Fotografo de Bodas, Santiago

October 2, 2009

I am enchanted. I can’t say the same for Seba though. This is the first time in this trip that we haven’t felt the same about a country.

See, I, I am easily swayed. One good first impression is all it takes. France and I got off on the wrong foot with Notre Dame and the coin stamping machines and the ten million tourists. Fair or not, that really shaped my impressions of Paris and I went into the rest of our time there with a bit of skepticism in my mind.

Italy, however, started us off right. We took a train to our destination, a small beach town called Marina di Santapietra, and didn’t arrive until somewhere around 11 pm. I was nervous. I don’t like arriving in an unknown place after dark.

We got off the train in Santapietra. Turns out, Santapietra and Marina di Santapietra are not the same place nor are they within walking distance.

We ventured out of the station to ask for directions to the nearest bus stop. Two young guys were walking towards us so we stopped them. One happened to be a young Korean exchange student and the other his Italian teacher — just the kinds of people who will take pity on poor lost foreign souls. They laughed when we asked about the bus. Apparently public transportation in Italy sucks (a fact that we later confirmed). Trying to get a bus in a small town after 7pm is a joke. The boys told us we would probably have to take a taxi but it would be expensive and at this hour we might not even be able to find one.

“Ok thanks! Guess we better start the search then!” I said with an optimism I didn’t actually feel. We started walking away.

“Hey wait,” Mina, the Korean exchange student called out, “maybe Marco could drive you.” Marco agreed, not seeming to mind that his car services were being volunteered by someone other than himself.

He drove us to the doorstep of our hotel even though it was at least 20 minutes out of his way — not to mention that we were strangers he had met at a train station in the middle of the night.

I love these people.

Seba doesn’t care for Italy as much because when we’re traveling in Europe he expects things to be super advanced compared to Chile. Italy is not. For a lot of other tourists that’s what makes Italy, Italy — it’s modernity combined with a third world sort of charm. But I think Seba’s thoughts are somewhere along the lines of, “If I wanted third world charm with first world prices I could’ve just stayed home in Chile.”

Me, I’m enjoying Italy so far. Thanks to Marco and Mina.

11 Comments

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11 Comments

Oh god I've always wanted to go to Italy!!! That's quite the trip you guys have planned there! What country haven't you seen!? Have a great time!

Comment by gringagonesouth — October 2, 2009 @ 7:23 am

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what a great story! tho i am also laughing aloud at Seba's impression.

Comment by Laura — October 2, 2009 @ 7:23 am

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Haha, yeah we're on a world wind tour of European capitals! Next up Brussels and then home sweet home!

Comment by kyleracine — October 2, 2009 @ 12:13 pm

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Seba's such a funny guy, I am trying to get him to do a guest blog but he won't!!!!!!!

Comment by kyleracine — October 2, 2009 @ 12:13 pm

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Awesome. And the truth.

Comment by kyleracine — October 2, 2009 @ 12:13 pm

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I was shocked to find out that the guy I dated in Italy did not have a computer. I mean, he was pretty rich… lived in a super nice neighborhood, etc. Just didn't see the need for one.

At least in Italy lack of technology doesn't always mean shambles… but instead, like you said, old world charm and gorgeous ruins and winding streets. Can you imagine trying to wire that place. it's just like a mess.

But i love it. Would hate to work there though, bet its worse than chile.

And that whole Foxy knoxy thing makes me highly skeptical about the opinion of foreigners…

Comment by amanda — October 2, 2009 @ 1:57 pm

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I remember chatting to an Italian in the middle of the night while waiting for the last bus (in Rome, the bus service was bad but not quite a 7pm finish) – he offered us beers and was so friendly despite my Italian being very poor and his English being not much better!

I've always found Italy to be incredibly friendly, my nana was Italian and despite us not meeting any of her siblings until after she died, they treated us as if we were their favourite cousins!

Seba would hate Spain – I've blogged about why I could never live in Spain…

Comment by elizaclaire — October 2, 2009 @ 4:39 pm

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I loved Italy! I only went to Venice though and it was only the second time I'd ever been Europe (I keep going to see one country at a time…Your way is much smarter!).

Seba do a guest post!

