Thanks

As one final thought, there are a lot of people that helped me out these past couple of months. Pretend I'm on a stage, just been handed an Academy Award, and this is who I would like to thank:

Uncle John, for setting me up with your buddy passes and scheduling my flights.

Aunt Sherry and Ryan, for keeping my car, getting me to the airport, and letting me stay with you now.

Betsy, for caring for my Abby. All along I knew you'd be the most loving home for her, and I'm glad you were willing to give her a chance to warm up to Moses.

My brother Tim, for helping me move my belongings into your home, and Grace for allowing it.

Annie, for giving me a home while I was homeless that one week before I left. Hotel Waters definitely lives up to it's name.

Izaak, for giving me a home in Hamburg and showing me good times.

Jason, for giving me a home in New York and keeping me in a constant state of drunk.

Mom and Dad, for your endless support, encouragement, and enthusiasm. For your worrying. And for keeping on top of my mail, bills, and such, while I've been away.

The rest of my family and friends, for checking in and reading my updates.

My new friends, for making my tour extra special.

And, lastly, my Uncle Jim. Without you, traveling Europe would probably still be just a dream. More than that, I liked to think of you as my encourager to have fun and take risks while I was away. All I had to ask myself was, "Would Uncle Jim want me to jump out of a plane?" and the answer was always invariably, "Yes."

P.S. Grandma and Grandpa. I swear. I didn't inhale. :)

Back in the USA

My two-month European tour is complete. For now.

I can't help but think what's next. I know that I would love to return to Italy to live. I would also love to go to Australia and learn how to surf. But I think my next great adventure starts with moving to New York for a little while. My favorite part of traveling was meeting so many people from all over the world, and I can't think of a better city in America to keep on doing this.

Plus, easing back into the regular rhythm of my life in the Midwest doesn't appeal to me so much now that I've become accustomed to the constant challenges of not knowing where the hell I am, where I am going, and how to get there once I figure it out. Of course, I'm not talking strictly geography, but if I was, then New York will certainly pose those challenges.

Whatever happens next, I'll keep y'all posted.

Poop

I wonder how long this car has been parked along the river in Rome. That's bird poop.

Rome ::: Day 4 ::: St Peter's Basilica

On my last full day in Rome, I spent my morning at St Peter's Square and Basilica in the Vatican. Both were large and impressive. I'm happy that I went to see them. In a way, the Vatican kind of disappointed me, though. I was expecting it to be like a walled city within a city, moreso than just the square, basilica, and museum. And maybe there is more...but I didn't see it. For that matter, I didn't even see many priests and nuns. Just lots and lots of tourists pointing their cameras in the air. Like me.

Afterwards, I went to check out Castel Sant'Angelo, another of the Angels & Demons sites, not to mention a very famous site within Rome outside of pop-fiction. It was worth the 8 euro admission for the view of Rome, although I wouldn't say the castle itself was all that interesting.

I then walked along the river and found the most perfect spot for siesta by the Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of Augustan Peace). Just behind a wall, shielded from the road, there is a shallow square pool with several jets of water, surrounded on 3 sides by stone slabs to hang out and sunbathe. It was so relaxing and sunny, that I spent probably an hour hanging out and listening to music.

I then made my way to Piazza del Popolo for some late lunch. Adjacent to the main shopping avenue there seemed to be a lot of good restaurants. I didn't feel dressed appropriately for any of them, especially considering the long line of shiny black BMWs, Mercedes, and Alfa Romeos along the street. All of them had drivers and rear tinted windows, making me wonder if this is where the mafia takes siesta. I chose a more touristy spot in the piazza to eat, watching the cars. The only interesting thing I have to report is that one Mercedes surrendered its choice spot to an Alfa Romeo, as if there were a kind of food chain dictated by the kind of car you drive. No mobsters that I could see, though.

I made a quick walk around the gardens adjacent to Piazza del Popolo after my late lunch. I was getting exhausted by this point, and all of the couples making out in the park made me want to barf. So I headed back to the hostel for laundry and packing.

Late that evening, I went out for an long walk to Campo del Fiori for a dinner of pasta with truffles, glass of wine, creme brulee, and a shot of limoncello...pretty much the most decadent way I could think to spend my last night in Europe.

Rome ::: Day 3 ::: Churches, Piazzas, Fountains, Colloseum, Monuments

Monday felt like my first full day in Rome. I woke up before 8am, of my own free will, and I decided to seize the day seeing sites.

A Chianti staff member devised a walking tour of Rome that had me taking the subway to Piazza del Popolo, walking down the Via del Corso (a main shopping avenue) to Trinita del Menti, Fontana di Trevi, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Campo dei Fiori, Monumento a Vittorio Emanuelle II, Colonna Traiana, Mercati Traianei, Colosseum and the Roman Forum/Palatino ruins, and then hitting one more church along the way, just for good measure, before arriving back at the hostel.

