Another day of travel … after an ok sleep on the floor on the ferry I awoke and thankfully there were showers onboard, so I went and cleaned up, got my things are packed and ready to go. I went outside on the deck to sit for a bit, was a bit chilly, so I went back and sat with the Emma and Carley.
Day 109 Sun. Aug. 9 *Naples
We arrived in Ancona at about 9 am and it took some time to disembark the ferry, then we had to go through passport check and then exited. I walked along to find the train station, it was a very hot day and I was soaked along the long walk there. I got in and bought a ticket to Naples. Of course again I had no plan of action, so I walked across the street to the internet cafe and checked out some hostels and booked one, got all the information and directions I needed and went back to wait for the train. We got on the train and I had some smelly man sit next to me, Nice….this is going to be a fun ride. I sat and watched some videos on my iPod and then napped a bit. We arrived in Rome at about 6 pm and I had to change trains, so got off and walked to the platform and got on the next train, thankfully this ride is only about an hour and 15 mins. There were outlets on there too, so I got to charge my phone and iPod, watched some more videos and finally got to my destination – Naples at 8 pm. I walked through the station to find the metro, got a map and bought a ticket and off to find the hostel. It was a pretty easy ride and the directions thankfully were good, and I arrived at the hostel ‘Fabric Hostel and Club’. I checked in, it was a small 5 bed dorm room, with 2 bunk beds and I got the free standing bed, yahoo! There was a large common room with some couches and a big screen t.v, some computers and tables. I sorted my things, and looked through the pamphlet the hostel gave of all the things to see and do in Naples to try and decided where and what I was going to do here. Then I went for a walk to find some food, couldn’t find a good pizza place open so got a kabob and headed back to eat. I got online for a bit to check some more information and then I lost connection for some reason and you can imagine I was a bit pissed. I was pretty tired, so I turned in for the night. The room was extremely hot but we each had a small fan above our bed, lol.
Day 110 Mon. Aug. 10
I got up early, cleaned up and washed some clothes. I went down for brkfast and it was deceiving, the toast was actually melba toast and then just cereal and croissants, oh well it was something. I ate and then locked my things away, grabbed my bag and went down to the receptionist to get some information. I showed her the pic in the pamphlet that I wanted to take, and she said it was Positano, along the Amalfi Coast. She suggested that I go to Pompei ruins first and then continue on to Sorrento and take the bus along the Amalfi Coast. So, I got the train and bus information and off I went. I got on the train and of we went…silly thing is I missed the stop for Pompei and so continued on to Sorrento. I got in and I bought my ticket for the bus, and I had a bit of time so I took a walk around the town and took some pics
I got back to catch the bus just in time and we drove off. The views are breathtaking and unfortunately I could only take pics through the bus window, but the driver was nice enough to slow down a few times. So here I am going to just add a bunch of pics of the different towns that cling to the rocks above the wonderful blue water below. It is possible to stop at each of these towns and stay for awhile but I found that with the shortage of time, it wasn’t possible since you then have to wait for the bus to come back around, so like I said I had to take my pics from the bus, but it was a great ride, so beautiful
This is Positano, my pics don’t do it justice, it is a gorgeous little town on the cliffs, and this is the shot I was wanting to get :)
more all along the coast
We got to Amalfi and I got out to walk around for a bit. There were lots of shops, restaurants and cafes and tons of people. I just wandered around, went down by the water and chilled out for a bit.
I grabbed a slice of pizza and it was good but I don’t think it was one of the world famous ‘Naple's pizzas, and got a crepe for desert. Then waited for the bus and got on to head back, I was hoping to get to Pompei in time to do a tour through the ruins. So, here are some pics on the way back to Sorrento
This time I didn’t miss the stop for Pompei but I did however miss the cut off to go in, so I just walked along the entrance and got a few pics from there…..oh well, I realize it is a pretty famous spot of ruins but I have seen a bit in Greece and there still Rome
Well, that was a bummer, I walked back to the train and waited for the next one and got on to head back to the hostel. I stopped at the grocery store to get some snacks and the back to the hostel. I put my things away and then asked at the reception for the best pizza place so I could try this pizza that some other people were raving about here. I walked along and both locations were closed so I ended up finding a small spot on a side street and they sold slices, so I got a couple and headed back, it was better, but still not the best as far as I am concerned, sorry. I grabbed my laptop again and was still having trouble getting online, but this one guy tried helping me out but apparently it was just a network traffic problem and I finally got on. I looked up some hostels for Rome tomorrow and checked prices of trains, etc. Chatted with some friends from home, gathered my laundry and went up to crash for the night. Another hot night.
