Today we left Montepulciano and our home for the past four weeks. I thought it would be a sad affair but I was ready to move on and get to another exciting part of the trip – Dubrovnik and the Dalmatian Coast - Croatia, Bosnia and Montenegro.

We left our apartment at noon and arrived at the ferry port of Ancona at 3:30 pm driving across the Italian peninsula to the east coast. The ferry was to depart at 9:00 pm but we had to be in line by 7:00 pm. We changed our vouchers into tickets at the ticket office after waiting for the ol’ siesta hours to end (4:00 pm) and killed three hours in Ancona. We were back in line before 7:00 pm as we were told.

Loading was a true Italian affair. Huge trucks needed to be loaded first before the cars. After a truck was loaded there was a delay of up to 15 minutes before another one moved on the ship. Each truck loaded required untold minutes of conversation as to where it was to go and whether it was to be driven on frontward or backward. Then there was break time for the dock men to smoke a cigarette or two when everything came to a total halt.

When all the trucks were loaded there appeared to be no room for all of the cars. Amazingly all trucks and all cars fit with no breathing room between (front, rear, left or right) and what seemed like a pipe dream fifteen minutes earlier– sailing on time – occurred only 10 minutes late. I think of the ferries in Seattle and in Canada and how fast they are loaded without any discussion or delay for any truck. But that is North America not Italy. We waited in line for two hours for this once-a-day ferry and we were loaded 2 minutes before departure time.

Our cabin, certainly as Ann says not a stateroom, is functional. That is the nicest compliment I can give it. The ship is the Split 1700. I think the 1700 refers to the year it was built.

We had dinner on the ship and asked another couple to join us since the restaurant was full and we were at a table for four. The couple were Italians from Torino, yes the Olympics town and no, they did not go to any events. He owns two bearing and ring factories which supply aircraft, train, car and spacecraft parts to engine manufacturers. They had recently bought a hotel on the Island of Vis in Croatia. There they are supplementing the grapevines on the property to compliment the vines already present so they can produce and sell their wine with first bottling for sale expected in 2007.

Off we went to sleep in the bunk beds of our “stateroom”.

Lesson for Day 38: On the return ferry ride we will arrive no earlier than one half hour prior to departure!!!