So Much Italian- Am I in Italy or Something?

It's the last week of FY11. If you haven't already, please thank your financial people for another great year. Seriously. I don't think you realize just how chaotic it gets this time of year.

I thought I was doing okay until I couldn't put more than 2 words together at a time. Words in English. I had to take a break to clear off my desk. And then another one about 2 hours later because it was covered in an inch of paper. As if that wasn't enough to realize I was brain fried...I kept forgetting things. As in, I would keep losing an hour worth of memory at a time.

Eek.

What was class going to be like?

Entertaining? Frustrating? A waste of time?

Luckily, there is another financial person in there so we both had the EOFY11 look on our faces but it was bad. Come to think of it, I don't think I recall much of what we did. I do remember thinking that I should leave at the break so I could get home and sleep but then figured that traffic would be worse than being called on yet again and not recalling how to say any number past 10 in Italian.

When I finally got home it was time to pay my rent to my neighbor. Please remember that they speak no English and my Italian is well, better than it was when I first got here, but nothing of real substance. Luckily her son, the owner of the building, was on the phone with her. He and I spoke and it sounds like I'll get to meet him late October. (Yes, he lives in NJ and owns a restaurant....I'm telling you it's what you do if you are from MdP!) Once we hung up and rent was paid/receiept signed we tried to chat. I pointed to pictures of her grandkids- I got their names. I was then waved into the living room to see 5 huge pictures of each of their daughters, each on their wedding day. At this point I was asked if I was Catholic as we turned and I saw a 2ft tall Virgin Mary statue (complete with white light glow from around her head). The second time she asked, I realized what I was being asked a responded with a no.

Trying not to be rude (but realizing that I'm going to need to take some serious Italian classes if I really wanted to talk with her) I walked back to the kitchen since that was my way back to the front door. She asked if I was sleepy and I responded with a "si" before she continued to speak and play charades. There was no second guessing what she was saying; she was telling me that when they look out the window in the morning (5am) that my car is already gone.  I laughed, responded with a "corro e lavoraro."

As I walked out the door (now that I established I go to bed at 10 and it was nearly 9) we talked about sabato and the times I'd be home for the repair guy. Well, let me rephrase- she talked, I nodded before wishing her a buon sera and headed back to my front door.

Che cosa è esso?

Help me figure out how to get my clothes cleaned! Actually, these are those mysterious symbols Joe helped me figure out last weekend, but seriously take a stab at them so I can determine just how many the average American could figure out. (Like I said before, I knew what a few were but not all of them.) 

And if you don't feel like taking a guess, here are more Nico pictures. He's more fascinated with the spin cycle than the packing paper or random wads of packing tape.

Signore's Sixty Second Segment

Ciao! Mi chiamo Signore Nico "Beep" Gatto Oropeza.
Sono di Pozzouli, Italia.
Ha 4 meses. Sono un gatto blanco e grigio.
Mi piache dormire, correre (sulle tetto), mangiare, parlare con mio madre, e abusare scarpe.
. . . .
Sorry, he just got distracted by something on the patio...most likely the lizard. I've come to the conclusion that the lizard taunts poor Nico all day which is why he doesn't shut up until I let him out there in the evening.

We've made it through 3 weeks of living together and the little guy is getting even bigger. Over the weekend both Joe and I noticed that he's bigger just after a few days. I guess he has to eat all that food to fuel both his growing and tearing around the house chasing insects and scraps of paper...although today he doesn't seem like eating; I may have created a monster by sharing some of the chicken with him this weekend. (And I totally have a stamp card for the place now...buy 9 chickens get one free!)

As you can see he has a name, yet I keep calling him Kitty. I think that "scarpe" needs to be worked into his name some how though because he's obsessed with my shoes. I get why he likes my running shoes (I mean who wouldn't want to play with those glowing laces?), but my heels and sandals are beyond me. He will always put his paws in them and it looks like he's trying them on. Hey, he is Italian so I guess fashion is ingrained in him?  No lo so. (I think my parents are right...I always pick the special ones.)

Sea Kayaking

So it took me nearly 4 months, but I finally put my toes (okay, more than my toes) into the Tyrrhenian Sea! I had to laugh when I realized this was the case, but then recalled that I never really went to the beach back at home. Sure I was by the beach all the time but after the age of 12 realized that I'd lose a toe if I was in the water for all that long. (Apart from when I would chase Drake into the water down at Carmel...good times.)

About a month ago I signed up for this sea kayaking trip through the NOR Center in the middle of my "I'm in Italy so I want to see Italy but have no idea where to start" phase. It just happened to be on the same day of the opening day ceremony for the Blue Dragons, my all star soccer team. Although I was little sad I didn't get to see how they'd do just after 2 practices the text from Coach Scott saying they won 8-1 re-assured me that the 2 "C"oaches had it under control while I was out paddling around the various bays filled with the most amazing blue water.

There were 6 of us on the tour. 5 guys and me. 5 married men that all left their wives at home while they took a day trip. I apparently didn't get this memo but whatever, they were entertaining and all but one had lived in California so we had lots to talk about. I also found out about a few hikes and a karaoke bar in Arco Felice. (Side note, Italy has now been "blessed" with my karaoke skills. Yep. That was Friday night.)

After our 1.5 hour drive (with a stop for coffee) we made it to our launching point. We started off in Punta della Campanella on the Bay of Salerno. The water was perhaps the clearest and deepest sapphire blue I've seen my entire time in Italy. While we were close to the marina you could see rocks and vegetation through turquoise water and there was so little trash in the water I nearly forgot I was in Southern Italy. Heading out around the peninsula back towards the Bay of Naples Capri was straight ahead. This of course confused me to no end since I too can see Capri from my patio. After looking at a map though, I'm looking at the other side of it and yes, from my patio it's much further away than the 6km it was from us on the water.

The waves were a little different than kayaking in Elk Horn Slough or in Still Water Cove but nothing my t-rex arms couldn't deal with. Granted I was the one "enjoying the view" but  honestly think that was due to my inefficient stroke. Plus, it was not a competition and I was really in awe of the rocks and their steep slope dropping right off into the ocean. We followed the coast line (some us more closely than others) and saw towers and other buildings left from WWII and a tad before. One guy commented that these buildings weren't old at all. I just reminded him that they were "old" by American standards but no, not by our new standard with all things being from a long, long time ago.

