60 seconds

Vicenza, Italy

Exploring the town in the day, I met a young woman who invited me to dinner with her family. That evening, I walked up to the drive leading to an elegant but weathered villa. Maria’s father greeted me at the door and almost smiled. The rest of her family was friendlier than I expected but her father questioned my intentions.
After touring the grounds, we had some wine and cheese, eventually settling down for dinner. We had vine ripened tomatoes from the garden, bread baked just down the street, and wine from his vineyard, the flavors surpassing those of a five star restaurant. When the main course of pasta was set on the white linen before me, I more fully understood the meaning of Italian dining.
Smiles and laughter abounded into the night. With the evening done, goodbyes shared, I stepped out into the night air. The house seemed more elegant as I walked back toward town with a smile on my face, thinking of the beautiful town and beautiful people.