happy to

some italian bloggers are writing posts about three daily things they are proud of.
i'm usually not into chain blog post at all, but the lovely Serena has nominated me, so i'd feel bad to ignore her call.

so, let's see.. what are the actions, rituals, good things that i am proud of doing in my everyday life? actually, i don't feel so special (plus, there are a million things i'm not proud of) so i'd rather tell you what are the few things i am happy to do because i think they're good not just for me, but for everyone.
{for each one daily action, there is a matching travel aspect}


i'm happy to #1 shop at the farmers market (when fruits and vegetables grown at home are not enough), eat my chickens eggs, buy milk at the vending machine of a dairy. in other words, i try to eat locally sourced food, as much as i can.
this means that when i travel, i'm happy to: eat locally, shop locally, sleep locally.

in the pic, some spring joy from the farmers market in Vittorio Veneto this morning

i'm happy to #2 take the bike, when i can. i think is important, in daily life and while travelling, to try to minimize your impact. our lambretta is not as low impact as a bicyle, but not comparable to bigger vehicles. and i'm a big fan of public transportations. it's a slower way to travel, closer to the locals.

views from a roadtrip across Morocco, whole by public transport {a couple of trains, one grand taxi, maaaany buses}, i did with three friends in 2007. i'm not sure who to credit for these pictures, so i thank all of them: Silvia/Bobi, Jacopo, Marco. 

i'm happy to #3 separate collection of rubbish. unfortunately, it's not possible everywhere. while travelling, let's try not to leave behind us a pile of waist. {i'm taking things like not throwing waste on the ground for granted}
many years in the Scouts have taught me to leave this world a little better than you found it. i'm happier when i follow this simple rule. 

since we're talking about actions that make me happy and proud -and travels- i'd love to tell you another story that i cherish as one of the most beautiful travel memory, which i'm also very proud of.
three years ago, my sister, my cousin Marta and i took our grandmother to Amsterdam, for her eightieth birthday. she had always wanted to see Amsterdam and the famous dutch flowers in bloom, so she took her very first plane with us and finally saw it all. 
it was a very special family girls trip.

happy spring everyone!

grandma and my sister Anna in Keukenhof, flower garden in the Netherlands

{all the pictures are processed with vsco. not film photography today!}