Well, it's time to leave this beautiful place. Calabria that is. This has been my 7th (I think) summer in Belvedere, and it holds a special place in my heart. Let me just say that, if you've seen Rome, Verona, Venice, Florence, Napoli and Cinque Terre, then you're doing very well and hats off to you, but you're also missing out. For me, the heart of Italy is the south. A dirty, well-fed, swarming underbelly of contradictions and simple joys. I love the landscape, full of lush green, grey rocks with a hint of salmon tone, seemingly endless twisting roads full of impatient buzzing cars and glorious coastlines spotted with brightly coloured beach umbrellas. The sea with it's tempestes and calm aquamarine blue days, and the way the land curves (at first gracefully) from beach to rocky landscape to higher peaks supporting precarious little villages with lush green ravines falling back into the earth. I love the way people drive, like there's no tomorrow and if they just pass this one last car they'll somehow beat time (and the cops). I love the food, grown from a passion for simple foods of high quality. The plethora of fruit not only grown in peoples yards, but also popping up likes weeds out of ditches, roads, rock walls, beaches etc. Figs, peaches, nectarines, lemons, pomegranates, blackberries (the sweetest you've ever tasted), cactus fruits etc. I love the farmers selling their produce out of trucks on the side of the roads, in parking lots, at markets....sometimes toothless (or close to it) others making their way through school while supporting family busiess. It is one of the richest places I know.

Tomorrow we start our trip up north. i am looking forward to the new adventure and the start to this part of my personal journey. Despite my sadness to leave Calabria. I have never seen the Adriatic coast of Italy and am looking forward to seeing where the wind takes us. Or our camper that is.

Now, to clean the house.