my sister and I on a small ferry zipping from one little italian village to another. i remember this boat ride so clearly. the wind, the smell of the sea, trying to spot our rental villa from the boat, my spell of seasickness, clambering off the boat and walking the rollicking plank held down by 2 men. each of us passengers dashing across one by one.
we stopped for refreshments. everything was aqua and white. the sea shimmered below us. blue blue blue. an older gentleman- a writer giving an interview to a young woman at the table next to us. the man said with an accented voice, “I detest…” for the rest of the trip i wanted to use that word and say it exactly the way he did. but there was nothing to detest. so i couldn’t. then the waiter looking all over for us because we took the restaurant’s copy of the check. whoops.
these little italian boys playing and shouting and chasing and laughing just outside a grand old church. oblivious to us.
it’s all living here inside my glass dome of memory.
we waited for the boat back to Amalfi. i saw this woman alone. with her cane and her book, warm sweater, her white bonnet of hair. and as i always do when i see older travelers, i thought of my future self. and wondered what sea i might be sitting by in 25 years. waiting for a boat to carry me away. reading a book that has yet to be written.
~
thank you thank you thank you to the overwhelming positive response and registration for TICKET TO VENICE. i am honored by your enthusiasm. i’ve been crazy busy here at command headquarters. simultaneously preparing for departure to italy in a few weeks, launching the class, and receiving much awaited news about another matter. (that i will share in a separate post!)
You are so brave, my dear. Good for you! I wish you 8 months of adventure and fun, peace and quiet and whatever else your heart desires.
Beautifully written – i felt like I was there with you. And that blue drink! Oh, it is the essence of the trip to Venice I think. Can you ask your sister if she could do her mixologist magic and create a special drink for us over there in the departure lounge that looks just like that one? It is a color that I’m smitten with of late. Just smitten, I tell ya!
Namaste from New Delhi! I visited the Gandhi Memorial yesterday and found it very moving. WHEN you visit India you should be sure to see it.
This is truly a most fabulous place! Tomorrow the Pushkar Camel Fair!
Happy belated Thanksgiving. I am grateful to know that just as soon as I return home I will be off to Venice with you.
Poetry, Mary Ann.
I’ve been away but I’m catching up on all this beauty.
Detest is a word of mine!
You have the cutest sister ever!
sister!!!!
im sure i will like it. as long as its not the one of me drinking water like a horse out of that fountain
sister! I just pulled out my travel journal and took a great trip down memory lane 🙂 since you put up a photo of me – I put up a photo of you. I was going to use the one where you tried on that ridiculous hat, but I thought better of it since I think you have one of me like that too.
You are such a wonderful word smith Mary Ann. I suppose it’s why i adore your blog so much as well as your classes; and probably cuz it connects well with my inner workings, all those cogs, wheels, spokes that keeps me hummin along. I could just sit here, watchin the world go by, scenes from lives being well lived, enjoyed, ordinary and charming and with enough excitement to keep it all interesting. I can’t wait for the journey to begin.
It looks a little cool there on the Amalfi coast, y’all in sweaters, but still lovely to read about. There is something so wonderful about aqua and white, isn’t there? That frosted drink looks quite refreshing, did Carol get the recipe? Looking forward to the separate post and the much awaited news!!
I am happy too for you Mary Ann that you get so much response on your new class. The group is buzzing already. I have started gathering things and collecting photographs from venice. The Amalfi coast is on my to do list, but that might not happen. I hope that December is here quickly for you. Wave when you fly over England, I live down there!
Eagerly awaiting the news…
Are you off this entire week? Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
xo