Well, Im in Italy...again. My parents and I - very last minute - decided to come to Italy for 3 weeks. To be honest I wasn't overly keen on the idea at first....I've been here twice already and really wanted to go somewhere I hadn't been before...but; I sent a few messages, made a few calls and decided to go as I was going to take off for a week and go to Florence to visit some friends.
Our flight was fine except I only got an hours sleep, even though it was an overnight flight. We landed in Rome 9 hours later but we still had 7 hours of travel by train - 3 of them. The one from the airport into the city centre was the worst. It was only a 45 minute ride but it was a regional one so it's two levels which is a bit difficult with luggage so I told my parents I would stand at the doorway with the luggage and they could sit down. After about 20 minutes my mum came to see how I was doing and say we had about 10 more stops until ours....let me tell you....it's a good thing she did. As we are pulling into the next station my mum says "Oh my god!" and I think you have to be fucking kidding me! 100's of high school kids waiting to get on. "I hope they aren't all planning on getting on?!?" Said my mum. The doors open, they start screaming and running towards the train, pushing and shoving, trying to squeeze 8 people at ones through the door way. Our luggage was there so people were getting shoved into it, plus the lady beside us had luggage as well...we tried to move to give more room...but to no avail. A little girl almost got trampeled, people were yelling backwards to tell the adolescent mob to stop. We were squished shoulder to shoulder, feet almost not touching the ground. My mum was holding onto my backpack so I wouldn't fall over, I'm holding onto the luggage trying to guard it with my life as I am being pushed right into my mums chest. They pushed they shoved, they yelled at each other, they yelled over each other, they yelled over us...ughh. It didn't help when at the next train station only two people got off. "I can't even see your dad anymore." "Do you know what stop we are getting off at?" "No I have no idea." I could barely move to stretch my neck to see where my dad was. Another stop...more people get on. "This is ridiculous!" "Can we put this here?!?" - in Italian of course - "No!" I replied harshly. One of the kids wanted to put his shopping bag on our luggage so he didn't have to hold it over his head....I don't think so. "Mum I think this is like 8 or 9 stops now, shouldn't we be getting off soon?" "Im not sure and I still haven't spotted your father."
The train emptied out about 5 stops before ours - way more then 10 stops till ours lol - and my dad appears. We all start laughing.
We made our next train with 30 seconds to spare. Our binario (platform) was at the other side of the station and we only had 3 minutes to get there. I start sprinting through the station...up an elevator, around a corner, down an elevator across the binario. Just on time...30 seconds to spare...mum and dad trailing behind me "My suitcase is heavier it has all the alcohol in it" my mum says.
We arrive in Termoli at 10pm, tired and hungry. Just as we are about to exit the station we hear my dad's name being called. Who knows my dad? It was the landlord from our apartment, he came to meet us and help us with the luggage even though its only a 5 minute walk. It was such a relief and it was the first time I got excited about Italy. Being back in Termoli was like being home again and being back in the apartment felt just the same. Lucky for us restaurants are open till 11pm on Sundays. We knew exactly where we were going, our favourite place, the place with the best pizza in the world...Marechiaro or as I like to call it Rosario's (the owner). I walked in the door and Rosario looked at me, his eyes lit up and then he looked at my dad....he was so excited to see us! Hugs and kisses all around, he couldnt believe that we came there right away, he was so greatful.
The long hours of travel, no sleep, a mob of children, running for the train and lack of food was all worth it! The meal was TO DIE FOR! The antipasto with fresh meats and the marble like green olives that are unbelievable, the fried zucchini, rapini, the perfect garlic bread, red wine and the pizza that just melts in your mouth!!! The food in this country is out of this world. We had like 3 servers at our table making sure we were okay...Rosario was sending stuff to our table that wasn't even on the menu...my stomach is growling just thinking about it. It was all amazing and it was such an awesome welcome.
We relaxed the next day...we were all pretty exhausted. We wandered around the town a bit, enjoying the sunshine, a drink at our favourite cafe- Microbar - and I booked my ticket for Florence for the next day.
I really didn't want to get on another train, I was still so exhausted from our travel to Italy but I was going back to Florence!!! I was so excited. Plus, I was staying with a friend of mine - Caroline - who I have known for about 17 years and who has been living and teaching in Florence.
