MY TOP FIVE FAVORITE EXPERIENCES IN ITALY
*note, as I typed that title, I accidentally typed Eating instead of Italy...
#1. Snow in Venice. Thanksgiving Week, 2005
Visiting Awesome Amy on her postings abroad helped me become a better traveler and exposed me to my top two travel experiences ever (the other was watching the sunset from Tikal in Guatemala). On visiting her in Bologna, we decided to take the train to Venice on the same day as a train worker's strike. The strike was meant to begin mid-transit, so I was completely prepared to spend the day in some random Italian town, but the train delivered us to our destination and, as we dis-embarked, the sky growing ever grayer, the lady announcer told us the trains were now not running until 5pm..."Ciao ciao".
We emerged into the damp of Venice and the sky was threatening rain. Few tourists had ventured out in Venice that day (heck, few LOCALS had ventured out that day) and the narrow lanes were ours for the exploring. As we reached the top of St. Mark's Cathedral, snowflakes began to fall. By the time we found a tiny, hidden restaurant (Marie's, it's last night open until the grande-dame/owner - Marie - was to move away with her Jamaican boyfriend) the snow had stuck to rooftops, and Venice was a winter wonderland.
#2. Eating. In Italy. Anything. 2005 - present
See all previous posts on food in Italy. Some highlights: Porcini Risotto, Bologna (my first risotto); Octopus-in-hell, Vernazza; Meringue gelato, Pisa; Crema di Asparagi, Sorrento; Fresh pasta, Rome; Octopus and Celery salad, Sorrento; Stuffed mussels, Vernazza; mozzarella and prosciutto di Parma - everywhere!
#3. Hiking the Vernazza-Monterosso trail. Vernazza. 2010
Vernazza is possibly the most picturesque place I have visited in Italy. Every vista, peek up or down a stone staircase, glance down a steep cliff from a narrow trail is breathtaking. Hiking the trail from Vernazza to Monterosso (straight up hundreds of steps, along a trail, down a ravine, back up the other side, down hundreds of steps, pork for lunch in Monterosso) was mindblowing. I've never been on such a beautiful hike in all my life. I've also never said "wow" so many times in three hours.
#4. Talking to an old man. Sorrento. 2011
A local told me the hotel was located "in the fishing village." Not just a fishing village, the marina also had a few little restaurants and bars full of tourists and locals alike. A little 'bar' which had few tables for two dotted at the bottom of the hill where you entered the marina from Sorrento (which is perched high on the cliffs above), had a perfect view of the sunset. For just a few Euros, my travel buddy and I would sit there at sunset, having a pre-dinner glass of wine and read our books. On our last evening, one of the old men of the village, seeing two 'young girls' he could 'practice his English on,' came over to chat. The sunset was beautiful, the old man was a sweetheart, the wine was good and cheap - exactly what vacation memories are made of.
#5. Exploring Pisa. Pisa. 2010
Not only was my hotel in Pisa filled with antiques and old maps and not only did it serve an amazing breakfast (yes! I want fresh caprese salad and cured ham for breakfast! perfect!); not only was the weather perfect; the food at a local alleyway restaurant (slow cooked wild boar! fruits of the forest tart!) was amazing, the fresh markets were everywhere, and the graffiti was interesting. Oh, they had a tower, too, but that was the least memorable part of visiting Pisa!
No comments:
Post a Comment