As we turned the final point that would put us back into the Bay of Naples, the wind really picked up. We continued on for a few minutes but then decided to head back to the beach area in one of the coves to eat lunch and hang out. Well, this was the point that my kayak decided it wanted to skip the bay all together and head back to our starting point. Ray, the guide laughed and suggested that my kayak needed a saddle since it was acting more like a horse, knowing the way back home. I had the same issue on the way out, but just figured my right arm was out muscling my left arm. Well, now that I was pulling right I figured it really was the doing of the current out muscling my weakly arms.

Our kayak gang stormed the pebbly beach with a sprinkling of older locals roasting in the sun. Once free of my lovely kayak skirt and life jacket I told Stanley we were going for a swim. The water felt perfect. Apparently it was a little cooler than it had been in the summer but really any warmer would have been gross feeling. The water was super salty. How salty? I kept spitting the salt taste out of my mouth even when I wasn't getting water in my mouth. So probably not quite Dead Sea salinity level but plenty enough for me. If the taste didn't give it away, my increased buoyancy sure did. I propelled myself around a little while before realizing that I should probably head back to the beach and coat my blinding white body (minus my arms) with more SF50.

While we all hung out and chatted an English speaking couple totally picked up that we weren't Italian. Not sure if that was due to our (lovely) matching tops with English writing or the fact that we were speaking English so I chatted with them for a bit. They were just visiting the area but were curious about Naples so I gave them a little info. The group then took a mini hike up the hillside to go see a rock mining area from WWII. (These were those not so old buildings.) We didn't have enough time to head all the way up the hill to the church, but on the drive out of town they pointed out where the trail head was. We all laughed that we won't remember how we got there, but thanks.

On the way back to the beach where we started the day I guess we went faster than planned because we had a little more time. Most of the group continued to dodge the boats in the marina as we headed out towards Positano. Well, more like just wrapping around a few more curves of the coast to possibly Nerano but that's a pure guess as I sit here with my map. We didn't actually see Positano based on our position, but we could see all the way to Praiano and were told it was another 2 hours by kayak to get there. No grazie, my arms had had more than enough at this point and my hands were having issues holding the oar but maybe next time?

Out of the sun, in dry clothes, arms already feeling achy I loaded back up to the back seat of the 9 passenger van. Although I fought hard to take in the windy road, olive trees, buildings, and views of the water I fell asleep for a while. By the time we arrived back to Carney Park I was questioning if I could turn my steering wheel enough to be able to drive home on my windy road.

I made it.

Just don't ask me to open any twist top containers or carry anything more than a coffee mug because it's not happening.

Wish List

Those of you who have ever seen my office, fridge, or computer know that inevitably there will be a to-do list next to my coffee mug. Typically these lists are color coded and ready with empty boxes next to each item ready to be checked off.  (That is unless it was a list in the DA office where someone would always check the items off before I had completed them.)

Before any shopping trip I make a list of what I'm supposed to buy, which almost always gets added while I'm shopping- but I leave the store with what I came for. I have lists of places to go (Getting Outside the Wire ->), a list of 11 Goals for 2011, a list of books to read, a list of people to catch up with...pretty much I’ve got a list for everything. (Yeah, I realize that this is my type A personality shinning through- but you’ve got to admit it’s just one of those quirks that you love about me.)

Well, I’ve started another list. It's my list of items that I really, really miss and just can’t seem to get my hands on over here in hopes that someone will help me out. Don’t laugh- if you plan on visiting me you probably will need to bring some of these things on my list that are easy to pack. 

 
Thankfully, online shopping has kept this list to a minimum but you know…getting things in the mail is a million times better if you know the person it’s coming from. (Why do you think I mail so many letters?)  

At any rate, if you want to send some love my way in the form of a letter or mini care package and you don’t already have my address drop me a note and I’ll get it to you.

{} Emergen-C (or equivalent product) packets (any flavor but orange)
{} Peppermint mocha coffee- Dunkin' Donuts has one as does Cost Plus around by mid October
{} Make that peppermint ANYTHING as it's almost that time of year again
{} Trader Joe's Roasted Tomato Soup

{} Take5 mini candy bars
Ha. I have to laugh all of these are food items. I guess with my lack of options I really want some of my previous staples that just aren't here all the time. The lack of craft stores hasn't quite sunk in yet but I assure you, the shouts of joy you hear are coming from my bank account, while the screams are coming from the containers of craft stuff that now realize they just may be used after all. (Kim, how in the world am I supposed to finish my scrapbooks now if I can’t just run out and get whatever I need to finish the pages?) I already have the supplies for my next few projects (I think).

That Darn Cat

Those of you who have spent enough time with me that qualche volta I tend to over dramatize things. I assure you, this is not one of those times. The following account is exactly what I saw, heard, did, felt. (If you want alternative accounts please interview Signore Nico BP or check my FB status from yesterday for Michele & Evan’s ideas on what may have happened.)

It was a dark, stormy morning in MdP. I actually got up when my alarm went off at 0400 resulting in a few minutes to open up the upstairs windows/doors to let the cool air blow through the house. I headed out on the patio as my coffee brewed to check out the town and watch the lightning. Signore Nico followed when he realized the rain had stopped falling.  

When I headed in to prepare my coffee and other food for the day, Signore Nico apparently stayed out.  No big deal I thought as I decided to close the windows back up and got ready to leave for the day figuring he could have a few more moments of freedom before being put on house arrest. After 5 minutes I still hadn’t seen him reappear or heard his meow, so I called for him.

No response.

Checked upstairs- no kitty.

Walked half way down the stairs, called, and listened- no kitty.

Sigh. Where is that cat? I need to get to the gym.

Head back out to the patio with the lights now on I called him again because there were still lots of shadows he could be in.

Meooooooow.

Kitty?

Meow. Meow. Meow.

At this point I realized that he hadn’t jumped down from the stairs (to a place I can get him with a little climbing) but decided to follow the stairs up. To the roof. As in, no walls to prevent the dork from falling 4 stories, not to mention slick due to all the rain and exposed to the strong gusts of wind. I should also mention that although I’ve climbed to many ledges, buildings, and even gone sky diving heights creep me out. I like to be well away from the edge.

So where was kitty? Clear across the building looking down to the street below.

As soon as he saw me heading up, he decided to prance along the roof, working his way across to my neighbor’s side but still clear across from where I was.  After a few steps I realized that I really didn’t want to be up there in the wind, in the dark, and on a roof that potentially was water logged.  Besides, I really didn’t want to wake up my neighbors with my footsteps on the roof. I think is probably when the lightning started up again.

What did I do?

Walked back inside, hoping he would follow.

Did he?

Of course not. Why would he?

Realizing that I couldn’t leave him out all day (although at this point I really wanted to) I went back with a pack of food. Problem is he doesn’t know the sound of the food packet yet so I couldn’t just tap it and have him get to where he needed to be.

