THERE WASN'T MUCH LEFT on my list of things to do and see in Rome. I'd seen just about all of the staples, and even saw the celebration for the Pope's new election. But there was one glaring omission, the Vatican Museum, which houses the famous Sistine Chapel.
I'd had another travel free weekend in Rome, so I figured I'd take advantage. I went with a buddy of mine from my Italian class and left for the Vatican around noon.
It's located about half a mile away from St. Peter's church. We'd had the option of reserving tickets in advance and skipping the line (which cost extra) but decided against the pricier option. However, many solicitors came up to us while we were waiting to try to convince us to change our minds (even had an over/count to see how many times they'd ask us). It took us about 45 minutes to get through the line, but we didn't mind. Although it was a little cloudy and spitting rain every once in awhile, we managed to strike up a nice conversation with a couple from Australia while waiting in line.
There's a lot of art to see in this museum, and it is no secret to the many tourists who go there. It was packed! So, so unbelievably crowded, that at some points, you were left at a complete standstill.
The most notable work in the museum is the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo. It's a series of paintings that depict biblical scenes, that are located all around the chapel on every wall, and even on the ceiling. After awhile, it was a strain on your neck to keep looking up. I'd even debated bringing my neck pillow for extra support, but decided against it. When you see it in person, it's hard to believe that someone actually took the time to paint all of it. It was pretty packed in there as well, but we stayed for almost an hour looking at the art.
They're very strict about photography (none allowed) and even speaking (you're supposed to be completely silent) in the Sistine Chapel. They had a few security guards whose job it was to yell, every five minutes or so, "No photo, be silent!" Quite a boring job, but also extraordinarily difficult rules to enforce because of the sheer amount of people in the chapel. The conversation level would cycle, starting as a whisper, then working it's way up to a persistent hum, and rise to an indoor conversation level, before the security guard would inevitably yell "SILENZIO!" which would start the conversation level cycle over again.
The other notable work is the School of Athens by Raphael, which we saw towards the end of our visit. It depicts famous philosophers, and even features a self portrait of Raphael on the far right side of the painting. Thankfully though, this painting is on a wall, so I didn't have to strain my neck to view it. Once again, very cool to see.
We called it day around 4 or so to head home. I'd been on my feet for most of the day, so it was nice to relax.
More updates to come.
JC
Friday, April 26, 2013
Monday, April 22, 2013
Buying Saline Solution in Italy
IT STARTED A FEW YEARS AGO, when I'd noticed that I could no longer read the blackboard in school.
Told the folks, quick trip to the eye doctor, and I had glasses. I was nearsighted (meaning I couldn't see far away) but only mildly. It was just a -1.00 prescription.
I was a little self-conscious about wearing glasses all the time in school, so I would only wear them during classes to read the board. They would go in their case and into my backpack for most of the rest of the day.
BUT EVENTUALLY, I caved in and decided I wanted contacts. I still remember when I walked out the eye doctor with them in my eyes. It was like seeing in high definition for the first time. Although learning how to, and being comfortable with, putting contacts into my eyes were a struggle at first, it is something that I no longer have to worry about.
I only brought two bottles of saline solution with me for the trip to Italy (that's the liquid you use to clean your contacts when you take them out before you go to bed, for those non-contact wearers). But Saturday, I ran out and needed to get more. I went to the supermarket for what I thought would be a relatively easy process.
I'D HAD A FEW OTHER THINGS that I'd needed at the grocery store, which I got first, and luckily at the last second remembered that I needed saline solution. I looked up and down the aisles of the supermarket, but no dice, I couldn't find any. Only some of the products are even recognizable American brands. And the fact that the labels are in Italian didn't make things any easier. Who knows, I may have glanced over the lens cleaning solution without even knowing. Nonetheless, I left with just the groceries, and went to try another place.
