All buses lead to the Caserma

                After a few days wait (pretty short for Italy) I was approved for a 60 day temporary pass onto post. This is huge because I now have a lil ID card that allows me onto post when accompanied by any DOD ID holder. I just have to show my ID with Pat and I’m allowed on post, easy as pie. Used to be we had to park at the front gate, walk to the lil office building, show my passport and Pat’s ID and wait for a temporary pass (in exchange for my passport) which excluded me from the Commissary, PX and any other places we would go. When we left post we would have to park again, walk to the lil building and turn in my pass in order to get my passport back. As anyone knows who used to have to get a day pass back in the day to get on Ft Carson, this can take a while even in the US so imagine how long it takes in Italy! We had to do this every single time we went to post. Now I can get on post at any gate, rather than having to always use the main gate.

Alright, so I decided to venture out and learn the Italian bus system. I rode to post (Caserma Ederle- named after some Italian Mr. Ederle- it is actually an Italian army post on loan to the US) with Pat. There are three gates to Post- the main drive in/out gate off a mini highway (where I used to have to get my daily pass) and two walk in gates off the town side. One of the gates is right next to Pat’s office and fairly close to the bus stop and thus the easiest for us. I researched the bus routes for hours and then headed out. Yes- for hours- check out www.aimvicenza.it to see why it took me hours.

One must first buy a bigletto (ticket) for the bus. Bigletti (tickets) are only sold at Tabaccheria. Well, I started my little adventure at about 1pm which corresponds with the start of Raposo, the Italian version of Siesta. The buses are running of course but there are no stores open at which to purchase bus tickets. So I decided to stop for a cappuccino and croissant (even though Italians only drink espresso after noon). Raposo still wasn’t over after my cappuccino so I headed down the street to look for an open Tabaccheria. Instead, I found an Italian grocery store.

What an experience! Ends up you have to weigh your produce and print a sku for it since they don’t have scales at the checkout. They also sell horse in meat department. Not the kind you can pet. I filled my cart with different cheeses, pastas, produce, cookies, etc and asked where to buy a bigletto. Problem is- I can teach myself a few Italian phrases from my guidebook but then I have no idea what the Italians are saying in response! (By the way-my latest phrase is: ‘sto solo dando un occhiata’ ‘I’m only looking’ or literally: ‘I am only giving an eye’.)

So I head in the direction she points me and find an open Tabaccheria. I ask for a bigletto, a multi-bigletto so I don’t have to buy one every time I want to get on the bus. But the nice lady doesn’t understand me and thinks I want a 7 trip pass. Luckily the Jamaican dude across the store speaks English & Italian and I end up with a 5 Euro bus pass- which has served me well for four trips. I then proceed to almost trip over my own feet right outside the Tabacheria in front of 10 guys. Allora! Darn beautiful boots with heels!

My goal is to get to the downtown station so I can pick up a bus schedule there. But we get downtown and EVERYONE gets off the bus. I give in to peer pressure and get off the bus too- not the downtown station, but downtown nonetheless. So I HAVE to wander the streets and shop for shoes :) Don’t worry, I didn’t buy any. Nope, not a single pair! But I enjoyed wandering around downtown in the cold, checking out the stylish clothes and the windows upon windows of scarpe!

I made it back onto the bus, hoping to end up at the mall (by now I had given up on the downtown station & bus schedule). But instead I ended up at the Caserma. Its familiarity beckoned me and I gave in and got off the bus. A girl can only take so many failed bus ventures per day, so thus catches a ride home from post with her love.

Day two: I am going to make it to the mall today and I am NOT going to buy or even shop for shoes!! So I wait for the bus at the stop outside our house. And I wait. And I wait. Thirteen minutes later the bus comes around the corner and I happily get on and settle in for my trip to town. And the bus stops around the very next corner and everyone gets off. Again! Stupid American- gets on the bus for one measly stop! But I stay strong and committed and remain on the bus this time. Ten minutes later, the driver starts his engine and he and I (along with two new passengers) are off for Vicenza! I know that I need to take Linea 1 to Torri di Quartosolo and get off on via Roma for the mall. I’m not sure how far I’ll have to walk but I’m game! I enjoy the scenery, looking up words off street signs in my little yellow Italian-English Dictionary. Next thing you know- I’m back at the Caserma!!!!! Dejectedly I get off the bus and meet Pat at the gate, hoping that a little love and a cappuccino will re-energize my commitment to mastering the Vicenza bus system.

I check the posted stop schedule and make sure I’m back in time. This time- SUCCESS! The bus came pretty close to on time and it dropped me off at the mall- Palladio. Yay! Too bad the mall sucked! All it had was shoes & cappuccino! I can’t believe I’m complaining about that but I need a ball gown for next weekend’s Welcome Home Ball! But the mall sure had good pizza- with hotdog slices and pineapple on it :) I decided to push my luck and take the bus to the next mall- Piramidi. High school had just released though so the bus was full of teenagers- oh how I’ve missed them! I stay towards the front of the bus so that I can watch for familiar landmarks and ensure I don’t miss my stop. As we go through roundabout after roundabout I will the bus to go the direction I need. It does twice but alas, the bus misses my third roundabout exit, we come to a halt at a bus stop and yep, you guessed it, everyone gets off. Again. But I power through, remain on the bus like any stupid American, wait out the bus driver’s break and ride it back to the Caserma. Sigh.

PS- Ends up, there are no bus stops at the other mall. Pat had to drive me there and shop with me :) Why would the bus not stop at the other mall?!

PPS- I did ride the bus successfully the other day- but I intended to go the Caserma this time.

PPPS- I learned today that the first mall- Palladio- is named after the great architect from Vicenza- Andrea Palladio, 1508-1580.