After a few steps of caution towards him (since he was now on the “lower roof” about 3 feet below the main one) I guess the wind was helping me and sent the stink of wet cat food to the corner of the roof where he was. Meow, meow, meow. He headed right over, but wouldn’t jump up so while he was distracted by the food I grabbed him and carefully went down the tiled steps back to our patio and threw him in the house. I also grounded him. He’s not allowed outside a few days. I think he knows this too since that’s where he wanted to go first thing this morning. Really?! Like that’s going to happen.

Happy Tuesday to me. Oh how things have changed since uniform Tuesdays. (And since we’re talking uniforms can I just once again express how disappointed I am with the lack of Army uniforms out here?)

So there’s the real story. I’m sure it was hilarious to any on-looker but extremely frustrating for me in my first 30 minutes of being awake. I could deal with his disappearing act before but this one crosses the line so I need to figure out how to kitty proof the patio. I’ll just add it to the list. Hey, maybe that’s a way I can get rid of some of the packing materials I keep creating with every box I unpack? I see it now “creative use of cardboard”…

Sounds of Italy

For being by myself so often at my house, it’s really loud. No, I am not blasting the music as I unpack and I still don’t have a TV, but yet it’s loud. True Signore likes to remind me that he’s around by meowing, crinkling shredding papers, or running around but it’s more than that. All the sounds coming through my open windows and doors create a wonderful soundtrack that I just have to call Sounds of Italy.

I know you’ve heard the traffic and church bells in the videos & read my comments on them, but that's they are only the percussion section to this piece of music. With the start of futbol season I’ve been hearing cheers and jeers in the evenings in between the TV announcer taking about a million words a minute. With the celebrations (because they sure have a ton) you get the noises produced from a crowd with every now and then a kid shouting simple enough Italian that I can actually translate. The past two weekends I’ve turned off my music to listen to the music coming from the adjacent piazza. I think the first weekend was the back to school kick off with various classes performing and then this past one had live entertainment. He was alright but the woman could really sing.

Sitting on my porch I hear phones ringing until pronto is spoken indicating that the call was picked up. I hear brooms sweeping (the never ending) dust off patios. Noises from the pizza place below me (and yummy smells) travel upwards to my lookout. From time to time I also hear an alarm system going off which reminds me that I need to figure out how to prevent mine from going off. In the evenings the sound of fireworks are a common one.

Loud? Yes. Annoying? Not at all! In fact when it is quiet it’s strange because unless it’s 2-4pm silence is just not natural for Italy. Last night with the wind howling, thunder clamping, rain pouring down the streets were empty. (Surprise.) There weren’t too many people in the streets but I think that was more due to the local holiday celebrating the patron saint of Napoli since stores were locked up tight. Even without people out in the streets I could still hear dishes clinking, cheering for to local team, and those church bells from the 3 towers spread out over town. When the wind really got going, I also heard the metal shutters on doors and window rattling. (FYI Signore was not a fan of that noise.)

It’s one of the many things that you just have to experience for yourself. I can’t wait to finish unpacking so I can find the time to sit on my patio (or the roof now that I’ve been up there as well) and just take it all in. I highly recommend sitting up there when it’s dark to check out the stars. You still have a fair amount of city lights but are above most of the annoying ones. Just an FYI to add to your “things to do while visiting Katie” list.

Signore's Sixty Second Segment

Okay, trying not to be a "cat lady" but we all know I love kitties and I'm so happy that Signore moved in with me. He's been here 2 weeks and is definitely settling in. No, he doesn't like being home alone for 12+ hours and he sure let's me know that when I walk in the door, but he's such a goof ball and can always be appeased with some food.

Of course he is also a little demon at times. He's made it his goal in life to destroy the "spider plant" on the patio. Luckily those plants are hardy & super easy to find if I need to replace it in 3 years time. He and my teddy bear are still not friends so I gave him another stuff animal. I'm not sure if you've seen the monkey blog or not (from the same lady who wrote the one about the metal chicken) but I think Signore did. I mean, he's determined to kill the thing!

Over all he's a trooper and I'm trying my hardest not to baby him. He's pretty good when it comes to noise as our apartment is never very quiet between scooters, voices, and the bells. Yes, the fireworks did cause him to jump and also today's storm had him going crazy. Some reason he wanted out in the rain too. I guess just so he could continue to meow? The wind making the patio roof shake finally sent him dashing to the safety of the kitchen but he still wasn't 100% sure he wanted to be inside, even if I told him he did.

We've also discovered what kind of fun tile floors can be when I spin him around and am easily able to pull him out from under my bed. He loves it because his toys go flying. Yep. He loves to run. He's also a pro at waking me up when he hears my alarm going off in the morning. Hmmm. Alarm going off in the morning. Yeah, I probably should take his toy away from him so I can try to get to sleep before the wind and thunder start back up.

I am still taking name suggestions...there is a slight chance that I'm going TDY next week and if I'm leaving him with one of his adoring fans he needs to have a name. Nico right now is the front runner with the nickname of BP (clearly pronounce Beep).

"Slowing it Down" Sunday

Sleeping in. Check. Even with the crazy Sunday morning bells chiming from practically next door.

Incredible lunch. Check. Yummy calamare grilled. I'm still impressed with how they dissected it. Wait.  I mean prepped it.

After more scenic routes (again, for Joe's sake to get a feel for the town) we found our way back to MdP and with about 30 minutes left of empty streets as all the locals wrapped up their rest time. We capitalized on this time to walk some part of the neighborhood around my place. Why? Well, I wanted to figure out where the road that spits out pretty much directly across my driveway starts. It's a very round about way but had I explored this option my first day in the place Ravi wouldn't look quite the way he does now. Once the first few people resurfaced to fill the streets we once again climbed my ridiculously steep steps to my porch to enjoy the breeze and view.

Well, I take that back. Joe and Signore did that while I continued my quest to unpack. Joe's quest today was to decipher the icons on my washer and dryer. He did. I'll be posting those pictures as a "what is it" before too long. He also was a pro with helping me configure the guest room and helping me figure out what to do with all this space. His gold star was earned by suggesting I contact the landlords to see if they are invested in either of the couches. If not, they are going to find a new home. No, not the side of the road if I can avoid that, but they won't have a home here anymore.

Speaking of the side of the road- Sunday really is "take out the trash day" in this area. Well, not in MdP since we have trash pick up 6 days a week but in the surrounding area. On my way back home tonight I saw more cars pulled over unloading trash. It's still something this Cali girl can't get over...and I just may never get over it. (Chucking my organic trash from my passenger window to the designated pick up place for my apartment is completely different.)

