Jam-Packed Weekend

Friday Night

Caught an evening flight from Atlanta to Brussels and cos I never sleep on flights and each seat was not equipped with its own tv monitor for our movie viewing pleasure, I read. I started and finished an entire book on the flight. 

Saturday at the Crack of Dawn

Arrive in Brussels. Husband meets me at the airport and we take the train to our hotel in the heart of Brussels. It was just a 15 min train trip but I managed to get verbally abused, in French, by the ticket collector man cos I dared to rest my weary legs on the seat opposite me. Honestly, I didn't even notice I'd put my legs up there to start with. It was a reflex to the travel fatigue. But when the ticket collector man began his verbal rant, in French, which I speak pretty well, I thought he was crazy. "What are you talking about, feet on seat???" Then I looked and saw my offending feet, resting their weary selves on the soft, soft seat. Oops. I took them down but dude would not let it go. On and on and on about the feet and the seat. "Sérieusement dude, se taire".

We arrive at the hotel, dump the bags and head off for some breakfast. After breakfast we took to the streets of Brussels for some sightseeing and some shopping.

The sightseeing part of the day

Husband and his big American self try not to get head smacked in the wee European doorway.

This was so cool, a segway tour. Basically a line of about 10-12 touists cruising the city on their segways.

Late Saturday Evening

Catch a flight from Brussels to Rome. Wait 90 minutes at Rome airport for a car that is taking us the 2 hour drive to Rieti. Car shows up, with a flat tire and no spare. Wait another 30 minutes for substitute car. Car arrives and we hit the road. 30 minutes later I look out the window and we are back at the airport. Driver is lost. Driver does not know his way to Rieti. We head off again, drive for roughly another 30 minutes before we  pull over again. Driver is completely lost and stressed. And even though I don't speak Italian, I know he is stressed cos every few seconds he breaths heavily and mumbles. Luckily we are sharing the car with a French photographer and his iPhone and French photographer just so happens to have an "App for that", so he GPS's our driver back on track. Props to the iPhone.

Arrive at the Villa, somewhere after midnight and catch the end of the agents dinner we were suppose to attend. Oooopsie

Sunday Morning

Take a stroll around the amazing Italian Villa that is our home for the next day or so. 

The Villa

View of Rieti

Thought these flower pots were pretty cool.

Sunday Afternoon

Husband is still on-the-job, so in the afternoon we hit the stadium for the Rieti track meet. But who do you think one of the athletes competing was?? Only my BFF Derval, aka Scratcher. So I not only got to catch up with the Hubby, but also my bestfriend. Bonus to the weekend.

This is Scratcher in action. She's 3rd from right. The white girl. She had a bit of a mare performances, so I promised Scratcher I wouldn't post a photo beyond hurdle one, cos thats really when the wheels started to fall off. But who cared? This was a mini vacation as far as we were concerned. And really the race was just eating into our enjoyment time.

Someone who did have a good race, Asafa Powell. Here he is blowing the field away.

Sunday Night

Post meet paaaaarrty complete with complimentary beverages of our choice. My choice? Italian white wine, until I discovered there was also complimentary champagne. Game on.

The Husband and The Shinks

The Scratcher, The Shinks and Steve The British Pole-Vaulter

The Scratcher, The Champagne, The Shinks and The Piotrek (best co-agent, in the world)

Later that night, having drained the bar of its champagne and tearing up the dance floor, we decided to head back to the Villa. Here The Scratcher hustles a ride.

Result. Ride secured.

Monday Morning at the Crack of Dawn

Shinks, not in peak condition (damn you free champagne), catches a 5.30am car back to Rome airport for her flight to Atlanta. Boooooo.