Day 111 Tues. Aug 11 *Naples downtown/ Rome
Today I decided against the brkfast, and got ready and headed out to the train station. I got there and I bought a ticket to Rome, it was for this afternoon and so I left my backpack at the left luggage and went to the metro to go to Downtown Naples and see what I could see there in a few hours. I got out of the metro station and it seemed like a really sketchy area, no one around really, so I asked this gentlemen in uniform for directions and he lead me to the action. There were lots of street vendors, selling clothes, fruit, veggies, and all kinds of other things. I just walked along took some pics and watched the people go about their business.
Done walking and needed to get back to the train station, grabbed my bag and walked to the platform. The train was about 5 mins late, got on, got my reserved seat and just watched some videos. The ride was only an hour and a bit to get there. Got off the train, walked through to find the metro and got on the line I needed and headed to my stop Bologna. I walked out of the station and around the corner just up the street was the hostel, ‘Youth Hostel Station’ ya, that was easy.
I checked in and sorted out some of my things and then grabbed a map from reception and walked out for food again. I found a small take away and got a panini, and walked over to the park and sat down to eat, there was a group of old men sitting near by, just drinking some beer and chatting away, was a bit entertaining. I walked back, stopped at the grocery store and then back to the hostel. I took a shower after having to mop up all the water on the floor from the previous person showering. I chatted for a bit with one roommate from Manchester, she was traveling all around Europe also. I grabbed my puter and started to do a bit of researching of things in Rome, and I was thinking about doing the ‘Angels and Demons’ tour, there is one you can join in or you can do it yourself and that was my thought. I went outside for a bit for a bit to chill and met a couple other roommates, 2 guys from the U.S – Utah and a girl from California – Kristen, and another guy from Brazil, we all chatted about different travel stories. Then I decided to turn in for the night, it’s gonna be a long day tomorrow, so much to see and so little time. Goodnight
Day 112 Wed. Aug. 12 *Rome
Good morning Rome!
I got up early as I have a big day ahead. I got dressed and packed a bag with something to cover up for the Vatican and then went to get my water, and it wasn’t there, I was pissed … I vented to the reception guy and he assured me no one would take my water and silly enough when I went back to look, there it was in a different spot (my bad). I apologized to him for venting so early in the morning, and went to get my bag. I asked him a few questions of places and he went ahead and planned my whole route for me. He also informed me that I couldn’t wear open toe shoes in the Vatican, so I reluctantly changed into my runners.
Okay, so to get through this entry easily I am going to tell you the route I went and then just add all my pics with a label of what they are.
I started off the day leaving the hostel at about 8:30 am and my first destination was the Vatican City – Museum, then from there I tried to get into St.Peter’s Cathedral but there was a huge line up so leaving that to go earlier tomorrow morning. Next I walked along via Della Conciliazione (street)to get to Castel Sant’ Angelo (mausoleum for Roman Emperor Hadrian and is now a museum) and walked across Ponte Sant’ Angelo bridge then to S.Giovanni dei Florentini (Church). From there I continued on to see Piazza Navona,(the famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi or Fountain of the Four Rivers)Palazzo Madama (palace but currently the house of the Senate of the Italian Republic). Next I got to the Pantheon, onto Largo di Torre Argentina (a square that hosts four Roman temples ruins), then onto the world famous Fontana di Trevi (The Trevi Fountain).
I have to say it was amazing to see all of these famous monuments, however there was so many people around that a lot of times it was not possible to get a really great photo. The other thing I found rather annoying was for any signs indicating these monuments, there almost always was a Mc. Donald’s sign on it and ya that meant that once you were at the monument there was a Mc.D’s there also. Like at the Pantheon, an ancient old monument you see it and turn around and there is the modern, bright red and yellow sign of Mc.Donald's….I hate that!
Okay moving on, from there I had a bit of a walk to get down to Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II (National Monument of Victor Emmanuel II, a monument to honour Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy). I walked down via dei Fori Imperiali (street) passing Fori Imperiali (Imperial Forums - the ruins of what was a gathering place and a center for religion and politics), next was the Colosseo (Colosseum – the largest built amphitheatre in the Roman Empire), and the Arco di Costantino (the Arch of Constantine – a triumphal arch). I went through the Colosseum and then sat to rest for a bit. Right next to that and was part of the same ticket was Palatine Hill and Forum Romanum (Roman Forum - the remains of triumphal arches, temples and basilicas). I was feeling very tired and my feet were killing me by this time as you can only imagine, but I had noticed on the map someplace called Piazza Cavalieri di Malta and you know I had to go see what that was all about. And after googling it this is what I leant – it is the garden of the Knights of Malta (aka the Knights of St. John Hospitaler) and the knights left Malta long ago, and their headquarters are now here in Rome. The Italian state recognizes their sovereignty, which mean there are actually three nations within Rome (Italy, the Vatican, and the Knights of Malta) I thought that was pretty cool. It was up a hill where the orange and rose garden also was and a great view over part of Rome. There was a keyhole to the gate the Knights of Malta and when you look through it you see a garden path that ends with bushes perfectly framing the dome of St. Peter's in the distance, here is a pic that I stole from the internet which is much clearer then mine, but I included mine of the actual size of the keyhole
pretty cool stuff
Alright, so I when I went to go up to the hill and take a look, my feet were killing and I felt like I couldn’t walk another step, I stopped this woman to clarify how far I needed to go and she was so great and gave me a ride up there, Thanks lady! After that, I walked back down, stopped to see the S. Maria in Cosmedin and La Bocca della Verità (the mouth of truth - an image, carved from Pavonazzetto marble, of a man-like face and the theory is if you put your hand in the mouth and tell a lie, the mouth will close on your hand…silly really), here is a shot of it
Now I will add all the photos of all those places I told you I saw on my travels for the day and I will put them on in the same order as I mentioned them……Enjoy!
