Today was another travelling day. We spent the morning in Chania, Laura and Lian went to a museum while I window shopped and sent emails. Nice, relaxing and exactly what I wanted. We caught the 4:30pm bus to Heraklion, a port city that is about 2 1/2 hours a way. Since it doesn't get dark here until about 9pm or so, it was really easy to take a later bus because we knew there wouldn't be a problem finding the hotel. After getting to Heraklion things got a little bit exciting though. We had originally decided to follow this itinerary: June 15 - Heraklion; June 16 - Travel to Santorini, stay there; June 17 - Day in Santorini, back to Heraklion; June 18 - Heraklion, travel to Chania; June 19 - Athens. And then we found out at the bus station that there only three seats in business class going to Santorini on the 16th and they were going to cost 45 Euro each. Aaaahh! We then had a minor catastrophe were spent time calling hotels, trying to get knew rooms so that we could change the itnerary to stay in Heraklion an extra day now and travel to Santorini and the 17th. I was not a happy camper. I was freaking out about money true, but I don't like suddenly chaning plans at the drop of a hat, and in my eyes not really asking enough questions. Anyway, everything worked out. We got the extra night in Heraklion and a new place to stay in Santorini, meaning that each of us saved about 30 Euro - which I'm sure I can find ways to spend!
Oh and by the way, I'm trying not to complain all that much, but my left ear was stuffed up all day and still is now - I can barely hear anything out of it and it doesn't make me a happy camper.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
June 14 - Snorkeling blind....or maybe not
Yay for swimming in and exploring Cretan waters! The main bulk of our day was spent on the M/S Irini a medium ship that for 3 1/2 hours took us out to two of the near by islands - Thodoru and Lazaretta. Thodoru is a protected island, home to the endangered Cri-Cri, a dear like animal that is native to Crete. But really, I was just amazed at how blue the water was. Yet it wasn't only blue. The water was green, teal, and turquoise all depending on the depth. And everything was so clear! The ship also gave members a chance to go snorkeling, which was cool to me in theory and then sad when I realized that without my glasses I wouldn't be able to see much (water helps, but not enough to really see). Luckily, or unfortunately for some, there weren't really any fish to see. So I just spent my time wading beside the ship in the VERY cold, beautifully blue water. The second island, Lazaretta is not protected, so not only could we swim in the water near the island, we got to swim onto the shore and walk along the small beach. Again without my glasses it wasn't as exciting as it could be, but it meant that I concentrated a lot more on the tectures and what things felt like between my toes.
We ended the cruise with a shot of Raki, a traditional Cretan alcohol. In my opionion? SO GROSS! It tasted horrible and burned all the way down. And then every time I burped afterward, I tasted it again! I feel it was a somewhat disappointing end to a great few hours. The lady who was heading the tour and gave out the Raki was nice though, so I couldn't really fault her on not noticing that her native drink was one of the most distgusting things ever. Oh Well.
After we got back from the boat trip, tired and salty, we collectively decided on a laid back evening. We have a quiet dinner and went back to our fantastic hotel room to shower, repack and an Amaretto Sour nightcap. All in all, I don't think my time in Chania could have gone any better and I would love to have more time here someday.
We ended the cruise with a shot of Raki, a traditional Cretan alcohol. In my opionion? SO GROSS! It tasted horrible and burned all the way down. And then every time I burped afterward, I tasted it again! I feel it was a somewhat disappointing end to a great few hours. The lady who was heading the tour and gave out the Raki was nice though, so I couldn't really fault her on not noticing that her native drink was one of the most distgusting things ever. Oh Well.
After we got back from the boat trip, tired and salty, we collectively decided on a laid back evening. We have a quiet dinner and went back to our fantastic hotel room to shower, repack and an Amaretto Sour nightcap. All in all, I don't think my time in Chania could have gone any better and I would love to have more time here someday.
Friday, June 15, 2007
June 13 - Creta!
Crete is soo pretty. Right now it is much higher on my beautiful list than Athens. Of course I say that now, but when I had to sleep for three hours in the Chania airport I was not a happy camper. I like my bed. I like my covers. Having to make do by lying on duffle and hiding my bookbag behind me did not make me chipper. Anyway, once we got past the somewhat crappy airport it got a lot better.
On the bus ride from the airport all you see is houses surrounded by mountains in the background and blue, blue water. It made me even more anxious to get to the beach. The three of us got off the bus about a half hour later, and through some hand gestures and written explanations got a cab to take us to our hotel. And you know what - our hotel is also beautiful!! The floor and ceiling is made out of this light tan wood and we have nice beds and a bathroom and air conditioner!! Not only is the room itself wonderful, but we have a little balcony that opens out onto the city and a huge lemon tree that first thing Lian picked a couple from.
Well, after taking another couple hours and napping after our airport ideal, we headout out into the main part of the city. We walked along the harbor and collected information about glass boat rides and even snorkling! We walked in and out of shops, really doing what I enjoy the most - interested wandering. And we had lunch/linner at the nicest little place. It's sign said that they prepared home made food and since the prices weren't so terrible, we stayed and had traditional Greek food. Lian and I had Mousaka a lasagna-like dish in that eggplant is layered with potato and meat, and then baked with cheese on top. Laura got a stuffed eggplant and both the dishes were similar but had their own particulars that in the end made me prefer my mousaka.
After linner we walked some more, looked out and then headed to the grocery store and bought the makings of a nice cocktail and fruit evening. Walking back we watched the sun go down and I can't describe how happy a thought it was to know that I have another day to spend here.
On the bus ride from the airport all you see is houses surrounded by mountains in the background and blue, blue water. It made me even more anxious to get to the beach. The three of us got off the bus about a half hour later, and through some hand gestures and written explanations got a cab to take us to our hotel. And you know what - our hotel is also beautiful!! The floor and ceiling is made out of this light tan wood and we have nice beds and a bathroom and air conditioner!! Not only is the room itself wonderful, but we have a little balcony that opens out onto the city and a huge lemon tree that first thing Lian picked a couple from.
Well, after taking another couple hours and napping after our airport ideal, we headout out into the main part of the city. We walked along the harbor and collected information about glass boat rides and even snorkling! We walked in and out of shops, really doing what I enjoy the most - interested wandering. And we had lunch/linner at the nicest little place. It's sign said that they prepared home made food and since the prices weren't so terrible, we stayed and had traditional Greek food. Lian and I had Mousaka a lasagna-like dish in that eggplant is layered with potato and meat, and then baked with cheese on top. Laura got a stuffed eggplant and both the dishes were similar but had their own particulars that in the end made me prefer my mousaka.
