Tuscany - Bramasole

I discovered my Mecca on this holiday. 

I have ready many books by Francis Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun, and they have brought me such joy, and feeling of peace (even when I have been in the midst of a depression episode).  While in Tuscany I was able to visit her house.

Dre and I drove to Cortona (on the beautiful back roads) on the Thursday before we left for home.  The drive in itself was amazing, with the walled cities, the roman walls, the history, the gently rolling hills, the architecture, and so much more.  Because we stopped several times to have a coffee, or gelatto, or our picnic lunch, it took several hours to get there.

Cortona is up in the mountains, and is much cooler than where we were staying on the beach.  We drove into the city of Cortona, and asked a police officer (she had such a pretty voice, I could have listened to her all day) for directions to Villa Bramasole.  She gave Dre the directions in Italian (good thing he knows the language!!), and off we went.  We stopped on more time to make sure we were going the right way, and found out we were only 500 meters away from it. 

I couldn't wait, so I started walking down the hill toward it.  Dre joined me, but then went back to get the car, so I wouldn't have to hike back up the hill.  I saw Bramasole for the first time, by myself.

I am not kidding when I say it was like a religious experience for me.  For the longest time all I could do was just stand in silence and look.  Peace crept over my soul like a slow moving fog, enveloping my senses and infusing them with joy.  I have never before felt anything like this is my over 42 years of life.

I started to take some photos when a car pulled up next to me, and the woman driving asked "Is this it?"  I look at her, and said "Yes, this is Bramasole."  We shared a moment of silence, when she said in a reverential voice "It's kind of like Mecca, isn't it?" It struck me how true this statement was, and I smile at her, and said "Yes, that's exactly what it is."

Bramasole is my Mecca.  I feel utterly blessed to have stood in it's presence, and felt it's life.

I will post the rest of the photos is a pictorial entry.


Authors note - I have written permission from Frances Mayes to post these photos.