Italia 2013

You probably saw this one coming. I couldn't have not shared my Italian experience with you after having the best summer. I literally took so many photos whilst I was there  that I had to narrow it down to my favourites otherwise this blog post would have gone on forever.

So basically towards the end of Ramadan me and my family flew out to Milan and stayed with my uncle for two weeks in a small town outside Milan called 'Galliate' and it was honestly two of the most amazing weeks I'll never forget. I not only reconnected with my Italian cousins but I actually fell in love with the small town of Galliate. I'm the kind of girl that just loves simplicity. And Galliate was just the perfect definition of simplicity. There was beauty in everything you could find and set your eyes on. 

Galliate was a small town, so everyone knew each other which was nice because people were so friendly. It was mainly a town that consisted of small confectionary shops, gelateria's, pizzerias, vintage shops, markets and cute bakeries (which I honestly fell in love with!). It had so much catholic history, and there were so many beautiful historical churches. What I loved most about being there were how pretty the narrow streets were, it was so pristine. I loved everything about it, the cleanliness of the streets, the middle eastern kind of smells, the warmth and the balconies. It was quiet and hidden. I remember on Eid day going out exploring with the cousins and finding an old abandoned train station and then climbing up the hills and finding a treehouse that we ended up climbing in our Eid clothes. (Yeah, were so normal like that!)

I think I loved it more because I'm so use to living in that polluted city life. So coming to such a small town made me admire the simplicity and it was a freshness that I came to really admire. We visited Milan a few times, which was amazing because c'mon it's like the fashion capital and its filled with the designer shops, places to eat and big historical  landmarks with touristy filled places. But it made me realise I much rather preferred the simplicity of Galliate, over the extravagance that Milan had to offer.

Towards the end of the two weeks after Eid day we spent a weekend in Arona near the Swiss border which was north of Italy, and it was breath-taking beautiful! We stayed near a lake and it was nice because I was in touch with the nature and surroundings around me. It brought  out this peace and serenity to my mind as well as my heart and it felt cleansing. It's amazing the outlook you develop when you're in a different environment. Sometimes a change of scenery is what you need because it gives you the ability to rejuvenate.

Italy is so beautiful and because we went towards the end of Ramadan, we didn't even get to see the half if it. I know there's still so many places I need to go. But in'Shaa'Allah I can't wait to go back and see my family. Saying goodbye was always going to be the painful part. So instead it was 'We'll meet again, in'Shaa'Allah'.

Zara

xo

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