Una Avventura

I am back in Novafeltria after quite an interesting weeeknd. I spent Saturday in Ravenna looking at the mosaics, and Sunday in Bologna bathing suit shopping (4$ suits, and they are CUUTE!. But the real adventure happened later, on the way back to Novafeltria.

I was in the Central Train station in Bologna, waiting for my train. Suddenly I heard my name called out. ! Who would know me in Bologna? It was Derek, another one of the singers, and he was in PERIL.

He had been in Florence with a group of people, and two of them had climbed on a trin to get back Novaf (via Bologna and Rimini). As they were settling in their seats they realized it was the wriong train and got off. Then, as the whistle was blowing, Derek realized that he had left his duffel bag with his passport on the train, and he hopped on to get it. And the doors closed. And the train pulled away. The last thing his companion saw was his horrified face at the window, mouthing " Help! I have no money!"

So when I met Derek in the station he was pretty relieved. We waited together and met two trains from Florence, but nobody else we knew got off. He was feeling curious about the sights in Bologna, so I took him on a quick tour of the centro storico. We got back just in time to buy tickets (he had also left his ticket behind) and get to our train to Rimini. We climbed in. The doors closed. The train left...

15 minutes from Rimini, the ticket checked came around and explained to us (in Italian) that we were not in Rimini, we were in FLORENCE. We had taked the train heading SOUTH, not NORTH.

Getting back to Bologna and then Rimini without a ticket was a bit tricky, but the sympathetic conductors were understanding. At 11pm we finally arrived in Rimini, having of course missed our 7:40 bus back to Novafeltria.

I went aroun d to groups of friendly-looking travelers, looking sad and broadly hinting that if they were going to Novafeltria, I was going that way too. no luck. So we walked to the seaside and found a lovely little hotel where the price of a room was cheaper than the price of a taxi back to Novafeltria.

We had dinner, got some sleep, and caught a morning bus back here. Drama over. I even called my mum and got her to call the emergency number to tell people we were okay.

The message was not passed on. Nobody actually noticed I was gone (hm!) but they had called the train authorities and police and everyone thought Derek was dead in a ditch somewhere. And I brought him back. I am a HERO!

...as long as nobody figures out that it was I who pulled us on the train back to Florence...

Elvis in Novafeltria

Although prior to travelling to Italy I was unable to find Novafeltria on a map, Elvis apparently did not have the same problem. Tonight a red '67 Chevy pulled up into the ancient piazza in the centre of town, and Elvis entered the build- uh, I mean piazza.

Pretty much the entire town came out for the event. Nonni (grandmothers) crowding onto white plastic chairs right in front of the stage, with their sons and husbands gathered in the coffee shops ringing the square. A large stage was set up, with a screen to the right playing and Elvis DVD. The crowd was dancing and singing. One of the other singers and I were on the lookout of r Elvis kitch, and we were not disappointed. One young woman sported a rhinestone-ringed Elvis purse, and - even better - another was wearing a simple black top - strapless, to reveal the face of Elvis, tattooed onto her (entire) shoulder.

The nights here are usually pretty quiet. The trees wave in the breeze, and occasional cackle from a chicken or a bark from a dog breaks through the thick night. Crickets sing, mosquitos buzz, and the sons of farmers zoom up and down the streets in their tiny trucks, chased by town boys on their Vespas. One would think that nobody here would have even heard of Elvis, much less be able to sing along. Well, people DID sing. They knew the words much better than Elvis himself did.

Here's one example: As I walk along I think of the things she went toegether while I was a young...

Oh well, Elvis, I make mistakes in YOUR language too!

It has been an interesting day, actually. Friday is when the local grocery store begins the weekly sale, and things were just mad there. Water was cheap, however, so I hauled 12 bottles of it half a kilometer and up a stone staircase back to my apartment.

My physical prowess was not the interesting aspect of this afternoon. As I was walking accross the parking lot, I noticed 5 chickens tutting and strutting and looking quite upset to be free. A lot of the houses have their own mini-vineyards and chicken runs, so I decided that these were probably local chickens and were probably not very happy with their freedom. I was not certain that they were not SUPPOSED to be in a parking lot, because I am a city girl (at least, I am compared to the country life of Novafeltria), but the chickens really DId seem upset. So, I called 'Scusi at an open door until a woman came out, and then we went around together to all of her neighbours, calling through their windows and asking if they had lost any chickens.

In the evening the best show ever came on television. It is called Cultura Moderna, and is a sort of 20 questions game. In Italian, of course. I will write more about C.M later, but it is just TOO wierd!

Okay, tomorrow a report of the lovely (I hope) town of Ravenna!

They LAUGH at me!

So I know that TRENARE is not a verb, but Internet is expensive, I had to explain to the hotel clerk I was wanting to take the train, but.. he didnàt have to laugh so HARD!

I am going to Revenna tomorrow, and Bologna the day after. Why? I don't know. Adventure seems like it may lurk in those places this weekend, and besides, the train fare is just a few Euros from here. There will be much to write about after 2 days of ADVENTURE! Right now, I ahve to look up a bit about Ravenna. I had not planned to go there, but the Italian coach told me this morning that I simply HAD to go there, and she would take a bunch of is to San Marina next weekend. So...!

Did you know that in Italy they sell pasta for dogs? How they make animal grade pasta I do not know!

Still in Novafeltria

The wife of the hotel owner just walked into the room and kissed everyone. Except for me. What, no kisses for the nice Canadian?


There is a festival on tonight in Novafeltria - booths with necklaces and food and entertainment. I am going to go look it over in a few minutes. This is really a lovely little town, it just gets booring. I guess that is why there are so many festivals here.

This weekend I am going to Bologna and San Marino. Two day trips! Not much else to report, just that the singing is going well, and in Italian class this morning the instructor brought us a pie. School should always involve a pie!