Sei settimane a Bath (UK) non sono semplici da raccontare.
Non so cosa succeda a voi, ma io, ogni volta che torno da un viaggio, sento di aver vissuto.
Il legame con Bath, comunque, mi sembra essere stato particolarmente forte.
Sarà perchè sono partita in condizioni drammatiche e non vedevo altra strada di fronte a me che non fosse la possibilità di partire. E non si trattava dell'ennesima sfida che pone la vita, era come se il filo del mio destino che finora, seppure a zig zag e in maniera disordinatissima, mi sembrava di essere sempre riuscita a seguire, si fosse spezzato.
Ho preso quell'areo con trentotto e mezzo di pura angoscia e la prima settimana non ho mai smesso di pensare che lasciare il dottorato - per i tanti problemi incontrati nel mondo accademico e per ipersensibilità congenita latente - sarebbe stato come "suicidare un sogno".
Adesso sono a casa e c'è tutto da rifare (con un flebile punto interrogativo da sciogliere in settimana).
Per (ri)cominciare, dunque, ci sono innanzitutto le sei settimane a Bath da raccontare.
A Bath ci sono Janet e Roger e da Janet c'è il suo giardino.
7 agosto 2012 I went back home on foot despite the rain to taste the flavor of a british summer and to feel body tiredness. English people seated on the benches the same and I enjoyed my walk across the Victoria park. Janet is now singing songs of the sixties and cooking polenta for me because I told her that this food is related with my dearest memories.
12 agosto 2012 The sun shines after a storm. Janet gardens every sunday; She has orchids and peonies, she has cosmos, zinnias and wild flowers. The passenger pigeons rest in her garden during their trip. We ate biscuits togheter, we chatted about our childhood. Having not a good english could be nice if you were able to speak with your eyes and with your hands. Knowing not the cities where you live would be perfect if you asked someone to take you in the places they love.A Bath ci sono poi Daniel, Olga, Elizaveta, Merve, Ashe, Paula, Teresa, Léa, Cecilia, Jacopo, Paola e tutti gli altri.
A Bath c'è il capitano: Michael. Una di quelle rare persone che sono tutte per gli altri, di opinioni limpide e interessi coraggiosi, oltre che uno splendido insegnante.
Non so spiegare quanto le persone che ho incontrato siano state capaci di ridarmi un briciolo di fidicia in me stessa e farmi sentire di nuovo serena e piena d'entusiasmo. E oltre alle persone e agli incontri casuali - difficile dimenticare il gallese emigrato in Austrialia incontrato su una panchina al parco e la sua vita complicata o l'anziano londinese prodigo di informazioni stradali e voglia di raccontarsi -, ci sono i luoghi.
13 agosto 2012 People of the Kaplan school, I strongly recommend the "Bath at Work Museum" Is not for free (it cost 3.50 £ - there is a special discount for students) but is a very unusual and interesting place to visit! You will be able to learn more about the history of the city and to improve your vocabulary. Is not far from the school building in Milsom street and inside the museum there is also a sort of "club" where elderly people play cards, chat, stay togheter. Moreover, if you ask them, they will tell you about the story of co-operation.
18 agosto 2012 This morning I visited Lacock, alone. Waiting for the bus of my return journey, I went in a pub. I felt I was enjoing a privilege being sit at the dark wooden tables, on a unrefined stone floor, with soft lighting and background music. The abbey is charming. You can imagine the nuns walking silently along the galleries of the cloister and every medieval decoration tell you a story. The people of the village sell aromatic herbs and flowers along the streets and who would like to buy them can pay dropping money in their letter boxes.
19 agosto 2012 If you go to visit Avebury, you will find yourself in the middle of nowhere. The bus crosses the gorgeous English countryside as far as a little village. A solitary street of red brick houses and cottages divides the circle of stones in two parts. When you will be tired of walking in the fascinating landscape, avoid the Red Lion Pub (It's really nice, but in summer is crowded) and the museum bar, instead go along the street and you will be able to find an "elderly club". It's there that is possible to taste delicious cakes handmade by the people who run it. The forniture is from the sixities and the tea has another taste on a pink roses tablecloth! Moreover talking with charming Avebury "girls" has no price. Don't miss the manor (also if is a fake and is expensive), because is very funny touching and using everything inside the house, especially smelling the spices in the kitchen!
22 agosto 2012 Yesterday was a special day. We went to Castle Combe, a delightful rural village close to Bath. No more than thirty cottages with flowers at their windows huddle togheter. All round is possible to have beautiful walks in the countryside. There the only sound is the gurgling of the stream. It's quite difficult reach it by public transport, but it's so interesting! The area is served with a very folkloristic and old-fashioned bus driven by a reckless bus driver (the journey was so funny!). The place is splendid, but without the wonderful people that were with me it wouldn't have been the same.E poi c'è il diario di Londra, ma quello l'ho promesso ad un caro amico, ho bisogno di tempo.
