Respite brings energy to create endearing connections with others. First, the Florence-based caregiver who reads The Caregiver’s Voice monthly newsletter. Then, the Milan-based Secretary General of Federazione Alzheimer Italia and Board Member of Alzheimer’s Europe. And finally, the wine master in Panzano in Chianti.
There is something exciting about venturing away from your daily routine. Day after day, caregiving responsibilities wear you down. A change-of-pace can help you recharge. You feel more energy when you have something new to look forward to.
On a personal note, I love romantic comedies set in Italy. Sure, these movies are fiction loosely based on fact. And reality is well, real! But hey, we’re talking, ITALY!
After postponing for three years mainly due to COVID, it was time.
When traveling for pleasure, I like to have the skeleton in place. This allows me to fill my time with unplanned spontaneous connections and experiences.
Planned Activities
The skeleton included four planned events from the middle to northern region of Italy. The URLs are to posts to my personal-page on Facebook while in Italy.
- Teatro alla Scala, Milan’s premier opera house, to see Le Nozze di Figaro
- Duomo Cathedral in Milan
- Accademia Museum in Florence—David
- Rome: Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill Tour
To these planned events, I added three more:
- A visit in Milan with Mario Possenti, Secretary General of Alzheimer’s Europe and Federazione Alzheimer Italia. Thank you to the London-based office of Paola Barbarino, CEO of Alzheimer’s Disease International for helping facilitate this connection.
- A steak-dinner with truffle-pasta with Mauretta Bernardini, caregiver for her Welsh hubby, Geoffrey since retirement, and a visit by her long-time friend from school, Beatrice.
- Then thanks to Mauretta, I met her former student, Francesco Anichini and Papa and Mama Anichini of Vallone di Cecione, home of the award-winning Chiantis in Panzano.
Unplanned Activities
Then my youthful travel companion and I added spontaneous visits to the Trevi Fountain in Rome, the liturgical mass at the Duomo in Milan, the top of Florence, my encounters with the Italian Polizia, a visit to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, a rainy drive through Lucca, getting stuck on a mountain due to rains in Montecatini Terme, the Sistine Chapel (didn’t yet post to Facebook), getting lost at Castel Sant’diAngelo (have not yet posted to Facebook) and the Vatican at night.
Lodging. Espresso. Getting lost with GPS.
Thanks to recommendations along the way, we had a variety of places to stay from luxurious to wanna-be accommodations.
Each day, we started with coffee, Italian style—double espressos for me, most mornings. We were so busy running around, we made sure to enjoy one exceptional meal each day.
Despite having access to GPS, we often got lost due to losing the signal between the tall buildings as we navigated on foot along narrow roadways and sidewalks. It took standing in the middle of an open plaza to regain the signal at some personal risk of colliding with a car, scooter, or motorbike!
Big City vs. Countryside
While my companion, a fashionista, enjoyed Milan the best, and knowing the big city-life of Milan, Florence, and Rome offer many options and conveniences, I will return to explore the Tuscan countryside. What draws me is the beauty of the land and the slower pace which enables people to make deeper connections. I will also schedule time to visit the southern part of Italy including Napoli and Sicily.
I will write more about caregiver Mauretta and my meeting with Mario in the coming weeks. For now, Buon Giorno. Caio!
