Beyond Big Cities

I've spent my entire life describing my home as close to, near the, & end with the general north of Toronto because north of Bloor is a wasteland to downtown Torontonians. My travel habits have become an echo of this dialogue. I go to the Romes & the Londons but I fall in love with the Andrates & St. Dogmaels of my journey. Andrate is where I want to take you in this travel treasure, a small region in Piemonte, Italia, also known by locals as the balcony of Piemonte. In-between milking sheep & grazing goats on a small farm I was thoroughly exposed to Northern Italian culture from food to phrases, all from my wonderful tutor Ilitzia. I learned how to make ricotta & eat it fresh as a soup, I picked fresh apricots and got to share my own flavours by making a chutney. While I would like to say I learned much of the Italian language between my inability to roll my Rs and Ilitzia's love of practicing her English I didn't make it far beyond ordering pistachio gelato. All of these things were the fulfillment of my dreams of what travel was supposed to be, but getting what you dream of is only half of the equation the unfathomable is where the magic is.
My unfathomable experience was falling in love, no not that typical Italian swoon over a balcony dweller with fabulous hair, I fell in love with hiking(sorry for the let down but I'm going to tell you more anyway.) It started off with being lost, I was set off with the statement "you know how to read trails right?" to which I answered “umm” which got the reply "go that way(typical Italian hand gestures) through a few fields & you will find it, oh & watch out for dogs" So a few fields in and I'm getting distraught, I decide to take a break, stress eat most of the snacks I brought & very seriously consider heading back. However in one last-ditch attempt I walk a tad further & stumble upon a trail sign, feeling a little silly my determination sets in & I'm on my way. When I get further up the mountain & the trees disappear I set my sights on a large rock, my rock, the one I am going to reach. As I continue to walk the rock almost seems to get further away, at one point I even take a nap, as it finally seems to be close I find myself putting on my jacket. Finally I make it, I can see the France to the west & Switzerland to the east, and a patch of snow to the north, my joy becomes elation (the altitude & endorphins helped too). I find myself yet again far from, north of, & never happier; my love of hiking is solidified.