I’m back from Italy!

Regular readers of this space will not be surprised to learn that when I struggled to get Wifi going on my laptop in the mother land I decided to take it as a sign to disconnect. It was a blessing, really.

Over the next few days, weeks, months (probably), my rich experience of Italy will be seeping into this space and across my work. I can’t possibly capture it all here and now, although I’m thrilled I journaled every day the old-fashioned way.

I was hosted by two wonderful families and in two weeks I took in: Lake Como, Stresa (Lake Maggiore), Lake Orda, Milan, Pistoia, Lucca, Pisa, Florence, Rome. What I ate ranged from simple and fresh to rich and decadent; honestly, each time I ate something I thought it couldn’t get any better — and it did. Risotto with porcini mushrooms, homemade coconut and lemon gelato topped with Limoncello (hello!). Seriously, in Tuscany I had eggs for breakfast that a neighbor’s hen had laid the night before.

Duomos, the heart-pumping art of Michelangelo, a field of sunflowers, shopping at a flea market in Rome with three fun women I met from Australia. Waiters who act like they’re doing you a favor every time they grace your table (Is there a difference between French and Italian waiters? I saw none.)

While I enjoyed my trip immensely, I must say I almost broke out into America the Beautiful when I saw the Manhattan skyline from the plane.

Stay tuned for more …