Italy Emails
The following are emails we sent back to friends while traveling through Italy in the summer of 2008. We had a great time, it was a fabulous country but as Stateside Yanks we had our challenges. What better way to commemorate the experience than sharing our confusion, laughter and observations.
Enjoy!
Email #1
Subject: All Roads Lead to Rome
Well after much online research, travel guide reading, reserving and second-guessing we made it to Italy. Upon landing we’re confident our distaste for US Airways (airline we took to London) is justified. Continental is better why?
1. Two out of two flights have taken off on time.
2. More comfortable seats – not comfortable but about as much as you can expect for an 8 hour plane ride.
3. We actually had some oxygen to breathe in the cabin on the way over.
4. Our bags showed up at the same time we did!
The country of Italy must have been at its fire code maximum as it took us over an hour to get through the passport line. We think they were waiting for tourists to leave before letting others in. We’ve had a few bumps getting started: you buy train/subway/bus tickets at the tobacco store/ newsstand not the ticket counter (silly us), public transportation is not as clearly marked and easy to navigate as other places, street signage is optional, we could not make calls on our phones for two days (thanks for helping fix that Richard) and we’ve discovered the Italians must be slim people based on the size of the shower at our hotel. All said and done we have found our bearings with a minimal amount of getting lost (so far). The country seems to be a blend of beauty and chaos and we are having a great time.
Ciao,
Amy and Randy
Email #2
Subject: All Roads Lead to Rome – Part II
All roads lead to Rome unless of course those roads are serviced by public transportation. We are returning from Pompeii sitting on the train tracks somewhere between Rome and Naples due to engine problems. They tried to get us on another train but that one is delayed as well. I miss my car which by the way would be considered a mid-sized model here. Everyone has motorcycles or smart cars. The rest of us schmucks just ride around on buses hoping it’s going to the right place. Yes, we got quite the city tour yesterday.
Back to today’s predicament. Getting here was a comedy of errors which had no less than three train station employees rolling their eyes or shaking their head at us. However, we think one woman was truly concerned for us. She patted my shoulder when we finally got through the turnstiles. It was sort of one of those ‘you’re not going to make it, I hope the end is not too painful’ gestures. We also ended up, briefly, in what truly felt like the Italian ghetto and climbing across two sets of train tracks (so far – we aren’t home free yet). A little scary. By looking past the ghettos of the train station we can get an idea of how pretty the coast here must be – you just really have to look past the train station.
This whole travel fiasco is probably due to Randy’s resistance to stand in line at St. Peter’s for mass yesterday. You can’t dismiss God. He’s always watching especially in St. Peter’s Square. Randy was also surprised that there was no one in St. Peter’s Square dressed up like the Pope and posing for pictures (like the Gladiators at the Pantheon). Besides the fact that you’d probably burn in hell for doing that job I’m pretty sure the priests can burn you at the stake on the spot. I mean it is Vatican City. It’s their country.
Anyway the train is moving although we do smell a strange, unexplained burning scent. I hope it is not coming from the new engine they brought in. Oh well, we’re staying here until smoke fills the compartment or our seats get hot.
Fortunately for us the Italians eat late so even with the delay there is plenty of time for dinner and vino (wine).
Ciao,
Amy and Randy
Email #3
Subject: Tales from the Tuscan Trail
Public transportation – it’s great when it works. We made it from Rome to Florence via the train with relative ease. There is still a sense of dread when the train attendant comes by to validate tickets (picture a scene of the Third Reich – “papers please”). This unease is heightened by the fact that the train system is confusing, inconsistent and still operating in a fashion of 100 years ago. The last descriptor was confirmed by an Italian native we met on the train back from Pompeii. He explained that something is always happening with the trains and it is not easy to get information. “Eet is deefeecult for us to.” Great, as long as we are getting the true Italian experience.
When they come to check tickets you always wonder whether you have your “papers” in order. Every guidebook and travel site we read warns about the consequences of traveling with an invalidated ticket but don,t give a lot of specifics. On any given route we expect to hear a gunshot and see a body thrown from the train. The Italian police, by the way, are well armed. And they wear thick white gun belts and holsters against dark uniforms. “All the better for you to see my gun, dear.” (Gigitty-Gigitty).
