Ciao for Now

This is a difficult post to write.  It is about 8:30 in the morning here, and Lisa and I are on a train returning to Rome.  We have one last night in Italy tonight, and tomorrow morning we fly out of Rome to New York. 

Before our trip, I had a preconceived notion that during our time in Italy we would speak Italian every day, eat really well, make friends, drink lots of wine, hang out by the beach, and have fun stories to tell.  That happened.  And more.. 

Tomorrow we are leaving Italy differently than when we arrived on August 4th.   We are leaving Italy with a few extra pounds on our stomachs, new/revived friendships,  good tans, and as cliché as it sounds…we’re leaving with memories to last a lifetime.  We also are leaving some things here.  Our money…yeah, that’s gone. Lisa lost a ring in the Adriatic, so that’s also staying here.  As for intangible things- we are leaving here countless moments of total relaxation, tranquility, satisfaction and contentment with life.  We can try to bring some of that back….but according to me, it’s impossible.  

For me, this trip has been a very refreshing and necessary dosage of “life”.  It’s easy to get caught up with the monotony of the everyday routines and drudgery, as it is for everyone.  Most times a vacation is only a week and for the first few days it is spent unwinding and the last few days spent dreading returning to “reality”.  We’ve been fortunate enough to have a long enough vacation that we felt totally immersed here. In fact, at one point Lisa turned to me and said, “doesn’t it feel like we live here?”.  We became familiar with the people/towns/bars/cafes/piazzas in the places we stayed.  

The other day someone asked me what my favorite part of the trip was.  It’s impossible for me to pick out one moment.  But I will say that for me, my favorite moments were spent by the sea.  The Ionian and Adriatic Seas are the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever experienced.  Not only do these beaches have crystal clear water, dry air, and a soft breeze.  They also are full of wonderful people and families and surrounded by incredible restaurants and bars with the best food I’ve eaten in my life.  These beaches are also located in towns that have incredibly rich history.  Many of the small towns in Puglia (in Salento) are composed of white stone buildings that originated from several hundred years ago.  Today we were in Taranto, which is a city that is both Greek/Italian.  In Salento there are many towns/cities that have been influenced by Greece and as a result have Greek architecture, food, and even the Greek language. 

I’ve always loved that while in Italy, you are constantly reminded of your place in the history of the world.  I think it’s an important part of being human to understand yourself in relationship with the evolution of civilizations and cultures.  While in Italy, and Croatia, we were constantly reminded of the history of these countries by stories we heard, buildings we saw, and streets we walked down. 

I’m taking a deep breath in and exhaling a sigh as I look out the windows on this train and say “arrivederci” to the beautiful country landscapes of this country.  In the towns that we stayed in, the natural beauty of the beaches and towns were not compromised by the restaurants/bars/festivals.  The settlement of people in these towns is less abrasive than it looks in NJ/NY.  During the summer months in the south of Italy, there are many festivals honoring the patron saints of the towns.  There are lots of decorative lights, vendors, and tourist attractions such as wine tasting and special restaurant menus.  But to me, it seems like there is a harmony between the people, the city, and nature.  This is because there is a sense of relaxation and appreciation of family and company.  For example, in Lecce there are always people walking around the city- through the early morning hours.  It is typical to see families walking around the town around 11-12 at night.  It’s common to see a family at a restaurant for 2-3 hours eating dinner or lunch.  It’s common to see kids playing in the piazzas or on the beach .Then again, I also realize that these observations are from afar and I have no idea what goes on in their own homes.    I haven’t seen one kid playing on an ipad/ipod and I haven’t seen one large TV in my time in Italy.  I guess people seem to enjoy spending time with each other more.  If I saw a large TV, it was in a bar to play a soccer game…that’s it though.  I have to say that although I really appreciate technology, it was refreshing getting a little break from the imposing presence of technology near NY/NJ.   

I understand this is not just an Italian thing, and I really appreciate going to different states in the USA that are similar.  Don’t get me wrong, I love NYC and I absolutely love living in Hoboken.  However, it was a refreshing experience witnessing such a natural and relaxed way of life here. 

