What’s the most you ever earned your evening beer? And when did we stop putting love and art into the architecture we built?
I have been very excited for weeks now to get to Italy. Excited to be able to speak Italian again, excited to cross regions of the country I do not know at all. Of course, I was mostly looking forward to good food and coffee.
After we crossed the alps by bike, I thought nothing could hinder me anymore, in terms of up hill cycling. “I mean I crossed the highest mountain chain around, so what could be harder than that?”, I thought.
I was wrong.
Because even if it is “just hills” they can be steep, and Italy is full of them. At least if you are, like me trying to avoid the flat part between Torino and Venezia because you think that there is too much agriculture going on and therefore not enough wildness to enjoy or camp in.
It is also getting hotter day by day and I realize that I am definitely not a heat person. Therefore, my siestas are starting to take over the average of each day.
Anything after 11 and before five or six is just heat suffering.
But this isn’t about complaining. Because the landscapes and villages we cross are so cute and so beautiful, that I start fantasising how it would be like living in each of them.
While we drink coffee and enjoy the view, we plan all the renovations and projects we would realize in the buildings in front of us.
Look at those arches! When did we stop putting so much love and dedication into the architecture we built?
A few days of cycling, eating ice cream, complaining about heat and admiration for our surroundings pass.
Every day contains a mission I thought I wouldn’t be able to complete and a reward I didn’t think could be real.
After a short night in a hazelnut field, woken up many times by humans making noises, because it was the weekend and we slept close to a village, our plan of chilling the next day got cancelled by the path that should lead us to a nice river beach, but it was completely overgrown.
What do you do if one plan doesn’t work out? You just keep cycling. That’s what we did, on the main road, traffic and heat in abundance. Until we see a sign exiting the road towards a village. We take it and it goes up. Because the village is on a hill, didn’t know that.
There we pass the middle of the day in a lovely bar, drinking coffee chatting with the barman.
Later we keep going towards the next town, up and down I don’t know how many hills.
It will be my favourite town ever, we reach. Arches and ice cream and I am happy. The effort was worth it.
But we keep going “just a bit” because camping next to towns isn’t my favourite.
Stopping at the supermarket to get some fresh beers, luckily. At that stage I already thought I deserved the beer, and that I would be able to enjoy it very soon.
Didn't happen.
There is a path we think would lead us a bit away from the road. Find some quiet spot just around the corner.
Assumptions that lead us into scratching thorn bushes, stony downhill paths leading to a farm with barking dogs. Turning around, when you already thought you couldn’t take it anymore. Pushing the bikes up. Seeing that we took the wrong turn.
The right turn goes up even more. Why?
At that stage I am not even pushing my bike anymore, it rather feels like lifting it. That’s how steep it is.
I didn’t know I could sweat that much. I also didn’t know I would have the strength to keep going and pushing. But I do.
At the top awaits us, the perfect spot. Sunset and a view over the town and all the surrounding hills. This is the most deserved beer of my life I have ever drunk!
So, what’s the most you ever earned your evening beer? Or when and how did we stop putting love and art into the architecture we built?
Thank you all for stopping by, I appreciate it a lot! Have a lovely day:)
All photos and words are mine, taken and written by me, while cycling through Italy in the past weeks.
What a great adventure!
And Italy is so lovely. I love the culture, the food, the language (although I don't speak it) and the old cities and towns.
My most well deserved beers must be after riding one of our 200+ kilometer rides.
Or after climbing the Mont Ventoux by bike.
I am 100% sharing your view on Italy:)
Oha 200+ that sounds well deserved indeed!!
...I just had to Google "Mont Ventoux" and wow it looks stunning, definitely just inspired me, I'll keep it in mind if I run out of mountains to cross:D
This adventurous ride on bike is truly impressive! While talking about the delicious Italian cuisine you eat and drink and the beauties of the places you visit, I felt as if I was pedaling next to you. It is also very important that you emphasize its positive effects on health; Cycling not only makes us feel physically comfortable but also gives us peace of mind.
Considering how much such trips can improve our health and quality of life, you have awakened a love of travel in me. I miss cycling in Norway, I guess the first thing to do when I come back will be to clean and maintain my bike. Discovering the natural beauties, historical structures and cultural riches of the places you visit is one of the real treasures of life.
Thank you for sharing these beautiful experiences with us and reminding us of the benefits of cycling for our health. I share the same feelings as you and I hope we will see many more unforgettable trips and pleasant posts in the future. Good thing you keep cycling and exploring the world! I wish you a healthy and enjoyable day. 🚴♀️🌍🌞
Thank you that was a very lovely comment!! I am glad you enjoyed and you could relate:)
Indeed I love the part about cycling that just keeps you fit but then at other times I almost feel like it is some sort of meditation, where I can think very freely while moving:)
I bet Norway must awesome to cycle in or through! When you are back I would love to hear about it!
I am sssooooo impressed with this epic journey you are sharing, dearest @kesityu.fashion !! I keep expecting it to finish, then you add another chapter, with more huge distances covered!! Wow indeed 😍
Oh yes, where to begin: I made some big cycling efforts before, and pushed myself to my limits a lot when I first acquired my abandoned medieval house... But I think that my biggest one-day cycle was from Trieste in north-east Italy, down to Piran in Slovenia: I did inter-railing and bike (and ferry) from Scotland to Piran, and the ticket ended in Italy - I was using a 1970s paper map of the whole of Europe, with a big Posca pen route painted on it 😋 and the final day's trip didn't seem very big - about and inch or so on the map, hahah!
I thought: I'll just keep to the coastal road and it'll be lovely and easy, but the road came away from the sea almost as soon as I got past the border control huts... and went by some scary huge buildings that seemed like nuclear stations - I pedalled fast past there...
Got to Piran just as the sun was going down, and fortuitously met with a car carrying my fellow-artist friends (who'd travelled by Easyjet!) who I was going to be staying with and doing an expo. I remember how shaky my legs were: totally over-exerted myself!
I am imagining you keeping pedalling for a few more days, and then trundling down into Guardia Sanframondi's medieval quarter for a rest at the Arthouse 🤗 Buon biciclando (I don't know if that is a proper word - my Italian is creative) and enjoy your cornetti and caffè everywhere!!
The journey doesn't seem to finish anytime soon!!:D
That sounds like an awesome trip!! I imagine you still have the map? I love to do that, marking the way you have gone so far, but stopped when the Map of France didn't serve me anymore. Should have known better and got a European one:)
Scary buildings and over estimating yourself, yes I know that feeling! Not fun, but then I am still surprised how much your body is able to do if you have to...
I was thinking about that!!! But then it got waaay to hot and going down south in this heat would have killed me, so the route continues more north-east ways... but I might catch a train later this year and knock on the door of the Arthouse?
The guest room is waiting! Aye, the heat is very strong this month! But it rained heavily yesterday, so divine, and ths evening is so much fresher 🤗😍 Phew! Many blessings on this fabulous journey as it continues, dear friend!
Nothing better than rain, in this heat!! And the feeling of all the happy plants around:)
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That looks so comfy! Enjoy your time in Italy :))
Surely!!:)
I love your last question. I often think about it.
and talking about the beer example.. ask yourself why you would just love to sit in the old center of an old village (key word here is old) and drink a cold beer while you wouldn´t even want to sit in the newly built quarters..?
I personally think modern architects belong in front of a firing squad.
Hahah, there is surely something about that!! For sure you can't just add the history the story and all the love for details and craftsmanship to any newer architecture (or at least most of them, I guess there are still some exceptions)