After linner we walked some more, looked out and then headed to the grocery store and bought the makings of a nice cocktail and fruit evening. Walking back we watched the sun go down and I can't describe how happy a thought it was to know that I have another day to spend here.
June 12 - A little bit of Athens
NEW DUFFLE BAG! That's right - even before talking about the little bit of Athen's I saw, it's more important to say that I got a new duffle bag, and it has wheels! My entire pink one fits inside the new on with room to spare. It's incredible and it only cost be 20 Euro, which with what I know rolling duffles cost in the US I'm not too upset about.
But back to Athens. We arrived at 4pm and spent this first hour searching out the baggagle storage and finding information about the bus/metro system. But eventually all was tucked away and we went on an adventure of finding the hostel we'll stay in later in the month. When we first hit the are of town I was a little bit worried because things looked a little dodgy, but once we were inside the place looked nice with lights and a desk man that seemed competant. But after spending that time in the city we had to go back and sit in the airport. And wait. And wait. And wait. For about 6 hours in fact, because out flight didn't leave Athens until 5:30 the next morning. And I couldn't go to sleep, because sleeping in airports is just not my idea of a good time. And then the flight was only half an hour. It almost made me cry.
But back to Athens. We arrived at 4pm and spent this first hour searching out the baggagle storage and finding information about the bus/metro system. But eventually all was tucked away and we went on an adventure of finding the hostel we'll stay in later in the month. When we first hit the are of town I was a little bit worried because things looked a little dodgy, but once we were inside the place looked nice with lights and a desk man that seemed competant. But after spending that time in the city we had to go back and sit in the airport. And wait. And wait. And wait. For about 6 hours in fact, because out flight didn't leave Athens until 5:30 the next morning. And I couldn't go to sleep, because sleeping in airports is just not my idea of a good time. And then the flight was only half an hour. It almost made me cry.
June 11 - Laughing out Loud
This is a day mostly for travelling and for closing up loose ends. Lian and I woke up at about 9am packed up the rest of our stuff and checked out of the camping ground. Laura had left about an hour before to spend some more time justing walking around Venice and finished some of her sketches. I really wish I could draw like that. It looks like fun, but also soothing. And sometimes, only sometimes mind you, I do get sick of reading and would like to have something else to do that doesn't require too much brain power. But anyway, after Lian and I checked out of our room, we spent an hour finishing up hostel bookings for Athens. Most of it was done luckily, so really we just had to make the final deposits and write down some information.
Finally though it was time to leave Venice and head back to Milan, so Lian and I took the 12pm shuttle back to the center of the city and took a couple hours to have lunch, stroll, and for me to buy a pair of sunglasses. I know I don't have contacts yet, but I mean too, and the sunglasses here are just so cool. They weren't too expensive and I consider it a worthy purpose. Sorry again about this taking so long to post. Internet is just not very reliable, or it's non-existent, when you're out in somewhat in the middle of nowhere. Keep checking though and more stuff will be posted when possible.
I just thought of something though - what was really funny was when we came back last night to Alba Doro we decided to peek into the bar and see what was going on, and you know what we saw? Toga party! A group of people, obviously with their roomsheets wrapped around them, bopping awkwardly to some not so nice music. I walked in the back door and burst out laughing. I just couldn't take it! All these dorky and drunk guys and girls where haltingly trying to dance to what sounded like old American music. Take my word for it - Not a pretty sight.
Finally though it was time to leave Venice and head back to Milan, so Lian and I took the 12pm shuttle back to the center of the city and took a couple hours to have lunch, stroll, and for me to buy a pair of sunglasses. I know I don't have contacts yet, but I mean too, and the sunglasses here are just so cool. They weren't too expensive and I consider it a worthy purpose. Sorry again about this taking so long to post. Internet is just not very reliable, or it's non-existent, when you're out in somewhat in the middle of nowhere. Keep checking though and more stuff will be posted when possible.
I just thought of something though - what was really funny was when we came back last night to Alba Doro we decided to peek into the bar and see what was going on, and you know what we saw? Toga party! A group of people, obviously with their roomsheets wrapped around them, bopping awkwardly to some not so nice music. I walked in the back door and burst out laughing. I just couldn't take it! All these dorky and drunk guys and girls where haltingly trying to dance to what sounded like old American music. Take my word for it - Not a pretty sight.
June 10 - Glass and Lace
Today was a really great day. We started out planning to tour the Academia (an art museum) and then visit two near by islands: Murano and Burano. After visiting the train station, and spending a significant amount of time buying our train ticket back to Milan, we decided that instead of starting with the Academia we would visit the islands and then tour it. Murano is known for its glass. Period. The ferry ride there was about an hour and since I escaped my usually batch of light sea sickness, I stood at the side and got to watch not only the Venice coast line, but ships and islands around the way. It was a great way to spend an hour and the weather was warm and the wind felt great. I might have to start rethinking my whole aversion-to-ships thing. But back to the glass. Beautiful both in average and fantasical ways, it comes in a ridiculously wide range of colors and shapes. And even more than seeing the finished product, the three of us got to see some of the glass being made. The 'Master' started with a glass vase and then made a horse - all starting from real live molten glass on the end of a pipe. It was incredible!! I mean, I'd seen that kind of stuff on T.V. but it is so much more spectacular and mind blowing when you see it in person.
After spending too much money and time on Murano, we pushed the Academia back to tomorrow and headed off to Burano, the home of lace and incredible buildings. Burano was a surprise. I don't like lace especially and I thought quaint little villages were beyond me at this point. But in Burano the houses were small and stucco looking and stood in a 'dazzlying array' of colors. Blues and purples and reds and oranges all borded by small rivers and stone bridges. I thought that I enjoyed seeing Venice, but this little village was really breathtaking. Everything was just so nice and around the houses and businesses were little green filled parks and gardens. And just like the buildings, the plants and their flowers were also vibrant and unbelievable. The three of us stopped for lunch at this small restaurant and Laura won the food pick by ordering this pizza on bruschetta, which is not only an appetizer, but a toasted, crunchy, flavorable, crust and for toppings that was proschuitto and artichokes. Not something I would automatically associate with creamy, crunchy, goodness. But it was.
