Isola d'Ischia

Mary Jean on the high speed ferry from Sorrento to Ischia.

Standing in Serrara Fontana, the birth place of my grandmother, great grandfather, etc.

The church where they were all married and baptised.

The town of Sant'Angelo below Serrara where some of the family came from.

Porto Ischia

Arrivaderci Ischia












Today was a trip into the past of the family of Grandma Cecelia Ducale (Vado) who was born and married in Serrara Fontana on the island of Ischia.  After the hour trip from Sorrento we bought bus tickets and got a local bus up the island's volcanic mountain to Serrara Fontana or just Serrara since there is a Fontana a little lower on the windy road.  Serrara is very small and after asking a few locals we found the town hall.  Working there was an extremely nice gentleman who was able to find the record of my grandmother and grandfather's marriage certificate for which I had come.  As more information was exchanged it appears that his family and mine were known to each other.  He took all of the information I could remember of the family as to years of birth and death as well as children and grandchildren and promised to send it to me in Santa Barbara.  He even refused any payment for the official certificate of marriage.  A very fortuitous experience.
We then caught another bus back down to Porto Ischia and had a great lunch and walked around the town which we would love to visit again.  Now back in Sorrento it all seems dreamlike.  A dinner in of bread, beer, cheese and salami is a perfect way to end a perfect day.