Italy Volume 1

Okay, so maybe this is a long time coming for some of you, and maybe
this is completely unexpected for others, but I've decided to write an
e-mail periodically documenting my trip to Italy. (This is very long,
so if you don't have time to read it you may want to save it for
later)
Since I'll be here for nearly a month, expect at least one or two a
week. If you're on this list and do not want to be or would like it
to go to a different e-mail address, please e-mail me and let me know.
So, first things first...the Euro is AWFUL!! Everything is so
expensive here. My exchange rate was 70 cents Euro per 1 American
dollar (feel free to tell me I got a bad deal, I'm over it now), but
everything you find costs about the same as you would see in the
states. So because I paid American dollars to get it, now I'm paying
even more to get it here. Enough whining about that.
The flight was long. I got off the 7 1/2 hour plane ride to Milan
(from NYC) and suddenly realized that everyone spoke Italian, and I
needed to switch over the language in my head. It actually took me a
few hours during the layover to remember to say 'mi scusi' instead of
excuse me or 'grazie.' I was a little jet lagged, so that could be
why. Fortunately, on the flight to Rome I sat next to a large French
woman with horrifying B.O. Who also happened to be extremely chatty
when she discovered that I spoke French. So, for nearly two hours I
spoke French after just getting used to Italian, and I guess sitting
so close to her the whole time either triggered my B.O. Or hers rubbed
off because I was READY for a shower right away! Fortunately I had a
30 minute train ride to wait another half an hour for because I missed
the train by seconds...literally. They closed the doors right in
front of me. That was fine because I was hungry and there was a
pizzeria right there for my hunger.
I arrived at my hostel which is wonderfully cozy! I have random
roommates every night, but I also have a locker to lock my stuff in
and the room locks as well, so it feels very secure. I have a pool
and a little bar/café to buy European chocolate and sip aranciata so
I'm in heaven. Except, the internet is down indefinitely...and it was
supposed to be free. So, once that gets up, I'll be able to e-mail
more frequently. It costs 2 Euro an hour at this one place near
Termini (Center of Rome), but I don't like hanging out around there
because it's too tourist-filled and the food is too expensive. Well,
it's not that expensive, but today I went by my old tromping grounds
in Centocelle and enjoyed the open market and a pizzeria that cost me
exactly 2,70 Euro for two slices of delicious pizza and an aranciata
(that's orange soda...my favorite!)
Okay, so now to the part I'm sure some of you are wondering about. My
friend from Philly is in Rome until next Thursday. His name is Mark.
When he found out I was coming to Rome he bought a ticket here so I
could be his tour guide for his first time in Italy. I may have
mentioned that if he came to Italy I'd certainly take him to see the
sights, but I never thought he'd actually come...you know, one of
those crazy foot-in-your-mouth situations. Not only does he come, but
he expects me to stay with him at his hotel so I can save money since
he loves to travel and he knows I could use the break. VERY tempting
I might add, but then what? I'm stuck dragging tail with him the
whole time...no thank you. I came here promising that I wouldn't
speak a word of English and he will NOT completely ruined that for me.
And I'm too nice to tell him to go home because he deserves to enjoy
Italy, he just doesn't have to enjoy it all with me...that's not too
selfish, right? So, I am staying at the hostel which he thinks is
absolutely insane because "who knows what I could catch there or who
could steal my stuff." First off, I'm not touching any of these
people and my bed sheets are clean and were issued to me the day I
arrived. There is laundry on the premises, and I brought febreeze,
lysol, and hand disinfectant. And, as I said before, I'm all locked
up, and my travel/property insurance covers theft and damage even
while I'm in Italy. Seriously...I'm not a child, nor am I incapable.
Anyway, I am going to Naples on Sunday, so I won't have to hang out
with him the whole time he is here, and I have to admit, that the past
two days have been kinda fun. I met him at Termini yesterday and we
went to literally every major sight I could think of including the
Vatican, the Colosseum, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Spnish Steps,
etc. I'm going to get some sorta blog website with picture posting
ability once the free internet is up and runnign so I can show you all
the pictures I've taken. He just wanted to see anything and take
pictures. Today I made him follow me to where I used to live when I
was here in '99 and he thought it was so great until everything
suddenly shut down or closed up at 1300 for 'riposo' (that's like the
Spanish siesta and usually lasts until about 1500 or 1530). It was
very nostalgic for me. Unfortunately, the missionaries do not live in
the same apartment I did, so I couldn't ask anyone about the Church
here with anyone. Tonight should have been English class, but I went
all the way out to the church and there was no one there, so I'll have
to hope to get lucky this week or just wait until Sunday to see
anyone. Anyway, I wrote this while I was sitting at my computer, and
now I'm about to send it out. Hope everyone is well :-)
Until next time,
Dan the Italian lovin' man!