1st day in Foggia

It was an absolutely bellisimo giorno in Pescara oggi!! Not a cloud in the sky and not a breath of cold wind that has been hanging around for the past couple of days. It would have been lovely on the beach today, I didn’t make time to go to the beach this morning, although the beach is just out the window (I’m on the train) and it still looks a bit rough.

(Pescara train station - they would be lost without their phones and cigarettes!)

I stayed in my room until check-out today, checking out B & Bs in Sicily, on the net while I had it, there are only about 70 million in Palermo where I have decided to stay the four nights. I was going to do a couple of nights at Palermo and then a couple in Syracuse but will stay in Palermo and do day trips around the island, I hope to get to a few of the smaller islands, Mt.Etna and a few sites where there is a lot of mosaics and old shit.

This morning I got to the train station at Pescara and had a couple of hours to kill so dumped my case and went to the station market, got my nephew a birthday present, and got followed by a creepola from the minute I dumped my bag the whole way through the station, all the way to the market. I wasn't worried because there were people around everywhere, he was just annoying.  And they are so obvious! Once I got to the market (this is the one I went to Sunday where all the stall holders are black as black) I slowed down and a few of the market stall holders were up for a chat and there was one in particular who was really nice and I told him and his mates that the creep behind me had been following me and I was trying to lose him without much luck. They helped out by asking him if he wanted to buy anything from them, he said no so they told him it would be better if he just moved on then. That's where I got my nephew’s present from.

Thanks new black friends!

On the train to Foggia, the carabinieri were doing laps of the carriages, don't know why but didn’t worry me. I have no concerns with anything, probably my ignorance is doing me a huge favour!

I booked my next couple of tickets while I was hanging around the station this morning, my train from Bari to Reggio Calabria - all the way across the arch to the toe of the boot - is a freaking 10 hour trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good practise for when I am flying to Seoul I guess - blerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

My Italian must be getting better because I have had many people say to me 'ahhh you speak Italian!" but I don’t feel like my list of vocab has increased, I should be trying to listen to conversations going on around me but I just tune out, same as with the tv when that is on.

I had a chance to give a mouthful back to some Italian chick as I was getting on the train. She was trying to push past me to get on the carriage as I was walking the length of the train to find carriage 2. I have just let them push me since being here but I must be getting more confident because this time I stood my ground. She started yelling at me, something about Signora!!!!!!! and I looked at her and smiled and said 'grazie' and pushed past her and just kept walking with her yelling something at me. Hope it wasn't that my skirt was tucked in to my undies or anything like that!

The chick who owns this B & B picked me up from the train station which was nice of her, but I think I know why.  I think she might have thought that if I got a taxi and saw the street I would do a runner!  It's not a pretty town at all, it was smashed by WW2 and no-one has really given a shit about it since then, but I don’t feel scared or concerned.  I went out for a walk for a couple of hrs this arv, kept to myself, was aware of what was going on around me, and am home in my room now at 7pm having some vino with cheese and bread for dinner. 

My room is the balcony on the left

Foggia is not a pretty town

Foggia Elementary school

My room is fine, clean which is all I worry about and it is close to the centre of the town.  I’m not sure what I will do tomorrow, the chick here said there is a nice little village about an hour away on the bus, I might go there tomorrow and have a look.  I will see how I feel when I wake up.  Breakfast is not served here, I have to go to a cafe around the corner for a cappucino and a cornetto.  (I will get dressed first.)  That happens here a lot, it is the first place I have been to that has done that, but it is also the first place that has given access to a fridge and kettle.  Swings and round abouts.

I had a glass of wine and coffee at a cafe and then a gelati when I was walking home this afternoon.  The three of them cost me 3.50 euro - about $5 but my train ticket, vino, bread and cheese and nephew's present bought me up to budget, at least today I haven’t gone over budget - first day for weeks!