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Published: April 8th 2023
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Good Friday began for us at about 4:00 AM this morning, when Dee was awakened by some singing and chanting outside on the street below our balcony. We had been forewarned of a religious procession that takes place every year during Easter week, so it did not come as a complete surprise. Still, it was a little eerie to see people dressed in white hoods, with some carrying crucifixes or other relics, solemnly walking down the street in the middle of the night. At first glance, to the uninitiated, it could have passed for a Ku Klux Klan march back in the states!
Later in the morning we decided to make another effort to locate the train station. We are expecting a very special Italian friend from Rome to pay us an overnight visit next week, and she will be arriving by train. So we thought we had better familiarize ourselves with the route to the station before we meet her train.
The distance from our apartment to the station is only about 900 meters, via the Corso Italia and past the Piazza Tasso by several blocks. If the route were flat, even and congestion-free, it should be a
10-minute-walk. However, it is anything but that, with hordes of people jostling for position on what passes for sidewalks in this town. So it took 30 minutes to reach the station, and was more like an obstacle course for us. After this experience, next week we'll likely opt for a taxi to and from the station when our visitor arrives.
When we had backtracked from the train station, we decided on an encore lunch at the place that had impressed us so much yesterday,
La Maison Douce. This little restaurant is quickly becoming our go-to place, not only for the food, but for the friendly and welcoming service. Today Dee ordered a seafood salad, with squid, shrimp, lettuce and tomatoes, while I had scallops served in a sauce made with peas and chard. Everything was delicious, including our desserts of lemon custard, served with fresh strawberries and raspberries. I fear we're becoming addicted!
The weather today was a carbon copy of yesterday, with blue skies and temps in the mid-60s, so we should have done a little bit more sightseeing. But at this point we were too pooped-out (and stuffed) to do much of anything else, so we
made a brief grocery stop on the way back to our apartment and called it a day.
Dee's Comments: At 4:00 AM this morning I was awakened by the sounds of voices and chanting from beneath our apartment. I have never seen so many white-cloaked people walking along a street in the middle of the night, or for that matter, at any time or anywhere! The procession was a part of the local Easter celebrations, although we don't understand the symbolism associated with this particular ritual.
Back to bed and up early to hit the pavement again. Today was totally different, with so many rude people at that! Walked to the train station, streets full of people; tried to visit the lemon grove near the train station, but it was closed.
I then went into a large supermarket to pick-up a few items, but had to put them back after I discovered a checkout line from hell, so left the store empty-handed. Then, to rest and regroup, we returned to
La Maison Douce for another outstanding lunch experience; back at the apartment we settled for a simple dinner of bread, cheese and olives before turning-in early.
I was reminded again today that travel does indeed take us out of our comfort zones, and forces us to develop new habits.
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Danielle
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What a strange ritual that is. Glad you found the station..Lunch looked fabulous. Keep t on trekking.