43 Blog Post, Thursday, October 17, 2024
Where do you buy postage stamps? At the post office, you might say. Well, not in Italy, my friends! How about a travel sized shampoo? Or a comb? Go to the drug store, right? All this sounds so simple, but it’s not!
I already knew that you could buy stamps at the Tobacco stores, which are pretty common in the local cities where we travel, and often there’s a lit up sign with a white T on a blue background to help you find them. But today, the tobacco store was closed. Have I mentioned that the entire city closes from 1 to 4 for riposa, or rest time? Isn’t that when most of us would be shopping? No worries. They re-open at 4 and then stay open until 7, which sounds like a long day for an employee, in my opinion. Get to work at 9 am. Close at 1. Come back at 4 and stay till 7 or 8.
A giant post office was right near the tobacco shop so I told Alistair I was going in to get stamps, even though I saw on some website NOT to do that. Apparently post offices are for paying bills, not really mailing your packages or, in my case, postcards. But in I went. There were about 10 different lines and you had to go to a kiosk, tell them why you were there, and then take a number. Luckily no one was in the post office, strangely enough, so woman called me right over as we were trying to figure out the machine. I told her I wanted stamps for international mail to the US, and, I kid you not, she disappeared for 20 minutes getting the stamps. This is a post office. I thought about leaving, but I didn’t want to give her a bad impression of Americans, so we just waited, and waited.
These basic tasks the strangest here in Italy. In the Bible, I have always related to verses about being a stranger on the earth, waiting for heaven, but sometimes in foreign countries, we just feel both strange and alien. “They were foreigners and strangers on earth,” (Hebrews 11:13). When I don’t know what to do, or where to go, especially far from home, I feel completely like an outsider who doesn’t ‘get it’. Today was one of those days.
When she reappeared she was so nice and she brought these beautiful--but enormous!--postage stamps that will barely fit on a postcard! I’ve bought stamps for over 50 postcards so far, and these are different than every other stamp I have ever purchased in Italy. But I just went ahead and bought them. Once again, I want to be grateful for what people do to help us.
She then asked, almost shyly, where we were from, and when I said New York, she and three of her co-workers who were listening pretended to swoon. I always have to explain that we are from the ’monti’ or mountain area of New York, not the city, but I don’t think people ever really understand that. I do think that New Yorkers are better received than other states, like maybe Kansas or Nebraska, because people connect with New York. Everyone has heard of it, seen it, been to it, wants to go there. I think it makes it a little easier for us because most people seem to really admire New York. Anyhow, from stamps to a quest for travel sized hair spray, or lacca de capelli.
So, a Pharmacia here is a strange thing. It might sell medicine, or makeup, but they are very small and specialized. These are not your basic CVS or Walgreens. Those are supercenters compared to the Pharmacia. So when I went to a local Pharmacia, which can sell drugs, sunscreen, shampoo and other basic items, I asked about a travel hair spray, she directed me to a tiny bottle of specialized vegan hair spray that would have cost 14 euro (think about 15 dollars!). Literally, that was all she had. She directed us to a supermarket (not super at all) down the street for more basic supplies, and as I have come to expect, there is nothing available at the mercato/market.
Let me shout into the traveler’s universe in hopes of an answer: Where does one find travel supplies of shampoo, toothpaste or other basic supplies in Italy? Where can you buy a cheap comb (I refuse to pay 3 euro for a bad comb) or a beach towel? I don’t know the answer, but I’ll let you know if I find out, and if you know, post in the comments.
But really the big news of the day was the boat ride. I impulsively booked a boat ride just yesterday for the three of us to see the caves at Polignano. Polignano is famous for cliff diving, for an expensive restaurant built into the side of a cliff, and for a really beautiful, but small, beach that is surrounded by sheer cliff walls. The caves we were going to see could only be explored by boat, and they looked beautiful. My ultimate goal? A swim in the Med, as Alistair said. I have not yet been able to get to a beach, so this boat ride was my big chance.
The boat was small and just fit the 7 passengers and two crew members. I totally stole the “Queen” seat, a single seat facing in the direction of the prow so I could see where we were going. The three of us and another couple filled the front part of the boat. It was a great day, not too hot or cold, and the ride to the caves was perfect, relatively quiet and calm.
When we got to the place where we could swim, only one other woman, Kristin, wanted to go in, and we both stood on the prow of the boat and dove in and it was absolutely amazing! The water was a perfect temperature of cool, not cold, and the blueness and clarity of the Sea was astonishing. I could have stayed in for hours. Alistair has officially changed my middle name from Marie to Mare (pronounced Mar-ay). Mare means sea. I think he got it right. Laurie “Mare” Garramone. We bobbed around for a little while, then got back on the boat, exhilarated and just so pleased to have been in the water.
Once we were back on board, the crew handed out tiny packs of taralli (small round cracker-like snacks) and plastic cups of prosecco. Let the celebration begin! They then revved the motor on the boat and took off, which is when the fun began. Water began to just fly over the front of the boat and it soaked everyone to the skin. Remember that only two of us wanted to swim, but the other three (all men) simply sat there being literally drenched by water spraying up over the sides as we flew back to Monopoli. At one point I looked at Alistair and water was running off his nose. Clothing, glasses, phones—whatever was in the way was soaked, and we just laughed the whole way home. It was a silly, joyful experience that honestly made the trip for me. Diving off a boat into the Mediterranean Sea (technically the Adriatic Sea, a part of the Med) is absolutely one of the items on my list of “What if I could…?” And I did. What a life.
And no, I never did find the hair spray. Been looking for the last two weeks. :) Maybe Greece has a different system. We'll see!
May you get to cross one of the “Life Items” off your list as well.
Blessings and grace,
ML+
