I am a sucker for a day trip. There's something about waking up stupidly early and hopping on a (very cheap - thank you Italy) train to a new place. About getting off the train, finding a map and making a plan for the day. Wandering around an unfamiliar city, soaking up the sights and smells and looking out for any strange regional traditions - like eating squid ink pasta without making it look like you've been wearing black lipstick.... - there must be a way to do this! And then, when you feel like you've exhausted the city of your presence, hopping back on a train and revelling in a day well-spent.
As I've said before, it matters who you go with. It makes all the difference in the world in discovering the magic of a place. Of having it stick in your memory. I love exploring places with Hugo. A thing we're just discovering together. His determination to make the most of a place, his careful planning yet at the same time his eagerness to stray from the well-trodden touristic path. And our mutual love of food. When he came to visit recently, I made sure we had time to day trip.
The two places we went to see were both familiar to me - having lived in Florence for a month and Venice for a week (at the age of sixteen, singing in the local Venetian churches), but both completely new to him. I felt like this gave us the best of both worlds - my knowledge of which direction to head in and his fresh intake on all things we saw.
I had such a lovely time, it made me sad he was leaving. But it seems every time we meet up, this bug for travel is growing. We always talk excitedly about where to go next.
Next week Prague.
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