AuthorGrowing up I was very close to my Italian grandmother and I think she must have infused in me a love for things European/Italian that I am lucky enough to have been able to indulge a number of times. I have traveled extensively in Europe, been to China twice, to the USSR (when it was the USSR!) rode the Trans-Siberian Express, visited Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong ... I've been extremely lucky to have seen a lot of the world ... but always my mind and heart return to Italy. Now I'm about to see my favorites again soon: Italy, and in particular, Florence. I have a wonderful family of 3 sons, 3 granddaughters, 1 grandson, daughters in law, a sister and her family and my wonderful 90 year old mother. I love these people and my friends but ... some intangible something draws me to Italy, to the art, the architecture, the beautiful countryside of Tuscany, the Italian culture personified in so many movies: Italians not being able to speak without waving their arms, gesticulating wildly, not being able to drive without horns honking, arms gesticulating out the window, food ... food so very good the aroma almost wafts from the movie screen while the white aproned waiters gesticulate about its virtues ... always the arms gesticulating! So ... while I've led a truly great and fulfilling life, I haven't yet seen enough of what draws me, and thousands of others, to Florence. A dear friend in Florence writes a blog, Whose Dream is It, http://whosedreamisit.blogspot.it/, well my dream was always to live in Italy for a few months and now that dream is reality! ArchivesAugust 2014 Categories |