It was a dream, and something I’d never imagined I’d ever be able to see in my life. The entire island smelled of freshly fixed lemons. Over the horizon, the faint outline of the rock formations from the famous Dolce Gabanna commercial could be seen in the distance. Convertible taxis cruised around the tiny windy roads, with its passengers letting their hair go in the wind and taking in the gorgeous scenery. Girls in pretty sundresses walking around with cold limoncello granata in their hands. It was every scene from every perfect movie. Every image of heaven you’ve ever seen. Paradiso!!! 

This was the famous island of Capri in Italy. 

But I wont spend much time talking about it. 

A couple days before we stopped by in a tiny town in Tuscany, which I totally forget the name of. To get to it, we had to climb the steepest hill. By the time I got to the top, I was sweating and heaving, but rewarded with the beautiful postcard image of an ancient church, overlooking the Tuscan countryside. 

I saw one really peculiar thing when I got to this little village on top of the hill. I was climbing further up in a narrow alleyway, when I heard a peculiar rattling noise. Seconds later, I saw an old grandmother on an even older Vespa, zooming down the extremely steep, cobblestone hill. She was rattling away, helmet and glasses on, wearing a long floral skirt. Her gray wispy hairs flying in the wind, engine off, not a care in the world. I looked at the people around me, and saw that they all noticed what I noticed. This lady must’ve been at least 80, as I still saw the deep wrinkles on her face even as she zipped past me mighty fast. 

This lady had probably lived here all her life. She was probably on her way to make pasta at the restaurant she’s worked in for 50 years. She rides down this steep, cobblestone hill everyday. Something that seemed so out of the ordinary and badass to us, was completely routine and normal for her. 

This place was her paradise. She wouldn’t trade it for Capri, no matter how beautiful everyone says it to be. This is her home and work and life. Everybody may know of Capri and its wonders, but nobody has seen a grandmother like what I saw there. We don’t always need to be wrapped up in traveling to the most famous places, but rather take time to explore the hidden treasures of the cities we’ll soon forget the names of. Anything can make a good story no matter where you are.