It Was the Best Thing Ever, and We Missed It
Welcome to my random musings about the world, on a weekly-to-occasional basis.
Where we are: We’re in transition today, heading for London after a few days in Trieste, Italy. It’s hot in Trieste, so we spent a lot of daylight hours hiding out in our air-conditioned hotel, not-doing the things tourists do. I wrote this a few weeks ago (three countries ago, actually) while we were in Malta.
It Was the Best Thing Ever, and We Missed It
Every time we leave a place, someone asks if we saw The Famous Important Thing.
Last week, it was ‘Did you go through the Holy Door?’
We did not.
The week before, it was ‘Did you see the Hypogeium?’
Nope.
The week before that, it was ‘Did you see Aphrodite’s Rock?’
We missed that.
Last month, it was ‘Did you go to Rotterdam (the Netherlands)/Geiranger Fjord (Norway)/the Grand Palace (Bangkok)?’
We didn’t.
We were probably sitting in a coffee shop, or a laundromat, or a sidewalk cafe. We were people watching, or reading, or exploring, or walking, or lunching.
In Rome last week, we met a very sociable retired British couple. They pop over to the Continent every few weeks—usually to see an art exhibit. This time it was Caravaggio. If I’d known about it, I might’ve booked a ticket—or I might not have. I’m selective. After overdosing on art in Amsterdam, I was trying to pace myself. Besides, in Rome it’s easy enough to see beauty and art on the way to buy sunscreen.
Lee is even more selective, or at least differently selective. After years of trying to love the world’s most famous museums, he has finally decided to experience them in his own way. As often as not, that involves going for a long walk in a neighborhood far from the tourist center. A couple of weeks ago, the day I got up early and went to the Doria Pamphilj Gallery, he went to see the Islamic Cultural Center and Grand Mosque of Rome.
He enjoyed it, found it interesting, and got in a nice long walk. I also enjoyed my morning and got in a nice long walk.
As we all agreed over peanuts and drinks in the hotel lounge: you can’t see it all. It’s just not possible. The world is too big, too layered, too rich with culture and beauty and chaos. The best any of us can do is soak in the parts we stumble across, whether on purpose or accident, at home or on holiday.
Even if you’re the most meticulous planner, the most organized traveler, the most obsessive list-checker—you’ll still miss something. Probably something extraordinary.
And that’s fine.
I’d rather carry the memory of what I did experience than regret what I didn’t.
Take care,
Lisa
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