The Space Between ...

It's only just July and, already, it's been quite an unusual year ... full of exotic destinations, quiet happiness and quite some joy, disappointments, delightful people, family, and misunderstandings too.  

It's Life, isn't it.

Today I finally stopped, just for a couple of weeks.  

I have sorted, lifted, and shifted everything I own, getting rid of as much as I could, keeping in mind that I will have a place to 'furnish' in September.

I have lost, at least, 4kgs.  This is not a bad thing.  I am stronger, fitter, and browner than I've been in a while.  On the other hand, I'm exhausted.  The ankle I sprained a few weeks ago reminds me that I have been quite unfair with my demands on it, and it continues to puff up in protest.  But I can walk on it and I'm grateful for that.

I said goodbye to my little sister, and her husband, yesterday morning.  They're still flying today.  The first leg of the journey was about 8 hours.  The second is 17 hours.   I was left wiping away a few sneaky tears as I strode off to finish emptying my room in the palazzo.  I went via Douce, for a restorative espresso and a moment of calm before the lifting and shifting. 

I had the loveliest time with them.  Altogether, we got to spend 17 days catching up, talking, telling stories, eating and drinking when we could.

I saw the web in the photo above, when it was caught in the evening light.  I found it beautiful.

ADMIT by David Whyte

Admit, that once you have got up
from your chair and opened the door, 
once you have walked out into the clear air
toward that edge and taken the path up high
beyond the ordinary you have become
the privileged and the pilgrim,
the one who will tell the story
and the one, coming back from the mountain
who helped to make it.

David Whyte

From MAMEEN, River Flow: New and Selected Poem.

I would love to tell a story about this house.  It's the first I've fallen in love with, in years and years.

An Infinite Variety ...

It seems as though there is an infinite variety of ways to explore Genoa.

I couldn't resist using those words.  Most easily, you can use your own two feet, alone or guided.  There is a hop on/hop off bus.  There are segway tours.  A miniature train tour.  And, of course, public transport.  There are boats, bikes, outdoor elevators, and a funicular too.

And this rickshaw guided tour ...  

Really.

Girovagando qua e la'...

I returned to Genova in mid-March, and have spent the days since, walking these streets I love so well.  Walking with my camera in hand, as always ... 

It has been a difficult return.  Flying 10 hours back in time, to a new, much smaller, bedroom, and a complicated by all kinds of uncertainties.

But as always, the city has soothed me, and my city walks are getting me through these days of downsizing and exploring new opportunities.  

A facebook friend recently wrote, girovagando qua e la', and after translating it, I stole the words to keep for myself.  

Wandering here and there so perfectly describes my exploration of the city.  And, perhaps, my life too.

The photograph ... I found it at the weekend and loved it.  I actually discovered the artist had wandered all over the centro storico, leaving their distinctive art everywhere.  I wonder who it was ...

EuroFlora, Italy

Nervi, in Liguria, is hosting EuroFlora this year.   And as the small coastal town is only 9kms from Genoa, so it is that Genoa is celebrating the international event with a variety of EuroFlora-orientated actions.

The most startling, for me, has been the overnight appearance of 100s of brightly-coloured umbrellas, hanging above particular streets here in the city.

Walking to work recently, I discovered Via Aprile's sky-view had been completely filled with open umbrellas.  And over days, other streets and ceilings too, have been filled in the same way.

I wanted to capture the display in a different way, and actually ended up taking a series of images.  The photograph above was my favourite.

Portrait Photography ...

There is almost always laughter involved, in attempting to capture the soul of a person ... that photograph that gifts you a glimpse of who they might be when they relax.

We wandered around the Botanical Gardens, finding spaces where they could just be who they are.

A huge thank you for trusting me.