hello goodbye hello goodbye

"you say goodbye, and I say hello"

I always thought it was such an odd and kind of sad song, however after saying so many hellos and goodbyes in the past month, my perspective has seriously changed.

In the past month I've said so many hellos and goodbyes to so many people I love and it was exhausting.

Recently though, I've had a bit of a shift in the way I approach it. I've decided not to say goodbye but to say hello. When I said hello to Josh and my parents I got to welcome them into my life here, something that up until that moment had really been mine and mine alone. Then when it came time to say goodbye it felt utterly bizarre as I'd now welcomed them into this life and they were just leaving!

reunited: stuffed faces and bubbles outside Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

What I've realised now however, is that I get to say hello to something new. I get to say hello to how life is now that they've come and gone and that's a new adventure in itself. I have little places and feelings here that make me think of them and when I Skype them and talk about where I've been or who I've been with lately, they get it!

Whilst Mum and Dad were here we found a great little bistro/cafe that we frequented several times each day for coffee, food or a drink, or to just sit an read our book. Since they've been home I've been back by myself and it's this wonderful little comfort for me. Last time I skyped them while I was there and it felt like we were all back together again!

When Josh was here he was always pointing out to me how pretty the streets were or how interesting the architecture was. Now when I was my same route to university each day, I just notice things more and my day is brightened by the thought of him appreciating the little things.

On the other side of the world I've also had to say goodbye to some very special 'people' without actually being able to say goodbye.
My beautiful dog, and best friend, Bella sadly passed away while we were in Lucca. I'd prepared myself for this eventuality before leaving but it didn't make it any less sad when I found out.

puppy bella 

Shortly after we got news that Josh's beloved Nonno Andrea had passed away. My heart goes out to all  of his family at home.
Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you're not there, but I think that a goodbye is something we have to do for ourselves, to acknowledge our loss and to step forward in life with a different view.

Josh, Andrea and I at Raignah and Karol's engagement.

I keep on seeing little black dogs and giving them an extra pat or their owners an extra big smile for Bella. I think of Andrea every time I thank someone or say goodbye. Whenever he did one of the two, he would clutch my hands and look straight in my eye so that I just understood completely what he was trying to say without a word being said.

Last night we said goodbye to the first person to leave winscho.
There were glassy eyes everywhere and we all began to dread the next couple of months and the number of goodbyes we'd have to say.

Today I've decided that you say goodbye, and I say hello.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99jVPJUeqr4

Italia: Cinque Terre

We love everywhere.

Our first glimpse of Cinque Terre, well Riomaggiore, was through a little arch cut in the tunnel of train tracks that goes straight through many mountains. For a split second we saw crystal blue water and a bright sun in the sky, we knew we'd made a good decision.

We stayed in Riomaggiore which is the first of the five (cinque) towns (terre). Our sweet little room overlooked the little dock, so little in fact,  that only motor boats and kayaks actually dock there, we fell asleep with the sounds of waves lapping at the (pebbly) shore every night. Bliss!

Cinque Terre is set right on the coast. The towns are all built up the cliffs and four out of the five have small docks, which used to be the only access between the towns, other than walking trails, before the train tracks were built about 100 years ago. After we tackled one of the trails, believe me, you'd want a boat.

After a steep walk to the top of our village and delicious seafood dinner by the sea on our first night, we gathered up our energy to take a hike the next day.
There are several hiking trails within the area, some of which go up into the hills and further south, and the most popular ones which go along the coast between each of the towns.
Initially we wanted to walk between all five, however when we arrived we discovered that due to recent landslides the trails between town one (Riomaggiore) and three (Corniglia) were closed.
So before the sun was too high in the sky we took the train - with ever other person in Italy it felt like - to Corniglia and from there we began our walk.
The trails are not long, approximately 3 or 4km between each town, and do not take forever - maybe a bit over an hour - however the terrain is really something else.
When we say 'cliffside' we mean it! There were thousands and thousands of stairs and pathways that were less than a foot wide, with hard rock on one side and a sheer drop on the other, however it was beautiful. Josh noted that every time you got to the top of a set of wobbly rock stairs, the view would be perfect. We arrived in Vernazza just in time for lunch and a gelato, before heading onto Monterosso, the last of the five.
For me the walk was one of my favourite parts of the trip, hard enough to be proud of myself but not difficult that I didn't enjoy it.
From Monterosso we caught the ferry back to Riomaggiore, admiring our handiwork and looking forward to a nice glass of prosecco and putting our feet up.

