My job is usually to give advice on this website. Although I do share my opinions in my articles this site is not an op-ed website. The Italy Roundtable gives me the opportunity to let my soapbox out.
This is one such time.
We are going to tackle the topic SECRETS this month. Below you’ll find the reasons why I created this soapbox. Let me know what your thoughts are.
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear “secret” and italy together?
A friend of mine is an editor in a newspaper’s section on travel. He has a list of trigger words and phrases that he cannot tolerate. His email account is set up to delete press releases or pitches that contain words such as “nestled” and “juxtaposition between old and new.” As a travel writer, it’s the same world full of overused descriptions of places and experiences that entice people into leaving their comfort zones to explore the world. My own trigger words are what I use.
My trigger finger ached when we selected the topic “secrets” as our Italy Roundtable topic.
A simple internet search for the words “secret” or “Italy will bring up over 200 million results. These articles, and sometimes entire websites, claim to have the inside scoop. However, I believe that this promise is a fabrication.
It is not secret that Italy is beautiful.
Other words make me twitchy too, like “undiscovered,” “hidden,” or “unknown.”
There are many secrets beneath the Italian soil. These are archaeological discoveries that are waiting to be discovered. However, these treasures are not accessible to average tourists. While it is possible for people to keep secrets, like a favorite restaurant that a local wouldn’t share with tourists, there are no barriers to a traveler finding these treasures on their own.
I will not use the words “secret” and “undiscovered” because they are disingenuous. While there are certain places and attractions that are less-known or less-visited in Italy, they are not undiscovered.
Italy does not require a secret password to gain access.
When I started work on Italy Explained that nobody can fully understand or explain everything about Italy. It has been my goal to provide travelers with all the information, advice and context they need to make it through the inevitable travel bumps. And? And?
There’s a difference between real secrets and those we don’t know. Gatekeepers are people who actively try to prevent you from discovering real secrets. Only you can stop yourself from learning something that you do not yet know. That’s quite empowering, I think.
Italy Roundtable: Other Voices
The roundtable is busy in the summer, so it may look a bit more like a small cafeteria table this month. Don’t forget to check out the secrets that my fellow bloggers are sharing. Follow me to each of the links and leave comments. Please share your thoughts with others and check back next month for another topic in the Italy Blogging Roundtable.
- ArtTrav HTML3_ HTML4_ HTML5_ HTML6_ HTML7_ HTML8_ – The secrets of my neighbours
- Home in Tuscany Hot summer days
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