I also in the end, was impressed with the lace that Burano had to offer. I spent a little more money and got some momentos to always be with me. Sounded pretty good to me.
After spending too much money and time on Murano, we pushed the Academia back to tomorrow and headed off to Burano, the home of lace and incredible buildings. Burano was a surprise. I don't like lace especially and I thought quaint little villages were beyond me at this point. But in Burano the houses were small and stucco looking and stood in a 'dazzlying array' of colors. Blues and purples and reds and oranges all borded by small rivers and stone bridges. I thought that I enjoyed seeing Venice, but this little village was really breathtaking. Everything was just so nice and around the houses and businesses were little green filled parks and gardens. And just like the buildings, the plants and their flowers were also vibrant and unbelievable. The three of us stopped for lunch at this small restaurant and Laura won the food pick by ordering this pizza on bruschetta, which is not only an appetizer, but a toasted, crunchy, flavorable, crust and for toppings that was proschuitto and artichokes. Not something I would automatically associate with creamy, crunchy, goodness. But it was.
I also in the end, was impressed with the lace that Burano had to offer. I spent a little more money and got some momentos to always be with me. Sounded pretty good to me.
June 9 - Cultural enrichment is just not my thing...
Sometimes I think that museums are overrated. Sometimes, I think that it is more important to go out into the city and wander around, using the time to experience a new place, then spend hours wandering the halls of one building.
Are we sensing a theme yet?
So yeah, today we went to another museum (Corerr) and another church (the Basillica) and then another museum (The Doge's Palace) all in the San Marco Piazza. The square is beautiful - looking out over the water, people of every nationality wandering around, holding hands, and even feeding the multitude of pigeons. So about an hour into the museum I said 'Fuck it', told Lian I would met her outside, and went out to experience the Venetian people. And in my opinion the next 45 min was a much better use of my time. I people watched, read, and rested - really I just enjoyed being in Venice, a place I might never see again.
Correr was an ok museum. It had historical statues and paintings, all helping to depict the history of Venice. Did you know that the city is often portrayed in paintings as a tall, blonde, regal, woman wearing a crown? Yep it is. In the Basillica the walls are all gilded in gold and it is filled with not only the treasure brought back from the pillaging of other countries (raping isn't mentioned) but this church also displays the bones of Saints in it's treasury. Whole hands, bone fragments, etc. all strung up in small plastic cylinders and put out for the world to ogle. Not exactly the most dignified end, now is it? One of the many reasons I am going to be cremated.
The Doge's Palace was were the Doge, the ruling head of the Council of Ten, lived and carried out government business. A somewhat uninteresting building on the outside, the inside is filled with huge, expansive, rooms with dark wood paneling, spectacular paintings, and a prison. It's got a few levels and luckily it didn't take too long to get through - I think I would have gone stir crazy.
After getting out of the palace we headed back to Piazza Roma to catch the bus back to the camp grounds and on the way bought some really fantastic crepes. I know, I know, crepes are French. But Italians do it really well - sugar cinnamon ones especially. Laura really liked her baked apple. To each her own.
Are we sensing a theme yet?
So yeah, today we went to another museum (Corerr) and another church (the Basillica) and then another museum (The Doge's Palace) all in the San Marco Piazza. The square is beautiful - looking out over the water, people of every nationality wandering around, holding hands, and even feeding the multitude of pigeons. So about an hour into the museum I said 'Fuck it', told Lian I would met her outside, and went out to experience the Venetian people. And in my opinion the next 45 min was a much better use of my time. I people watched, read, and rested - really I just enjoyed being in Venice, a place I might never see again.
Correr was an ok museum. It had historical statues and paintings, all helping to depict the history of Venice. Did you know that the city is often portrayed in paintings as a tall, blonde, regal, woman wearing a crown? Yep it is. In the Basillica the walls are all gilded in gold and it is filled with not only the treasure brought back from the pillaging of other countries (raping isn't mentioned) but this church also displays the bones of Saints in it's treasury. Whole hands, bone fragments, etc. all strung up in small plastic cylinders and put out for the world to ogle. Not exactly the most dignified end, now is it? One of the many reasons I am going to be cremated.
The Doge's Palace was were the Doge, the ruling head of the Council of Ten, lived and carried out government business. A somewhat uninteresting building on the outside, the inside is filled with huge, expansive, rooms with dark wood paneling, spectacular paintings, and a prison. It's got a few levels and luckily it didn't take too long to get through - I think I would have gone stir crazy.
After getting out of the palace we headed back to Piazza Roma to catch the bus back to the camp grounds and on the way bought some really fantastic crepes. I know, I know, crepes are French. But Italians do it really well - sugar cinnamon ones especially. Laura really liked her baked apple. To each her own.
June 8 - Playing hooky in Venice!
YAY for Venice! We set out today full of thoughts about the sights we would see and the stuff we would experience. And while we did see and do a lot of stuff, we didn't do the museum, cathedrel, church stuff that we had been doing before. And in my opinion it went a lot better. Since we have about three days in Venice we decided that instead of being so gung-ho the first day, we would take our time and duck in and out of little shops and cafes and really experience the sinking city. We left on the 10am shuttle to the city and didn't leave to go back to the camp site until 10:30pm. A long time, but totally worth it.
We had gelatto and strolled and even bought baguettes, prochutto and cheese to make sandwiches that we could enjoy while people watching. I bought a few things (for myself and others) but knew that the large and beautful carnival masks were beyond me. Not only in price but because there would be no way that I could carry it. I have one book bag and really overload duffle. No way was a huge elaborate mask with silver butterfly wings and feathers going to fit in it. Even if it would have been a purchase that would change my life. But I saw some stores with signs saying they shipped around the world, so maybe if I see something else that I can't live without, I might take advantage of it.
Just to let you know, you might not see the pictures, but I am taking a lot and eventually (meaning when I got to Ireland at the very latest) I'm going to post it somewhere for all to see.
You know, I look at what I've written before and I don't know how I had so much more to say. I just don't know how to convey some of the things that I've seen. Buildings of burnt orange and red, bridges left and right going over small canals filled with water that while isn't blue has a beauty all its own. And travelling through the water? Gondalas and water taxis and buses, people going left and right and filling the air with the sound of a language I wasn't born knowing. But about those gondalas? Very expensive. So expensive that I am going to leave this city without ever riding one. Depressing no? But you know what did meet my expectations? The glass.
