Home Again

I can't believe it's been more than a month since I've blogged! The time has really flown by. Things are slowly getting back to "normal." Needless to say, it's wonderful to be home with my family again. I was worried that Emmy would hold a grudge against me for abandoning her for 10 whole days, but when I met her in the driveway as Gail brought her home the evening I returned from Italy, she just clung to me and wouldn't let go - and I didn't put her down for a very long time . . .

The tour was amazing, but too fast-paced for me to absorb it all. I'm still basking in the glow of the shimmering watercolor world of Venice (see photo below left), the beckoning charm of Ravenna, the old-world nobility of Florence, the serene and lovely hilltop jewel that is Assisi, and the awe-inspiring greatness of Rome. I look at my photos and try to recall all of the unphotographed details in my memory - what it felt like to walk the uneven cobblestone streets, and the exhilaration of driving through the Villa Borghese Gardens in a four-seat bicycle-powered surrey (see picture on right); the glittering golden glow of the intricate mosaics which line the interior of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, the startlingly bright hues of the frescoes in the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua, and the lovely Giotto frescoes and jewel-like stained glass in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi; the scent of blooming wisteria seemingly everywhere we went; the reverberation of our voices as we sang Palestrina's Sicut Cervus in the enormous, ornate church of St. Ignatius in Rome; savoring the fizzy sweetness of a sciroppo di lampone (raspberry soda) and the lilt of a waltz tune at the venerable Cafe Florian as the afternoon sun bathed the facade of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice. The flavors of Italy are memorable as well: flaky white fish served with shavings of pumpkin and spiced with nutmeg; deep-fried zucchini flowers stuffed with ricotta and anchovies; piadina (flatbread sandwich) filled with squaquarone (a creamy spreadable cheese made in the Emilia-Romagna region) and figs; spaghetti tossed with sweet cherry tomatoes, basil and mint; unbelievably tender and savory lamb cacciatore; fresh, peppery arugula greens served with nearly everything; velvety panna cotta in caramel sauce; the seductively rich bacio ("kiss" in Italian - chocolate with hazelnuts) and wonderfully refreshing grapefruit, pear, blackberry and cherry gelatos. The list of wonderful experiences could go on and on . . .

The best thing about the trip was being with my family - traveling with Mom, Stanton and Joel was a joy (the photo is of us on a gondola in Venice). Joel was a fabulous travel companion, putting up with my notorious snoring at night and sometimes grumpy exhaustion during the day with infinite graciousness, speaking very passable Italian and guiding us around each city we visited with patience and aplomb. Mom and Stanton seemed indefatigable, handling the brutal pace and length of the walking tours as if they were merely extensions of their daily morning walk. It was truly a pleasure to be able to share the sights, sounds, and tastes of Italy with people of similar likes who are willing to tolerate my idiosyncrasies. My only regret was not being able to stay another week with them in the Tuscan villa they'd rented with my brother David and his wife Renee, exploring Arezzo and the other hill towns nearby. Unfortunately, I had no more vacation time available, and even if I had, I couldn't have stood being away from Peter and Emmy another week. I'm trying to persuade them to plan another trip in a year or two . . .

Of all the places we visited, I think my favorite was Assisi (see photo on left). This beautiful pink limestone city perched on an emerald hilltop is truly spectacular, and seems untouched by time. We passed a number of wonderful-looking shops with absolutely no time to do more than admire the display in the window while briskly walking past (Mom, Stanton and Joel wisely skipped the private mass that day in order to do some exploring). With heart-stoppingly beautiful views of the surrounding countryside everywhere you turn, gorgeous churches, walls, arches and fountains, brightly flowering window boxes at nearly every shuttered window, tantalizing shop displays, charming cafes, and inviting stairways beckoning you to climb and discover, I felt I could have spent weeks (or months) in Assisi without losing interest.

If you'd like to see my photos of the tour, click on the following link for a guest pass to Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/gp/72248478@N00/Pq4g54. If you click on a photo, you can read the descriptions beneath - unfortunately they won't show up in a slideshow. I'm still adding descriptions, but most of the photos have them now.

I promise to post another Emmy update soon - for now, Ciao!