During our stay Josh got the fantastic news that the thesis he's been working so hard on for the past two years, and finished just before he left, was finally sitting on the desk of his supervisor, printed, bound and ready to go. I am so proud of him for accomplishing this great feat. Josh is always so inspiring to me in the way he commits himself to things and this has been no exception. Although it's been difficult at times he always pushed on, creating outstanding results and inspiring and enabling others at the same time. Well done Josh!
Tim told him he had to have a caramel milkshake to celebrate, so the next morning we did just that. I on the other hand thought something a little stronger was in need so we sat right on the edge of the cliff and had a glass of prosecco while we watched the sun set and closed another chapter.

There may not be thousands of old churches and statues in Cinque Terre, however if you are looking for a sunny, relaxing holiday and enjoy a bit of exercise and a lot of book reading then I'd say this is the place to go.

view from our window

pebbles beaches

our 'terre' Riomaggiore

this little girl stood there, eating her gelato fascinated by the workers

Josh's celebratory milkshake for Tim

Celebratory Prosecco with a view

 

On the way back from our trek

Last morning of the hard life

Another goodbye (at 5am!)

Italia: Lucca

We love Lucca!

First night of cocktails

Greasiest (apparently best) pizza I've ever seen!

Man, cigar and his dog

a couple. . . of friends

 . . . of conversationalists

. . . of dog lovers

 . . . of long loves

. . . of longer loves

. . . on a tandem!

For those who know Lucca, it may bring back many fond memories from our Music tour in 2008, it did for me! For those who don't, Lucca is a beautiful little city about an hour West of Florence, surrounded by high walls and rolling Tuscan hillside.

It was here in Lucca that we established our 'Italian lifestyle'. Proscuitto, cheese and pineapple juice followed by a quick kip then cocktails, dinner and gelati whilst wandering the streets.

We spent our second day walking across the city and then around the top of the wall. The wall is about 4km in circumference and rises high above the entire city, giving beautiful views of the architecture, squares and people within walls, and the mountains, castles and green hills outside of them.

My favourite part of the day was watching all of the other people who were out on this adventure. There were locals exercising and walking their dogs, groups of old men playing checkers and cards and mossy garden tables, and couples, lots and lots of couples.

On our last morning we had quite the adventure when we attempted to tandem around the walls! We looked like something out of the goon squad trying to get started and the laughing didn't seem to subside for more than 5 minutes for the entire journey but we had a great, somewhat painful, time.

Italia: Bologna

Josh and I left our parents behind and heading for sunny Italy.

We flew into Bologna and had a wonderful night roaming the streets before heading to a fabulous old Bistro. Stepping through the front door felt a little like stepping back into a different world.
Crisp linen adorned the old wooden tables, the walls were covered, top to bottom with old framed photographs of family, of events of anything and everything that was significant to these people. The youngest waiter was impeccably dressed and in his mid 40s and the cash register was older than all of them put together. A truly traditional Italian experience!

war memorial in Bologna - a tile for each person
beautiful door handles and locks, dotted around the city

Barcelona

I l o v e Barcelona!

We arrived at our beautiful apartment in Grazia, greeted by my wonderful parents whom I'd missed sorely over the past 4 months.

Our apartment is everything we could ask for and more. It has traditional tiled floors, french doors with little balconies in almost all the rooms with flowing white curtains that drape over and let in peeks of the morning light. We've decided that yes, we could live here very easily thank you very much!

We spent the week wondering around Barcelona, investigating a collection of different bars and restaurants, as well as design shops, modern furniture, tattoo parlours and even schools! Derelict buildings crumble gracefully next to modern restorations and pieces of Gaudi's architecture, making walking through the streets exciting enough in itself.