I hadn't really thought about hot Venetian glass is one of the most beautiful in the world but now I can say that after seeing it with my own eyes I completely agree. Colors and shapes exploded around me as Laura, Lian and I walked across the Rialto, and even I couldn't escape buying a piece or two. If any of you get the chance to get your hands on a piece of it, count yourself lucky. I know I feel that way.
We had gelatto and strolled and even bought baguettes, prochutto and cheese to make sandwiches that we could enjoy while people watching. I bought a few things (for myself and others) but knew that the large and beautful carnival masks were beyond me. Not only in price but because there would be no way that I could carry it. I have one book bag and really overload duffle. No way was a huge elaborate mask with silver butterfly wings and feathers going to fit in it. Even if it would have been a purchase that would change my life. But I saw some stores with signs saying they shipped around the world, so maybe if I see something else that I can't live without, I might take advantage of it.
Just to let you know, you might not see the pictures, but I am taking a lot and eventually (meaning when I got to Ireland at the very latest) I'm going to post it somewhere for all to see.
You know, I look at what I've written before and I don't know how I had so much more to say. I just don't know how to convey some of the things that I've seen. Buildings of burnt orange and red, bridges left and right going over small canals filled with water that while isn't blue has a beauty all its own. And travelling through the water? Gondalas and water taxis and buses, people going left and right and filling the air with the sound of a language I wasn't born knowing. But about those gondalas? Very expensive. So expensive that I am going to leave this city without ever riding one. Depressing no? But you know what did meet my expectations? The glass.
I hadn't really thought about hot Venetian glass is one of the most beautiful in the world but now I can say that after seeing it with my own eyes I completely agree. Colors and shapes exploded around me as Laura, Lian and I walked across the Rialto, and even I couldn't escape buying a piece or two. If any of you get the chance to get your hands on a piece of it, count yourself lucky. I know I feel that way.
June 7 - It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring...
Verona is a nice little town. That has a heck of a lot of rain! We got kind of a late start and headed out to the main Piazza at about 9:30am and had like two hours of really nice weather. And then - it started. It was kind of annoying when it first began to rain, but we all thought it was like what happened in Milan and since we had started carrying umbrellas at this point, it wasn't a big deal. But it didn't stop. It went on and on, and instead of lightening up became a torrential downpour. And do you know what I learned during that downpower? Wet marble and flipflops don't mix. Yep that's right folks, I took a slip coming out of a covered area and landed on the ground, my back feeling the full force of the step behind me. Not fun. Though luckily I escaped it unharmed and we were able to continue on our way.
We had more stuff planned, but because of the rain we concentrated on the DeScalla Castle- which was mostly a museum. It contained both painted art and statues, but I was even more impressed by the view from the windows. Verona is like the most typical Italian town that you can think of. Beautiful orange and yellow buildings with bridges extending over majestic rivers. And with little cafes and gelatos places lining every street, there really isn't much like.
After spending some time at the castle, we headed back to pick up our stuff and catch our train for Venice. Venice! It was two and a half hours very well spent in my mind. We got in at 7:30pm and made our way over bridges, past canals to wait for the shuttle to our hostel - which is actually a camp ground. But don't worry, our room is a nice little room with three beds and a shower. Not the Ritz, but perfectly respectable for the price we paid. Tomorrow though is going to be wonerful. So look for updates about the wonders of the Venetian town and its people.
We had more stuff planned, but because of the rain we concentrated on the DeScalla Castle- which was mostly a museum. It contained both painted art and statues, but I was even more impressed by the view from the windows. Verona is like the most typical Italian town that you can think of. Beautiful orange and yellow buildings with bridges extending over majestic rivers. And with little cafes and gelatos places lining every street, there really isn't much like.
After spending some time at the castle, we headed back to pick up our stuff and catch our train for Venice. Venice! It was two and a half hours very well spent in my mind. We got in at 7:30pm and made our way over bridges, past canals to wait for the shuttle to our hostel - which is actually a camp ground. But don't worry, our room is a nice little room with three beds and a shower. Not the Ritz, but perfectly respectable for the price we paid. Tomorrow though is going to be wonerful. So look for updates about the wonders of the Venetian town and its people.
June 6 - Verona: Home of Romeo and Juliette
Today started out with the three of us hitting the Duomo. It was surprisingly fun. I mean, I'm not always the one who loves to check out the cathedral for hours. Architecture and stained glass windows only do so much for me. But we went in and got out little walking tours and got to go around and see all this amazing stuff and hear about how so-and-so requested in and such-and-such decided that it would look better here and that some Pope said the adding some gold would make it even better. Didn't listen so much to the info about the stained glass - I had like no knowledge about the people whose stories they were depicting so I didn't pay too much attention. It was really cool that it is said that on this cross high up over one of the central windows, there was a nail from Jesus' crucifixition. Don't know how much I believe that, but it was an interesting story. And even higher than that cross there was a beam of metal that held up another cross this time with the crucified Jesus on it. I took some video of the whole thing so wait for that to come. But even more gruesome than that was the statue of Batholemew, one of Jesus' twelve deciples. It shows him standing with what looks like cloth draped around him, but what is actually his skin - which had been removed during his torture because of his belief in Christ. There was some incredibly detail to both the muscles and bones of Bartholemew and the when you walked around it you could see how the fabric/skin had fingers, toes, and even his face - complete with beard.
After touring the main floor of the Duomo we went up onto the top, by way of an elevator (or lift) instead of the 165 steps. Definitely the better way to go. It was ridiculous to see all the statues (over 1800) and spires up close. It's mind boggling to think of the kind of work that went into creating it. Also when you get to the top you get a better look at the gilded statues of Madonna that adornes the top of the cathedral. Apparently the patron saint of Milan, I think it's really interesting that a woman is the symbold of the city and it's most well known cathedral.
Finally though it was time to leave Milan and we headed out to Verona. A small city outside Venice, it is a couple ours from Milan by train. Luckily the hostel owner was able to give us directions on how to get to Central Station and from there enough people to help us get a ticket. No biggie. The train ride was nice, though they didn't announce the stops and each time we did stop there wasn't really a clearly viewable label of the station so Lian and I went through some stressful moments trying to figure out each time if this was where we were supposed to get off. Eventually though it all worked out and we arrived in Verona in one piece. Minus Laura's journal which got left on the train as we rushed to make sure that we got off it before it left.
