I should have known we were on the cusp of something when the Teletubbies showed up at the airport. We’d landed in Milan almost an hour ahead of schedule--a curse disguised as a blessing. At the top of the jetway, two men (?) women (?) in yellow rubber space suits flashed a wand at our foreheads as we passed, then disinterestedly waved us on. A bit of performance art for Milan Fashion Week? A fastidious and uncontested alien takeover? Who knew? Coming off a red-eye at 5am, life is but a dream anyway.
I too went a packed art exhibit that early February ignoring the messages from our friend's sister working in a hospital in Milan. Stay safe up there we said as we sipped our warm prosecco in plastic cups and kissed each other on the cheeks.
Thanks so much-- really happy to have you following Life Lived Italian. That's a shame that you didn't make it to your home before the cut-off in 2020. We of course ran into the same thing immediately after returning from that February trip. We did manage to get there during a tiny window of time that opened up around November 2020-- had to fly to Dublin, quarantine for 10 days, then made it to Italy. Three days after we got there, Italy when into an "orange" status, which meant you couldn't really go outside of your own village-- restaurants were closed for dinner, etc. We left after less than a week as we didn't want to get sick and be trapped there. What a rough period of history that was!
It was such a crazy time. I'm not a Covid denier or particularly daring, but it was so far off my radar at the time, and of course none of us had any frame of reference for a pandemic. So funny that we had the same experience. Hope we never go through that particular cycle again!
Enjoyed your story. In February 2020 we were waiting to get back to our home of 20 plus years in Italy, and did not get back for two more years. Looking back, it all seems so unreal. Loved your writing and look forward to reading more.
bello
I too went a packed art exhibit that early February ignoring the messages from our friend's sister working in a hospital in Milan. Stay safe up there we said as we sipped our warm prosecco in plastic cups and kissed each other on the cheeks.
Thanks so much-- really happy to have you following Life Lived Italian. That's a shame that you didn't make it to your home before the cut-off in 2020. We of course ran into the same thing immediately after returning from that February trip. We did manage to get there during a tiny window of time that opened up around November 2020-- had to fly to Dublin, quarantine for 10 days, then made it to Italy. Three days after we got there, Italy when into an "orange" status, which meant you couldn't really go outside of your own village-- restaurants were closed for dinner, etc. We left after less than a week as we didn't want to get sick and be trapped there. What a rough period of history that was!
And to you!! We miss you, but I suspect you'll have something much closer to spring weather down there than we have here.
Thanks so much!! Hope all is well with you...
It was such a crazy time. I'm not a Covid denier or particularly daring, but it was so far off my radar at the time, and of course none of us had any frame of reference for a pandemic. So funny that we had the same experience. Hope we never go through that particular cycle again!
Grazie tante!!
Enjoyed your story. In February 2020 we were waiting to get back to our home of 20 plus years in Italy, and did not get back for two more years. Looking back, it all seems so unreal. Loved your writing and look forward to reading more.
Happy Easter to you both, my dear friends❤️
Magnificent