Vatican City Museum – before getting to the Sistine Chapel, you walk through the full museum of Catholic artefacts, and lots of different rooms with some amazing paintings and throughout the whole rooms, ceilings, walls, etc. I took a lot of photos and I would love to share them all but I will just add a bunch. As for the Sistine Chapel, there was no photo taking allowed, however I met a girl in Florence who did get a few shots, so I am going to add those as well. Again, I am sure my pics do not do any justice to the actual images
Okay, drum roll……the Sistine Chapel
The famous … Creation of Adam
It was absolutely mesmerising in there, I could sit there for hours and just admire the art work and I am not an artsy fartsy but the work done in there is amazing!
Okay, moving right along…..
Outside St.Peter’s Cathedral
Okay moving along
Piazza Navona
Pantheon
Area Sacra
Trevi Fountain
look at all the people….crazy
moving right along to Monument of Victor
Imperial Forum
Colosseum
Arch of Constantine
Roman Forum
S. Maria in Cosmedin
you have already seen the ‘mouth of truth’
Piazza Cavaileri di Malta
Okay, that is it….I told you I walked back the hill and I needed to get back to the hostel as I felt like I couldn’t walk another step, I was reviewing the bus signs to see how to get back and this gentlemen came over to see if I need help, I asked where the closest metro station was and he informed me about 15 mins up the road, and with almost tears in my eyes and the biggest frown, I said ‘I can’t walk another step’….so he told me I could catch a bus around the corner to the next metro station and so that is what I did. I swear to you after about 12 hours of walking, with very few breaks, I was in pain. I got to the metro, jumped on the next one and headed back to the hostel. I stopped to grab some take away and got in. Ate quickly and chatted with Kristen and a Malaysian guy, they were heading out and invited me to go take some night shots at the Colosseum and of course I declined. I went to my room and laid down to relax for a little while. When I got back up, I went out to sit and have some of my Italian sparkling rose wine and Kristen was back. We chatted and there was also a few others out there as well, Fabrizio from Bologna, Harun from Turkey, Gabe from Spain, John from New Jersey, and Labou from France, we all chatted about our travels and different things. Slowly people turned in for the night and there was just me, Fabrizio, Harun and Labou ….an Italian, a Turk and a French, Hi Guys!!! We all got on the topic of war, I made a comment that many years ago you would have never gotten 3 men from each of those countries together discussing war, but this is a new age and a new world. We all had some good conversation and exchanged emails, and then turned in for the night.
Kristen
Fabrizio
Harun
Gabe
John
The Italian, Tuck and French men
Day 113 Thur. Aug. 13
Day 2 in Rome, I got up early again, more places to see today. I got ready and headed out to St.Peters bright and early to beat the crowds. I did just that, there was not many people there, I was one of the first 10 there. I got in and walked through, it was beautiful. I went over to the confessionals and got a couple of rosary’s blessed from one of the priest for my aunts, felt a bit odd going into a confession but not for confession, anyways, I ended up having a nice chat with the priest as well.
I left and headed back to the hostel quickly and the manager was in and gave me some more tips on places to go and today I am wearing comfy shoes and taking the metro….lol. On my way, caught the metro and first stopped at the train station to get a ticket to Siena for tomorrow and then I headed to Piazza del Popolo (a large square – meaning ‘People’s Square’)
Next I went down to Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) it was very busy, you could barely see the steps as everyone was on them, taking pics or just sitting around.
I walked along from there to head to Piazza della Repubblica
some other pics on the way
this is the church across from the Piazza, it is Santa Maria degli Angeli
I had a list of some of the places from the movie ‘Angels and Demons’ and I went to a few of them, funny enough they were either not open yet or the one I got into the one thing I wanted to get a photo of was under construction. So I stopped in a few other churches
I stopped for some lunch, a plate of spaghetti and a glass of wine, yummy! I headed back to the hostel after and chilled out for awhile, chatted with one of the American guys in my room. Then I took a short nap, when I got up I grabbed my puter and went outside to look for a hostel in Siena, that was my plan for my next stop. I ended up chatting with Fabrizio for awhile and I couldn’t find accommodations in Siena so I opted for one night in Pisa, ‘gotta see the tower, since I am here’ :) Crashed for the night.