It's a small boutique store, just about a block away from my apartment. They have a hodge podge collection of goods there, such as toiletries (e.g. toothpaste), cleaning supplies, school supplies, and other little random trinkets. I looked around the entire store, and again, couldn't find anything. I figured I'd try to ask the owners. It was two people, a man and a woman. The woman was standing closer in proximity to me, so I gave it a shot.
"Parlo inglese?" I asked. She gave me a confused look and a shoulder shrug, and decided to call for reinforcements and ask the other clerk. He followed suit, but this time with more exaggeration, extending his shoulders up and putting his hands out just above his waist, and had an even more confused look on his face. Looked like I was out of luck. But it turned out that there was another man in the store, who the clerk thought might speak English. She turned to him and gave it a shot.
"Scusi, signori?" she asked. The man turned to her, and then she pointed at me. I spoke in English, and he indicated that he understood. I told him what I was looking for (even fake rubbed my eye to better indicate what I needed) and he translated it to the clerks to see if they had it. They answered back, and he told me that they didn't. I was 0 for two. But he did say that the Farmacia should have it, but that it closed at 5:30. For the record, it was about 3:00 when he told me this. I said thank you, and continued on my endeavor.
I walked down the street past my apartment to where the Farmacia was. But it was closed, even after he said that it should've been open. Typical Italy. I went home for the day, and decided that I'll take another crack at it tomorrow.
SUNDAY IN ROME was beautiful! 75 and sunny, barely a cloud in the sky, and a breeze to cool you off when you needed it. Before I tried the Farmacia, I figured maybe I oughta try to figure out what I was asking for in Italian. I asked one of my roommates at his computer to type in what saline solution meant in Italian, and he came up with "contattare soluzione." I repeated it to myself over and over as I walked down the street, but of course forgot what it was by the time I arrived at the store.
BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER, the Farmacia was, once again, CLOSED! I was disappointed, so I bought a cannoli for the way home to cheer up (which it did!).
Today would be my fifth attempt at buying saline solution, and I saw a Farmacia on my way home from class (different than the one near my apartment) that I noticed was open. I took a deep breath and walked inside. I went to the clerks behind the counter. "Parlo inglese?" I asked.
"Aw, no," said the clerk. But just as I was about to leave, I remembered what contact solution meant in Italian.
"Conttatore soluzione?" I asked.
"Si!" she exclaimed. Eureka! She went to get the bottle, asking me if I wanted a big bottle or a small one (I went with the larger) and even understood her as she told me how much it cost. I'd finally got my saline solution.
In the states, this would've been a one stop trip. But here, it took three days and four separate stores to finally get what I was looking for. If this wasn't a sign that it's nearing the time to come back home, then I'm not sure what is.
More updates later on.
JC
Told the folks, quick trip to the eye doctor, and I had glasses. I was nearsighted (meaning I couldn't see far away) but only mildly. It was just a -1.00 prescription.
I was a little self-conscious about wearing glasses all the time in school, so I would only wear them during classes to read the board. They would go in their case and into my backpack for most of the rest of the day.
BUT EVENTUALLY, I caved in and decided I wanted contacts. I still remember when I walked out the eye doctor with them in my eyes. It was like seeing in high definition for the first time. Although learning how to, and being comfortable with, putting contacts into my eyes were a struggle at first, it is something that I no longer have to worry about.
I only brought two bottles of saline solution with me for the trip to Italy (that's the liquid you use to clean your contacts when you take them out before you go to bed, for those non-contact wearers). But Saturday, I ran out and needed to get more. I went to the supermarket for what I thought would be a relatively easy process.
I'D HAD A FEW OTHER THINGS that I'd needed at the grocery store, which I got first, and luckily at the last second remembered that I needed saline solution. I looked up and down the aisles of the supermarket, but no dice, I couldn't find any. Only some of the products are even recognizable American brands. And the fact that the labels are in Italian didn't make things any easier. Who knows, I may have glanced over the lens cleaning solution without even knowing. Nonetheless, I left with just the groceries, and went to try another place.
