I must go back!

I need to go back!

Does anyone remember how Jack felt the first time they left the island in Lost, well that’s how I feel being away from Italy- minus the pills addiction of course! This place is becoming more and more like a prison and the memory of being surrounded by so much beauty is eating away at me. My last visit to Italia was April 2011, I visited Florence, the heart of the Renaissance and everywhere you would look there was art and culture. Not to leave out the beautiful landscapes, and in this jewel of a city there are areas where traffic is restricted! A city for the people, unlike London, where it is more about the cars and to hell with the people.

In every city I’ve been to in Italy, you always get this sense that the most important thing should be you. It’s not like the media here makes it out to be, they are not lazy and spend all their time either sleeping or eating, they just make sure they take time for themselves and unlike here, where you feel rushed and hurried around, over there you can take your time and you don’t feel as though you have to make a decision straight away.

In every Italian city there are always plenty of Piazzas or squares where you can sit and relax after a hard days shop! What I love most about that Country other than the food, football, history, culture and architecture are the trees, I know it may seem ridiculous but in a country where they are demolishing everything green to make room for a new shopping centre or business park, it’s a pleasure to see some green. And what I find wonderful is how the councils actually take responsibility for the upkeep of these areas.

I have always had a fondness toward Ancient Civilization and the impact they have made on the modern world, and in 2004 my dream came true, I was in Rome! It may have only been for a shot time ( a weekend in July) but I took in all the history and the heat! Rome is a very touristy city, so I was prepared for the queues, but what I wasn’t prepared for was the heat. I was so hot at one point I almost fainted! This was partly due to the amount of pollution which makes it feel hotter than it actually is, but it was mainly my fault, you see I was wearing dark jeans and not drinking enough water!

I didn’t make the same mistake during my second visit. On my second trip to this wonderful country I spent a week in Florence and a day in Pisa in 2005- I have been twice since then! What can be said except breathtaking! And the food wasn’t half bad either! Fresh and full of flavour, unlike here where you get food that lasts longer and is larger in size but has absolutely no flavour! And also Italian Ice-cream is the best- rich and creamy, bellisimo!

In 2006 we went to Milan for a weekend, and it was impressive! Not exactly cheap either, food and clothing will cost you a pretty penny as this is where many of the high class designers are based like; Prada, Armarni and Versace but the people are always warm and friendly and the nightlife is great- no drunken yobbos to be found. The public transport is cheap and fast, and one day we visited the romantic city of Verona- and yes, we went to Juliette’s house, no to pay pilgrimage but to visit the gift shop. The next day we went to Como to see the lake- well, a tiny part of it, but it was majestic!

In 2007 as my graduation present we went to Florence for a weekend, but as I had been before, we took the train to Rome. And as I love history I was absolutely delighted to be there again- in sensible clothes this time!

I waited almost two years for my next visit and it was perhaps the most enjoyable. With my earlier trips I was always with my sister, but this time I went with my good friend and it was also my birthday, so the delight was doubled! I went to Turin in 2010, home to my beloved team Juventus. It was a bit of a hassle getting there as there were no direct flights, so I had to get a connecting flight which did take a huge chunk of the day, but let me tell you it was worth it.

The Alps, the Baroque style buildings, the Juventus store and best of all Turin is the greenest city in Italy, so I was in heaven! But now I’m here, full of rude people rushing and hurrying to do what their master’s tell them.