(Wednesday, April 29th)
Today begins my trip to Ireland and Scotland. The trip begins with me catching a train to Manchester, then a flight to Dublin, and finally a 3 hour bus ride to Limerick. I am traveling alone for this leg of the journey, but my iPod keeps me company. The bus drops me off in Limerick outside the gates to University of Limerick (UL). A few minutes later a car drives up and out jumps Jenna, who is the one I'm here to visit. Jenna is an American studying abroad for the Spring here at UL. I met her during my visit to Naples over Easter break cause she was staying in the same hostel as me. After a quick hug we throw my stuff in the car and drive back to her flat.
Back at her flat I drop my stuff off in her room then make my way to the kitchen to meet the rest of her flatmates who are all local Irish students. It was really funny when I walked into the room cause of a few of them had their mouths and noses covered with their shirts because the swine flu was in England which is where I was coming from. We made the introductions then sat down to watch some football (soccer) with the group. One of her flatmates made dinner for all of us which was great.
After dinner we all just hung out in the kitchen and Jenna and I tried to work out some plans for the next day. We decided we would go with some of her friends to the Cliffs of Moher which was about 2 hours away by bus. After an hour or so we all decided to call it a night and retired to our rooms.
(Thursday, April 30)
Jenna and I got up early today to meet up with her friends and catch our bus to the Cliffs of Moher. As I mentioned before, the ride was about 2 hours long to get there. Along the way I got to know her friends better, which was fun. Two of them are Canadian so they attempted to name all 50 states and I attempted to name all the provinces and territories of Canada. I'd say it was fairly even between our knowledge of each other's countries. When we got to the cliffs we walked the paths along the cliff edge in both directions. The cliffs are absolutely beautiful and so is the Irish countryside. We brought some lunch so we had a little picnic in the sun. After lunch we toured the gift shop then caught our bus back to Limerick.
When we got back to Limerick we were hungry for a snack so we went to a little place and grabs some garlic cheese chips, basically steak fries with shredded cheese and garlic mayo. After the snack we caught a bus back to the flat. Almost as soon as we got back to the flat another one of her flatmates was finishing dinner so we had to eat again to avoid being rude. We both felt like blimps after that so we took a nap. When we got up we took turns grabbing a shower, then got dressed for the evening. Her flat was hosting a big flat party that night.
The party started around 8pm with only a few people there, but after about an hour the place was packed with their friends. I worked my way around getting to know as many people as I could. The party went on for about 2 hours then we decided to move en masse to a nearby bar/club called The Lodge. Only 1 person had a car to take people to The Lodge which was about a 20 minute walk away, so we hung back while he took a car load of people. After waiting about 15 minutes we decided the 5 of us would just walk there so we headed off through campus towards the main road. Along the way we came across a guy in a Avis van who was lost driving around campus. He asked us for directions and then offered us a ride. We all crammed into the van which meant Jenna and I were sitting on people's laps. I finished my beer as we drove and we talked with the guy. He dropped us off right in front of the club, making him one of the coolest random strangers I've ever met.
Similar to the party, when we got to the club it was pretty dead with our group being pretty much the only ones there. However, within an hour or so the place was packed. We all danced and drank the night away. When we left the club we caught a ride with Jenna's flatmate. Back at the flat we all reflected on a good night then went to bed.
(Friday, May 1)
The time had come for me to say goodbye to Jenna and leave Limerick. After a quick breakfast she walked me to the gates of the university and waited for the bus with me. We said our goodbyes and I got on my bus headed for Dublin. My time in Limerick was an absolute blast and I'm really happy I met her in Naples, otherwise I would have never had this opportunity.
Limerick Photos
Friday, May 29, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Summer Term Starts
Much to everyone's dismay it was time to start up school again. Everyone had returned from their travels loaded with stories and photos, so conversations where much more lively than they had been just before our break started.
(4/22) The day started off with me turning in my essay for my Human Resources Management course, which was the last essay of my college career. It felt so good to not have to think about that thing anymore. The rest of the day was spent wasting time in Trev playing pool and having a few pints. In the evening we all gathered at Neil's flat to celebrate his 21st birthday. We downed punch, vodka jello, and finger food while playing some karaoke game for a few hours. Around 10:30 we packed it up and headed to the underpass to catch our bus to the Carleton. The Carleton was the usual blur of dancing, drinking, and mingling with various groups of friends scattered amongst the crowd. All in all a really fun night.
Photos From Neil's Party
(4/24) I didn't have any plans to go out this evening, but while I was hanging out in Trev in the afternoon with Neil, Andy, and Rachel just having a pint and chatting, Neil talked me into joining up with the Lancaster Ski and Snowboard Club (LUSASC) for their social that night. After I finished my pint at Trev I went back to my flat, made some dinner, and got changed. I met up with the LUSASC people down in Pendle bar. We kicked things off with a boat race, which I am now a veteran at so I represented well. The theme of the social was something called a "Valley Rally" where the group is divided up into teams of 4 or so and there are several checkpoints around campus. Your team has to go to each checkpoint and complete challenges there for points and whichever team has the most points after everyone is done wins.
