Train Ride

Buenacera tren italia!

What an interesting journey thus far.  We boarded our 11:30 pm train from Venice.  It was sad to leave but both Kelly and I are psyched for our new adventures.  The train cabin was - bare minimum.  Four plank beds with a simple sheet and a 1 square foot “pillow.”  This pillow was hardly a pillow.  In fact, I think it was stuffed with wood chips and scented with urine.  Delicious.  Upon our initial take off, there wasn’t anyone in the room with us.  I was so excited that I finally had some time to rest, I conked out immediately.  Somewhere along the lines this little woman appeared.  Her head was scarfed, and she was barely five feet tall.  She spoke little English and parked herself amongst our embarrassing amount of luggage.  I personally have one large 50 lb. suitcase, a fully packed duffel with souvenirs, and a backpack.  I guess the moral of the story is, live, learn, and pack light.  I know my next adventure is going to backpacking - and truly roughing it.  Oh well, at least I looked stylish on this trip!  I’ll just have to suffer the consequences in the next few days.  Shimmying down the narrow hallway to our cabin was a bit of a challenge.  We were gleaming with sweat, the humidity in Venice was unbearable, and other passengers waited with impatience.

I slept rather comfortably.  I woke up earlier in the night to a large puddle of drool.  Life was good.  The train conductor was very hospitable.  He woke everyone up in the morning for their stop.  He was pleasantly dressed in a three piece suit.  In the morning I spoke to him a bit.  He asked where we were from and I told him New York.  “Ohhhh, Frank Sinatra!”  I tried to tell him that my dear friend Frank was from Hoboken, but that wasn’t getting through.  

The train itself takes rather long stops in between.  The air conditioning during the night was frigid!  It was a nice treat to have the train shut off during these stops to regain circulation.

Train exploring

I had to use the bathroom in the morning.  My car had two water closets.  This meant just that.  There was no toilet to be found.  I stood there for a brief moment trying to decide if I should somehow hoist myself up onto the sink and pee.  Luckily, my sanity and rationale convinced my bladder to keep looking for an actual toilet.  I went to the next car which was more first class.  The cabins were both individual and doubles while boasting lovely wooden laminate!  CLASS (it even said that on the exterior of the train haha).  My cabin got the job done and we were untouched and not harmed.  I found the bathroom at the end of this car.  There were both male and female restrooms and mine smelled like rotten horse shit.  Good morning!

I washed my face with the “green tea” towelette provided.  I rewashed it with my own stuff after.  Ick- woodchip piss smell.  I slurped down a nectarine that we bought our last morning in Venice from the Realto market.  That was quite the sight.  I have such a hard time writing and keeping up with all of the things that I do because everything is such a new exciting experience.  It may sound cliche, but it’s true.  

When we opened the window and slid open the door, we were greeted by impressive looking mountains and tons of agriculture.  Welcome to the south!

I had some time to think...

I never realized how much of “me” was dictated by my family.  Perhaps dictated is a strong word, maybe shaped?  I was always too busy running away from who they were in order to create myself.

MOM: Insurance Guru

I was so curious about Italian healthcare.  Marina (our other professor) said it was great.  With all of our nation’s problems, I can’t imagine raving about our policies anytime soon.  She got a bone scan for 30 something euro.  I got knee surgery for a little over 50,000.

???

DAD: Fireman, planet expert, entrepreneur

My environmental concerns are perked here.  I was speaking to him via skype a few days ago and PLANET, the national professional land care network (a unified professional organization which links both interior and exterior businesses for advance professionalism) has it in the works to unify internationally with other international networks.  There’s a meeting in Norway in the fall.  I want to go!  Sign me up.

Obviously the fire service is a huge part of my life as well as his.  Until I do some more research, I’m deeming the Venetian emergency responders ill-equipped.  There are far too few visible people on duty.  Although they can do fancy pit maneuvers and make a big wake, that doesn’t account for terrorism preparedness.  Terrorism can take some pretty nasty forms.  Unfortunately my training has forced me to look at all situations from a worst case scenario perspective.  The streets and boats packed full of tourists frightens me gravely.  The only formal security I encountered so far was at the Academia museum in Florence.  This museum housed the David.  There was a metal detection system but this was the first I saw.  I have seen a few cameras about, but not nearly enough.  Maybe big brother watching is not that bad of a thing after all.  I should reread that novel-

Regardless, Venice needs to look more prepared.  I was talking to my friend Ryan today and he was asking about fire suppression in Venice.  I was embarrassed to say that I knew nothing about it.  It was a vacation from typical Kim things.  My only guess would be that the water is drafted.  

Grandpa: Engineer Extraordinaire, Family Glue

Although I did not inherit his mathematic capabilities or talents, I do have an increased awareness in surveying.  He served as the head of the NCEES for a few years.  Since I don’t have the internet at the hotel, you’ll need to google what it stands for.  Something like the National Council of Engineers who exceed the amount of letters in an acronym, something like that.  This train system perplexes me.  The construction of it blows my mind, same with Venice.  It goes through mountains, cuts across country sides and touches all cities, impressive.

In a nutshell, this train ride was sort of like the Carrie and Samantha trek across the country to LA.  Unknowing what to expect, we joyfully anticipated in what turned out to be mediocre accommodations.

Initially I was a bit queazy from my final meal.  The rosticerria we frequented was somewhat cafeteria style.  One of Marina’s family members ran it and we often saw her aunt waiving out the window from above.  I’m all for supporting a family run operation!  There was a baked lasagna section, fried assortments, (my favorite being potato croquets and fried dough with mozzarella and prosciutto) and glorious seafood.  I got a seafood salad tossed in olive oil.  It had celery, tomatoes, some light seasoning and an array of sea friends.  My black squid that I wanted to try was in there.  I tried it!  It wasn’t my favorite, at least in that context.  Kelly and I also split a platter of assorted fried friends.  There were a few unidentifiable creatures but we both tried all.  To sooth my upset octopus in my stomach, I washed it down with some nutella and lemonade.  What a champ!  I survived except my tuckas is growing by the day.  My final walk back to the apartment, I found a gym.  Why the heck!?  It was tiny and concealed in a narrow alleyway but in Campo Main, the same one where I fell in.

I had my computer with me on the train but for some reason I have been opting to hand write, it’s a backwards world out there!

Things I miss at home

• Genuine people
• Taylor Ham
• Dryers and dryer sheets
• The lower east side
• German bier
• San Loco- specifically my guaco loco taco (I get chicken with a soft and hard shell slathered with guac to connect the two together)
• My Bond #9 Scent of Peace perfume
• Giant hugs
• My family and their antics
• My girls and our spontaneous nights

I’m not homesick at all, I’m enjoying being a perpetual student of life.