Blind guests in Bolsena.

Hiking Bolsena, Bolsena, Blog

Panic in Bolsena. Signora … signora, signora rode schoentjes with an emphasis on the unpronounceable “rode schoentjes” in Italian, how glad I am to see you.

This morning, your guests scared us so much.
Oops, I’m also scared.
We were so paura (scared).
One of your guests got her can stuck in the iron railing of the stairs. She did a pirouette and we saw her fall.

I’m even more frightened.
“Fortunately she did not fall”, the owner of the hotel tells me.

I laugh and tell them that since arriving at Ciampino (airport) yesterday I had expected to visit the pronto secorso (first aid) four times before we would have taken 1 step in Bolsena at all.

I try to explain that I will sit on my “hands”.
“Sit on your hands”? She looks at me in bewilderment. Besides blind guests, does she have to deal with a disturbed organization?

Yes, I confirm. By that I mean that adult people come on holiday independently with me in Italy. That they themselves are responsible for their well-being.

That I support and guide where necessary, but that I do not (anymore) worry about impossibilities.

They don’t do that themselves either. They choose life, they came on this holiday with confidence. Pioneers and adventurers.

“Perhaps some sighted people have fallen off your beautiful staircase before, too”? Tripped over planters? Slipped at the edge of the pool or in the bathroom? ”
She smiles: “That’s true, signora rode schoentjes”.

There I am with my red shoes waiting for my guests.
My life is anything but boring. How extraordinary, that I visit the most beautiful places with special beautiful people. In beautiful Italy.
No boring days, but plenty of life.

Today we are going to explore Bolsena.
Visit the old center.
The ATM and the supermarket.
Mark good eating spots on the GPS. The ice cream parlors and the terraces.

On the road:
When I tell the guests that the boulevard in front of the hotel is safe to cross, because traffic can only come from the right, a scooter from the left shoots past us.

How pleasant the pedestrian cycle path is to walk towards the center. There appear to be several cars as obstacles on the nice bicycle footpath.

The sidewalk to the center turns out to be hardly a sidewalk, but more like a skating rink.

The central square with its cozy terraces, planters, benches and scooters is in practice a maze without a landmark.

The ATM appears not to function for the visually impaired and blind due to touchscreen.

The supermarket is a henhouse with chattering Italians. Where we have to hold each other in a train and walk behind each other, because it is so chaotic. Very handy with a shopping basket.

I see acquaintances and friends looking in amazement at our cheerfully smiling procession.
Because they are happy, these beautiful guests.

We visit a terrace in the sun. It has become clear what can and cannot be done independently. FULL STOP.

We make plans for tomorrow. We will walk to the hermit cave and Hermitage and on the way we will have lunch by the water. We are going to enjoy…

And ehh, whether I can show a part of the hollow road (via Cave of the Etruscans)?

In the meantime I could tell them all about what I saw on the road. The lake, the boats, the hills, plants, people, squares and houses.

They told me all about what they heard, smelled, tasted and felt.

It was a great day!

Ciao I am Mariët Bloemendal the creative mastermind and passionate Italy expert of “Volg de Rode Schoentjes”.

“Volg de Rode Schoentjes” specializes in extraordinaryexperience and discover holidays for singles in central Italy. Far away from mass tourism, I organize and create a base in which you can discover and experience a real Italian holiday together with other solo travelers. Winner of the Benelux Enterprise Award Best Specialist Italian Holiday agent 2020. Correspondent De Wereld from BNNVARA on NPO1.
Curious who you are going on holiday with? I would like to introduce myself.

Mariët Bloemendal

Would you like more news about Volg de Rode Schoentjes? You can follow my shoes on ….

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