The Italian region of Abruzzo has an area of well over 4,000 square miles and an estimated population of 1.3 million. The land varies from domestic and pasoral, to exceedingly wild and mountainous. Hilltowns, castles and churches proliferate. Vineyards and olive groves are ubiquitous. Eighty miles of Adriatic shoreline provide endless points of view for a wandering photographer. Abruzzo is something of an enigma, steeped in ancient history and still highly volatile on a day-to-day basis. It is a place where time seems to have stood still, and yet there is ample evidence of its inevitable constant march. Many of the hilltowns still show the scars and damage from earthquakes in 2009 and 2015. This year, more earthquakes have struck, resulting in the very recent, extremely tragic landslide in Rigopiano, where 29 people perished. Primo Levi has aptly described Abruzzo as “forte e gentile” (strong and gentle).