So yeah, today was a pretty low key day. Productive but low key...just the kind of day I need before kicking off another work day!

Che bella!

Shopping, Hiking, Unpacking

I can't believe I've spent another Saturday in Italy! In fact, when chatting with Joe today I realized that between the move, trips, & having so much fun I've lost track of the time. I arrived in Italy on 26 May, stayed in TLA for 90 nights, and then have been at my (freaking huge) house for 3 weeks..so how long have I been here? Eh, I've got the majority of my 3 years to still have fun with but that's only if I get this unpacking done.

After a later night of unpacking than planned, my Saturday kicked off with coffee. I then migrated to get Signore Joe before hitting up the Bacoli market. We very much went the back way/scenic route but that was good since I'm still trying to convince him he wants to be a little further south than in the areas he's been looking at. (There's got to be a closer villa that will be perfecto for the family but also close enough for me to hijack their pup for running.) We left Ravi at the same place I used before and even got to take my car keys with me this time. AND I even got the gist of what the guy was telling me.

The market had even more vendors than the previous time I hit it- amazing what the difference in weather will make. I tried my best with new acquired Italian skills but I think they still caught on that I speak english since they would reply when they could in english. The one vendor who sold me the lettuce was super nice though. He just may be my new produce guy. We left the market  with nectarines, lettuce, tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, garlic and onions. I made the mistake of acknowledging the old lady with her shopping cart of onions, garlic, and oregano and despite the "no grazie" she sold us enough garlic to last through the year. (Seriously, my kitchen smells of garlic but at least I'm safe from vampires!) Now I just need that cilantro to grow another foot or so so I can finally make the salsa I crave!

The next stop on Katie's Round About Tour was Carney Park, but heaven forbid we went straight there. No ne possible. The round-abouts from this direction still confuses me a tad so we ended up seeing Solfatara (aka the stinky sulfur volcano) but the views are amazing from that mountain so again, just taking the scenic route. (Seriously though, that was strike 2 on taking the wrong turn off so I only get one more mess up before I have to learn it/actually look at the GPS while driving.) Eh, my coworker Scott wasn't meeting us anymore so we were in no hurry to get there. Don't worry- we did finally make it. Honest!

For this round of hiking at Carney we went up the ridge where I came down last time and wrapped around away from Pozzoli Bay, towards a monastery (with monks!) with the plan to continue along the ridge so I finally could say I hiked the entire crater. Hey, it was just a plan. After trail blazing from the 500 (?) year old house to the monastery and all the effort it took to continually being able to jump when a lizard ranging from tiny to enormous ran out of our way causing a ton of noise in the dried leaves, we were too tired to follow an unmarked road that we weren't sure if it would take us to where we wanted to be. (Let me clarify- I was doing the jumping, not Joe.) Unwilling to backtrack the way we headed up, we followed the other path which was wonderfully downhill and fairly lizard free. Yep. Too good of a path and we found ourselves in the driveway of the houses you can see from inside the park. Ha. They have a great vineyard up there and it was pretty...unfortunately it meant we had picked the wrong path and it was time for an about face. On the way back we took a turn off that Joe had seen and I still swear it just looped us around. As we started to discuss if we'd been on this stretch of trail or not we compared our foot prints to others on the trail. Um yeah. We'd been there before...but not sure when. I think we did find the real trail that we ditched for our climbing over rocks and going through the brush. (My legs have seen better days.) Clearly we made it and since it was a "do whatever day" we were in no hurry but by this point the sun was hot and although we looked tanner, it really was the volcanic ash and other grime coating our arms, legs, shoes, eh, pretty much our entire bodies. (Seriously- my hair even felt grimy.)

After snacking on our market buys Joe and Signore enjoyed the cross breeze upstairs while I worked on a box of things I realized should have already been put away. By the time my room was box free and I headed back upstairs, Joe had solved my hot water heater mystery of the E10 error. Turns out the water pressure was low and although I had almost solved it on my own the night before I didn't but it just goes to show that I really could be an engineer- right? (Possibly more on that idea to come later this week...) At any rate, with a few less boxes and hot water again we headed out to try the place I live above. We were side tracked though by an event happening in the adjacent piazza. Although we're still not sure what exactly everything was, we knew it was part of the patron saint of Naples holiday occurring on Monday. We watched some little kids play soccer (why aren't they on my team?) and then headed back over to place our pizza orders. As we were walking in a pack of boys (probably around age 12) walked in. When the owner realized we weren't sure if we were staying or taking it out he went over and told all the boys to be quiet. Amazing right? Apparently a soccer match was about to begin so they were excited about that. The owner wasn't thrilled since he couldn't hear the phone, let alone take orders. He was really nice (English speaking) and the pizza was some of the better tasting ones I've had recently. Um yeah, since Joe arrived I've had my fair share (or more) of pizza. And since it was on the menu I had to order it- pizza con Nutella! It wasn't wrapped like last time, but more like Woodstock's dessert but just as yummy. To think, Joe was just asking what someone does with a 5lb container of Nutella.

My night ended when I came home from taking Joe back, had Signore in my arms only to hear fireworks starting and seeing flashes of light practically coming from my living room. I'm not sure why I wasn't thinking "oh event in the piazza, of course there will be fireworks...this is Italy after all", but I wasn't. Signore wasn't either based on his flying out of my arms and hiding until they were over. When I was on my balcony the fireworks were practically over my house- it was amazing. Way better than the 4th of July celebration ones and probably a longer show too. I recorded some of them because I just love them. I guess it goes back to all of those foggy 4th of Julys growing up in Monterey. At any rate I'm looking into where I can purchase some of these beautiful things and just how often rules are enforced. I'm thinking not all that much as pretty much every night I either hear or see some.

Driving the Italian Way

I'll be the first to admit- I'm not the world's best driver. Not the worst, but definitely not near the top. Sometimes I can't help but praise God that I haven't been in a serious accident or have a trail of speeding tickets.

I really do.

Of course this doesn't have my foot ease off the gas pedal and if a deer crosses the road in front of me it has most likely seen its last day. (Not like I try to mow them down, but if it's another car or me vs the deer? Bye-bye Bambi.)

