We live every minute of the day in surprise!
Thinking about anything and everything that could happen at the wink of an eyelid could be scary or exciting. There is no warning sign when an incident occurs in our lives, yet there is the choice to live in the fear of the unknown or the excitement of what the next moment may unveil.
All the practice of thinking less did come in handy once I landed at Ibiza airport (yet one more time) at the end of September. As though watering a flame, the steam of thoughts disappeared into the Mediterranean air. However, the trip to Ibiza comes later. What prepared me for this Ibiza experience was the trip before—' Romancing in Tuscany'!
Maximo, 'the boyfriend', had plans to fly to Tuscany five days before my flight to Ibiza, and after our second date, he asked whether I would like to join him for a few days.
"You can see Tuscany by someone who knows it too well." He added.
My expertise in making last-minute decisions got me on a British Airways flight, and as planned, Maximo and I met at the airport in Pisa. Pretty cute! In the four days to follow, we (well, he) drove from Pisa to Viareggio, to the walled medieval hill town of San Gimignano, onto Siena, and finally to Firenze.
Our hotel room at the Western in Viareggio was grand, on an upper floor, with a balcony facing the sea. We walked on the large pedestrianised side of the street, filled with blocks of boutiques, before the elongated beach, which was now empty due to the change of season. The chill of the night was getting under my skin as Maximo left me watching the sunset on the bridge to find his friend Ricky, who lived there. As I stood still, staring at the multicoloured sky and the falling of darkness, a man with salt and pepper hair, casually dressed on a bicycle, stood close by and started talking to me in Italian. When I expressed my lack of knowledge of the language, he spoke with a good English accent, asked about my country of origin, and continued conversing. It did not take long before I realised he was chatting me up. This was Italy, after all! So, in between the chat, I dropped the word 'boyfriend', and he soon fled.
It is, however, always flattering to think one is approachable. Maximo returned with a tall, broad-shouldered, middle-aged man looking quite serious but friendly enough. He softened after a drink at the marina, some tapas and time to return to our hotel room. I dropped in at the Pinko store, but with everything I tried, there was one similar piece that was also the one already owned. Oufff! Close call.
After breakfast, Maximo got behind the wheel and drove through the most magical scenery of lavish green, hilly Tuscan countryside. Then... The towers of San Gimignano appeared in sight. The towers were built high up on the hills according to the wealth of the owners of the time.
We sat at a table outdoors for lunch and watched the flute player settle himself by the well in the middle of the square and begin playing a tune that only the heavens above could have created against the mesmerising setting surrounding us. At these moments, I can only feel blessed and grateful for every second of my life. It was good to be around someone. I found comfort in silence when need be and simply getting lost in time, in a blank space of total bliss.
'Gosh! No wonder my blogs go on forever! I keep getting carried away in reminiscence.'
The Romanesque and Gothic architecture of San Gimignano, with its tower houses under the blue skies, filled with the sound of tourists strolling around in the last of the summer's days, was perfect; wandering on the cobbled, pedestrianised streets. Finally, it was time to leave and head towards our next destination at the Garden Hotel in Siena, where we retired after a bite to eat and a negroni, which went straight to my head and touched parts no beer could reach!
The morning sunrise was breathtaking from the window of our room on the top floor. I woke up early and went straight to open the shutters, only to be hypnotised by the multicoloured dawn setting onto the captivating, lush, hilly outskirts of Siena. Glorious!
We ended the day by walking through the fast-emptying streets of tourists, stopping at Max Mara for coat shopping, and finally sitting outside for dinner, with blankets covering our legs, at Pizzeria del Pomidorino, with an outstanding view of the Duomo in Siena.
On the third day of our visit, driving through the scenery of Tuscan Chianti vineyards and this charming Italian province's continuously green hilly roads, listening to chill-out music and absorbing all the beauty possible was pure joy.
On our way to Florence, we stopped at the designer outlets en route. The place felt particularly soulless, with shoppers rushing in and out of stores, travelling from all corners of the world; in particular, the Chinese clientele in masses was noticed. Our Gucci lunch was of fresh salads and a little petit four to accompany coffee.
I must say, Maximo's patience surprised me all along, whether it was my nuisance habit of taking hundreds of photos, the hours I spent dragging him from one store to another, or the long queues for payment. He was full of the right, sexy compliments a woman likes to hear: 'You don't need to make up Haldita. You've natural beauty!'
'Oh Yeah! ' I thought. Not to forget the admiration he expresses for my legs! 'Seriously?! ' I have been told many compliments in the past, but my legs?!
As I mentioned before, compliments and flattery can get you very far when you get older. I'm not for a moment taking it any other way! Haha.
The sun was still in view when we arrived at the Park Royal Hotel just outside the city centre. As we sat on the magnificent balcony of our high-ceiling suite, chianti in hand, watching the sunset behind the trees, the only thing on my mind was the bliss I felt.
It was our last night of the trip, and Florence was waiting. I had last been here with an old school friend fourteen years ago. By the time we got to town, the chill of the night had set on the ground, and the lighting added further appeal to this city of Renaissance, with hardly any visitors; one could not have asked for more! Since my first stay in Florence about 37 years ago and the many times I have visited in between, every experience has been unique with people and memories of its own. Which changes were more apparent? Is it the sites of each city, the people perhaps? How much difference has the advanced new technology added? And in relevance, how much do we each evolve and transform in our own unique ways?
The charm of Tuscany ran deep through my veins. In the pleasantly warm September climate, not even the clouds, at times, could in any way lessen the beauty of nature, mixed with the grand architecture each city and village possessed. Plus, being shown around so wonderfully... Simply alluring!
