Easter in Sardinia
It is always interesting to go to a new place. Even before one arrives, there is the anticipation and the exploration in the travel section of the bookstore, on the web, and teasing out useful bits from those who have already been. But I think I prefer rediscovery. When I checked in to the Hotel Su Gologone I was interested to see if it was as I remembered. Did the little store still carry the same local artisan goods, or was a new craft being showcased? Did the local herd of sheep graze nearby? Was the proprietor and her husband still gently and firmly in charge of the staff? The answer was "yes" and the hostelry was as welcoming as the other times I had stayed when teaching in nearby Nuoro.
There was a pleasant surprise, however (in addition to riotous pots of azalea). I was greeted as "Profesoressa Biggart" by the new night clerk, a young woman I had taught in a class two years earlier. She surprised me by recollecting a discussion of frame analysis, a theory about the construction of experience especially useful to those in industries such as tourism where the client is paying for an experience. I also became reacquainted with Bastianina who runs a tourist stand next to the nearby spring-fed gorge. She is a bright young mother who works every day in tourist season from April to October, then centers her life on her family of two boys and husband in the off season. The last time we met she gave me a self-addressed postcard to mail at Christmas from California, which I did. Today we spoke about the Sardinian language which is closer to Latin than is modern Italian. She shared some words with me and I understood why American high school Latin teachers vacation in Sardinia. I had met a couple of them in Nuoro on another visit. While we were talking a dapper Sardinian man joined us. It was hard to believe that he is 94 years old as he looked 20 years younger. There have been an unusual number of long-lived Sardinians from Barbagia and geneticists have done studies looking for the secret to their longevity. He looked as though he had many years left.
The hotel is a very special place, not just because of is charm, but because of the economic role it plays in the region. Sardinia historically has been socially organized into clans and regions and while there is great loyalty internal to groups there is fierce competition between them. When one clan becomes too successful there is an attempt to knock them down. Kidnapping and ransom has been the way of maintaining social and economic equilibrium in the past I wondered how the hugely successful Hotel Su Gologone has thrived in this environment. The founder had a perfect strategy: everything in the hotel from food to furnishings, and everyone on staff is local. The success of the hotel is everyone's success. The hotel celebrates local food, wine, art and culture. Every room is different but filled with traditional fabrics, rugs and ceramics. The result is a hotel that appeals to foreigners looking for an authentic experience, and to locals who find regional specialties in the restaurant.
Today was Easter and the dining room was filled with affluent Sardinian families children were welcome and colored eggs and small toys were at each place.
There was a pleasant surprise, however (in addition to riotous pots of azalea). I was greeted as "Profesoressa Biggart" by the new night clerk, a young woman I had taught in a class two years earlier. She surprised me by recollecting a discussion of frame analysis, a theory about the construction of experience especially useful to those in industries such as tourism where the client is paying for an experience. I also became reacquainted with Bastianina who runs a tourist stand next to the nearby spring-fed gorge. She is a bright young mother who works every day in tourist season from April to October, then centers her life on her family of two boys and husband in the off season. The last time we met she gave me a self-addressed postcard to mail at Christmas from California, which I did. Today we spoke about the Sardinian language which is closer to Latin than is modern Italian. She shared some words with me and I understood why American high school Latin teachers vacation in Sardinia. I had met a couple of them in Nuoro on another visit. While we were talking a dapper Sardinian man joined us. It was hard to believe that he is 94 years old as he looked 20 years younger. There have been an unusual number of long-lived Sardinians from Barbagia and geneticists have done studies looking for the secret to their longevity. He looked as though he had many years left.
The hotel is a very special place, not just because of is charm, but because of the economic role it plays in the region. Sardinia historically has been socially organized into clans and regions and while there is great loyalty internal to groups there is fierce competition between them. When one clan becomes too successful there is an attempt to knock them down. Kidnapping and ransom has been the way of maintaining social and economic equilibrium in the past I wondered how the hugely successful Hotel Su Gologone has thrived in this environment. The founder had a perfect strategy: everything in the hotel from food to furnishings, and everyone on staff is local. The success of the hotel is everyone's success. The hotel celebrates local food, wine, art and culture. Every room is different but filled with traditional fabrics, rugs and ceramics. The result is a hotel that appeals to foreigners looking for an authentic experience, and to locals who find regional specialties in the restaurant.
Today was Easter and the dining room was filled with affluent Sardinian families children were welcome and colored eggs and small toys were at each place.
posted by UC Davis at 5:50 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home