You May Have The Universe, If I May Have Italy.

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy, 2016.

Okay, so my undying love for Italy is no secret, and in the past one year I have been fortunate enough to travel Italy in a little more detail. The result was me being awestruck, spell bound and baffled all at the same time. This little country has so much to offer; from ornate Cathedrals and Palaces to mesmerising beaches.

Every new city or town that I tackled left me feeling as if I were in some other place all together, rather than in the same country. No matter where I went in Italy, it always left me craving for more. Milan let me have a sneak peak at the city life, where people are out at all kinds of ungodly hours of the day. Cinque Terre reminded me that as beautiful and relaxing as the ocean can be, it can be equally destructive if you by chance find yourself near one at the wrong time.
Much like people; our tongues hold the power to alleviate pain and suffering by whispering words of kindness, but the same tongues can be wielded as weapons if not used with care. The same goes for most parts of our bodies, hands that heal can also be hands that stab, legs that carry someone else's burden can be legs that kick.
In Como I gained a newfound appreciation for different cultures that seemed to be separated by what seemed only a few miles (Switzerland and Italy). The language being just the tip of the iceberg.

Verona, Italy, 2016.

Verona, with its never-ending cobbled streets, dotted with picturesque houses and dainty little shops, had the heart of a city while having the culture of a small town.

Lastly, comes Venice. Oh, Venice, you were the highlight of my past year. You made me believe in love at first sight. You evoke in me a sense of calm and belonging. Your unfaltering rows of bridges and small streets instilled in me an unsurmountable acceptance of my life's path. Your people reminded me that strangers, too, can be kind. Most of all you jogged my memory as to why I love travelling.
My time in Venice taught me how a place could turn me speechless, and at the same time still make me feel as if everything that had happened in my life, had been leading upto that moment in Piazza San Marco, where I sat after sundown with a glass of Spritz in hand, listening to the soulful melodies being belted out by the various live bands present over there. In that moment it did not matter that I was broke or that I had failed. All that mattered was that I had found my way to that moment. I had found what made me happy.

The Small Experiences.

Bellagio, Italy, 2016.

1) Sitting in Cafés with my journal to write in or a book to read.

2) Spring: Spring is my favourite time of the year. It is not too hot and not too cold, AND it smells like flowers everywhere you go.

3) Sitting under the sun and tanning in summer.

4) Taking long walks with a Gelato to accompany me.

5) Going for runs.

6) PIZZA!

7) Trying to find a quite place that serves good food and bomb coffee.

8) Taking pictures.

9) Doing or encountering something unexpected.

10) A good view.

11) Travelling.

12) Learning new languages.

13) Awe-inspiring architecture.

14) Catching up with good friends

These are the things that I love wholeheartedly, irrespective of where I am. Most of them are the vastly underestimated pleasures of life that one pay's no mind to. A year ago I, too, did not know that I could enjoy lying on a bench with my eyes closed, letting the sun's rays soak into my bones, holding no particular train of thought.
These are the things that I as a city bred individual missed out on. The one thing that my time in a small Austrian town has taught me is to take pleasure in doing the small things. You do not have to bend over backwards trying to chase after something more. Do not get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with wanting more. Hell, I am the poster girl for it, it is just that you should not loose sight of the bigger picture in your run for more, which we almost always do.

So just breathe and let go. Enjoy the moment you are present in.

It Was Love At First Sight.

St. Mark's Church, Venice, 2016.

It was love at first sight when I first saw Piazza San Marco on the Venice leg of my solo trip. I remember being so tired because I walked the entire way from the Santa Lucia Station, which is on one end of Venice, all the way to my apartment, which was near St. Mark's Square, on the other end of the island.
Lesson learned: Google Maps is not to be trusted when it comes to walking somewhere!
It straight up took me more than an hour to reach the hotel, where I was supposed to pick the keys to the apartment.
It was dusk when I got out of my apartment to go to the infamous St. Mark's Square. I did not expect anything much after the tiring day I had already had.
Believe me when I say this, the moment I got out of one of Venice's meandering streets and stepped into St. Mark's Square, I was spell-bound. It is one of those places that makes me realise why I love travelling so much. The Cathedral in itself is a sight for sore eyes, especially at dusk, when the sky is somewhere between a pink and a soft purple, which perfectly compliments the colours of the Cathedral.

By the time I finally managed to walk away from the Cathedral and take a right towards Palazzo Ducale the pink street lamps were turned on, throwing a warm pinkish glow over everything.
There are these two outdoor restaurants on that side, where a live band plays music every evening.
Now although eating at those restaurants is not something your girl could afford, I did the next best thing. I bought this amazing 2 euro chocolate gelato and sat on the steps nearby. Weirdly enough, eating this very same Gelato from the very same vendor and sitting on the very same steps is the only memory I have of visiting Venice with my family all those years ago.

If I thought that St. Mark's Square was breathtaking at dusk, I had a whole new thing coming for me, once the sun actually went down. The entire span of the Square was bathed by the soft glow of the street lamps, all the different live bands taking turns to play music in the background to soothe your soul and the laughter of the Gondoliers, who finally sit down to catch up after a day of work.

It was love at first sight for me.

Bridge of Sighs, Venice, Italy.