como? to como!

flight to como left at 6:55am, cab pick up was at 5:30, which is normal work waking time. i was definitely dragging. man, i am going to be so screwed in 3 weeks!! huge line at the tiny airport. the airlines people (greeks!) are slow and no one is moving..at all. flight is delayed, but somehow we end up arriving half an hour early (this is like seinfeld: "if they know they can go faster, why dont they always fly this fast?!!") practically no layover. the security is a joke. i had to ask the guy if he actually wanted me to remove my liquids baggy, "sure, why not?!"could have walked right through--liquids, shoes, and belts. somehow, i am stuck in the middle between carla and an italian gentleman frantically typing away on his laptop. the this is, the plane is not full adn the gentleman could have been frantically typing away in the aisle next to some unsuspecting dude napping at the window. but no, alex is small and can be put in teh middle!! i eventually extricated myself from under the food tray, from between (sleeping) carla and typing man and moved to another seat.
saw some ladies getting off the plane in 3 inch stilettos, pantyhose, and miniskirts. ok, i get it, you're italian, that's what you wear, but why subject yourself to uncomfortable 3 hours of uncomfortable pantyhose sitting is beyond me. meanwhile, arriving in como, i already feel underdressed. i've hardly worn anything but a swimsuit for the last 6 days, but suddenly find myself lacking accessories to look as fabulous.
como is beautiful! old streets, great green hills, quiet lake. i'm back in my little europe spot. had gelatto for lunch and will likely subside on it for the rest of the trip. the cute little old italian man owning the hotel doesnt speak english and communicates primarily by gestures, while taking puffs from cigarette left outside the door under the giant "no smoking!" sign. italian maps are crap, i forgot! went out to find internet and water. following specific detailed visual instructions to the post office from map acquired from little old man and was nowhere in its vicinity. ended up stumbling upon it, accidentally, while taking a stroll. it was closed. the sign said open from 9-6:30. it was 5. then, walked into a grocery store and almost had a tiny little orgasm as i salivated over the spread of cheeses. on teh way home found doener!! made me so happy
oh, almost forgot! when changing trains on the way from milan to como, i am getting off at the platform right in front of an overweight dude in his 20s in a blue sweatsuit of some sort. the guy is staring directly at me while rubbing his penis in a circular motion. just great! so i start walking off the platform to go and see what platform we need to be on for the next train and i turn around to look for carla to ask if she just saw what i saw only to see that the dude is following us, hand on crotch. WTF? we reach the screen with platform numbers and carla catches up so i ask if she saw it too, she goes no, but did i notice that this same dude was making a moany/smacking noise at her? the dude is standing, literally, 20 feet away, staring, rubbing. ummm...we doa fake 'go on platform' but linger, the guy walks up the platform we're supposed to be going, we wait 3 minutes, go up to find him on a different platform behind us, staring, rubbing..welcome to italy!