Born in a stable...

Presepio vivente

It's that time of year, between the many meals of Christmas and the festivities of New Year and Epiphany, when families are looking for something to do.

This is the first year that the Pieve di San Giovanni Battista in Campagna (a typically accurate description of the little, restored country church that has strong family connections and was where I was married a few years ago) has put on a 'live' nativity - the sort where folks dress up and pose in a crib scene for other folks to congratulate them and take pictures.

The 12th century baptistry of San Giovanni Battista in Campagna

When we arrived, Mary had just got in a round of vin brûlée (hot wine) for the family, carols were being sung in the chapel as the blacksmith banged away out of time, locals were getting dressed up in Holy Land garb (best to have an extra layer when its so chilly), bread was baking in a wood oven, polenta being stirred over a fire in a cast iron pot.

The holy family in the live nativity, complete with cow and pony

Like most others we stayed a while, took a quick look at everything then left for somewhere warmer - taking care not to run over the silver lamé clad Angel Gabriel (age 4) as we left the the next door field.

Close-up of an original fresco inside the baptistry

Why 'Dopo la rotonda'?

Perché 'Dopo la rotonda'?

Head south out of the beautiful ancient city of Verona, clear the suburbs and you'll soon find yourself out in the quiet, sparse, industrial/rural landscape of the pianura veronese - a wide expanse of flat land that stretches down to Emiglia-Romagna and the River Po.

Passing tobacco and fruit plantations, warehouse blocks and threadbare villages, you might find yourself approaching the town of Bovolone: A town with a small ageing population and a big heart, caught between the demise of the reproduction furniture industry (cherubs on your chairs, anyone?) and the current financial markets crisis. Forget Verona (or Firenze, Palermo, Rome...). This is small-town - a bit grey, not much to look at, less to do.

I moved to Bovolone with my wife in November 2012. Her family is from here and my father-in-law, whenever giving driving directions to somewhere out of town, always starts with the phrase "Dopo la rotunda..." ("After the roundabout..."). It seemed a good title for my blog, implying we live in a 'one-roundabout-town' and that the rest of the world is out there, beyond the roundabout.

Despite my description, I'm excited about living here. Up till now I've lived in or near London and spent a good proportion of my life travelling for work and pleasure. So small town life is an adventure - or feels like one right now.