It all started out quite innocently - a two week vacation in Italy with my cousin. I was really looking forward to taking my first vacation abroad and seeing Italy, the land my grandparents left so many years ago. After first setting foot on Italian soil in Milan and feeling the energy of the land, any hint of fatigue from the long flight had vanished. The adventure had begun. The first sight our bus driver took us to was the Duomo, a magnificent Cathedral covering a city block in Milan. Our first peek through the bus window and our jaws dropped and we had only seen the spire towering over the buildings at the end of a narrow street. As we got closer, it became more beautiful with the sun bathing it in golden light, a bronze Madonna at the very top of the main spire. The pictures show only the roof of the Duomo where you can walk around amongst the many statues. We, however, had no time for that today, only a brief bus stop, a few pics snapped thru bus windows and we were on our way to Pisa!

On the drive through the countryside, my head was like that of a puppet that can swivel 360 degrees. Where to look first, such beautiful countryside. How was it possible that the rest of the group was sleeping! How could they?!. Is it possible that the wonder an awe wears off after your first trip there? Maybe so for some, but not for me. Only a few hours in Italy and I was hooked!

See you next week in Pisa! I hope you’ll come back.