It's a small boutique store, just about a block away from my apartment. They have a hodge podge collection of goods there, such as toiletries (e.g. toothpaste), cleaning supplies, school supplies, and other little random trinkets. I looked around the entire store, and again, couldn't find anything. I figured I'd try to ask the owners. It was two people, a man and a woman. The woman was standing closer in proximity to me, so I gave it a shot.
"Parlo inglese?" I asked. She gave me a confused look and a shoulder shrug, and decided to call for reinforcements and ask the other clerk. He followed suit, but this time with more exaggeration, extending his shoulders up and putting his hands out just above his waist, and had an even more confused look on his face. Looked like I was out of luck. But it turned out that there was another man in the store, who the clerk thought might speak English. She turned to him and gave it a shot.
"Scusi, signori?" she asked. The man turned to her, and then she pointed at me. I spoke in English, and he indicated that he understood. I told him what I was looking for (even fake rubbed my eye to better indicate what I needed) and he translated it to the clerks to see if they had it. They answered back, and he told me that they didn't. I was 0 for two. But he did say that the Farmacia should have it, but that it closed at 5:30. For the record, it was about 3:00 when he told me this. I said thank you, and continued on my endeavor.
I walked down the street past my apartment to where the Farmacia was. But it was closed, even after he said that it should've been open. Typical Italy. I went home for the day, and decided that I'll take another crack at it tomorrow.
SUNDAY IN ROME was beautiful! 75 and sunny, barely a cloud in the sky, and a breeze to cool you off when you needed it. Before I tried the Farmacia, I figured maybe I oughta try to figure out what I was asking for in Italian. I asked one of my roommates at his computer to type in what saline solution meant in Italian, and he came up with "contattare soluzione." I repeated it to myself over and over as I walked down the street, but of course forgot what it was by the time I arrived at the store.
BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER, the Farmacia was, once again, CLOSED! I was disappointed, so I bought a cannoli for the way home to cheer up (which it did!).
Today would be my fifth attempt at buying saline solution, and I saw a Farmacia on my way home from class (different than the one near my apartment) that I noticed was open. I took a deep breath and walked inside. I went to the clerks behind the counter. "Parlo inglese?" I asked.
"Aw, no," said the clerk. But just as I was about to leave, I remembered what contact solution meant in Italian.
"Conttatore soluzione?" I asked.
"Si!" she exclaimed. Eureka! She went to get the bottle, asking me if I wanted a big bottle or a small one (I went with the larger) and even understood her as she told me how much it cost. I'd finally got my saline solution.
In the states, this would've been a one stop trip. But here, it took three days and four separate stores to finally get what I was looking for. If this wasn't a sign that it's nearing the time to come back home, then I'm not sure what is.
More updates later on.
JC
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Field Trip to Tarquinia
I FINALLY HAVE A nice weekend to be in Rome. I've been travelling for the past few, and it is nice to be here, particularly today, because it is SO nice outside!
Friday, I had an archaeology field trip to Tarquinia. We looked at some old tombs at two different sites and had lunch followed by gelato. The tombs were nice, but it was one of those trips that if you'd seen one tomb, you'd seen them all. Not that exciting, but the weather was nice enough that I didn't care because it was so great to be outside.
More to come later on.
JC
Friday, I had an archaeology field trip to Tarquinia. We looked at some old tombs at two different sites and had lunch followed by gelato. The tombs were nice, but it was one of those trips that if you'd seen one tomb, you'd seen them all. Not that exciting, but the weather was nice enough that I didn't care because it was so great to be outside.
More to come later on.
JC
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Amalfi Coast
I'VE LEARNED THAT THERE ARE many benefits of vacationing through a travel company.
In fact, we learned it first hand when we went to Venice in February on our first trip. The directions, simple. Show up here, at this time, and we'll take care of the rest. It saves a lot of stress figuring out logistics.
SO, this weekend, Scott and I decided to book our weekend trip to the Amalfi Coast through Bus2Alps, the same one we used when we went to Venice.
