Italy

In primary school as part of the school curriculum we learnt Italian. As our Italian teachers would describe the places they grew up in and the food they ate and the way of life, I have always wanted to visit there. I have finally made it. With the love of my life Andre, we arrived to Milan airport yesterday then a 3 hour train ride to the lovely town of Savona. 

It was quite a drama to get here as we were booked on a flight on Monday morning but we missed it by a whisker, this could have been the worst day of my life so far. I cried like a baby all the way back to London with good reason, I was awake all night and been trying to get to Stansted airport, I hit my head tyring to get my bags out from the bus then no PDQ (EFPOS) machines weren't working, the reason to missing the flight....after all that I had to turn around and make the same journey back. 

Once we were at Milan Central Station we brought our train tickets to Savona, I was thirsty and hungry. I purchased a bottle of water then we looked for a shop that sold food. I waited a while before I was served and just pointed at everything I wanted. I waited while they toasted our flat sandwiches and heated up some sort of crumbed thingamajig(which ended up being mushie rice with cheese centre and then the outside crumbed), I collected our goodies, turned and gave Andre a big smile and the next moment I was on the ground, fallen flat. Tripped over by an old woman's suitcase, didn't bother to apologise and continued walking. Squashed food in one hand and I could not get up because my backpack was weighing me down, my knees were killing me. Andre and two strangers came to my rescue. Welcome to Italy, nice welcome indeed. Andre could not stop laughing, after the shock had settled I must admit it was quite funny. 

Anyway lets not dwell on the past, I'm here and what a glorious day it is, I cannot get over all the manifico shops and boutique's. Every food shop I walked past I found myself starring with my tongue hanging out and Andre would have to drag me away. Health food stores, chocolate shops, cake shops, butchers, fish mongers, you name it they have it here and the quality and variety to die for. 

Fashion, well were do I start.....Italian women love to look glamorous, they all deserve the cover page on Vogue. Clothes are very stylish and classical, I feel a bit out of place because I am such a scruffer and my clothes are made up of random bits from around the world. One day I may look like these ladies. Shoes, dresses, coats, boots, trousers, shirts, scarves loved it all except for those awful velvet traxies, ooooooh they really hurt my eyes. What possesses women to wear these? 

Only if I got paid out from Ripcurl after they went into receivership, I would have a field day shopping for everything but the velvet traxies. 

I really miss our house mate Ben Collis, he rang me to tell me he made meat balls from the new Jamie Oliver cook book Andre and I brought him, oh bless him, love him to bits. 

I have finally met Andre's sister Graziela and her husband Diego, Grazi sure suits the Italian lifestyle, she loves to talk a lot, shame I cannot understand instead her voice puts me to sleep. She is a bit bigger then a midget with big luscious kissable lips, little lady but big personality. Diego is a sweet man, they have both lived in Italy for the past 7 months tying to get their European Citizenship. Andre is here for the same reason, this time next year we will be able to live freely here and experience a new way of life, culture and language. 

Maybe here in Savona, who knows.