I have to vent a little, so please bear with me a moment. Italy can be frustrating, and the Italians can make it worse at times. They have a certain habit of nonchalant detachment that is especially evident in areas most affected by tourism. Rather than become more tolerant of visitors, they seem to resent the fact that they get paid to cater to tourists. Let�s face it, the Italian economy thrives on money from the rest of the world. So here�s a little story to illustrate how frustrating this peninsula can be.
We had a wonderful trip on the train to Naples. The train car was clean and spacious, and only one person smoked on the entirely nonsmoking train. We arrived in Naples and bought tickets for the Circumvesuviana line that runs between Naples and Sorrento. Aside from people standing next to the window and asking everyone buying tickets for their change, still no real problem. We boarded the train, guarded our belongings from the ever-present pickpockets and mafiosos that plague the city, and made the hour-long journey to our final destination on the coast.
Then we got off the train. I had checked the address of our hotel, 254 Corso Italia against the map in our tour book. Good news, a recommended hotel at 247 Corso Italia was only a couple blocks from the train station. So, despite the rain, we started walking. We saw number 208 across the street. Then, seven blocks later, after having passed the hotel at 247, we saw number 212 across the street. Now I was worried. The cobblestone sidewalk was wreaking havoc on our suitcase wheels, and the rain was starting to penetrate the outer layers of our luggage. Not to worry, though, 254 couldn�t be far away. Besides, we were looking for a place called the Central Hotel, certain to be in the middle of town, as touted on its web site.
To make a long story short, we found the hotel, sure enough at number 254 and across the street from number 356, about a mile down the road. By now we and our spirits were dampened, and we looked forward to the elegance of our 4-star hotel. And gosh, the lobby looked wonderful. The receptionist was nice enough. She gave us the rundown of the amenities and walked us up to our room (never offering to get Colleen�s luggage for her). The room seemed spacious and nice, although sitting on the bed was like sitting on one of the marble pillars that dot the landscape in Italy.
Now, we were excited when we booked this place, because we had found a hotel with �free Internet access� on the web. We have been working off AOL and Internet cafes since leaving Madrid, and the prospect of getting on for free in the room was enticing. We couldn�t, however, find any jacks in the room, and there was no wireless service. So we asked at the front desk. Well, it seems they have Internet access, but it�s over to the side of the bar. And we need a card to use it that costs $3.00 per hour. But wait, the web site advertised FREE access, and the brochure, sitting on the counter of the front desk, reiterated the claim.
The receptionist informed us it was an old flyer.
Then that helpless feeling swarmed over me. We had already paid for the hotel, brought our luggage in, and, besides, the rain outside was getting worse. So we just had to grin and bear it. That�s what is frustrating about Italy. The receptionist, faced with the contradiction of the flyer and her claim, merely shrugged.
Oh yeah, one more thing. After we got back from our late lunch (a mile away in the ACTUAL central part of the city), we asked her if the manager was around. We just wanted to point out the problem to him or her. She told us the manager wouldn�t be in until tomorrow (morning or afternoon, probably, she didn�t really know), and, besides, the Internet wasn�t working anyway.
But, I guess it gets better. Colleen, just as I was typing that last sentence, called the front desk to ask for an extra pillow. She needs them to help her sleep on her side, which is better for the baby. The receptionist apologized again about the mix-up over the Internet connection. She had been wrong. The first 10 minutes are actually free�
We�re looking forward to more time in Italy.
Paul and Colleen
Back to home page