I got back home on the 25th of September to unpack and only pack again. My Next destination, the following day, was Ibiza!
Thinking about anything and everything that could happen at the wink of an eyelid could be scary or exciting. There is no warning sign when an incident occurs in our lives, yet there is the choice to live in the fear of the unknown or the excitement of what the next moment may unveil.
All the practice of thinking less did come in handy once I landed at Ibiza airport (yet one more time) at the end of September. As though watering a flame, the steam of thoughts disappeared into the Mediterranean air. However, the trip to Ibiza comes later. What prepared me for this Ibiza experience was the trip before—' Romancing in Tuscany'!
Maximo, 'the boyfriend', had plans to fly to Tuscany five days before my flight to Ibiza, and after our second date, he asked whether I would like to join him for a few days.
"You can see Tuscany by someone who knows it too well." He added.
My expertise in making last-minute decisions got me on a British Airways flight, and as planned, Maximo and I met at the airport in Pisa. Pretty cute! In the four days to follow, we (well, he) drove from Pisa to Viareggio, to the walled medieval hill town of San Gimignano, onto Siena, and finally to Firenze.
Our hotel room at the Western in Viareggio was grand, on an upper floor, with a balcony facing the sea. We walked on the large pedestrianised side of the street, filled with blocks of boutiques, before the elongated beach, which was now empty due to the change of season. The chill of the night was getting under my skin as Maximo left me watching the sunset on the bridge to find his friend Ricky, who lived there. As I stood still, staring at the multicoloured sky and the falling of darkness, a man with salt and pepper hair, casually dressed on a bicycle, stood close by and started talking to me in Italian. When I expressed my lack of knowledge of the language, he spoke with a good English accent, asked about my country of origin, and continued conversing. It did not take long before I realised he was chatting me up. This was Italy, after all! So, in between the chat, I dropped the word 'boyfriend', and he soon fled.
 |
| Viareggio |
After breakfast, Maximo got behind the wheel and drove through the most magical scenery of lavish green, hilly Tuscan countryside. Then... The towers of San Gimignano appeared in sight. The towers were built high up on the hills according to the wealth of the owners of the time.
 |
| Views of San Gimignano |
 |
| Listening to a flute player at lunch |
 |
| San Gimignano's main square |
'Gosh! No wonder my blogs go on forever! I keep getting carried away in reminiscence.'
The Romanesque and Gothic architecture of San Gimignano, with its tower houses under the blue skies, filled with the sound of tourists strolling around in the last of the summer's days, was perfect; wandering on the cobbled, pedestrianised streets. Finally, it was time to leave and head towards our next destination at the Garden Hotel in Siena, where we retired after a bite to eat and a negroni, which went straight to my head and touched parts no beer could reach!
 |
| Garden Hotel Siena |
 |
| A Tuscan sunrise |
 |
| Siena |
 |
| Flag-hanging streets |
 |
| Races in the main square |
 |
| Main Square - Siena |
 |
| Bird Fountain |
 |
| Siena at night |
We ended the day by walking through the fast-emptying streets of tourists, stopping at Max Mara for coat shopping, and finally sitting outside for dinner, with blankets covering our legs, at Pizzeria del Pomidorino, with an outstanding view of the Duomo in Siena.
On the third day of our visit, driving through the scenery of Tuscan Chianti vineyards and this charming Italian province's continuously green hilly roads, listening to chill-out music and absorbing all the beauty possible was pure joy.
On our way to Florence, we stopped at the designer outlets en route. The place felt particularly soulless, with shoppers rushing in and out of stores, travelling from all corners of the world; in particular, the Chinese clientele in masses was noticed. Our Gucci lunch was of fresh salads and a little petit four to accompany coffee.
 |
| Chianti vineyard |
 |
| Following the Chianti van! |
 |
| Shopping galore! |
I must say, Maximo's patience surprised me all along, whether it was my nuisance habit of taking hundreds of photos, the hours I spent dragging him from one store to another, or the long queues for payment. He was full of the right, sexy compliments a woman likes to hear: 'You don't need to make up Haldita. You've natural beauty!'
'Oh Yeah! ' I thought. Not to forget the admiration he expresses for my legs! 'Seriously?! ' I have been told many compliments in the past, but my legs?!
As I mentioned before, compliments and flattery can get you very far when you get older. I'm not for a moment taking it any other way! Haha.
The sun was still in view when we arrived at the Park Royal Hotel just outside the city centre. As we sat on the magnificent balcony of our high-ceiling suite, chianti in hand, watching the sunset behind the trees, the only thing on my mind was the bliss I felt.
It was our last night of the trip, and Florence was waiting. I had last been here with an old school friend fourteen years ago. By the time we got to town, the chill of the night had set on the ground, and the lighting added further appeal to this city of Renaissance, with hardly any visitors; one could not have asked for more! Since my first stay in Florence about 37 years ago and the many times I have visited in between, every experience has been unique with people and memories of its own. Which changes were more apparent? Is it the sites of each city, the people perhaps? How much difference has the advanced new technology added? And in relevance, how much do we each evolve and transform in our own unique ways?
 |
| Ponte Vecchio at night - closed shops |
 |
| Ponte Vecchio |
 |
| Neptune Fountain |
 |
| View of Florence from the hilltop |
 |
| Ponte Vecchio from the hilltop |
 |
| Michelangelo's replication of 'David' |
The charm of Tuscany ran deep through my veins. In the pleasantly warm September climate, not even the clouds, at times, could in any way lessen the beauty of nature, mixed with the grand architecture each city and village possessed. Plus, being shown around so wonderfully... Simply alluring!
I got back home on the 25th of September to unpack and only pack again. My Next destination, the following day, was Ibiza!
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