My photo essay begins with photos I took during my first few weeks in Italy, before I ventured outside of this carbohydrate-loving country. One is not able to understand the significance of anything until one is without it for a period of time. I just returned from a week and a half long excursion to Amsterdam and Greece. Although I wholeheartedly soaked in the beauty of these magnificent countries, my relationship to Italy and all of its passion was deeply missed. The color in the second half of my photos represents the appreciation a person accumulates for their home culture while traveling abroad. Now, I see all of these captured Italy moments for what they truly are.
One of my first walks over the Ponte Vecchio, the most famous bridge in Firenze.
Walking behind a mysterious old man near Piazza della Signoria while eating a delicious truffle panino. I loved his classy top hat.
Pane Frattau, the most mouthwatering meal I have experienced in Italy. Consists of thin tortilla, caramelized onion, parmesan cheese, sweet tomatoes, cooked spinach, and a poached egg.
Relaxing at home in my floral pants.
Carnivale in Viareggio, a beach town on the west coast of Italy. The costumes and floats were simply brilliant.
A friend observing a view of Rome in the evening above the Spanish Steps.
A little boy beneath a profound beam of light in St. Peter’s Basilica.
The rooftop of the apartment we rented in Athens. I felt like I was living in a bungalow in Zeus’s enchanted forest.
Me, a beach, and the highest point in Athens.
Vibrant colors in Aegina that made me think of Tuscany terracotta homes.
A breathtaking photo of Poros.
A friend contemplating all good fortunes on a table in a coffee shop in Amsterdam.
The glowing sea and sky before our Greek island cruise came to a bittersweet end.
Anna Freundl is the CEA Spring 2013 MOJO in Florence, Italy