We took a walk on the beach in Marina di Ravenna. It was quite cold, but Evan really likes to watch fishermen, so we  decided to go near the capanni da pesca (fishing cabins).

My mom’s side of the family comes from the coast and many of them are gente di mare (people of the sea). I have memories of my grandpa Giuseppe “Peccia” taking us, four little grandchildren, to the capanno da pesca on weekends. We spent hours staring at the nets and celebrating the abundance of acquadelle, sardine e uomini nudi, all little fish, delicious when fried.

“It looks like Winter is back” an old fisherman yelled us over the wind from the cabin. When we came closer he invited us over and offered a nice break from the cold and a warm coffee. His name is Celso and he has been fishing for 40 years. He showed us the nets and the fish just caught, explaining to Evan the different techniques and the best tides to fish, with several tangents about his family and his past as a professional biker.

What a warm encounter on a cold day! I was feeling a little low energy that morning and meeting Celso was a pleasant reminder of the hospitality that is typical of my area, Romagna. It also reminded me of the stories my dad used to tell me about my grandpa Duilio. Whenever there were travelers passing by the farm, he invited them over for a meal, with the motto: A casa di un contadino non mancano mai un piatto di pasta e un bicchier di vino (at a farmer’s home you’ll never miss a plate of pasta and a glass of wine).