August 5 - 10, 2014, Back in Italy
Can it really have been only six days since I arrived in
Italy??? Seems like so much has happened
in such a short time! Been a little
busy...
Today, Sunday, after church I am hanging out at the Caputo's home. Mariella and Nicola are preparing lunch and since they insist they don't need me to help, I will take this time to blog a little.
After spending all day August 3rd with my daughter and family in Albuquerque, then flying TWO back-to-back 'Red-Eye' flights, I was a little tired by the time I arrived in Italy on the morning (7:30am) of August 5th. I then rented a car (Fiat... certainly not a Lincoln TC, but it drove very nice) in the Rome airport and drove approx. five hours to Bari. It was a beautiful drive and I didn't get too sleepy until about the last hour. I had managed to sleep some on the flights and even stretched out on the floor in a far corner of the New York JFK Airport while I was waiting for my next flight, but by the time I actually got to Bari, I was starting to feel like I needed a bed and a good sleep! Had been up more than 48 hours by then.
Some shots I took on the drive from Rome to Bari:
The little white Fiat I was driving parked in just across and down the street from my apt.
It is very HOT here in Bari this time of year and also very
humid. I was sure glad for the extra
hour after I arrived here to 'cool down'.
My apartment has air conditioning (very few places do here) so most
afternoons I stay inside. I understand
now why all the shops (hundreds of them) close during the heat of the
afternoon. It is a really interesting
thing to me...if you want to go to the shops, you have to go early in the
morning or late in the evening. If you
go during the afternoon (1pm-6pm) they are all closed and the doors (garage
type) are all pulled down, and hardly anyone on the streets. You can't even tell what type of shop it is
when they are all closed up, so took me a couple of days to find the stores I
needed. After 6:00pm everything opens
back up and the streets are teeming with people. Also the shops are very small and narrow, so
makes for elbow to elbow shopping. Each
shop is specific to an item. Every
block has many shops on the street level and tall apartment buildings
above. I have found a few minor things for my
apartment (it is furnished), but there are NO Wal-Mart's or Costco's here! The supermarket is NOT a Safeway... basic
things only. I do however, love the
fresh daily fruit and vegetable produce market just around the corner from my apartment... the key
is to get there early :) ... not me. I
am avoiding bread right now, but there is also a coffee shop and bakery on
every corner and several in between.
Every evening hundreds of people walk, jog, bike or
just hangout, etc. on the promenade along the sea. My apartment is one and half blocks from it. I can see the Adriatic Sea from my balcony,
but haven't spent much time on it, as it is just too hot. A nice breeze comes up in the evening though.
View from my balcony
The Promenade at night
The church just around the corner from my apartment
My first order of business now that I am here in Italy is to
apply for my Permesso di Soggiorno. I
have eight days to get it turned in. I
walked to the Poste Italiane (Post Office) to pick up my kit and then it took
me two plus days to fill it out, as it is all in Italian!! Anyway, Liliana is going to look over it with
me this afternoon to make sure it is all correct and then go with me tomorrow
morning (Monday) to turn it in, just in case I need a translator. Liliana is Marco's sister and since Marco and
Cristina (who usually does this for me) have gone to Switzerland for a week, I
sure appreciate Liliana doing this for me.
The Caputo's... all of them... have been wonderful to me! Really, really appreciate them!! and they
speak English :)
Orginally I had hoped to make it to Petacciata for the week,
to help with preps, but there was just toooooo much to get done and the time
factor on the Permesso was critical, so that took priority. Everyone heads from Petacciata to Carema on
Wednesday, and I will catch a ride with Luigi to Carema at 10 pm that night...
going to be a long drive (1100km). We
will stop in Milano and pick up Pasquale. Conventions here in Italy are at Carema in
the North, Aug. 16-18 and Petacciata, in the South, Aug. 23-25.
On Tuesday, Aug. 19th, after Carema, I have rented a van (cars are very
small here) to move my things from Vicchio (Piccolo's who have kindly kept them
for me!) to Bari, then I will head to Petacciata on Thurs. or Friday 22nd. I had an offer to ride up on Wednesday,
however, I'm not sure that I can be ready by then. So as you can see, August is a very busy
month!
