Wednesday, June 25, 2008

My Vacation Blog

Current mood: mellow
Category: Travel and Places

Hey sleepy peeps, or, wait, that's me...

Yeah I feel more relaxed after my vacation, but part of it (which Tony noted) may be jet lag.

I temporarily feel more at ease and open and new to all that life has to offer.

I think there is a real power in knowing you can go away and come back and start over, or continue on. But getting away from my routine helps me look at things from a new angle. And that is a blessing.

When I typically return from a summer trip, I wanna come back and do summery things - go to the beach, barbeque, eat ice cream, and chill out. This usually lasts for about a week. Before all the dreary details of life drown me out. Before I am torn in 100 different directions by myself.

And I will try again, nobly, to sustain this beautiful feeling and get in an ice cream cone and a shrimp po-boy.

The trip to Italy was a blast. Tony and I travel well together. He's sweet and helpful, and quite good at chilling on the beach or exploring the city, as we did in Rome, and Sicily, alternately.

Rome, the former Capvt Mvndi was great. Many lush fountains and squares in which one can relax, gaze at huge sculptures of triumphant men and their horses, or seahorses (they love Neptune there).

The Pantheon, and the way light plays through and across the aperture, is truly something to behold. The audiogiude compared it to Stonehenge for the way it can show the seasons. That and the Trevi Fountain were my faves. Much of the town and the art/sculpture is very masculine and a little hard for me to relate to, but the domes soften it all with a more feminine feel.

The streets are quiet, even though there are people around. I was a bit surprised when it turned out to be more subdued, like Prague or something. No loud honking or people shouting. Rather contained...

We visited the Vatican & museums (Sistine Chapel), the Palazzo Barberini (where we saw some El Grecos, Holbein's portrait of Henry the Xiii, some Caravaggios), a Capuchin chapel decorated entirely with human bones and skeletons (thanks to Cynthia for the recommendation), the Trastevere neighborhood, the Palatine and Colosseum, and more.

In Sicily, we were stationed on the beach at Giardini-Naxos, within view of Mt.Etna, where we could see LAVA FLOW on fire, liquid fire. We chilled there, and enjoyed the Ionian Sea. I swam in it a few times and it was cool like liquid glass and very refreshing. I went digging around near some rocks and presented Tony with 2 tiny hermit crabs and a sea urchin (which I tossed back in the water, of course). It's not summer vacation for me unless I'm at the beach with urchins nearby!

One day we drove across Sicily so Tony could meet some of his relatives and see where his mom's side comes from. I know it was a profound experience for him. I think it's comforting to go and see where one's people come from.

We also journeyed into Taormina - a little town on a cliff near Giardini-Naxos. Here we visited a Greek theatre suspended between sea and sky - the most complete one I've seen (many in Turkey too). We took a cable car ride down to the beach at Mazzaro, and chilled there for a bit. In Taormina, there are old churches (12th & 13th century) and winding narrow streets. Tony picked up a lava rock souvenir of the sign of Sicily, which is three legs sticking out of Medusa's head, symbolizing the tri-corner shape of Sicily. And we ate the best canoli either of us has ever tasted. FRESH.

I must say, I used the Lonely Planet guide to Italy for this trip (as I have for Turkey, London, and others) and it never steered us wrong. We tried the restaurants they recommend and it was always great. The history and background of the places combined with the practical info of sights/hours/eating info make it an essential investment that pays for itself. I know for a fact I got more out the trip because of it.

Looking forward to seeing Peter Murphy this weekend here in Boston, though he makes his home in Istanbul...

Currently reading :
Istanbul: Memories and the City
By Orhan Pamuk
Release date: 2006-07-11