I merged this with a map of the Angels & Demons sites, from the Dan Brown story that has Tom Hanks running around Rome, trying to prevent the death of four cardinals. My first stop, Piazza del Popolo, contained the first of the sites, the church of Santa Maria del Popolo.

From my walk down the Via Del Corso to Trinita del Menti, I walked in several more churches along the way, just because they kept popping up everywhere. Since church service wasn't going on, I didn't feel bad acting like a total tourist and taking lots of photos, especially of all the skull and crossbones decorations. They gave the churches a somewhat pirate-like atmosphere, which I wasn't expecting.

I made a detour to see the Church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini, containing the most macabre wall decorations you will ever see. Beneath the church is the Capuchin Crypt that is decorated floor to ceiling with the actual bones from 4,000 monks that died between the 16th and 18th centuries. Skulls, scapulae, tailbones, pelvic bones, arms, legs, and fingers create alters, arches, wall decorations, and sconces. Additionally, there are some full skeletons in monks robes bowing, and a child-size skeleton, dressed as Death, holding a scythe and scales... made from bones, of course.

From noon to 3:30, Rome pretty much shuts down, with the exception of the cafes, for afternoon siesta. So I stopped for some lunch in a cafe that was very popular with the Carabinieri, the local military police. I'm not really sure what they do. They always just seem to be standing around, looking good.

Afterwards, I went back to the hostel, and finished the walking tour in reverse, hitting up the Colosseum first and ending in Campo dei Fiori for a few beers after a busy day seeing a grand total of eight churches and everything else on the walking tour list.

After all this, I was really quite taken with Rome. It's definitely a close second to Florence as my favorite city in all of Europe. What Florence lacks, Rome has got, and vice versa.

Florence is far more beautiful, but I think Rome surpasses it in grandeur. Rome is built around ruins that are nearly 2000 years old. You can't argue with the cool factor there.

Florence feels more like a small town, whereas Rome feels like a big city. In reality, though, Rome has only got two subway lines, and the entire main section of the city is walkable if you don't care how fast you get to where you're going.

Some other things I loved:

1) In Rome, the boulevards are broad and the streets clean. It's even a little bit more grid-like. I felt like I wasn't so directionally challenged here as in other cities. And it feels safe. I would be out at night walking by myself and feel completely comfortable.

2) I loved the piazzas! They're the perfect place to hang out in the middle of a city, get away from traffic, and get some food or drink. Usually, there is a monument or fountain in the center where people soak up the sun during the day and the kids hang out at in the evening. Piazzas are incredible, and Rome has them in abundance.

3) Along with the piazzas, there are also many street musicians and performers. I loved this about Barcelona, and much like the bidet, they made their triumphant return here in Rome.

4) As a girl, it's impossible not to feel good about myself. I don't get a lot of attention, but I do get some air kisses directed my way. And what's great about that, is it's just a passing compliment (at least I think it's a compliment). They keep walking, I keep walking, and that's all there is to it.

5) Everyone is dressed well. I couldn't help but notice and admire the fashion sense of all the women.

6) Crossing the street is a constant adrenaline rush. I found that the best way to cross the street when there are no pedestrian crossing lights is to just own it. Watch for a little break in traffic, and then just step off the curb, and assume everyone is going to stop. Don't even make eye contact. They will always stop. In fact, the drivers will hate you if you do that start and stop, who has got the right of way game.

Rome ::: Day 2 ::: Vatican Museum

Note to everyone. When making plans to meet someone at the Vatican Museum, be more specific than, "I'll see you in the line at 8:00."

The previous night, I made a plan with Jonathan to meet him early at the Vatican Museum for free admission day. I was expecting the line to be long, but really had no concept of what that actually meant.

From the moment I got off the subway, I felt I was in a race with priests, nuns, and every other tourist in the world. I didn't even have to know where I was going. I just followed and passed everyone that I possibly could.

It felt much like a cattle drive. Except we were the cows.

I stood for an hour and a half in what could most accurately be described as a corral. At the end of my race to the line, I found myself fenced in, Vatican wall on one side and the street with a makeshift fence holding me in on the other, and standing several people deep.

I didn't dare leave my spot in line to walk up and down looking for Jonathan. In the span of a couple minutes, I saw the line stretch out behind me and out of sight. I had expected to be able to line jump when I found him, but the fence made this an impossibility.

I walked around the Vatican Museum for a few hours, trying to keep an eye out for my friend, and admiring the frescoes, vaulted ceilings, mosaic floors, religious symbols and everything else. The museum is quite massive, taking you though numerous chapels, galleries, and corridors. Needless to say, without cellular technology and a more specific plan, Jonathan and I never successfully connected.

