Discovering the People, Culture and Landscapes of Italy
The peaceful, rolling hills of Tuscany seem familiar to me, like going home, for some reason. When visiting here at age 11, Italy was my favorite country and I must say it is still my overall top choice. While my favorite single city was Brugge, Beligum, the Tuscany region with its grape vineyards, cypress trees and walled, medieval cities had endless places to explore. I think I could live there and be very happy. Exploring the people, culture and landscapes of San Gimignano, Sienna, and others was like walking back in time. I thrive on seeing the famous art and ancient architecture in the larger romantic cities of Rome, Venice, Florence, and Pisa. But whenever possible I chose to stay in smaller towns outside the cities with fewer tourist and locals who take the time to sit and chat.
Leaving the car behind and riding the train into the five towns of the Cinque Terre, Italy, was a surreal experience. I loved hiking the hills to get a magnificent view of each steep town with its multi-pastel buildings deep blue waters. I don’t know if I will ever get through the process of sorting and editing all my photos of Italy. But it is so fun to open a new folder of images when I get a chance to relive the experiences and vistas. The people of Italy are absolutely some of the most charming people I have ever met and the visitors are having such a great time, they are fun to meet as well. I still have to say the best part of this Enlighten Tour was meeting the people who bring the history and culture alive!
