seashore was finished.

It was tropically hot

in Rome that July and

Elettra had already

left and was with hergrandmother, Countess

Bezzi-Scali, at Vi-

areggio. Her seventh

birthday fell on Tues-

day, July 20, and her

parents planned to be

with her to celebrate

it. In the mean time,

Marconi was deep in

unfinished business

for the Royal Academy.

Another thing that

kept him from leavingwas that he had ap-

plied for an audience with

the Pope at Castle Gan-

dolfo. It was granted and

took place on July 17. What

they talked about no one

will ever know. It was said

that Father wanted to give

the Pontiff news of recent

developments in wireless.

That could have waited. I

am convinced that Father

was impelled by more per-sonal and pressing motives.

He was on the threshold of

a new life. As he had made

clear to me, he had decided

to live alone and to trans-

fer himself and his work to

England, despite his abid-

ing love of his own coun-

try.

Another passage about Marconi

and the Versilia sea:

Young Midshipman Raineri-

Biscia, faithfully re-

cording all aspects of

the cruise, wrote that

the ship stopped "to

call on the Minister of

Marine, Admiral Morin,"

at Forte dei Marmi. Like

all Italians returning

from the grays of Eng-

lish sea and land, they

were overjoyed at the

intense blueness of the

sky and the enchanting

profile of the Alpi Apu-

ane.

Marconi tried to live in Lon-

don, in order to develop his

business, but he had strongly

roots with La Spezia, the

most important military port

of Italy:

He would have to leaveItaly but he would not

be parted from the ship

[Elettra]. From Spezia he

went to Racconigi

near Turin where

the King received

him.

One day, at Borgetto

Vara, 50 km far from

Pietrasanta, Marconi

had a bad car accident

that was reported in all

the European newspa-

pers:

In a brand-new

Fiat they went to

Pisa and to Col-

tano, the first

wireless station in Italy

[omitted.....]. The King

visited the station and in-

vited them to dine at San

Rossore [omitted.....].

They left Pisa on September

25 with Marconi driving,

his wife beside him and the

chauffeur in the back seat.

Father was a good driver

but at 12:30, just as he

was leaving Spezia on the

way to Genoa, a car came

too fast around a hairpin

curve, went out of control

and zigzagged across the

road. It ran straight into

theirs. At first it seemed

that Mother and the chauf-

feur were worse injured

than Father. The passengers

of the other car, over-

turned in the ditch, were

badly shaken but not seri-

ously hurt. Marconi sat

quietly at the wheel and

there was blood on his

face. As soon as his wife

noticed this she asked anx-

iously how he felt and he

answered, calmly as always,

"I believe I have lost my

eye."

The Marconi car after the crash at Borghetto Vara,

Continued from p.6 History and Stories : Marconi

8/4/2019 Newsletter 23 03 2009

8/11


Pietrasanta Newsletter Page 8

Your comments

Less money, more holidays

CLASSIFIED (write us

your classified adv)Are you looking for a

teacher ?

Would you like to share

an apartment ?

Would you like to rent a

bike ?

LOW-COST SECTION

Next May at Pietrasanta.

Special offer from Ryanair: from

London to Pisa and return, at 65

GBP, taxes included !!!!

(www.ryanair.com).

Delta Airlines offer: from New to

Pisa and return, no-stop, at 600

US dollar, taxes included !!!!!(www.delta.com).

Dear Giampaolo,I am writing to tell you what awonderful time Lou andI had in Italy. It was like a fantasy

come true.We loved our apartment, and ourneighbors were absolutely terri-fic! We all became close friends,and are keeping in touch viaemail. Italy is the most wonderfuland beautiful country onearth! Pietra Santa is so very spe-cial--it is filled with roses (my fa-vorite flower), angels and wonder-

ful works of art everywhere!!We met such interesting peopleand saw the most beautifulsights. For me, it was a very heal-

ing and rejuvenating trip.Thank you, thank you, thank youagain for everything!!!!I hope the apartment will be avail-able again next July, and hope wecan keep in touch.Best regards,Pam and Lou, New York, USA- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hello Mr.Vitali, I enjoyed reading

your newsletter. Wish I could go

next year to Piatrasanta, but I don't

think I will be able to. "Dum spiro,

spero". Buon Natale e Buon Anno,

Klara W.

Please, dont hesitate to email us

your comments about this

newsletter: do you like it ?

