Today we spent the afternoon in Confederation Park at the Campani Picnic. The Campani are the people from Campagna, the province south of Rome which includes Naples and the cities of the Amalfi coast. Joe was providing the music and we had a great time. We were there all afternoon from noon till after five.
It is amazing how much difference the music makes to a picnic. There was another picnic today in the park in a different area and they had no music. You went up there and it felt flat. There was no excitement to it. The Campani picnic was alive with great feeling. People stayed right to the end. The music is so important.
I had two “Italian Sausage in a Bun” which is my favorite picnic food. And of course everyone brought all kinds of drinks and snacks: beer, wine, chips, fruit, nuts, and a thermos of cappuccino. We had enough that it looks like we are not going to eat tonight.
We sat with Christina and we were joined by Vi and John as well as Carmen and Luciano. The weather was great except for the smoke. We are in the midst of a hot dry summer and there are forest fires burning throughout the Province out of control. I don’t know which ones gave us the smoke but it hung over us like a thick blanket. You could smell the burning wood.
From the left, Christina, Carmen, Susan, Me, Vi (with the wine), John and Luciano. We look like we are having a good time? Well, yes, as a matter of fact, we were!
Here is our “camp” in the shade under the trees. The sun was hot through the haze but there was a breeze all afternoon so the heat was not uncomfortable.
I must admit, I had a nap after my meal and a little wine. Susan and I danced a bit but the heat and the wine were overpowering and I had no strength for it. Needless to say, Susan was not pleased but she bore it well. All in all it was a really lovely afternoon.