28 May Poppi: from Unknown to Unforgettable
Poppi.
A week ago, I knew nothing about it. Today, it’s a different sentiment entirely.
Have you ever heard “good things come in small packages?” That pretty much sums up my experience in this small Italian town.
We kicked off our brief stay in Poppi with a trip to Romena Castle. We learned about the rich history of this beautiful (particularly demolished) structure. The rain poured, but it did little to dull my interest in everything that we were learning. For example, it was interesting that the prisoners were kept in a tower. In this tower, the prisoners were placed on different levels in accordance to the severity of the crimes committed. Even more interesting was drawing the comparison between the separation of these criminals and the manner in which Dante was inspired by it. To me, it’s fascinating that the different circles of Hell cited in the Inferno were inspired by towers just like the one we saw.
Having studied Spanish for several years, it was very exciting for me to realize that I was able to understand a large chunk of what was being said in Italian regarding the castle. Language is a passion of mine, so to feel this way was very gratifying for me. I realized then that I would love to be able to take the time to learn Italian.
Perfectly, we later participated in a basic Italian lesson! Learning to introduce ourselves in Italian was also interesting to me. Being that Italian and Spanish are both Romance languages, they share many traits. However, there are also many subtle differences that can be confusing. After this experience, I certainly plan to continue working on my Italian speaking skills. I would absolutely adore being able to speak this beautiful language one day in the future.
In essence, my visit to Poppi is one I’ll remember. I wasn’t familiar with this tiny gem of a town coming into Italy, but it has definitely left it’s impression on me now!
