Some mundane observations from the first couple of months in Caserta (they may also be the last!)
The Pizza intera:
In my life up until now, pizza was something to share. People would squabble over which toppings to get because only 1 pizza would be chosen. Here, pizzas are a personal matter. It is a joy to get a whole pizza to yourself, but an unexpected indulgence.
Howcome Casertians aren’t all fat?
With such a number of pasticcerie, bar, forni, it is surprising how most stay slim. There are dolce to delight in, and I’m always discovering some new flavor or shape (recently, il fungo al cioccolato). The carbohydrates and sugar out there are so temptingly presented, and so satisfying, that it’s hard to think of them as unbeneficial to one’s health. I’m left wondering if Casertians actually consume as much as I’m lead to think they do…maybe it’s all about the display?
The traffic.
Caserta wasn’t built to take on the traffic which currently crawls through its streets, and hasn’t been modified to accommodate the slight increase in traffic since the Bourbon era. The streets into which cars flow are often narrow, with houses flanking them; even the wider streets are overloaded in the mornings and evenings. However the same streets can be seen to be serene and empty at other times. This means that it’s a question of town planning, rather than the sheer amount of vehicles.
The gated residences
So many housing complexes have fences built around them. That takes some getting used to. Is it to give a sense of security to the people inside, or is the crime rate really so high here?
Do we appreciate the Reggia enough?
Caserta’s greatest treasure is behind closed walls, living and breathing in a historical bubble amidst modernity. What would the statues say if they could peek over the walls? I am disappointed that non-residents have to pay so much to enter now, and that residents’ annual subscription-cost has risen. The entry-fee crystallizes the Park into a luxury, and there is a risk that people who are forced to perceive it as such, will forget about it in time. I find it positive that there are some restrictions regarding the Reggia, but too many of them will create apathy towards it. Already, people are desensitized to history and anything non-digital, so the Reggia shouldn’t be kept too far out of reach of anyone curious about exploring it….not just within reach of one-time tourists who will pay for the novelty.
Nature
It’s hard to imagine when you walk or drive through il ponte de Hercule or Piazza Van Vitelli, but the woods and hills aren’t too far from Caserta. Nature is fairly accessible from the town fortunately—there are springs, trees, ruins, forts and paths all around us—you just have to take a leap out of its bounds, and the fresh air is yours to suck up.
Katerina Spathia
aurora_awakes@hotmail.com
