The Italian Post Office Experience

posted in: Italy Travel | 2

Friday April 15
This morning I slept in and packed a box to ship back home, then took a walk down the scale mobili to the post office. The post office in Italy is a process to say the least.

First you have to take a number, and depending on what your business is there, the numbers are categorized in three different areas. Once it is your turn, you turn in your box along with two documentation forms which must itemize each thing in the box, its value and approximate weight. It is not acceptable to simply list gifts, or clothes. Anyway, after about 30 minutes or so, I left the post office, mission accomplished.

On the walk back I found a supermercato, and was happy to be able to buy Coca Light and some other things there, much less expensive than at any other shops. I sat in a little park and did some writing, enjoying the cool breeze and sun…no rain.

Walking the streets of Perugia

I had a late lunch, but before 3:30, because after that you cannot find anything open until 7:30 except a bar which serves minimal items. Then I took the rest of the day and relaxed. Tomorrow I am taking the train to Orvieto, another medieval hilltop little town. Ciao!

2 Responses

  1. Bonnie D

    At the risk of running long I will go the distance for today’s postings:

    One; Regarding Post Offices, specifically those in Miami, Florida, I would tell people that if they sent something to me it would either be stolen or returned to them as I was not nearly brave enough, strong enough nor smart enough to survive a trip to a post office in Miami. Of course, those were the years of the Cocaine Cowboys. But still, it took me several years to detox when I moved up here. It was a big shock to me, back in the USA, to find what a pleasant experience it was to deal with the Post Office. The clerks spoke English, were polite, humorous and helpful. Hard to believe it was technically the same country as Miami.

    Two; being a loner myself I would not be comfortable in a group. But, I still am very safety conscious and would not have tried to travel abroad without a group and a guide. I now see that with proper preparation, that is, language skills and hours developing a schedule, it is very do-able. It may be that we loners (Margie is many things but not a loner) can look to Margie for inspiration in leaving our recliners and Rick Steves and heading out for parts as yet unknown.

    Third; how is it that Margie appears to be 40 years old when I am sure she is at least 45? Travel is very good for some of us and certainly is for Margie!

  2. Carol

    I love your site, especially the IPad version it is so cool. Your photos are great!!

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