a strong, innate desire to rove or travel about
Synonyms include: love of journeys
I figured, what heck, it hasn't been a year since our trip and I only have 2 more cities to blog about so why not? So here we are...where did we leave off? Oh yeah...
Mission #10 - Brave the Italian Open Road...again
Point of Origin - Florence, Italy
Destination - Siena, Italy
It's very hard not to think of running away from the sometimes mundane lives that we lead when we can think of a hundred places we'd so rather be. Since the ability to teleport from one location to another in a matter of seconds is not available to all, I often rely on something else to help me escape boredom, repression and sadness - memory.
If there were a place like Siena a few hours away from Glendale, I'm sure you'd find me driving through a lush countryside to get there (maybe in a Peugot much like the one Pat and Seong maneuvered above)... 
Maybe sitting in the middle of a square (or in Siena's case - a shell), writing vigorously about the little boy kicking the soccer ball back and forth with his father or the nuns walking through with rosaries hanging from their belts...
Possibly watching a group of friends taking silly pictures in front of every interesting landmark they came upon...
Or uselessly trying to protect my head from a swarm of pigeons flying through yet somehow not caring because the cup of gelato in my hand causes the greatest distraction.
Siena is just that kind of place that draws you in to its distinct architecture, layout and aura. The fact that every single building is brownstone and every street is narrow enough that you question its functionality until you see pedestrians nonchalantly step aside when a Mini Cooper or vespa comes whizzing by; it's just surreal for visitors such as ourselves to ingest.
It is truly another world over there. Looking at this picture, you'd never know it was taken in 2006. The preservation of cities such as this is nothing less than extraordinary.
We were eager travellers, knowing when to stop to appreciate a local musing and knowing when keep walking to stay on schedule, though our timetable, truth be told, was barely ever pushed to its limit.
Yes, driving in Italy was quite the task...and so was being a passenger. The fact that lanes are not always defined, and no one seems to know who has the right of way was an entertaining, albeit frightening experience. Listening to music in the car was hilarious as well. We often found ourselves either trying to decipher the Italian language, listening to the same English songs over and over again (John Legend and Usher, you guys are popular over there), there was also the mp3 player option. Unfortunately, finding a station was tricky....unless you're resourceful of course. You freakin' jerks, find your own damn antenna! 
Maybe sitting in the middle of a square (or in Siena's case - a shell), writing vigorously about the little boy kicking the soccer ball back and forth with his father or the nuns walking through with rosaries hanging from their belts...Or uselessly trying to protect my head from a swarm of pigeons flying through yet somehow not caring because the cup of gelato in my hand causes the greatest distraction. What I miss most about Italy is the reverence you feel you owe to the food being served to you at every meal. Plates aren't jaded with too much garnish (if any at all) and fistfuls of food so massive you feel your heart tighten just by looking at it. Food there is placed in front of you with the greatest of pride by waiters dressed in suits, and your glass of wine sits nearby, waiting to make sure every morsel you eat is an experience you will probably never forget.
One of the funniest recurrences on this trip was Cile's dealings with zippers...especially her bag's and jacket's zippers. She seemed to make this face every time she wanted to zip up and though it made me smile every time I saw it, it made helping her zip up even more worthwhile.
We were eager travellers, knowing when to stop to appreciate a local musing and knowing when keep walking to stay on schedule, though our timetable, truth be told, was barely ever pushed to its limit. Yes, driving in Italy was quite the task...and so was being a passenger. The fact that lanes are not always defined, and no one seems to know who has the right of way was an entertaining, albeit frightening experience. Listening to music in the car was hilarious as well. We often found ourselves either trying to decipher the Italian language, listening to the same English songs over and over again (John Legend and Usher, you guys are popular over there), there was also the mp3 player option. Unfortunately, finding a station was tricky....unless you're resourceful of course. You freakin' jerks, find your own damn antenna! 
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