Train from Rome to Montepulciano

Train from Rome to Montepulciano


As I said before, you better know what train your on and you better get on it fast. The train arrives and lets people off and you get on with luggage in hand, your hand.

Jake Burns we need to talk before you go to Italy. I’ll give you some great pointers and be sure you keep studying the Italian. It will really help you.

We find our seats and get luggage stowed with the help of some young Italian guy. Sitting in an area with 5 other people. Two Moms and their sons, Susie and I. The one boy sitting next to me is about 10 and the other one is about 13. We don’t speak Italian and they don’t speak English except for a few words. We are all looking at each other and smiling and the older boy begins a conservation. He asks us where we are from in a round about way. So I decide to get out my Italian dictionary. We had quite a lot of fun and laughed a lot at each other. In Italy the kids in school either take English or French. The older boy happened to take English. We told him he was getting some good practice and he should go back and tell his teacher. We did communicate to them that we were here to find my father’s birthplace and that he had died before he got to return to Italy. Of course I got teary eyed and I could tell they understood how special this trip was for me. The older boy asked if I loved America or Italy better. I told him I loved America and patted my heart for Italy. They understood. Hand jesters do work in Italy for a number of things.

Our train stop was in Chianciano. That is where Susie’s cousins were to pick us up. OK, we arrive, thanks to the help of our friends on the train they told us to get off. None to soon. Susie was on the computer and it was like, OMG we’re here! Get the luggage down and get off the train fast before the door closes. Just throw that luggage out the door. Whew, we made it.

There was Sue and Dick to greet us. Now we can relax for a few days. We got a very warm welcome. Sue said we needed to stop at the grocery store and pick up a few things. Oh, this should be fun.

So as we enter the grocery store Sue gets a cart. She explains to us if you want to use a cart you have to pay for it. She drops a Euro into this little slot and you get your cart. Now into the grocery store. Sue explains to us that you can’t touch any of the fresh produce with your bare hands. They have disposal plastic gloves you put on. Then you take your selection over to the scale and you enter the product code on the scale screen and out comes the label with the price. OK our selections are made and we proceed to check out. Sue has brought all her bags to carry things in because you have to pay for bags. After using the cart she returns it to where we got it. The cart has a key attached to it, you stick the key and the slot and out comes your Euro. Pretty tricky and no grocery carts cluttering up the parking lot. Now off to Montepulciano.

Stay tune for more…