Wow, what an experience today. 4 trains and 2 buses in total. I was so relieved to get back to Umbertide around 6:30pm.
So today:
I didn't do my morning jog as my feet were 'hurtin' pups' due to 2 very long walks yesterday.
I had my expresso machiato (sp?) at the neighborhood cafe' then headed to the train station.
I was so nervous.
I am glad I had a schedule to I could match up times with the trains.
I got on the 9:54 and validated the wide ticket. I settled in and then started to cry, a few tears rolling down my cheeks. (no tissues) It was so emotional, being in Italy. There was this moment when it was REAL, I was here and I was on my journey.
When I got to Perugia (Ponte S. Giovanni) I was able to see the time of my train to Assisi on the screen.
What I couldn't figure out was how to validate my ticket. My ticket was thin and the space on the machine was 3x as wide. I asked the ticket man behind the glass. He was frustrated with me. I honestly couldn't figure it out. A woman came over and tried, she couldn't either. He had to come out from the office and do it for me. His expression to me was one of disgust. I felt bad. I am always polite and I was truly confused. I remind myself there are many people in the U.S. who would be rude too. Human nature I guess.
Now, I get to Assisi and I was expecting that I could walk to everything. I start walking and after about 10 minutes I realize there is no way I am going to be able to walk up that huge hill in the distance.
Thankfully, there was a small shop that sold bus tickets and the stop was right there too.
For 2 euro I got round trip tickets.
The bus came after 15 minutes (I thought I might have to wait an hour) and on board (it was packed) I met a woman who spoke English from Brussels. That was a very nice short conversation.
I spent the day walking around Assisi. Up and down. The upper part of S. Francesco moved me very much.
I had a lovely day. It was nice to hear people speaking English (UK accents mostly and German). It was very international and I like it.
I figured out how to back to the bus and then to the train station. I had 90 minutes until my train. It was nerve-raking but I did it.
It was difficult as they do not announce the stops and I couldn't always see out the window at the station name. Umbertide didn't look familiar, so I asked 2 people. Thankfully it was.
It was a very emotional day for me. I am proud of myself. I am also totally exhausted, on every level.
My neck is a mess...stress.
I am sure I look confident, people tell me I come across that way. Inside, I felt like a 6 yr old who lost her mother in a crowd.
On a less enthusiastic note, I had a few more 'no responses' to my 'Buongiorno'.
Also, I have encountered a few men who are rude. Not sexually, more of an obvious annoyance that I do speak Italian. Strange, as I don't interact much at all with anyone. I stay to myself a lot. Oh well.
Here are the lines from that Rilke book I started yesterday:
(From the first few pages)
"I am learning to see. I don't know why it is, but everything penetrates more deeply into me and does not stop at the place where until now, it always used to finish."
"I have an inner self of which I was ignorant. Everything goes thither now. What happens there, I do not know."
"I am afraid. One has to take some action against fear, once one has it."
Isn't that amazing??
Something that was an eye opener yesterday was as I was journaling I realized that I have a hardwired belief that I should apologize for who I am, for taking up space, for being born. That reads rather severely, but what I mean is that I find I am very aware of not bothering anyone.
I have not processed this yet, but it was one of those 'aha' moments. Why do I act so self-dismissing?
Interesting.
ON the way home tonight, I stopped at a butcher/deli. I bought a piece of cooked pork, some potatoes, and roasted peppers. It was wonderful. Yummy!!! Then I ate a peach. Divine.
I am going to go for a walk later and then to bed early.
Ciao, p
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