Mirjam's World - Travel - 8 Days In Italy, Tuscany, Arezzo

My husband and I read about Arezzo and we've seen
it in a Oscar-winning film La Vita è Bella (Life Is
Beautiful) but our final decision to visit it was based
on the information that Arezzo has some fabulous
antique shops and that is something that we love - a
lot. And so we were walking through the streets and
saw all kinds of stores, but the closer we got to the
center the more interesting it was: the buildings
were getting older and there they were: little stores
with "old stuff" but unfortunately all closed because
it was lunch time.

So what else could we do? Have a big Italian meal
of course. We were in the middle of the main
piazza - the same one that is in the movie - the one
with the slope where you can ride your bike really
fast and if you are lucky you bump into a quite
Italian gal or lad who of course is thrilled to have
you in their lap - at least in your movie influenced
mind… We marched up the hill and across the
piazza. On the north and the highest side of it
stands this huge palace with an arched arcade and
several restaurants right next to each other.

We picked the one with the prettiest table setting and luckily it was also the one with the best and also the prettiest food.
Every course (in Italy you have to have at least three) was a new experience for our eyes and our stomachs. No need to
mention that the wine was also excellent and we took a photo of every dish. The waiter was speaking English telling us
that he wants to go to California. "What are you going to do there?" we asked. He is going to be a waiter! We could not
understand. How you could leave such a fantastic, peaceful and beautiful place? We sure didn't want to. We were
commenting on how good the food is and heard this "Grazie!" from up above. We looked up and there he was: the cook
in a white hat, looking through a tiny window almost touching the arched ceiling thanking us for our kind words.

People at the next table were from California - they came with a music tour - they were going to small villages and towns
to sing and play with local musicians. They had a blast. One of them had a watercolor block with him and started to paint
the building across - boy was I jealous because I did not have time or materials to do the same… but if I think about it…
painting a watercolor of this piazza in the middle of winter in Northern Minnesota will sure bring back some warm
memories of the atmosphere, colors, smells and feelings of that wonderful afternoon in Arezzo.