Reflections on a quiet weekend ...

Sometimes I feel more like a eighty-something instead of a girl of twenty-two! Here I am, spending my weekend quietly at the nearly empty Palazzo in my beloved Sansepolcro while the vast majority are off seeing the beauties of Venice and Italian countryside - and I wouldn't trade it, not for a weekend of traveling anywhere else in Italy. I can hear friends back home laughing at me, or see them shaking their heads. "You're in Italy, girl - go out and enjoy it!" But I needed this little period of stillness and quiet. I was looking forward to it all week, and now that it is here, I am thankful for the time it has offered for both thought and general collection of mind.

Anyway, there I was sitting in my chair earlier - window open as usual - when I began pondering a number of things. I was enjoying the cooler breezes that arrived earlier this week, the rich blue sky, and the wide-ranging splendor of the moment. My weekend in Florence eventually floated back to the surface, and thoughts of that weekend set me to reflecting back on my travel experiences in Italy over the past few years. It makes me smile to notice the difference between Bekah in Italy 2007 and Bekah in Italy 2009: in so many ways the same girl is here still - and yet, my idea of pleasure and where to find it has shifted dramatically.

I remember how oriented to constantly doing and seeing I was the first time around, and how my go-go-go drive to do and see as much as possible took me spinning through destinations like a kid on a scavenger hunt. I've wondered sometimes how much I truly took in during those trips! This time feels so different, and my "methods" of seeing and doing seem to have changed considerably - and, I would say, for the better.

The trip to Florence last weekend really showed me where these differences lie and, although I already touched on them some, I think they are worth revisiting. I know that many of you have not been to Italy, but in the hopes that you will travel, either here or some other amazing site away from home, I want to give you an alternative to the typical way of seeing and enjoying a new place. I'm not in any way suggesting that it is the way - I've just had some new thoughts on the subject and want to share them with anyone willing to listen ...

There are two main aspects I want to highlight, two key disciplines, if you will, to this version of acquainting oneself with a new city or area - and I think it is fair to refer to each as an art form, for neither is risk-free or easy all of the time. The first is the art of observing - truly observing. It seems one thing to see a place and quite another to get to know it through keen observation of its makeup, movements, and personality.

I was so pleased with Firenze this time around because I was at leisure to actually sit down and enjoy her! Yes, there is great value in throwing yourself headlong into the beauties of the Uffizi or the wonder of Brunelleschi's dome, and one should take in as many such opportunities as possible, especially if it could be the one weekend of your life that you are in Florence. However, if you are able, save time in your day to take a break from the going and seeing and just stop ... allow yourself to sit, observe, relish. One can learn so much about a place just by sitting in the same corner for an hour, or even a half hour, and taking note of the people milling around you, the architecture above your head, the conversations filtering into your ears (even if you don't speak the language!) ... the possibilities are extensive and wonderful!

I have also found that there is great value in devoting more extended observation to a few key places (say, 3-4 main ones versus 8 or 9+) instead of overstretching and only taking in a fraction of what the sight has to offer. The experience of a museum, cathedral, garden, palace or ????? when you allow more time for each will be worth it. This method can also be far more economically friendly to your pocketbook too! Imagine paying to see a handful of sights and spending an hour or two (or in the case of a place like the Uffizi three, four, etc) on each and actually getting your money's worth out of the experience! Too often I made this mistake, paying to see a place and then not allowing for the time it deserves because I was too preoccupied with getting to the next thing - checking one more thing off of my list of to-see's.

On a similar financially-minded note, keep an eye out for beauties and enriching experiences that are free of charge. Parks, piazzas, and markets (if you can keep your hands in your pockets and out of your wallet!) are always open to be enjoyed by all, and they can often be great places to take in the lifestyles of locals too. This is especially true if you are able to enjoy them in the late afternoon or evening - by then most of the tourists have lost their steam and have either crashed back at their hotels, flooded the tourist-friendly restaurants, or better yet, left town :) And remember too that you will get a richer experience of churches if you wait to see the inside during a service. Even with the ones that usually charge for entry you will be spared that cost and, as a bonus, you will get to witness firsthand the chiesa in motion, which is the best way to observe one in full.

Now, talking of le activita' gratis leads me to the second ingredient of my recipe for non-traditional seeing of a place: that of wandering. Before I continue, I should say that this is one suggestion to approach with some caution, particularly if, like me, one is prone to getting lost. But there is a solution - visit a tourist office! Get a free map! Orient yourself to important places, like the train or bus station, your hotel, or even the tourist office, and mark up your map. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't be afraid to look or sound stupid when asking for help. If you must ask for help and the tourist office is not an option, approach a younger person of your sex who appears friendly - they would be more likely than a middle-aged or older individual to speak English (isn't always the case, but generally speaking it's a good rule of thumb). Now, that caveat having been noted, I will continue on to the benefits of wandering ...

When people are comfortable wandering, they open up new windows of opportunity and place themselves in the way of interesting new discoveries. Leaving the beaten path of tourists is freeing and exciting, and you are also far more likely to say goodbye to the place feeling like you own a piece of it - or that it owns a piece of your heart! I can't tell you how many delightful spots I've accidentally stumbled across, or how many home away from home sensations have warmed my insides, or how many interesting locals I've had the pleasure of crossing paths and conversing with (if only for a minute, or 5) all because I took pains to throw myself into the less obvious corners of a city. I've also happened upon free jazz concerts, tasted original-to-the-site gelato flavors (and paid less for them too), found that perfect Italian alleyway to capture on camera, and exchanged pleasantries with a friendly nonna as I passed under her apartment window.

These are all things I would have missed out on had I stuck to a strict schedule that took me from one museum to another, or held fast to the main roads out of fear or insecurity. It is difficult to pull yourself away from the obvious big streets when you are new to a place and unsure of your surroundings, I know - I've experienced that too! But the rich potential for gain is completely worth it - and the freedom of time to simply meander and enjoy is priceless.

Buon weekend!