Day 114 Fri. Aug. 14 *Pisa
Leaving Rome today :( I got my things ready, filled out my postcards and walked over to the post office and mailed them out. Got back and chatted with the manager for awhile and then I had to go. I got my bags and headed off to the metro station. i got into the train station and I tried to change me ticket on the machine but the girl there told me that wasn’t possible and that I had to go stand in the huge line up, so that is what I did. I was hoping I could get to change my ticket in time to catch the next train to Pisa, but the damn line was moving very slowly. I ended up chatted with this Italian guy from Naples in line. Finally I got to the front of the line and I was able to change my ticket, and I had to move fast to get to my platform. I did get there in time and while I sat on there waiting I kept wanting to run out to the store and get some snacks, I was starving. I was afraid that if I did the train would leave, and funny enough I waited about a half an hour, so I had time to do it probably three times, oh well. The ride was just over 2 hours and we made it to Pisa. I got off, walked out to find the bus I needed to take to get to the camp grounds where I was staying for the night. I got on the bus and it was a quick ride and I ended up off right by the tower. So of course I walked along to check it out. There were tons of people all taking pics of them holding up the tower, or pushing it or whatever. I took a couple pics and kept walking to find the hostel.
I had a feeling I was not going the right way, so had to call for some directions and got it. I walked back to the road and continued along, I was stopped by a young girl, Yvonne from Germany and she was also looking for the same place so we walked together. Found it just up the road and it was a camping ground alright. There were some tents, and trailers, mobile homes, a swimming pool, restaurant, pretty neat. We both checked in and we were in different bungalows as they called them, but I call them trailers.
There was a main room with a sitting area, and kitchen then at one end there was a small room with 2 beds and same on the other end, and a small shower room and toilet room, pretty neat. I put my things away and met up with Yvonne, we sat down to have something to eat by the pool. We both wanted to take a dip in as it was so hot, but you need a swim cap of which was 2 euro 50, so we declined. Finished eating and went to see about internet, and they did not have it as their ad said they did, but it apparently was not working, crap. We both needed to make plans for our next stop, so we decided to take a walk back to town. Yvonne hadn’t seen the tower yet so we walked back there again and we decided to be like everyone else and get some fun pics
it looks so digitally enhanced, with the bright green grass and the tower is such a dull colour, wild…but it is real!
Me and Yvonne
We walked along to find the internet cafe and when we did, they apparently need id for you to use the internet, something to do with terrorism, crazy. So I did not have any id, but Yvonne did so we used one computer on her driver’s license. I found a hostel in Florence and decided I would head there tomorrow as all there is to see in Pisa unfortunately is the tower and we have seen it. We made our way back to the grounds and sat down in the other restaurant to taste test some desert, yummy! We had a great conversation, she was telling how she lived in Australia for 10mths working all kinds of different jobs, farming jobs, restaurants, cafes, etc, but she got to see most of the country doing that, pretty cool. After our desert we exchanged emails and parted ways, we both had different times and destinations for tomorrow. (Good to meet you Yvonne!) I went back to my bungalow where I met one of my roommates another German girl and her boyfriend, I sat and chatted with them for a bit and then turned in for the night.
Day 115 Sat. Aug. 15 *Florence
Got up early, got ready, met the other two girls, one from Croatia, and one from Norway chatted quickly and they were off to the beach. I grabbed my bags and checked out and headed over to the train station. I got there just in time for the train to Florence, jumped on and off we went. The ride was just over an hour and I reviewed my directions for the hostel and started walking and again I felt it wasn’t the right way so I had to call and started on my way. I found it - Emerald Hostel and I checked in, the reception girl was really good, she gave me a full run down of where to go and what to see in Florence. I went to my room, crap the top bunk again ;(
I sorted my things out, and checked out the map. I met one roommate, Adam, a very tall Polish guy, and we chatted for awhile as he quizzed me about my travels. I did a quick wash of some things and hung them out to dry and then decided to take a walk.
My first stop was Galleria Dell’Accademia to see ‘David’, of course he wasn’t the only thing in there but he was the most important thing. There was no photos allowed, so no shot of David, but later you will see the replica they have in Palazzo Vecchio square and it really does look exactly the same. I continued along to Piazza del Duomo and the Piazza di San Giovanni, where there is the Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistery, and it is one of the oldest buildings in the city)
this is some shots of the very cool sculptures on the doors
Amazing work, all in bronze…very cool!
