ciao ciao

wow...been a long time no write from me, hm? been pre-occupied with sights and wonders to my heart's delight. today, i wandered the streets of rome, laid eyes upon the sistine chapel ceiling (the sun painted by michelangelo was such a vibrant orange it made me spin inside)...drew quick sketches of st. peter's basilica at vatican city and i cannot believe that i was drawing the pantheon's oculus just hours later. was hoping to fall in love at trevi fountain, but just found myself missing someone instead...the sound of the water overflowing and cascading down the marble overpowers and outweighs the sounds of all the spectators...how nice it would be to stumble upon this piazza when there is not a soul in sight. a week ago or so now while roaming venezia (venice), my roommate and i happened upon a completely open square, deserted entirely except for the sounds of music wafting from a window high above. i found myself changing the camera setting to video, placing it on a nice level window sill...then ran out to join her as we danced in the plaza, so happy to be in italy, to be in a city where one travels only by water and boat...to be happy that i have been so blessed by so much this past year. two more days only are left here in italy. i am becoming weary of this 25 person pack and of eating nothing but bread, thinly sliced meat, tomatoes and cheese...i miss things i have grown accustomed to in my life...certain people, certain technologies, my family. i have moments of quietude...often on the bus or train rides from city to city...i put my headphones on and escape into the wine covered hillsides or into a world of nostalgia of home and friendly voices. i try to write postcards to those i love, hoping this will mend the distance and separation these last 3 weeks have caused. but much of the time, the postcard or phone calls home only make it worse...i realize that the world is still continuing on without me, and that my bubble has in actuality not made time stand still. it really has felt that i have travelled thru a time warp and the world i left behind is merely laying in wait for my return...sigh...

dinner is in half an hour...i suppose i shall return and freshen up from the long day of walking and me getting smelly from being so hot.

i miss writing in my blog...i have been too tired the last few days to even scribe anything in my sketchbook...only the drawing continues, because pictures cannot capture what my hand feels about certain sites...for now i must go...but i will return soon, i promise...(smile---it makes me so happy to know this is just a temporary removal)