The challenge at our first checkpoint involved one member of our team drinking 2 shots of vodka from a plastic cup with no hands then eating a jam donut also with no hands. Our guy drank the vodka and immediately threw up then tore up the donut, it was hilarious. At the next checkpoint they had a ski rigged up with 2 beer bongs running down the length. Two people from our team had to bong a pint as fast as we could. I stepped up to the plate for this challenge and showed them how Americans do a beer bong. I ended up with the fastest time from all the teams, booya! For the third and final challenge we had to have a pint and a Reef. We had to run about 30 feet to a post and spin around in a circle 5 times then run back drink 1/4 of the pint, then go back and do it again. We did that 4 times until the pint was done, then we had to do the spinning one more time then do a Strawpedoe with our Reef to finish it off. We all felt pretty nauseous after that and one of our team members threw up into the pond outside the STATS building. With all the challenges complete we wandered back to Trev to await the rest of the teams. After the judges completed the scoring they announced the winners, which sadly wasn't us. We came in 2nd out of the 5 teams, but we were all pretty tipsy so I think that counts as a victory anyways.
With the Valley Ralley complete we headed off to Sugarhouse for the rest of the night. When we got there I ran into a few other groups of friends who had come out that night as well so I spent most of the night bouncing around from group to group. It was a really fun night with this random group of LUSASC people whom I'd never met.
(4/26) Tonight we celebrated Dennis' birthday, which isn't actually for another few weeks, but he was going to be leaving soon to go back to the Netherlands. The party kicked off around 9pm in Jess' flat. Steadily the crowd grew with more and more of the international group arriving. There ended up being a huge turnout, probably somewhere around 30-40 people. We all hung out and drank and played beer pong for hours. It was especially fun cause I hadn't seen a lot of those people in months. Some time around midnight the stupid college porters came and broke up the party cause we were being too loud. Several of us left the party, walked around a few buildings and waited for the porters to leave, then went back to Jess' flat. We decided to move the party to Dennis flat so that we would be less likely to get busted again. The group had thinned out to about 10-15 people, but we still had a great time. We enjoyed some birthday cake and chilled in Dennis' kitchen until about 2 or 3 in the morning then we wrapped it up.
(4/22) The day started off with me turning in my essay for my Human Resources Management course, which was the last essay of my college career. It felt so good to not have to think about that thing anymore. The rest of the day was spent wasting time in Trev playing pool and having a few pints. In the evening we all gathered at Neil's flat to celebrate his 21st birthday. We downed punch, vodka jello, and finger food while playing some karaoke game for a few hours. Around 10:30 we packed it up and headed to the underpass to catch our bus to the Carleton. The Carleton was the usual blur of dancing, drinking, and mingling with various groups of friends scattered amongst the crowd. All in all a really fun night.
Photos From Neil's Party
(4/24) I didn't have any plans to go out this evening, but while I was hanging out in Trev in the afternoon with Neil, Andy, and Rachel just having a pint and chatting, Neil talked me into joining up with the Lancaster Ski and Snowboard Club (LUSASC) for their social that night. After I finished my pint at Trev I went back to my flat, made some dinner, and got changed. I met up with the LUSASC people down in Pendle bar. We kicked things off with a boat race, which I am now a veteran at so I represented well. The theme of the social was something called a "Valley Rally" where the group is divided up into teams of 4 or so and there are several checkpoints around campus. Your team has to go to each checkpoint and complete challenges there for points and whichever team has the most points after everyone is done wins.
The challenge at our first checkpoint involved one member of our team drinking 2 shots of vodka from a plastic cup with no hands then eating a jam donut also with no hands. Our guy drank the vodka and immediately threw up then tore up the donut, it was hilarious. At the next checkpoint they had a ski rigged up with 2 beer bongs running down the length. Two people from our team had to bong a pint as fast as we could. I stepped up to the plate for this challenge and showed them how Americans do a beer bong. I ended up with the fastest time from all the teams, booya! For the third and final challenge we had to have a pint and a Reef. We had to run about 30 feet to a post and spin around in a circle 5 times then run back drink 1/4 of the pint, then go back and do it again. We did that 4 times until the pint was done, then we had to do the spinning one more time then do a Strawpedoe with our Reef to finish it off. We all felt pretty nauseous after that and one of our team members threw up into the pond outside the STATS building. With all the challenges complete we wandered back to Trev to await the rest of the teams. After the judges completed the scoring they announced the winners, which sadly wasn't us. We came in 2nd out of the 5 teams, but we were all pretty tipsy so I think that counts as a victory anyways.