At any rate the last week has been rather adventurous with following other cars to places none of us have been, not paying attention which road I'm on, and even being somewhat adventurous when I saw traffic I did not want to sit in. After the latest installment of "I wonder where this road takes me and since I don't have the GPS with me..." I decided that driving in Naples is a blast. I mean where else can you*:

• Flip a u-turn from an off ramp to an on ramp
• Make a 3rd (or even 4th) lane on the shoulder while merging
• Flash your lights a ways back to make the car in the fast lane get out of way
• Use painted divisions as another lane
• Park on a sidewalk
• Split a lane with another car because you're making space for the car merging
• Hear honks that mean "hey I'm here" rather than "what the #$@! are you doing?"
• Treat Stop signs as optional (even if other cars are heading your way)
• Ride your scooter down the side walk
• Go the wrong way on a 1-way street
• Reverse down a street for a significant amount of time
• Double park (totally acceptable if your blinkers are on) and pretty much blocking traffic

*"You" is being used in the generic sense here. This list is a compilation of things I've witnessed. Honest. But when in Naples...

Don't worry- passengers also get to have a blast while driving around Naples (assuming hands, head, feet, arms are kept inside the vehicle are all times). It is the passenger that gets to try to figure out just what that darn GPS is really telling you. (Side note, any GPS that says Oropeza "or-ap-eh-sa" really should not be trusted.) From the passenger seat you are truly able to enjoy the piles of trash (kitchen cabinets, couches, beds, misc car debris) and just may catch someone taking out their trash Sunday morning. The passenger also gets to take in the views of at a much finer level than the driver as s/he aren't navigating cobble stones placed by the ancient Romans.

No seriously. It's fun. A little stressful and still requires a pep talk before leaving the safety of the base or my apartment but fun. It's what you make of it. Which reminds me...I need to write the powers that be and suggest that painting the lines on the tange  was probably a waste of money since everyone is still driving where they please. That money could have been much better used by say, trash clean up? I realize that the paint probably doesn't cost that much, but when you factor in the wages and equipment I may have a case here.

It Happened Again...

You brought home another kitty? Nope.

You got caught laughing at a man’s purple out fit? No.

Traffic was ridiculous? Um, that’s always the case.

You drank coffee too late in the day? Often the case, but totally worth it.

I took a scenic route on the way home.

After getting wine recommendations from Tony at the store I decided it was time to start my trek home from the SS. I decided it was time to take a break from Blake Sheldon and flip on my Italian radio station- you know the one that only every 3^rd song is in Italian? It must have been 8:30 because the news updates were going and I actually understood some of it. Feeling confident I started practicing my Italian by both repeating the radio and also reading road signs out loud.

Well, this continued on for some time and then I realized that the road was pretty empty, recently paved, and the speed limit was higher than normal. Eh. Whatever. Then I realized that I never made my turn. Crap. Well, given the amount of driving around I’ve been doing I saw signs for Napoli and decided to press on; worse case I end up back tracking the long route.

It turned out better than this if course (probably because I had a full tank of gas and fully charged cell phone) and I ended up hitting the road I should have been on miles prior, near Lago Patria. Phew.

Yes I’m directionally impaired here. You will be too! I’ve said it before- roads are not like back in the states. You can’t just exit and get back on. Well, you can but it requires a U-turn if you’re lucky…not like I would know anything about that though. But again, of my one triangle that I make routinely I think I’m beginning to figure out just how it all connects. I think. A map would still probably be a good idea though.    

So Many Boxes

The wait is finally over.

No more talks of "when I can post it."

Those sleepless nights will soon be behind you.

TODAY (yes, today)-  I finally present to you the 2nd video in the Moving-In series.

As before the same motion sickness warning applies, so think twice before viewing it full screen. (Of course I also have makeup on this time around so it's a little better looking and I've got a cute Italian assistant.) You're all adults- you can make the right decisions for yourself before watching.

Babysitting with Signore

Last night Signore and I were both up late hanging out with the Robinson kids. Yep. My cat went babysitting with me- how awesome is that? I was already impressed with Signore when he decided that he was over crying 3 minutes into our drive. (Seriously, I just may start taking him out for drives so our trek to the vet won't be bad and he gets used to his crate.)

At any rate, I'm not sure who was babysitting who. The youngest 3 made it their job to make sure that "quidy" was happy. They even made him a play area with their blocks and sacrificing belts as their "cat fishing poles." It was too much fun and the best part was he was beyond ready for bed when we got home.

A win win? You bet!

Good Idea, Crazy Idea

Does anyone remember the "Good Idea/Bad Idea" segment from Anamanics? You know, where the the stick figure man would have a good idea and then then would reverse it so it was a bad idea? Well if I were the "host" of this segment, I think it would be called "Good Idea/Crazy Idea."

The latest segment would be something like the following:

Good Idea: Signing up for race events to keep your lazy butt motivated even in the hot Italian sun.

Crazy Idea: Slacking off for the past 2 weeks and registering for a 12.7K for Saturday evening and following it up with a 10K first thing on Sunday.

-Saturday's Race-
Location: Mondragone
Distance: 12.7K
Finish time: 1:29:22

Highlights:

• No one from our group knew exactly how to get to the race's starting point, but dangit, our 8+ car caravan was going to be there.
• The entire town was out cheering us on through the streets.
• All the little kids in cars waving (since the runners were holding up traffic).
• The ambulance pulling up beside us making sure we were okay- then handing us water.
• It being suggested (in Italian of course) that it was our second lap. Even we figured that translation out! (We really weren't that far back, or maybe we were?)
• Watching the moon rise over vineyards.
• Our police escort. (Okay, we were that far back.)
• Joe telling me that he now understands why I was dubbed SB.
• (Perhaps the most important one) Ravi was in the the same location (and same state) that I left him in.

Summary: After kicking off the race in Piazza Falcone (who is named after someone killed by the Mob), we found ourselves winding through the town for about 2Ks before hitting a trail along the ocean. It was wonderfully flat and the breeze coming off the water was fabulous. Unfortunately we had to wind back inland, along the major road though the town. When Joe declared that it cost us 1 euro per mile to run this event we decided it was really protection against the traffic. Which side note- if you see that there are runners in the road in America I don't think that horns would be honking. Well, again, I'm in Italy now. I guess being in Italy also explains the mini trash piles we were running next to? Or playing Frogger to keep following the arrows so nicely marked on the street?

Once off the major road we wrapped back into the city limits along a back road that ran through agricultural land- primarily vineyards. Around this time the sun was setting and the moon rising ahead of us was beautiful, but the mosquitoes were also making their appearance. I think I was able to run away from them, but that's not saying much since all my limbs currently have at least one bite. I think around this time I started to dance more than jog so Joe decided it was time to set the pace.  He wouldn't let me have any fun. When we made it back in the town again we were greeted with cobble stone. Not the best to run on, so although our feet were numb at this point our legs were not and the muscles working to keep us steady sure let us know they were working. People still  were out cheering on runners from sidewalks, storefronts, and balconies. The little kids got a kick out of us waving to them if they didn't hide behind the seat of the car or tuck behind their parent.

