Worth the Visit?

Looking for Lunch: Tour book said this was the street to be for food. Unfortunately people were not pleased...

"Thus we will not enjoy- we are not able to enjoy-sumptuous tropical gardens and attractive wooden beach huts when a relationship to which we are committed abruptly reveals itself to be suffused with incomprehension and resentment” (Boton 25).

Traveling in and of itself can be quite an ordeal- trying to decide where to go, what to bring, how to best utilize time and money. Add friends to the mix and you’re bound for an adventure. Though this post is open and not meant for Boton, I had to go back and reflect on the above line from the “On Anticipation” chapter. How true it is that you could be in an unknown place, meant to be explored and enjoyed, and have it go completely wrong at the first sign of moodiness, bitterness, inflexibility.

My friends and I took off for Bologna, a small city about an hour away from Florence, ready to visit the fifth largest church in the world, climb one of the famous Two Towers (a grueling, 498 steps), and check out Europe’s oldest continually operating degree-granting university. Little did we know that by the end of the day, we would ask ourselves if it was worth the trip…

Nothing specifically horrible happened; though having to wake up early to catch a train and arriving in an unfamiliar city with empty stomachs might not have been the best way to start the day. The whole day seemed an endless fight with grumpy attitudes and tired moods which ended with a subpar dinner (though Bologna is known for their food). And even though we were able to see all the major sights and were awestruck by the beautiful church, the city view, and the coolest museum of human anatomy I’ve ever seen, the day seemed sour. This made me think, the relationships we have hold such deep implication for our spirits. And the experiences we have in this lifetime are truly enhanced and enriched by the people we can share them with. I definitely still think Bologna is a place worth visiting; but, I will always remember it as that place where moods were low and friendships were tested. Fortunately, we did come away unscathed and as better travelers. I will say though, fall break shall be interesting…