A City Walk

A bright morning greets me after a sleepless night. I spent the morning doing nothing. It seems to be one of the sunniest, hottest, and most beautiful days of the summer, so I decide to go for a walk in the city. I just don't seem to have anything better to do. It is so stressful to be on a vacation. And I should not even take any days off anyhow because all the days I'm not working will delay the final day. Maybe I'm just making excuses to buy some time. I don't know. Nevertheless, the streets are calling me.

And the day is beautiful, indeed. I take the train to the centre. The city is filled with life in the sunny, early afternoon as I walk amongst the people. I wonder what all these people are doing and where they are going. Many seems to be on a vacation, and others are probably going to work or somewhere else. Some of them seem quite busy, whereas others seem relaxed. I watch all the stores filled with people, I look at the traffic and I see the cars go by in the filled streets with little room to move. I enjoy the intensity of the centre but I feel like getting somewhere where it is more peaceful so I take the road to the beach.

There are lots of people at the beach but not as much as I expected there to be. I walk upon the small road that goes by the beach without however entering it, so I can be away from the people. Some of the people are just lying and some of them are playing some sorts of sports. I have never really liked the beach. I cherish the shade the trees around the street provide me. The shade makes me feel a bit cooler and keeps the sunshine away for a while. As I enter the open area of the parking lot the heat strikes me once again. The pressure of the hot sun and the clear blue sky makes me hot and tired. I know I'm over dressed for the occasion. Well, that does not bother me. I try not to pay attention to the heat and head for the small road that leads me to the boat shore.

The boat shore is a peaceful and quite place. I like the fact that there are lots of shades there. The coolnes and the warmth seem to be in a balance. Few people pass me by. They seem to be on a walk ljust ike me. There are also few people lying at the small park areas on the side. I see how the streets line the street and the parks, creating a beautiful small area just on the side of the centre of the city. The place is not at the centre but also not too far away from it. I walk the long narrow street to its end and arrive at the cross roads. The sky opens up clear and blue and the hot weather of the summer reveals itself to me as I decide to take a road leaading me bak to the center.

Beautiful old stone buildings surround the street. Here there are much more people and traffic than on the small road I walked previously. I see the sun shining between the branches of the trees at the side of the street. The builindgs create a comforting atmosphere and I feel like not going back yet. My walk, however, is coming to its close whether I liked it or not. I accept the fact that I need to go back but I decide to make my walk a bit longer by taking a detour back to the centre.

I enter the main street. It is very large, long road leading straight to the centre. Now the traffic is really intense and there are lots of people walking round and around. Some of them are buying ice cream at the small boutiges by the street, and some seem to be going for a picnic at the big parks ahead, while still others are just more or less busy with their daily routines. I walk through the large park areas. I look at the pretty young couples sitting together holding hands. They are so cute I want to cry. I wonder what it would have been like to just sit together with someone, holding hands without a care of the day to come. Simply spendig time outside. Together. Together alone, feeling like the rest of the world was superfluous. A very attractive girl passes me by. Her hair is black and she seems to be somewhat distracted. Our eyes meet for a very short gaze. I drown into her eyes. I wonder who she is and where is she going. She is so beautiful I feel like dying. Her presence makes me want to live. Her hair makes me dream of summer nights by her side, holding hands, wasting time with no particular reason. I dream about being by her side with nothing else to do than to be and experience the sense of existence and otherness. I fall in love with her. Actually, I fall in love with practically every third person who passes me by. Two girls ride on a bicycle. Their ride seems pretty hazardous and they almost hit me. Girl on the back looks at me as they pass me by. The way her hair lines her face makes me think about my youth and her eyes make me dream once again about togetherness. I walk the rest of the travel being haunted by the memories of the many beautiful eyes I saw on my way, but particuarly I dream of the girl with the black hair.

I come back to the centre again. I walk amongst the busy people and I wonder if I should go back home already. Before going home I decide to make one last detour. I walk to the Cathedral and sit on the stairs. I sit at the stairs and watch the people below. I see the happy couples walking together, I see the tourists taking pictures, I see the common people spending time. After a short sit it finally seems to be the time to go home. The train is very hot and uncomfortable. I try to cover the window so that the sun would not shine at my face. I press my head against the window and think of the day.

Home again. Nothing to do. I managed to spent most of the day walking. I feel tired. I can't really think of anything to do so I simply sit on the couch. Behind the curtains on the windows of my small apartment the day is still hot, bright and sunny. I'm so numb I can't think of doing anything special. Can it really take two more years before I can leave this all behind, I wonder. I'm not sure whether I'll make it. I lie down. I close my eyes and think of the black haired beautiful girl I saw on my walk...