(From Jach): (Florence #1): . . . how much further?” “ … she just wants to tag along.” “… que bueno!” “… I just dont think so …” The voices were muffled. I could only hear snippets of the conversations that passed me by as I lay there in the grass. Eyes closed. Napping. Or just being still to chase the reverie of this moment. Sunday, July 6: We had putzed around most the morning and finally headed out at 11:00. It was our first full day together in Florence. Meandering through the streets on the other side of the River Arno, we had lunch at a restaurant in a little lost piazza, and then we went to the Pitti Palace. We had spent several hours in the huge palace with more stairs than you could imagine. Pitti Palace, Palacio Pitti, was the palace home of the Medici Family). We had worked our way up to and well into the massive gardens and were laying in the shade of a lovely Oak. The sky was crystal blue. I dont think there were any clouds. The blue totally held me, and I didnt notice any clouds. I didnt care about clouds in that moment. In that moment I was in a quiet state of bliss. I love Florence. Enrique had arrived on Wednesday (July 2) and rather than resting for a few days, he had been exploring the city and had been walking for 8 to 10 hours each day. It had been productive time. Hed met several Colombians, and had made arrangements to join a party of 15 to 20 Colombians and Italians at a bar to watch the soccer game between Colombia and Brazil. That was on July 4. Colombia lost, but the fans in the little bar on a side street that had no signs, just a small door indicating its location, still had a typical “Latin Celebration.” I arrived yesterday (Saturday, July 5). The second week in the Lake District was incredible. The two excursion days – Monday and Thursday – were elegant and magical. The two workshop days between the excursions were touching and powerful. Along with the discussions there was a Blending, two Meditations, a Blending Meditation, and two Rituals. It was a full week and a profound week of change. We also had gathered Thursday evening for a Garden Meditation that was so sweet. The final workshop session Friday morning was beyond words. We all said our farewells Friday evening at the final dinner. Saturday morning. Off to the Manchester Airport at 8:00 and I arrived earlier than anticipated. I had plenty of time to reflect on the two weeks that had just ended but I was to eager to get to Florence and to meet up with Enrique again. Manchester to Frankfurt. Frankfurt to Florence. I would arrive at 6:20. I should be at the Villa Medici Hotel by 7:30? We went walking Saturday evening. It was warm and breezy. We stopped at a little street cafe for dinner at 9:00 p.m. There is something about this city. Even the three story buildings with those classic green shutters seem to speak to me. Well if not speak, they capture my attention. I feel their beauty. Its a very different kind of beauty from the Lake District, but to me, its still sublime. We walked on and heard music echoing in the streets bouncing off the buildings. Ahead in a small piazza, crowds of locals had gathered. Over the dim of voices, a three piece band with its lead singer was pounding out their version of Leonard Cohens “Hallelujah.” I felt so alive, so happy, and so present. I hugged Enrique. It was nearly midnight when we found our way back to the hotel. A full day. A delicious day. People for the workshop are starting to arrive in Florence. We officially begin Monday evening with a dinner gathering, but I know we really began this adventure many months ago.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 09:39:10 +0000
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