Blogging Italy – Writing Wrongs

A rose walk in the snow

So technically, it isn’t winter, not yet. It’s sure doing a good imitation of it:

Brrr. It’s cold out there today. And tomorrow? We’re getting three to six inches of snow, which I think means winter has officially arrived, no matter what the calendar says.

This made visiting the Giardino delle Rose even more enjoyable. Just for fun, I used a free Photoshop template and pulled together some of my favorite sights from the Rose Garden.

I also made a utilitarian one of images that directly related to the scenes I’m writing. That’s been helpful to place myself there as I write. Of course, I also have to put myself there when it’s dark, and the garden is closed. There’s not much I can do but make up that part of it. I did not sneak into the Giardino delle Rose after dark; I have no desire to cause an international incident.

Honestly, I doubt there’s a bad view from the Giardino delle Rose, but this is one of my favorites:

Rainy days and Sundays (never get me down)

So in the past few days, we left behind the false summer and time-traveled back to early spring. It’s rainy and cool and that’s okay because we desperately need the rain around here. Along with the heat, there were wind and fire warnings.

Bring on the rain. (And the writing: it’s a good excuse to stay inside.)

Speaking of rainy days, here’s a view of a couple from Florence:

The Ponte Vecchio is always amazing, even in the rain (and it was raining, hard).

Il Caffe del Verone is on the top floor of the Istituto degli Innocenti. This view, even in the rain. So worth it. Also, the cappuccino didn’t hurt.

The sweetness of doing nothing

It probably comes as no surprise that I fell in love not only with Italian coffee but those adorable Bialetti coffeemakers as well.

I was, however, on the fence about buying one; I wasn’t entirely certain I’d have room in my suitcase. But on my last day, I decided to take the chance that I could wedge it into my suitcase and headed for the Bialetti store in Pisa.

As it turns out, when you buy a Bialetti, you get a discount on coffee to go with it. Would signora like some coffee as well? Since the sales clerk had just brewed me a sample of that coffee, who was I to say no? I might as well go all in with the coffee and coffeemaker.

And, as it turns out, yet again, my purchase reached a threshold where I could get a substantial discount on another item. What was this item?

An umbrella. For a mere 3,50 euro.

Did signora want the umbrella as well?

People, people. An umbrella. As some of you know, umbrellas—in particular, sentient umbrellas—play a big role in The Pansy Paradox.

So, yes, signora absolutely wanted the umbrella as well.

My Bialetti coffeemaker and my new (sentient) umbrella.

If it had been anything else? Maybe not. Although the sales clerk clearly had my number at this point, so probably.

So, during my last weekend in Italy, I embraced that Italian motto (as noted on my umbrella): the sweetness of doing nothing.

It was pouring down rain. The following day promised sunshine, and I planned to head for Florence. But right then, Pisa was damp, dank, and dark. So, I did what the Italians do. I honored the afternoon break time. I brewed some fennel tea, curled up, and read for a few hours.

By early evening, the rain had stopped, and I wandered into the city center for something to eat.

Another deal: Aperol Spritz and a Margherita pizza for 10 euro.

I’m back!

Hello everyone! I. Have. Returned.

But wait! Where was I?

Well, for the last few months, my daughter has been working as an au pair in Italy. Several weeks back, I was at my desk, staring at the bleak view out the window, and wondered: Why on earth am I sitting here in Minnesota?

Good question.

So, I started researching whether I could swing a trip to Italy. Turns out that I could. I found a reasonable flight, a bed and breakfast in Pisa (a quick train ride for my daughter and near many of the places I wanted to visit). Then, I made the fateful decision to click Book Now.

And perhaps it’s a coincidence or a bit of synchronicity, but there are portions of The Pansy Paradox series that take place in Italy. I’m beginning to suspect my subconscious knew—long before I did—that I needed to walk the ground for some of those portions.

I’m hoping to write more about my time there. Not so much a travelogue, which sounds boring to read, never mind write. But the odd and unusual and fun. Things that relate to the series I’m writing. Things that made me see something in a different light.

But first, some firsts:

First photo in Europe: