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Exploring Carunchio

By Ariana Wood and Zetta Anderson

  Unlike most international adventures, our trip to Italy this summer did not truly start in an airport; it started when we were kids, soaking up memories and stories about our own rich community, Saluda. The Saluda Sister City program that we are so lucky to be involved in is not simply for a vacation, or even just to enjoy another culture, but to truly share and connect the cultures of both Saluda and Carunchio in order to grow as individuals and communities.

  With memories full from our childhoods in Saluda, bags full of the essentials, and minds full of excitement, we headed to the airport (where most international adventures start). After hours of waiting, flying, and waiting again, we were driving though Italy! With cappuccini and sfogliatelle in hand, we watched never-ending hay fields, hills, gardens, and mountain-top towns roll by. Once in Carunchio, we headed to the Palazzo Tour D'Eau—our home for the next week. Massimo, Nora, and the entire staff there gave their all to make us feel like guests of honor.

  In the morning, we woke up for some coffee, fruit, yogurt and croissants before heading to the l’Infiorata, the annual flower festival. The town square was bustling with people arranging bright flower petals, dark coffee grounds, and colored wood shavings and salts to create floral artworks on the ground. After helping create an arrangement to represent the Sister City program, we began our first of many walks around the town. Even though our Italian was not great at that point, we were warmly welcomed by the patient, friendly locals we met on our walks.

  In the next few days staying at the Palazzo, we cooked gnocchetti rigati, palotte, pizza, biscotti, tiramisù, and more with Chef Dino of the AbruzzoCibus cooking school. We toured an olive oil factory, toured the bell foundry that makes bells for the Vatican, tasted and identified the nuances of wines and olive oils, and learned about the process of making fine Italian cheeses. We also visited the seaside city of Vasto and explored the narrow streets, wide piazzas, large cathedrals, and a delicious restaurant located literally on the Adriatic sea.

  After a week connecting to Italian culture and learning about Italy’s history, we couldn’t wait to really explore Carunchio, Vasto, and the surrounding areas through the lives of the locals. We stayed with Antonio, Annamaria, Francesco, and Gabriele—a family known in Carunchio for (among other things) truffle hunting.

  With them, our days took on a significantly more relaxed rhythm filled with walks, naps, visiting the sea, and more cooking, of course. One notable adventure was a morning of truffle hunting with Antonio and Francesco. We woke up early, put the dogs in the back of the car, and headed down some beautiful, bumpy roads. We spent a few hours watching in awe as the dogs dug up dozens and dozens of truffles. After watering the family garden and enjoying a snack, we were lucky enough to work in Antonio’s shop, preparing truffle products for sale. We were even more lucky that day to eat two delicious meals covered in truffles. What a treat!

  Another adventure was a hike in the mountains, among the wildflowers, windmills, and so many butterflies. We also spent more time in Vasto, enjoying days at the sea, watching a play, and wandering about the busy streets. We laughed with friends (humor transcends language barriers), played so many Italian card games, picked up soccer at the school field, went on runs, and played a bit of organ (built in 1775, I might add!).

  And suddenly, somehow, it was time to go home. We traveled back with much more than what we started with: not just cheese and olive oil… but also friendships that we hope will last a lifetime, new perspectives on life, and insights into how to better connect the similarly charming communities of Saluda and Carunchio.

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