travel – Writing Wrongs

The sweetness of doing nothing

It probably comes as no surprise that I fell in love not only with Italian coffee but those adorable Bialetti coffeemakers as well.

I was, however, on the fence about buying one; I wasn’t entirely certain I’d have room in my suitcase. But on my last day, I decided to take the chance that I could wedge it into my suitcase and headed for the Bialetti store in Pisa.

As it turns out, when you buy a Bialetti, you get a discount on coffee to go with it. Would signora like some coffee as well? Since the sales clerk had just brewed me a sample of that coffee, who was I to say no? I might as well go all in with the coffee and coffeemaker.

And, as it turns out, yet again, my purchase reached a threshold where I could get a substantial discount on another item. What was this item?

An umbrella. For a mere 3,50 euro.

Did signora want the umbrella as well?

People, people. An umbrella. As some of you know, umbrellas—in particular, sentient umbrellas—play a big role in The Pansy Paradox.

So, yes, signora absolutely wanted the umbrella as well.

My Bialetti coffeemaker and my new (sentient) umbrella.

If it had been anything else? Maybe not. Although the sales clerk clearly had my number at this point, so probably.

So, during my last weekend in Italy, I embraced that Italian motto (as noted on my umbrella): the sweetness of doing nothing.

It was pouring down rain. The following day promised sunshine, and I planned to head for Florence. But right then, Pisa was damp, dank, and dark. So, I did what the Italians do. I honored the afternoon break time. I brewed some fennel tea, curled up, and read for a few hours.

By early evening, the rain had stopped, and I wandered into the city center for something to eat.

Another deal: Aperol Spritz and a Margherita pizza for 10 euro.

I’m back!

Hello everyone! I. Have. Returned.

But wait! Where was I?

Well, for the last few months, my daughter has been working as an au pair in Italy. Several weeks back, I was at my desk, staring at the bleak view out the window, and wondered: Why on earth am I sitting here in Minnesota?

Good question.

So, I started researching whether I could swing a trip to Italy. Turns out that I could. I found a reasonable flight, a bed and breakfast in Pisa (a quick train ride for my daughter and near many of the places I wanted to visit). Then, I made the fateful decision to click Book Now.

And perhaps it’s a coincidence or a bit of synchronicity, but there are portions of The Pansy Paradox series that take place in Italy. I’m beginning to suspect my subconscious knew—long before I did—that I needed to walk the ground for some of those portions.

I’m hoping to write more about my time there. Not so much a travelogue, which sounds boring to read, never mind write. But the odd and unusual and fun. Things that relate to the series I’m writing. Things that made me see something in a different light.

But first, some firsts:

First photo in Europe:

Sunrise over Frankfurt, Germany as we made our descent

First photo of Pisa:

First flower:

Pansies in a container along the Borgo Stretto in Pisa

Yes, pansies were everywhere in Pisa and Florence. I took that as a sign.

Trains, planes, and automobiles

Bloganuary: What is your preferred mode of travel?

When I lived in Germany, I loved taking the trains and trolleys and the U-Bahn. So easy. So convenient. Many of my friends enjoyed driving (way too fast) on the autobahn. What sticks in my mind is the phrase fünf kilometer stau. The inevitable result of driving way too fast on the autobahn.

But even catching the U-Bahn or a trolley downtown felt like a mini-adventure.

And the night train from Moscow to St. Petersburg? Well, that definitely was an adventure. It was also far less nerve-wracking than the flight into Moscow on Aeroflot.

And yes, the stories are true; the passengers really did applaud when the wheels of the plane (successfully) touched the ground.