The Return Post
Monday, July 7, 2008

Hi.

I've been gone a long time.

I decided it was time to get my ass in gear and get back on here. As soon as I made that decision, I got so totally overwhelmed with the idea of writing that instead, I went to check out my blogging friends here and here because it seemed like it would be far easier to try and catch up on their lives than to start to get back in the swing of my own.

But that only last so long...and before I type in another blog address or go read that script staring at me, I decided I needed to type in this address.

I have so many things to discuss, but rather than try to do them all in one post, I think I'll give some highlights here and then choose whether or not I want to revisit any in the future or perhaps just move forward with what life hands me these days.

So for now:

TUSCANY. Is like a dream. This was my second time there in a little over a year and yes, I am aware that I am ridiculously lucky. We were there with my husband's whole family.



This was the sunset one night on our drive back up the dirt road to our villa. One of the things that amazed me in Europe was how active the elderly are. I saw 75 year old women on motorbikes, 80 year old women at the market and carting their groceries home afterward. Everyone seems to encourage older people to stay active and with all the small towns having life's necessities within their walls (wine, cheese, produce, and shoes...clearly life's necessities...), they are constantly able to and encouraged to do for themselves. It's a very social lifestyle, with people truly sitting on their stoops having late afternoon conversation with their neighbors. We see these things in movies and think, with our fast-paced, get ahead American lifestyle, that this can't possibly be how they live over there. But it is. The stores close from 1:30-4:30 every day so that people can have lunch with their friends or their families or their co-workers. There is no such thing as "lunch at your desk" or a 30-minute lunch break. They respect the idea of "time off", the idea that the human body needs to replenish. It will never be like that here...but I can still envy and dream. And eat lots and lots of pici while I'm in Italy. Pici is handrolled "fat" spaghetti that's made with egg (regular spaghetti is not) and I especially love it with a melted cherry tomato and garlic sauce.



This picture reminds me of all the paintings of Tuscany...with the rolling Tuscan hills. This was taken on my first morning there at about 5 AM. I woke up at 2 and couldn't fall back to sleep so decided to take advantage of the quiet and sit and watch the sunrise. It was gorgeous.

Tuscany is full of rolling hills and regal cypress trees. Bottles and bottles of wine and the freshest produce in the world. Winding back roads and signs pointing you in all sorts of directions. You go to Tuscany to get lost, not found. And that, perhaps, is my favorite thing of all.


BARCELONA. Is possibly my favorite European city that I've ever been in. It is rich with culture and color. It is vibrant and pulsing and ALIVE. I got the same high walking the streets of Barcelona that I do when I'm in NYC. Gaudi's architectural masterpieces pepper the city with beauty and Matt and I were both literally brought to tears by Parc Guell.



I felt like a kid in a candy store (and from the picture on the right, you can see that I sort of was) in La Boqueria, their daily market filled with the freshest fruit I've ever seen...so beautiful that it seemed impossible that it was real and a taste so unbelievable that almost seemed impossible it was real as well.



We did more than I thought possible in 3 days - even exercised our Spanish skills a bit (and you can only imagine how flattered I was when someone asked me for directions and I was actually able to give them in Spanish!) Barcelona is a city full of play. The goal is to work as little as possible so as to be able to enjoy life as much as possible. We met amazing, interesting people that I am confident we will see again. I truly didn't want to leave this city...felt as though we only brushed the surface.

Every time I travel, I am inspired. Inspired to learn more about others, to learn more about myself. And while I try to subscribe to the school of no regrets and moving forward rather than looking back, I will always regret not studying or living abroad when I was younger. Matt and I are determined to expose our children to different cultures at young ages...perhaps to even go live overseas somewhere with them for a summer or a year. But I do envy the mobile. Those who have little tying them down, who seek out adventure and live in different worlds. I thought that's what I would do after my trip to Burma but then I quickly met a boy and while LA has definitely been an adventure and it's definitely a different world...it's not quite what I had in mind.

I have so many thoughts coursing through my veins, exploding in my brain...it's just a matter of time before they all show up here. But for today, I bid you adios, buena sera, good bye.

Posted byMeesh-elle my Belle at 11:51 AM  

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2 comments:

megabrooke said... July 9, 2008 at 8:01 PM  

It's good to have you back lady! Sounds like your trip was absolutely amazing! I'm so glad to hear you had such a great time... can't wait to hear more about it!

nicole antoinette said... July 16, 2008 at 7:29 AM  

Gosh, I remember when I used to be able to speak Spanish. It's really, really too bad that I lost that skill. Oh, and I'm glad you're back :)

Believe me, I get the "I haven't blogged in so long- what the hell do I blog about" feeling.

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