Firenze (Florence), Italy

On early Thursday morning, Christian drove us to Modena and dropped us off at the train station.  In order to marry in Italy, we needed the U.S. Consulate to notarize the nulla osta form, the form saying that there are no obstacles for us to marry.  So here we were, awaiting the train to the regional U.S. Consulate in Firenze (Florence, to Americans).  Since we had nine o'clock appointments at the Consulate, Christian kindly offered to take us to the train station.  That was truly helpful as by this point we didn't know how to get to Modena via bus.  So here's Chuck waiting for the train at Modena.  It cost about twenty-seven euros for two one-way tickets to Firenze.

So there are more than one train station in Firenze.  There is one a few blocks from the U.S. Consulate, but we got off at the more northern one, Firenze Rifredi, as it said on our ticket destination.  Since we didn't know where we were and how to get to the U.S. Consulate, we decided to take a taxi.  However, we did buy a map and tried to figure out our location and destination, but to no avail.  Fortunately, we didn't choose to walk because it was a good ten minute ride to the Consulate.  It was about eleven euros for the taxi ride.  So we finally arrive at the U.S. Consulate and took fifteen minutes to notarize our nulla osta forms.  Here's Chuck after we finished with the paperwork.

Here's a picture of some church (?) while we were waiting for a taxi to the other train station, Firenze Rifredi.

We tried taking the train back from the closer train station, but they had a later departure time than the other train station.  So, we took a taxi back to the Rifredi train station and waited for our delayed train, about twenty minutes, to Modena.  Though Christian told us to call him when we arrived in Modena for a ride to Maranello, we decided to figure out the bus system.  There are buses by the train station, though we didn't know which one to take as they didn't look like the buses in Maranello.  Fortunately, there was a sign saying how to get to the Ferrari museum by taking buses 1, 2, or 4.  After much gesturing and attempting to understand the bus driver, we figured out that we needed to transfer onto another bus to get to Maranello.  She told us where to get off and pointed where we needed to catch the bus.  Ah!  The blue buses that looked familiar in Maranello, number 800.  So we hopped on a bus and made it to Maranello:)

That afternoon, Christian took us to the Maranello courthouse.   They weren't too familiar with Americans wanting to marry in Maranello, so they had to look up the process via books and on-line.  Making a long story short, we needed to do a few other things before we could marry there.  It seemed like such a process, especially when you don't speak the language and have no friends nor family around as a support system.  So Chuck and I decided to wait and we will be getting married in Seattle!  I'm so excited because we'll just have one wedding ceremony and everyone we know will be more likely to attend as Italy will be so far and expensive for people.  So now I'm back planning a wedding in Seattle.  

St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria

Last weekend, Chuck and I joined several other Ferrari employees on a weekend getaway at St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria. It's about a four hour beautiful drive through many vineyards that gave way to the expansive mountains of the Alps. The snow was really great on Saturday as it was cooler and lightly snowing giving us a layer of powdery snow to enjoy boarding. It was sunny and warm on Sunday, a great day to spend outside; but the snow became very slushy and was very tiring boarding in those conditions. Overall, it was a fun and relaxing trip. Though now, I'm recuperating my sore muscles as it has been a few months since I've last snowboarded! I'm much better now than on Monday as I dreaded going up and down the stairs stretching my ever sore calf muscles.  Oh how I missed German/Austrian food!! I gorged myself with weiner schneitzel, pomme frites, curry wurst, goulash, homemade pretzels, and of course, weiss beer. Yummy! Thank god, I was able to burn off the extra calories boarding!! 

F1 Race

Yesterday I watched my first F1 race. I thought we were going to attend a race, not necessarily a F1 one, but actually see one in person. But, Chuck and I went to watch the F1 race (Air Gulf Grand Prix) in Bahrain at the Enzo Ferrari Auditorium. They were televising the race on the big screen at the movie theater in town. First, we satiated our appetite at the pizzeria Carisma. The pizza is definitely unlike that of the states...similar to Tutta Bella in Seattle, but much much better. You order your own pizza which comes in a plate (and you also cut it yourself). I’m not able yet to finish my own plate, yet yesterday I ate 2/3 of it. Their pizza list is extensive with more than fifty different types of pizza. I chose to try a pizza with spinach, prosciutto, and slices of hard parmesan. Afterwards, we had mascarpone for dessert, a triple-cream cheese made from creme fraiche. With full bellies, we made our way to the theater and with the avid Ferrari fans, we watched the race. After completing 57 laps around the track, Ferrari took first and second place, Massa and Raikonnen, respectively. I have to admit it was amazing to see the cars go so fast around the tracks, but I wouldn’t say I’m now an avid and die hard F1 follower. But since Chuck works for Ferrari and specifically on the race cars and we live in Maranello where Ferrari is its livelihood, I guess I’ll start watching a little bit more F1 racing and root for the team. Though nothing is really open on Sundays except for the bars (coffee shops that also sell liqueur), there are a lot of people roaming about the town. We saw a lot of people walking, a few sitting and socializing on benches, and a lot of people in their cars or motorcycles heading somewhere. After the race, Chuck and I stop by Maranello Cafe for a beer (Chuck) and a sambuca (me). A sambuca, I learned, is an Italian aniseed-flavored liqueur. Not really my cup of tea as it tends to taste to sweet for my palate. Overall, it was a nice Sunday afternoon.

The IKEA Experience in Bologna

Since Chuck rented a car to pick me up from the airport and had the rental car until Monday, we decided to buy a few things for the apartment and headed to the IKEA in Bologna.  Bologna is about thirty to forty minutes away from Maranello and is a bigger city, about the size of Everett.  

