Just over a week ago, on 14 May, we arrived in Milan and next day Emma decided to join us, after three months at Origlio Steiner School near Lugano. It was wonderful to have her with us again. We are very grateful for Paolo and Iva who very kindly hosted us for 4 nights in Milan. It was a time for us to enjoy being a full family again, and to explore Milan a bit. Alice's class at Taikura Rudolf Steiner School has been studying mechanics and is soon to begin studying the Renaissance, focusing in part on the life and work of Leonardo da Vinci. So it seemed very appropriate to take her to the Leonardo da Vinci Museum of Science and Technology in Milan.
Alice in front of a scale model of an earth digger, created from drawings by Leonardo da Vinci.
On 18 May we all flew down to Rome, where we spent 3 nights and 2 days. For me this was another part of a personal journey that began in Egypt. My grandfather was in Egypt in WW1, and my father served in both Egypt and Italy in the latter part of WW2. Visiting the Colosseum and then the Palatine (the site of the main centre of historic Rome) brought back a very clear memory of my father talking about his time here. It was a place he had wanted to bring us all, a dream that he never realised in his life. This made it particularly memorable to be here with my family.
On Saturday (19 May) we decided to visit the Colosseum and to our very good fortune struck the tail end of a cultural week in Rome, which gave us free entry to both the Colosseum and Palatine. As we walked around the ruins of a civilisation that collapsed around 1500 years ago I reflected on the cycles of nature, the rise and fall of life, of civilisations. I wondered how many of the multitude of tourists there were consciously reflecting on this in the context of the current state of our modern world. The important message is to become conscious of the good things that are already rising that I believe offer us true guidance for the future.
On Saturday (19 May) we decided to visit the Colosseum and to our very good fortune struck the tail end of a cultural week in Rome, which gave us free entry to both the Colosseum and Palatine. As we walked around the ruins of a civilisation that collapsed around 1500 years ago I reflected on the cycles of nature, the rise and fall of life, of civilisations. I wondered how many of the multitude of tourists there were consciously reflecting on this in the context of the current state of our modern world. The important message is to become conscious of the good things that are already rising that I believe offer us true guidance for the future.
Lena, Emma and Alice, enjoying being together and exploring the ruins of historic Rome.
And then there were 5 Kennys!
Walking through the ruins of the Palatine.
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Italy, what can we say. Bellisima!
Yesterday (21 May) we came to a tiny place called Casa Vacanze Marilena la Cassella, in Lisciano Niccone Commune, Perugia Province, Umbria. Firstly we had to collect our lease car from near Rome airport, and I had to quickly adjust to driving a left hand drive car on the right side of the road on a fast moving motorway. After more than 3 months of flying, being on trains, being driven to places, this was quite a challenge. But I did well and here we are in Umbria!
We came to this place because it is en route to Firenze, where we are going next week, and they had a special half price offer for a weeks stay during May. I found it by searching www.agriturismo.com, a very useful website if you are coming to Italy.
After all the challenges since we left home on 8 February this is an incredibly welcome, and stunningly beautiful, haven. Last night, with the help of some other guests here, I talked to Guiseppe who owns this place with his wife Marilena. I talked briefly about our journey and my work. There is something very special about the environment here ... tree clad hills, small villages, grapes and olive trees in pockets on the slopes, cultivated land on the flats. I am sure that it is not all perfect, but there is a powerful sense of harmony with nature here. It is my hope that sometime this week, with a little help, I might be able to talk to and film interviews with some local people. At the very least I plan to do some filming in this beautiful landscape, even if interviews don't work out.
We came to this place because it is en route to Firenze, where we are going next week, and they had a special half price offer for a weeks stay during May. I found it by searching www.agriturismo.com, a very useful website if you are coming to Italy.
After all the challenges since we left home on 8 February this is an incredibly welcome, and stunningly beautiful, haven. Last night, with the help of some other guests here, I talked to Guiseppe who owns this place with his wife Marilena. I talked briefly about our journey and my work. There is something very special about the environment here ... tree clad hills, small villages, grapes and olive trees in pockets on the slopes, cultivated land on the flats. I am sure that it is not all perfect, but there is a powerful sense of harmony with nature here. It is my hope that sometime this week, with a little help, I might be able to talk to and film interviews with some local people. At the very least I plan to do some filming in this beautiful landscape, even if interviews don't work out.
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A room with a view, the beautiful harmonious landscape of Lisciano Niccone in Umbria, a beautiful haven after 3 ½ months of travel.
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