Andiamo
Make love in a different country.
Travel the world with your spouse, and decorate the inside of your passport. There is nothing sexier and more intriguing than exploring a new land, learning a new language, eating contemporary cuisine, and growing together by stepping out of your comfort zone. Make beautiful memories, learn history, and study new cultures. Traveling elevates your perspective and lets you take in something novel to enlighten your mind. As you both explore a new place, you will simultaneously witness growth in the other individual, and that is beautiful and sexy to see in real-time.
Below is an exert from my diary about my first time riding in Italy, written 07/20/23
We just landed in Milan after a 9-hour flight overnight from ATL. Immediately as we exited the plane, I noticed it was hot, and compared to the Italians, we had a lot of luggage. The fierce fashion billboards bombarded us, and as we walked over to baggage claim to grab more luggage, we rolled our ten bags and three strollers to stand in a long customs line. We were exhausted, but the adrenaline from entering a new country was evident.
Sadly, one of our first personal encounters in Milan was with our driver, who was extremely rude. We initially did not think he was our driver because, on the pick-up sign, he had the wrong name but the correct villa. He spoke very little English, and the hours attending YouTube Academy to Learn Italian didn’t seem to be helping me communicate effectively at that moment. Our language barrier was glaring, but he was not hospitable or helpful.
When leaving the airport, we departed for Milan. Our first stop was to see Duomo and eat at a beautiful restaurant to take in the views of this masterpiece. When we walked up to the Cathedral, Marri asked, “Is that Disneyland,” we all laughed because it was a spectacular structure full of history.
The streets of Milan were paved, modern, and reasonably wide to fit multiple cars. Our second and final stop for the day was Lake Como, which is relatively close to Milan, so the 31 Miles (50 Kilometers) of driving in a car became more exciting and scary as we approached our new home for the next week.
As we navigated through the streets of Lake Como, I quickly understood why the Fiat and Vespa were so popular. Traveling down the winding roads makes you feel like you are in a race car, where there would typically be a narrow lane, and you think the street is one-way, but it is not. I prayed and sweat a lot on this car ride, sense blazing, trying to take everything in.
The drivers in Italy are impeccable. I find it interesting how one’s driving skills reflect one's culture. Americans can be impatient and reckless, but the Italians seemed to slow down and focus. At least our driver did; although he was rude, he was driving the van hyper-focused. Even though it was fast-paced, it was with care.
Upon arrival, the beauty of Lake Como, Italy, was evident. The air was crisp, and the mountains were breathtaking. Full transparency, if it were not for our friends Rachel and Javin inviting us to their wedding, I would have never known this alluring city existed.
It took us 10 minutes after arriving at our villa to start unwinding and soaking up the regality of this majestic town.
The food in Italy is different; dining and cooking is an art form, and everything tastes fresh. When you eat your first meal, it is like you wake your taste buds from dormancy. The service was pristine, and they cared about our dining experience from start to finish.
I ate fresh pasta in a creamy sauce with truffles, a side of focaccia bread, and olive oil for my introductory authentic Italian cuisine. The freshness of the atmosphere, savory food, and stunning scenery just lit up my pallet.
My initial reaction to being in Como felt like I was satisfying an insatiable hunger. My senses were blissfully overloaded. The lush gardens, the flowers, the bold sky, my babies laughing at dinner saying “Buongiorno” to everyone that walked past our table, the lake and how it meets the mountains, the architecture, and the history wrapped into one space will forever be engrained in my memory.
Trip Curator Kamala Cummings @luxtravelgirl
Beautiful Photos by @BrandonGratePhotography
