Train ride from famous Tuscana to un-famous Abruzzo...
As I continue my 3 month sojourn, living here in Italy, doing volunteer work in exchange for food and shelter...yes... I will work for food...(um and shelter)...
...I find myself in the wilderness in the region called Abruzzo.
I know...you have never heard of it...Well neither had I...and I have studied Italy a lot!
It's basically due right of Rome, all the way to the sea.
Turns out there's a whole lot of sea shore on this peninsula but it seems that most of us Americans just think of the famous cities or the famous rolling hills of the region of Tuscany...and that's it.
Well I came here to find un-famous places and here I am!
One of my Italian friends living in Tuscany said: "You are going to Abruzzo next!?
There is NAW-THINGK there!"
Well it turns out that it is...hmmm...how to describe...
can't think of a word except 'breathtaking' and that word is overused almost as much as 'amazing'...
...so just take a look at the picture...
can't think of a word except 'breathtaking' and that word is overused almost as much as 'amazing'...
...so just take a look at the picture...
A view from Agritourismo L'Aperegina
Turns out that 33 percent of this region is national park...
So there is lots and lots of unspoiled 'NAW-THINGK'!!!! Since I refuse to use the word 'amazing',
I will say the italian word for paradise instead...
P A R A D I S O.
On my 10 hour train ride...I met people who helped me along the way.
(hmmm, someone is praying for me again :)
Pictured below is this cute guy...it's just a descriptive word... who, when I asked him,
assured me that I was indeed at the correct track, binario, to catch the 2nd leg of my journey.
assured me that I was indeed at the correct track, binario, to catch the 2nd leg of my journey.
Then when a jumbled, crackly sounding announcement squeaked over the P.A. system,
...which I did not understand...
(no gestures...I need gestures to understand Italian!)
...THANKFULLY this guy told me they had changed the track at the last minute.
(Do you see little gaurdian angel wings? Cuz I think I do...)
...If I had missed that close connection my TEN hour journey would become a TWELVE hour journey...
My train arrived in Rome on a bright sunny day, with a quick glimps of St. Peters looming in all it's glory. Some trains are high speed and kinda cush,
but most of the trains I have been on are like a school bus on tracks.
Not a problem, though, I ended up talking with some Austrailians and Americans
and had a most pleasant conversation.
Did you know that conversation can be more fun and decidedly more enlightening
than entertainment?
(Take this from someone who has seen only 3 tv shows in 5 weeks)...
...hmmmm...
but most of the trains I have been on are like a school bus on tracks.
Not a problem, though, I ended up talking with some Austrailians and Americans
and had a most pleasant conversation.
Did you know that conversation can be more fun and decidedly more enlightening
than entertainment?
(Take this from someone who has seen only 3 tv shows in 5 weeks)...
...hmmmm...
The next connection was only 5 minutes and that is almost impossible,
...but guess what...
...this wonderfully kind Italian woman waiting for her train, told me in italian, to take the stairs...
She must have watched me not find them cause then she actually came over,
found me and showed me where the stairs were
... a n d walked with me down the tunnel walkway to the stairs (again) that led up to my platform.
Wings. I hear wings...
I have now experienced, several times, the power of kindness...
aaaahhhh
...but guess what...
...this wonderfully kind Italian woman waiting for her train, told me in italian, to take the stairs...
She must have watched me not find them cause then she actually came over,
found me and showed me where the stairs were
... a n d walked with me down the tunnel walkway to the stairs (again) that led up to my platform.
Wings. I hear wings...
I have now experienced, several times, the power of kindness...
aaaahhhh
So I arrive in one of the many train stations in Rome and go to the window to buy my ticket for my next connection, and was told simply 'Not today. Tomarrow.'
... Meaning I would have to wait 2 hours for the next connection...
oh...kay...eee....
I bought my ticket and proceeded to scope out one of the few benches
that were in a cool shady place
and when someone got up, I schooched in.
Unfortunately, there was a very large man nearby verbally getting into peoples space and bumming for food... Oh man, I don't want to give up this seat, but I don't want to deal with this man...
When I quietly asked the man next to me a question, the obtrusive man tryed to horn into the conversation. The nice man quietly said something to the obstrusive man that shut him up for the next 2 hours.
Whew. I will always wonder what he said...
... Meaning I would have to wait 2 hours for the next connection...
oh...kay...eee....
