~ * ~Civita di Bagnoregio~ * ~ A Different Type of Travel Tale

January 2nd, 2016

One pretty perfect day in

 in Civita di Bagnoregio

 

~

When we are in our day to day life

we often don’t get the chance for

deep, full connections.

…

We only have enough time for a Facebook Like

Which is not bad,

but always leaves me wanting more.

~

This day in Civita di Bagnoregio

I got to step into more.

~

At breakfast G&T tell me,

much to my chagrin,

that they prefer to stay in Orvieto

and not go by bus to Civita di Bagnoregio.

–

If feels like I have been shot.

For the next minutes I am simultaneously talking out loud about other things

and at the same time,

like someone who has just heard bad news,

processing the shock to my heart

and accepting the fact that

if I am gonna experience this Breathless Wonder.

I will need to go alone.

…

 I warp my head around this fact,

and  steel myself for doing it alone.

~

  

I don’t know why this makes me inwardly nervous-

I mean really,

what could possibly happen to me?

But that is what fear is-irrational.

I know this about fear and me.

~

I also know that

while I prefer when in a foreign environment to be with people I know,

I also know that I will keep trying until I feel comfortable traveling alone,

so that I won’t miss those moments that are magical;

Those moments where I am standing in front of

Breathless Wonder.

~

G&T walk with me towards the part of town

we have not been to yet and where I need to catch the bus.

Until I actually buy the ticket I know

 I still have that opportunity to stay in my comfort zone

and just wander with G&T

-following wherever they may be-

–

But I don’t want to do this.

I have succumbed to fear before while traveling

and it usually leads to disappointment.

…

–

Once I buy the bus ticket I become brave.

I become committed.

Even when we cannot find where I should meet the bus, I release G&T to go off and start their day.

 I will be fine; I am close-

I will find the bus stop.

And I do,

&

 I am more than fine.

With one little word- Hi,

I open myself up to having the most wonderful day.

With a second Hi,

we were a trio for the next 6 hours.

Three women who spoke the same language, English,

-and also that language of the heart.

***

 

N is a retired documentary film maker, who loves gardening and adventure.

M is my age,

and like me,

doing all she needs to do work wise to get the money to travel

and shifting things in her life

so that she is able to travel.

They both are traveling on their own,

 M for about a month and N for a few months.

Damn!

I want to be brave too.

I want to travel to a foreign country on my own

 AND like it.

…

Truth is

I don’t need the reassurance of knowing someone is beside me in a foreign place,

as much as I need the comfort of someone who knows me there

-If that makes sense?

…

N, being a documentary film maker for the experiences,

&  not so much for the money

has lead a very interesting life with lots of richness.

M has that joie de vivre…

that sprit,

 which allows her to wear multiple clothes at the same time

-a dress, a skirt & pants

 ~

– not because she is crazy

but because she is cold

and can bring us all to a real laugh-out-loud laughter about it.

***

We fall easily in step with each other

as we cross over to this magical mount

which is accessible only by foot;

Making it feel

fairy-tale-secret-like.

~

~

Civita di Bagnoregio is my kind of place.

No Cars.

Piazzas with doors, windows and flower boxes fill my vision.

A snap shot at every look.

~

~

At an outside table where we are the only late lunch patrons

is where we continue our discussion of

how at this time in our lives

it is more important to feed your soul.

.

~

 Rosemary infused beans

cooked in a hearth over an open fire

along with bread charred in smoke

and white wine

fuels our talk about the feeling that time is flashing by

and that things you used to easily carry

no longer carry you.

~

The why, what and how

of shedding and stepping into our next chapter

is something which carries our conversation at lunch.

~

Later I am amazed that these two women,

who I will never see again crossed my path,

and that we all 3 feel the same way at this point in our lives.

…

Does it take to getting to be a woman of a certain age

before your burning desires become an undeniable driving force?

And is it that we can say out loud, what we are holding inside,

because we will never see each other again?

I don’t know those answers,

I only know that it was a fabulous day.

~

We wander after lunch

walking the village complete.

 ~

~

On our way across the foot bridge back to the bus

we cross paths with a couple that M had met earlier in her journey.

They are staying in this village.

…

I have this fantasy

after visiting the old town of Viason de Romaine in Provence, France

 and now Civita di Bagnoregio, Italy

to stay somewhere for a few weeks that is secluded,

~

~

A town which allows only the littlest of cars

or better yet,

no cars,

In a cottage with a beautiful garden and wide expansive vista.

Reading and walking

(& swimming if in summer).

~

 ~

…I will need to move this desire to the top of the list.

…

I would not have changed a minute of my time in Orvieto,

but as usual

there are things left undone.

…

Next time,

I would make sure I got an email address of those I meet along the journey

who I would like to stay in contact with

-I did get N’s address,

but M hopped off the bus before we got back to Orvieto

~A true spontaneous gypsy soul that gal~

~

I would also go to Bar Blue at night,

~

And have a picnic on the low wall outside my apartment watching the light of the day fall over the valley before I fell into bed.

~

Oh, and then there was the old world coffee bar attached to

the Teatro Mancinelli @ Corso Cavour 122

 Sabrina told us this was the gathering place when she was growing up.

Imagine that…

 It would be fabulous to see a show or concert at this old world theater

and perhaps a drink in the bar to cap off the night.

 This time we just walked around looking at the frescos until we were told,

no- no-no-

it was closed.

~

 ~

And we really wanted to check out

Orvieto Underground

@ Piazza Duomo 23,

we missed the last tour by about a ½ hour.

…

Oh well,

another thing to add to

 next time….