Back in sandland, from a wonderfully amazing week in Rome and Southern Italy. with two of the best people in the world, Lisa and Steph. The greatest thing was that I have a long, long list of blogs to do from the trip. I should type them up given the absentmindedness that often plagues me.
Some of the upcoming topics will be.
0) the Amalfi coast: Positano, the walk of the Gods, Sorrento and more...
1) my retirement to 2 hours north of New York city, as a cheese farmer, or maybe Oregon (because they have better wine)
2) on being scared of ending up alone when 30, but having to have faith and understand that one has absolutely no control over the forces of fate.
3) On Italian culture, why it's amazing, why I like the Spaniards a little better then the Italians, why they never get fat, and why charm is potentially the best character trait anyone or anything can have
4) On the reason to have traveling friends that are like vitamin supplements...
5) About how as Kristen would say people come into your life "for a reason, season or a lifetime" nonetheless, how there's some that you can't let go of and how they haunt, make you smile or reminisce at odd times.....
but for today, I will just talk about the Rome part of the trip.
It all started on a train ride into Rome with Pat and Becky, and a funny phone call from a boy I met in Beirut three months ago, strange outside energy that would inevitably define the trip.
I showed up to my hotel after being ripped off by a taxi driver, (one thing that can ultimately ruin an experience in most countries is being ripped off in general, but taxis are ridiculously notorious for it.) Our hotel located in an embassy neighborhood near Borghese park, was cute, traditional Italian, 2 story room, very cozy with lovely chocolate croissants and espresso served each morning for breakfast.
Then, I couldn't check in, so I scurried onto public transport and into town to do some photo work, independently. I love taking photos but can be a bit of an annoying nutter when with people, so it was good to have the day to myself to wander. Roma is a gorgeous city and it was truly alive on Easter weekend. Colorful and cultural people in all the piazzas, and live music being played on accordians, pianos, wind pipes, among other instruments, the sun was pouring down onto the city giving a golden glow to everyone out on the town. The best part of Rome for me was not the people or shopping, it was the ability to get lost and then easily found again and to turn down every street and there be some incredible historical landmark there, such as the Pantheon or the Colusseum or Piazza Navuno or whatever it was. There were buildings of extraordinary measures, often built solely for the sake of being built.
So, after wandering, I got a little restless and parked myself in the sun on the steps of a chapel for awhile, got totally lost in the moment and my tacky chick lit book and then succumbed to my angry stomach sending "feed me" growls.
Followed by a gorgeous lunch of a greek salad, Pinot Grigio and tagliatelle with porcini mushrooms, I headed back to the hotel for a shower, power nap and to catch up with the ladies. So great to see Steph and Lisa, friends from Dubai, and of course, my old friend from college, Katie Woodcock. Good friends are truly medicinal and the effect is instantaneous. You know how it's going to feel to see them and have them around, and quite often it's better then you remembered.
For the next two days, we ate, drank and were merry in an ode to the pope or not... but we had fun and I cannot wait until next summer in South America for a wine and dine, hike and all reunion and maybe, we will get even farther with the locals with my improved Spanish.
More over the next few days about the subjects above.
Ciao bella!
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