Dinner and Repeat Characters

After all the fun with the Austrians, I can’t really concentrate on writing anymore, and my tummy is a rumblin’, so I head over to my pre-selected restaurant.

When I get there, I see that it is the restaurant of a hotel. Hmm, well, I guess that doesn’t really matter – so I go on in. I’m seated right away, but the waitress (who I can tell immediately must own/operate the joint) tells me (in Italian) that because of the large American group (and she sweeps her hand to indicate the entire restaurant), there are limited options. I say that’s fine with me, so she runs through my choices and I select vino rosso and gnocci con pomodoro.

I eat and enjoy my meal and gather via observation that everyone else in the joint is eating the SAME meal. They must really all be in one, ginormous group. I flag my server friend down and ask her as much in my basic italian and she confirms it is true. I then realize she is actually doing me a favor to be serving me at all (since the others are not eating gnocci in a red sauce...)

It comes time to pay and she tells me it is only 8 EU. This is a screaming deal. I ask her if she is sure that is all, and she says yes. I pay her, heap my thanks on her and take my leave. Such kind people! I love it here!!

By now it is quite dark and I’m doubly glad I have the flashlight the Bowkers gave me before I left. Not only is it completely black out, but the road is quite narrow and there is barely enough room for me and a car to squeak by. So I’m thankful to a) have the ability to see where I’m going, and b) be able to warn cars that I’m on the road.

I get back with nary a problem and check-in (finally) and head to my room. There are 8 beds in the room, but only one is occupied at the moment. At first I think, “Oh no – not one of those it’s-8:30-and-I’m-going-to-bed-so-be-quiet-ers,” but when she turns to look at me as I come in, I recognize her. “Hey! I know you!” I say, “Wait, don’t tell me…..Tanya, right? I met you in Siena!”

We chat for a while, catching up on stories over the last week, and Tanya fills me in on Assisi. She too thinks its weird that monks, etc. are sight-seeing (with their vow of poverty and all). I counter that they are people too – so why not? “Because they are supposedly God’s vessels,” she says. I’m about to interject that anyone/everyone is God’s vessel (and even He rested on the 7th day...), but three other girls come in. They are from the UK, taking a break from their PhD studies. Two are from Taiwan, but studying in the UK, the other is English. Everyone is extremely friendly and as a group we actually chat the night away. Feels more like a slumber party than a hostel…

As I’m drifting off to sleep, it occurs to me: I am the only one in the room who is not in some way, shape, or form pursuing a PhD. Sheesh! What an underachiever I am...