As expected, we showed up to the Roma Termini train station at around 7 p.m., and took our bus that got us to our hotel, Hotel Florida, at around midnight. Straight to bed for a big day of travelling the next day.
We started off with a boat tour around the island of Capri (pronounced Kah-Pree, not Cuh-Pree). We then got into smaller boats (more like canoes) so we could enter the Blue Grotto Caves. The entrance to get in was very small (e.g. only five people in a boat) and we had to duck our head down to that we could fit. The boat guides told us to get "down and in."
A little bit of an aside here. When I was in middle school, my family and I took a week long river rafting trip in the Grand Canyon. It was a very cool trip. However, there were times when the Colorado River gave us a little turbulence in the boat (river rapids, for those unsure of what meant). When the rapids would get too big, our boat crew would tell us to get "down and in," meaning get inside the boat so that you didn't fly into the Colorado.
Flashforward a decade later, and here I am again, with a boat guide, telling me to get "down and in." Well, it was for good reason, because I would've hit my head on the cave had I not ducked all the way inside the boat. We spent a few minutes in there, and then got back to our bigger boat to continue our tour.
We were on the island for a little while, and they had a ski lift tour that would take you to the top. I'm not the best when it comes to heights, but we went up anyway. The views of the island were pretty spectacular, but it got pretty frigid as we ascended up the mountain. When we got to the top, we were in the clouds, and couldn't see most of the island below. "This must be what heaven is like," I remarked.
Back down the ski lift, back to the bus, and back to the hotel to freshen up before dinner, which for me that night was a margarita pizza and ravioli with red sauce. Another early night, for another busy day.
The next day was our beach day on the Amalfi Coast. We'd had good weather the day before, and Saturday was no different, about 75 and sunny. We laid out for some of the day, and I even went in the water for a swim. I did a little backstroke, and I had the Amalfi Coast as the backdrop. The water was a little chilly, but the views, beautiful.
A bit of an aside here as well. There were a lot of people on the beach that day. I'd been on reading my book for most of the day (refresher, book on 1988 presidential election, which continues to impress) and there was a girl sitting not too far away from me who was also reading something. We had a quick chat about our respective books. I'd asked her about how she was liking Memoirs of a Geisha, and she said it was good.
Then she got around to asking me about mine, and I'd told her that it was a book on the 1988 presidential election. She gave me a strange look and proceeded to say: "Oh, I'm not a history buff" (since when does reading a book about a presidential election that took place 3 years before I was born make me a history buff?!). Nonetheless, I felt pretty old after that comment.
Continuing on, we went to the bus, back to the hotel, freshen up and out for dinner, where I had some amazing gnochhi with red sauce.
Sunday, we went to see the ruins of Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius. It was a large area but very cool to see. The plaster casts were remarkable (when the ash covered the bodies from the volcanoe, they wound up being mostly preserved, so they used this archaeological technique to see the bodies). We arrived in Rome around seven this evening.
I'm really happy that I travelled to see so much of Italy. So far, I've been to Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Amalfi Coast, Orvieto, Umbria, and Sicily. I think that will be all the travelling I do within the country, but it was great to see.
Not sure when the next post will be. Check back for updates.
JC
In fact, we learned it first hand when we went to Venice in February on our first trip. The directions, simple. Show up here, at this time, and we'll take care of the rest. It saves a lot of stress figuring out logistics.
SO, this weekend, Scott and I decided to book our weekend trip to the Amalfi Coast through Bus2Alps, the same one we used when we went to Venice.
As expected, we showed up to the Roma Termini train station at around 7 p.m., and took our bus that got us to our hotel, Hotel Florida, at around midnight. Straight to bed for a big day of travelling the next day.
We started off with a boat tour around the island of Capri (pronounced Kah-Pree, not Cuh-Pree). We then got into smaller boats (more like canoes) so we could enter the Blue Grotto Caves. The entrance to get in was very small (e.g. only five people in a boat) and we had to duck our head down to that we could fit. The boat guides told us to get "down and in."