My plan for September is to STUDY!!!! I must learn this language and I really need some quiet time to just concentrate on it. I have been getting by with just knowing words, but unable to string sentences. This only gets me so far. I am unable to carry on conversations and this is 'cramping my style'... I love to talk as most of you know :) There is also Much to see here in Bari, but all that will be in good time. I have ridden past lots and lots of interesting places I will have to check out.
The location of my apartment is very central to all the things I need. About a 20 minute walk to the train, bus (depending on which one I need), Poste Italiane and Questura. Shops start at the corner of my block and go up and down every street. Only one and half blocks from the sea and the promenade. It is a 'new' apartment in an old building in the modern heart of the city in the major shopping district.
My plan for September is to STUDY!!!! I must learn this language and I really need some quiet time to just concentrate on it. I have been getting by with just knowing words, but unable to string sentences. This only gets me so far. I am unable to carry on conversations and this is 'cramping my style'... I love to talk as most of you know :) There is also Much to see here in Bari, but all that will be in good time. I have ridden past lots and lots of interesting places I will have to check out.
The location of my apartment is very central to all the things I need. About a 20 minute walk to the train, bus (depending on which one I need), Poste Italiane and Questura. Shops start at the corner of my block and go up and down every street. Only one and half blocks from the sea and the promenade. It is a 'new' apartment in an old building in the modern heart of the city in the major shopping district.
Wikipedia: Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia (or,
in Italian, Puglia) region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy.
It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city,
as well as the city of Saint Nicholas. The city itself has a
population of about 50 million as of 2011, over 116 square kilometres
(45 sq mi), while the fast-growing urban area counts 25 million
inhabitants over 203 square kilometres (78 sq mi). The metropolitan area counts 75 million inhabitants.
Bari is made up of four different urban sections. To the north
is the closely built old town on the peninsula between two modern harbours,
with the Basilica of Saint
Nicholas, the Cathedral of San
Sabino (1035–1171) and
the Swabian Castle built for Frederick
II, which is now also a major nightlife district. To the south is
the Murat quarter (erected by Joachim Murat), the modern heart of the city,
which is laid out on a rectangular grid-plan with a promenade on
the sea and the major shopping district (the via
Sparano and via Argiro).
After a wonderful day spent with the Caputo's, and then evening bible study at Malfalda's I was offered a ride to my apartment, so did not have to take the bus this evening. That was really nice! Tomorrow evening I have dinner plans with yet other friends... don't think I'll get bored anytime soon!!!
Must be off to sleepytown now so I can get up and be ready to face the Questura in the morning. Liliana will pick me up just before 8am. Will post tomorrow with any updates. Ciao
Quick update 08/06/14. Arrived in Rome at 7:35 am yesterday, then rented a car and drove from Rome to Bari, arriving about 2 pm Italy time. It was a beautiful drive. I got a few pictures which I will upload in a few days and also update my blog. I was very tired, so after stopping by Cristina's for a quick shower and a bite of lunch, I checked into my apartment and promptly fell asleep and didn't wake until 9 pm. I then got up and did a bit of unpacking, then I went to bed and had a good rest. It was much needed, as I had been up for over 48 hours, with some sleep on the flights. Feeling rested this morning and will do a bit of shopping for the apartment etc. All for now, will blog soon.
You are amazing in all of what you are experiencing. Love your blogs and you sharing every detail. Hard to comprehend your courage and bravery and flexibility, but it sounds like one thing you do is take most things in stride, which would lessen anxiety levels. Keep sharing, we love to hear.
ReplyDeleteBonnie... if I keep my expectations low, I am never disappointed and appreciate the little things so much more!
ReplyDeleteI will echo what Bonnie said. .....................................................are ypu going to write a book abnout your experience?! I look forward to your blog,iut is very interesting. Sandy
ReplyDeleteHi Carmen,
ReplyDeleteAre you back in the states? Just now finding time to read your blog. So enjoyable.
Will we see you next May?
Love,
Debra and Ivano
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