Chases' adventures in Visaland

First thing this morning we got up and got over to the Consulate, luckly only about a ten minute bus ride from the hostel. We had previously located hte hostel the day we had arrived and learned its operating hours. It is open for visa stuff from 8:30 to 11:30 AM only M-F. So we arrived in line outside at 8:30. There was a woman at the gate in a little booth whose only function was to make sure only a limited ammount of people went into the building. That, and to scare away small children. She spoke no enlglish and took pointed to the sign on the window when he indiciated he wanted to go in. We figured out that she wanted his passport. She photocopied it, then waited until some people exited to give him a little ticket that said Enter on it. He went inside with all his visa info. I waited outside for a little less than an hour. He came out and told me that they needed 94 euros and that the soonest they could have it done was by june 16th, several days after we left. They made him modify his own forms, and initially refused to loan him a pen. these are for visitors, they told him. I am a visitor, he told them. Not special enough apparently, but he finangled it somehow. I convinced him to get the money from an ATM and we went back. Cerburus at the window stopped him and refused to express any sort of care or recognition when we returned ten minutes later. She demanded to see his passport, which was inside along with all of his identificatoin papers. She made it clear in no small motions that unless he had his passport, he couldnt get inside, even when it was evident that his passport was already there. We grabbed an exiting woman who translated for us. (once again, saved by the kindness of strangers). Even with the translators help, cerburus refused to let him enter the embassy. Finally, we mentioned that we had not paid and, surprise, she let him in immediately, and me too, only pausng to photocopy his drivers license. Inside the line was short, and the cashier had a hard time understanding chases desire to pay 57 euros, but quickly accepted the 94. June 10th, she said. Save the reciept, I said. This is ridiculous, he said.

We did laundry today, its good to be wearing clean clothes. We lost the drunk middle aged scottsman, and got a party of 5 KU girls, probably sophomores. Apparently they had lost a member after he fell out of a window and had a scull fracture and brain hemmorhages. They took him to a hospital in Genoa, and continued on their way. They talked about it like a train delay. I was releived to learn to that hte mother immediately hopped a jet over.

I cant stand these boozepackers looking to get eurotrashed. It just makes me ill. Why did they come here? To hang out with other american backpackers and get drunk at pub crawls? What an opportunity. What a waste.

I picked up a copy of the da vinci code. While I enjoyed reading about places I visited in Paris, theres little mention of Rome, adn the story gets more ridicuolous and contrived as it goes along. Quick, fun read though. Bruce Willis is a good choice for the role.