By Maddalena Delli
As Frances Mayes shows in her bestselling “Under the Tuscan Sun” (and sequels!), the rolling hills of Tuscany may be a great choice to help you climb the ladder from any abyss you feel you may have entered since attaining the status of EX. Even in spite of yourself – but if you are willing to help the outcome will of course be better! – the mix of art, glorious sun-kissed countryside, good food, fine wine and an informal, irony-driven attitude to life is as good a cure as any you can devise to help you throught the stages from EXile to EXhale. Actually, by the end you'll probably be so comfortable with your EX label, that you'll seriously consider making it a permanent feature by joining our ever-growing community of EXpatriates!
But first things first. However laughable, the over-abused notion that 30 percent of the world's art works are located in Florence suggests at least that your EXiled self need not necessarily join the crowds queuing to see Michelangelo's David in the Accademia Gallery or Botticelli's Venus at the Uffizi in order to enjoy some first-class art here. One obvious example springs to mind: hidden in a tiny, tucked-away old piazza halfway between the Uffizi and the Ponte Vecchio, the Santo Stefano al Ponte Museum of Sacred Art is so little in demand that admission is free and it only opens on Friday afternoons. Yet, inside you can find works by the likes of Giotto, Paolo Uccello and Masolino! This and many other hidden gems in and around town are listed in the 'Small but great' museums directory at http://www.piccoligrandimusei.it, while a comprehensive list of peaceful yet art-studded parks and gardens is available at http://www.cultura.toscana.it/architetture/giardini/firenze/index.shtml.
As you may have heard, there is even a psychosomatic medical condition caused by overEXposure to Florentine art: it is called "Stendhal syndrome" after the oponymous 19th century French writer who first described it during his 1817 visit to Florence. The symptoms are rapid heartbeat, dizziness, confusion and even hallucinations. So in case you sometimes find yourself overwhelmed with grief, pretending to be art-struck can come in handy for an excuse.
Still, this can only provide a temporary solution; so you might want to search for a long-term way out of your mental loops by EXpressing – and overcoming – your frustrations under the guidance of Bernadette van Boxel and Bert Schmitz, who offer holistic workshops in meditation and energy awareness in their BodyMindFulness practice (http://www.bodymindfulness.com) set in the hills of Grassina. There is a choice of evening programmes, weekend workshops or even weeklong retreats, and individual sessions are also offered.