FINALLY we reached the end. I still don't recall seeing a few of those last markers but when the arch is in front of you really don't care because the end is in sight. Uncle Giovanni was there with the Le Plume Nere flag and ran with us across the finish line. Phew. Exhausted, drenched with sweat, and praising Stanley for a job well done it was time to find Ravi and get moving home or at least find pizza. Over our dinner, almost too tired to even eat we were stoked that we finished it (and in a respectable time) but didn't want to think about the fact that in the morning we had another event. Best part about doing these new race lengths? They're always going to be PRs!

-Sunday's Race-
Location: Marcianise
Distance: 10K
Finish time: 1:04:49

Highlights:

• Joe's reaction to my "okay, I'm on my way" phone call.
• Driving in what can only be described as a polygon through a town not even that close to where the event was. Hey, I was just following the other car.
• Convincing myself that I really could run that kind of distance again today.
• Realizing there was ice cream at the end.
• Even more people lining the streets to cheer us on.
• A few corners where Italian music was being blasted into the air.
• Lots of water stations & a guy who decided that we needed to be sprayed with a hose.

Summary: Yeah. That alarm this morning was nearly tossed against the wall but that would have required being able to move. Clearly I wasn't in a horrible state but it took lots of effort to climb my  stairs even with the motivation of coffee up there. Joe knew his limits and between his jet lag and injuries decided that he'd go as my moral support but wasn't going to run. Like the race yesterday, we started in the piazza that was all decorate for what appeared to be their patron saint's day. Also like yesterday I'd say over 90% of the contenders were men. Seriously. Where are all the female runners here? I mean, it makes it easy for me to "rank" but it's really killing my "Woohoo, go Katie" attitude when I see men probably in their late 60s (shoot, some looked like 80) passing me. These events are so serious and a reality check for me. Not like I was leading the packs back at home, but I wasn't in the very last 1% of participants on the course.

Luckily before I got too discouraged that the pack had flown by me I checked my watch and I was doing about my normal pace. Unfortunately I was also dying of heat (nothing like running on black pavement at 9am). As we wrapped around/through town the buildings provided some shade but at that point I was a nice shade of tomato red. Oh well. At one walking/cool off rest an older lady, probably in her 60s motioned for me to start running with her. Since it was time to end my break I figured why not. It was nice to have someone to keep pace with but when I spotted a fellow American not too far ahead I decided I'd stick with him for a bit. Feeling better since it was now shady roads we were running, I took off. When hitting the 1/2 way marker I saw runners already done. Yeah. I told you- these are serious events. I should have known when you show up and it looks like a cross country event with all the different running clubs in their matching uniforms.

I think around this time Chris caught back up with me so we decided that it would be the "I'm going to stick with you- but tell me if you need to walk" method to get through the last 4Ks. It actually worked pretty well since I need someone telling me to run more than walk. And it couldn't have been more perfect timing as there were 2 mini hills (well more like an overpass and tunnel) that we had to run over at this point. With one more club member catching up to us, the 3 of us kept it moving for that last 1K and crossed just a few minutes after I'd normally had wanted to do it in but totally acceptable (and respectable!) time.

Best part? As we wrapped around I spotted ice cream being passed out (in addition to chocolate pastries and mozzarella). Also, apparently some certain number of women runners get flowers and an additional goodie bag. Well, I came in #49 and I really don't think there were that many more behind me and I was sent home with one of these bags. I laughed that I'll just keep registering for events since I get at least that amount back in food. Who needs to do grocery shopping?

So there you have it. My first 2 truly Italian running experiences. Not quite Santa Cruz's Wharf to Wharf race or some of those other Monterey races I did but they were still fun and Stanley will be ready to go again before too long. I'm now wondering if the Race for a Cure event will be more like one in the states or more like these events? Time will only tell! Time will also let me drop some time off my pace since clearly people who run around my pace don't enter races in Italy? Time to set it up and run with the fast kids.

Seabiscuit can do this!

My Shoes Arrived!

And all but one box of them are in my closet.

It almost looks like a shoe store.

Almost.

It was so overwhelming in planning my outfit for today that I ended up wearing the same pair I've been wearing since I went to Shoe Alley. Ridiculous? Yes BUT when your clothes have spent the last 3+ months in storage they arrive a little wrinkly so you have to pick the non wrinkly ones. I did just that and needed a pair of black shoes since the ones I really wanted apparently are still in the one box that needs to be upacked.

And yes, Joe is an amazing friend to be willing to help me move furniture within his first 24 hours of being in Italy. I still have a lot of things do but I think I have the big picture in mind. I just have lots and lots to move.

Signore wasn't too keen on all the noise but he's discovered the packing material (and wads of tape) and has already kept himself very amused. Hopefully he hasn't destroyed anything today...since I gave him free reign of the house today. He also prepared another video tour for you all but I haven't had the chance to edit it so you'll need to wait a few more days. Sorry!

Running on Fumes

You know how sometimes when you wake up in the morning you catch yourself mapping out your day? Well somewhere in between finding the snooze on my alarm and realizing that Signore (Still Needs A Name) doesn't have a snooze button I realized that today's list was a tad longer than normal. Granted I'm juggling the new commute, kitten ownership, and still figuring the house out but my mornings (well, late night for some of you) are just the warm up for what seems like an ultra marathon...the kind where you have to keep running them on back to back days.

Needless to say that today was no different, but the fact that I don't go into work tomorrow & Signore Giuseppe (formerly known as Ed in Monterey) arrived I somehow made it through the normal gym, work, class, and traffic. Well, more on the driving later.

I'm happy to report that I have another friend to hang out with now, although I'm not sure if he's going to be my friend next week after he helps out with the move in tomorrow and the fact that I registered him for a total of running 22K (it could have been 27) this weekend. I'm also happy to report that the "new back route" from Capo to Lago Patria wasn't nearly as stressful as I thought it would be & I found my first two destinations without a problem. Dinner was yummy and it was almost like we were back in my Bullard office wasting time taking a break. Turns out he knows my N7 coworker so my Navy circle just merged again (2nd time this week).

Feeling guilty that I'd left Signore alone for way over 12 hours and the fact that I was getting sleepy after our Italian dinner (aka not eating until after 8) I headed home.

Or so I thought.

