“Same beach, same sea:” lyrics from an Italian song from the 60s, and it really is true– Italian families traditionally go to the same vacation spot year after year, and that same stretch of land takes on a special significance. I went to one of these stretches of sand on the coast this past weekend, in the town of Cecina, which is farther south on the west coast of the Tuscany region. You are looking at the Tyrrhenian Sea, part of the greater Mediterranean Sea.
The first time I saw the sea, the first time I saw the blue sea, I couldn’t help but get a little emotional. The sand is dark brown, and instead of pastel shells it is lined with richly-hued stones: green, orange, brown, black, even purple. It’s enough to make me want to learn more precise color names. I would show you more pictures, but my public computer is not too keen on letting me.
And then there is the water. I couldn’t look at it for too long at one time, because I got that emotion again. I have no idea what it must be like to look at the sea casually, as the landscape of the daily grind, and I’m glad to keep it that way.
Salt breeze, warm sun, cool water–but too cold to swim in. I thought it was pretty hilarious that everyone was at this gorgeous beach and no one was diving in, right up until the first little gush of water ran over my toes. Holy WOW! It was enough to make me dance like a monkey trying to scramble up the stones to dry land, thinking, maybe lying on the beach isn’t so bad after all. Imagine, beneath a blazing sun, but the gentle wind keeps you from feeling hot. Sun-worshippers have it easy here! And compared to most of the beach-goers, I had the complexion of a ghost. The guy behind the counter made fun of me for buying “children’s sunscreen” that was 25 SPF. On top of that, it cost €2 more than 15 SPF, for “adults.” Obviously, I didn’t know anything about how to go to the seaside properly. The real slap in the face came when I realized that I didn’t even need the sunscreen…oh well, I tried.
I also took a trip with my program to a Chianti farm, aka vineyard and cellars. We also got to sample some products! (Pictures next time, I hope.)
Tonight the Teatro Communale is showing the highly anticipated production of Bizet’s Carmen. Now I’m off to listen to singing smugglers.
Back in the US in two weeks, a presto!
Jenny
No comments yet.