Friday 15 June 2012

WHERE's MY GRANDPARENT's HOUSE IN PRAIANO?

I tried to find my Grandparents house today, I had the address and I remember exactly what it looked like.  I went every Summer from the age of five to about ten, I loved it. My Grandparents spent a lot of time in Praiano, and my Grandfather Sidney Gilliat made his last film Endless Night, an Agatha Christie novel, down there as well as in England. They lovingly built the house which was at time at the end of a path at the top of a hill.
There were thousands of steps from the sea in Praiano, next to Positano and my mother used to complain the whole  time about the heat as she walked up hill with me dragging behind. 
Praiano today is almost a city with new roads and many new houses, it has grown to an overwhelming size. I looked for the address 22 Via Constantinopoli and the street was everywhere but in so many directions.  Unfortunately there was every number but 22.  The houses had all changed and from being brand spanking new they looked forlorn and lost amongst the cobblestones.  Broken and in disrepair you could feel the poverty.  The only thing I recognised were the weeds. 


There was something sad about today, I loved my Grandparents so much, and I suppose I wanted to find remnants that they had once been on the planet, to touch the walls of their house that I had so enjoyed. It's as if they did not exist.  
The good news is Positano is incredible and the hotel we are staying in delightful. With beautiful weather and drinks at the San Pietro all is merry.  A lemon dropped from the tree that smelt totally delicious, it was good luck, a little bitter sweet perhaps.
My film is being edited and so at least there is that to be excited about. Just a little sad that I did not find my favourite house one more tim



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