A funny thing happened on the way to Florence...

Ok well not that funny but I'll tell you more about that in a bit...

Let's back up a couple of days:
On Friday night I arrived in Pordenone, Italy and was picked up at the train station by my friend, Lyn. Lyn works for the military and is TDY at Aviano Air Base in Aviano, Italy. She graciously offered me her couch for two nights. On Saturday we slept in then took a train into Venice. Lyn had already been to Venice once a few weeks ago (where her son proposed to his girlfriend!) and knew her way around so it was really nice to have someone who knows what they're doing. The whole day I just kept thinking, awestruck, and sometimes aloud, "I cannot believe I am in Venice." We hung around until after dark so we could see the place lit up at night. It was so magical and beautiful! We stood on Saint Mark's Square listening to an orchestra play music. We stood because it costs big bucks to sit and have a drink or food :) The orchestra played one of my favorite pieces of music, Nessun Dorma, while we stood there. It was probably one of the top ten moments of my life! As we started to leave the square and head back to the car, I asked Lyn to give me just a moment. I wanted to have one last look, one more minute in this place and time, one last chance to etch this scene onto my long-term memory. Visiting Venice was another life-long dream fulfilled... and it was perfect.

So here's the "funny" part:
This morning we did some errands including going to the grocery store on base. I am in love with European bread so I wanted to get a loaf and make a sandwich or two for my train ride down to Florence. Lyn drove me to the train station in Pordenone and dropped me at the front of the building. I went inside to make a reservation for the second half of my trip (because it was mandatory) and learned that there is a train-workers' strike today and the first train I was supposed to take wasn't even coming!!! Lyn had already left the station but I called her and she came back. This sweet lady drove me down to Venice so I could make the second train!

The saga continues...the train I wanted to be on was full so I booked another train. Then that train was soooo late that I got on the WRONG TRAIN going in the OPPOSITE DIRECTION thinking I had gotten on the right train! It took me about an hour before I realized my mistake and turned around and came back to Venice. Once there I found the schedule for the train I needed to catch next and walked to the platform. Deserted. The train wasn't coming. Geez!

So long story short, I am updating my blog from a hotel room in Venice tonight. I was so tired and hot and frustrated that I decided to throw today's budget to the wind and relax and forget about this terrible day. I am laying across the bed eating the sandwich I made this afternoon and using the Wi-Fi offered by the hotel. Now don't get me wrong...I'm stranded, but I'm stranded in Venice, Italy. It could be a lot worse!