Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Egypt Preview

Hello friends and blog-readers. I am not doing very well at keeping up with my new blog series. That is because I am not doing very well at walking home. I don’t really like walking and its been rainy lately so it doesn’t inspire me to want to walk home. So, because of the rain (and my dislike of walking), my blog is suffering. But, never fear, I have 5 more posts in my “walking home” series and I promise to deliver them…eventually. Right now, I will share a few pictures from our recent vacation to Egypt. I am not prepared to write my complete blog post about Egypt yet, nor are these all the pictures we have. Oh no, no, no…we have many, many pictures. (Bill took over 2000 pictures during our 1 week in Egypt.) But, because of his classes, he has not had time to sort through them. When he does, I will give proper tribute to our time spent in the land of the Nile. Until then, I leave you with a few pictures that I took. I hope you enjoy them and I hope it leaves you wanting more!










Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Motorinos

Here I am again. Its been very hard to come home from vacation and go back to work. And on top of that, I’m supposed to walk home…that’s not easy! But, I’m trying. And, every time I walk home, I have to update my blog.

Yesterday, as I was walking home with my camera ready, I realized how easy it was to find my next subject: motorinos. Motorinos are scooters and they are everywhere. It really is a smart mode of transportation in Rome where the streets are narrow and there is a bunch of traffic. The motorinos are able to weave in and out of traffic and arrive a lot faster than someone in a car. They have all shapes and sizes and colors of motorinos here. When I first arrived, I considered buying one for myself since I don’t have my car here, but it turns out they aren’t as cheap as I think they should be. Besides, I’m not sure I would be a very safe driver…so its probably better that I did not get one! Even though I still sort of wish that I had a brand new, bright red Vespa!

Motorinos are literally all over the city. They are parked in large groups on the street and on the sidewalks in front of buildings. They are always zipping in and out of traffic, weaving around cars and making their way to the front at every red light. If you’re in a car, the motorinos almost seem like gnats swarming around you. When I wait for the bus in the morning, I watched the various shapes and sizes pass by. I’ve even seen a motorino with a roof (it looks very funny).

When it rains, there aren’t as many motorinos out, but they aren’t entirely gone either. People drive in the rain with little covers on their lap to protect them from the wind and the rain. They also have full riding suits that they wear when the weather is bad enough. The rain does slow some motorinos down in an attempt to drive more safely, but it doesn’t always work. I saw a lady wipe out right in front of me when it was raining and she tried to accelerate too quickly from a red light. Luckily, the traffic behind her hadn’t moved yet so she was ok. She got up and pushed her motorino to the sidewalk, her ego bruised more than she was. (Because of my fear of slipping, this incident was yet another reason I did not want to buy a motorino.)

Even though motorinos can be annoying at times, I think I will miss them when I’m gone. I will miss seeing them all lined up on the sidewalk. I will miss seeing them inching their way between cars so they can get a few feet closer to the red light. I will miss seeing people carrying large bags, boxes, or even dogs between their legs on their motorinos. They are a part of Italy that I will miss.








Saturday, April 18, 2009

At The Library

Hello Everyone! I'm writing to you from the famous library in Alexandria, Egypt. I'm surrounded by a lot of people and books, and the library is very nice. I tried to send an email, but they've blocked Hotmail...so this is the best I can do. Obviously, I can't share any pictures at this time, but I thought it would be fun to say "hi". Its slightly confusing using the internet when everything is written in Arabic, but I'm figuring it out.

We're having a wonderful time in Egypt. It was extremely hot the first few days, but then we took a Nile cruise and it cooled off some. We have seen very old and very amazing things and Bill has over 2000 pictures already! Tomorrow, our adventure comes to an end and we are both sad. I am not ready to return to work, but I guess I don't have a choice! I really will need a few days to recover from this vacation. Even though we've been having fun in Egypt, it hasn't really been "restful". We've had to wake up early each day to get on with our sightseeing, so I will need some time to sleep in when I get back.

OK, gotta run. We're driving back to Cairo for our last night. Next time you hear from me, I will be in Rome again!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Inca Kola and Lomo Saltado

This is just a random post to keep you entertained while I'm on vacation. I'm going to be in Egypt all week so I wrote a few blog posts and scheduled them to upload during the week. This is something I've wanted to post for a few weeks, but I kept getting distracted by my blog series. So, I thought now was a good time to share the pictures and story.

A couple weeks ago, Bill surprised me with a very awesome gift. He bought me Inca Kola. For those of you who don't know, Inca Kola is a Peruvian soft drink that I've been drinking for as long as I can remember. Its a very sweet cola and I think its delicious...mostly because of all the memories it brings back when I drink it (and even just smell it). Bill went down to a big market by the train station to find this nostalgic treat. He didn't even know where he was going and had to ask a friend of mine for directions. He bought 6 glass bottles of Inca Kola and surprised me with them (isn't he a great husband?). They were so good! I decided that a Peruvian drink deserved a Peruvian meal so I made Lomo Saltado, also my favorite. It is a stir-fry of meat, onions, tomatoes, and french fries served over rice. I've made it before and its always been kind of dry, but this time it was great. And, I had the perfect drink to wash it all down!