Finding a hotel in Verona was the next big step. As we were leaving the train we saw/heard these three young girls speaking in English and after chatting with them found out that there hotel was close by and in that area there were a couple other places we could try. After visiting a few of them we decided on the Hotel Sienna, which was the cheapest option, but was still expensive. We left our stuff and went out the explore some of the town before it got really dark. We walked to the Piazza (ADD NAME) and saw some really beautiful buildings, but since it was dark we quickly decided to move on to dinner and leave the sightseeing until tomorrow.
The little Italian place where we had dinner was the next surprise. We go there because it's the cheapest option and has some really fantasic pictures of Spaghetti Pomodoro. We seat down and all is cool, the waiter has even been nice enough to say that Lian can get tap water. But 10 secs later he comes back to say his boss has ex-nayed this and we have to order a glass or get nothing. So we say nothing and wait for our food....but this is not the end! He comes back to tell us that we have to order a drink! Ordering just food is not an option in this establishment, and to eat you have to drink. Damn. It seems that some things really are too good to be true. Eventually we give in and order a bottle of water and three glasses. All is well. Until we get our food. Surprise #2! Our pasta is served to us in like the smallest bowl imaginable! It was good, but shit, nobody was ordering from the kid's menu and we weren't expecting those portions. Long story short, we used the money we saved on dinner to buy some really good gellato (I had melon) and spent the rest of the evening admiring the scenery in the piazza and listening to some great jazz. Sounds nice huh?
After touring the main floor of the Duomo we went up onto the top, by way of an elevator (or lift) instead of the 165 steps. Definitely the better way to go. It was ridiculous to see all the statues (over 1800) and spires up close. It's mind boggling to think of the kind of work that went into creating it. Also when you get to the top you get a better look at the gilded statues of Madonna that adornes the top of the cathedral. Apparently the patron saint of Milan, I think it's really interesting that a woman is the symbold of the city and it's most well known cathedral.
Finally though it was time to leave Milan and we headed out to Verona. A small city outside Venice, it is a couple ours from Milan by train. Luckily the hostel owner was able to give us directions on how to get to Central Station and from there enough people to help us get a ticket. No biggie. The train ride was nice, though they didn't announce the stops and each time we did stop there wasn't really a clearly viewable label of the station so Lian and I went through some stressful moments trying to figure out each time if this was where we were supposed to get off. Eventually though it all worked out and we arrived in Verona in one piece. Minus Laura's journal which got left on the train as we rushed to make sure that we got off it before it left.
Finding a hotel in Verona was the next big step. As we were leaving the train we saw/heard these three young girls speaking in English and after chatting with them found out that there hotel was close by and in that area there were a couple other places we could try. After visiting a few of them we decided on the Hotel Sienna, which was the cheapest option, but was still expensive. We left our stuff and went out the explore some of the town before it got really dark. We walked to the Piazza (ADD NAME) and saw some really beautiful buildings, but since it was dark we quickly decided to move on to dinner and leave the sightseeing until tomorrow.
The little Italian place where we had dinner was the next surprise. We go there because it's the cheapest option and has some really fantasic pictures of Spaghetti Pomodoro. We seat down and all is cool, the waiter has even been nice enough to say that Lian can get tap water. But 10 secs later he comes back to say his boss has ex-nayed this and we have to order a glass or get nothing. So we say nothing and wait for our food....but this is not the end! He comes back to tell us that we have to order a drink! Ordering just food is not an option in this establishment, and to eat you have to drink. Damn. It seems that some things really are too good to be true. Eventually we give in and order a bottle of water and three glasses. All is well. Until we get our food. Surprise #2! Our pasta is served to us in like the smallest bowl imaginable! It was good, but shit, nobody was ordering from the kid's menu and we weren't expecting those portions. Long story short, we used the money we saved on dinner to buy some really good gellato (I had melon) and spent the rest of the evening admiring the scenery in the piazza and listening to some great jazz. Sounds nice huh?
June 5 - The City of Fashion!
Getting to Milan actually wasn't too painful. Though my duffle bag ended up being humungous, and it really sucked having to go up and down a few flights of stairs with that and my book bag. Anyway, we navigated the German subway system and got all the way out to Schoenfeld Airport and get on our flight to Milan. The plane ride was about two hours and while I tried to nap on the way, the seats didn't tilt back and that made it pretty impossible to find a comfortable position. Except for Laura who had the window seat and this really spiffy travel pillow. She set herself down, laid her head on the window and was out for the remainder of the flight. The one thing I have to say about Milan from the air is that it is really GREEN. Again, I amazed at how much farmland and forest there is this area and how cities and small villages just seem to pop up in the middle of them.
Find the hostel was a bit of an adventure though. We were able to find the train to Cardona (main Milan), but then we had a hard time finding the bus or anyone to explain the bus system to us. Eventually the stop for the Number 27 Bus just appeared when we left the train station, but by this point we had no idea how to get a ticket and how we were going to recognize our stop in time to press the stop button. AHHHGGG! But we got on the bus, and thanks to some spectacular luck, got to our hostel without being fined 30 Euro for not having a ticket.
After settling our stuff down - Hotel America is pretty nice by the way - we set out to explore Milan. About ten minutes walk from our hostel is the Duoma Cathedral and all that surrounds that. Unfortunately, we arrived at the Duoma just before mass was about to start and most of it was sectioned off from tourists, but whatever - we plan to hit that tomorrow. Unable to explore that, we set out to see the surrounding area, looking in on the Opera house and the square that holds a statues of Leonardo DiVinci. Finally though we went to see the Brera Art Gallery because in addition to it housing some great works of art, there was a bar right across the street from it that starting at 6pm would have a free buffet for everyone who bought a drink. It was fantastic! Wonderful food, some warm, some cold, pasta and other salads, fruit and this pudding stuffed bread things. Each of us had a drink and did some serious snacking, because this was going to be dinner for the night. Bad news though? As we were finishing up our food, it started to really rain. Not just the sprinkle it had been doing earlier, but really rain. THAT sucked. We waited awhile hoping it would slow, but it didn't really and finally we just made for it. Slowly, and sometimes not so slowly, we made our way back to Hotel America, though I finally bought another mini umbrella from this guy by the opera house for 5 Euro. While it was a waste because I already have a mini umbrella, it was a decision I am ok with because maybe I saved myself from enough rain to keep from getting sick.
