We didn't die, but nearly did in our hearts.

Never, ever, ever again.

Here, my friends, is the true story of two girls. Two little Palermitane trying their hardest to find tickets to the Roma - Palermo game. And not just any tickets. Tickets for the away fans section. Tickets to sit with all of the Palermitani so that they could cheer to their hearts content for their boys.

Unfortunately, this was only a dream, because (surprise, surprise) every Italian is oblivious. Sure, I knew this, and love this about living here, but yesterday after running around to 4 different Roma stores, it gets to be a bit too much.

Let me fill you in a bit on how this works. You do not buy tickets at the stadium. You buy tickets at various AS Roma stores, some which are supposed to sell tickets specifically for the settore ospiti (the visiting fans section). This is the section we were going for. After being turned away from the one down the block from us on Friday, we took Saturday (the day of the game) to find these seats. We went to the Roma store in the centre and were turned down. The man of course has no idea where to get these tickets. Then we make our way back home and try the one down the block again. Some genius kid decides to tell us that we can go to the ticket booth at the Gran Teatro to get the tickets.

This is about a 1.5 hour trip.

We go all the way there, and find out from the woman that away tickets are never sold in Italy on the day of the game. But if we knew about this place yesterday it would've been fine. WHY!?

Fine. So we buy tickets next to this section (which is quite far away because they close off the two sections closest to the Palermo fans. Talk about your security.

Okay. We travel all the way back home to eat for the first time since breakfast, and then travel all the way back, bundled up and ready to go.

We are sitting in the middle of a bunch of Roma fans. They are singing, cheering, chanting, waving scarfs and making obscene gestures at the Palermo fans. Poor little Steffi and I are sitting silently, squeaking here and there when good and bad things happen to Palermo. And when my favorite player Rinaudo gets a red card (completely uncalled for), Roma scores a goal 2 minutes later. Everyone around us stands up and cheers and we sat all discouraged in our dirty stadium seats.

So all in all, regardless of the multiple pilgrimages to find tickets, the 28degree weather, sitting with a bunch of stupid Roma fans... at least now we know how to go about doing everything for when Lazio plays Palermo on May 4th.

Also, I did get to see Francesco Totti play, which just solidified my reasoning for disliking him and Roma. Perhaps if he spent more time playing and less time rolling around on the floor like a baby trying to get calls from the ref, he would be a considered a good player in my eyes.

In non-football related news, we are going to a new church today. A non-english speaking church. Finally! Long story. Write later.

Forza Palermo!