Italia - non basta una vita

02-lonelyplaneteer
Originally uploaded by neonangel.

i have so many thoughts about what i experienced in italy, i don't even know where to start blogging.

should i start with the funny bits like the Dorm of Fratboy Horror? share the simple stories of people i met and had cool conversations with? or should i go for socio-cultural observations on the Roman obsession with La Bella Figura aka Looking Good? or maybe go for the jugular - observations on the too-clever use of aesthetics by the early Catholic Church?

want to assemble my photos, sketches and journal into some kind of book but that will definitely take a while. and "a while" always means possibly never in the light of regular "things to do".

whatever. all i know is : I miss Italy.

Rome has dethroned New York to become my favourite city in the world. The BIg Apple has lost a bit of its lustre to me - no thanks in part to American politics.

I left my heart, not in San Francisco, but in Bella Roma. Florence is amazing, Siena charming and Elba gorgeous to a fault. But Rome beguiles me.

Somewhere among the multiple espresso bars, ancient ruins, dramatically manly men, dramatically vibrant women and ubiquitous dogs, I found a new place to fall in love with.

In Italy, every cup of coffee is heaven, sweet cold water springs free from spigots, antiquity and history lives with street corners and people gesture and speak with glorious movie-like abandon.

Life is a drama in Italy. Everything looks beautiful in the Mediterrenean's sharp white sunlight. Shadows are starker, features are sharper, Skin tones are bronzer, gestures are larger.

So much still unseen and un-understood. The old saying is true. Non basta una vita - a lifetime is not enough for Italy.

I read once that Italy is one of those places which is lovely to visit and fantasise about but best not to actually live in. One must be aware of the reality of corruption, slow bureaucracy, bizarre political choices (hello...pornstar politicians?) and a papacy that is still grappling with the truth of the world.

Still, love is always momentarily blinding. I am happy to fantasise about my ideal Italy for now.

I will definitely be back someday soon.