Thanks, Bill!





Sunday, April 12, 2009

Happy Easter!

I'm not in Rome right now to wish you Happy Easter, but the wishes are there just the same! I hope everyone has an excellent Easter and a nice day off on Monday (those of you in Rome). I'm celebrating this wonderful day in Egypt...in the sun! What a great way to celebrate the glorious miracle of Jesus risen from the grave. You can be sure that wherever I am, (and my sister too, I think) I will be singing "Up From The Grave", my favorite Easter hymn. I wish you all a blessed Easter and I leave you with pictures of our Easter egg dyeing parties this week!






Saturday, April 11, 2009

Bus 53

This month, I'm walking home from work three times a week (as you've heard). But, when I'm not walking home, I take the bus. I don't have a car here in Italy so when I arrived, I had to learn the public transportation system. Fortunately, there is a bus stop right around the corner, and there is one bus that takes me directly to work. That bus is my bus, Bus 53. I love my bus. It stops half a block from our apartment and it takes me straight to work and then it continues on to the end of the line. I use this bus to get to/from work and also to go downtown to do things (like movies, shopping, etc.). Bus 53 is a little different than other buses because it is on a schedule (supposedly). Basically, that means that there are fewer buses running and they are supposed to arrive at each stop at a scheduled time, but they rarely do. A lot of people grumble about the 53 because it doesn't come as often as other buses, and some people give up on it and take another bus (like the 63 or 52). But not me...no, I remain loyal to my 53. I patiently wait for my favorite bus to arrive. Being a scheduled bus also means it has limited hours (it stops running at 9:00 PM which is annoying sometimes) and it doesn't run on holidays or Sundays (which is annoying because it could take me directly downtown to church, but it doesn't run on Sunday so its not helpful).

I like the public transportation in Rome. It has always been adequate for my needs. There is a very helpful website and I've been able to get everywhere I need to go. Once you learn the rules, riding the bus can be fun. The first rule (as I mentioned in a previous post) is that you have to have your bus ticket before getting on the bus. Once you board the bus, you have to validate your ticket by putting it in the yellow machine at the front or back of the bus. The machine prints an expiration date/time on your ticket. That means you are allowed to get on and off of as many buses and trams as you like until your ticket expires. They sell 75 minute tickets, 1-day tickets, 3-day tickets, monthly tickets, and even yearly tickets. (The yearly tickets are a little different because you have to go downtown to get them and they actually have your picture printed on them, like a driver's license...I know, because I had one!) Its important to have a ticket and to validate it because occasionally, there are "ticket checkers" that get on the bus and ask for your ticket. If you don't have one, they fine you (at least 50 euro). One more reason I like the 53 is that the ticket checker almost never get on. There aren't enough passengers to make it worth their time!

When you ride the bus, you have to follow certain etiquette rules. You always enter the bus from the front or back door and you exit the bus from the middle door. Some drivers are very particular about this and they won't even open the other doors for you. You're also expected to give up your seat for old people or disabled people (but that's common sense). Another rule: when you want to get off the bus, you have to request the stop. Each bus line has set stops (listed on the big yellow sign at each bus stop) but it won't actually stop unless there is someone that wants to get on or off. If you want to get off at the next stop, you have to push the button. During rush hour, the bus generally stops at all stops because there are a lot of people, but late at night, the bus will pass 10 or more stops before stopping...its great.

As excited as I am to get my car back in 4 months, I will miss riding the bus in Rome. I have enjoyed riding the 53 and every time I see it, I am happy. I was able to get a few pictures of my favorite bus while I was walking home on Wednesday, it was hard to resist jumping on.







Friday, April 10, 2009

Zoo Signs

One thing that I love about Rome and will never forget are the many, many (many) Zoo signs. Apparently, there is a zoo in Rome...somewhere. I've never been there, even though its close to my house. I think we'll try to go before we leave. But this isn't about the zoo, its about the signs!

Someone at the zoo really wants people to know about it. I guess they need more people to visit. Part of their "marketing" campaign is directional signs around the city, pointing your way to the non-famous zoo. These signs are everywhere! You see them all over the downtown area, where most of the tourists are, but you also see them out in residential areas and other random places. They are literally everywhere! There are millions of them. That fact by itself is kind of amusing...but it gets better. The signs don't always point in the right direction! They point every which way and it would be very difficult to find the zoo by following signs. Two signs, only 1 block away from each other, point in different directions. Or, there is one sign pointing toward the zoo (miles away) and then nothing, for blocks and blocks. I don't think their campaign is very successful because anyone trying to find the zoo would give up in frustration long before they ever found it. And, if they tried to look at the map, they would be equally frustrated because on almost all maps of Rome, the zoo is labeled as the Bioparco. So, good luck finding the zoo!

I had an idea months ago to take a picture by all the zoo signs we could find and point toward the zoo (whether or not the sign was pointing the same direction). I still think its a great idea and the pictures would make a very hilarious album...but I just don't have the time. I don't have the time to walk around downtown and take hundreds of zoo sign pictures. Instead, I took pictures of the zoo signs I saw as I was walking home. Someday we'll visit the zoo and let you know if all the signs are worth it!!





Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Tabacchi

I walked home from work on Monday, I promise I did, but I haven't had time to write a proper blog post about it yet. I also walked home today, but that post will have to wait 'till later. Right now I want to tell you about my Tabacchi store (pronounced "ta-BAK-ee"). When I was in Italian language class, before coming to Italy, the teacher told us about the Tabacchaio, a store that we would all go to often. I thought to myself, "Why would I need to buy tobacco? I don't really think this store will apply to me." Little did I know what it really was.

The Tabacchi store ("tabacchi" is the plural of "tabacchaio") does sell cigarettes, so some people literally do go there for tobacco, but the rest of us go to the Tabacchi for other assorted items: mainly bus tickets. The public transportation system in Rome is very good, in my opinion, but you can't buy the tickets on the bus (except some of the small buses or the trams). Instead, you have to buy the tickets before you board, and you have to buy them at a Tabacchi store. These stores are everywhere...you see them on every other street corner downtown and they are often just a small hole-in-the-wall. They also sell phone cards, postage stamps, pens, lighters, watches, candy, jewelry, maps, and other random, everyday items. The Tabacchi is not really a place to shop - most transactions take less than a minute. You just stop in, buy what you need, and go on your way. Its usually very convenient.

We have a Tabacchi store right around the corner from our apartment, literally across the street from the bus stop. Its very handy when I'm waiting for the bus in the morning to run across the street and buy some tickets (or send Bill across the street to get the tickets for me!). I've been fascinated by the whole Tabacchi store idea. They are everywhere and each one looks pretty much the same. There is also a blue "T" sign outside to indicate that they are a legitimate Tabacchi store...setting them apart from all the imposters, I guess! I pass at least 20 Tabacchi stores as I am walking home, passing by "our" store last of all.

"our" Tabacchi store
its legitimate
bus tickets

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Sma

Last Friday was my first day to walk home (this year). As part of my new series, I decided to start easy. I needed groceries, and the grocery store is on the way home, so I walked past it and took some pictures! When I first arrived in Rome, I wasn't very happy with the grocery store. Grocery shopping requires a completely different mentally in Italy. People buy their food a little bit at a time, instead of buying a whole cart full. This means that they tend to buy food that is more fresh, but it also means they have to go shopping more often. Of course, this took some time for me to get used to. I couldn't complain too much, though, because the store is about 1.5 blocks away...very close. Once I got used to it, I actually liked the Sma, our grocery store. (The name is "Sma" but last year they renovated the whole thing and I think they changed the name to "Punto Sma". We still call it "Sma".)

Sma is a relatively small grocery store with limited stock, but it usually has what I need. (It is a small store that is actually below street level. There is a long "drive-way" to get in and there are no windows inside.) It has a small produce section, a small bakery and deli section, and a small version of all the regular grocery store sections. Things are more expensive than in the US, but that's true of most everything in Italy. During a normal week, we usually go to the Sma about 3 times. Bill often goes during the day to buy normal things like milk or fruit. We also go on Saturday afternoons to prepare for pizza night or other special events. Saturday mornings are very busy, but by the afternoon there aren't many people shopping. Its more enjoyable that way.

One of the things that I like about grocery stores in Italy is the carts. (They have regular shopping carts, but very few people use them.) Instead, they have small carts that you pull around behind you (kind of like a carry-on suitcase). The size is adequate for the normally small amount of groceries that people buy. It also makes moving around the narrow aisles easier. I like the Sma and I like grocery shopping, especially now that the strawberries are in season...yummy! Our Sma is just one of the things I see as I am walking home.

our grocery store...Sma!
the first aisle (notice the green carts)
the milk section
the fresh fish section
the deli meats section
cheese!
the olive oil section (lots of olive oil!)

Friday, April 3, 2009

Walking Home

Its April! The weather is definitely improving and today was actually a nice day. This is the third April I've spent in Rome, and it will be my last. The first year I was here, I decided t0 walk home from work (about 1 mile) to get some exercise. (Normally, I take the bus home.) I walked home 3 times a week for the month of April and then I stopped...I don't like too much exercise. The following year, when April arrived, I decided it would be a good time to walk again. So, again, I walked home 3 times a week. I guess it was a combination of the improving weather and wanting to do something good for myself. It lasted one month - that was enough "good for me"! (If you're wondering why I don't walk to work, then you must not know what kind of morning person I am!)

Now that April is here again, I suppose I will be walking again. It can't hurt, right? And, I decided it would be a good excuse for a new blog series. There are a lot of reasons I am ready to leave Italy, but there are also some things I will miss...or at least some very interesting and unique things that I want to remember. As I walk home from work this month, I will take pictures of those things and I will share with you some of the uniqueness of Italy. It should be fun for you and fun for me! It won't be quite as long as the last series (I only walk home 3 times a week, and I will be on vacation for one of those weeks) so I think I'll limit it to 10 things. Yup, 10 things from Italy that I want you to know about. 10 things that I want to remember long after I've left the land of pasta and gelato.

Ah, April - there are so many things to look forward to this spring...