"Ti inamorirai ancora di piu dell’Italia quando vedrai le
Dolomiti"
I was warned, it’s true, that going to the Dolomites would
surely make me fall in love with Italy even more. Perhaps it’s because I adore
being in the mountains and admiring nature in this beautiful world, or perhaps
because it was one more region, with a completely different set of
characteristics, that I had yet to discover. Whatever the reason, it definitely
happened on this trip to Scena – Merano, in the Trentino Alto Adige region.
This area is not one of the first few stops for Americans
visiting Italy, perhaps because Italians have worked hard to keep it a secret,
or maybe because it’s difficult to get there. Some say that if it was easy -- everyone
would do it. Then of course there’s the surprise that even though you’re still
in Italy, German is the primary language this far north. So this time I was no
longer the mysterious non-Italian who speaks the language well, but I was the
non-German-speaking straniera whose speaking Italian – even though in Italy – required
finding someone who could at least converse in italiano.
This trip was exactly what I was hoping for, and helped me
to remember a few things that I believe are essential in living a thriving
life. First, to keep a bit of spontaneity in your life, to go on an adventure
without knowing precisely where you’re going or how to get there, and to trust
that you’ll end up exactly where you were meant to be. Second, which is also
one of the pillars that Ariana Huffington discusses in “Thrive,” to live with a
sense of wonder, to take the time to appreciate the beauty of the world around.
Third, to listen to yourself and take care of yourself, and to take time to
just do “you.”
You have to do a bit of trekking in the Dolomites. Whether
you love the challenge of the climb, or you need a bit of exercise after the
gelato and pasta, or you love walking in the mountains. Before I headed out to
hike, I looked up some trails and maps, picked one that looked like it went
high and ended with a funicular ride, and headed out hoping I would get there.
No maps and no internet accompanied by a generally good sense of direction and
a strong sense of adventure were my tools. Partway through, I had no idea if I
was still heading in the right direction, but I ended up on the trail I had
hoped to take, huffed and puffed my way up, and could not have been happier
with the destination. It was surreal, and a pleasant reminder of why I want to
always pursue adventure, even if I don’t know where the difficult or winding
road may lead.
As long as I remember I have loved nature. The mountains
though… I am completely enchanted by the mountains. You can have the greatest
workout making your way to the tops, see millions of types of plants blossoming
around each corner, have viewpoints that only get more and more spectacular
every bit higher you go, and then you feel that wonderful sense of
accomplishment when you reach the top and have the prize of the view and the
air. If you’re really lucky, you get to spend some time in the clouds too. Then
to sit at the summit, or in this case to look around the little (6 buildings
specifically) alpine village of Taser and wonder what life would be like there.
To look out and see the other mountain tops and realize how small we are and
how big and amazing this round world really is.
A lot of my reasoning to come here was to take care of
myself. I knew I needed some R&R, some time to do some soul searching, and some time to listen to my own thoughts without a million others – responsibilities, people, or news – running through my brain. Plus, this area is known for its spas, and I knew that a day at the Terme di Merano would be my
way to relax. Saunas, pools, Jacuzzis, the snow room (only acceptable after a
steam bath), bikram yoga, not knowing nor caring about the time, and soul
detoxing were among the enjoyable amenities. That and the time alone on these few
days, to think about and write my lists of what I’m searching for, noting what’s
still important or what changes I want to make. That’s one of my favorite parts
about the slowness in Italy – take the time you need, observe the good, cry for
the sad - but eventually keep going. Though I didn’t meditate - per say - on
this trip, my mind feels so clear, and I feel refreshed.
Safe to say that Italy has placed one more hook in me now,
and I’ve fallen even harder for this paese spetacolare. I’ll be back to the
Dolomites, absolutely. I’ll strive to live with a sense of adventure, wonder,
and well-being, in the time that passes before I’m lucky enough to return to
the beauty dei Dolomiti. Un posto dove l’orario si ferma, l’avventura c’è sul
ogni montagne e dove si puo ascoltare alla natura e a te stesso.
No comments:
Post a Comment