San Luca

Yesterday I decided that I would finally make the trek up to San Luca, the church that is atop the highest hill in Bologna and thus quite a significant part of our city. It's like a beacon. Leading up to San Luca is the longest portico in the world; it's 3.5 km and has 666 arches. However, I had never been before and for some reason decided that instead of taking the portico up the normal way, I would take the (back)roads. I didn't realize what that would entail. So I'm walking. And walking. I'm passing houses and parks and singing along with my ipod. And after about 45 minutes I'm not even sure if I chose the right direction or where on Earth I'm heading. At some point I see a sign telling me I'm leaving the main city of Bologna! So I'm walking up and up, which I figured was a good sign since San Luca's on a huge hill, with motorinos and bicyclists passing me like crazy. I kept wondering if I should turn around for fear I was going the wrong dirction and of getting to the top and being too exhausted to ever get back down! But I was determined to find San Luca. You can't tell people you're going to San Luca and then come back declaring you couldn't find it. It just doesn't make sense! So I'm walking. And walking. And along the way I see giant worms, frantic lizards, and beautiful butterflies. Not to mention gorgeous villas and sprawling green hills. I turn around and can see the whole city of Bologna, far away, nestled between the two hills closer to me. But where is this church? How can this road be so looong? So after walking for 1.25 hours, I see a sign. A sign! And it says, San Luca --> and I jump in the air because it's my first sign in a long time that I'm actually on my way there! However, I have still yet to see the actual church. All the while I'm wondering how it is possible that I can't see the church high up on the hill from everywhere. So I keep walking. And walking. And after another 15 minutes...I SEE IT! But how can that be? It's on a different freaking hill than the one I'm on! And there's an entire valley between it and me! Nooooooooo! So I keep walking. And walking. And shooting desperate looks over my shoulder at the church, as I walk farther from it in an attempt to get closer to it. I come across a couple and breakdown and ask if I'm going the right way. They say, yes, and there's only 15 more minutes until I get there, which I don't believe because it looks like it might as well be in another land. So I keep walking. And walking. And I get to a plateau with a gorgeous view of what's behind the hills, outside of Bologna. And I see a couple of houses I wouldn't mind moving into. And I hear something crawling in the bushes that freaks me out. Oh it's just the lizards. And I come across a tiny neighborhood and think of what wonderful lives these people live and it practically moves me to tears and I think that this cannot be the last time I live in Italy. And I keep walking. And walking. And finally I turn the corner, and what do I see? San Luca!-

-beautifully golden and magestic shining on top of its hill. It's terribly moving. I see a couple taking photos and offer to take one of the two of them and they are so thankful it's cute. And I wish for the thousandth time that I had brought my camera because I've seen the world through a different lens on this beautiful walk and would love to have been able to record it. So I keep walking. And walking. Now in disbelief that I actually made it there in a record 2 hours. So I pass by the pizzeria (who knew?), and the guy selling candy, and I enter the complex, climb the spiral staircase, enter the church. The altar is beautiful, but other than that it's actually a small church on the inside and I'd have to say I prefer the exterior but I'm so happy to have finally reached it that the whole thing is shining like a first place prize. I go up on the altar, say a prayer thanking God for finally getting me there, and then proceed to go down the hill the normal way-down the portici. It's something else, a portico that long. So after 2 hours to go up the hill, it took me only 45 minutes to get down, if that! It was quite the conquest...I seriously don't even know how I made it through a 3 hour walk over the hill and far away!

What's new, you might ask? Well, my family arrives TOMORROW! I cannot believe it. I remember when I was leaving California and knew it would be 7 months before I would see my dad and my brother. And now it's tomorrow. Life sure flies by, doesn't it? We're gonna have such a great time touring Tuscany, Venice, and Rome...not to mention Bologna! But really we're just excited to see each other.