The Tarot Garden

Today is my second day on my adventure in Italy. We had a very full schedule like we do for most days this week. After having a delicious Italian breakfast of croissants and pastries we headed to our bus tour. I have always wanted to go on a double decker bus tour and today that dream came true. We boarded the bus and of course, sat on the top level. I do not think I will ever be able to get over how beautiful and so full of history Rome is. As we drove around Rome looking at all of their marvelous sights we listened to the history behind each thing. As I took in each bit of Rome, I began to talk to the elderly man sitting next to me. I love talking to those who have more wisdom and life experience than I do. He and his wife were from Australia and this was their fifth time around the world. To think of all the amazing things he must have seen and the stories he has to tell. I hope to one day be able to travel around the world and share it with someone special. After we completed the bus tour my group said good bye to Rome. We grabbed our luggage and boarded the bus for Capalbio. It appeared that we were in the middle of nowhere but then out of the nothingness Giardino dei Tarocchi appeared. As we pulled into the driveway all you could see was a giant wall. It reminded me of a castle wall that kept everything which didn’t belong on the outside. On the inside of this great wall laid a majestic sculpture garden. Each sculptor was based on a tarot card. For the artist, Niki de Saint Phalle tarot cards were not a fortune telling device but instead for her they represented her life journey. These sculptures were brightly colored and covered in mirrors making them shine. They were remarkable and each had a deep meaning and story behind it. The Empress was in the middle of the garden. It looked like a woman but it was shaped liked a sphinx. Niki actually made her home inside this astonishing sculpture. What it must have been like to live inside a work of art and to be able to look out your window each day and see your dream becoming a reality. Niki’s story was an inspiration. She had a nervous breakdown at a young age and in rehab she began creating art. After a trip to Barcelona Niki found her life calling, she was going to create a sculpture garden of her own. Because Niki did not have a great deal of money, she had to work hard to make everything come together. All of her hard work paid off because now her garden is there for everyone to see and to find their own inspiration. Our day was completed today with about a seven course meal. It was delicious!