I didn't really want to wake up at 3am in Phoenix this morning and truly attempted to go back to sleep, but I thought of Clara, happily teaching at noon in her international school and Charles and family, probably trying to get Daniel to eat a good lunch and then take a nap and I got up to look at pictures.
I made it home last night after a fairly smooth day of traveling. It's always so surreal to say goodbye to a friend in Milano and hello to friends in Phoenix, but it's good to be back and it's warm here with chirping birds outside.
It was such a wonderful last leg of vacation and I felt giddy the entirety of my stay in Milan. It had been five years since Clara and I had seen each other, but it was literally like yesterday. Non-stop conversation and laughter and fun commenced as soon as I saw her smiling face at the train station. I was quickly immersed in a little family gathering of the Gallina's (the family of her boyfriend, Filippo) with delicious food and fantastic conversation in French and Italian. We spent the day touring Milano before Filippo had his improv performance that night, which was hysterical. Granted, I only understood about 17% of it, but "i gesti" (gestures) helped tremendously and I had a fantastic time. Clara is also in improv and their friends were so fun and warm and friendly and expressive!
The rest of the time I ate my way through Milano with Clara and Filippo assisting me. We saw an excellent impressionist exhibit and parts of the Milan fashion show that was pretty impressive and innovative as well. I also went to the Archimboldo exhibit, which was amazing. If you are not familiar, check him out. Clara and I toodled along on bikes and enjoyed aperitvi in a fun Milanese district. Mainly, we just laughed and reminisced and made new fun memories and laughed some more.
It was great to reconnect and now I will start a heavy campaign to get all of my Italian friends and their expatriot partners to come to Phoenix, or at least, the USA. In addition, I do not plan on taking 5 years to revisit Europe, because this trip certainly rekindled my love for all of the romance, deliciousness, fun and excitement of Italy.
So, to sum up... Everyone should go to Italy. It's fantastic. Really, really fantastic.
Mom and I in Florence.
Filippo and I at lunch; Clara is in the background. See her?
Clara was very concerned that my iPhone was haunted after this picture (re: her blue color!).
The Archimboldo statue outside the exhibit. Did you know that he was a student of Leonardo Da Vinci? Incredible!
Clara displays our amazing dessert: chocolate truffles with pepperoncino and a creme anglaise... delicious.
I made it home last night after a fairly smooth day of traveling. It's always so surreal to say goodbye to a friend in Milano and hello to friends in Phoenix, but it's good to be back and it's warm here with chirping birds outside.
It was such a wonderful last leg of vacation and I felt giddy the entirety of my stay in Milan. It had been five years since Clara and I had seen each other, but it was literally like yesterday. Non-stop conversation and laughter and fun commenced as soon as I saw her smiling face at the train station. I was quickly immersed in a little family gathering of the Gallina's (the family of her boyfriend, Filippo) with delicious food and fantastic conversation in French and Italian. We spent the day touring Milano before Filippo had his improv performance that night, which was hysterical. Granted, I only understood about 17% of it, but "i gesti" (gestures) helped tremendously and I had a fantastic time. Clara is also in improv and their friends were so fun and warm and friendly and expressive!
The rest of the time I ate my way through Milano with Clara and Filippo assisting me. We saw an excellent impressionist exhibit and parts of the Milan fashion show that was pretty impressive and innovative as well. I also went to the Archimboldo exhibit, which was amazing. If you are not familiar, check him out. Clara and I toodled along on bikes and enjoyed aperitvi in a fun Milanese district. Mainly, we just laughed and reminisced and made new fun memories and laughed some more.
It was great to reconnect and now I will start a heavy campaign to get all of my Italian friends and their expatriot partners to come to Phoenix, or at least, the USA. In addition, I do not plan on taking 5 years to revisit Europe, because this trip certainly rekindled my love for all of the romance, deliciousness, fun and excitement of Italy.
So, to sum up... Everyone should go to Italy. It's fantastic. Really, really fantastic.
Mom and I in Florence.
Filippo and I at lunch; Clara is in the background. See her?
Clara was very concerned that my iPhone was haunted after this picture (re: her blue color!).
The Archimboldo statue outside the exhibit. Did you know that he was a student of Leonardo Da Vinci? Incredible!
Clara displays our amazing dessert: chocolate truffles with pepperoncino and a creme anglaise... delicious.
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Love ya and miss ya!