We are staying the first couple of nights in a studio apartment. It is small (of course) with a little kitchen, a mini fridge and, you guessed it, a small shower. For the most part it does not cause problems for me but Randy has some scrapes. We measured the opening and determined that it is about 13 inches wide. Randy thinks the shower size explains the smell of people on the buses. If everyone has to shower in a space comparable to the interior of a phone booth bathing is probably a painful activity which is considered optional. At mass today Randy made an offering and I suspect his prayer was for a wider shower at our next place. Yes, we’ve been to more cathedrals. In case you didn’t know, God and Catholicism are really big here. You know, kind of like their version of the NFL. Randy will be all stocked up on masses for the year so he can miss Christmas AND Easter the next time around.
Florence is beautiful, has a slower pace and we’ve been ambling about the streets, sometime aimlessly. The place looks just like what you’d expect from Italy. Our bevandi (beverages) are chilled, time for drinks.
Ciao,
Amy and Randy
Email #4
Subject: Venetian Visitors
After sacking Rome and Florence for all the booty to be carried away (in a suitcase), the Lombards made their way to Venice for more plundering. To be realistic it is actually we who are being plundered with the exchange rate. We are already planning our next vacation in a third world country where $2.31 will buy us both a grand meal, drinks and a taxi ride. For the time being we have adopted the attitude that the Euros are simply Gladiator Chips that we should rid ourselves of before passing through US Customs.
Not only was Florence beautiful but Randy’s prayers for a larger shower were answered when we moved over from the apartment to our B and B. Randy felt the sacrifices of a kitchenette and refrigerator were worth the extra inches for scrubbing. The fridge never got that cold, not beer cold anyway. Besides, our B and B host made delicious cappuccino for us every morning and Randy could watch Magnum PI in Italian from the TV in our room. Another bonus for Florence is the ability to get just about anywhere by walking. The public transit system still confounds us with the exception of the high-speed trains where we have reservations. At the risk of cursing ourselves we feel we have that down pat as we venture on.
The “charm” of Venice’s zig-zag streets wore off quickly as we stepped off the water taxi and were disoriented within a matter of meters – remember folks, they’re on that metric system all our elementary school teachers swore we’d switch over to someday. While dragging our bags behind us we literally stumbled onto our street. Randy must be putting some major Euro in these collection plates.
While touristy and not as clean as Florence or even Rome, Venice does have some beauty and charm especially at night overlooking the water where the island begins and many of the gondolas are tied up. With the breeze blowing in it reminds us that upon our return lake season will be upon us. Ready the boat Richard.
Ciao,
Amy and Randy
Email #5
Subject: A Voice from Venice
The city with streets of water – Venice! It’s touristy in most places but still has some pretty parts. You either walk or ride boats and the streets criss/cross and zig/zag a lot making if difficult to find stuff sometimes but we lucked out and stumbled right onto our Bed and Breakfast street. It is small but most rooms in Venice (and Europe) are and it is at a good rate for Venice. Suprisingly, the ferry routes are easier to figure out than some of the buses and trains. It is great being outside at night because there is a nice breeze coming off the sea. It rained heavy off and on late last night and early this morning but was clear and warm today. The stores have lots of pretty jewelry made from Murano glass. It is made exclusively on the island of Murano just off of Venice. Another island, Burano, is where lace originated. There are traditional Venetian masks everywhere – the very simple to very ornate. I like the cat ones. I even saw some covered in silk and lace.
Before we left Florence we took. A trip into Chianti, which is the local wine country. Lots of pretty countryside and we got to taste different wines and olive oils at a winery homestead. Then that afternoon we had a cooking class where we learned to make fresh, stuffed pasta and then had a big lunch at a historic farmhouse. Very good food.
Everyone in Italy has dogs (canni as they are called). You see them everywhere on leashes walking around. Mostly small dogs, but some big ones. A few cats, but I think those mostly stay inside.
