Italian religious zealots, Japanese guys who speak Italian (badly), and getting lost with two American Navy pilots...all with ancient Greek Goddess temples as the backdrop. Agrigento: home to the Valley of the Temples.
My day started after going to bed at 4am. I was out and about with friends...we didn't finish dinner last night until midnight and then we went out. Davide and I ended hanging out at the port and he played his guitar and sang American songs, and I explained the deeper meaning of them...especially Hotel California (can we say Hell?). So, trying to get up this morning at 9 to go to Agrigento to check out the temples was a task. But I'm glad I went.
Originally, I was supposed to go with these two American girls, but we just couldn't coordinate. So, I found myself on a packed regional train sitting next to a lovely couple from England here on a long weekend. Across from us was this old scummy looking Italian dude with about three teeth. Next to him was a young punk-rock Italian girl about my age. Twenty minutes into the trip he turns to her and says, "So, do you go to church?" She said, "No." And off he went. For the next two hours this guy didn't take a breath or a pause telling her this that and another thing about Christ and God and the Spirit, yadda yadda. She just sat, silent, looking at him as he ranted and raved. I knew it was safe for the Brits and I to have a conversation in English about what he was talking about. Mamma mia. He pulled out his cross, and some pamphlets that said "Vita di luce" or "life of light." I've never seen anything like it. Her station stop was before Agrigento and this guy actually got off the train and proceeded to follow her and continue to preach at her. The gall. Poor girl.
Arriving at Agrigento (sans map, food, coffee, or sleep) would prove to be an adventure. I mistranslated what the guy at the info desk said...not "you SHOULD take the bus to the temples, it is very far." I thought he said "you COULD take the bus, but it is NOT very far." heh heh heh. Riiiiiiiight. Five miles later on foot, I arrive at the temples. But not before getting followed by a creepy Italian dude, and chillin' with some Japanese guys who didn't speak English but did speak VERY bad Italian. THAT was interesting.
So, I FINALLY get to the temples, and I wander around taking pictures. I brought a flower as an offering to the goddess...and it starts to rain. I forgot my umbrella...which was by the door SPECIFICALLY so I wouldn't forget it. Go figure.
The wind picks up, blows my flower away, and I've had just about enough of this, and I turn the corner and see these two guys taking pictures. I heard English and thought, "what the hell...I'll go see if they'll snap some pix of me." Turns out, they're American Navy pilots stationed here in Sicily. Joe is from San Diego so we start talking about the fires, and so on. I sort of slipped my way into the "help me, damsel in distress...see how huge that hill is and I don't want to walk back to the train station, do you have a car by chance?" and off we go.
We had a blast. The Goddess sure has a sense of humor. Just last night I was remarking about how I don't really like American guys, and lo and behold, two of the nicest, funniest, coolest American guys I've met in a long time pop up just behind the goddess temple as she takes my offering. go figure. again.
I spent the next couple of hours with them, totally lost. We drove in circles about a hundred times because the Italian road engineering leaves a lot to be desired. And since it's Sunday, nothing is open and I hadn't eaten all day. my head was pounding but I was laughing hysterically with them at our directional predicament, so it didn't matter. We drove in circles. We walked up crazy stairs, and then down. Joe and I flirted (a lot) because he is just my cup of tea. The three of us have a date for next weekend...and the best part is they are bringing one of the flight suits, and I get to wear it and take pictures...including the helmet. I cannot tell you how excited I am.
.jpg)
We finally ended up at the same pizzeria we had found two hours earlier (but was closed because the Italians don't eat dinner at 5 or 6). We had a great dinner, and the boys took me to my train and got me on, safe and sound.
What a strange, strange day it's been. Missing American lesbian co-travellers...toothless Italian preachers...Italian-speaking Japanese tourists...a rainy, windy day at the temples...and two very funny American guys on my corner of the world.
Che bello.
More adventures await, I'm sure. And I will certainly be posting me myself and I in that flight suit.
Ciao ragazzi.
p.s. I highly recommend visiting my photo page for this one (to see all the amazing shots of the temples)...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/laurelfedor/sets/72157603097775547/
No comments:
Post a Comment