Italy, The hotel and a few random incidents;



The hotel I stayed at was literally a half block from the train station. It was very easy to find, but when I first saw it I was a bit confused. It was the right name and address, but the hotel looked to nice for the room rates. It had a nice exterior, and the nicest lobby I have ever been in while traveling in Europe. I was the right place though, and I quickly checked in and headed up to my room. The room was a single, a was a typical European room. It was larger then I thought it would be. It had an on sweet bathroom, closet, desk and bench like chair. The bed was a single, and looked like a day bed. The room was very cozy, and sweet.














While I was waiting to board the train to Venice, I was standing behind two men traveling together. They seemed a bit confused and wanted to make sure they had the right train. So one of them started to ask me a question in Italian. So I responded in Italian (this is the best line to learn when going to another country. Say it in the countries language simply to be polite and respectful) I'm sorry, do you speak English?

He responded, "err, little, no good". Then he asked if I spoke French. I responded no, do you speak Dutch? (German, Dutch and the Scandinavian countries all sort of resemble Norwegian) He did not, so we spoke in broken English, and pointing. When we had decided that he and his friend were in the right place, he asked me if I was Australian. It was the first time someone did not assume I was American. I do not know how he got Australian, since I do not think I have an accent that sounds anything but American.


When I was walking back across the bridge by the train station in Venice, I saw 5 or 8 guys with canvas tarps on the bridge steps. Each tarp had hand bags displayed for the tourists to buy, and they were either fake, or stolen. Anyway, as I approached one of the men yelled something to the others. The all quickly grabbed the tarps and ran off in to the ally ways with there merchandise. As I reached the top of the bridge, I saw what the men were running from. Two police officers had turned the corner, and were approaching the bridge. The street seller were so well organized and quick, that the police never knew they were there.

At the Milan airport, many planes leave from the same gate within ten minutes of each other. While I was waiting for my flight to board, a flight going to Brussels was boarding. I had my passport out because my flight was next. I looked up and noticed a women perhaps in her 50's looking at me. She was in line to board the plane and as she got closer to me, I noticed that she had a dark blue passport which meant she was probably an American. When she was just about in-front of me, she eagerly asked if I was an American. I said I was, and she got a huge smile on her face and she told me that she was from Michigan. It must have been her first trip to Europe, and she was heading home through the Brussels hub. I guess I was the first person she saw that was definitely from the states. It was very cute.