"Porca Miseria"

That's what I said to myself today, seconds after I fell off my new bike. It's one of my favorite Italian slang phrases that literally translates to dirty pig misery, but from what I gather it's a cross between "Oh crap" and "This sucks." I find it much more satisfying, though, to scream about dirty pigs.

So back to the fall...

Everything was going along smoothly, until my long and dangling shoe lace began to loop around the right pedal. One, two, three times it looped and then the tugging began. I tried to slow to a stop but seeing as my foot was now attached to the pedal, I couldn't use it to break my fall. Instead my right palm and butt cheek took on the job.  Porca Misera. Ouch.

The most embarrassing part was when I couldn't untangle myself from the wreckage because the darn pedal was out of my reach. So there I sat as the rush hour of Treviso passed me by. Oh it was just fantastic. As I was willing my go go Gadget arm to extend just a few extra inches, a nice Italian woman stopped to help.

She untangled me and then demanded that I tie both of my shoes. She held my bike as I wiped the mud off my jeans and then sent me on my way.

Karmic retribution for the man I ran over a few weeks ago? Perhaps.  

Monday Madness

There's nothing like oversleeping on you first day of a new job in a foreign country.

My cell phone alarm just didn't ring this morning, or maybe it did and I pulled one of my infamous semi-comatose moves where I turn the alarm off without realizing it, which is probably more the case. I can't really be blamed though. I tossed and turned for almost 3 hours last night as a two-year-old ran around the apartment above me and screamed "Mamma" like a broken record. And I had Thanksgiving lesson plans dancing around my head. I couldn't stop humming the tune of:

The turkey ran away, before Thanksgiving day...said she, "You'll make a roast of me if I should stay..."

So I woke up an hour late, which meant I had to skip my caffè and race down Via Vittorio Veneto on my bicycle (which lacks breaks). I got to the historical center at 7:15 and rattled through the just awakening cobblestone village, barely remembering the way to the stazione. Thankfully I made no wrong turns and locked my bici on a rack across from the bus stop.

I thought I was in the clear...I purchased my bus ticket at the Tabachi yesterday and knew I needed the #6 line at 7:45 to Quinto. But of course, the 6 line was the only one not listed on the bus stop signs. I found every other line, from 1-11, but not the 6. I asked a few students but received no clear answer. They seemed much more interested in smoking their cigarettes and gossiping about the boys on the corner.

Then I saw it, the #6 bus. I made a mad dash and was the last person on, but I made it. I franked my ticket and stuck my hands in my pockets only to realize that one leather glove was missing. It must have fallen out as I darted across the street.

The bottom line --no matter where you go in the world, Monday mornings will always have you asking, "Is it Friday yet?"

Everything's Better In Bici

Bloggers meet Bici. Bici, bloggers. Can you believe this beaut was collecting dust in my garage for 40 years? The first day I returned from Italy I treated it to some new tires and a lovely oversized wicker basket and have since taken it to the streets of my hometown, Northport.

Each time my foot hits the pedal I'm reminded of my last day in Piemonte. My host mother had let me borrow her bicycle so I could say some farewells in the historical center of Ciriè. Her bike, circa 1960, was perfectly rusted, with failing breaks and a squishy banana seat. I adored this bike for its quirky charm. It screamed, "Ride me along a cobblestoned street in a little Italian village!!" And so I did.

I had the route memorized by now - left at the roundabout, right at the ospedale, past the little stream and you're there! The sun's low light cast gorgeous shadows along the rose-colored stucco and beneath Cirie's many porticos. "It's a perfect evening," I noted.

I slalomed leisurely through the cobblestoned streets of this little Italian village, enjoying the feeling of my bohemian skirt fluttering in the breeze. I was early to meet my friend so I pedaled over to the main park - it was magnificent. Two rows of grand birch trees leaned into each other creating a blanket of soft leaves above, and twinkling specks of light on the ground. A group of old men played cards on one bench, two teenagers were eating gelato on another, and I parked my bici next to a third bench where I sat and sighed aloud. It all felt surreal, like the director was going to yell, "CUT" at any moment. My bici and I waited for the lights and cameras to appear, but they never did. There wasn't anything to do but savor the moment.



iPOD Bici Playlist:

1. "Take me to Aruanda" - Astrud Gilberto
2. "Penny Lane" - The Beatles
3. "Diana" - Paul Anka (try to find Italian version ;)
4. "Andrea" - Fabrizio De Andrè
5. "Crash" - Dave Matthews Band
6. "Sweetest Thing" - U2
7. "Sous Le Soleil (Cuba Acoustic Mix)" - Major Boys Feat. Amelia
8. "Cinema Paradiso: Nostalgia" - Yo-Yo Ma Play Ennio Morricone

Planes, Trains and Tuk-Tuks

There was a time in my life, not too long ago, when the A train from W. 4th Street to Times Square was my idea of a thrill ride. But since June I've racked up some serious frequent flyer miles, hit the open seas, and taken many a road less traveled.

In fact, some of my biggest adventures this summer were in transit. from crashing on the banks of the Mekong River in a rickety Cambodian motor boat, to zipping around Bangkok in a 2-person Tuk-Tuk with five robust Italian men, to treacherous scooter rides along the jagged coastline of Sorrento, getting from point A to point B was never dull. Here are some of my most memorable moments:

Yellow Pages Delivery Van
Cost: Free (hitchhiking)
Perks: The driver graciously offered us the latest edition of the Milano yellow pages, hot off the presses!


Cambodia Speed Boat on Mekong River
Cost: 20 USD per person
Perks: We sailed beneath stiled houses and through thick groves, waving at curious children as they splashed about in the water. Sit on the bow for the most unobstructed view, but beware: our boat crashed into the brush, breaking the wire attached to the motor and stranding us for a good 20 minutes. I nearly went overboard.

Horse and Carriage
Cost: Free activity - part of Cirie' English Camp
Perks: La Mandria park in Torino is even more beautiful when toured atop a vintage carrozza from the beautiful Cascina Vittoria. www.parcomandria.it/index.shtml





Capri Self-Driven Motor Boat
Cost: USD 25 per person for 2 hours
Perks: Check out my previous blog entry "You Drive It" for all the details. It was just too go to be true!








Than's Tuk-Tuk
Cost: How well can you negotiate?
Perks: Aside from being a cool dude, Than knows Siam Reap like the back of his hand and has the cleanest tuk-tuk in the city. Here's Than photographed on the bow of our boat trip. Not only was he a star Tuk-Tuk driver, but look at his moves. Email him next time you're in Cambodia and tell him tell him Courtney says "Sues'day"! (thanbontuktuk@yahoo.com)









Thai Sea Planes
Cost: USD 100 (THB 3,285)
Perks: Great views of Ko Samui and Ko Phangan. Not sure why, but something about the experience reminded me of a scene from Weekend at Bernie's.


Dirt Bikes
Cost: Free - an extension of our Tuk Tuk ride with Than
Perks: When monsoon season hits, the roads become too narrow and muddy for tuk-tuks to pass. Than called some of his buddies who took us deep into a remote village on their dirt bikes. I should probably have been holding on with two hands, but I coudln't pass up the chance to snap this photo of Alby and Marco.

Other interesting ways to get around:
Romanian family's luxury sedan, overpriced Milano taxis, Cirie' bicycle without breaks, Guiseppe's race car (never again), Italian buses...ticket? What ticket?