My dearest Tuscany

What a kind welcome I received upon entering your lands! The weather felt like an embrace full of warmth and affection. A wonderful way to greet I must say. Summer really suits you well. I couldn’t help but blush a little now and then as the sun left faint kisses on my cheeks.

You gave me everything I had ever hoped for in a vacation. A relaxed vibe, laid-back culture and my favorite cuisine in abundance. Endless varieties of delicious wines, bounties of freshest and the best tasting fruits, and a dizzying amount of art collection. I stumbled upon art when I least expected it. Thank you for giving me the best surprises at every turn.

My heart skipped quite a few beats when I caught the first few glimpses of your countryside through a train window. But when I laid my eyes on the full blown versions of the living landscapes, I stopped breathing altogether. The sight of your rolling hills covered in endless carpets of untamed and vibrant green pastures left me speechless. Brightly hued wildflowers looked like scattered studs after being showered in the morning mist, while the little droplets lay nestled in their petals glistened under the Tuscan sun. Perched atop one of the hills, was a stonewalled house, lonely yet cheerful. The view knocked me out of breath.

I dropped to the ground, laid my head in your lap, closed my eyes shut, took a deep breath and felt a tide of tranquility wash over me. I was home. If I could choose a place to rest my soul in peace, it would be right here, in your evergreen womb.

Oh Tuscany, you really did spoil me for choices. Within your boundaries, I feasted on some of the finest Italian delicacies ever. I devoured some of the sweetest peaches ever known to mankind. I would dare to go as far to call them borderline orgasmic. The Tuscan staple bread, soup and pastas satisfied my ever hungry belly. Thank you for nourishing my soul as well as my body with pleasurable experiences that revived, and somehow heightened, all of my senses. You are truly well endowed with nature’s bounty.

Every morning you woke me up to an irresistible aroma of rich, dark coffee bubbling away in a moka maker. Every evening you treated me to copious doses of Chianti and Brunello paired with just the right cheese, olives and cold-cuts. I appreciate every little thing you offered me. Even the opportunity to take languorous walks amid olive groves and unbound vineyards. And no less the opportunity to witness some of the oldest and best museums in the western world. You are blessed with some impressive architecture, exquisite sculptures and magnificent paintings.
The culture, traditions and heritage you behold is what makes you great. You nurtured these things, fortified some and cultivated many more. Where do you find the strength to give that much, to love that much?

You never let me down. Never once did I feel disappointed in you. And for that, I want to express my gratitude and love for you, Tuscany. There’s no question about forgetting you because that’s a lost cause. I don’t think anything can diminish the emotions you evoked in me. You have ignited an unfading passion in me.
For that and everything else, Thank you!

Yours lovingly,
S

Even before visiting Italy, I revealed to anyone who’d hear me, that I secretly dreamt about living in the Italian countryside some day. Why you ask? I was utterly enchanted by all that I had read and watched about Italy. I invited some baffled looks on that but I understood the reason behind it. People naturally concluded I was insane to think about living in a foreign country when I hadn’t even stepped out of my hometown ever. I had no travel experience whatsoever. Nevertheless, I was determined to take that leap sooner than later. When the opportunity came, I grabbed it with both hands. And I’m glad I made the most of it.
I found it difficult to pen down my feelings about all that I experienced in Italy, particularly Tuscany. It didn’t feel right to call it a memoir. Because all I want is to express my love and gratitude to this dream land. A love letter felt more appropriate to do that.
A love letter to Tuscany.