Monday, May 28, 2007

Iron Grandmas

I stayed Saturday night in the Allesandro Palace Hotel in Rome. I had never stayed in a dorm-style hostel before, and was expecting something along the lines of the bar at Mos Isley spaceport, plus lice.

Now, I'm thinking of switching all of my accomodations to dorm-style. A.P.H. was super-clean, convivial and filled with young, normal-seeming people.

This is a big change rom the other places I've stayed on this trip. I am going to some tiny, tiny towns and godforsaken islands in Italy...places where you have to take a plane, a bus, a ferry, and three more buses, then walk a mile and climb a steep hill with a fifty-pound backpack strapped to you (I am not kidding, this is how I got to Ischia), and when I get to the top of the cliff, panting and covered in dust, there are 20 perfectly-coiffed German grandmas there reapplying their lipstick.

I have no idea how they do it. I now have great respect for the German grandma. But I am still going to stay in more youth hostels with other wimps my age.

2 comments:

Dori said...

I stayed in the most amazing hostel when i was in London and literally had the best week of my life -- AND the beds were the most comfortable ever, the only bed I have ever encountered that was more comfortable was at the San Fransisco Hilton. Hostels are great if you find the good ones!

Anonymous said...

My grandmas will be glad to hear that... :-)