Finally in Udine after an insanely long train ride that was made significantly less stressful thanks to my friends in Monterosso and my cousin in Udine. I use the term cousin loosely, because I think it comes down to being a 3rd cousin 75 times removed or something else geneologically awkward, so cousin is simply easier. I left all my heavy things in Monterosso so Ryanair (who I fly to Malta) will not bleed me dry on overweight baggage fees, and my friends helped me get a ticket on the new, super fast train to Udine. Then Valentina picked me up at the station in Udine, and I'm staying in her house til Sunday, when I go to Treviso then fly to Malta. I'm already getting ecstatic at the thought of free wifi. It's not hot showers or huge coffee I miss, but wifi. Coming from somoeone as technologically inept as I am, this is a groundbreaking statement.
So, my last night in Monterosso was spent running around town at a terrible reggae party on the beach, and packing up my things to leave my windowless, oddly scented room yesterday. I asked Cristina and Emma about where I should stay when I come back the 24th, and they told me they would have to find me somewhere since I clearly cannot do it myself. One less thing to do, thankfully.
After getting to Udine, I went to see my cousin's friend sing in his metal band at an outdoor festival in the town park. It was certainly interesting, and I was actually thrilled at seeing something totally new. Churches, gelato, museums- been there. Even an organic honey farm and the Fort Knox of cheese. Italian death metal? Now I can happily check that off my list.
Valentina's parents are so sweet and in keeping with a tradition I am more then familiar with, keep trying to feed me. Her father, at breakfast this morning, decided to show me all the foods he wants to feed me for lunch, proudly taking out raw marinating meat and chopped vegetables, explaining how we will eat them. He even excitedly informed me that he had looked up the score of the Lakers-Celtics game for me (I'm not a basketball fan to that extent), so I could know who won in American sports. And it's comforting to know my family isn't the only one that would vacuum the floor every night.
Also, the sweet dessert wine from Monterosso I presented her family with as a "thank you" was a huge hit. Apparently, my "aunt" has a brother who lives in Monterosso, and actually owns the restaurant where I ate the salt crusted bronzini. It's reassuring how the more I seem to travel to expand my view of the world, to see different cultures and meet different people, the smaller the world actually gets, the more people and places I have in common with the others I meet.
We shall see how this theory holds up in Malta...
No comments:
Post a Comment