Despite clearing the first hurdle in avoiding the scary back road that apparently I should not be driving at night since it's so dark  & narrow I missed my turn to head in the direction I needed to. I was headed towards the Navy Lodge. Go figure. Apparently after 90 days your internal compass realigns? Since this is Italy and it's NEVER as easy as getting off at the next exit and turning around, I let the GPS recalculate. I had a feeling that I was going to end up on the road I was trying to avoid and after getting there via a different route than before (I saw some town I don't think I've driven through before) I ended up on said road. I guess it's all my late night driving on HWY68, Reservation Road, and Carmel Valley Road but this road doesn't really bother me. Granted, it's barely a 2 lane road and the shoulders are overgrown with bamboo and/or mini trash heaps and it's pretty dark...and bumpy, but I find it sort of entertaining to see just how I'll get to my house. *Parent Unit- if you're already worried about me driving on this road, please skip to next paragraph* I think the part that puts me on edge is I always seem to find myself in uncharted territory with my gas gauge is below 1/4 tank and my cell phone has 1 bar left in the battery.

Once I was more or less somewhere I knew, I was good.

Again, so I thought. Finally reaching my driveway at 11pm I clicked the clicker to open the gate. And then tried again. And again. Despite multiple attempts I couldn't get the gate to open, so I had to park  in the piazza and walk around. Luckily there is a pedestrian door in the gate so I could get in and try to figure the issue out. Well I guess between my heels up the stairs, the wind slamming the door shut, my phone ringing really loud or maybe it was just a crying kitty when he saw me walk back out the door, my neighbor (the old man) came out. I was able to show him that the clicker wasn't working. He grabbed another one but then slammed mine on the tile which apparently solved the problem. After motioning it me to drive the car around he walked down the stairs to make sure it stayed open.

Um yeah, my car doesn't/can't make that turn so after having him hold up traffic so I could do a 30 pt turn into the driveway I was finally done with today's marathon. Actually I'm pretty sure that I was told to ring their door bell if I have any other issues. I just feel bad making all that noise and having  "technical difficulties" at 11pm. Shoot. I just want to be sleeping. Oh well, just another reason I really need to start working on the Italian. I think there is hope for me...class #3 today for sure was an improvement although I'm not sure that we can have a conversation about how my name is Katie, I'm from Monterey, I'm American, and I am an accountant. Bambino steps- I know but having a grasp on basic Italian by December is looking like a no-go.

*Sigh*

Time for my beauty sleep. Although I'm not getting up at 0400 (that's in 3 hours- are you kidding me?) I still need to get up by 0700 so I can try to get my 9 hour window down to 2-3 for my HHG delivery and maybe even get a sunrise walk in around MdP since I can. Also, I was told about a fresh pasta place today that I just may need to check out. Hey, despite being told that I'm "going native" tonight I know I have a long way to go but it's good to know that after a mere 100-something days progress can be identified.

More France

Okay, here are more pictures from the trip. I'm sure that I'll remember more later, but as of now I think I shared the highlights but you've still missed out on a few of the photos. I told you- it was the food tour. And yeah, there were some fun sights as well. Check out those mountains...even as it was raining!

And just like that he moved in...

So much for my "no baggage policy."

Leave it to me to find the loop hole in my own policy set up for my own good, but that's just how things happen. Today I entered into a long term relationship when I invited Signore to come live with me. I think he's happy to be curled up on my bed and I'm happy he's here.

So even before I get my HHG delivery I've picked up Signore and am once again a pet owner. (Didn't I mention he's a cat? And a little bit of a goofy cat at that.) Luckily his temporary home was about 15 minutes away so his crying all the way up the hill didn't make me regret my decision. He's very tentative about the house and refuses to go anywhere unless I'm within sight. As soon as he knows I'm there though he's purring non stop and getting in my lap for even more attention. He is definitely a fan of the fire place and under the stair landing...both places I figured any cat would scope out.

The joke lately has been how long it takes (forever) for me to decide things. Hey, big decisions should not be rushed into! Any of you around my dramatic job decision time in February and March know my theory on calculated risks and how I'm always thinking long term. Well, not that this was a reckless decision but it did come on rather sudden? Not at all. I actually learned about this little guy in late July but  kept putting off meeting him since I really wasn't in a place to be a kitty momma again. When I first saw his picture I was hooked. He needed a home and I needed a kitten. Plus, I'm a softy for gray kitties. So although I fully understand that this is a potentially 20+ year commitment and potentially a very expensive one at that (have you seen what airlines charge for cat tickets?) I'm beyond ready to have another kitty. How ready? It was one of my 11 for 2011 goals that were formed back in December 2010.

The little guy is currently crashed out on my bed but wakes up every time I get up or there is a loud truck out on the street. He's not skittish- just isn't sure of his new home yet. We'll get there. Of course Thursday's delivery may not help the cause but he'll be tucked away in the guest 1/2 bathroom so he should be okay while I'm dealing with the chaos.

I'm so excited to be home, I'm going to sleep all day.

So now I need help.

Signore  is just this little guy's title. He still needs a name and we Oropezas have a tendency to give our critters full names.

The guidelines:

• He's Italian, so he needs an Italian sounding name.
• Historical Roman names can be candidates except for: Homer, Nero, Julius (Caesar is in the running just so I can go around saying "Hail Caesar". Am I a nerd? Sometimes.)
• Other names off the table: Fabio, Enzo, Guiseppe

Submit your ideas ASAP so this guy can learn his real name before I start calling him random nicknames, which will result in him having a major identity crisis.

Katie's Day In France

As previously mentioned, we each were given a day to make all the decisions on the trip so that one person was not forced to make all the decisions. Well, on my day Ken took off to Paris. No. My plans we're that crazy but his daughter was there so he figured it was a great time to see her.

My day started off with the search for a cafe/bakery to serve us the most delicious coffee and pastries. We picked on in the street we had passed by the night before mainly because their Suisse de Valance actually looked like men rather than aliens. After seriously messing with the normal method of ordering (sitting and placing your order) so we could actually point at the display case our order was in and we sat outside, watching the foot traffic pass by. In true exploration fashion we walked back a different way than we arrived which was perfect since we discovered the Saturday market in the main square. As we tried not to scream tourists even more than we already did, we walked the stalls and took pictures of all the amazing items. The most amazing? I found a 6 pack of cilantro. Go figure. That once again triggered our talks of "bringing a car next time rather than flying" plan. Why? Well you can only check so much wine...even when they do sell it in boxes! Yep. Boxes. At a winery.

