I went to the Parma station this morning, to see how long it would take to walk there and to ask about the time that trains leave Milan to arrive at Como. When I was in Lucca I was worried Parma station would be small and closed over the weekend. Mamma mia! Parma stazione is almost as big as Firenze! It turns out that I have a couple of hours stop over in Milan so might go and look at things and get lost and miss my train or stick pretty close to the station. I will see if there is somewhere I can leave my bags that are getting heavier and heavier, that will decide what I do. I'm looking forward to Como. I am planning on getting a few ferries and visiting the towns around the lakes for the days I am there. Fingers crossed that all works out better than the day trips I wanted to go on when I was in Florence.
I told Mr MyShitDoesntStickButManYoursDoes not to worry, that I won't bother changing rooms today - I complained that my room was too noisy last night. He got all flustered, I said don't worry because I will just put up with the noise, he said but room 111 is in the middle of the building you will have no noise, I said I can hear the people in the room above me so I will still have noise, and he had NO idea what I was talking about. Don't bloody worry about it Mr MyShitDoesntStickButManYoursDoes!!!
Last night I was having dramas with the wifi connection and the other reception guy was 'I am tired, don't worry about it" until I said I am trying to write my travel blog and this isn't going to look good for your hotel - which got his finger so pulled out and the rest of him moving!
I've walked heaps today, first around the big park that had a huge palazzo, I will have to read up on it but I think someone important may have owned the palazzo and the land around it at some time. Someone very very very rich.
There was a ridiculous bike and running race around Parma that had most streets closed today. It would have been a triathalon except the only water is around is an empty creek. They close the roads with the plastic cordoning off tape that you lift up and step under so that wasnt too big a drama, and the officials had hats on like the swiss wear so I knew who not to make eye contact with as I was stepping under the tape. I had decided last night to have a look around the HUGE park here but that was where the race was of course, but managed to stroll around, have mid-morning coffee at a kiosk in the middle of the park where there were heaps of tables of people having their first 'drink' for the day (11am - Italian style).
After that I wandered around and heard a crowd so gravitated to the noise, there was a JAPANESE festa happening with Japanese stuff happening everywhere - funny because I don't think I have seen one Japanese person here!
Then I strolled around and found somewhere for lunch but only meat on the menu so madam left there, then next place only meat on the menu so again madam left there, then next place ... and so on. I finally found a cafe that didn't have much food left but had a slice of artichoke pizza which was yum. Then walked some more. At the opposite end of the town to the one I was in this morning, there is another park so went off to find it. I was the only person in the streets. Not another sole. Got to the park where there were a couple of people jogging but that was about it. Came back through the streets, stopped at a bar/cafe had a glass of wine sitting watching as the Italians started their afternoon of parading themselves on a very pleasant sunday afternoon, now back in my room thinking about packing my shit for tomorrow's adventure to Milan then Como. The noise outside my window is getting lounder, the afternoon parade of silk, lace, high heals and aftershave must be starting ...
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