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A Solitary trip to the Museum of Russian Icons

2/28/2020

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​There will be a time when my solitary travel to Italy is over. I’ve said that out loud often, but I’ve always thought it would be due to my health, or Jim’s. I never imagined that a pandemic such as the coronavirus would keep me home. But it is doing just that. However, although I’ve cancelled my 3/6-20 trip to Rome and Florence, it doesn’t mean my solitary travel is over. I’m hoping there will be an all-clear travel alert by September.
    The decision to cancel was a no-brainer. I have no regrets nor do I feel sorry for myself. But I do feel the void. Yes, it has to do with Italy, but also with that feeling of deep satisfaction that comes with traveling alone.
     Yesterday, however, I proved that solitary travel can be immediate, and only be for day, or even part of one. I hopped in the car and made the 35 minute drive to the Museum of Russian Icons. I thought of calling a friend, but chose to go on my own—so glad I did. During my hour and a half visit, I had the place  almost entirely to myself. I was reminded of those early mornings alone in the Duomo in Florence before the first mass began.  
      I’m considering going to Maine for a few night. Or, perhaps I will be stay home and be a solitary traveler without traveling. Maybe it is only the solitude that is essential.

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         I love to travel alone, and so I do. My husband of 54 years loves to stay home and garden, and so he does. But he knows I love to go off by myself for extended periods of time. For five years (2009-2014) I rented a cottage by the sea, an hour and a half from our home, and spent the weekdays there alone. For the past twenty years I’ve been traveling by myself, primarily to Scotland (Iona, the Highlands, and Edinburgh) and Italy. When I say Italy I really mean Florence, with occasional short stops and excursions around Tuscany and Umbria and to Rome.
        A Cottage by the Sea is about my longing for silence, solitude and simplicity. When I travel I post my thoughts and experiences “On My Mind”. This section, “A Solitary Traveler” is where I post articles about my travels.
         You may be thinking, “If she’s been married 54 years, how old is she?” I’m 77. Maybe my next article will be about how to keep traveling alone as one gets older.

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