There is also the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore (cathedral, done with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white, and more sculpting on the doors and around the outside) and Campanile di Giotto (Giotto bell tower)
Some on the inside
Kept on walking
Then I arrived at Piazza della Signoria where there is Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace – it is the town hall of Florence) and there is also the replica of David here and the gallery of statues in the adjacent Loggia dei Lanzi
and here he is ‘David’
haha….ya a back view ;)
here are some of the other statues there
Benvenuto Cellini's Perseus
The Rape of Polyxena
The Rape of the Sabine Women
Hercules and Cacus
I walked past the famous Uffizi Gallery and got to Ponte Vecchio (‘Old Bridge’, is a Medieval bridge over the Arno River – it is well known for still having shops built along it) 
I went back to the Uffizi and reserved a ticket for tomorrow, and continued to wander along different streets, not really knowing where I was or going, so some random pics
well this I know is the one of the other bridges down from Pointe Vecchio
‘rub the boars nose for good luck’…these statues are everywhere…lol
bazaar shopping area
the leather shopping area, and I could not believe there were so many full of heavy leather jackets, in that heat I could not think of wearing a leather jacket but apparently they still do lots of business in the summer months as I was pulled into one shop to cool off with the very large fan the guy had inside and I had to ask…lol
Finally, I was tired and walked back to the hostel. I got in and chatted with Adam again for a bit and then quickly checked some emails and I was getting hungry and so I logged off to go find the buffet the reception told me about. I walked along and it was closed, damn it! I found another small restaurant and sat down to eat and of course no meal in Italy is complete without wine, so had a glass of white wine, was all good. I walked back to the hostel and stopped to get some water and snacks. I got in and sat in the kitchen to find figure out my next move. I ended up chatting with a girl from Germany who was here learning Italian on a 3 week course and she had also done the same thing Yvonne did in Australia. I met another roommate, Fernanda, from Brazil and she is studying in Spain (she is the girl that got the pic in the Sistine Chapel). I checked out some other options for staying in Tuscany but I wanted to get a better feel of the area, like the olive groves, vineyards and so on, and I came across a hostel that was up in the Chianti region so that might just be an option. I was tired from all my traveling today so off to bed.
Day 116 Sun. Aug. 16
Got up and had to get to the Uffizi Museum by 9:30, so had a quick snack and headed out. I went through and I hate to say I was not that impressed, like I said before I am not an artsy fartsy, so not the best person to judge. I recognized one painting ‘The Birth of Venus’
that is not the real thing, you weren’t allowed to take photos inside, this is just a pic of a painting in the hostel (lol). I left there and headed back to the hostel. I past by and went along to Piazza della Indipendenza (Independence Square), took a couple pics and just chilled for a bit
I finally got up and walked back to the hostel and on the way I stopped at this nice little shop and asked to take some pics, a classic Tuscany shop – lots of wine, lemoncello, pasta, olive oil, etc, etc
Okay, now I did finally get back to the hostel, I grabbed my laptop and went ahead and booked the ‘Heart of Tuscany’ hostel for the next few days. I also went ahead and booked a hostel in Venice so i could be way ahead of the game. I did some research for trains and accommodations in Verona and Milan. I chatted away with the reception most of that time as well, she is Romanian and moved to Florence with her family, very nice girl. I finally signed off and went down to the train station to book a ticket for Venice. I grabbed some take away food and walked back. I sat down and ate and ended up chatting again with Adam and Fernanda, that is when I found out that Fernanda had some photos of the Sistine Chapel. She said she tried to hide it but she did get caught and the security just asked her to leave, pretty simple, I guess I could have tried it myself. ( I found out that the no photos rule is not to preserve the paintings but rather due to copyright from the man that restored the Chapel, that is a bit dum – anyways) I then grabbed my puter again and loaded my pics on and organized them while chatting with Adam some more. Then I shut it down and turned in for the night, have to catch the shuttle tomorrow to head to Heart of Tuscany hostel in the Chianti hills. Goodnight
Day 117 Mon. Aug. 17 *Lamporecchio – Tuscany
Woke and Adam and Fernanda had left already but there was another guy in our room, some Italian that I do remember Fernanda saying he was a bit on the odd side saying some ignorant things to her last night. So I just stayed in bed and waited for him to leave. Finally I got up, my things were all ready to go, I had a quick bite to eat and then spoke with the reception a little and then time to go. I walked down to the pick up point and waited. I met Matt and Dan, Aussie’s were also going to the same place and then John from England. The van pulled up and we all got in, the ride there was about an hour, and as we got closer it was a lot of winding roads going up the mountain. There were lots of cyclists along the way, as this is the mountain they ride to get ready for the Giro d’Italia (the Italian equivalent to the Tour de France). We finally arrived at the hostel which are actually villas.
