Mosaics of Ravenna and the secrets of the Adriatic

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So I suppose I’ll carry on to Ravenna in Italy, and bring you up to speed of our group’s time there. We had taken our first train ride of the study abroad program to get to Ravenna, and it had also been our first test to see if each member of the group and baggage would make it into the right train. Oh, and get to the destination if we had to switch trains as well. Our last Venetian morning did indeed dawn bright and early (a likely recurring theme), but the time was to be added on for rolling all suitcases around to the train station. I could see the bus station from my hotel window, but I had to maneuver my suitcase and backpack up and over a few bridges and walkways with the rest of the group as we forded our way to the train station. This also included climbing one of the tallest bridges we had previously encountered that lent its services across the Grand Canal.

I decided that I was up for this challenge, and that I really should be if I wanted to be a travel writer and not a tourist that had paid a pretty penny for a taxi down the “street.” I just needed to get a good start, and I went on with a wave of the group. We had acquired a couple of twelve-year-olds (one daughter and one friend) and the wife (mother of said daughter) of one group member, so we had grown in our last day in Venice and as we left for Ravenna. After I had about cleared the second bridge and was on my way to the major one, I acquired a ‘helpful’ Italian gentlemen that would swiftly carry my bag there. Only, he was doing it for his own price.

Other members of the group reported having a few Venetians with some free time on their hands attempting to help, but it looked like just I was the one left with what I knew had to be coming: the fee for such kindness. I think it came down to about 4 or 5 Euro, which can be seen as steep in some instances, but it was awkward how this man kept shaking his head and saying that no, he needed more. He also pointed out how far he had had to carry my suitcase. Isaac came over at one point and made sure that the man wasn’t saying 15 Euros or something outrageous, but together, we satisfied this man’s ripping off of the American tourist. So since I was all set to drag and carry that suitcase myself, I think I’ll learn to really say no, smile and wave off anyone that I’ve just met that wants to “help.”

In the rail station, I figured out how to order a sandwich after getting the receipt for it. Sometimes it’s about watching what others are doing, and to find the people that have probably come through there dozens of times. I was armed with food for our ride to Ravenna, and while it didn’t take that long, we also had the option of food at this rail station on the way. A little café was involved, but in the down time, I put together toys from the “Kinder Surprise” eggs that are made of chocolate. I won’t go into how much I fancy collecting these things, but finding them in stores and opening them to see what random picture frame, boat, grasshopper, or other toy I’ve got is a real highlight in going to any country outside the U.S. Yes, that means you can find these things in Canada as well.

Before long at all, we hit Ravenna. And almost the moment we made our way off of the train and around to the front of the station, we felt it. The heat had found us, for the breezes of Venice were gone, and the feeling of entering a somewhat small to mid-size suburb of Georgia crossed the mind, I must say. We began what would be a long trek through the clean and semi-quaint streets to this tunnel (or if you could wait on the elevator in lieu of handling the stairs with luggage). I believe that that was what took us under the rail station, for it was kind of like going all the way around a few blocks, under, and back up the same way again to the Hotel Mosaico. This place was a ways out and almost did face the rail station, but we couldn’t just hop on over back to it. And while the rest could come, the air conditioning was meager. I would venture to say that this was probably the smallest room that my two roommates and I were in, but then I’d have to add that our skills for fixing up laundry lines in tight spaces was heightened by this situation. Oh, and the plumbing we worked out from seeing the water that ran out of the sink each time we used it.

After sitting on the air conditioning unit and flopping on the next twin bed that I would be sleeping on, I did re-group. And I did get more used to the heat and the inland feel of the place. I even became accustomed to walking a few miles each night to and from dinner. No lie. We had a time of it finding our restaurant the first night, but we were also incredulous in our long search that included at least one false start in what was actually the right direction. I believe Dr. Whiting was worried that we were going into the “ghetto,” so while that may have been the case, we eventually left earlier and cut through a fetching park and duck pond. Our food really stood the test and was in great proportions, and even after we had had the food in Rome, I think that Ravenna had the best dishes. Plus, a night when Wes ate nearly 8 pieces of veal is bound to be memorable—got to love family style eating in Italy!

So on to the real ‘funny occurrence’ of Ravenna. I should drop in a few comments about the church mosaics and the colors and architecture, but really, be sure to see towers of these places, and to examine a variety of the mosaics. I imagine that you too will have felt like you’ve seen enough of them after a day and a half or so. I considered doing laundry on my day off, but I guess I felt like I could try to add that in after our excursion to the Marina. Several of the students I was with wanted to go to the beach, and I did have the swim gear. So off I went with them on a bus to the Marina, and to more streets and gelato shops that were extremely beach and wouldn’t you know it, July 4th friendly. It was indeed Independence Day when we were burning our feet on the sand and finding the beach a tad quiet. People were out and around, but we had rows of deck chairs and our first dip into the Adriatic to ourselves. If the sand was as hot as a furnace, then the first feeling you would have in stepping into the water was probably a bathtub of ice.

