adventure time!

where do i start...what an adventure.

so, emily and i took a train to Tarquinia yesterday... all we really knew that it was supposed to be a small town, kind of a etruscan town on the coast. when we got off the train... we realized we were in the middle of nowhere...we didnt see any town near us. we saw a sign pointing to Tarquinia...so we just started walking down this one road. it felt like nothing around us. We noticed it was pretty cool out, which was unusual since it has been so hot...we keep walking and walking, with our heavy backpacks on us..not really knowing what we are doing or where we are going. All of a sudden it gor really REALLY windy and emily looked at me and said "did it just get dark all of a sudden"...sure enough.. at only 2pm, the sky was a dark gray and the winds kept picking up. we picked up our pace a bit when all of a sudden it seemed like the sky fell out. im talking total downpour....but it wasnt coming straight down... it was like hitting us from beind...going horizontally because of the winds... emily and i tried to run a little bit...but the winds were really strong. i thought for sure we were gonna get knocked down or blown away. we saw ahead that there was a lone house on this road so we ran to the gate to try to get something to hold on to and try to block us from the wind. em and i just looked and each other, soaked, and were just saying "i dont know what to do"

then...i hear some yelling... the people were out of their house, on their porch yelling something. at first, i couldnt tell if they were yelling at us to get away, or what because i couldnt see their faces because of how strong the rain/wind were. looking closer, they were gesturing to COME IN, and they had opened the gate. i thought at fisrt they were just gonna let us take shleter on their porch for a little bit... and for that i would have been so grateful....but they INSISTED (in italian of course) and by using motions that me MUST come in. we were drenched and muddy...but they didnt care. they spoke no english and we knew very little italian (ciao and grazi are about all we could communicate...basically) but with huge smiles...its amazing how you dont even need words. these people took us in and tried to feed us...but we declined...we were just so grateful they let us come in from the storm. They were the typical Italian family. A mom and dad...in their middle ages, and their grown son, still living with them. they were all so warm and inviting. The mom was so cute, bussiling around making sure we were okay... then she made us some of the BEST coffee we had ever had. We exchanged names (theirs were Elena, Francesco, and Fabrizio) and that we were from America...on a trip. They were fascinated with our names...kept saying them over and over... i guess because they are pretty american names. they said my name like "broo - keh" (the the r rolled of course)..and said they knwe the name from "reality tv or film"..haha..

oh yes, i forgot to mention that the electricity went out as soon as we got there too.. so we were all sitting around in the dark, not really being able to communicate. so the storm seemed to be passing...the rains slowed down and they communicated with us that the son, Fabrizio, would be taking us to our hotel (we had shown them an address of where we were trying to go). so we said our goodbyes and plenty of smiles and waves and "ciao"s and he took us to the hotel. Its times like that when... complete strangers open up to you and show you grace and generosity that makes you see what is good in the world... and how 2 groups of people...who seemingly have nothing in common, not even language, can communicate and seem to understand each other. Emily and I agree that this was one of the best things that has happened to us on our trip...we are so appreciative of what they did for us... and thank God for their graciousness! we just couldnt believe it...it really felt like an unreal that these people were being so kind. We are going to try to find a way to get them some sort of gift basket or something and bring it to them (if we can find that house again)...hopefully that will work out.

Today...had breakfast at our hotel (btw...it is the CUTEST little place... its a bed and breakfast) and then spent a majority of the day trying to figure out the bus system in this town in order to get to the beach. first of all, none of the times and bus lines or bus stops seem to be acurate...haha.. but we eventually got it figured out and we spent most of the afternoon on the beach. it wasnt as PRETTY as the beaches on mykonos...but it was nice and quiet. this town is pretty strange. its like in the middle of no where (between rome and tuscanny... all the buildings look like they were built in pre-roman times. its not very touristy.. and thats nice to just be in a small town in the middle of nowhere...in ITALY :) there are only 2 "internet points" in this whole town... and neither of them are very close to us... so we might not be online to blog everyday... but our plan is.. staying here until sunday... then catching a train to the airport, then flying to that town outside of Barcelona..where we will have to catch a bus to Barcelona....then school starts monday!


oh yeah..one thing i must mention. EVERY single place we have been...we have somehow heard a justin timberlake song on the radio or on tv or something. hes following us. i think its a sign. i love him. ahhhh... haha...enough about that

emily has also started giving me little spanish lessons late at night before we go to sleep--to try and help me with the basics so i wont be totally lost and overwhelmed when i get there. i probably will be anyway...but at least i will know the days of the week and how to ask where is the bathroom :) well... my time is up at the little internet cafe... more later when we can.

love!


here are a few pictures i found online of Tarquinia...