Picnic at Monte Barro, A Day in Bergamo, and Karaoke Night
Cascina Bagaggera, Italy
I’ve been thinking about first impressions and how in the majority of cases they tend to be the right ones. Truthfully, I’m rarely proven wrong and I don’t change my mind easily. At Cascina Bagaggera, it’s difficult to find people who are not easy to connect with, not that I was looking for that. As always, though, with some it was even easier to get along with than others. Contrary to my usual situation, I’ve had to reconsider my initial impression on a couple of occasions here at Bagaggera. Maybe I’m losing my touch, or simply need to leave a bit more room before deciding anything. I’m happy to be able to say that I’ve always changed my mind for the better.
It’s interesting how conversations tend to shift over time. The softer, less profound initial topics somehow transition into deeper conversations about family and, well, life. Without any notice, what we are willing to share changes, like peeling off a layer. I think a lot of it is about thinking that the other person might know enough to be able to understand what we are trying to say. Like the meaningful talk in the car on the way to Bergamo, when I realized we might be way more alike than I thought at first.
I spent my day off in Bergamo. It was a perfectly warm spring day. At around eight o’clock I was already walking through the streets of Città Alta. It was quiet and it smelled like figs. It seemed like the people and all the little spots had just started waking up. I found myself in a church, I like going there for a few minutes when there’s barely anyone else there. I continued on to Parco della Pace and enjoyed the views of the sunlit buildings. I went to the other side where the botanical garden is located. It’s positioned a bit higher, overlooking the city. Right now, it’s completely engulfed in all the shades of green I could ever think of. Heading back down towards the train station, I stopped for the obligatory stracciatella ice cream at that famous place there, although honestly, I was expecting something more. Walking alongside the Mura Veneziane, I made my way to the center, squeezing through the crowds that completely transformed the vibe of the city.
I spent a couple of days this week with the ragazzi e ragazze from Associazione Corimbo. A lovely and very sincere bunch of people I really like spending time with. Although, truthfully, it does require a particular kind of energy. We worked together in what is named Laboratorio dei Caprini, adding countless flavors to the yogurt, packaging kefir, making a cheesecake in a cup, adding different flavors to goat cheese, and especially, packaging all the products which then get sold in the farm shop. The atmosphere is always pleasant and light, as we listen to the music and hum to the tunes we know.
For the Festa del 1° Maggio, Bagaggera was even busier than usual and I was quite happy to spend hours and hours making hundreds of pancakes. Elia noticed how I tend to steer clear whenever there is an excessive amount of people around. He is right, it’s something I am not used to in the context of farms, and it’s definitely something I wasn’t prepared for. At the end of the day, most of the Baga team gathered around a table to unwind. I remember that as the evening I got to know another amazing person that works in the kitchen at Bagaggera. Before this moment, there really wasn’t a good time to talk. That evening, the conversations came particularly easily since we were operating on a few glasses of wine, and that was before the gin and tonics appeared.
To my great surprise, the people here encouraged me to do something I never thought I would be able to do. One evening, we went to a karaoke bar where I was called to the mic. Charles Aznavour came out, and then Amy Winehouse, and Norah Jones. Being completely honest, some liquid courage was required before all of it. I love the new repertoire of songs I’ve been introduced to. I definitely developed a deeper appreciation for Lucio Dalla. It’s becoming quite precious to me, the playlist I have on my phone, because I’m able to connect it to the periods and the people I met on my travels. I can scroll through the songs and all the great times I spent listening to music in their company and singing songs come right back to me.
Before his final departure to Spain, we promised our Spanish friend to visit him once again. He was staying in a hostel at Parco Monte Barro and although he seemed to be in good company there, it just wasn’t the same as us hanging out together at Bagaggera. The park is surrounded by beautiful views and with Lecco in the background we took one of my favorite group photos. I packed a picnic which we devoured watching the sunset and trying to make sense of the face and hands our Spanish volunteer so clearly saw on one of the mountains directly ahead of us. We ended the evening in my favorite way, trying to find a song we all know and being more or less satisfied with how we managed to sing it. It doesn’t happen often, but this time, I don’t feel quite ready to leave. Though I have many plans ahead, I can spare another week—and I can’t think of a better place to spend it than here.