I went back to my method of wading in slowly, yet at one point I know I felt algae or something around my ankle. I half-fell in, but kept my head mostly up. Some of the others agreed that this was the best way to go, and through one way or another, we were all dog paddling around or floating in the ocean. Rachel’s engagement ring sparkled, Wes actually said that he missed home (before going from melancholy to more reflective; the water had a way of doing that), and I found myself gathering small shells and becoming very relaxed and content. I used a few of the shells in my scrapbook-type journal that I kept while there. It also has lots of postcards and memorabilia with some short entries that I tried to go in afterwards and finish up. Later I went around to the various café and restaurant-on-the-beach type of places. Many had children’s playground equipment or little rides for a few coins. I found one place to be like a real snack bar, and I managed to communicate an order for pizza to the woman behind the counter. What I got was about 2 or 3 times the size that I had been expecting—a serious personal pan pizza. I ate it with a fork and knife in the outside seating area, and I hoped that my group didn’t wonder if I had gone off too far. After all, we didn’t all have cell phones, so while I think that advantage in traveling Europe is easier to obtain now, it probably was good that a portion of the group was still sunning (and sun burning) themselves when I got back to our spot.

A few others were not there, but their things were. I hopped over on the sand again, quickly grabbing a lounge chair. Most of these chairs had a panel that folded down to offer shade to one’s face. I guess I was feeling the need for more shade than that, so I innocently began to open one of the green and yellow umbrellas that was fastened to a round table beside me. I had no idea that this would end so terribly. I almost had the umbrella open and was trying to get it to be fully opened when the metal pole began to rise. And just as quickly as the wind (the velocity of which I suppose I should have mentioned before now!) helped it, the umbrella shot up and out of my hands and the table. It literally flew away and bounced along the beach. To my credit, I did try to run after it, as I was surprised that this was even happening.

The umbrella was no match for me, however. It tumbled towards a few beachgoers and I was thankful that one of them saw it and called out to the other to look out. At least, I assume that some form of warning was issued to the man with his dog running around nearby the water’s edge. No one got hit, but this umbrella sailed on past the people nearest the beach (which I wasn’t, for I had started to see that I was no match for this event) and dropped his yellow and green side into the water. It floated for at least a matter of seconds, I want to say, but it floated out quickly. And then, oh dear, it really did sink. I could not believe how quickly all of this had happened. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to go out and retrieve it, and the frigid temperature of the water was definitely deterring me from trying. I went back to my group to explain what had happened, but I think a few of them had seen almost everything. It was a bit of a disturbance to their languid afternoon, but fortunately for me, we were on our way to heading out soon thereafter.

I was with the girls in the small group, and as we got our things together (and were observing more and more people showing up to point out towards the water and likely discuss who had been stupid enough to open one of those hundreds of umbrellas left alone and closed on the beach), someone did come by. I wasn’t sure what he was asking or if I had been found out, but Tina politely told him that we didn’t speak italian. Well, I could say a few things (and more) by this point, but I was sure that neither my language book nor my previous interactions on our trip with Italian people had prepared me for this. I mean, how would I explain to the native speakers what had taken place in the blink of an eye? What if the umbrella was half out to sea? I don’t recall seeing any part of it again as I hung around in shame, knowing all too well that this would be the main story that everyone I was with would tell the rest of the group. Yet in the end I trudged up the beach and stood by the same snack bar I had eaten at earlier to wait on the rest of the group. We walked back into the little town from the Marina, and after a gelato stop we got on the bus to go back to the Hotel Mosaico.

I gradually found the means I needed by which to turn this into a funny story, and one that I am now more willing to tell in full here. I just sure hope that losing an umbrella wasn’t actually a form of a crime in Italy; I’d like to show my face around the coastal area again, so I would like to think that the rest of the trip going on without any more damage or loss of property on my part was a sign that I could be forgiven. But be advised to resist opening that umbrella in the future, everyone. Even if you forgot your sunscreen and the kind that your friend had wasn’t all that sufficient. Enjoy the beach wisely, and since it is a must in Italy (especially in a different way for me when we were in Sorrento later on in the trip), think of my little story as a new tale of the secrets of the Adriatic.


Up next: The Giuseppes of Florence and Sorrento, plus some more of that “world famous” stuff we were really there to see.

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Photos

Upon entering the heat of a mainland small town
I know that while Ravenna wasn't a long trip from Venice, the temperature seemed to say otherwise as I took this outside of the rail station. This was before the hike to the hotel, and before I heard about the music festival and saw the little piazzas and started to grow to like this place. It also had one of the bigger gelato shops that I had seen...good thing!

Sunset on the way back from dinner
This was in the park we walked through to and from dinner. This was definitely the more scenic part of the walk, but I think the group found the food at our restaurant each night to be worth it (and in my view, tucked away on purpose, perhaps!).

Our reward for the journey
This restaurant was never crowded, and one night they were closed to all but our group. I think that after the second or third walk to this place, I just gave in and decided that a taxi to get to here and back to the hotel wasn't worth it after all. It added to the small town idea, I suppose!

St. Apolloinare, I believe
First stop in Ravenna. This might give you an idea about the mosaics, but honestly, more places that we saw here ran together than in most of the other towns or cities that we went to. It was interesting, but I tend to have other memories of this place stand out just a little more. Hence the umbrella story...

The "laundry system" in Ravenna
This was from our laundry set-up after sink washing. I used this corner for my suitcase (along with some of the closet space, so that worked out) as well, but since we were pretty sure housekeeping saw this, well, it's a good thing this act may not be illegal in Italy after all! I wouldn't test that theory, though...

Serenity on the beach near Ravenna
As you can probably tell, this was before the "incident" involving one of these umbrellas. Also, I think you'll have to take my (or another student on the trip's) word on what took place a little later. It might have been "America's Funniest Home Videos" material, but alas, no one got bopped by the umbrella. And it really did happen quickly!!