The Sistine Chapel was dark and packed wall-to-wall. It was fun to contemplate the ceiling between shouts of "NO PHOTO" and "SSHHH" from the security guards.

After a busy morning at the Vatican Museum, I headed back to Legends Hostel, to once again carry my luggage to the train station, then to Chianti Hotel.

I had a chill remainder of the day. I stopped at a cafe for an espresso and cannolo, napped, watched some movies in the tv room at the hostel, ventured out to a local Irish pub for dinner, and called it an early night.

My, my. Look at that. Vaulted coffers. A friend told me before I left to keep an eye out for all the vaulted coffers. Afterall, they are the best kind of coffer, he said. I've been staring at ceilings all over Europe, and I finally just found some in a dome at the Vatican Museum. I was actually quite excited about this, like I'd just found the proverbial needle in a haystack.

 

In Rome

Everyone can exhale. I made it out of Naples alive.

And to answer one of my questions, instead of umbrellas, the foreigners sell sunglasses when it's sunny. Makes sense.

Today has been totally consumed by traveling. I took the regional train because it's cheapest, but it also takes 3 times as long as the Eurostar train.

Once I got to Rome, I discovered that my hostel didn't have my reservation because I didn't actually book the bed until tomorrow. Sigh. But, I found another hostel to stay in for one night on the opposite side of the train station.

I've walked from the train station to Chianti Hostel to the train station to Legends Hostel to the train station, back to Chianti Hostel to get my bags, to the train station to Legends Hostel. And if that wasn't enough, I walked back to the train station this evening to pick up some beer.

I'm hanging out in the kitchen now. Some Aussies across from me are playing 500, the traditional Swenson family card game (Hi Grandma and Grandpa!).

Not sure what else is in store for me tonight. I'm guessing early to bed.

Arriving in Napoli and Day 2 ::: More Rain

Since the Cinque Terre was rainy, I decided to head south to Naples, where the weather forecast said 30 degrees Celsius and sunny. Imagine my disappointment when I get here to find that it's pissing down rain.

To top it off, by the time I made it here, I had completely worked myself up to a paranoia about being out in Naples after dark.

The previous night, the bartender at Bar Centrale tried to tell me that Naples is not a good place for a woman traveling on her own. Too many Moroccans, East Europeans, and corruption. I even received a cautionary email today from Iacopo.

Of course, if I listened to everyone who has told me that traveling alone is not a good idea, then I would still be sitting in my apartment in Minneapolis. He doesn't know it, but I took the bartender's word of warning as a dare. How could I not come to Napoli.

Still, once I arrived in Naples, I felt a little more stressed than usual. So I attached myself to an Australian woman who spoke Italian, asking her if we could share a cab, since we were going to pretty much the same place.

I didn't really know what to expect from Hostel of the Sun because the tourist office lady found the bed for me. When I got there I immediately de-stressed. There would be no repeat of the Patrizia experience here. There was a very young crowd hanging out and working there. People were chilling in the living room watching movies, talking, eating, and checking out Facebook.

They didn't have a bed for me today, so I carried my heavy bags in the pouring rain to 6 Small Rooms. It's a chill hostel. Way too uptight. Lights out at midnight, and one of my dorm mates just asked if I could turn off my reading light!?! The only redeeming quality is that it has a resident cat that likes to hang out with me in my bed.

My day was spent walking around in the occasional downpours. I saw a castle. I ate a hefty lunch of pasta and calamari.

Tonight, I went out for a Neopolitan-style margherita pizza, which Naples does especially well. So delicous amazing awesome! The freshest tomato sauce, mozzarella (with a large dollop in the center), and basil.

And despite all warnings, I even went out alone at night and made it back to my hostel safe and sound.

Few things that have left an impression on me in Naples:

1) There are foreigners selling umbrellas everywhere. Granted, it's been raining off and on today... so I wonder what they do when it's not raining.

2) Naples seems to have a lot of stray dogs. :( They look well-fed and everything, but they're just really sad looking. I saw several curled up and sleeping in the middle of a square.

3) Pedestrian crossing lights here are the exception, not the rule. You just have to kind of throw yourself into traffic and hope for the best. This is infinitely more terrifying than skydiving. I'm pretty sure that if anything kills me here, it will be a car. So hold your breath and pray for me until I arrive in Rome tomorrow. Pretty sure it will be the same story there, though.

4) It's a much bigger city than Florence, and not nearly as beautiful. But it does have the weathered looking buildings that I loved in Venice. And because the city is sort of situated on a hill, everyone seems to have French doors that lead out onto a balcony overlooking the ocean. Gotta love that.