Where Wine is Cheaper than Water: a story of sightseeing, eatin’ good and happiness
Pasta, gelato, Mediterranean salads and sightseeing; what more could a girl want?
My recent exploration of Italy and Greece taught me three things: 1. it always feels five degrees hotter, 2. wine is cheaper than water and 3. approach life the way you approach food: with love, care, happiness and open-mindedness.
Our three week trip began with a long flight into Milan and a train ride up to Lake Como where we were greeted with lake-side sunset, fresh gelato and a surprise Beyonce cover song. It’s safe to say the trip was off to a great start! We woke up the next morning, grabbed our first cappuccinos and headed out to explore Bellagio and Varenna by ferry and foot, winding our way up and down the cobblestone streets. Bellagio was bustling with people, action, and excitement and Varenna offered a complete juxtaposition: stillness, serenity and calmness. After walking through a villa in the rain, sitting in the zen garden next to a mini statue of David, and sipping wine under a tree in the rain, Varenna holds a special place in my heart.
The next day we made our way through Milan en route to Venice, where we immersed ourselves in seafood and aperol-spritzes. The winding canals and beautiful bridges connect all 124 separate islands. We soaked up the history on a walking tour, meandered through St. Mark’s Square and drank bellinis from Harry’s Bar on our way to a serenaded gondola ride. Venice was swirling with love and life.
The following days brought us to Florence and Siena where we devoured the best truffle pasta, attended an Italian Opera, ate dinner at an underground restaurant, were cooked a traditional Tuscan dinner of salad, tomato pasta, stewed meat and cream custard by a local woman, and explored the “Manhattan of Europe”: San Gimignano. Locals give it this name because of the tall towers that are scattered throughout the whole city. Florence and Siena gave us a taste of pure, natural wines at jaw-dropping prices alongside some of the most wide-spread views of untouched Tuscan Countryside. From the preparation to the extraction and bottling to the way they are labeled, I was baffled and fascinated by the science of wine. Wine is quite an intricate artform!
Rome, our next stop, brought more sightseeing and steps than we even thought was possible! Our day was packed with soaking in all the sights. We fueled up on fresh cacio e pepe pasta (my favorite!), prepared from start to finish right in front of our eyes. Everything from the flour to the parmesan to the final product was prepared with care and love; and you could taste the difference! We explored the Trevi Fountain, Colosseum, Spanish Steps, The Vatican and Vatican City, The Pantheon, Roman Forum, and Piazza Navona, dripping sweat the entire way! We topped off our stay in Rome by cooling off in an Ice Bar.
We made our way down to the Amalfi Coast, passing through Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. A city that was once a hot vacation spot for the wealthy, now attracts people from all walks of life through a story of history and natural disaster. The city “frozen in time” was much bigger and more developed than any textbook had ever made me imagine. From the amphitheater to the winding, flowered gardens, everything was crafted with care and intended to bring enjoyment and playfulness to others.
When we arrived in Praiano, we were met by smiling hotel employees, happy to help with any request. Ranging from requesting extra ice waters to renting Vespas, they happily treated us like we were good friends. We spent our days in the Amalfi hiking along the Path of the Gods, soaking in the sun, riding chairlifts in Capri and eating all the shrimp risotto and melon-cellos our hearts could ever want. We were truly living in paradise.
During this trip, I realized a lot about myself and the lens with which I experience the world.
So much of our lives revolve around the job we have and life we live. We are always taught to want more. But if there’s one thing this trip taught me, it’s that life should be approached the way Italy approaches cuisine: with love, care, open-mindedness and happiness. It’s become commonplace to lose ourselves and way of life to stress, money and material things when our world has placed such immense value on them. Since this trip, full of utter happiness and love, I have tried to shift my perspective through a lens of appreciation and beauty. This world has so much to see and teach us if we allow it, and I am embracing every second of it.
So next time you’re having a tough day, remember to approach life like Italian cuisine, because even on a tough day there’s always something to smile about.