Josh's parents joined us later in the week and we spent each evening devouring delicious tapas, washed down with a good measure of good wine and good conversation.

The perfect reunion.

*I don't have many photos from Barcelona as they're all on other people's cameras!

morning walk in Gracia
man and his dog
colourful buildings
morning silhouettes

knock knock, who's there?

It's Josh!

Last week Josh joined me in Groningen before heading down to Zoetemeer for cimbalom lessons with the great Giani Lincan.

It was so nice to be able to show someone about the town and share with them all my favourite things and secret spots.

We had an eventful week going out to dinner, seeing a show put on by the conservatory and (for Josh) making new friends. Equally balanced however, by some good hanging out, cooking in the communal kitchens and watching a film or two. 

On the weekend we headed into town and finally took a few snaps. The sun was shining and the place was abuzz. People were sitting out in the sun having a midday drink or ice cream, soaking up the warmth and the atmosphere and watching as happy people bustled by. 

We ate our way through the markets and spent the rest of the weekend sleeping it off. The perfect end to a week back together!

* Josh loved cycling everywhere but had a similar experience to me when I first arrived of feeling both  exhilarated and scared witless!

boy and his bike

girl and her bike

chalk art in the middle of the mall

didn't get the memo about matching socks with the rest of my outfit

Josh having his first experience of poffertjes

My favourite things

Location can be everything and at the same time nothing. The elements of my life that are affected by where I'm living are completely different than I anticipated. I thought that it'd be a whole new me in a whole new country but then I started to notice my 'old' personality surfacing within the first few weeks. The things I thought would be so different feel so normal and those tiny little things I never thought I'd think about bubble to the surface at peculiar moments. The strangest thing however, is that everything here feels so familiar, that I sometimes I forget I'm even away at all. Isn't it funny how the Netherlands feels like it's just around the corner from Australia?

Here are a few highlights of the past month . . .

Going to the Grand Theatre in Amsterdam twice in one week!
Joeke, one of my percussion teachers, was kind enough to get me a ticket and take me down to Amsterdam to see 'L'Amour des Trois Oranges' by Prokofiev. I was lucky enough to poke about backstage beforehand and even meet some of the musicians from the orchestra and hang out with the cast of the opera - I was tempted to sneak into one of the dressing rooms, don a wig and sneak on stage, but decided I should resist - before taking my prime seat in the beautiful theatre.

Later in the week, I headed down to Amsterdam yet again, with my Australian friend Bella. We dressed up hopped on the train and enjoyed wonderful cocktails (made by yet another Australian in the Netherlands) before 'Romeo and Juliet' performed by the National Ballet.
Romeo and Juliet is one of my favourite ballets and Prokofiev's score is also one of my favourite pieces of music and takes me back to my childhood. It was on the CD of ballet music my mum always played in the car or that I listened to as I went to sleep, though I knew the tracks too well I would always wait for it to finish before I went to sleep.

"The boys" (3 of the percussionists at university) and I performed at the UMCG Hospital in Groningen. We had a small audience of music lovers and were broadcast across the entire hospital. It was such a fulfilling experience for me as I am always thinking about how to make live music accessible to everyone. Before I left I'd been discussing with some colleagues of 'Voyces' choir about doing something like this and I hope that when I return we can make this happen! If anyone has any other ideas or thoughts on this topic please let me know.

On Easter Sunday a big group of us from college decided to have an Easter feast, and boy did we feast! In the morning I made an Easter egg hunt for some of the girls and people cooked away in kitchens all day. It was so nice to have everyone showing such generosity and to share a beautiful meal together.

All my lessons are going well, my parents now have proof (via Skype) that I do actually have friends over here and the weather is warming up!

I love waking up on those days when you can just feel that spring is in the air. Everything seems to be buzzing and all of a sudden everyone is sitting out in the sun in t-shirts and shorts, smiling and waving at each other, just being thankful to be alive and have some long forgotten Vitamin D.

Off to enjoy the sun!
Lx

beautiful flowers from one of my performances
ragtimes at the hospital
outside the theatre in Amsterdam
the Easter feast (note my roast chook!)