Friday, April 18, 2008

I thought it was going to be EASY!


I was thinking it was going to be easy getting to Florence…
My problems all started at the Edmonton airport. The gentleman beside me on the plane said that Air Canada has always lost his luggage. I thought hmmmmm…that’s not gonna happen to me!
Well it did. It took over an hour to run between 2 of the help desks in Rome and in the end Star Alliance told me it was on its way from Frankfurt to Milan? I wasn’t even in Germany!!!
Tired (as I had only slept 4 hours) and frustrated, I decided to make the trip to Florence. I bought the train ticket and walked onto a train just assuming it was going to the Termini train station in Rome where I was to make the Florence connection. WRONGGGGGGGG. I ended up at Tiburtina station and had to take the metro to Termini which caused me to miss the connection. ARRGGHH!
After a looooong wait in the train ticket line, I got a new ticket went to the supermercato and bought some pears.
Now as I sit on the sleek comfy Eurostar train I look out the window and see the beautiful old buildings and there are wild poppies growing amongst the train tracks. The temperature is a balmy 17 C and the fronds of the palm tress are gently bobbing in the breeze. OK maybe life isn’t so bad after all…
The gorgeous couple across from me is so in love it is amazing. They are all of maybe 25 years old, beautiful, and all they do is laugh and smooch and gaze into each other’s eyes….*sigh*. When we arrive in Florence the lovey-dovey guy says to me, wow that train ride was quick…”well of course it was” I thought. J
Anyways I survived the first few day without my stuff luckily I had a clothes washer – no drier, but the oven sufficed the one morning….really. It did a great job on my jean jacket and yoga zip up.
Florence was just as I left it although I’d say a bit more beautiful. The wonderful colours of spring have scattered themselves on the trees all over the city.
Spring is well on its way here. With colourful flowering trees abound and joyful birds singing their praises of the warm spring days. I am sitting on my covered balcony and the view is nothing spectacular but it is a fresh green one. Below me are freshly planted gardens and scattered are various trees, ivy and shrubs. I have 3 cute flowering succulents hanging off of my balcony – I just love how plants are so lush in this ancient city. I am glad to be back here.
I stated the language class and am really enjoying it and the people I have met are great –most of them are women.
Until next time…

3 comments:

universal elixir said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
universal elixir said...

Just as you know, life is a series of moments and it sounds as though you just went through a tumultuous few...you would not have been able to sigh at the couple or been able to poke your head at the window to see the wondrous poppies 'blowing in the wind' if you did not lose your luggage. Everything, stop repeat, has a silver lining.
Remember your trip is about the adventure not the destination...

Marco said...

These things happen. Smile and don't care about them my friend! You're in a beautiful place and you're going to spend a *wonderful* period in Italy! Enjoy it. Ciao!