Thursday 9/12/19 – Well I made it back to the good old USA! I had a great trip and really loved Portugal. The people were friendly, the food was great, the scenery was amazing, and it was fairly inexpensive.
And those of you that have been traveling with me over the years know I get a little philosophical on my last update. For me, traveling is truly a passion and I get caught up in the emotions of how beautiful the world is. I also think of myself as an “explorer”. Always trying to seek out new places, experience different cultures, and push myself to get out of my comfort zone.
But when I went to Portugal, I realized what true explorers were. The likes of Vasco Da Gama, Magellan, DeSoto, Columbus, etc. The attached picture, which I shared before, truly captures their passion for exploring new worlds. How bold of them to venture out, not even knowing what if anything was out there.
I also think of both sets of my grandparents, who were only in their late teens or early twenties, when they left Italy to come to America for a better life. How bold and daring not knowing what it would bring. So I don’t even consider myself in the same category of explorer as they were (but I know where I got the gene to love to travel!).
And lastly (and probably most philosophical!), I read an article about traveling to be a better person. It mentioned how since the beginning of time, traveling was either for religious reasons (i.e. the pilgrimage walk to Santiago de Compostela) or for illness reasons (to get medical care), but it was always meant to make us better. So the next time you travel, don’t just go to get away or see something different but to be a better person than you are now.
Until I see each of you again, or until you travel along with me on my next trip, be well and keep on traveling!
The Wandering Italian 