la bella italia, day one

I thought I'd share with you the pictures and the writing from the trips I've taken in the past few years. Travel photography is one of my favorite areas; I have the time of my life trying to capture moments, small details of the places that usually go unnoticed by the regular postcard photography. Besides, they give me a window back to those times, take me to those places again. I spent most of my week processing the photos from the trip I'm about to share, and I swear I could almost smell the Nutella crepes that they sold a couple of streets from our hotel room. 

So, here is my take on Italy. The trip will be split in a couple of blogposts — too many memories to share, too many photos. The texts will look kind of... diary-like, because I took them off the notebook I brought with me. But I hope you like each and every one of them. Don't forget to let me know what you think, share your experiences with me! This world, this tiny little universe I'm creating here, is nothing without your input. Talk to me!

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The plane left early in the morning, way too early. We're sleepy, the both of us, and the plane trip (which is never too pleasant) was shaky. I know I'm over my fear of planes, I know I was actually craving this trip, but I still get butterflies in my stomach every time I enter the darn thing. Oh well. 

The sights are gorgeous. We're preparing for cold, for snowstorms and freezing fingers and falling on my butt in front of monuments (I need to start counting the amount of times this happens), but I have the feeling it's not going to be that cold. The land is very green under us, the sun is peeking out. We might have sun after all. 

Rome! We're just crossing town on our way to the train to Florence, but still. It's like home. 

There are only a handful of places I'd move to in a heartbeat, and Rome is very close to the top of the list. It's unbelievably beautiful, and it's curious that I get there exactly six years after I left. To the day. 

The air feels exactly the same as it did when I was there with my friends; the color, the light yellow mornings and the smell of coffee and old books and wet stone. I remember loving this feeling when I was with them; that everywhere I looked, there was art. It's incredibly inspiring, when every small corner, every nook and cranny is spilling talent, showing off the hands of the men (and women, albeit few) who worked them so very long ago. 

I missed it. I missed Rome with everything I have, and I'm only realizing it now. It feels like home. 

Trains are my favorite means of transportation. I love the calm, the paradox of the noise against the quietness that forms inside my head. I love feeling cradled by it, like when I was little and I'd hurt myself and my grandmother would sway me from side to side. It's incredibly comforting.  

    [view from our hotel window]

After a full day of traveling, we're finally in Florence. The hotel looked decrepit from the outside, but it's new and stylish and gorgeous on the inside. It was a wonderful choice. And the view. This view. I can't believe I'm here. I can't believe I'm finally in Florence. 

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Thank you for reading, have a wonderful Friday!