Slow down and enjoy more than the ruins of Italy

Salutations,
As I sit here and begin my blog all I hear is Erik Satie Gymnopédies 1. To be honest that is all I have heard in my head since I entered into Umbria about week ago. That musical piece and Umbria are a perfect match. Both slow and moving, rich and delicate, the notes linger in my brain as Umbria lingers on my palate. I realized something whilst here, I now understand that I am a country woman. For many years I fought the thought of loving the country, living in the country, always thinking that country folk were well, not to be rude, kinda slow. I know now that yes, they are slow, not in the insulting manner, no, actually they are slow in a positive way. As I walked through the countryside of Umbria and Tuscany, I noticed I was slow too; slow paced, slow to rush and slow to want to leave such beautiful surrounding. Italy has some of the most beautiful countrysides with some of the kindest people and the best food, oh the food...sigh...

I am back in Rome now, and well not to happy to return to the city. My heart and soul are comfortable in the country. I don't like the hustle and bustle of the city. The filth and non nonchalant behaviour of it's inhabitants. One would think coming to Rome would be one of best experiences of a lifetime, and perhaps if I hadn't become a country girl it might have been. Now don't get me wrong the ruins are amazing, but they are ruins. Artifacts that are left behind from our brutal past. The Colosseum known for it's many inhabitants that died there, for dare I say sport? It is a very contradictory place for me, Rome that is, as soon as I left the city proper I felt comfortable, I felt free, I felt slow....

I loved Umbria and Tuscany and all it brought out in me and all the joy it filled my soul with. As I sit here I can still smell the fresh truffles wafting into my hotel room, I can here the ladies exchanges words about the bread they just purchased, I can taste the fresh olive oil I had on my freshly baked ciabitta with rosemary and a cup of cappuccino. I can still feel the love I have of the country side beating in my heart. I am proud to say I am a slow country woman, and I wouldn't want to be anything else...

Tomorrow I had back to Purumrend, Holland and spend the last weeks there.