When I was a child I was kidnapped, like many kids, from the pages of Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne. Then, when I was older, many times I sang and danced to the exicitng notes of Sweet dreams by Eurythmics “… I travel the world and the seven seas, evreybody is looking for something …”. It is true that music and readings have a great influence on people’s lives, especially in the period of growth: in fact, I’ve always loved to travel and I try to do as much as possible. I shot almost all of Italy, have been in so many countries of Europe and once, the only one for the moment, I crossed the ocean for a wonderful trip to Mexico. But my desire to know the world is never satisfied. And I’m lucky to be able to feed it thanks to my job, staying at home, in my beloved Matera, where every day I have the pleasure to meet visitors from all corners of the world and lead them to discover the extraordinary beauty of my land. And the just passed month of October has been exceptional in this sense: I actually met people from all continents!
Group fromTaiwan
Many Italians of course, from Naples to Bergamo, and Europeans: the usual British – mainly English – but also many Dutch, with Eri and her three friends and then a whole group led by the nice Marga; Maryna from Lithuania with her husband and two beautiful daughters, a pair of Belgians and the usual group of Swedes led by Erzsebeth.
Always numerous the North Americans: a Canadian group, then an American one, up to Howard and Nicolle from Los Angeles on their honeymoon in Italy. But also many from South America, especially Brazilian, couples or small groups of friends, many of Italian origin.
Australian family
Very present also the new continent, which seems to have designated Matera as a must for a trip to Italy: many Australians like usual but also many New Zealanders, from the four tireless hikers to a whole group.
And the Asians? Inevitable in October the couples group of Taiwan on their honeymoon, then a nice family of Indians with father, mother, daughter and son with girlfriend, and for the first time a Korean group, family members of some doctors in Matera for a international congress.
Couple from Nigeria
Africa is missing, you say. Sure, tourism is a luxury they can not afford. But … one morning I accompanied three nice American girls, two Kate and Amelia, very black and with dreadlocks: “My parents emigrated to America from Nigeria when they were young”, she answered my specific question. And with that little piece of Africa the picture is complete: I’ve done the tour of the world, but in just 31 days and standing still. In Matera.
