Travel Lust

Thoughts of Italy 

I am so glad that I had about 10 years of solid travel before I decided to get pregnant.  I always knew that having a baby would change everything, however I never expected that those major changes would come within the first trimester before our little sproglett made an entrance into the world.  I am too exhausted to travel.  Today, mother's day in the Netherlands, I was able to be conversational for five hours before having to lie down and sleep for six.  Not very impressive.


A friend of mine came over for tea yesterday and was raving about her trip to Genoa.  She looked relaxed, properly fed with goodness and happy.  She told me how beautiful it  was and how charming the surrounding area including CinqueTerra was.  I have terrible travel lust having lived now in 12 countries and having extensively travelled through around 40 or so.  But Italy has always held a place in my heart.  I actually considered moving there many years ago. So now I am tempted to go to Genoa, somewhere new for me, even for a short break, eat good food, lie on the beaches and wander around the numerous castles that are scattered throughout the area.  I mean really, who wouldn't want to go to a place that looks like this:

I am more of a southern Italian lover than a northern Italian lover, with the exception of Venice which is mystical magical and wonderful ( except for in the heat of the summer when it reaks and has an excessive number of tourists) .  Rome has a feel of subdued excitemnt, sex, history and grandeur.  Did you know that there is a city ordinance that controls the colour that one can paint a house or building in Rome?  That is why the whole city glows and has such a beautiful radiance as compared to it's stark dull cousin Milan.  What a miserable cold place.


Sicily is another favourite of mine.  The people are so warm and welcoming.  The firey volcano as backdrop when you are in Taormina standing in the Greek amphi theatre adds to the thrill of being there.  There is always the feeling in Italy of mortality, the reality of life and death and it somehow always makes me feel more alive, more whole.  Mount Etna erupted three times in April it's cousins nearby are the very active Mt Stomboli ( yes, like the baddie in Pinocchio)and dormant MtVesuvius.  Here is a picture of Mt Etna with indigestion....