Florence In February
Travel has a way of reminding me how small I am and how intricate our God is. Every corner of His world is unique and filled with beauty and wonder. This trip to Florence happened to be my first time traveling completely solo. A few of my friends thought I was completely crazy for going alone and I’ll admit, I was a bit anxious about it. But as soon as I landed, my mind went into, “you got this” mode. I had no other choice. I met up with a childhood friend during my 8 hour layover in Lisbon and from there, it was just me and it was the BEST decision I could have made. I am so glad I didn’t let fear get in my way. Traveling alone stretches you and forces you to embrace a place.
I enjoyed the challenge of learning how to take the train, using google maps to walk around, practicing my Italian until I could confidently order a macchiato at the cafe, and embracing the art of drinking my coffee standing up…the way the Italians do it. Seeing as my confidence had hit an all time low since last year, this trip reminded me that I am totally capable and awesome. Yeah, I said it. I am awesome. I can and will gladly get on a plane and go just about anywhere and thrive while doing it.
Traveling solo- it introduces you to a new version of yourself. You experience the world around you more deeply, because it's not competing for your undivided attention.
So why Italy? Italy is one of my favorite countries. I explored several cities here 6 years ago while on a cruise and I have been itching to come back ever since. But there is more to the story… I am a hopeless romantic…to a fault. So I am not lying when I say “I watched Under The Tuscan Sun and bought my ticket the very next day without telling a soul.” There is one quote in the movie that really stuck with me and it catapulted me into my own Tuscan pilgrimage.
“Between Austria and Italy, there is a section of the Alps called the Semmering. It is an impossibly steep, very high part of the mountains. They built a train track over these Alps to connect Vienna and Venice. They built these tracks even before there was a train in existence that could make the trip. They built it because they knew some day, the train would come.”
That spoke volumes to me as I weeped in my room, somehow relating to this character who had no clue what was in store for her future. All she knew is that she didn’t know a thing and every crazy dream and desire she ever had was better off in a parallel universe. After climbing Kili last year, I embarked on a new mountain journey, a figurative one where I found myself in a valley of hopelessness, stumbling over rocks of disappointment. I stopped dreaming. I became very tired and jaded. But as I said earlier, I am awesome. I don’t have time to feel this way. I am too loved, talented, and chosen to feel this way. Yet, I did. And while I knew a trip to Italy wouldn’t mend my heart, I knew it would reignite the flame inside of me that I missed so much. Below, you’ll see photos and captions from a trip I will hold in my heart for the rest of my life. I am certain God orchestrated it for me to go alone, so I would hold on to more of Him. Now, I look back on my solo adventure and say, “God sent me on that trip to remind me that He is in the details, I am more capable than I believe, and in the midst of a long-winded winter, He can bring the warmth of a boundless summer.”
Who knew an 8 hour layover could be so much fun? Lisbon is a vibrant city, brimming with Moorish history and every shade of blue displayed in its ocean, sky, and its famous azulejos (painted ceramic tiles). It also doesn’t hurt to make some new international friends…
I made it to Florence in the evening and arrived in a suburb called “Sesto Fiorentino” where I stayed in the most charming Tuscan Villa called Villa Il Paradisino. The owner, Costanza picked me up and took me to a local market and butcher shop as soon as I got in so I could keep some meat and cheese in my room. I loved staying outside of Florence. I was only a 15 minute train ride away from the city center, yet I was able to gain a more authentic Italian experience by staying in Sesto. It’s a walkable town with amazing coffee bars, bakeries and restaurants and the villa is a 15th century gem run by the sweetest family. You will not find a more unique, authentic place to stay in Tuscany and Costanza will treat you like famiglia.
On the first day, I hired an amazing private tour guide, Elena! I loved her because she was not only knowledgeable about Florence’s history, but she was passionate. Highlights of this day:
) Visiting the oldest pharmacy in the world, Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella (And not like a CVS! It smelled so good in there, guys! I had to go back and buy some stuff! My favorite scents were Tabacco Toscana and Angeli Di Firenze)
) Seeing original sketch drawings on the wall of a basement from Michelangelo lived in
) Visiting the The Baptistery of St. John. (This is when God reminded me that He was in the details. The Baptistery is in the shape of an octagon which has eight sides and eight is the number of new life. What perfect symbolism for a place of baptism.)
) Eating the best pizza for 6 euros at Gustapizza
) Climbing the many many steep steps of the Cupola del Brunelleschi at the Duomo. As they say…”Life’s a climb, but the view is great.” (See photos below)
The following day was spent wandering the majestic wine region of Val D’Orcia. I visited the towns of Montepulciano and Pienza. If you like avoiding tourist crowds, then February is the month to go! Even the locals were hiding. And while you won’t see fruit on the grapevines, this will mean shorter lines for wine tastings and plenty of time and space to take in the scenic, rolling landscape. The sight of pruned grapevines served as a beautiful reminder that every season is necessary in order to produce an abundant harvest. Pruning is needed for new growth. Most people tend to hide from pruning seasons, quite literally and figuratively. The Tuscan countryside is quite empty this time of year. But there is beauty in the stillness, something I am personally trying to embrace.
