The chatter is gone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The last time we were in Cortona for the University of Georgia’s Studies Abroad program, we rented a lovely little apartment; so lovely that we selected it again for this semester of teaching. Among the many reasons we loved it was that it was just off the main Piazza della Repubblica, one of the three main piazzas (squares) in the town. It has two tiny little balconies and from them, there is a narrow view into the piazza. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the balcony doors open, as they usually are in warmer weather, there is always a delightful hum of the voices of people coming and going. There are several benches in Piazza della Repubblica and of course the steps of the Palazzo Comunale (town hall). These broad, well-worn stairs have welcomed people to Cortona since medieval times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Like in most of Italy, Cortona’s piazzas act as the town’s living room. All day and into the night, people stroll, stop to chat, pass through as they go about their shopping or have a coffee at one of the several bars nearby. The piazza is a living, breathing space; as integral a part of the Italian culture as is pasta. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But now, in the piazzas, the steets and the little vicoli<\/em> of Cortona, where you once heard the sound of voices in conversation, there is nothing. The stairs, typically filled with people sitting, relaxing, enjoying a gelato, are empty. Even during the time when people are going to and from the grocery, it’s quiet. Occasional conversations are heard, but they are rare and brief. From the balcony, I can watch people purposefully steer clear of one another, as they work to keep their “un metro” distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I’m looking forward to the day when this abnormal silenzio<\/em> is replaced by normal conversazione<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The chatter is gone. The last time we were in Cortona for the University of Georgia’s Studies Abroad program, we rented a lovely little apartment; so lovely that we selected it again for this semester of teaching. Among the many reasons we loved it was that it was just off the main Piazza della Repubblica, … <\/p>\n![\"The](\"http:\/\/jeffcurto.com\/stuckintuscany\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/CortonaSteps-1024x722.jpg\")