When I returned to the United States after an absence of nearly 30 years in 2010 my sister took me on road trips to any place she thought that I might find interesting. One of these road trips took us to St. Louis where we visited a farmer’s Market called Soulards, the Italian quarter known as ‘The Hill’ and of course to a Cardinal’s baseball game.
I think the most interesting spot for me was indeed ‘The Hill’. To tell the truth, there was little or nothing of modern Italy about it (except for a magnificent, rich, creamy espresso I drank in a Caffè!). Like most things I found in America, this place was like an echo from another time and place. I’d already noticed that the American’s seem to love to preserve a sort of decay, if I can use that word, that you won’t find in most of Italy and here it was even more apparent.
The buildings, inside and out, were often weathered and dark, with grey creaky floors and yellowed walls. Italy is yes, ancient and we have oodles of old monuments and ruins, but when you go inside a restaurant, store or someone’s home, everything is bright and pretty much modern. In some places it seemed that modernization ended in maybe 1955.
Perhaps each is seeking something that seems to be ‘missing’ in their society. This has been something I’ve pondered on, off and on, since I made that and my subsequent 2012 trip.
from Italy
with dreams of golden paved roads
a house on the hill
© G.s.k. 15
This post was inspired and is linked to Heeding Haiku with Ha (Mindlovemisery’s Menagerie)
Oh I truly enjoyed this Haibun, Georgia!! That must have been an incredible trip having been away for so long ! You’ll find plenty of old here. So when are you coming for a visit ??:)
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LOL … wish I knew. I’d love to spend three months in North America … there’s so much to see and get into again … and I’ve never been to your part of the world!
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Well if you come, you must come end of June…for St Jean Baptiste festivals, then International Jazz fest…and festivals all summer long:)
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Kudos for a inspired write ! 🙂
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Thanks … I was looking into my 2010 archives for windmills and started wandering through my U.S. trip as well, when I came across the photos I’d taken when I went to St. Louis – lots of fond memories! Glad you enjoyed the post.
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I’ve found it true that a representation of a place in some other location is different(older) than how it is like in that actual place anymore. The representation speaks of a past, which is almost gone.
I love that haiku. 🙂
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I know what you mean … int this particular case, yes something of the “old” Italy is there … but in a way all throughout the U.S. there’s a lot more “vintage” than there should be … I think the Americans as Jen said are trying to ‘create’ a past which they don’t have. Hard to describe.
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This is wonderful! Yes, I can appreciate that — we do like our “vintage” feel — perhaps because we don’t have that long, long history we hope to preserve what little we have? Or perhaps it’s a matter of not letting go? Who can tell. great observations, Georgia 🙂
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Thanks Jen … it was so weird you might say … the newest of nations … in the world’s vision of the U.S. you always get this super modern feel about the States … and when you actually get there, it’s kind of disconcerting that there is so much “vintage” every where … i think you’re on the right track there though.
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