Well, here I am in Bologna. Listening to the rain come down outside. It's been pouring since I arrived but it hasn't dampened my spirits. I'm on the road again, and that makes me happy in my heart.
Last Saturday I arrived back in Nice after a lovely visit to my family in the UK. I loved loved loved being back in the UK, and in the North East in particular. The weather was cold (very – I had to have my winter duvet on, the fire on every night and the central heating cranked up) but fortunately most days were bright and sunny, which made a difference. It was amazing spending some quality time with my family, who I really miss, and doing some bonding with my little nephew. I loved seeing the always-stunning Northumbrian countryside and the paddling in the (freezing cold) North Sea. Newcastle's bridges by night took my breath away; I couldn't stop taking photos. It was like seeing the region through new eyes. And it was great! I loved the shops. I'm not ordinarily a shopper, but oh my god did I love the shops. Just regular shops like Boots. And I bought four pairs of shoes. Yes, four. I even loved English television. Not something I watch a great deal of when I'm in the UK, but it was such a treat watching Celebrity Masterchef every night. (Sadly I didn't make it to Waitrose, but I really really miss Waitrose. Sad but very true.) Interestingly, none of the above, bar my family of course, bother me when I'm not in the UK, but being back made me appreciate them all the more.
But all too soon it was time to leave and I was headed back to Nice. Chri met me at the airport and when we got back to his, I was delighted to find Eve and Gianluca there waiting to welcome me back. We then spent Sunday helping Eve's dad pick the last of his grapes. As I drink his wine every time I'm at his house, it only seemed fair to help him harvest this year's grapes so I can justify drinking next year's batch. When I'd dropped my parents off at the Newcastle Airport on Saturday morning it was 3 degrees (admittedly it was 6.30am but even so, it was only 9 degrees at 10am) so I was delighted that Sunday dawned warm (up to 27: heaven!) and sunny. After picking the grapes (to the strains of the drunken neighbouring vine-owner singing old Italian songs at the top of his voice, bare-chested with a crown of vine leaves on his head – like something out a film), we sat down to a delicious BBQ then roasted some chestnuts. It was lovely but once again I ate far too much.
Last week I stayed with Chri all week. I haven't seen that much of him this summer so it was really nice spending some quality time together. He taught me a typical Genovese card game, that we've played most nights and I've still not won, but give it time... And one night a couple of friends came round to watch the Genoa game so I made a delicious curry for everyone; the first proper cooking I've done in a long time. I enjoyed it. Another night I took advantage of a free guest pass to join Chri at the gym. Not only did I complete a 45-minute run without any knee pain (happy face), but I got straight off the treadmill onto the bike and did a 45-minute spin class. I loved that too, surprisingly! T went spinning every day. Now I understand why. I like it when that happens.
Friday night and Saturday I spent with Eve, then last night I popped up to Matteo's and had dinner with him and his lovely girlfriend, Luisella. She is one of my new gurus (having been through her own fair share of shit) and she totally gets me. It's nice having a guru in the same country as me – doesn't happen that often. The weather was crap yesterday, really autumnal, so I was delighted to find myself sunbathing in my bikini on the beach this afternoon. The waves were too big to swim (and the water was possibly a tad on the cool side, but let's blame the waves), but I did have to have a shower to cool off. Lovely!
Then I took myself off to Bologna. I'm doing an intensive Italian course for the next two weeks – 4 hours per day – and I'm super excited. (I had to change trains at Milan and am now totally in love with Milano Centrale station. It is stunning architecturally, but it was also nice being in a big, buzzy station. It reminded me of Central Station in NYC, or of St Pancras. It's also moved Milan up my hit list, especially when I saw that BT and Barclays both have offices there...). Anyway, I'm super excited to be learning; stimulating those brain cells a bit. The fact I'm going to be learning Italian is even better. I'm also happy to be in Bologna – even if it is wet. It's meant to be an amazing city; a real Italian city, full of real Italian people, not tourists (bloody tourists, they get everywhere!). And the Bolognese are meant to be a friendly lot. The architecture is supposedly pretty impressive too. I'm staying within spitting distance of the modern art museum that has a great looking bar/restaurant that I plan to hang out in. And the food (and red wine) in this part of the world is rumoured to be amazing. So I reckon I might like it here.
I find experiences like this so liberating. They make me excited and happy and challenged and free.
