Varese, Italy

Varese,  28 November 2023

Needless to say, this photo could have been taken almost anywhere.

Well, it wasn't. Moreover, looking at it brings not only the moment 

back where I took it (and quite some others), it also reminds me of

the beautiful hotel where I was staying, the walks through town, the 

pleasent encounters as well as the return trip across the snow-covered

San Bernardino (listening to oldies from the seventies).

And, all of a sudden a scene comes to mind that I had almost completely

forgotten when thinking of my stay in Varese: I was having an early dinner

at the hotel, an elderly couple were the only other guests in the dining room.

Abruptly, the lady stormed out calling for help. Her husband sat motionless

at the table, as if he were sleeping. The manager appeared and tried to talk to

the man who eventually woke up again. It feels surreal when now thinking of

this scene. It is also a reminder that photographs not only highlight something but 

also block the memory of everything else.