Some of you have been following my family history: my father has uncovered some amazing documents which I would like to share with you. You may remember he arrived in Abbateggio in 1947 with his younger sister Teta (see http://www.writelink.co.uk/blogs/chausiku/2008/11/25/p5711#more5711 ). I have translated the only remaining letter from her to the family back in Rome, written on their second day there. I find the tone delightful, and the details fascinating. Here it is:

Abbateggio, October 31, 1947

Dear family,

We’re coming to the end of our second day in this famous district. All well. There has been so much work, and so many people coming to meet ‘’u ‘gnor dottò’ [Mr Doctor Sir], that we haven’t had a moment to look around. Poor Ugo! He must have examined and treated twenty people, between those in the village and those outside. Now he’s removing an upper molar of a man who’s sitting in the middle of the empty room;

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