Me, my car "Blu" & Grocery Shopping

I got my rental car yesterday...a cute little Panda Fiat...royal blue color... I have named it "Blu"....original, huh?

Ahhhh...who knew that the details of renting a car could turn into enough info for a blog story... well, let's just say that renting a car in Siena...then driving in Siena....then parking in Siena....

So, my rental car was supposed to be delivered to my country studio yesterday, but....as often happens around here, "something" happens and delays my perfectly layed out plan...(I am becoming a little more patient...well, maybe...)

Anyway, the computer was down at the rental car place...then my phone wasn't getting reception...finally they just drove out and delivered the car and then we drove back into Siena to do the paperwork by hand, but by the time we got there at 5:00 pm, the computers were working. On the drive into Siena though, I met the driver/employee of the rental company and she was delightful! Manuala...about 30 years old and was telling me of her 10 year relationship that she ended about a year ago. She said she knew it was over sooner, but she needed to go through the process of "realizing it, saying it and then doing it (breaking up that is)". I liked her a lot. She was also very excited that she is now dating someone new. She has lived in Tuscany all of her life and told me that she studied English in Dublin and then she studied Spanish in Spain. Then she said in a very certain way "I like living here in Tuscany and I think I will be here for the rest of my life." It made me think about Americans and their plans for career and moving and always talking about where they might live or go...I don't think I have ever heard anyone her (my) age say such a certain statement...it was reassuring in some way... she is content...what a concept!

Anyway...get into town, rent the car...it's pouring rain...Manuala gives me an umbrella to take and her co-worker gives me a bus ticket as a gift to use while I am here:)...that was nice of him!...So I drive a bit, park the car and hop on the bus into the city gates (I am not allowed to enter the city gates with a car). See how complicated this is!!??

So today, I decide that I just want to try to park as close to the city gates as possible and walk...I don't want to ride the bus...I drive around for a long time...and I am pretty certain that I accidently drive into the city gates...ya, I'm sure I will get a ticket in the mail for that...oh well, lots of tourists probably do it (that's what I tell myself to feel better)!

So today I got two bags of groceries (by the way... you weigh your vegetables, punch in a code and out pops a sticker...then when you are checking out the cashier asks how many bags you want to bag your groceries(at this point I am thinking "How am I supposed to know how many bags I need for two artichokes, three packages of pasta, bread, cheese, jars of capers and dried tomatoes, wine and lettuce?!")...nevertheless...these two simple concepts of bagging your own groceries and weighing and putting a sticker on the veggies...well, if I didn't know that's what I am supposed to do, it would be a bit awkward...or maybe just obvious that I am American!

And here I type this blog...thinking how hard it's going to be to carry these two bags of heavy groceries (shit, I should have asked for a third bag to put things in!)....walk all the way to where my car is parked and I hope to God that my car is still there...that I didn't park illegally or in the city gates....stay tuned...if you don't read a blog story about my finding a tow station to pick up my car, then everything went (somewhat) according to plan...