Heart of Tuscany (aka Leonardo’s Land)
I checked in and I was in the building above in a 4 bed room, I had 3 roommates, Emily, Louise and Heather from England. (that pick is after the girls had left as the pic I first took the room was a disaster with their things all over the place) I dropped my things off and they were taking a walk down to the small village San Baronto to go for lunch so I joined them to go to the store. The walk was about an 20 min, but the panoramic views along the way were spectacular with vineyards, olive groves and gorgeous landscapes
We got to the small village and sat down outside at this small cafe and order some lunch, I had a Panini (a huge sandwich with Tuscan bread, ham and cheese) was delicious. Chatted away and waited for the small grocery store to open. We walked over and it was closed after 1pm today so no luck on that, and we made out way back. I was excited to see the rest of the property. We got back and I changed into my swim suit, a hot sunny day can’t be wasted when there is a great pool around. I walked down to the pool after taking lots of other pics of the place on my way
What a beautiful day, sunshine, overlooking the Tuscan valley and laying around by the pool. I am so glad I decided to come here and chill for a few days, it is great!
After soaking up the sun for a few hours, I headed back to the room to clean up and chill. I had to wait for dinner, they offered a dinner for 9 euro, pasta, a glass of wine and gelato. So,I went down to the dinning area and I met Ella and Haley from New Zealand, Robin and Natasha from Netherlands, Caglar and Oner from Istanbul and John, Dan and Matt were also there. We got served and it was a plate with 3 different pastas, delicious, a glass of red wine and I liked it (I don’t usually drink red, but this was good) and a bowl of gelato …everything was great! After we were finished Guido the owner came out and offered us some homemade Lemoncello and Grappa, the boys had the Grappa and the girls had the Lemoncello, it was good, the Grappa on the other hand I couldn’t even smell it, way to strong.
We all decided to go down to the games area, and I bought a bottle of the red wine. We all just chilled, some of them played some drinking games and I chatted with Ella and Haley.
Was a lot of fun and they were very entertaining. It was a late night and finally turned in. It was so quiet to sleep … sweet dreams.
Day 118 Tues. Aug. 18
Today is gonna be an easy day and it started with sleeping in a little for a change. I got up and went to get brkfast, it was just some cereal and croissants. I got back to the room and the girls were up, I put on my swim suit and grabbed my bag and headed down to the pool. It was another hot and sunny day, so working on my tan :). I got my swimming cap this time so I can go in to cool off, I just laid out and relaxed for a few hours, dipped in the pool once in awhile. After about 3 hours or so (I know, I do seriously lay in the sun for that long, I like it what can I say…lol) I got up and went to have some lunch, this time it was a small plate of pasta, and that was it. Then I went to the room to clean up. I changed and grabbed my puter and had to go to the dinning area to get wifi, so I plugged in and started to work on some of my blog. I also organized some pics and did some searching for hostels in Milan again, to no avail. That past the time for a couple of hours and I put it away and went back for dinner, it was some different pasta tonight and white wine, and the gelato, delicious again. Afterwards, we sat and chatted, there was Ella, Haley, Heather, Emily, Louise and John. It was an early night today, off to bed for another peaceful sleep.
Day 119 Wed. Aug. 19
Up at a decent time today, and the girls were packing up to go, (ya! I get my own room maybe) I went to brkfast and then back, said my goodbyes to them. Got my swim suit on and grabbed my bag and off I went to enjoy this great sunny day down by the pool. Ella and Haley were down as well, we all just relaxed and swam. After my few hours in the sun, I went to go do some more blogging, I picked this place for exactly that, some relax time in the sun by a pool and to work on my blog, so that is what I have been doing. I went back to the dinning area again, and blogged away, also tried to find out some train information and hostels for Milan again and for Nice, but no luck so far. I stayed there right up til dinner time, so went to my room quickly and cleaned up for dinner and went back. Same thing again pasta but different dishes, so now I have had a few different types of pasta, some red wine and tonight I got to try the rose wine and it was also good. Ella and Haley were there and also a new guest Alan from Edinburgh, so we chatted away about my time in Scotland, and we all had some good conversation again. Two new guests arrived, a couple of girls from Australia, we all stayed and had some wine and chilled. Patrick the manager of the hostel came out also and had his late dinner and I asked him how he got to working here. He is from the U.S-New York and he had been traveling for quite a few years and he stayed here last year and they needed someone so he applied and got it. Then he proceeded to tell me that they were looking for someone now, to work the bar and deal with the guests. I inquired further in to it and I told him I was very interested but I had already had my ticket to Venice, so when I was there we would correspond via email and I would decide ( had some things to look into before I could make a decision – of which most of you already know what it was). So that was that, we all finished our wine and turned in for the night. Another easy day and a peaceful sleep in a room to myself Yahoo!…Tomorrow heading to Venice and the possibility of working in Tuscany … woohoo!
