AN ENDLESS SEARCH FOR GELATO

• Bowz's Profile
• About this blog
• Entry from Siena

Trip Start Dec 15, 2002 Previous
Entry Trip End ??? ??, 2003 Next
Entry

  Siena, Italy
Tuesday, June 10, 2003

AN ENDLESS SEARCH FOR GELATO

From Asia to North America to Europe... I find it somewhat ironic that I'm squeezing this latest version of my ongoing travelpod into an hour of mucho-Euro time, while I still haven't completed the "Goodbye Hong Kong" chapter of this tale, despite 10-plus days of Italian government mandated de-SARS time. Arriving in Milan, Andrea and I, having heard stories of planeloads of Toronto based passengers being segregated and individually checked, fretted over what the reaction would be to the bright gold Canada emblem on our passports. We stepped to the immigration counter, batted our eyes (probably me), and with a flourish and a stamp, the immigration officer let us through. The SARS symptoms started four hours later...

Not for real... it brought a familiar feeling to return to Europe, although this was my first time as a true "backpacker". Hours earlier, sitting in Heathrow airport, I was unpleasantly reminded that the entire Continent smells like smoke; that memory has been repeatedly reaffirmed throughout our trip. Another forgotten realization: Europe is ridiculously expensive. Having eaten, slept, and played like a king in Asia for the past couple months, seeing the price tags over here has been quite the shock; I keep fruitlessly trying to divide the euro by something, anything, to make prices more reasonable. What's worse is that there is no standard price; everyday staples fluctuate based on how close the vendor is located to anything of historical significance. In some cases, we have thrown away our map, finding our way to Piazza San Marco or the Duomo in Florence by judging the price of gelato; we know we're close when the price per scoop exceeds 3 €. Of course, this has raised some significant internal debate; if a scoop of gelato should cost 1 €, and this particular vendor is charging 1,50 €, how many steps is that extra ,50 € worth to me if I have to go find another vendor? Dear reader, these are the problems that plague my days; Andrea and I spent a good 45 minutes traipsing around the Ponte Vecchio in Florence because I refused to pay 4 € for two scoops of gelato - it just wasn't in our budget.

By the way, what's the difference between gelato and gelati? Or panini and panino? Please email me with your answer.

----

After arriving in Milan, we sped quickly to Lake Como, where we were going to relax, adjust to life in Europe, and de-jetlag. We enjoyed a beautiful day from the sunroof of the local ferry, as it commuted between fairy tale villages clung precariously to the sides of the foothills of the alps. We stopped in beautiful Bellagio, and wandered around avoiding just about anything that cost money. Having only been to Europe in the wintertime, our sun reddened cheeks and sweaty armpits served notice of the intensity of the sun this time around. It has been ridiculously hot; our days are generally punctuated by one or two hour siestas to get us out of the sun and to give us the energy to finish the day. I've made about five tshirts completely unwearable due to sweat; Andrea has problems standing within five feet of me.

After a night in Como, we were off to Vencie. Having been there before, I had a fair idea of the layout of the city, and served as (in my mind) the perfect tour guide to Andie, dragging her around kicking and screaming to every single sight. Como was blessedly quiet and subdued; Venice was hot, stinky, and packed with tourists. We were lucky enough to get a hotel room on a square overlooking the main pedestrian thoroughfare, with a balcony looking out on a beautiful cathedral and, beyond that, bits of the Canal system. We spent two full days in Venice; highlights included watching the glass blowing in Murano, riding a vaporetto (Venice's equivalent of a local bus) the entire length of the Grand Canal, and wandering the back streets of the city, experiencing life of "true Venitians." Of course, the Basilica San Marco was incomparable, and we enjoyed watching other people being attacked by killer pigeons in the Piazza. An interesting parallel between Hong Kong and Italy: fake Louis Vuitton and Gucci purses are everywhere - often sold directly in front of the real stores (and probably smuggled in from HK!). After Venice, it was a quick ride on the Eurostar to Florence.

Andrea loved Florence, probably because of the overwhelming number of shoes. The entire city, especially the Mercato Centrale, reeked of leather, as Italian (and, increasingly, African) shop keepers called out to try and sell us leather jackets, belts, and knock off statues of David. Last time I was in Florence, I was deathly ill, so this experience was almost as new for me as it was for Andrea. We climbed (some of us reluctantly) through a series of claustrophobic stairs to the very top of the Duomo, Florence's cathedral, overlooking the red roofs of the city; we toured the art of the Uffizi gallery; we ogled David's oversized ... um ... hands in the Gallerie d'Accademia; we snacked on delicious gelato while watching the sunset light up the jewelry shops on the Ponte Vecchio. This time around, our hotel was less than acceptable. The location was great - mere blocks from the Duomo - but the cleanliness of the bathroom was a little subpar, and we were certainly unimpressed with certain guests who neglected their toilet-flushing duties - although we still haven't deduced if by "certain guests" we really mean "Jordan".

This morning - and, unfortunately, Leatherless - we toured the Uffizi and then took the bus to Siena. We spent this ridiculously hot day - well into the 30s - lugging our bags from hotel to hotel, finally settling on a way overpriced shared apartment a ten minute walk from the center of town. We will spend a couple days here, touring the Tuscan countryside tomorrow, and then head to Rome, where we plan on meeting some American friends that we met in Florence. Another difference between Asia and Europe: where in Asia, Americans were few and far between, here the streets are just swarming with them; school tour groups, old couples, young couples, and backpackers doing the Grand Tour. I haven't decided whether the experience is pleasant or unpleasant - I have some suspicions - but it's nice to hear English from time to time; my Italian is still stuck on "Andiamo!" ('Let's Go') which Andrea claims I am continually barking in her direction.

I'm having a great time. Andrea is also having a wonderful time, except when she falls asleep on any and all modes of transportation; I saw her try and nod off in an elevator the other day. We are being inundated by sights previously seen and unseen, but I can usually divide my days into three separate parts: before, during, and after...gelato. Much to my dismay, we've limited ourselves to one gelato a day, and I spend most of my time craving (or revelling in) my next sugar rush. The weather is great, the food is delicious, and I am a maniac for gelato.

Send money...

...Jordan

Print this entry Share Siena hotels

Previous Entry Next Entry