A little bit of an aside here. When I was in middle school, my family and I took a week long river rafting trip in the Grand Canyon. It was a very cool trip. However, there were times when the Colorado River gave us a little turbulence in the boat (river rapids, for those unsure of what meant). When the rapids would get too big, our boat crew would tell us to get "down and in," meaning get inside the boat so that you didn't fly into the Colorado.
Flashforward a decade later, and here I am again, with a boat guide, telling me to get "down and in." Well, it was for good reason, because I would've hit my head on the cave had I not ducked all the way inside the boat. We spent a few minutes in there, and then got back to our bigger boat to continue our tour.
We were on the island for a little while, and they had a ski lift tour that would take you to the top. I'm not the best when it comes to heights, but we went up anyway. The views of the island were pretty spectacular, but it got pretty frigid as we ascended up the mountain. When we got to the top, we were in the clouds, and couldn't see most of the island below. "This must be what heaven is like," I remarked.
Back down the ski lift, back to the bus, and back to the hotel to freshen up before dinner, which for me that night was a margarita pizza and ravioli with red sauce. Another early night, for another busy day.
The next day was our beach day on the Amalfi Coast. We'd had good weather the day before, and Saturday was no different, about 75 and sunny. We laid out for some of the day, and I even went in the water for a swim. I did a little backstroke, and I had the Amalfi Coast as the backdrop. The water was a little chilly, but the views, beautiful.
A bit of an aside here as well. There were a lot of people on the beach that day. I'd been on reading my book for most of the day (refresher, book on 1988 presidential election, which continues to impress) and there was a girl sitting not too far away from me who was also reading something. We had a quick chat about our respective books. I'd asked her about how she was liking Memoirs of a Geisha, and she said it was good.
Then she got around to asking me about mine, and I'd told her that it was a book on the 1988 presidential election. She gave me a strange look and proceeded to say: "Oh, I'm not a history buff" (since when does reading a book about a presidential election that took place 3 years before I was born make me a history buff?!). Nonetheless, I felt pretty old after that comment.
Continuing on, we went to the bus, back to the hotel, freshen up and out for dinner, where I had some amazing gnochhi with red sauce.
Sunday, we went to see the ruins of Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius. It was a large area but very cool to see. The plaster casts were remarkable (when the ash covered the bodies from the volcanoe, they wound up being mostly preserved, so they used this archaeological technique to see the bodies). We arrived in Rome around seven this evening.
I'm really happy that I travelled to see so much of Italy. So far, I've been to Venice, Florence, Tuscany, Amalfi Coast, Orvieto, Umbria, and Sicily. I think that will be all the travelling I do within the country, but it was great to see.
Not sure when the next post will be. Check back for updates.
JC
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Weekend in Sicily, "A Wonderful Adventure"
FROM MY EXPERIENCES SO FAR, travelling in countries outside the States has been different than just travelling domestically.
I mean, there are certainly similarities. Navigating through airports, public transportation, getting around new cities.
But I guess, it's the uncertainty of travelling in another country. You're only with a few people that you know, travelling on airlines you've never heard of, without an iPhone, staying in cheap (sometimes sketchy) hotels, not knowing the lay of the land, nor having anyone speak your language primarily.
But the uncertainty of travelling in another country isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's not that I've ever felt at risk or in danger. This uncertainty, this change, doesn't have to be a negative, it can be a positive. It can be a "wonderful adventure."
Which is a convenient segway, that phrase, a "wonderful adventure." At the moment, I'm reading an amazing book, called "What It Takes" by Richard Ben Cramer. It's about the 1988 presidential election, and explores the background of six of the primary candidates vying for their party's nomination.