I learned a few things about Italian life on this trip to IKEA.

1.  Most of all stores on Sundays except for bars (coffee shops) and some restaurants.  I think this is most true for the smaller towns as IKEA in Bologna was open and packed full of people.  As we were driving by the smaller towns, we saw people at flea markets.  In Vignola, there was a fair and a mass of people were walking towards the town center. 

2.  People drive crazy over here, or at least compared to the states.  If you are a slowpoke driver, you should not drive on the left lane!  I've never seen so many cars zip by so fast!  The motorcyclists, as they are plenty of them, will either pass cars on the left or right (mostly on the left).  We saw this one car pass a car on the left because he was going to slow, but then stop immediately to turn left at their house!  Not very patient drivers!!  Beware pedestrians, as cars will not stop for them.  

3.  Though Italians drive fast, on foot they slowly meander and are utterly unaware of those around then at times.  At IKEA, as I was trying to make my way down the main walkway people would stop in the middle of the walkway to talk or are walking way slowly.  I guess I'm used to the hustle and bustle of the States.

But it's definitely beautiful here.  There a lot of rolling hills with tons of grapevines scattered about the countryside.  We passed by some old castles and homes.  I didn't have my camera, which I'll need to remember to bring so I can post some pictures.  I'll soon post some pictures, especially when we go on small trips during the weekend. 

I'm suffering from jet lag as I couldn't sleep last night, along with my coughing fits (which now only happens at night).  I woke up at noon today.  It'll be awhile until my body can adjust to this different time zone.  Poor Chuck, he has to deal with my coughing fits and tossing turning body at night!  

I'm Finally Here in Italy!

I am not particularly fond of the Paris airport. How are you supposed to navigate such a gigantic airport in fifteen minutes?!! So our flight from Seattle to Paris (a very very long one, especially with a sore throat and now a nagging cough!) landed on time, around 8:50 a.m. but then you have to wait until the plane parks at the terminal and then wait until people unload. You aren’t actually at the terminal as you have to pack into a bus and shuttle to it. So the bus takes us to the terminal 2E. Well, my connecting flight is at terminal 2D, should be pretty close right? Wrong! It’s like a mile or two away from one another! So I had 15 minutes until my plane to Bologna left and still I had to go through customs and security again! Well, all my running and sweating didn’t pay off as my flight boarding was closed....I didn’t even go through security yet!! I went on the waiting list for the next flight to Bologna at 12:55 p.m. It was supposed to be a full flight, but crossing my fingers, hoped that someone wouldn’t show up. If I wasn’t able to fly out on that plane, then I would have to get the next possible flight to Bologna.

I tried calling Chuck to let him know I missed my plane ride, but he wasn’t answering. I assumed he was on his way to pick me up. So there I was waiting all smelly and sick!

I went to the wait list line to see if they had any available seats. Initially, it didn’t look like so as she said they were all booked up for that flight!!! The next best option was to fly to Rome and then catch another plane there to Bologna. Great!!! But else could I do? I had to get there some way or other! So I almost resigned myself to this fact, but then she checked this 12:55 flight again and lo and behold, they had a seat available!!!

I arrived in Bologna at 4 pm. I didn’t know if my baggage would arrive as I missed my flight, but the customer service said it should arrive on this flight. There were carts available and I needed one as I brought four pieces of luggage. So I asked the woman if there was any possible way to exchange my euro bills into coins, though there was a sign saying ’No money exchange’. She was very helpful and asked this really sweet old man (who worked there) to get me a cart....for free! I was very grateful, tried to tip but he waved me off. He tried starting a conversation with me as I faltered since I didn’t know any Italian. But with a lot of gesturing and broken English/Italian we managed small talk.

The baggage started coming and I saw my first very banged up cardboard box....it weighed 65 pounds, so I was very grateful for the cart. Then I saw my suitcase, my 2nd cardboard box (50 pounds) which was banged up and inspected. I was still waiting for my bike box when the sweet old man came up and saw all my luggage and said "Very many!". He started helping put the boxes onto the cart, went away and brought me a second cart! I tried tipping him again, but he waved me off....but after I insisted, he conceded. After all my luggage arrived, I thanked him again and tried to push my carts myself, but he wouldn’t have it! He helped me push it to the exit where I met Chuck!

I am very thankful for the friendly service here and very ecstatic to see Chuck as I gave him a very big and tight hug and of course, a kiss!

House Update

So, I'm slowly working on getting the house ready before my move to Italy.  The basement is nearly finished.  All the boxes are stacked up off the floor and all of the furniture in the basement are neatly organized by the boxes.  I just have to vacuum the floor and mop it.  I finished the second coat of primer on the second bedroom.  Hopefully I'll have time tomorrow to start painting.  It takes a good four hours to paint the bedroom.  I should be finished painting by Tuesday or Wednesday.  Last Sunday, Kurt came over and put up the cabinet trim.  I'll have to concentrate on finishing the kitchen this coming weekend.  I also need to sell my car!  I've had several people interested in it, but haven't showed it off yet.  I really need to clean the inside and wash the outside.  There's a lot to do and have so little time!  I'm not getting stressed out yet, but will be this coming weekend as I'm supposed to leave by the 28th of March!  I may push it until 1st week of April, but we'll see because I'm anxious to be with Chuck.

Organizing the Basement

After spending quality time talking to Chuck, I buckled down and started stacking boxes on the makeshift storage system.  Before I go any further, I need Chuck's opinion on my stacking technique.  Hopefully, it'll be good enough that I don't have to undo my labor intensive work! But I think I don't have enough cinderblocks and lumber for all the boxes, so it's back to Home Depot!