Day 120 Thur. Aug. 20 *Venice
Up early, packed my bags and went to brkfast. The Kiwi girls were there and they were leaving today also, John was going on an excursion and his roommate, a Canadian woman was heading to Cinque Terre, she was really excited. We all got in the shuttle to head back to Florence ( a really great thing about this hostel is they have a free shuttle to take you there from Florence and drop you back off there too – good stuff). The one lady was asking questions about the trains and I told her I would help her out when we got to Florence. We arrived just after 10:30 am and I took her to the machines, showed her how to get a ticket and then headed off to find out what platform was for Venice. My train was delayed 20 mins, so I got some food and sat and waited. Finally it showed up, we boarded and the ride was still only 2 and half hours to get there. Got off the train, and followed my directions to the hostel, funny everyone that had already been there told me it is hard to get around, and to not follow any signs, etc but I had no trouble finding the hostel. I was happy. L’Imbarcadero Hostel
I checked in and the guy was great, he gave me a map and circles all the important things to see and do. I went to my room, 5 beds, no bunks yeah! We were right on the Grand Canal, and I have to say this really is different, there are no cars obviously but yet the sound of the boats and water taxis are as loud as trucks and cars, but all good, it‘s Venice! I put my things away in the locker, asked where the grocery store was and went to go get a few things, came back and took my map and went out on an adventure through the narrow streets of Venice. All along the way there are signs either directing you to Piazza San Marco square or to Pointe di Rialto bridge, so it was pretty easy to just wander and sooner or later you would make it to one of them. That is just what I did, first I got to the bridge and then from there to Piazza San Marco. So, I am just going to add lots of random pics of the bridges, streets, shops, etc, etc and where needed I will make a comment….enjoy!
This is Ponte di Rialto (one of the attractions in Venice, the oldest of the four bridges that cross the Grand Canal, it was once made of wood and after it collapsed several times and was finally built out of stone, and along each side are different shops)
the view from the bridge
More randoms on the way to Piazza San Marco
Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square)
This is the square and this area is called Procuratie (it’s three connected buildings and they house offices and apartments http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procuratie )
The rest of the buildings around the Piazza are
Palazzo Duacle di Venezia (Doge’s Palace – a gothic palace for Doge of Venice-military leader)
Basilica di San Marco (Saint Mark’s Basilica) 
Campanile di San Marco (the bell tower of St. Mark’s Basilica)
Torre dell’Orologio (St. Mark’s Clock tower)
Across the water from here there are
San Giorgio Maggiore Basilica 
Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute (Basilica of St. Mary of Health/ Salvation)
I walked along the water and got some shots of the Venetian Gondolas
I started to make my way back, and stopped to get some take away and sat down by the canal and ate, then continued on
water taxi
In case you did realize Venice is famous for masks, for ‘Carnevale of Venice’, and this particular shop he displays the mask that Tom Cruise wore in ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ as he was the creator of those masks, he also has some photos inside of actors that he has created masks for. Thought that was pretty cool.
Got back to the hostel and I logged online, I sent an email to Heart of Tuscany to inquire some more about the position and checked into some other things to help make my decision. I finished doing that and turned in for the night. It was boiling in the room, even with the windows partly open, (didn’t want the mosquitoes in) and only one small fan for all of us, crazy. Needless to say, I had a hard time sleeping.
Day 121 Fri. Aug. 21
That was a rough sleep, sweat like crazy ( I know yuck!) and still got mosquito bites, damn it…I have been so lucky up until now, crap. So, got up and went to brkfast, it was the usual but here the guy offered to make up eggs, how nice. I ate and then back to my room to check emails and see what answers I got for the job, I need to make a decision. I ended up chatting with 2 roommates, a young couple from Oregon, she was studying in France and her boyfriend came to tour around with her before she goes back to the states, very good. I got an email back and Patrick accepted my counter-offer for the job, but as for the one thing I needed (health ins.) I had to start looking for another company to cover me. I was a bit stressed and it was extremely hot again, I showered and got ready. Then I decided to take a walk around, first I went to the train station to buy a ticket to head to Verona tomorrow. I walked out and decided to stay on that side of the one big bridge and see if I could get lost to see what kind of cool things I could find. Well, crazy enough, I ended up back at the Rialto bridge, so much for getting lost…lol. I got some other pics and then headed back to the hostel.