One of the candidates he takes a close look at is George H.W. Bush, the Vice President at the time of that election (one that he would later go on to win). However in 1980, he had tried to win the nomination for himself, one that he would lose to Ronald Reagan. His acceptance of the Vice Presidency might've been seen as a failure (particularly when the job in the past had been described by others as "not worth a warm bucket of spit"), but it certainly wasn't how Bush saw it, at least after he changed his mindset. Here's a passage from the book (in the passage, "they" is Bush and his wife, Barbara):
"'What was the Vice Presidency?'
A wonderful adventure.
He had decided- they had decided- that it would be, just as he had decided how he was going to do the job. This was the ultimate triumph of discipline, and Geroge Bush's greatest talent: the power of mindset. He could decide-they could decide- how it was going to be, and then it was that way... because no one, no one, would ever see them treating it any other way."
I took this passage to heart this weekend in my travels to Sicily (Italian island, south of Rome), and that whenever my travel was uncertain or different than what I was used to in the states, that it was all just a part of "a wonderful adventure."
So when I flew an airline that I'd never heard of: "Blu Expres" (that's an abbreviation for "blue" for those uncertain), or when we waited on the tarmac in a chilling wind to get on the plane, or when our takeoff had more turbulence than any flight I'd ever been on in my life, it was all just a part of the "wonderful adventure," that was, my weekend in Sicily.
The adventure continued when we got to our hotel, Hotel Moderno, on the fourth floor of a building on a main city street. The hotel receptionist asked for our passports, and while we expected to get them back right away, he instead said that it would "take a second" and that we should go to lunch and he would be done when we got back (done with what?!!!). But it was okay, more time for us to see the lovely town of Palermo.
We got back from lunch and our friend was "done" with our passports (done with what?!!!) and we went back to our room. For some reason, we heard this loud wailing sound coming from someone in the building across from our hotel. An anomaly, we thought at the time, but it persisted. It was a woman who kept shouting what sounded like "MARTA!!!" (Meh-Heh, Mur-Hah, we weren't exaclty sure what it was) over and over again, about once every thirty seconds. Picture the person in the opening of the song "Lamborghini Mercy" yelling "MARTA!!!" over and over (by the end of the week, we had a nickname for her, "Lamborghini Marta"). She must've had some sort of mental illness, because it continued during just about all daylight hours when we were in the hotel.
FORTUNATELY, we didn't spend much time in the hotel. We spent the day Friday walking around the city, and went out for dinner at night (three dishes, calamari, spaghetti, and an incredible cannoli!). We went to Mondello Beach on Saturday afternoon after a nice lunch (sandwich at a good sandwich shop) and had a nice day in the sun. The water was so blue and it was just a beautiful day (even tried to go for a swim, might've lasted only ten minutes, though, that water was too cold). We had another amazing dinner (margherita pizza, spaghetti carbonara, and another cannoli!). I think I had four cannolis, in three days, so I've got that going for me.
As we left the hotel this morning, our friend was screaming at the top of her lungs again as we left the room for our double decker bus tour (the bus tour was great!). Over and over again, she yelled, but it was okay! Wasn't that big of a deal at all! All just a part of the wonderful adventure.
We had a short plane ride today (only an hour) and we had to get a train from Fiumcino (the airport) to our apartment (in Trastevere). We got our tickets and tried to hustle to get the train, but we'd just missed it. We had to wait another half hour to get the next one.
I sat down at the station, and opened my book, and thought that it wasn't a big deal, I'd have an additional half hour to read! All just a part of the wonderful adventure.
Next week, I'm going to the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Update will be on Sunday.
JC
I mean, there are certainly similarities. Navigating through airports, public transportation, getting around new cities.
But I guess, it's the uncertainty of travelling in another country. You're only with a few people that you know, travelling on airlines you've never heard of, without an iPhone, staying in cheap (sometimes sketchy) hotels, not knowing the lay of the land, nor having anyone speak your language primarily.
But the uncertainty of travelling in another country isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's not that I've ever felt at risk or in danger. This uncertainty, this change, doesn't have to be a negative, it can be a positive. It can be a "wonderful adventure."
