La Bella Italia
4 days in Italy. 4 days filled with so many experiences and so much beauty that it seems impossible to catch it and express it in words. So I have to break it down in chapters. Fasten your seat belts, here it comes.
Chapter 1: The basic facts
We left Sibiu at 4:30 AM on a rainy Tuesday morning. Mikey and I traveled by taxi, bus, subway, another bus and then plane to Pisa via Bucharest. All in all about 12 hours. The boy traveled very well, and I am proud of his maturity, common sense and manners. In Pisa we met Iuliana and Giulio, and our Italian adventure started. Day 1: The Leaning Tower of Pisa. Day 2: park and playground, then Florence. Day 3: beach day at Marina di Cecina. Day 4: back to Florence, more parks, and Beer Fest. Day 5: Good byes and back to Bucharest where we brought back the rain.
Chapter 2: Playing tourists
Well, on hearing that we are flying to Pisa, Mikey immediately declared that he wants to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, with it being a world monument. So we headed there straight from the airport. We parked the car and walked through a maze of souvenir shops, then through the gates of an old citadel wall, past the Baptisery and the Dome, on a crowded street. And there, there it stands, leaning slightly to the right (from our vantage point), the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We behaved like perfect tourists, took pictures, got close to it, admired it, walked around it but did not venture inside. Too many steps for my swollen knees and too big of a line. We took it in and let it tower over us for a bit, then we went back on our way.
When we visit Florence we use the same approach. We walk around and see lots of things, but do not go inside any of the churches or museums. The lines are long and the place is very crowded, and we do not think it would be worthwhile with two kids in tow. So for now we are content with sightseeing and walking the soles off of our shoes. Iuliana is our guide and between trying to keep track of the kids she gets to tell me a thing or two about what we see, and I get to hear half of what she's saying.
He is taken aback by the nakedness of most sculptures and bashfully declares that they should be covered. From there we walk by the Uffizi Gallery all the way to the Arno river. We take a break at a little shop, for ice cream and coffee, then take a stroll on a busy Ponte Vecchio.
That evening, looking at pictures, I realize that at the Loggia dei Lanzi there is a sculpture of Perseus and Medusa (Medusa is Mikey's first mythological love), but we did not see it. I even took pictures of the base of the sculpture, but between the crowds and Mikey pulling at me I did not realize what it was. I feel like I failed my child, so on the second trip to Florence we return there so Mikey can see it and I can take pictures of it from every angle, for good measures.
On our second day in Florence we do little things: shop for souvenirs, visit a wood shop (we call it Gepetto's workshop), and stop at a book store with the boys.
As a tourist, what can I say? Florence is busy busy busy. It is so beautiful that it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Everywhere you look there is something trying to grab your attention, a building, a statue, a flowered balcony, a wooden door. Everything has a story and a history, and it would take a lifetime to learn them all. I knew a few stories about Florence, and Iuliana shares more with me, but for now I am content with just taking it all in. There are also shops, too many shops with fancy names, and ice cream stores, and restaurants, and the smell of coffee and pizza and sweat and tired bodies, but it is beautiful. Especially for a tourist.
Chapter 3: A day at the beach
On Thursday we decide the boys need a break from being tourists, so we head to the beach. Marina di Cecina is about an hour and a half away, and we enjoy the ride through the beautiful Tuscany. Once there we park the car on the side of a little forest; the marine pines give plenty of shade and coolness to make us feel at the mountains rather than at the beach.
After we walk a few hundred meters we are at the beach; the sea is blue and calm, the beach is well kept, dotted by white beach chairs and orange umbrellas. It is not crowded. Plenty of shops, restaurants and attractions. A quiet, quaint little beach town. We find a place with a playground and park it there. The boys are excited about the sea, so we head towards it. Everything is perfect, except for the beach in itself, for where the sand ends the rocks start. It's a pebble beach, and we are hurting from walking on it, and we have a hard time keeping our balance in the water, even though the waves are small we can't plant our feet on the rocky shore and keep getting knocked down. What we lack in grace we more than make up for in laughter, so we are all good. We laugh, let the water cool us, walk, play in the sand, lay in the sun, eat ice cream, get toys, have fun. Mikey and I take a stroll on a rocky sea wall and admire the calmness of the afternoon sea. After the beach, dinner, a little stroll, more play time on the beach for the kids, ice cream, rides, laughter and fun. When we get in the car, we are all wiped out, but the boys keep on going for a while. It was a great day, a day of sunshine and fun, with no schedule and no other objective than have a good time. The sea and the sun and the freedom washed off another layer of tiredness and stress from my weary self. I feel refreshed.
