Travel Day

Saturday, May 31

We're getting pretty adept at this train travel thing. We arrive at the train station 
after only four u-turns!  This seems like the beginning of a rather uneventful 
train day. But then we're stopped longer than usual, and a great deal of yelling in 
rapid Italian ensues. Then into our car marches the carbeniero. Several agents 
of some sort, with guns slung on their hips, are obviously looking for 
someone/something. Are we going to witness a stand off at the OK train station??  
Although we can't understand a word of Italian, those around us who can, seem to 
be concerned. 

They kicked a bunch of teenagers off the train and then herds of teens seem to 
be moving around from car to car. If I wanted to write a dull story, I'd say 
some kids were kicked off for traveling without tickets. But since I prefer 
drama, I'll say they were the center of a drug smuggling ring and we barely 
survived the event. Good thing we're too old to be considered worthwhile 
hostages!!

Just a short while after this first juvenile delinquent event, another incident
occurs. This one is in our car where a train person is screaming at some teen 
boy and gesturing wildly. What makes me nervous is that she keeps pointing at me 
while she's talking. I wonder if I just represent all the "old ladies" of the 
world or if there's more to it. Sure wish I could understand Italiano. John 
tells us later that he thinks his Italian is coming back and that he understood 
bits and pieces of this conversation. We're anxious to find out what was going 
on so we listen with baited breath. He says that the lady was very mad at the 
boy and he did something wrong. Duh!  My Italian must be coming back too cuz I 
understood that much!

Also while on the train we met a sweet American lady who was just coming from a 
wedding in Cortona. She was traveling with the bride and groom to their next 
destination. She said, "Nothing like being a third wheel with a couple on their 
honeymoon!"  John offers her ear plugs (what a gentleman!). 

The groom would walk through the car at every stop to make sure his 
luggage was still where he put it. He explains to us, "You see, I had my bike 
stolen when I was six...."

the yellow building in the middle with the balcony is

our home for the next five days



We finally arrive in our beloved Manarola, but I know a steep climb is ahead of 
us and I'm trying to gear myself up for it. But there's no way to gear up for 
this incline aside from three years of six hour long workouts on a stair stepper 
at the steepest incline. Thank goodness Larry is in good shape cuz he had to 
help the rest of us with our luggage. John is about to throw his luggage in the 
ocean!!