Tuesday, October 12, 2010

November 15th, 2003: Homeward Bound

Here goes the final journal entry from my European visit. (Comments from today italicized below original journal text.)

Sat 11/15:
  • Woke 5:30 a.m., drive to Milan airport
  • Sat at small "restaurante" (?) and had "Cafe Americano" - Mom had blueberry muffin, Allen (3 Euro!) fresh squeezed orange juice
  • Went through metal detector, visa check, customs
  • Flight from Milan - GREAT to hear "Good Morning" from pilot after so long!
    Like music to my ears.
  • Sat next to girl who seemed Italian on way to Tennessee (quiet due to headache) - good - no loud person sitting all that distance :)
  • Arrived in Atlanta airport @3:20 p.m. Eastern time (seemed like 9:20 p.m. Italy time)
  • Major line in customs & security @1 hr 45 min wait
    Ugh.
  • Called home
  • Flight layover 5 hrs - bought 'Chicken Soup' book & ate Burger King for the first time in sooo long.
  • Watched football & learned that K-State beat NU - Oh No! I was happy to see football again??
And there you have it. I have no follow up journal entries from when I arrived home, but I do have a list of observations from my European visit:
  • Italians - No lids! (Some in Venice)
  • Germans - Doutchland - they seem to have it right - lids! (But no wash clothes)
  • Flusher on WALL.
    These are my bathroom observations, of course.
  • Rome train station - beggar throwing & yelling at passengers
    Scary experience.
  • "Tourist trap" - pay @.60 Euro to use bathroom in tourist attractions
    Hold it for the train, if at all possible.
  • Italian kids/teenagers riding Metro/train to school, no parents along
    Can't even imagine doing that in the USA.
  • Dinner starts @7:30 p.m., restaurants open at @7 p.m. -> midnight
    Eating is a major event for Italians.
  • Skinny cows - not allowed out of barn in farms (Mom to start Cow Rights organization)
    Good reason NOT to order steak while in Italy.
  • Germans speak more English to tourists than Italians ("Healthier" because they eat more? better?)
  • Poor country - employment poor, living
  • In Rome - motor scooters everywhere like bees buzzing around, men/women both riding them

Roman Coliseum

So good to be home again.

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