Ciao,
Amy and Randy
Email #6
Subject: Milano – not just a Pepperidge Farm cookie
We are off on the last leg of our journey. Sadly this means our vacation is coming to an end but it also means this should be one of the last forms of Euro public transportation we have to rely on. Venice quickly became suprisingly easy to navigate. Randy learned the maze of streets/alleys and we hopped around the island using the water ferries. This is all much easier if you are not dragging your suitcases and have had cool beers to drink. The open container laws in Italy are either very lax or completely non-existent as we’ve been able to pick up wine and cool (mind you, not cold) beers and walk around drinking at will. We even happened upon an Italian version of Aldi’s. We had the good sense to pass on the one euro bottles of wine (probably Italian Boone’s Farm) but did load up on inexpensive snacks. There was a Britsh couple searching for ‘crisps’ but we never saw any. Speaking of crisps, Paprika Pringles are a popular flavor here. It’s no Roasted Chicken or Prawn flavored but probably has its own merits.
Sadly enough we are in one of the fashion capitals of the world just as our clothing reserves are down to the bare minimum. We will be lucky if we can find something clean and matching much less stylish. Continental Airline passengers can rest easy knowing we have a full set of clean clothes set aside for the flight home. Our attire is really unimportant given that our main purpose for coming to Milan is to visit the ancient village of Pavia. This site was the capitol in ancient times of the Lombard pagan tribe who ruled Italy for about 200 years and warred with the Huns, the Gauls, the Romans and anyone else willing to take them on. Eventually the Pope had enough of their pagan ways and asked Charlemagne (France) to come take them out. The rest, they say, is history.
Ciao,
Amy and Randy
Email #7
Subject: The Italian Job
Traveling to another country is an amazing experience and really makes you envy the history, culture and traditions of other people. At the same time it also makes you appreciate what we as Americans have. In that spirit we’ve made a list of things we are looking forward to doing when we get back home:
1. Drive my car – I will, however, refrain from getting around police cars by passing them on the right and ramping at least two tires onto the curb while doing so. This is something we saw in Rome. The police gave no chase.
2. Drink a COLD beverage with lots of ice.
3. Turn up the air conditioning until we can see our breath.
4. Sleep in a true double bed, not two single beds pushed together and covered with a double sized bed sheet.
5. Shower, drop the soap, bend down, pick it up, turn around, do the hokey-pokey and not be concerned with getting stuck, scraping your sides, banging your elbows or adjusting the water flow/temperature with your backside.
6. Use a minimum of four towels/washcloths when showering and washing our face. And know the whole time you will not need to use one to mop the floor because our shower door shuts completely.
7. Fire up the grill! Anyone looking at our wastelines can tell we like our sweets and carbs but we are hankering for cheeseburgers and steaks. (DROOL!)
8. Watch Magnum P.I. In English.
9. Buy something that costs $2, pay with a $20 AND have the cashier thank us for the privilege of taking our money. Many Italians do not like to give change. Multiple times we’ve been asked or told to give exact change even if we only need a couple of Euro back. On the occasions we’ve been unable to dig in our bags for adequate Euro coins we are met with hefty sighs, rolling eyes and a disdain for our desire to bolster the local economy. We have desperately tried to solve the mystery of who has all the Euro coins and how do we get them? I guess this is guidance we should have asked for during all our church visits. The ATMs spit out medium and large bills and no one wants to give you any change. I’m pretty sure it’s illegal to pull coins out of the fountains but at times we’ve approached that level of desperation.
10. Sit on a toilet seat. It’s amazing the number of bathrooms that are nothing more than a rim.
11. Buy something – anything – and know dollar for dollar what we’re getting. No exchange rate to factor in. Just good old American prices and currency.
12. And finally, pet my cats (ghatti). Everyone has a dog (cane) in Italy. They are everywhere especially daschunds which we’ve taken to calling ‘cane de salame’. I’ve seen a few cats here but they have snitty Euro kitty attitudes and are not interested in having me pet them (me, the patron saint of sick, hungry and neglected kitties). Most get just out of arms’ reach and won’t even look at me. One let me pet it but it was just because he was too hot to move out of the shade away from me.
See you in the States!
Amy and Randy
