[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UclwHBbPww?rel=0&wmode=transparent&autoplay=0]
Backpacking in Europe: Night in a Mausoleum
Backpacking through Europe as a college kid is a very good thing to do. One of the challenges is finding a place to sleep every night when you get into a new city. So my companion and I decided to just get off of the train somewhere in Italy, walk into the countryside and sleep under the stars. It hadn’t rained for a month and it was another perfect day in July. So, off we went.
Backpacking means walking a lot!
When you are backpacking you walk a lot. So, with our tired feet beneath us we hit the hot pavement of the small italian town and headed into the countryside. After about a half hour of walking we came to a verdant peach orchard which had ample grass and a pleasant peach smell. So we placed our stuff on the ground and began to relax feeling good about our situation.
Backpacking makes for interesting situations.
Sure enough, the distant horizon darkened and the breeze began to kick up. Suddenly it became apparent that a storm was headed our way. You could see the tall anvil in the distance blowing up like a balloon above the dark clouds below. A majestic sight! But, we didn’t have a tent or any shelter because we were backpacking using youth hostels and cheap pensione to spend the night. But out here, there was nothing like it. So we had an interesting situation on our hands. Either tough it out and get very wet or find shelter.
The Cemetery and Mausoleum: Backpacking pure.
So, we looked around for possibilities and there was a brick wall not too far away and I decided to check it out. Pulling myself over the top of the wall I could see that it was a cemetary and a building standing in the middle open at both ends. So, we climbed over, and went to the building only to discover it was a mausoleum of sorts with coffins in the walls. Every grave in that cemetery had those red candles burning which gave the scene an eery look. The floor was concrete of course, but, it would be dry there and we would be well sheltered from the storm.
As the winds kicked up and it got chillier, the rains came and thunder and lightning wildly rocked the walls of that mausoleum. Thunder claps echoed loudly in the cemetary and in the dark the little red candles flickered with excitement. Eventually, the storm subsided and we fell asleep in the cool fresh air, listening to it rain gently.
Some time passed and we were awakened by the sound of cars racing by, horns honking constantly, people waving the Italian flag and hanging out the window yelling at the top of their lungs. It went on for hours and we were actually a bit scared some police may come because of all of the trouble and find us for some reason. But they didn’t. This went on till 3 or 4 in the morning. Finally it stopped and we fell asleep.
The next morning was brilliant. A perfect blue sky, everything pristine and clear so we packed up our stuff and trudged back into town. As we ordered due panini e due cappucini we asked the lady what had happened the night before.
She smiled really big and with gusto exclaimed, ”Italy won the World Cup!” It was July 11, 1982 and Italy had defeated Germany in the final match of the World Cup. A night of backpacking I will never forget!
If you want to learn how to blog and make money click on this link and enter your email and you will be shown a presentation that will blow you away. It is the best way to make money on the internet and you can do this quite easily. Don’t be a wussy! Give it a look. Now!