22nd January 2010 - finding my way

What a day ...

It can not be that everything is going smooth. The day started as always - with nice breakfast and a short chat in Polish. Yes - we are everywhere - even in San Leone.

Then was even better - got to the first building with no issues. Took photos and than the stairs started - got deep into Agrigento - and it was a mistake, big mistake - narrow and crowded roads - not place to park and just to get out of the car and walk. Spent an hour driving around to find a building - without success. Will have to go back on Sunday - when everybody stays at home.

Casteltermini - never again. With full respect to our waiter who is from this town. This is like a hole - you get in but you are not able to get out. Got bad address and drove to the wrong part of the town. After second circle ( I think that the guy from the shoe stand though that it is my hobby just to drive around his place) decided to ask.
The best person to ask are old men who just sit and look.
So I found one.
And .. the discussion started ...
Not only he and his friend but people at the surrounding balconies talked and discuss if there is a "grande bianco palazzo" (as I described the building) (sorry for my crap italian - but I do my best to learn and for anglosas mind it is quite challenging task).

After 10 minutes I had my directions.
It was very close to Father Pio statue and ... it was the place I was driving several times through - but it was not the street I was supposed to look for.

I just love my job ....

Funny thing - I did not get upset with the fact that the building is in the other place that it should be... you know... we are just people and buildings are buildings...

Coming back to the hole. My GPS (still do not have a name for it) tried to get me out from Castertermini.
The first attempt - not successful - the road got finished in grass. I felt a bit like one of the sheep I met on the way - following the GPS ... never again...
The second attempt - just asked GPS to rest and followed my nose.

After next 20 minutes found myself on the way to my next destination....

21st January 2010

What a day...

My next stop - San Leone a beach hotel. Perfect location for the next days.

The need lead you to meet people. And it was my case today. As I forgot the threat and needle I had to buy them here. I found them in a little shop in Scciacca. It was just on the other side of the road from my building.
What was my surprise when the owner started to talk to me German. His son, Mario speaks also German and additionally English and Spanish.
What a lovely time ... It does not take much to meet interesting people like Mario and his father. Both of them love to travel. His father visits every year a different country. Mario additionally loves good food and is fun of the Balsamic Acid - he has go a nice collection. Got from him a nice recipe. But where do I buy 15 years old balsamic? Also, he arranged for me a place to have great lunch. Antipasti ... Fresh fish ...

I looks that the trip becomes more than just a business - it is more about life ... Driving alone makes me observe, think and follow my intuition. Sometimes I just do not know why do I enter certain paths but I do and than I meet people who share their view of life, their philosophy ...
Than I get on my car and drive and think what they have told me. And smile to myself ...
Do I meet them again? Maybe not ... But I am reacher then before meeting them ...

On the way back just before the sunset drove to a small port. The last view this of the day was a rainbow above the bay...

20th January 2010 - Palermo - Agrigento

I think I do not remember much of Palermo as my main though was - where is Plazzia Statione and Conrada Conte Frederico. Have spent two days looking and asking people for those locations. Almost had arguments as I believed in the maps so much that I was not likely believe locals when they said: "non qui". And they were right. I had to go back to paperwork again and with the help of two man from the publishing company localized Plazza Statione which happened not to be in Palermo but a little bit outside. Well ... it happens. Paper takes everything.
What was my surprise when I arrived to this small place and found a nice building with a small kind of garden and two mandarines bushes. It was my first time in my life I ate mandarines I picked by myself. It reminded me the students in Greece where I picked peaches from the top branches - warm and bursting with juice.
Now, with the mandarines .... the morning stress went away...
Small orange suns in my car ...

18th January 2010 Palermo

Sicily, Palermo - my impression? Chaos.
I heard a lot about the Sicilian way of driving. But experiencing it - it is completely different story.
Traffic - it just one big chaos. And funny thing in it - I felt like at home. You just need to drive the way that other will fill respect. I still used the indicators but others - no- you had to fill it where they want to go. Use your inner voice, intuition - whatever you want to call it. Another thing - people do not shout when driving and do not beep. Or maybe I had Michael Buble to laud ... Anyway ... it was nice change from what I remember from Milan and north part.
The other thing - parking. I was upset in Milan with the parking way - from time to time two cars in the line, it is very unusual if you get blocked. Here - it becomes a rule.
Streets - my buildings do not stand by the main roads. Someone planned them to have in remote areas with narrow roads. Especially for Gosia that she can use her new skill - driving in one car wide roads. Thanks God for the experience.

O Palermo ....

You are the city I can not concentrate at all.

a..... and coffee is stronger and cornetos taste better ... I love it ...

I totally forgot - my car got broken - not the whole one - but the the remote control (it looks that the battery got flat). Called Hertz and tried to explain - but the lady decided to change the whole car. So the whole morning was just about car. To catch the time I said no to proper lunch and had a sandwich made by a shop owner. A roll, cheese and olives - great staff.

Temperature amplitude: 20 degrees (Poland -6 Palermo +16) All around in winter coats (it is great place to buy such things) and Gosia in a jumper. It was a little bit windy - but other - perfect - blue sky, sun, a little bit of rain but not much ...

What a day ...

10th Jan 2010 One week before Italy starts again

It is one week to start my trip through Italy. I am more and more thinking about this project and what does it for me as a person.

Taking such a complex project as traveling through a country and taking pictures of the assigned buildings with stable momentum and the stable quality which is meeting clients and yours expectations at the same time is very demanding in terms of the mind set and persistance.

The other aspect of the project is being all the time alone in constant transition. The character of the job does not allow to settle down. I have never experienced such a filling in my life before.

Living like a Nomad in Europe.

This trip is about doing everything alone.

Eating alone.
Food it is not only what you get on plate - but also time you spend with other people. Here, I have to concentrate on what I have on plate. And.... I find it fascinating. What does it mean - Italian cousine? What kind of connotation come to your mind?...

Relationships.
Moving so fast does not help to build even short term relationships. Have you ever been on your own more than for two days? Just alone - you and you.. nobody else .... How did you fill? If yes, multiply it by 100.
I had to learn fast to be able to exist in kind of vacuum.

Days where I stayed in one place more than 2 days where like paradise.

I felt like in heaven in Albiano d’Ivrea were I found people I could connect with. I have my small place, shelter. I had my small things .... Being a person not another hotel guest ......
It was so nice going to the bakery in the morning and on the way meet those you have already knew.
I know that it does not happen often during such trips so therefore I cherish those moments in my heart.

Meeting people.
The other thing is when something nice happens - like meeting Franceska and Armando. I would just comment it with WOW. But from the other hand I know that if I would travel with somebody else this meeting haven’t had place.

Big moments.
I had a dream - I just wanted to see Matterhorn face to face. You never know when your dreams come true. And those moments you just want to share with others. And is was when I saw Matterhorn in live.... And then I was there standing alone... but happy...

From the other side I have such nice surprises like dressing Christmas Tree with Daga, Irek and their two sweet daughters: Sonia and Nina. I was seating in Albiano d’Ivrea and at the same time could join my lovely neighbours in this special moment (thanks to whoever invented SKYPE).

This trip teaches me more than any other experience in my life to stay on my own and still enjoy time I got. I can see how my observation skills are developing, the field of sight increased so much that sometimes I fill like having eyes on the back on my head.