Chapter 4: The kids
Mikey is 7 1/2. Giulio is 4 1/2. Mikey is quiet, calm, reflective, sometimes he even seems sad. Giulio is a ball of energy, he sings and spins and twirls and laughs. Mikey speaks English and a few words of Romanian. Giulio speaks Italian and Romanian. They get along some. They play on the zip line together, with Giulio's toys and on the beach. They squeal with delight at the promise of pizza, ice cream or PowerAde. They also get on each other's nerves sometimes. Giulio's favorite songs are too loud for Mikey, until he realizes that he likes them and starts humming along while Giulio sings them with all his heart and on the top of his lungs.
They play Mini Golf and argue about turns and cheating, and scream with excitement on the bouncy trampolines.
Chapter 5: The girls
That would be Iuliana and I. It's been 2 years. Before that it's been 16 years. The days are mostly busy with the kids and walking and figuring out lunch and dinner and breaks for the boys and plans and calming them down and keeping the peace. In the evening, after the boys and Paolo go to bed, it's our time. We sit on the balcony, feet propped up, sipping beer or wine till the wee hours of the morning. Talking. About past, present and future. About brothers, parents and friends. About dreams and hopes, fears and emotions. A joke, a memory that brings laughter. A much beloved poem that brings tears. Promises for a future that will continue to bring us together, once in a while, for much needed friends time. Hopes that one day our boys will sit like this, together, drinking wine and remembering us when we're long gone. Words and emotions, a connection, this wonderful stuff that friendship is made from.
Epilogue
This, my friends, was our visit to Italy. We went there, of course, with the desire and hope to see and experience Florence. And we did. Mikey also wanted to try Italian pizza and Italian ice cream. He had both, plenty of them, and loved them. I had my fill of good coffee, pasta and wine. I loved the soft hills with the houses lined by cypress tress, the poster image of Tuscany. I could not help but try to imagine what life would be like there. But mostly, for me, this was a journey of the heart, to spend time with a friend. And time was gentle with us these four days, it went by slowly and peacefully; it gave us a bit of everything, and everything that we needed.
July 3-7, 2018
Chapter 1: The basic facts
We left Sibiu at 4:30 AM on a rainy Tuesday morning. Mikey and I traveled by taxi, bus, subway, another bus and then plane to Pisa via Bucharest. All in all about 12 hours. The boy traveled very well, and I am proud of his maturity, common sense and manners. In Pisa we met Iuliana and Giulio, and our Italian adventure started. Day 1: The Leaning Tower of Pisa. Day 2: park and playground, then Florence. Day 3: beach day at Marina di Cecina. Day 4: back to Florence, more parks, and Beer Fest. Day 5: Good byes and back to Bucharest where we brought back the rain.
Waiting for the subway
Chapter 2: Playing tourists
Well, on hearing that we are flying to Pisa, Mikey immediately declared that he wants to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, with it being a world monument. So we headed there straight from the airport. We parked the car and walked through a maze of souvenir shops, then through the gates of an old citadel wall, past the Baptisery and the Dome, on a crowded street. And there, there it stands, leaning slightly to the right (from our vantage point), the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We behaved like perfect tourists, took pictures, got close to it, admired it, walked around it but did not venture inside. Too many steps for my swollen knees and too big of a line. We took it in and let it tower over us for a bit, then we went back on our way.
The cliché picture
The tower looming over us
Santa Maria del Fiore
We start in the Piazza del Duomo with the Cathedral and Baptisery, then make our way to the Loggia dei Lanzi. There, Mikey is overly excited to recognize a sculpture from Greek Mythology (Hercules fighting Nessus) but pays no attention to Michelangelo's David. 
Hercules and the Centaur Nessus
David in front of the Palazzo Vechio
He is taken aback by the nakedness of most sculptures and bashfully declares that they should be covered. From there we walk by the Uffizi Gallery all the way to the Arno river. We take a break at a little shop, for ice cream and coffee, then take a stroll on a busy Ponte Vecchio.
Ice cream break
On the Ponte Vecchio
We make our way back through small, winding streets, with an almost impossible pedestrian traffic and the occasional car or scooter. 
Florence
The base of Perseus and Medusa
With Cellini's Perseus with Medusa's head
Posing with a friend
Break for reading
As a tourist, what can I say? Florence is busy busy busy. It is so beautiful that it's easy to feel overwhelmed. Everywhere you look there is something trying to grab your attention, a building, a statue, a flowered balcony, a wooden door. Everything has a story and a history, and it would take a lifetime to learn them all. I knew a few stories about Florence, and Iuliana shares more with me, but for now I am content with just taking it all in. There are also shops, too many shops with fancy names, and ice cream stores, and restaurants, and the smell of coffee and pizza and sweat and tired bodies, but it is beautiful. Especially for a tourist.
