We no speak Americano

Salve from Roma!

Leaving Austria was almost as hard as leaving Kenya, and that only after one week stay there. Finally on the road to Italy I saw also lots of amazing mountain views. My last stop for hitchhiking was in a fuel station about five km-s from border and this was incredible place. Right behind the fuel station and hotel was a shere wall of rock rising I think at least 800 meters. In front of it formed clouds that then slowly sailed away. I felt that I could watch it entire day. Sometimes I even didn't notice a car coming, just stared at the mountain. But on the way I saw more, and even more beautiful views. I really hope to travel to these areas again in future (although if I move to Kenya, it may become pretty impossible).

Anyway, finally I got the ride to Udine in Italy, my first station. Funny was that this car or actually small bus, carried the taxy sign, so basically it was my first time to hitch a ride with a taxi. But in this car was a Iranian family on a travel. Ok, if I understood right, they were born in Germany and boy actually still studies there. They were very friendly and ride was extremely enjoyable. Especially when we listened some traditional music from Iran. But first time after long time I had a documents check on European border, but it went quickly too.

I was actually on a road outside Udine already before noon, so I had entire day to waste. Although sky was clouded, it was very hot. What if really sun comes out. Actually from my first days in Italy I have contradictional feelings. I pretty much like what I see in the Italian cities, that different architecture and nice gardens in front- or backyard of the houses, and parks. One day when looking the roofs and narrow streets from the castle hill here, I even found some similarities with Kenya (although houses here are prettier, roofs made of stone and everything more systematic and fitting with the naighbourhood). And I certainly would like many trees and bushes and other plants from here to my guesthouse in Kenya. I haven't even seen many of these in any pictures. Variety is so great. I may also take some design examples. And probably it would be good idea to make window casements also in Kenya. Anyway, in this sense I really like Italy, but I still miss Austrian nature and amazing little cities like Klagenfurt.

I also miss Austrians. Italians seem really too cold natured for a southern people. I feel lonely quite often here. I don't get so much contact with locals. Ok, it is not like Czech, where people in city just avoided you when you go to talk, but yeah, even when I was with my host and her friends or in a party with some other coach surfers, I hardly felt as a part of it. I don't know, maybe it is also partly because of me, as now suddenly I got a little travelstress and even maybe some kind of a culture shock, and started to miss my girl and Kenya more than ever... maybe even Estonia a little bit. But then again, when in Austria everyone just started  (at least mostly) to talk in English when there were foreigners in the group, then in Italy it doesn't happen. It is hard to go to talk with some people when they talk amongst themselves in Italian. In this party only few people saw that I was lonely and then started talking with me. Moreover, in Italy it actually really seems that people are not so good in English, some even can't speak any English. In Austria you can be fairly sure that any young person can speak English (even if they say "only little bit", then actually they are quite good). I don't know about Austrian TV channels, but here everything is dubbed and probably most people don't have international channels. I think that Estonians speak English so well because we have movies and shows in original language, while at the same time subtitles help us to learn. BTW, most of the Italian TV and radio programme seems really scetchy for me. in TV and radio they pronounce very theatrically, making it all seem like soap series. In reality their language is much better sounding.
Ok.. actually I had now a really great time in Firenze, and also finally got a host in Roma for one night, so I have managed to come here, to one of the great dreamplaces of me. How exacvtly these trips were, I have to write in a next post, but know that although I want to go to France now as fast as possible, I feel quite good right now. And hopefully some West Coast Italy with beaches give even more happiness.
Ciao!