I was about to catch a cruise to go to Varenna from Bellano. I had prebooked the tickets for this cruise a month in advance. I went to the dock (small port not crowded at all) and told the port agent that I was waiting for the Varenna cruise. There were barely two other people waiting with me.
I stood there as the port agent shouted out cruise names and escorted passengers onto the boats. Around the time my cruise was supposed to arrive, I saw a boat pull up with the words “Lake Como” written on it.
I immediately thought, No, that can’t be mine. My cruise is called the Varenna cruise. Besides, the port agent clearly knew I was waiting for it. Surely, he would inform me when it arrive.
So I kept waiting.
Just as the port agent started pulling away the gangway, I nervously asked,
“Varenna cruise?”
He gave me the dirtiest look, followed by a dramatic eye roll, and said,
“Why didn’t you go?”
True.
Why didn’t I go?
What exactly was I waiting for? It was clearly the Varenna cruise labelled as Lake como as the last destination! How can I be so stupid! Only if I had taken a cruise before!
Before I left for Italy, my research (through reddit) had warned me that Italian service workers are not always the most cooperative. After spending four days in Milan without encountering anything like that, I had dismissed this as a stereotype.
But in that moment, standing there while the port agent looked at me like my confusion was entirely my own fault, I couldn’t help but chuckle. Maybe there was some truth to what I had read.
Another moment that still makes me giggle happened in Florence at a thrift store.
I was really excited to visit this store because it was one of the original thrift stores in the city and quite famous. I spent a good amount of time browsing through the racks and eventually found two amazing pieces: a vintage leather jacket with fringe and a denim jacket. They were a bit expensive, but I rarely find statement pieces in my size that I love, so I decided to buy both.
When it came time to pay, I asked to pay by card.
Unsurprisingly, there was a problem.
My bank is very strict about spending limits and often blocks payments abroad unless I personally approve them. I tried my first card, it got declined. I tried another one- also declined. I could feel the tension building at the billing counter as my payments kept failing. But I was calm as I was serious about buying the clothes and explained my situation.
The manager came over and suggested I pay with cash. I hesitated because I was saving my cash for emergencies. I think that was the moment when I officially drained their patience, because the manager began bickering loudly in Italian, throwing her hands in the air and rolling her eyes. Normally, when customer-service starts rushing me, I just leave. But I really wanted those jackets, and honestly, my card declining wasn’t exactly an unusual situation. So I asked them to wait and let me try one more time.
Thankfully, the woman who had helped me pick out the clothes was incredibly sweet. She spoke English and understood why I didn’t want to spend all my cash. Eventually, my card finally went through and I walked out with both jackets.
Later I found myself thinking:
Why was I expecting the port agent to give me a shou-out when my cruise arrived, even though I was the only one waiting there?
Why did I expect the store manager not to complain about my card in front of me?
Maybe it’s because in many places I’ve traveled, service workers tend to be extra patient when they see me by myself. Sometimes, people even show a little extra kindness or sympathy.
But Italy felt a bit different. (But it was still better than Germany where I was falsely accused of stealing! but that is for another Storytime!)
And honestly, I think I understand why. Cities there receive millions of tourists, and when you deal with that many travelers every day, giving extra time and attention to each one is probably exhausting.
Still, these moments were just small, funny episodes in an otherwise wonderful trip. Throughout my travels, I met plenty of amazing people and experienced many kind and helpful interactions along the way.
And looking back now, those slightly chaotic moments are the stories that make me smile the most.