We're back from a wonderful trip to Italy with a quick stop in Pisa (you don't need more), Cinque Terre and Rome. The original plan included a jaunt down to the Amalfi Coast, but Matt was invited to final rounds for a job we really hope he gets. We cancelled Sorrento to fly back early so he could be there.
Italy is my favorite place on the planet. I was literally overcome with sadness when we landed in London. (insert eye roll here. how bad could london really be? it's not bad. it's just not italy)
Slow walkers.
Fast talkers.
Wonderful food.
Terrible smells.
Kind people.
Angry drivers.
Loud cities.
Quiet side streets.
Old buildings.
It's just magical.
After 4 years of not speaking, my language skills were in better condition than expected. Being able to communicate when you travel makes a HUGE difference - where's the best pizza, how do we get here, what's in your basket (oh, apricots? we'd love some!!!), what happened to all the cats?- I wish every country spoke Italian.
There's so much to share about our trip: dinners on the cliffs of Manarola with ocean views, accidentally hiking WAY too many miles, terrifying abandoned train tunnels that lead to secret beaches, watching the sun set over the Vatican after a charming dinner in Trastevere, a very casual conversation with an entirely nude man ...
have I mentioned I love Italy?
We were fortunate enough to embark on this adventure with our friends Kate & Tim.
(Notting Hill neighbors, worked with in Manhattan, economist husbands, parallel lives)
(our pisa slumber party)
In the 90s there was a friendship advertising campaign, well now that i think about it, it really was about drunk driving: "friends don't let friends drive drunk." Our Italian adventures have proved that real friends don't mind when you book a 2-start hotel with a 5-star price tag. They don't mind when the beds are so small that you have to push them together in order to make room for everyone. They don't mind when you sob in a pitch black tunnel as worst-case scenarios run through your mind. They don't mind when you suggest a quick walk that ends up being a 5 mile mostly-uphill hike through the mountains in sandals. They don't mind that the hike forces you to pee in the woods. They don't mind when you taste their gelato. Or make them take photos of you. Or eat off their dinner plate.
2 comments:
It sounds like you had an awesome trip with some incredibly great friends. Can't wait to see more pictures. Glad you are home safe and sound-good luck to Matt with his job!
the london gunns love the london lybbs so so so so much.
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