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Coming back to Italy is as sweet as the ripest seedless grapes melting into your mouth. It is a very special feeling , the feeling of belonging. It is having roots somewhere and going back to them.

It is the joy of hugging the family and feeling that we love each other even more.

It is walking in the village streets and meeting people you know, and they are happy to see you.

It is buying the best food in the whole world in small shops that look like boutiques.

It is smelling the rain and humidity of winter. Listening to the soft sound of the rain, hiding under the feather duvet is it really raining?

It is wondering how could god design the most beautiful hills and landscape a man could ever dream of…

Yesterday we went to San Gimignano. It is one of the most beautiful and old villages of Tuscany. All the buildings and towers in the historical town centre are OOOOOOOOOOOOOOLD and I mean really old of the 10th Century.
We were just breathing history, beauty, peace. There is something that always strikes me, whenever I am in an old place. The feeling of peace and serenity. I would not know if it is me or the place but I feel at peace. I feel the deep respect for all the souls that have been crossing the same path centuries before me. I am admired by the works of art that will always be there to witness the man’s grandeur and talent. The love for beauty.

So walking in the historical centre of san Gimignano I was, once again, speechless. But is there need of words when we FEEL the beauty all around ?

But In san Gimignano there is also the best ice cream shop in the world! I am not joking, it is the best in the world the Gelateria Dondoli: the owner, who makes the ice cream, won the title for 2 years in a row! You can cry of joy having one of his ice creams…

You can enjoy in one of the many wine tasting places a special white wine the VERNACCIA, produced only with the grapes cultivations which are in the village surroundings. It is a very tasty special wine. When you say Vernaccia you know it can come only from San Gimignano.
And the best delicatessen shops for the non vegetarians, with really the best of the best exquisite food you can find. All clean, well presented. Beautiful food. I feel like buying so many things even if I would not necessary eat all of them… Eating with eyes and mouth is an art that is part of our culture I guess.

I found a small shop where the owner was producing stunning pieces of clothes with a knitting handloom I mean I could watch him working and creating the most beautiful clothes: he could have come out of the novel The Pillars of the Earth, easy.

Next door a craftsman was working on his hand made jewellery: bronze and hard stones. Some of the jewellery seemed to be coming from the Etruscan tradition, very special ones. I talked to him: the whole family work with him and they are all able to make jewellery, that is the family business!

In that area San Gimignano is very close to Volterra they are specialised in the work of alabaster: they do everything with it, from home accessories to ornaments and sculptures. Whatever but made with what nature has provided the villagers : lots and lot of alabaster!

We went back home with special chocolates bought at the Christmas outdoor market, a couple of ice creams in the tummy, bottles of Vernaccia and wooden toys chosen by the kids.
And a light hearted spirit.


Living in South Africa makes me appreciate all this when I come back and at the same time gives me new inputs to live my holidays with a new awareness. Nothing is obvious but to discover, once again with the eyes of the Life’s Explorer.

And every time I go back to my new home I feel the miracle of belonging to that land too, happy to feel life in slow motion, with different sounds, colours, music, people. Sharing my heart between my Tuscan hills and the most beautiful sky in the world, somewhere in South Africa.


Love& Rainbow



Copyright2009LorenzaVerdini