The End. For tonight. Need to be bright eyed and bushy tailed for my first day of school tomorrow. Good night.
Last Saturday I arrived back in Nice after a lovely visit to my family in the UK. I loved loved loved being back in the UK, and in the North East in particular. The weather was cold (very – I had to have my winter duvet on, the fire on every night and the central heating cranked up) but fortunately most days were bright and sunny, which made a difference. It was amazing spending some quality time with my family, who I really miss, and doing some bonding with my little nephew. I loved seeing the always-stunning Northumbrian countryside and the paddling in the (freezing cold) North Sea. Newcastle's bridges by night took my breath away; I couldn't stop taking photos. It was like seeing the region through new eyes. And it was great! I loved the shops. I'm not ordinarily a shopper, but oh my god did I love the shops. Just regular shops like Boots. And I bought four pairs of shoes. Yes, four. I even loved English television. Not something I watch a great deal of when I'm in the UK, but it was such a treat watching Celebrity Masterchef every night. (Sadly I didn't make it to Waitrose, but I really really miss Waitrose. Sad but very true.) Interestingly, none of the above, bar my family of course, bother me when I'm not in the UK, but being back made me appreciate them all the more.
But all too soon it was time to leave and I was headed back to Nice. Chri met me at the airport and when we got back to his, I was delighted to find Eve and Gianluca there waiting to welcome me back. We then spent Sunday helping Eve's dad pick the last of his grapes. As I drink his wine every time I'm at his house, it only seemed fair to help him harvest this year's grapes so I can justify drinking next year's batch. When I'd dropped my parents off at the Newcastle Airport on Saturday morning it was 3 degrees (admittedly it was 6.30am but even so, it was only 9 degrees at 10am) so I was delighted that Sunday dawned warm (up to 27: heaven!) and sunny. After picking the grapes (to the strains of the drunken neighbouring vine-owner singing old Italian songs at the top of his voice, bare-chested with a crown of vine leaves on his head – like something out a film), we sat down to a delicious BBQ then roasted some chestnuts. It was lovely but once again I ate far too much.
Last week I stayed with Chri all week. I haven't seen that much of him this summer so it was really nice spending some quality time together. He taught me a typical Genovese card game, that we've played most nights and I've still not won, but give it time... And one night a couple of friends came round to watch the Genoa game so I made a delicious curry for everyone; the first proper cooking I've done in a long time. I enjoyed it. Another night I took advantage of a free guest pass to join Chri at the gym. Not only did I complete a 45-minute run without any knee pain (happy face), but I got straight off the treadmill onto the bike and did a 45-minute spin class. I loved that too, surprisingly! T went spinning every day. Now I understand why. I like it when that happens.
Friday night and Saturday I spent with Eve, then last night I popped up to Matteo's and had dinner with him and his lovely girlfriend, Luisella. She is one of my new gurus (having been through her own fair share of shit) and she totally gets me. It's nice having a guru in the same country as me – doesn't happen that often. The weather was crap yesterday, really autumnal, so I was delighted to find myself sunbathing in my bikini on the beach this afternoon. The waves were too big to swim (and the water was possibly a tad on the cool side, but let's blame the waves), but I did have to have a shower to cool off. Lovely!
Then I took myself off to Bologna. I'm doing an intensive Italian course for the next two weeks – 4 hours per day – and I'm super excited. (I had to change trains at Milan and am now totally in love with Milano Centrale station. It is stunning architecturally, but it was also nice being in a big, buzzy station. It reminded me of Central Station in NYC, or of St Pancras. It's also moved Milan up my hit list, especially when I saw that BT and Barclays both have offices there...). Anyway, I'm super excited to be learning; stimulating those brain cells a bit. The fact I'm going to be learning Italian is even better. I'm also happy to be in Bologna – even if it is wet. It's meant to be an amazing city; a real Italian city, full of real Italian people, not tourists (bloody tourists, they get everywhere!). And the Bolognese are meant to be a friendly lot. The architecture is supposedly pretty impressive too. I'm staying within spitting distance of the modern art museum that has a great looking bar/restaurant that I plan to hang out in. And the food (and red wine) in this part of the world is rumoured to be amazing. So I reckon I might like it here.
I find experiences like this so liberating. They make me excited and happy and challenged and free.
The End. For tonight. Need to be bright eyed and bushy tailed for my first day of school tomorrow. Good night.
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