So, the concluding mantra for this blog and this trip is APPRECIATION OF LIFE..la bella vita.   Taking one day at a time.  One moment at a time…. Not worrying so much about what you are SUPPOSED to do.  Rather, reaching out at the quickly passing moments of tranquility and contentment and holding onto them tightly.  Seeing where life takes you…and not freaking out if everything isn’t perfect.  We uttered the phrases  “what’s happening?”, “che cazzo” and “I don’t understand what’s going on….” multiple times a day.  Yet, the sensation of not knowing what was to come made each experience so unique and fun.  At certain times, this feeling was overwhelming…. Like when we were at a concert in Lecce with 150,000 people and a medical/security staff that had no idea what the hell what was going on. Total chaos.  Overall though, it has been incredibly liberating to just “go with the flow”.  We called this.. “survival mode”.  If either Lisa and I were alone we probably would have lost our minds halfway through the trip. #PMT. 

So, on the note of seeing what the future lies ahead and taking one moment at a time… 

A presto, Italia.  See you soon. 

Alla prossimo.  Until next time. 

                                                 Goodbye picture of the mare

Farewell Croatia....Hello again, Italy!

Hello again!

I am writing this blog post on about 3 hours of sleep so please excuse any typos or grammatical mistakes! Lisa and I said our goodbyes to Dubrovnik last night.  We spent our last few hours in Dubrovnik on the beach.  During that time, I looked out on the water and captured a mental image of the beautiful water and mountains I was seeing.  A song came on my Ipod called “Be Still” by The Killers.  These lyrics I think defined our time in Croatia.. "And life is short to say the least, We're in the belly of the beast..Be still, wild and young, long may your innocence reign, like shells on the shore".    The belly of the beast, of course, is us realizing that we are running out of money.  Yet, we are letting our innocence (roaring 20s) be our motivation to enjoy every moment! We've had an incredible time "being still"....relaxing on the beach, enjoying the beautiful water, and exploring Dubrovnik nightlife.  

The other day we had an awesome experience of walking the city walls of Old Town.  We looked out on the town, and towards the horizon of the Adriatic, and the view actually took my breath away.  We were awestruck by the view so much so that we lost track of time.  We looked at the time and saw that we only had 15 minutes until our kayaking excursion was going to begin.  We looked ahead at the perimeter of the city walls ahead of us and knew that the only way we were going to make this kayaking trip on time is if we walked like New Yorkers.  So, we power walked through the rest of the way around the city.  We stopped to get some pictures- (see below).  

We were happy we made it in time for our kayaking excursion because it was AMAZING! It was a sunset tour...3 hours long.  Our arms are very sore.  The views while kayaking in the water were unreal.  We didn't have our cameras with us because we were afraid they would get wet, so we just had to soak in the moment.  I did take a couple pictures that you will see below.  All the other moments, including a beautiful sunset over the Adriatic, are captured in our memory.

We rested up this past week, although it doesn't feel like it now.  We slept in chairs on the ferry last night...it was a 10 hour ride.  Finally we are back in Italy now. It feels great to be back!!! We will be in staying back in Puglia with our friends for a few nights.  It's hard to believe that we are reaching the last leg of our trip....we are very sad and in denial about this!! 

I'm sure I will have some fun stories to post about our next few days in Italy...we are going to another Tarantella concert tonight.  Talk to you soon! Ciao!

  

Forever Young in Croatia

I’m on our balcony hearing the subtle sound of the Adriatic’s calm and gentle waves…there is a cool breeze coming from the sea- but I feel comfortable as I sit on my balcony in my summer pjs.  The light of tonight’s full moon is reflecting off the slowly moving water, creating an amber glow.  I hear a live band playing across the lake- a mixture of Johnny Cash and other retro country/rock songs.  The sound of the harmonica, drums, guitar, and base create the perfect soundtrack for this blog post….perfection.  Even though I’m exhausted, I am deciding to have a Croatian beer (Ozujsko) to complete my sensory experience of this moment.

Taking. It. All. In..

Croatia has been absolutely wonderful so far.  The city of Dubrovnik is along the Adriatic coast- across from Italy.  Old Town Dubrovnik is a medieval city that is surrounded by city gates.  Whatever I pictured a medieval castle and city to look like…this is that, and so much more.  It took 100 years for this city to be built- and a lot of slaves’ sweat and blood went into constructing it.  Yet it still stands today and looks as beautiful as ever.  The white stone is polished during tourist season to make it look extra picturesque. The city looks whimsical, as it’s constructed of baroque style architecture and surrounded by mountains.

 Having the opportunity to travel to a new country is a blessing I do not take for granted.  The feeling I’m experiencing in Croatia is much different than Italy.  Things are very peaceful and organized here.  Maybe it is because we are staying in a hotel, or maybe it is because of the way Dubrovnik is run as a tourist attraction.  It’s allowing me to enjoy every moment and feel 100% relaxed. 

I can’t help but feel a wave of melancholy come over me as I realize that this is only a fleeting moment. The slow harmonica is totally working with my mood right now.  Just the same way everyone feels towards the end of the summer.  You so badly want to reach out your hand and grasp a moment to keep in your pocket as a souvenir.  But it’s impossible… the only thing that there is to do is soak in every sensation of the moment and place it in your memory as a “happy place”.  

I’ve been reflecting a lot about traveling since I’ve gotten to Croatia.  It looks glamorous and at times can feel like it’s out of a movie, but there is also a lot of discomfort, stress, and fatigue that comes with traveling.  On the ferry from Bari to Croatia I had a minor panic attack around 3am as I realized I was in the middle of the ocean, still several hours from land, and unable to sleep.  Thankfully Lisa helped calm my mind and we talked about our awesome vacation and then I was fine again.  It’s not easy taking yourself out of your comfort zone when traveling..quite literally, as I tried to maneuver myself into the fetal position around a very tall and uncomfortable arm rest, with my beach towel as my pillow, only to get a mere 2 hours of sleep.   You would think that after dragging my 50lb suitcase around Lecce earlier in the day I would have had no trouble falling asleep- but to no avail.  Lisa and I have both felt extreme fatigue at certain times during our traveling.  Yet we’ve also felt relaxation unlike anything we’ve ever experienced.  For me,  the sacrifice of comfort is 100% worth it for the experiences we’ve had.   Croatia is giving us a chance to relax on the beach (which is made of big white rocks), swim in the crystal clear blue salt water, enjoy the fresh mountainous air, eat amazing seafood, and enjoy the nightlife of Old Town.  

The other night when we were in Old Town we were stopped by someone who was working with a tour company trying to advertise an excursion to go kayaking.  We stopped and talked to him for a little, and he mentioned that he is from Croatia.  He said that because his family is so poor, he never had the chance to visit Dubrovnik before.  He is able to be in Dubrovnik this summer because he is working with this tourism company.  It occurred to me just how privileged I am to grow up in America.  Granted, there are a lot of things wrong with our country, and there is extreme poverty that exists that people don’t even know about.  But at any given point an average income family could arrange a vacation to travel to a different state.  This Croatian man was telling us that he never got to come to Dubrovnik- because it is a tourist city and pretty expensive.    These circumstances exist all over- and I can’t help but feeling so blessed to be one of the minority of people in the world who can save and travel for a month. 

On that note, Lisa and I are slowly going B-R-O-K-E, broke.  Although there have been some moments of financial stress, we are reminding ourselves daily that these experiences cannot have a price tag on them.  I wouldn’t take back any moment I’ve had for money.  It’s actually very liberating… to know that for the past few weeks I’ve been truly living.  Spending money I’ve worked so hard for…for intangible fleeting memories.  I guess I could have used that money to buy a car, or furniture, jewelry, or a house.  But I do not think any of those investments would give me the feeling of satisfaction with my life that I have right now.  For the first time in my life, I feel 100% content.  I know that in just a week’s time I will be returning to the chaos of teaching/coaching/working.  I can only hope that I can take with a fraction of the tranquility I feel now.

The band just played Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young”.  I stopped writing to take in the moment….I teared up.  These are the lyrics I heard... “When the winds of changes shift, may your heart always be joyful and may your song always be sung…may you stay forever young, forever young, forever young”.. just magical.

More pictures to come next blog post...internet is slow so i'm only uploading a couple now...goodnight!

Videos of Tarantella concerts we went to in Lecce..incredibile!!

"Dogs eat food. We have dinner"

It’s about 10am here in Italy and I’m writing this blog post outside on the terrazza.  I’m sitting in what seems to be complete silence in the town- although I know that’s not true because there are people walking around the city of Lecce at all hours in the summer (similar to NYC).  As I’m writing this post I am hearing all of the words I am typing in Italian.  I’m pretty sure that the only word to describe what’s going on in my head right now is immersion.  I’ve been immersed in the culture by the language, food, people, environment, and friends I’ve met.