I know a lot of bridges but that is what you get in Venice :)
Got back, logged online, and started doing some more searching, I finally got a hold of a friend who helped me out with finding an insurance co. and she called to set it up, just waiting for them to call me to finalize. (Thanks Laurie!) Hungry, so I went to go find something to eat, found a cute little restaurant, and sat outside. Funny all the wait staff were Chinese, in Italy. I got Cannelloni, and a glass of wine, was really yummy. While I was sitting there I got a call from the insurance company and finalized the information and that is everything. I am taking the job, I get my own room, I can use all the facilities, I can eat whatever food I want, drink all the wine I want and just work the bar and help out the guests whenever needed. What a deal and ssshhh… a small bit of cash (that will help with the rest of my travels..yeah!). So, I headed back to the hostel and I sent the email confirming I would take the job and to get picked up in Florence on Sunday. Yup that fast, I of course had to call to let my parents know I was extending my trip and then sent out emails to others. I was excited, this was going to be cool! Good day! So off to bed for another hot sleep and hopefully no more mosquito bites :( Tomorrow is gonna be a busy travel day…
Day 122 Sat. Aug. 22 *Verona / Milan
Well that was a terrible sleep, besides being so hot, the door of our room was slamming and I was paranoid of sleeping in and missing my train, so I jumped out of bed early. I got ready, grabbed some snacks and my bag and headed over to the train station. I got there in plenty of time and the train arrived, jumped on and off we went to Verona. The ride was about 2 hours, I got off and walked over to the tourist information center to get a map and as much info as I could, I wanted to get through a lot in a short bit of time. I ended up getting a Verona card, all transportation covered and entrances to museums, etc – good deal. So I went and got on the bus to go in to the city center, and the first thing there was, wait….in case your wondering Verona is where the story of Romeo and Juliet was told. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verona / http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romeo_and_Juliet ) there you can read up more on it if you like. So, continuing on…
Anfiteatro Arena (Roman Amphitheatre)
I took this first pic from the internet as I didn’t have a full shot of it
They were setting up some giant statue for something ?
here is Piazza Bra, the central square of the city
I walked along to number 23 Cappello, Casa Di Giulietta (the house of Juliet and the famous balcony), and there is a statue of her there that you rub her breast for good luck in love (silly)
I went inside the house and it is now mostly used to show different artists work, and there are a few rooms left the same.
I continued on to find Casa Di Romeo (House of Romeo), it was closed off but I got a pic from the outside and the plaque (nothing special really)
Next I came to Piazza Erbe (the oldest square in the city, it lies above the area of the Roman Forum
I wandered along and headed down to Tomba Di Giulietta (Juliet’s Tomb) and Frescoes Museum
Juliet’s Tomb
these are sculpture plaques and each one is a different scene of the story of Romeo and Juliet (amazing work)
Okay, that was my speedy tour through Verona and I know there is probably a lot more to see, it is a beautiful city, but I was on a time crunch, heading to Milan now. I walked back to the train station, got a ticket and had to run to the train, got it just in time. The ride to Milan was another 2 hours, got there, quickly checked the times back to Venice so I knew how much time I had. I grabbed a map and a metro pass and off I went.
The first thing I was going to try and see was the famous Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’ (apparently you have to reserve a ticket far in advanced but thought I would see if I could get it)…got there and no such luck, all sold out, damn! I went into San Maria della Grazie (Our Lady of Grace – it is the famous church that houses the painting but it is in the refectory of the convent)
Every church in Italy is so extravagant, no matter the size … such amazing painting and sculptures…wow!
I walked back to the metro and headed to Piazza del Duomo, here we have the very large Duomo di Milano (cathedral – it took five centuries to complete and is the fourth-largest church in the world)
Again, some amazing work on the doors, and all around the cathedral, I didn’t go inside but I can only imagine. Next I wanted to go see the famous shopping area of Milan, Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga and Via Sant'Andrea, and well needless to say I wasn’t that impressed. Most of these stores are found in every big city shopping area, besides the fact that the stores are just tucked away in the bottom floor of these buildings. I walked along and took some pics anyways and the most interesting thing was the smart car planters on the side of the road, pretty cool
Here is the planter, and I just threw the Swatch shot in there as that is one of my favourite stores…lol (and it made it to the luxury shopping area of Milan ;)
Walking along, I went to cross the street and pressed the button for the light and this man says something to me about the lights not working and they never work in his country. Very odd. The light changes and I start to walk across and he is walking right next to me, so I ask where do you live, he replies Spain. Then he proceeds to tell me he is a palm reader and grabs my head and starts to read, interesting, but strange. He is very intrigued and asks if he can do a full reading for me, and also informs me that he is a ‘transsexual’. :0 what have I gotten into?! I was kinda interested in the few things he had already started to tell me from reading my palm so I decided he is harmless, lets see what else he has to say. So we move out of the way and he proceeds to read, I video taped it and there was very interesting information he read, I kinda might believe some of it. (don’t really want to get into it too much on here) When all is said and done, I pay and sure he scams a bit, just 5 extra euro and tells me it is for his (politically speaking) sex change, but that is not what he said…lol. He bids me farewell and gives me a couple of cheek kisses and off he goes…..’I will always remember Milan for the Spanish Transsexual Palm reader’ :)
Well, that was a busy day, I made my way back to the train station and got something to eat and waited for my train back to Venice, got on, and off we went. Arrived in Venice and I bought my ticket to Florence for tomorrow. Back to the hostel, got my things organized to leave tomorrow, got online and checked a few things and then off to another hot sleep. Goodnight!
So, that was my blog of touring Italy, I hope you liked it. Next blog posting will be a short bit about my time working in Tuscany at ‘The Heart of Tuscany’ hostel. Until then….
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