Travel Update
It's been awhile since I've written an update, and there's lots to cover!
Naples was intense, as it always is. The first two days were amazing: renewing my acquaintance with the sights and the audience. I quickly got overwhelmed, however, with the scope of the city as well as the intensity of its inhabitants. Arguing with shopkeepers is exhausting and depressing: Naples makes New York look like Ohio. It had a similar effect in 2011, starting the trend of that difficult year, and the repeat builds a case against working there again. I'm looking forward to going back, but I may stick to brief tourism vacations and treat it like Rome, which is stunning but a bit of a pain to busk.
And with that excellent segue, I went next to Rome. I had an amazing five-day vacation with a friend who had come to visit me, and the trip refreshed me quite a lot. After two months on the road, with minor frustrations in Sardinia and Naples, I was starting to feel burned out. I left Rome with a heavy heart after a fantastic visit, but also with a spring in my step.
The break also gave me a chance to miss playing music, and I got off the train to Pisa to find a street fair flower show in full swing. Since my hostel was on the other side of town I set my suitcase under the dulcimer and played a few hours before checking in.
It's really great to be back, and feeling in the zone as a musician. My last visit was in 2006, when I was disappointed to find the city so much less inspiring than the others on my itinerary. With more experience in Italy, however, I realize that comparing anyplace to Florence, Siena, Lucca, and Rome is unfair and that Pisa has a lot to recommend it.
And I'm not just saying that because the busking went really well last night, although I'm sure that helped to reform my impression. I'm hoping that holds again today, and tomorrow I'm off to familiar territory in Modena. The tour is winding down and I'm heading into the final stretch with places that I've enjoyed playing in the past!
Naples was intense, as it always is. The first two days were amazing: renewing my acquaintance with the sights and the audience. I quickly got overwhelmed, however, with the scope of the city as well as the intensity of its inhabitants. Arguing with shopkeepers is exhausting and depressing: Naples makes New York look like Ohio. It had a similar effect in 2011, starting the trend of that difficult year, and the repeat builds a case against working there again. I'm looking forward to going back, but I may stick to brief tourism vacations and treat it like Rome, which is stunning but a bit of a pain to busk.
And with that excellent segue, I went next to Rome. I had an amazing five-day vacation with a friend who had come to visit me, and the trip refreshed me quite a lot. After two months on the road, with minor frustrations in Sardinia and Naples, I was starting to feel burned out. I left Rome with a heavy heart after a fantastic visit, but also with a spring in my step.
The break also gave me a chance to miss playing music, and I got off the train to Pisa to find a street fair flower show in full swing. Since my hostel was on the other side of town I set my suitcase under the dulcimer and played a few hours before checking in.
It's really great to be back, and feeling in the zone as a musician. My last visit was in 2006, when I was disappointed to find the city so much less inspiring than the others on my itinerary. With more experience in Italy, however, I realize that comparing anyplace to Florence, Siena, Lucca, and Rome is unfair and that Pisa has a lot to recommend it.
And I'm not just saying that because the busking went really well last night, although I'm sure that helped to reform my impression. I'm hoping that holds again today, and tomorrow I'm off to familiar territory in Modena. The tour is winding down and I'm heading into the final stretch with places that I've enjoyed playing in the past!