And my wrist still hurts. Though it's only the left one now. Boo.
Find the hostel was a bit of an adventure though. We were able to find the train to Cardona (main Milan), but then we had a hard time finding the bus or anyone to explain the bus system to us. Eventually the stop for the Number 27 Bus just appeared when we left the train station, but by this point we had no idea how to get a ticket and how we were going to recognize our stop in time to press the stop button. AHHHGGG! But we got on the bus, and thanks to some spectacular luck, got to our hostel without being fined 30 Euro for not having a ticket.
After settling our stuff down - Hotel America is pretty nice by the way - we set out to explore Milan. About ten minutes walk from our hostel is the Duoma Cathedral and all that surrounds that. Unfortunately, we arrived at the Duoma just before mass was about to start and most of it was sectioned off from tourists, but whatever - we plan to hit that tomorrow. Unable to explore that, we set out to see the surrounding area, looking in on the Opera house and the square that holds a statues of Leonardo DiVinci. Finally though we went to see the Brera Art Gallery because in addition to it housing some great works of art, there was a bar right across the street from it that starting at 6pm would have a free buffet for everyone who bought a drink. It was fantastic! Wonderful food, some warm, some cold, pasta and other salads, fruit and this pudding stuffed bread things. Each of us had a drink and did some serious snacking, because this was going to be dinner for the night. Bad news though? As we were finishing up our food, it started to really rain. Not just the sprinkle it had been doing earlier, but really rain. THAT sucked. We waited awhile hoping it would slow, but it didn't really and finally we just made for it. Slowly, and sometimes not so slowly, we made our way back to Hotel America, though I finally bought another mini umbrella from this guy by the opera house for 5 Euro. While it was a waste because I already have a mini umbrella, it was a decision I am ok with because maybe I saved myself from enough rain to keep from getting sick.
And my wrist still hurts. Though it's only the left one now. Boo.
June 4 - Goodbye Berlin!
I guess it's a little strange to take a guided tour of the city after you've been there for three days, but that's what we did and I highly recommend it. Free World Tours has walking (and biking, though there's no way you'd get me on a bike for three hours) tours of a lot of popular world cities and the one of Berlin was not a disappointment. Out guide was a woman named Charly and she took a group of about 40 of us around the city and while some of them were repeats for me, it was great to hear the history. I mean, we went past Brandenburg Tor, the Reichstag, the Hotel where Michael Jackson dangled his baby Blanket out the window, and even stood over the place where Hitler's bunker used to be located. Plus not only was the guide informative, she was really funny and even when we were surrounded by trucks and construction, managed to make herself heard for the majority of the time. And even better? JESSICA WAS TAKING THE TOUR TOO! That's right, due to a total coincidence Jessica and her friend Caitlyn were also taking the walking tour, so I got to spend the day with some really great people. Apparently my summer tradition will not go totally unbroken, for while I didn't get to go out for a day with Jenny, Jessica and Liz all together, I did get to go out with each one of them at least once.
Nice.
At the end of the tour we got our hand stamped so we could get a discount on the Pub Crawl tour that they had, and I'm really excited about it. I don't really drink but I wanted the chance to see the Berlin nightlife and I think this will be the best way.
Well we didn't got out to the pub crawl, but we had some fun all on our own. Lian, Laura, Aaron, Ashley and I decided that even though it was a Monday night and both Aaron and Ashley had homework, we would go explore some of the happy hour specials in Berlin. We decided to end the night right at BR 101, a little Jamaican/Brazillian place that had 3 Euro cocktails. Wonderful! I had two very yummy drinks (though I don't think Tequila will ever be my favorite alocohol. All in all it was a great way to spend our last evening in Berlin before we set out for the bulk of our trip.
Nice.
At the end of the tour we got our hand stamped so we could get a discount on the Pub Crawl tour that they had, and I'm really excited about it. I don't really drink but I wanted the chance to see the Berlin nightlife and I think this will be the best way.
Well we didn't got out to the pub crawl, but we had some fun all on our own. Lian, Laura, Aaron, Ashley and I decided that even though it was a Monday night and both Aaron and Ashley had homework, we would go explore some of the happy hour specials in Berlin. We decided to end the night right at BR 101, a little Jamaican/Brazillian place that had 3 Euro cocktails. Wonderful! I had two very yummy drinks (though I don't think Tequila will ever be my favorite alocohol. All in all it was a great way to spend our last evening in Berlin before we set out for the bulk of our trip.
June 3 - Body Pains
My writsts hurt. That's right, I'm complaining. I don't care what anyone says, even if I am in another country and might never have another opportunity like this again, I get the right to complain sometimes. Left and right wrists hurt. Somehow I hurt the left one of the way to Germany, I guess through the many hours of carrying an overly large carry-on and personal item. Then last night my right wrist did that thing where after I rotate it to left my purse onto my shoulder something snaps in my hand, radiating pain down to my wrist until it decides to stop. The radiating pain has stopped in my right hand but my wrist still hurts. And trying to lift, push, or pull things with my left hands is not fun and I'm going to try very hard to not have to do it much (of course this promise only lasts until we leave for Milan and the hard core 'backpacking' begins).
In addition to the somewhat shooting pain in both wrists, I managed to have another really great day. It didn't start out so great, because for some reason, even though I went to bed around 1am, I woke up at about 7:30am and couldn't go back to sleep. I mean, there I was laying on my sleeping bag (and Laura's foam mat, so it wasn't that uncomfortable) and I couldn't sleep. It was horrible. I tried moving after about half an hour but my body was so tired, I couldn't stand the thought of really being awake. I then moved to the chairs in the living room, hoping that maybe it was the lying on the ground that was making it impossible to sleep. But nope. I listened to my iPod and meditated in vain - sleep was permanently elluding me. Finally I took out my Mom's laptop and then sat on the chair and read an ebook. A good one, but damn, all I wanted to do was sleep and be unconscious.