8/4/2019 Newsletter 23 03 2009

9/11



Kirsty, Northampton, UK

Rebecca, Bolton, UK

Dawn, UK

Samantha, Mossley A-U-L, UK

Leonardo & Ann, UK

Alfred & Margareth, Haverfor-

dwest, UK

Iain, UK

John & Jane, York, UK

Almuth, London, UK

David, West Kyo Stanley, UKLouise, Derby, UK

Judith, Los Angeles, USA

Joe, Harrisburg, USA,

Justin, New York, USA

Leonard & Anita, Encino, CA,

USA

Kevin, Encino, CA, USA

Anita, New York, USA

Daniel, Warwick, USA

Mayo & Ansley, Spartanburg,

USA

Harel, New York, USA

Jamisen, USA

Paolo, Phoenix, AZ, USA

Jashua, USA

Greg, San Francisco, CA, USA

Gary & Cindy, Culpeper, USALynn & Claudia, USA

Maria, West Valley City, UT, U-

SA

Ted, USA

Chuck, Tucson, AZ, USA

Charna, USA

Louis & Pam, USA

Moto & Dory, Satna Cruz, CA,

USA

Joseph, St.Louis, MO, USA

Wolff & Davonna, ID, USA

Ray & Lois, New York, USA

Mel & Que, Boca Raton, FL, USA

Jim, Bellevue, WA, USA

Tevis & Sally, Key West, FL, U-

SA

Margot, New York, USA

John, CT, USA

Richard, Stillman Valley, IL, USA

Sergjei, Syosset, NY, USA

Continued from p.2 Golden GuestBook

Page 9

Road for trucks at Carrara quarries

8/4/2019 Newsletter 23 03 2009

10/11



through a fabric draped doorway.

Her eyes widened at my large size

and always made me a ham and

cheese sandwich with an entireloaf of bread. Full of smiles, I

gave her two Euros and walked

back to my workshop where,

thankfully, everyone always

simultaneously stopped work to

enjoy lunch and sit back and listen

to the garrulous songbirds in the

chestnut and olive trees in the

forested hillsides.

Energized from eating, westruck back at the marble to find

our forms. The days could be

long and arduous; walking up and

back to Valdicastello and then

working for eight or nine hours

standing, holding tools, and

moving marble exhausted us all.

By the time I made it back to my

300 year old apartment at Palazzo

Ferretti around seven pm, I

usually only had enough energy todrink a glass of wine and to sit in

the grass covered court yard

watching a fat fluffy grey cat

nightly, and haplessly, try to

outsmart a small songbird while

being bathed in the scent of

confederate jasmine overflowing

from the worn stone walls.

Taking the bus to Valdicastello

would have given me more time

and energy to explore the greater

environs of Pietrasanta but I

preferred to walk. I

tried to remember, it

is the process, or

journey, that matters.

Like the grey cat, Im

never going to catchthat songbird, but Ill

always enjoy trying.

And when I

recognized some of

the people in

Pietrasanta and

Valdicastello or

watched Kyle and her

music teacher sing

together for the first

time in the Non SoloVino Bar in

Pietrasanta, I feel,

just a bit, that I too,

once again, can be a

little part of a

community.

Thank you Jim for your travel

diary !!!

Please, send us your travel diary

too, and well share it with theother members of our Community.

Do you hear the songbirds calling you ?

Friends on the job at Pietrasanta

Continued from page 3

8/4/2019 Newsletter 23 03 2009

11/11



Who are we ?

This is a quarterly newsletter for foreign tourists.

Its about Pietrasanta and its surroundings. The newsletter

is mainly made by you: your comments, your experience,

your true stories. We want to collect and publish them on the

newsletter.

Please, dont hesitate to email us your personal experience

about your stay and your holidays in Pietrasanta: write

about one day off, one trip to Lucca or Florence, one friend

you met there. Well publish it on the next issue. This issue

has been emailed to about 250 foreign tourists. Please, send

it to your friends: maybe they will become Pietrasanta lovers,

too.

All the best

Giampaolo Vitali (Palazzo Ferretti)

PALAZZO FERRETTI

SPECIAL OFFER

Palazzo Ferretti is pleased to offer one

week in May at 450 euros,

all fees and WIFI internet are included

(except heating and electricity).

This special offer is only for Pietrasanta

Newsletter readers (and their friends).

Bookings at:

[email protected]

Your holiday rentals in downtown

Palazzo Ferretti

Via del Paduletto 10/12

55045 Pietrasanta

For bookings:Giampaolo Vitali

Phone +39 328 2259111

email: [email protected]

Skype: giampaolovitali1

Page 11

New years eve in Piazza:we were there !

Ask for our magnetic calendar (10x14 cm.). Its free !!!

Documents

Newsletter 23 03 2009