Comment by Decoybetty — October 2, 2009 @ 8:49 pm

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Ciao bella!! I am chilean, my husband is American, we read your blog and I am enjoying these comments a lot!! We got married in Italy and lived there for 4 years. After 4 years we got tired of inefficiency and we moved to Chile: the fact that you won't find a place to connect on internet at all (no matter if you are at Piazza del Duomo at Milan) and if you ask to get internet installed in your home it takes 30 working days (and you must be legal resident, not turist), the fact that you can't pay with your credit card almost everywhere, the public transportation hours (I still don't get the idea of waiting for a bus for an hour at the bus stop when here in Chile I have 200 micros every minute to go from ViÃ±a to Valpo), the fact that stores close at lunch time, mondays and thursdays arternoon in small towns, the fact of getting a doctor's appointment can take a month no matter if I am paying private service, the fact that every single documentation takes a lot of paper work, marca di bollo (stamps), approval at the questura and prefectura and that you have to get these done eather to get married or to rent a parking place, the fact that in Italy nobody rents you an apartment for less than 4 years and when they mean semi furnish they mean sanitaries and kitchen counters, the fact that in Italy they don't know the word “standarization” which means that if you ask one person for informations and then you ask another person, they both are going to tell you different things to do, no matter how serious the matter is, the fact that documents last for only 6 months so, each 6 months we had to renovate our marriage certificates (doing all the marca di bollo, questura, prefectura, etc again) got us very tired!! When we first arrived back in Chile we felt we were in a super advanced developed country: getting internet in a day? Wow! Cellphone in an hour? Fantastic! Doctor's appointment for today in the afternoon? No way!! But… people in Italy are as friendlier as I have never seen in my life!! They are great!! They might be very rude (worse than Chileans… yes!, it's possible, they ask you right on your face “why are you so fat?” even if they know you from the streets just passing by) and loud, but they invite you to their houses, feed you, introduce their families and friends and help you in anything you need. They are very very friendly!! Great people!! Coffee, regional food and pastries are also great and Italy itself is an alive museum: wherever you go you'll find Roman ruins, medieval castles, duchess palaces, art. Enjoy your staying in Italy!! Ciao bella!!

Comment by veronicamontenegro — October 3, 2009 @ 8:25 am

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Ciao bella!! I am chilean, my husband is American, we read your blog and I am enjoying these comments a lot!! We got married in Italy and lived there for 4 years. After 4 years we got tired of inefficiency and we moved to Chile: the fact that you won't find a place to connect on internet at all (no matter if you are at Piazza del Duomo at Milan) and if you ask to get internet installed in your home it takes 30 working days (and you must be legal resident, not turist), the fact that you can't pay with your credit card almost everywhere, the public transportation hours (I still don't get the idea of waiting for a bus for an hour at the bus stop when here in Chile I have 200 micros every minute to go from ViÃ±a to Valpo), the fact that stores close at lunch time, mondays and thursdays arternoon in small towns, the fact of getting a doctor's appointment can take a month no matter if I am paying private service, the fact that every single documentation takes a lot of paper work, marca di bollo (stamps), approval at the questura and prefectura and that you have to get these done eather to get married or to rent a parking place, the fact that in Italy nobody rents you an apartment for less than 4 years and when they mean semi furnish they mean sanitaries and kitchen counters, the fact that in Italy they don't know the word “standarization” which means that if you ask one person for informations and then you ask another person, they both are going to tell you different things to do, no matter how serious the matter is, the fact that documents last for only 6 months so, each 6 months we had to renovate our marriage certificates (doing all the marca di bollo, questura, prefectura, etc again) got us very tired!! When we first arrived back in Chile we felt we were in a super advanced developed country: getting internet in a day? Wow! Cellphone in an hour? Fantastic! Doctor's appointment for today in the afternoon? No way!! But… people in Italy are as friendlier as I have never seen in my life!! They are great!! They might be very rude (worse than Chileans… yes!, it's possible, they ask you right on your face “why are you so fat?” even if they know you from the streets just passing by) and loud, but they invite you to their houses, feed you, introduce their families and friends and help you in anything you need. They are very very friendly!! Great people!! Coffee, regional food and pastries are also great and Italy itself is an alive museum: wherever you go you'll find Roman ruins, medieval castles, duchess palaces, art. Enjoy your staying in Italy!! Ciao bella!!

Comment by veronicamontenegro — October 3, 2009 @ 3:25 pm

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