Santa Maria Novella
Balcony on Ponte Vecchio
Chapter 3: A day at the beach
On Thursday we decide the boys need a break from being tourists, so we head to the beach. Marina di Cecina is about an hour and a half away, and we enjoy the ride through the beautiful Tuscany. Once there we park the car on the side of a little forest; the marine pines give plenty of shade and coolness to make us feel at the mountains rather than at the beach.
Marine Pines
After we walk a few hundred meters we are at the beach; the sea is blue and calm, the beach is well kept, dotted by white beach chairs and orange umbrellas. It is not crowded. Plenty of shops, restaurants and attractions. A quiet, quaint little beach town. We find a place with a playground and park it there. The boys are excited about the sea, so we head towards it. Everything is perfect, except for the beach in itself, for where the sand ends the rocks start. It's a pebble beach, and we are hurting from walking on it, and we have a hard time keeping our balance in the water, even though the waves are small we can't plant our feet on the rocky shore and keep getting knocked down. What we lack in grace we more than make up for in laughter, so we are all good. We laugh, let the water cool us, walk, play in the sand, lay in the sun, eat ice cream, get toys, have fun. Mikey and I take a stroll on a rocky sea wall and admire the calmness of the afternoon sea. After the beach, dinner, a little stroll, more play time on the beach for the kids, ice cream, rides, laughter and fun. When we get in the car, we are all wiped out, but the boys keep on going for a while. It was a great day, a day of sunshine and fun, with no schedule and no other objective than have a good time. The sea and the sun and the freedom washed off another layer of tiredness and stress from my weary self. I feel refreshed.
Cute little beach in Mare di Cecina
Chapter 4: The kids
Mikey is 7 1/2. Giulio is 4 1/2. Mikey is quiet, calm, reflective, sometimes he even seems sad. Giulio is a ball of energy, he sings and spins and twirls and laughs. Mikey speaks English and a few words of Romanian. Giulio speaks Italian and Romanian. They get along some. They play on the zip line together, with Giulio's toys and on the beach. They squeal with delight at the promise of pizza, ice cream or PowerAde. They also get on each other's nerves sometimes. Giulio's favorite songs are too loud for Mikey, until he realizes that he likes them and starts humming along while Giulio sings them with all his heart and on the top of his lungs.
They play Mini Golf and argue about turns and cheating, and scream with excitement on the bouncy trampolines.
Playing Mini Golf
Mikey gets really frustrated with the language difference. He gets jealous when I pay too much attention to Giulio. Giulio does not say anything but I see the question in his eyes, what is wrong with this kid who is so serious and does not smile a lot? I know Mikey is tired, and he is more quiet than usual. It may be the journey and him being out of his element, with a language that he does not understand and me pushing him along. But, he's lucky that I have Iuliana to temper me, because we take a lot of time during the day to let the boys be boys, go to the park where they can play and ride the zip line and swing and sit down and eat ice cream. Left to my own devices, I would have marched the boy all over the town all day long...All in all, we both hope that this is the beginning of a friendship for Mikey and Giulio, two amazing little boys, as different as they can be, wonderfully unique.
They colored together
Silly boys
Chapter 5: The girls
That would be Iuliana and I. It's been 2 years. Before that it's been 16 years. The days are mostly busy with the kids and walking and figuring out lunch and dinner and breaks for the boys and plans and calming them down and keeping the peace. In the evening, after the boys and Paolo go to bed, it's our time. We sit on the balcony, feet propped up, sipping beer or wine till the wee hours of the morning. Talking. About past, present and future. About brothers, parents and friends. About dreams and hopes, fears and emotions. A joke, a memory that brings laughter. A much beloved poem that brings tears. Promises for a future that will continue to bring us together, once in a while, for much needed friends time. Hopes that one day our boys will sit like this, together, drinking wine and remembering us when we're long gone. Words and emotions, a connection, this wonderful stuff that friendship is made from.
Friends
Epilogue
This, my friends, was our visit to Italy. We went there, of course, with the desire and hope to see and experience Florence. And we did. Mikey also wanted to try Italian pizza and Italian ice cream. He had both, plenty of them, and loved them. I had my fill of good coffee, pasta and wine. I loved the soft hills with the houses lined by cypress tress, the poster image of Tuscany. I could not help but try to imagine what life would be like there. But mostly, for me, this was a journey of the heart, to spend time with a friend. And time was gentle with us these four days, it went by slowly and peacefully; it gave us a bit of everything, and everything that we needed.
Until next time
July 3-7, 2018
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