New Year Celebrations In Santa Domenica Talao

[Italy4me]

Well we had an absolutely wonderful New Year's Eve in Santa Domenica Talao.

We had invited our friends, Polly and Mike, who are currently living on a yacht in Tropea to the party so we met up with Rita & Peter at Hotel Continental. We picked up Steve, Gill and Emily and landed at Derek and Monica's a little after 9.
Then I went to meet Roy and Mary as they had driven up and parked in a different part of the village and didn't know the way. I gathered them in and was keeping an ear out for Dennis & Linda as they were also on the way but they didn't need any assistance and found their own way (apparently the smell of food cooking was a good signpost).

Had an absolutely lovely buffet supper and a bit of mingling then we all went down to the piazza with some bottles of bubbly and plastic cups to watch the fireworks which were going on right along the coast. From our elevated viewpoint at the Piazza we could see quite a stretch of the coastline and all of the festivities and fireworks going on below us.

At midnight we raised our glasses to 2008 then followed on with Auld Lang Syne which totally confounded our Italian spectators!
From the bar along the street there was a certain amount of ceremonial plate-smashing going on which seemed more like Greek wedding than Italian New Year.
The conga that emanated from the bar picked up the stranieri (us) from along the way and we then joined in with the dancing in the street which was punctuated with each passing car.

I really could have done with having a video camera as Steve was attempting the Tarantella with Josephina and his legs were going ninety to the dozen. I gather that Steve has no recollection of this part of the evening - which is maybe just as well!! But he certainly gave us plenty of entertainment.
Brian, who will always get up dancing at the drop of a hat, was also giving us all a laugh with his twirls but I was disappointed that Rita cried off with sore feet due to party shoes as she and Peter can dance really well.

I'm sure you will all be amazed to hear that I wasn't drinking New Year's Eve as I was driving!
How self-righteous is that 8-)) )
After dropping off Steve, Gill and Emily and collecting Polly and Mike from Roy and Mary's we eventually got home about 4am.
Sorry that Seamas and Caroline didn't make it as Seamas was poorly and Vincent and Joyce didn't manage to get as I'm sure they would have enjoyed it as much as we all did.
Lesley & Brian

[gill]

hi lesley,
Well we are back home, only took us 16 hours back, so it was better than the 24 hours it took us on the way down....We are freezing its minus 8 here, a bit of a culture shock after the italian sunshine.. emily sitting watching tv with hat and gloves on !!! With heating on full!!!Missing Scalea already.
A big thankyou to yourselves,monica and derek and everyone else for the party on new years eve, it was an experience !!! Emily still taking the mick out of Steve for thinking he was acting out a new italian dirty dancing with the old lady from the bar !! :lol: :lol: :lol:
see you all soon (Easter)
gill, steve and sensible emily xx

[Italy4me]

Hi Gill,
Pleased to hear you had a better trip back. It's still just as warm here but I gather Edinburgh has had lots of snow and there is forecast to be a lot over England too.
Know where I'd rather be :lol:
See you soon, Lesley & Brian

[Niamh]

Hi Lesley and Brian,
Just reading of your New Year's celebrations and sounds like you all had a blast. A very lively "ringing in of 2008" Didn't realise there would be so much "life" there at that time of year. We bought a place there last summer and are hoping for renovation work to get started this month. Very excited about that. With a bit of luck it could be completed by October - maybe a bit ambitious but just knowing it's happening is enough to get us through these dark winter months. Not sure but I think we may have met you when we were in Scalea in November. I'm very bad at remembering names but we went out with Tony and the gang to a lovely french restaurant and I have a feeling we could have met you. Either way - looking forward to keeping up to date with the news there over the forums.
Niamh & Colman (from Dublin)

[billy]

Hello Niamh and Colman,
If you were the Couple with the young boy in the French restaurant, The famous Lesley and Brian were sitting opposite you.My wife Sheila and myself were there that night as well. In fact, I think I took a photograph of the three of you that night which I have tried to post on to the website but not being a computer expert I don't know if the post will be successful.
Hope you have many great times in Italy in the future,
Regards,Billy.

[Italy4me]

Originally Posted by Niamh

Not sure but I think we may have met you when we were in Scalea in November.
Niamh & Colman (from Dublin)

Indeed you did meet us that night, I remember you all very well! (A little surprising actually as I'm not sure I was on my best behaviour that night.....there was definitely one evening we spent at Enzo's restaurant when I was a little the worse for wear - it was the ginger and rum liquer that finished me off......)

When are you expecting to get back across?
Best wishes, Lesley

[Doug]

Hi There Niamh and Colman. Diana and I also bought a place in Santa Domenica this year (for renovation) and we're excited that so many neat things go on there thru the seasons. Are you too working with Antonello as architect? With luck, we'll spend next christmas and new year over there enjoying it all first hand. For now, must rely on Lesley's great play-by-play reporting!

Sounds like a number of new homeowners are headed there. Our place is 58 steps below the piazza on Via Cappella del Madonna Rossario (the route to the chapel below town). Ring any bells in relation to your's? We've also been in touch with a British couple, who's name I don't have at the office, that were there in December for a possible purchase. I think Di posted a couple images in the Talao album recently. Simpatici saluti, Doug Jones

[Niamh]

Hi Billy, That was us alright with our young lad Liam. Not sure I really want to see that photo though depending on how far into the evening (and the wine) it was, looking forward to those great times in Italy.
Hi Lesley, mustn't have been your "ginger and rum night" cos you were perfectly fine. Remind me to buy you a few of those next time. We are coming back over in March for a few days. Bringing my Dad and Colman's mother (God help us !!) Arriving March 18th and leaving 22nd. Have to drown the Shamrock on Paddys day before we go !! What will the weather be like around then?
Hi Doug, Good to hear we are going to be neighbours. Yes Antonello is our architect also. Has your renovation work started yet? Not sure exactly where Via Cappella del Madonna Rossario is but can't be far from us. We are below the church of San Giusseppe just before you come to the road below. Not actually sure what our address will be as it covers 2 streets at the moment. We would certainly hope to spend some part of the Christmas holidays there 2008 so no doubt we will get to meet you at some stage.
Cheers Guys !! Niamh and Colman

[Di]

Niamh,
You are right, we can be too far from each other,
as I would have described where our place is the same way you did except I would also say off the piazza to the right, down 52 stairs. I love the location, right at edge of the main part of town but only a small distance from the church/piazza. Renovation officially begins on Feb. 2.

Di and Doug