The train wasn't bad at all, 4 hours and one change over. We wandered around a bit went for lunch at this amazing restaurant where I had an amazing paperdelle with a bolognese boar sauce...so good!!! We get back to her place..she turns the light on...turns to ask me a question and I was out like a light, fully dressed, face down on the bed. We really just hung out the first few days, talked, did some catching up, went back to that awesome restaurant where I tried a pasta stuffed with ricotta and pears drizzled in a butter sauce....AmAAAzing!!! Went to the market, drank some wine, made some KD...yes yes KD. She wanted me to bring her a little care package, KD being one of the items.
We went out last night to her friends bar. Its all English speakers, students, expats. There is live music and you sit around and play games such as backgammon, cards, cribbage its pretty cool; but what is really cool is Carolines Italian...holy cow! She is amazing in it. She was like me when I went to Peru..only a few words but her Italian is 100 times better then my Spanish...Im actually kind of jealous lol.
Today we went to Pisa!!! I was so excited!!! I had it on my bucket list and had promised myself I would take a day trip there while I was here. To be honest, there is really not much to say about it. Pisa itself is really not that extraordinary, its kind of yucky. It's got a canal through the centre of the city but the wall on either side is old and dirty and makes it look ugly. The tower is in a walled in part of the city with a few other buildings. It was super packed today and so hot!! Hotter then Florence and we were wearing sweaters. The Leaning Tower is the last building but you can see it in the arched entrance way before you even walk into the walled area of the city.
It's actually really cool and it really is leaning lol. It's so strange really...there you are looking at this building that is used as a museum and people at the very top yet its at an angle...it's just something you don't see everyday. I was stoked to be playing tourist and went into all the shops and looked at the vendors, bought a gelato, took pictures from every angle and of course had to be like everyone else and take pictures that looked like I was leaning on or pushing the tower....I couldnt resist. I was so into being a tourist that when I handed my camera to a young woman to take a picture of me Caroline and her dog in front of the tower eating gelato she said "do you have a napkin?" I had gelato all over my camera screen...lol...Im' like such a kid sometimes.
Now she is teaching me how to make risotto...yum yum and then later tonight we are going out with my friend Justin who I am stoked to see again ( friend that owns the hostel).
Ciao ciao
Our flight was fine except I only got an hours sleep, even though it was an overnight flight. We landed in Rome 9 hours later but we still had 7 hours of travel by train - 3 of them. The one from the airport into the city centre was the worst. It was only a 45 minute ride but it was a regional one so it's two levels which is a bit difficult with luggage so I told my parents I would stand at the doorway with the luggage and they could sit down. After about 20 minutes my mum came to see how I was doing and say we had about 10 more stops until ours....let me tell you....it's a good thing she did. As we are pulling into the next station my mum says "Oh my god!" and I think you have to be fucking kidding me! 100's of high school kids waiting to get on. "I hope they aren't all planning on getting on?!?" Said my mum. The doors open, they start screaming and running towards the train, pushing and shoving, trying to squeeze 8 people at ones through the door way. Our luggage was there so people were getting shoved into it, plus the lady beside us had luggage as well...we tried to move to give more room...but to no avail. A little girl almost got trampeled, people were yelling backwards to tell the adolescent mob to stop. We were squished shoulder to shoulder, feet almost not touching the ground. My mum was holding onto my backpack so I wouldn't fall over, I'm holding onto the luggage trying to guard it with my life as I am being pushed right into my mums chest. They pushed they shoved, they yelled at each other, they yelled over each other, they yelled over us...ughh. It didn't help when at the next train station only two people got off. "I can't even see your dad anymore." "Do you know what stop we are getting off at?" "No I have no idea." I could barely move to stretch my neck to see where my dad was. Another stop...more people get on. "This is ridiculous!" "Can we put this here?!?" - in Italian of course - "No!" I replied harshly. One of the kids wanted to put his shopping bag on our luggage so he didn't have to hold it over his head....I don't think so. "Mum I think this is like 8 or 9 stops now, shouldn't we be getting off soon?" "Im not sure and I still haven't spotted your father."
The train emptied out about 5 stops before ours - way more then 10 stops till ours lol - and my dad appears. We all start laughing.
