Perugia: After

(1/11/09)

From that evening:

Ok, LOVE Perugia. It is so much what I think of as typically Italian. My heart absolutely melted in this place. Traveling in Italy does something to me mentally, emotionally, spiritually that I cannot even come close to putting into words. I feel more like me exploring these ancient alleys in new cities than I do almost anywhere else. (Psychology/therapy/counseling settings are one of the places that will always trump...obvs.) I had the same feelings in Venice. I want to melt into the surroundings and just be. Yes that sounds bizarre I know.

I got off of the train with a little pep in my step. "God I love exploring new places." Breezed out of the train station and was immediately lost. I could not find a map beforehand- well, I didn't look very hard. I figured I would wing it...except that the outside of the station is super sketch and THERE ARE NO MAPS TO BE FOUND. I finally decided to look at the bus list and go where the majority of the buses were ending up. I assumed this would be the center. And I was correct -winner winner.

The bus meandered back and forth up the gorgeous mountain road. The leaves were perfectly golden. Love. For the rest of the day I wandered around the many piazzas at the top. The town is built up the side of a mountain with most of the life surrounded by a perimeter of breathtaking views. They are absolutely beyond description. There was some kind cultural festival going on. White tents filled the walking spaces, each offering some kind of dessert/pastry selection from whatever country they were representing. I decided that it would be terrible of me to not experience these different ways of life as much as possible, after all, isn't that what travelling is all about? (This is how I justified only eating desserts the entire day. Swear to god. No breakfast, lunch or dinner- just sweets. And yes I regretted this later.) Random explorings filled in the remainder of my day. Gorgeous churches, marching jazz bands, little hidden shops, random magicians (wtf?), moments of reading in the sunshine on the steps of another ornate building, amateur art exhibits, italian chatter, people watching during mass, seeing the sunset into the countryside and so on and so on....these days are beautiful and they are mine.

(PS- I'm writing this while listening to Dave Matthews which is quite the feat. His lyrics and perspectives send my brain in a philosophical whirlwind. Yes, some of his music is fun but listen closely, there's so much more there. It has taken me three times as long to write than it normally would. However, when you live in, ahem...Italy and it's 65 degrees and a perfect breeze is swirling and you can't help but smile and be and enjoy life, you DONT turn Dave off.)