Which is a convenient segway, that phrase, a "wonderful adventure." At the moment, I'm reading an amazing book, called "What It Takes" by Richard Ben Cramer. It's about the 1988 presidential election, and explores the background of six of the primary candidates vying for their party's nomination.
One of the candidates he takes a close look at is George H.W. Bush, the Vice President at the time of that election (one that he would later go on to win). However in 1980, he had tried to win the nomination for himself, one that he would lose to Ronald Reagan. His acceptance of the Vice Presidency might've been seen as a failure (particularly when the job in the past had been described by others as "not worth a warm bucket of spit"), but it certainly wasn't how Bush saw it, at least after he changed his mindset. Here's a passage from the book (in the passage, "they" is Bush and his wife, Barbara):
"'What was the Vice Presidency?'
A wonderful adventure.
He had decided- they had decided- that it would be, just as he had decided how he was going to do the job. This was the ultimate triumph of discipline, and Geroge Bush's greatest talent: the power of mindset. He could decide-they could decide- how it was going to be, and then it was that way... because no one, no one, would ever see them treating it any other way."
I took this passage to heart this weekend in my travels to Sicily (Italian island, south of Rome), and that whenever my travel was uncertain or different than what I was used to in the states, that it was all just a part of "a wonderful adventure."
So when I flew an airline that I'd never heard of: "Blu Expres" (that's an abbreviation for "blue" for those uncertain), or when we waited on the tarmac in a chilling wind to get on the plane, or when our takeoff had more turbulence than any flight I'd ever been on in my life, it was all just a part of the "wonderful adventure," that was, my weekend in Sicily.
The adventure continued when we got to our hotel, Hotel Moderno, on the fourth floor of a building on a main city street. The hotel receptionist asked for our passports, and while we expected to get them back right away, he instead said that it would "take a second" and that we should go to lunch and he would be done when we got back (done with what?!!!). But it was okay, more time for us to see the lovely town of Palermo.
We got back from lunch and our friend was "done" with our passports (done with what?!!!) and we went back to our room. For some reason, we heard this loud wailing sound coming from someone in the building across from our hotel. An anomaly, we thought at the time, but it persisted. It was a woman who kept shouting what sounded like "MARTA!!!" (Meh-Heh, Mur-Hah, we weren't exaclty sure what it was) over and over again, about once every thirty seconds. Picture the person in the opening of the song "Lamborghini Mercy" yelling "MARTA!!!" over and over (by the end of the week, we had a nickname for her, "Lamborghini Marta"). She must've had some sort of mental illness, because it continued during just about all daylight hours when we were in the hotel.
FORTUNATELY, we didn't spend much time in the hotel. We spent the day Friday walking around the city, and went out for dinner at night (three dishes, calamari, spaghetti, and an incredible cannoli!). We went to Mondello Beach on Saturday afternoon after a nice lunch (sandwich at a good sandwich shop) and had a nice day in the sun. The water was so blue and it was just a beautiful day (even tried to go for a swim, might've lasted only ten minutes, though, that water was too cold). We had another amazing dinner (margherita pizza, spaghetti carbonara, and another cannoli!). I think I had four cannolis, in three days, so I've got that going for me.
As we left the hotel this morning, our friend was screaming at the top of her lungs again as we left the room for our double decker bus tour (the bus tour was great!). Over and over again, she yelled, but it was okay! Wasn't that big of a deal at all! All just a part of the wonderful adventure.
We had a short plane ride today (only an hour) and we had to get a train from Fiumcino (the airport) to our apartment (in Trastevere). We got our tickets and tried to hustle to get the train, but we'd just missed it. We had to wait another half hour to get the next one.
I sat down at the station, and opened my book, and thought that it wasn't a big deal, I'd have an additional half hour to read! All just a part of the wonderful adventure.
Next week, I'm going to the Amalfi Coast in Italy. Update will be on Sunday.
JC
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