We made our next train with 30 seconds to spare. Our binario (platform) was at the other side of the station and we only had 3 minutes to get there. I start sprinting through the station...up an elevator, around a corner, down an elevator across the binario. Just on time...30 seconds to spare...mum and dad trailing behind me "My suitcase is heavier it has all the alcohol in it" my mum says.
We arrive in Termoli at 10pm, tired and hungry. Just as we are about to exit the station we hear my dad's name being called. Who knows my dad? It was the landlord from our apartment, he came to meet us and help us with the luggage even though its only a 5 minute walk. It was such a relief and it was the first time I got excited about Italy. Being back in Termoli was like being home again and being back in the apartment felt just the same. Lucky for us restaurants are open till 11pm on Sundays. We knew exactly where we were going, our favourite place, the place with the best pizza in the world...Marechiaro or as I like to call it Rosario's (the owner). I walked in the door and Rosario looked at me, his eyes lit up and then he looked at my dad....he was so excited to see us! Hugs and kisses all around, he couldnt believe that we came there right away, he was so greatful.
The long hours of travel, no sleep, a mob of children, running for the train and lack of food was all worth it! The meal was TO DIE FOR! The antipasto with fresh meats and the marble like green olives that are unbelievable, the fried zucchini, rapini, the perfect garlic bread, red wine and the pizza that just melts in your mouth!!! The food in this country is out of this world. We had like 3 servers at our table making sure we were okay...Rosario was sending stuff to our table that wasn't even on the menu...my stomach is growling just thinking about it. It was all amazing and it was such an awesome welcome.
We relaxed the next day...we were all pretty exhausted. We wandered around the town a bit, enjoying the sunshine, a drink at our favourite cafe- Microbar - and I booked my ticket for Florence for the next day.
I really didn't want to get on another train, I was still so exhausted from our travel to Italy but I was going back to Florence!!! I was so excited. Plus, I was staying with a friend of mine - Caroline - who I have known for about 17 years and who has been living and teaching in Florence.
The train wasn't bad at all, 4 hours and one change over. We wandered around a bit went for lunch at this amazing restaurant where I had an amazing paperdelle with a bolognese boar sauce...so good!!! We get back to her place..she turns the light on...turns to ask me a question and I was out like a light, fully dressed, face down on the bed. We really just hung out the first few days, talked, did some catching up, went back to that awesome restaurant where I tried a pasta stuffed with ricotta and pears drizzled in a butter sauce....AmAAAzing!!! Went to the market, drank some wine, made some KD...yes yes KD. She wanted me to bring her a little care package, KD being one of the items.
We went out last night to her friends bar. Its all English speakers, students, expats. There is live music and you sit around and play games such as backgammon, cards, cribbage its pretty cool; but what is really cool is Carolines Italian...holy cow! She is amazing in it. She was like me when I went to Peru..only a few words but her Italian is 100 times better then my Spanish...Im actually kind of jealous lol.
Today we went to Pisa!!! I was so excited!!! I had it on my bucket list and had promised myself I would take a day trip there while I was here. To be honest, there is really not much to say about it. Pisa itself is really not that extraordinary, its kind of yucky. It's got a canal through the centre of the city but the wall on either side is old and dirty and makes it look ugly. The tower is in a walled in part of the city with a few other buildings. It was super packed today and so hot!! Hotter then Florence and we were wearing sweaters. The Leaning Tower is the last building but you can see it in the arched entrance way before you even walk into the walled area of the city. 
It's actually really cool and it really is leaning lol. It's so strange really...there you are looking at this building that is used as a museum and people at the very top yet its at an angle...it's just something you don't see everyday. I was stoked to be playing tourist and went into all the shops and looked at the vendors, bought a gelato, took pictures from every angle and of course had to be like everyone else and take pictures that looked like I was leaning on or pushing the tower....I couldnt resist. I was so into being a tourist that when I handed my camera to a young woman to take a picture of me Caroline and her dog in front of the tower eating gelato she said "do you have a napkin?" I had gelato all over my camera screen...lol...Im' like such a kid sometimes.Now she is teaching me how to make risotto...yum yum and then later tonight we are going out with my friend Justin who I am stoked to see again ( friend that owns the hostel).
Ciao ciao
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