The pinks, the blues, the memories

I almost didn’t go. I almost would have made one of the worst choices I could have made while in Italy. I almost let myself live with this regret. Fortunately, I came to my senses and don’t have to live in a world where this reality could have actually been a “what if?” I instead had one of the most incredible experiences during my four months abroad. You know what beats watching the sunset over Florence from the top of the Duomo with one your favorite people? Not a lot.
My brother-in-law and I didn’t plan on going to the Duomo at sunset. To be quite honest, I don’t think we realized at the time we were in line that we would be seeing the sunset. It was a bit of a spontaneous decision to go then, but as the rest of the family was busy, the timing could not have been more perfect. It wasn’t a far walk from the apartment and then it was a short wait in line. The walk to the top of the Duomo is not an easy one. What helps is a brother-in-law who is good at keeping you entertained and knowing that there is an end in sight and it is absolutely going to be worth it. We got to the top and were immediately mesmerized. The blues and pinks reflected over the city were something special. Beautiful is the word I most often use to describe Italy- the views from Capri are beautiful; the Tuscan countryside is beautiful; the people are beautiful. The view of the sunset from the top of the Duomo is beautiful, but more than that, it is awe-inspiring.
And so I say this to you- the next time you’re in Florence, Italy, do not leave without experiencing this. Not only will you get some great pictures, you’ll leave with a memory that will really and truly last a lifetime. Go to the Duomo right before they stop letting people up for the night and stay for as long as they’ll let you. Take it all in. Be grateful that you are there, in that moment, because who knows if it may happen again.
I’ve been witness to many amazing sunsets (Costa Rica and Maui are both something special), but this was indescribable. While I would absolutely love to get up to the top of the Duomo again for another sunset, I don’t think it would beat the first one. The next ones will be great, but they will never become the one. And I’m okay with that. This one sunset holds a special place in my heart, and I hope that it can become that sunset, that memory, for many people.
I like to say that I left my heart somewhere between Gusta Pizza and the Amalfi Coast, but that sunset over Firenze stopped it.