Living in San Giorgio di Pesaro and Kingston

On the way to the opera (25th Oct.) Elizabeth asked if we had heard about the earthquake. She went on to explain that while out shopping she had heard some women talking about a terrible earthquake. Asked what was happening she was told that there was going to be a major earthquake in the Marche on the 27th Oct. An expert who had predicted an earthquake at Aquila earlier in the year was saying that it was the turn of the Marche. He didn’t know the exact time it would strike but certainly the date was correct. Once home Elizabeth searched on the internet and found information on a blog.

The day came and went and no earthquake. It had all been a hoax put out on the internet and the pages were blocked. The expert, who had not predicted the quake, said that it was impossible to predict quakes with accuracy and one could only talk about increased risk.

Sunday we went to Jesi to see a production of “La Traviata”. As you can see the opera house in Jesi is very traditional with rows of boxes around the stage. We were second tier up and to the side but the view wasn’t too bad.  Bill and Elizabeth, who paid more, sat in the front of the box and I, paying less, had to sit behind them. So for me it was a restricted view but having the box means you can stretch your legs during the performance and can even talk without disturbing anyone else.

We enjoyed the performance even if some of the acting was wooden and the singer playing Violetta was more convincing while dying of consumption than playing the part of a high class, flirting courtesan. All the singers started off unsteadily but got better as the evening progressed and the final death scene was, we all agreed, very moving.

The performance had started at 4.00 and finished at 6.30. So plenty of time to drive to a restaurant and finish the day with a good meal.