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.