Later though, I took a shower and prepared for another long day in Berlin. We started out and went to the Postdammer mall to have lunch (because even though I was awake at 7:30am we didn't leave until 12:30pm). And at the mall, after I finished a satisfying snitzel with egg and potatoes, I saw Jenny Guo! Finishing up a purchase for her lunch too! I'm kind of ashamed to say that I screamed her name, ran and hugged her and kind of jumped up and down. Shameful. I know. You don't need to tell me.
After chattering with her at the table for a little while, it was decided that since she was on her own, Jenny would join the four of us on our excursion to museum island. So even though we got a little lost, the company made the work well worth it. Before the Museum though we went by Brandenburg Tor and the Parliment buidling to show Laura some of what she missed. It was so cool! Like two days later the square/park that surrounded Brandenburg Tor was filled with more people and even more dogs! There was a group of these really beautiful huskies and so many people were out walking their little dogs even though the day was clouded. And there, underneath Brandenburg, I met up with Jessica Lin! And not surprisingly, another screaming, hugging, and jumping episode commenced.
Long story short, eventually we did finally get to the museum. I'm not always a museum person but since it took us a little longer to get there we only had about an hour and a half to look around which was just the right amount of time. Pergamonmuseum was really nice though. It was an museum island, an actual small island that has four museums that people can go visit. It had really nice examples of Islamic art, and even some Roman statues. I'm actually really glad that Jenny came with us, because once we got inside we split up but Jenny and I stayed together and she (due to an unnatural obsession with the History Channel) was able to give me all this cool information about Babylon, Cuniform and the origin of 'eye for an eye'. After we left the museum we decided it was time to go the 'redlight district' and have some dinner and ice cream. We got cheated into paying more than we really wanted to for dinner (no damn signs denoting when the specials end) and then took a stroll off to get some ice cream and head home. It was on our way to the train station that we saw actual, real live prostitutes. There were three of them and they were all wearing corsets with tights and high heeled white boots. But one of them was really sickening. She sincerely looked like someone had taken out two ribs and a couple organs to get her waist that small. We spend a few minutes pretending to take pictures of each other trying to get one of the woman, but she kept turning and we couldn't get a good one without being really obvious. Eating ice cream on the walk back was just the perfect end to a day filled with new experiences.
Go figure.
In addition to the somewhat shooting pain in both wrists, I managed to have another really great day. It didn't start out so great, because for some reason, even though I went to bed around 1am, I woke up at about 7:30am and couldn't go back to sleep. I mean, there I was laying on my sleeping bag (and Laura's foam mat, so it wasn't that uncomfortable) and I couldn't sleep. It was horrible. I tried moving after about half an hour but my body was so tired, I couldn't stand the thought of really being awake. I then moved to the chairs in the living room, hoping that maybe it was the lying on the ground that was making it impossible to sleep. But nope. I listened to my iPod and meditated in vain - sleep was permanently elluding me. Finally I took out my Mom's laptop and then sat on the chair and read an ebook. A good one, but damn, all I wanted to do was sleep and be unconscious.
Later though, I took a shower and prepared for another long day in Berlin. We started out and went to the Postdammer mall to have lunch (because even though I was awake at 7:30am we didn't leave until 12:30pm). And at the mall, after I finished a satisfying snitzel with egg and potatoes, I saw Jenny Guo! Finishing up a purchase for her lunch too! I'm kind of ashamed to say that I screamed her name, ran and hugged her and kind of jumped up and down. Shameful. I know. You don't need to tell me.
After chattering with her at the table for a little while, it was decided that since she was on her own, Jenny would join the four of us on our excursion to museum island. So even though we got a little lost, the company made the work well worth it. Before the Museum though we went by Brandenburg Tor and the Parliment buidling to show Laura some of what she missed. It was so cool! Like two days later the square/park that surrounded Brandenburg Tor was filled with more people and even more dogs! There was a group of these really beautiful huskies and so many people were out walking their little dogs even though the day was clouded. And there, underneath Brandenburg, I met up with Jessica Lin! And not surprisingly, another screaming, hugging, and jumping episode commenced.
Long story short, eventually we did finally get to the museum. I'm not always a museum person but since it took us a little longer to get there we only had about an hour and a half to look around which was just the right amount of time. Pergamonmuseum was really nice though. It was an museum island, an actual small island that has four museums that people can go visit. It had really nice examples of Islamic art, and even some Roman statues. I'm actually really glad that Jenny came with us, because once we got inside we split up but Jenny and I stayed together and she (due to an unnatural obsession with the History Channel) was able to give me all this cool information about Babylon, Cuniform and the origin of 'eye for an eye'. After we left the museum we decided it was time to go the 'redlight district' and have some dinner and ice cream. We got cheated into paying more than we really wanted to for dinner (no damn signs denoting when the specials end) and then took a stroll off to get some ice cream and head home. It was on our way to the train station that we saw actual, real live prostitutes. There were three of them and they were all wearing corsets with tights and high heeled white boots. But one of them was really sickening. She sincerely looked like someone had taken out two ribs and a couple organs to get her waist that small. We spend a few minutes pretending to take pictures of each other trying to get one of the woman, but she kept turning and we couldn't get a good one without being really obvious. Eating ice cream on the walk back was just the perfect end to a day filled with new experiences.
Go figure.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
June 2 - Gold embellishment everywhere! And crappy recycling crazy Berlin
Did you know that in Germany everyone is crazy about recycling? It's true and they enforce it in a somewhat infuriating way. We went to the grocery store and bought these cheap large bottles of water for .19 cents. And you know what? They charged us an extra .25 cents to make sure that we returned it to the store! They had a machine where if you brought back the bottles it would give you a credit receipt for the .25 cents per bottle that you got refunded back at the register. It's unbelievable I tell ya. Recycling's all well and good, but not when you're charged for the privalege.
Still all was well, and with the help of Aaron's mad subway managing skills, we got all the way to Schoenfeld airport to pick up the last part of our trio - Laura. Just in time to get a call for her informing us that because of a two hour delay leaving New York she was not stuck in Dublin trying to get a new flight into Berlin. It's always great to find out that a 45min bus ride was completely for naught. Well we did find out that she was going to be routed to London and then catch a connecting flight to Berlin, so at least we knew where she was. Though she wasn't coming in untill 8pm instead of 10am.
