Where Is Joey Today?

Neve and Gile (I think?) say hello from Torino 2006.


My first in-person olympics! Unfortunately with all the security many of the traditional mainstay's of the olympics (the village etc.) were closed to anyone who was not a journalist, athelete or staff member.

I had the train cabin from Florence to Torino to myself. On board, I made a few signs in my journal in the event that I got to the NBC broadcast area (which I later learned was near the medals plaza) but it was so hectic that trying to find the right bus was enough of a scavenger hunt.

The town is really nice but I would say slightly underprepared for the volume of people that showed up. For example, I think I spoke Spanish nearly as much as I did English, the buses should have been almost twice as frequent, more clearly labeled signs etc.

All in all it was a great experience, but it told me that you pretty much need two or three days at the minimum to go to the olympics. The first day is just figuring out...figuring out. So after wandering around aimlessly I found an event in the town that I could attend. The Canada Finland women's hockey team. The Americans had just gotten through losing to Sweden, and while at first you might say, too bad you could see the home team, Canada and Finland is like a Florida v Florida State game. Though Canada / Sweden would have been equally good.

While there I met a few Americans, one of which is on the Curling team (actually she and her sister). They play Italy later today. So after the game I went to the Train Station and tried in vain to get a ticket back to Florence or, preferably, to Venice. I missed the train (okay the new streak begins) and it forced me to sleep in the train station with a bunch of other people doing the same. (No rooms in Torino under 200€). There was a concert that night which prompted a wave of people later (around 2:30) to come to the waiting room. I asked the police and they said the area around the station is not safe at night, so I didn't try to find the olympic store or anything like that. I think the whole city is probably okay right now but I was erring on the side of caution/exhaustion. Sleeping is difficult, and the police guarding the room, told everyone that they could not lay down on the railings above the chairs. Not sure if they were being jerks or what, but sleeping in a chair is tough so lots of people were on the floor which they didn't seem to mind.

Around 4am an Austrian guy shows up so hammered I was getting tipsy just standing in the same room as him. He built a backpack with battery, to power flashing lights, and speakers with yodeling and ompa tunes. Needless to say that was not cool with everyone trying to sleep. One girl told him, We are trying to SLEEP!, to which he replied.. ya ya schlaf musik (sic?). Oh-ho man! I will give the guy geek credit, he built it himself.




Then this greasy sleezy Italian guy shows up in a wig and starts blowing kisses to the guys that were awake in the room. Then he took it off to hit on some Australian girls. "Ima gona helpa youza alla hahuh!" I think Aunt Laura and Aunt Diana can relate to that :-D

A real collection of winners in that place :-P







"Ah... Venice"

The first train to Venice was at 6:05. Apparently Italy does not require reservations like Spain does. I just walked on and the guy punched my rail pass. Along the way the train got more and more crowded which made sleeping increasingly difficult. I found out from a group of Americans that this is the start of Carnival in Venice. The weather has not been the best, but the city is amazing none the less. Though I really feel like this is not a real place. I have not seen much in the way of normal stores (only tourist shops). One thing that took me by surprise was how green the water is. I always think of Venice has having nearly brown water. Must be much nicer with clear weather.

Okay I am on the verge of collapse so here is the deal, I am going to head on back to Florence (3pm local time) for an arrival around 8-10pm.

See you all later!

--Joey

PS I am fixing/adding to my last entry which is why it is gone temporarily. I have enough photos I may have to make another CD.