I ended the evening at an amazing local restaurant in Sesto Fiorentino called Blend. I highly recommend eating at places with no English menu. And in case you’re wondering how weird it feels to eat alone in public, it feels kind of weird at first. But you can enjoy your food so much more, because you’re not talking. And no one sees you as weird as you feel. In the words of John Mayer, “Don’t be scared to walk alone, don’t be scared to like it.”
February 14th. Valentine’s Day in Italy is not as romantic as one might assume. The holiday is much less commercialized there, so I started my morning by walking to the local coffee shop, 5 minutes from the villa and ordering a cappuccino. Locals crowd the front of the bar while sipping their espressos with both grit and grace. They always seem busy but never in a rush. I took this day to breathe a bit as I had my cooking class with Costanza back at the villa in the afternoon. I learned that patience and preparation make a great meal. We started by going out into the garden of the villa to pick fresh parsley and broccolini. We reaped a harvest on our hands and knees, in the dirt. Harvest is beautiful but it looks a lot like hard work. The rest of the garden was filled with bare vines that twisted and turned like they belonged in a fairytale. The olive trees stayed abiding in the Tuscan winter, firmly rooted until warmth arrives. We went back inside with our ingredients and started with peeling apples for the torta di mele (Apple cake). Every detail matters down to the way you mix each individual ingredient. Step by step, ingredient by ingredient, an aroma of authentic Italian cuisine filled this mid-century kitchen. The sound of pancetta frying on the pan. The little appetizers Costanza gave me of fresh gorgonzola. The song that the Sangiovese grapes play as they hit a clean glass. The garlic, anxious to jump in the pan with all of its friends, the tomatoes and onions... but...patience, you don’t want the garlic to burn. All of this happened all at once. Imagine Heaven’s Kitchen...how many things is God doing in our lives all at once and we are sooo hungry, we’re willing to settle for fast food and microwave blessings? Patience and preparation make a feast. He makes everything beautiful in its time...in its season. Ecclesiastes 3:11
Patience and preparation make a feast.
Rome is about an hour and a half train ride from Florence and it’s a smooth ride. Francesca was a wonderful guide who happened to be from the area so she was well aware of the Roman ways. We ate pizza from a local bakery (traditional Roman pizza has no cheese on it!…It’s okay…I made up for it with the block of parmesan I ate from a cheese shop in the old Jewish ghetto.) The city is such a unique mix of ancient, renaissance, and new. People watching through the Campo de’ Fiori market was one of my favorite spots to capture some shots of locals living life amidst the busyness of Rome. Seeing the famous Caravaggio paintings of “The Calling of St. Matthew” and Michelangelo’s sculpture of Moses were art history highlights for me. And since I had previously visited Vatican City, I took this day in Rome to visit St. Paul’s Basilica- the alleged location of Saint Paul’s prison and tomb. This was a spiritual highlight for me as most of the Bible I read today was written by him. However, perhaps one of my biggest spiritual revelations was discovered in something most would overlook in monumental Rome. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, right? There are thousands of nasoni fountains (literally meaning “big nose”) throughout the city of Rome and they’ve been around since the 1800s as a way to provide clean drinking water to its citizens. It was some of the freshest, sweetest water I’ve ever tasted. It’s no wonder that the city is blooming with fountains. And the funny thing is, to the average tourist, it just looks like leaky pipes that never stop running, but if you place your finger at the opening of the tap, water comes out from the top like a regular drinking fountain. I learned this from my friend Francesca. It’s a well that never runs dry. You simply are invited to come and drink.
“But if anyone drinks the living water I give them, they will never thirst again and will be forever satisfied! For when you drink the water I give you it becomes a gushing fountain of the Holy Spirit, springing up and flooding you with endless life!” John 4:14
Last full day in Italy- I took the train back into Florence and took my time breathing the city in one last time- for now. I went back to the Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella for some gift shopping and candle sniffing and then I just walked. I didn’t take my camera out once. The photos below were all taken on my phone. After walking several miles, I decided to eat lunch at 4 Leoni, per chef Giada de Laurentiis’ recommendation. I had this unbelievable ravioli filled with cheese and pear. It was unreal. I also indulged in the best cheesecake I ever had. No lie. The server was like, “dangggg girl, you can eat.” He didn’t say it like that but his face said it all. On a trip like this, with as much walking as I was doing, I was not ashamed to eat. Who comes to Italy to play it safe on the cuisine, anyway?
I embraced my last morning at the villa with a walk to the cafe and a picnic to myself on the villa grounds. How did God bless me so big? I am a 25 year old, single, hopeless romantic dreamer. What was I doing in Italy alone in February having the time of my life? How did the winter of my soul lead me to this rich and warm heaven on earth? All I can say is that God knows me so well. He knew what my soul needed. My soul needed to be reminded that passion, confidence, joy, and excitement still live within me. Adventure always draws that out of me, but it is always within my reach. Sometimes, a dreamer just needs a little awakening.
