Pieve di Teco – Silently…

Pieve di Teco – Silently…

I went to Pieve di Teco one morning to see it’s cathedral,
but I’m not particularly interested in churches,
they are too conceited,
like who owns a Porsche,
it’s as if they always expect to be noticed,
so as a principle I ignore them, I like small things.



I preferred to just wandered aimlessly around the town, the most tranquil town in the world I’d say.  As it goes, since they’ve opened a new tunnel on the 28 state highway, all the traffic has been diverted and now Pieve di Teco is living in a silent bubble. No one can say if the town will benefit form this fact, we will need to wait and see, but for now, traffic and noise has gone.
No tapping of heels on the gray slate of the streets, no dogs barking behind the gates. Even the morning chats of ladies on the corners of the streets sound more like soft whisper, as if they too are showing respect to the spell of silence.


A little further in the old town, along the gothic arcades, nothing has changed. Shops still display their goods as if it was a permanent market, just like their forgoers craftsmen used to, until the beginning of the last century. Strange kinds of flour or shoes, it doesn’t matter, you can find pretty much everything here if you know how to look for it. But if you don’t find your desired object, you can always decide to come back on the last Sunday of each month for the second hand and antique market!


Pieve di Teco is an old town that has suffered different rulers. To put it simple, it’s location on the border between Liguria and Piemonte made it a contended land since 1400 from both the republic of Genova and the ducat of Savoia. A lot of blood was spilt between the two contenders, until 1861 when Pieve di Teco was annexed to a very young Italy.




Let’s say I just happened in front of “900” Mrs Cristina’s bakery and since it’s the right time for a snack I had the perfect excuse to enter and buy some shortening biscuits. I chat with the owner and discover that her
grandfather opened the bakery in 1953, precisely on the 25th of November. She tells this in a proud yet tired voice, she loves her job but it’s hard and probably her children will not continue the family tradition.
What a pity I say.

 When I return to the car I’m stuffed with biscuits and happy about the trip. On the road I met a group of youngsters in tracksuits, they are running, screaming, laughing. I watch them playing on the old square that today is used as a parking area. I suddenly realise that the rigid and severe silence that characterized our walk is broken.
I’m happy.


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Pieve di Teco – Silently…
Lungo la statale 28

writing and photography by paola faravelli
translated and adapted by daniela menzano
 

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One Comment

  1. Love love your blog! The photos are gorgeously romantic and your charming articles are written in such poetic way.
    I’m hooked! Got to visit Liguria again with the eyes of a local.
    You have conquerred the impossible strategies of marketing – obviously!
    Yvonne
    (Canada)

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