I bought my ticket and proceeded to scope out one of the few benches
that were in a cool shady place
and when someone got up, I schooched in.
Unfortunately, there was a very large man nearby verbally getting into peoples space and bumming for food... Oh man, I don't want to give up this seat, but I don't want to deal with this man...
When I quietly asked the man next to me a question, the obtrusive man tryed to horn into the conversation. The nice man quietly said something to the obstrusive man that shut him up for the next 2 hours.
Whew. I will always wonder what he said...
Well, maybe we should talk guardian angels again, because this nice man named Antonio,
was going on the same 4 1/2 train ride I was on and was departing the train at the stop right before mine...
and... he knew where the right track was. :)
We ended up talking about the most interesting things, so the train ride went quickly...
a n d he knew where the air-conditioned train car was instead of the sauna-like one!
We talked about why some people are happy and some will never be,
I talked about how I used to think I could love people so much that they would be happy,
and we both agreed that being single was much better than being married (at least at this point in life)...
I told him how God gave me peace and that I felt whole and complete
because He (God) was in my heart...
It's amazing how I feel no problem with my Italian when I talk about my dear Father God...
Antonio is pictured below.
Suzanne and Antonio on the train ride to Abruzzo
was going on the same 4 1/2 train ride I was on and was departing the train at the stop right before mine...
and... he knew where the right track was. :)
We ended up talking about the most interesting things, so the train ride went quickly...
a n d he knew where the air-conditioned train car was instead of the sauna-like one!
We talked about why some people are happy and some will never be,
I talked about how I used to think I could love people so much that they would be happy,
and we both agreed that being single was much better than being married (at least at this point in life)...
I told him how God gave me peace and that I felt whole and complete
because He (God) was in my heart...
It's amazing how I feel no problem with my Italian when I talk about my dear Father God...
Antonio is pictured below.
He spoke no english, but quickly figured out that if he spoke slowly and with charade-like gestures
... and the occasional drawing... that I could understand Italian.
We are laughing because when I asked 'permesso' to take the picture
he actually broke out an english phrase "not photogenic"...
... and the occasional drawing... that I could understand Italian.
We are laughing because when I asked 'permesso' to take the picture
he actually broke out an english phrase "not photogenic"...
Here are some photos taken from the train as it wound through the mountains...
When it was time for Antionio to depart in his town of Sulmona....
I got to enjoy that lovely Italian
tradition of receiving a kiss on both cheeks... Awww...
Antonio was sweet and I promised to write and send him a link to this blog.
I think guardian angels deserve a thank you note...
so I'll be sending one of those too :)
My train stop was next and I was thankful that Antonio had explained that the train would actually
PASS my stop then I would double-back to my destination, Torre dei Passeri...
otherwise I might have had a small meltdown at seeing that we
were not stopping at my station!!
Below is just a cute little building in the double-back town, (forgot the name)...
but I found some wonderful gelato here as I waited with all these birds
twittering as I sat next to a refreshing little fountain in the warm sunshine...
I was picked up at the train station and carried about 30 minutes through the beautiful country side ...
When it was time for Antionio to depart in his town of Sulmona....
I got to enjoy that lovely Italian
tradition of receiving a kiss on both cheeks... Awww...
Antonio was sweet and I promised to write and send him a link to this blog.
I think guardian angels deserve a thank you note...
so I'll be sending one of those too :)
My train stop was next and I was thankful that Antonio had explained that the train would actually
PASS my stop then I would double-back to my destination, Torre dei Passeri...
otherwise I might have had a small meltdown at seeing that we
were not stopping at my station!!
Below is just a cute little building in the double-back town, (forgot the name)...
but I found some wonderful gelato here as I waited with all these birds
twittering as I sat next to a refreshing little fountain in the warm sunshine...
I was picked up at the train station and carried about 30 minutes through the beautiful country side ...
Arrived at my beautiful new place where I will "workaway" for a while...
I'd better close for now while I still have an internet connection...
Internet is (again), very limited...
sometimes I feel a bit like I'm on the dark side of the moon when it comes to computer land...
but I'll wright again soon because I have so much to show you!!!
Ciao from this peaceful and tranquillo place :) ....
2 comments:
I am so happy for you and glad the angels are looking out for you on your journey. Reading your blog reminds me so much of my time in Norway and the trains. You hit it on the nose about the "bus on tracks". Hugs, Amanda D.
You are most definitely being prayed for, my friend!
Kim
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