For the past week here in Lecce (which ZOOMED by), my brain has been constantly working to translate what I am hearing and what I am saying.  It is so difficult.  Although I still have much more progress to make, I have reached a new level of speaking/understanding Italian that I feel very proud of.  I’ve been fortunate to spend everyday this past week with the coolest and nicest people who are so patient and helpful in me learning.  My brain actually hurts from translating all day long- but I see the progress and it is the coolest thing ever to witness myself adapting to the culture and beginning to have genuine conversations with friends I have met.  Also, I cannot get the PIZZICA Tarantella song out of my head!!! We’ve been hearing it nonstop in Lecce, so my brain is pretty much a mush of Italian words and Pizzica music all day long. Needless to say, the silence this morning is refreshing and necessary for me.  Watch this youtube video for a taste of the music that we are hearing all day long (WARNING: after listening to this, you might not ever be able to get it out of your head.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEVB_QAtgwI

Another part of immersion in a culture is reflecting on the way of life that exists.  I’ve been reflecting a lot about the differences between American/Italian culture.  Each of these differences has pros and cons.  For example, efficiency. Yesterday, Lisa and I had the incredible opportunity to visit the most southern tip of Italy, called Santa Maria di Leuca.   We went on an excursion to see the caves (grotte) of this area of the Adriatic.  The water was clear and a beautiful bluish green color..spectacular.  Anyways, we arrived at our destination and had to find our way to the beach.  It took us an hour.  Mainly because the directions we got from people and the signs we tried to read were inaccurate.  Also, the boardwalk to the beach is the most ridiculous layout ever that looks like a huge snake.  We couldn’t help laughing hysterically as we walked along this winding boardwalk that we labeled, “Italian style boardwalk”.  In America, obviously the boardwalk would have gone directly to the beach in a straight line..(makes sense).  So, there are differences that exist in efficiency and functionality that cannot be denied.  

On a deeper level, there is a huge difference in the cultural value of family here.  We had a really long conversation yesterday with our friend Dario who took us on our day trip to Santa Maria di Leuca.  We had this conversation over some Italian beers alongside the Adriatic (NOT A BAD WAY TO HAVE A BEER!)  We talked about the importance of spending time with family, and the value of family that exists in Italy.  The most profound thing that was said during this conversation was by Dario.  We were talking about how in America it is not as common for families to have dinner together every night.  We talked about how different the concept of “eating” is for Americans.  Dario said that while he lived in NYC he noticed how so many Americans said “let’s eat food, let’s get food, I ate food…etc”.  Dario said- “in Italy, we do not use the word food (cibi) to describe what we are eating.  Dogs eat food.  We have dinner.” 

In Italy and in many other cultures, you do not eat alone. You are not just eating food, but you are enjoying meals. Your meals are shared with other people and they are savored.  We talked about the culture in America of eating what’s FAST and EASY.  Frozen food. Take out food. Whatever we have time for.  Dario said that eating frozen food from a box is disgusting to Italians- “what is different about the box and what’s inside the box? It is all processed…you might as well just eat the box too”.   Of course I thought this perspective was hysterical- but it also is very true.  

I can’t help but thinking how different our culture would be if we valued eating meals together with friends and family more.  If we took the time to make real food, and spend time with each other every day/night around the table.   There’s been so much research and articles about the importance of eating dinner every night with family.  Yet, we still don’t do it….because, we can’t make time? I don’t know…it's easier said than done of course..but it's an interesting thought.  

 

When you travel outside your comfort zone (whether it’s not knowing the language, places, or culture), you develop a deeper appreciation for your own culture.  You form a perspective from what you are able to compare and contrast with your own way of life.  I know there is no utopian society, but I think it’s important to learn from the positives of each culture.  I’ll take back with me these cultural values of Italy that never fail to inspire and awe me.  I know they will continue to better my life as they always have. Very grateful for it.

These pictures/videos below are of our trip to Santa Maria di Leuca and our excursion in the Adriatic to see the Grotte.  Enjoy!

 

Tutto posto Ferragosto

Ferragosto.  According to the Wikipedia article I just looked at, the holiday of Ferragosto has rich historical origins. It also is a religious holiday of the Catholic Church, the Assumption of Mary.  If you’re interested in learning more about the holiday, look it up on Wikipedia.  For now, I won’t bore you with details of the historical significance… because to most Italians, Ferragosto means FUN FUN FUN!  (festa, mangia, festa, mangia, festa, mangia..)

dating back to the 1920s during Fascism.