Perhaps the most eventual part of the market was waiting in line for fromages de chevre (goat cheese). Although we had passed several stands we only decided at the very last part that we should pick some up, luckily there was still one vendor. If the line was any indication of the quality of the product we were in for a great treat. Well, that was original thought. After 10 minutes in line, trying to communicate with an older lady behind us and another lady in front it seems that the old lady selling the cheese was just super slow. Like ridiculously slow even for the Italian pace I'm still being conditioned for. Somehow we were cut in front of by this guy toting way too many plastic bags to be acceptable at a farmers market. As he tried to set them at the edge of the van where the cases were, there was a spill. Slightly bruise the produce but also a cracked egg. Upon inspection he found the cracked egg and rather than tossing it away, he downed it. The other in line had a much different reaction than Kim and I. In fact, I think our reactions were entertainment for them. It was eventually our turn and Kim used her high school French to purchase one form each bin. Again, we didn't know what we're looking for so we were probably passed off second hand cheese but it's all part of being a tourist.

Next stop was to head to the land of plantes aromatiques, lavender in particular. As we wove through the mountain roads we once again saw amazing views. Along this route we also picked out our vacation homes. At one photo opportunity I was in shock that I heard the river water flowing below us and that it smelled like nature among the trees. Eventually we made it to Saillans and walked through the streets to find the tourist office. For a town with a 900 population, the tourist office was booming. Our suspicion that we'd missed the lavender in the fields was confirmed but we were pointed in the direction of a few shops where we could buy the items so we pressed on to the next town.

All the French towns began to sound the same so short of searching through pictures to see if a town name is in one of them, I have no idea where we ended up...but we found it and the shop. After purchasing some lavender items (dried flowers, honey, and soap) we decided it was time to break out the goat cheese and my baguette from the previous day. On a picnic table next to the town's church before we were even done laying it out a orange tabby came to say hello. While he was trying to get some food, I noticed something pacing behind the fence. After watching it for a few minutes I concluded that it must be a turtle. When I went to go check it out I was pleasantly surprised that it was actually a tortoise. (Seriously, does anyone else have these random live experiences or am I just really good at noticing them?) Then both animals disappeared and the sprinkling rain turned into full on rain...as we dashed to the table under the tree. Picnic in France? Check. Rain? Bonus points.

After deciding that we were game for another 45 minutes in the car, we headed further south into Nyons for whatever their town had to offer. Did I mention we were following a map that had the different specialties of each town on it? Up to this point of the day we'd been through the guinea fowl, lavender, and goat head regions. Grapes began to reappear as we approached Nyons but Kim insisted she was okay so we pressed on. Upon arriving in Nyons the rain continued to fall but that didn't stop us...not one bit. More items were purchased and as we switched to window shopping we even took pictures in the rain. Besides the amazing bridge I saw some "old looking tower with statue" so we headed into the heart of the town. In the rain. In sandals. With one umbrella.  We were in the mountains, so yes, this town was on a serious slant and yes, cobble stone is slick when it's rainy. Needless to say it was a slow trek but we found the chapel. Unfortunately we also found an old man who decided it was okay for him to just be in boxers (a smidge too small) on the street level in front of his open window. This was not the first of shirtless old men for the day either...it must be a French thing?

With the car no longer smelling like goat cheese and more like lavender we decided it was time to head back north where our dinner of kebabs and beer awaited us. Hey, I got to pick the dinner spot too. My kebab was amazing and totally worth exploring to the train station area rather than settling for the place across from our hotel that had tempted me since check in. Dessert was a little harder to come by, but we eventually got popsicles from one of the many pizzerias. Tired from all our adventures and belly full I declared it time to watch an American movie dubbed over in French back at the hotel. Well, I never found a movie worth watching and The Simpsons were too hard to listen to, so I found some funniest animal show. Nope, I wouldn't have watched it in English, but the great part about no words is that you still know what's going on. We laughed. Probably too much with some of the clips but it was entertaining. About then Ken reappeared from Paris so we swapped stories before the sounds from the street lulled me to sleep.

Just the Bare Necessities

Our first full day on the trip was spent follow the Route des Vins through the Rhone Valley trying to locate the various caves. You think that on a designated route with not only a GPS but also a map, we'd be pros locating our destinations. You'd think. That would be way to easy. This is why I don't go anywhere in the morning without my coffee.

After seeing lots of vines, we finally caught on and found our first cave and were even greeted by an English speaker. At this point I guess we were in the Hermitage region where Syrah is the main grape. (Check me out- I'm trying to get a handle on all these grapes/wine things.)

At any rate, we did lots of driving (in circles) but the views were great and the other drivers on the road so polite. How polite? Kim decided to actually wave a few folks in. (For you non Naples drivers this is a huge thing- trust me.) Lunch that day was fabulously fried calamari beignets and quite possibly the best french fries I've ever had. In this same town we also discovered some great themed topiaries. I'm not quite sure why they picked The Jungle Book  but it sure was fun to see a familiar face or two.  My first baguette was also purchased in this town but I was so full from lunch it's going to live to see tomorrow. 

We're Not in Italy Anymore

And that's 100% okay with me! It's amazing just how many things have become acceptable to me living in Naples for just a short 3 months and a week or so. Stop signs are totally optional. Piles of trash normal. The sound of car horns and scooters create sound waves through the slightly smokey air that is (often) pungent with trash smells.

At any rate, after a short hop from Naples to Geneva, we were on our way to Valence, France for a long weekend of anything but work. Well, they both did a little work, but I sure didn't. I was also the one member of the party who took the full day off on Thursday rather than a half day. (Hey- I still had to pack!)

Southern France is absolutely beautiful. We were all in awe on how clean, orderly, and green the views were out the windows as we took the trek. Yes, the Alps were rather impressive as well. Our route became a little scenic as we drove through Grenoble to break up the old stone farm houses. Before too long we were in Valence where the front desk clerk asked us "why are you staying here 3 days?" Apparently there isn't that much to do in Valence so we explained to her that is was a good mid point in the Rhone Valley for all of our planned stops. This apparently was a good enough explanation for her as she reached for some maps and started giving us suggestions for castles.

Our hotel room was fabulously resourceful for space- bunk beds! As the youngin' and also the one most excited about them, I claimed the top bunk as my tower. Of course as soon as I climbed up there, we decided it was time to go find food so I had to mange a graceful dismount.

Exploring the down center reminded me much of the towns I've seen in Southern Germany or Austria. Lots of windows with flower boxes. Cobble stones covered with outside seating for restaurants. We took the recommendation given to us and found Italian food on most of their menu. We had to laugh but were all happy with salads- so what if mine had mini fried raviolis on it. The dessert I had was simply divine and so chocolatey I had to actually drink water. Amazing- right?

After the long day of driving we called it pretty early- big day of wine tasting scheduled for tomorrow.