But moving on now, let me tell you about a little part of Berlin called Potsdam. It's home to the 'castle' of Freidrich the Great, and while the castle wasn't really all that moving the garden's were beautiful. Luscious and full of fountains, it was really great to walk through - especially while the day was cool and slightly clouded- it made all the walking completely do able. We saw Freidrich's Roman bathhouse and spent some time admiring the Princess' tea room. Or at least marveling at the strangely compelling, gold encrusted 'China-men' that adorned the outside. I took some great pictures and after walking around the castle grounds, we continued on to the village. It was great! Really quaint with these nice little shops with touristy items or delicious baked goods. You could look around and see places to buy purses and jewelry or gelato and croissants. The smells were definitely enough to make your mouth water and I got to try a few different German dishes (though for lunch we had German prepared Thai, which was actually pretty good).Dinner we went to a German restaurant called 'Englechan' and I got to try raviolli, spaghetti, and snitzel (which was definitely the best in my opinion). Fried pork sounds so much better in German doesn't it?
Oh yeah, after Potsdam and before dinner we did head out to Tegel airport (45min in the other direction) and picked up Laura.
And then the world was complete.
Still all was well, and with the help of Aaron's mad subway managing skills, we got all the way to Schoenfeld airport to pick up the last part of our trio - Laura. Just in time to get a call for her informing us that because of a two hour delay leaving New York she was not stuck in Dublin trying to get a new flight into Berlin. It's always great to find out that a 45min bus ride was completely for naught. Well we did find out that she was going to be routed to London and then catch a connecting flight to Berlin, so at least we knew where she was. Though she wasn't coming in untill 8pm instead of 10am.
But moving on now, let me tell you about a little part of Berlin called Potsdam. It's home to the 'castle' of Freidrich the Great, and while the castle wasn't really all that moving the garden's were beautiful. Luscious and full of fountains, it was really great to walk through - especially while the day was cool and slightly clouded- it made all the walking completely do able. We saw Freidrich's Roman bathhouse and spent some time admiring the Princess' tea room. Or at least marveling at the strangely compelling, gold encrusted 'China-men' that adorned the outside. I took some great pictures and after walking around the castle grounds, we continued on to the village. It was great! Really quaint with these nice little shops with touristy items or delicious baked goods. You could look around and see places to buy purses and jewelry or gelato and croissants. The smells were definitely enough to make your mouth water and I got to try a few different German dishes (though for lunch we had German prepared Thai, which was actually pretty good).Dinner we went to a German restaurant called 'Englechan' and I got to try raviolli, spaghetti, and snitzel (which was definitely the best in my opinion). Fried pork sounds so much better in German doesn't it?
Oh yeah, after Potsdam and before dinner we did head out to Tegel airport (45min in the other direction) and picked up Laura.
And then the world was complete.
June 1- Being able to sleep on transatlantic flights is a myth isn't it?
So I arrived in Berlin! No death or plane evacuation needed! There was that whole somewhat terrifying change of planes in Frankfurt, but luckily all of the flight people spoke enough English to at least say 'Terminal A'. I had the aisle seat during the flight from Philadelphia to Frankfurt, so while I didn't get to see as much of the scenery, I also didn't have to wait for someone next to me to get up so that I could go pee. So I think I got the better end of that bargain. Unfortunately I didn't really get a chance to sleep on the flight, which means that when 4am came around for those on the Eastern side of the US, it REALLY felt like 4am to me. No matter what the sky looked like outside the plane (it was a really pretty sunrise with a mix of blue, pink, and orange by the way).
After getting off my flight to Berlin, I was pleasently surprised that my luggage had survived the three plane transfer to Berlin, one of the fears that kept me awake for my 8hr flight. I even met both of my friends outside (after about 15min) and Lian had gotten her luggage and Aaron had found us both. Yay! We then got a taxi from the airport back to his, and his roommate Ashley's, apartment - which cost about 35 Euro, but all of us deemed it appropriate since it saved me from lugging a suitcase, large duffel and a travel tote across two metro buses and God knows how many stairs.
Three flights of stairs later, Lian and I's luggage was safely stored in Aaron's room and he kept his promise to keep us awake until at least 5pm so we would acclimate to the time change better. We took the rest of the morning and afternoon and travelled around Berlin. We saw some great architecture and even better greenery. We saw such memorable places as Brandenburg Tor and a monument to the Soviet soldiers who died during WWII. Still, it's not too often that you see a humungous national park smack dab in the middle of city - but people should do it more often. It's really very relaxing. It's amazing how much Berlin looks like any other big city. In the mall, you can't tell the German shopper from the American, and the only the German signs reminded me that I wasn't home. For lunch I had a Dooner, which is this mix of meat and veggies stuffed in a pita pocket. Very filling for only about 3 Euro.
But here's the deal - Aaron doesn't have wireless, so no telling how often I'll be updating. When I do I'll make sure to deviate by day and try and post pictures whenever wacky and hilarious. Who knows, this could even be your inspiration to take a European holiday of your own.
After getting off my flight to Berlin, I was pleasently surprised that my luggage had survived the three plane transfer to Berlin, one of the fears that kept me awake for my 8hr flight. I even met both of my friends outside (after about 15min) and Lian had gotten her luggage and Aaron had found us both. Yay! We then got a taxi from the airport back to his, and his roommate Ashley's, apartment - which cost about 35 Euro, but all of us deemed it appropriate since it saved me from lugging a suitcase, large duffel and a travel tote across two metro buses and God knows how many stairs.
Three flights of stairs later, Lian and I's luggage was safely stored in Aaron's room and he kept his promise to keep us awake until at least 5pm so we would acclimate to the time change better. We took the rest of the morning and afternoon and travelled around Berlin. We saw some great architecture and even better greenery. We saw such memorable places as Brandenburg Tor and a monument to the Soviet soldiers who died during WWII. Still, it's not too often that you see a humungous national park smack dab in the middle of city - but people should do it more often. It's really very relaxing. It's amazing how much Berlin looks like any other big city. In the mall, you can't tell the German shopper from the American, and the only the German signs reminded me that I wasn't home. For lunch I had a Dooner, which is this mix of meat and veggies stuffed in a pita pocket. Very filling for only about 3 Euro.
But here's the deal - Aaron doesn't have wireless, so no telling how often I'll be updating. When I do I'll make sure to deviate by day and try and post pictures whenever wacky and hilarious. Who knows, this could even be your inspiration to take a European holiday of your own.
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