Rome, Italy
When your balcony is so overgrown that you can’t even open the shutters to step out into the sunlight
To see the other posts of this series, click here 🙂
Rome
Spotting details in the streets of Rome
Whilst wandering the streets of Rome and other cities in Italy, I love to look at the details of the shopfronts which look so different to the ones in Amsterdam. Some of them have clearly remained unchanged for decades, with their amazing old-school fonts, diluted colours and paint slowly chipping off.
To me it actually gives these shops a certain charm and I wonder whether inside they are still working according to the more humane rhythm of those long-gone eras… Here are a few of my favorites from my last trip.
On the way to Guadagnolo
Here are a few more pictures of our hike towards Guadagnolo in the lovely hills of Lazio.
The great thing about hiking uphill is the panoramic view as you get higher (something I really miss when hiking in the flat Netherlands).
As usual I was mesmerized by the moss, lichens and tiny plants growing on the rocks.
The wintery trees looked quite eerie with the grey sky and the mist.
The neighing sounds this horse was making echoed loudly around the valley  before it appeared over the crest of the hill. What happened next is described here🙂
As we drove home towards Rome, the sunlight piercing through the clouds over the valley was a spectacular sight.
Curious horses
JOYFUL GRATITUDE #10
On January 2nd, Paolo and I went for a lovely hike in the outskirts of Rome, towards Guadagnolo. It was a great way to start the new year by spending some time outdoors, and despite being a grey day it was a beautiful walk.
We didn’t meet one single person during our hike, but we did come across quite a few wild horses. Some of them stood boldly on the path, and others were half hidden and peeking out at us from behind the bushes, waiting to see what we would do. before they retreated up the slope of the hill.
This other family of horses came down the mountainside directly towards us. They initially ‘pretended’ to follow the road in the opposite direction to where we were walking, only to start following us as soon as we had our back turned.
The baby horse couldn’t contain his curiosity and came right up to where I stood. For a few seconds he looked at me and sniffed me a few times before continuing on his way. Â A very magical moment:)
Beautiful balconies and windowsills – 2
Monti neighbourhood, Rome, Italy
A stroll through Monti
I was lucky to be in Rome for the first days of Spring and you could really feel the winter was over. Budding trees were blooming everywhere, it was warm enough not to wear a coat and I couldn’t get enough of the feeling of the southern sun on my skin after months of cold in Amsterdam.
My boyfriend took me for a stroll in one of his favorite neighbourhoods called Monti. It was fun to explore this quiet part of the city, hidden just behind the loud bustling avenues and tourist hotspots.
As we explored paved side streets and steep alley-ways, around every corner we would come across mini gardens in the street, succulents on window sills and plants hanging (sometimes quite dangerously) from the shutters.  I love how people manage to carve themselves a corner of green no matter where they live.
Cultivating joy 