Finally, the real Italy

My first foray into Italy was an accidental stop off in Pisa. It's a long story, but in short, a few hour stop off on the way from Budapest to Albania coming up two years ago, turned into a two day stopover for a friend and I after our plane was cancelled for no apparent reason.

I didn't warm to Pisa and it certainly didn't live up to my expectations for Italy. It was teaming with tourists (mainly Americans on tour buses - not that I have anything against them), the food served in restaurants was frozen pasta meals and breakfast involved packet croissants (you know the ones that physically can't go off because they are packed with preservatives).

My second trip was a much more successful trip to Sardinia with 9 friends for Easter last year. While we stayed at a lovely villa and revealed in the relative warmth compared to London, we didn't really get out and about in the villages of Sardinia. I came away from the trip feeling like I was yet to experience the real Italy.
This, my third trip to Italy, has finally allowed me to get a sense of the Italy that I was so sure was lurking here somewhere. The farm I am staying on is 4 kms from a town called Orte. I spent my morning wandering around the town and soaking up the 'italianess' of it all.

Cappacinos for one euro; locals having their morning shot of grappa; enticing bakeries with fresh ciabatta and pizza by the slice; crumbling buildings; roads so narrow the cars could barely squeeze through; flower boxes; delis selling fresh pasta and olives; vegetable stores brimming with artichoke, radicchio and tomatoes; little old ladies wearing headscarves and wheeling their morning purchases in those funny little shopping trollies; old men smoking on the street; clothing stores selling leisure suits (and frighteningly people wearing leisure suits); vespas; washing hanging from balconies high above; gelato shops; window shutters - my morning stroll lived up to every Italian stereotype I had in my head.

The other bonus which I must harp on about, not a single tourist in sight. Orte won't be in your guidebook, it's only claim to fame according to wikipedia appears to be its prominence as a road and rail hub and some battles during roman times - but for me it was the Italian experience I have been waiting for.

Italian ways

I have made it to beautiful Italy. I am staying on a small olive farm about 10 minutes from a town called Orte which is 40 minutes by train from Rome.

The countryside is stunning. Rolling hills peppered with pockets of bush, olive groves and meadows filled with spring grass. In exchange for food and board I am expected to work in the mornings: looking after 4 beautiful show jumpers; gardening and working in the olive grove. We stop during the morning for stovetop Italian espresso and lunch is an outdoor, sit-down affair: pasta; salads; bread; and cheese (today I counted the number, eight different types of cheese, heaven).

It is a fantastic way to gain an insight into the traditional Italian way of life. I'm here until 3 May when I hit the tourist trail again in Rome.

Lovely London

I have now made it back to lovely London. Despite the weather being a little chillier than I'm accustomed to, it is nice to be back to the English spring (with the long daylight hours) and the bustling city.

I really struggle with London in the winter, it's so dark and grey and long, that it's easy to get bogged down by it all, but spring is a different story as people start to come out of hibernation. The faces on the tube are a little less glum, European summer trip planning begins in earnest, and summer festival/event posters pop up.

While I am lucky enough to have avoided one of the coldest winters on record here, I can't help but get caught up in the changing vibe of the city.

As is always the case in London there is lots on, yesterday I wandered around a Roy Liechtenstein exhibition at the Tate Modern, sampled some goodies at my all time favourite, the Borough Market and walked aimlessly around Selfridges.  After my time in Africa, I actually find places like Selfridges even crazier than I used to - materialism and consumerism at its very best (or worst, depending on ones view).  I also partook in having a few wines with friends in Shoreditch.  Today I'm going to take a walk on Hampstead Heath and perhaps go to the British Museum.

London is an utterly charming place when one doesn't face the usual constraints of day to day life.  I love being here when I am free to spend my days at will and don't have to face the daily commute or hectic pace of working life here.

And, just because I can, a few photos.

Just a saying

Not really a post today, but a cool little saying that I saw on a shop in Cape Town in January. Too true.

Smells of Singapore

After a fabulous six weeks at home I'm officially a 'traveller' again (rather than just unemployed).

I arrived in Singapore on Friday. I haven't travelled in Asia at all. The only place I've been is a trip to Bali with my family when I was 12.

I'm here for 5 days before I head down to Darwin to visit my sister. Since I've decided to delay getting a job again I'm on a pretty small budget. Yep, I'm even staying in a dorm room, gap student style.

Arriving here reminded me yet again what an amazing sense smell is. I was almost immediately transported back in my memory to that first overseas trip as a twelve year old. I think Asia has very distinctive smells: the food and all the amazing spices, the woody yet plasticky smell of the clothes, the flowers in the humid air.

To my nose Latin America also has a very distinctive smell, I think primarily from the cleaning products. I remember landing in Mexico City having first travelled to South America some 18 months earlier and not been able to stop commenting on the similarity of the smell.

In Europe the smell is more familiar but still memorable. One of my favourite aspects of a trip cycling around Provence last June was experiencing the beautiful smells of the countryside (including the infamous lavender) all day long.

Finally, there is the smell of home - one of my favourite things about NZ which I mentioned in my last post.

Of course I'm not just enjoying Singapore's smells, the food has been incredible and the architecture outstanding. Due to budget constraints I've mainly been sticking to hawker stalls for food and wandering the streets to fill my time. I've even satisfied my inner planning lawyer geek by finding a gallery (with no admission fee) solely dedicated to the town planning history of Singapore. (The Singapore City Gallery).

All in all, a great foray into the world of Asia.