 The holiday is celebrated all week long.  To sum up our experience so far in short- Ferragosto for us has consisted of visiting the most beautiful beaches in the world (and sleeping on that beach..and watching a meteor shower), hanging out on an awesome boat in the Ionian Sea, eating amazing food, listening/dancing to the Tarantella style music, drinking lots of beer/wine typical to Puglia, and meeting and spending time with incredible Italians who are also on vacation.  Not so bad…

Because it falls in the middle of August and is a very hot day, many Italians go to the beach for vacation.  Lisa and I have been lucky enough to take part in this experience in Puglia, which is on the heel of Italy.  The region of Italy falls between the two seas- the Adriatic and the Ionian.  For the past few nights we have been staying in Lecce.  This city is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve been to in Italy.  There have been people out in the city at all hours- and 95% of these people are Italians who are here for Ferragosto (similar to New Jersey people going down the shore for the 4^th of July).  I am going to post some videos and pictures of the city, although I do not believe they will do the city/region justice.  

I’m going to try my hardest here to try to depict for you in words our experience here.  The best way I can describe it is comparing it to a dream.  There is no way to predict what is going to happen in your dreams..but you often wake up and say to yourself “wow that was an awesome dream”.  Lisa and I have not been able to predict any of our experiences.  We are of course being smart, but we are going along with the flow of things and often don’t know the plans of the day/night.  We have been hanging out with Lisa’s friends who grew up in Puglia.  We have had the chance to meet their friends and family and go along with them for the ride.  Some highlights of our experiences (dreams) are dancing at a Tarantella concert, watching a meteor shower on a beach, sleeping on the beach and waking up to the sunrise, going to incredibly beautiful beaches on the Ionian sea, sleeping on a yacht, taking a ride on the yacht on the Ionian sea the next day,  eating incredibly fresh seafood, pasta, and pizza……….and the list goes on.

The culture here is so rich in history.  For example, the other day Lisa and I were walking back to our apartment (after having dinner at midnight…yes, midnight), and we stumbled upon this looking glass on the ground.  We stopped and looked through it to find that underneath the piazza ground, there still exists ancient stones and materials that at one point made buildings.  We were able to look beneath the glass and see stair cases and arches…..so. cool!  In addition to the very ancient architecture that still exists in Lecce, there also is an incredibly rich culture of music here.  Around the city, there is the Tarantella style music playing all over the place.  There are concerts almost every night in the big Piazza in Lecce.

An experience I will never forget is dancing in a circle with some Italian friends that we met at the Black Tarantella concert. We all were sweating so much and just jumping around and then we all got into a circle and started singing and kicking our legs out in front of us.  The full band that was playing, the Black Tarantella, was unlike anything I’ve ever heard/seen… amazing live music.  After the concert we all went to the beach to hang out….Lisa and I found out that we would be sleeping on the beach.  Before we slept, we all got to witness what had to be a meteor shower.  I think I saw 15-20 shooting stars within an hour.  So beautiful!! The friends we were with had tents/sleeping bags for the night sleep.  It’s common for people to sleep on the beach during the week of Ferragosto… it was such a cool experience.  I will never forget waking up to a beautiful light blue/purple sky against the crystal clear water.  Incredible.  One of our friends got everyone coffee/cornetti and soon we were joined with many other Italians on the beach all day.

We got the chance to spend some time on a spectacular boat that is the cousin’s of one of Lisa’s friends.  The owner of the boat was nice enough to host us for dinner/drinks on the boat, and we all stayed in separate beds on the boat at night (3 bedrooms).  Lisa slept on the deck….see the picture below.  The next day we went out on the boat and saw what I think was the most beautiful sea I have ever seen.  The water was crystal clear and a light blue color.  We got a chance to jump off the boat and go swimming a couple times.  Bellissima!

For the night of Ferragosto we went to another concert in Lecce and met up with our friends we’ve been hanging out with the past few days.  The piazza was packed with people- of all ages.  Everyone was singing and dancing all night.  It was definitely one of the top 5 best nights of my life…so much fun!! We've had an incredible time here!

 Next up.....we will be going to Croatia for 5 days.  Excited to see what adventures are in store for us there!