The Best Cappuccino Ever!

My trip to Italy was life-changing.  Through the beauty, the history and the people God opened up a new world to me.  Showing me His beauty and reminding me, maybe for the first time, that He has created other magnificent and inspiring places besides John’s Creek, Georgia.

So, okay, when I say ‘people’ I mean ‘people other than the first Italian I met in Italy'!

My plane had just landed after a really long flight.  A lift was used to take me off the plane, (which bothers me because I can do stairs just fine with my crutches, but that’s just the pigheadedness that makes me Eileen!).  Upon being pushed from the tarmac to the terminal (something else that bothers me, because I can push myself!) I realized that I had left a bag on the plane.  I told this to the gentleman (not!) pushing me and he said something in Italian and told the people inside.  There was confusion, on his part, as to where to go so we just sat inside customs and waited.  We waited…and waited…meanwhile the Mad Italian is talking to this person and that person, obviously frustrated.  I have to admit I loved watching him talking; the body movements that go along with the Italian language are beautiful… and a little funny!  After about an hour, he pushed me (bleh!) to baggage claim where my group was waiting.  But he continued to push me past them out of the terminal.  

It was then that my group’s tour guide came to my rescue… Antonio!  He and the Mad Italian were angrily speaking to each other with all the Italian hand gestures you can imagine.  I heard a giggle to my right, where a younger man (younger than me!) stood laughing. He looked at me and said, “you don’t want to know what he’s saying”, and pointed to the Mad Italian.  He wouldn’t even tell me, it was so bad.  I somewhat understood pieces of what Antonio was saying.  He was angry with the guy and telling him that he represents Italia and is doing a horrible job with my first impression.

Anyway, Antonio took over (thank you Lord!) and he knew where to go.  He pushed me (sigh) to an office where we had to wait, but that turned out to be a really good thing because it was there that he bought me the first real cappuccino I have ever had and, OH! was it amazing!  (sorry, Dad, on the grammar, but…)  

The first sip was absolute heaven.  I tasted the firm, yet light, creamy, warm goodness that was the milk foam.  Now here comes the espresso…  (Note:  the American espresso I’ve had up until then has been n-a-s-t-y).  The taste of smooth, rich yumminess was simply unbelievable!  Then, the two combined in my mouth and…WOW!

Yes, the cappuccino with Antonio had just erased all the ‘yucky-ness’ I had experienced until now.  I ended up getting one of my bags back (a gift I had gotten my daughter) but I guess someone wanted to keep the coloring books and pencils I had bought for themselves.

So, my Knight in Shining Armor pushed me to where my magical coach awaited me (this push I didn’t mind because I was still floating from the cappuccino!).  

Everything up until the coach was very good when I considered it’s wheelchair accessibility.  There were no stairs to navigate when I got off the plane; someone pushed me around (ugh!) so I didn’t have to worry about where I was going; and the crew even took my bags during the roll to the terminal so I didn’t have to try to manage them.  Very nice and easy!  Once inside the terminal, everything was flat and tiled and easy to roll on (even though I was being pushed by the Mad Italian; for this guy the whole thing should have been carpeted!).  There were no stairs and ramps abounded.

But… (and there’s always a ‘but’), if I had not had the use of my leg, there would have been no accessible way to get on the coach.  Yes, I know, they could have carried me on but a lot of wheelchair bound people have too many sore spots, catheters, etc. to tolerate someone touching them, let alone carrying them.

Me?  I just scared the entire bus by jumping out of my chair and hopping up the steps.  (Well, ‘jumping’ is a little inaccurate, it was more like, ‘I pulled myself up the steps and on to the coach’.)

Italy is bellissimo!