With the Valley Ralley complete we headed off to Sugarhouse for the rest of the night. When we got there I ran into a few other groups of friends who had come out that night as well so I spent most of the night bouncing around from group to group. It was a really fun night with this random group of LUSASC people whom I'd never met.
(4/26) Tonight we celebrated Dennis' birthday, which isn't actually for another few weeks, but he was going to be leaving soon to go back to the Netherlands. The party kicked off around 9pm in Jess' flat. Steadily the crowd grew with more and more of the international group arriving. There ended up being a huge turnout, probably somewhere around 30-40 people. We all hung out and drank and played beer pong for hours. It was especially fun cause I hadn't seen a lot of those people in months. Some time around midnight the stupid college porters came and broke up the party cause we were being too loud. Several of us left the party, walked around a few buildings and waited for the porters to leave, then went back to Jess' flat. We decided to move the party to Dennis flat so that we would be less likely to get busted again. The group had thinned out to about 10-15 people, but we still had a great time. We enjoyed some birthday cake and chilled in Dennis' kitchen until about 2 or 3 in the morning then we wrapped it up.
Easter Break Part 7: Back in Lancaster
(4/9) I arrived in Lancaster around 11am and went straight to my flat. I unpacked all my stuff and then did a TON of laundry. While the laundry was going I hopped online and did some work for my online classes. That afternoon I met up with Amanda, Urmie, and Rosie and watched the Life Aquatic and ate Ben & Jerry's. In the evening I headed down to Grad Bar and met up with the usual suspects for a few pints of quality ale.
(4/10) My first full day back was spent basking in laziness. I did a little work in the morning, then spent most of the day watching movies such as Donnie Darko, Choke, and The Departed. That evening I went out with some friends to WalkAbout, then came back to my flat and Skyped with Amanda (Bennett) for the first time.
(4/11) The weather was particularly beautiful so Amanda, Rosie, and I went into town to walk around. When we arrived in town we decided to go do a tour of the castle. It was pretty interesting. After the castle tour we went to the one Mexican restaurant in town for lunch and then got some amazing hot chocolate at a tucked away coffee shop. That night I watched Choke again, but this time with Amanda and Rosie. Amanda was so hooked on the movie that she watched it 2 more times after I left.
(4/12) EASTER!!! Since all of us were thousands of miles from our families we decided to get together and enjoy the holiday together. Amanda, Rosie, Urmie, and I met up at Amanda's flat around 10am and whipped up a delicious brunch of omlettes, potatoes, and mimosas. The rest of the day I just napped and bummed around. In the evening all of us met up again plus Rosemary, and met up at Rosie's flat for dinner. We had sun-dried tomato pesto, salad, bruschetta, and finished it off with my signature bananas foster, yummmmmmmm! It was really nice to enjoy Easter with my new friends.
(4/10) My first full day back was spent basking in laziness. I did a little work in the morning, then spent most of the day watching movies such as Donnie Darko, Choke, and The Departed. That evening I went out with some friends to WalkAbout, then came back to my flat and Skyped with Amanda (Bennett) for the first time.
(4/11) The weather was particularly beautiful so Amanda, Rosie, and I went into town to walk around. When we arrived in town we decided to go do a tour of the castle. It was pretty interesting. After the castle tour we went to the one Mexican restaurant in town for lunch and then got some amazing hot chocolate at a tucked away coffee shop. That night I watched Choke again, but this time with Amanda and Rosie. Amanda was so hooked on the movie that she watched it 2 more times after I left.
(4/12) EASTER!!! Since all of us were thousands of miles from our families we decided to get together and enjoy the holiday together. Amanda, Rosie, Urmie, and I met up at Amanda's flat around 10am and whipped up a delicious brunch of omlettes, potatoes, and mimosas. The rest of the day I just napped and bummed around. In the evening all of us met up again plus Rosemary, and met up at Rosie's flat for dinner. We had sun-dried tomato pesto, salad, bruschetta, and finished it off with my signature bananas foster, yummmmmmmm! It was really nice to enjoy Easter with my new friends.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Easter Break Part 6: Naples
(4/5) I got up, checked out of my hostel, grabbed my free breakfast, and headed for the train station. I bought my ticket to Naples and ran to the train. When I got on and sat down I got a text message from Jessica, who just so happened to be on the same train. We hung out for most of the ride, which was about 2 hours. In Naples we walked towards our hostels, which were near only a few blocks away from each other. I arrived at my hostel and checked in, then hopped on the computer to check my email and Facebook. While I was surfing the web the owner of the hostel invited me to join him and his family for a homemade pasta lunch. I was so excited to eat a home-cooked Italian meal I can't even explain it. The family consisted of a husband, wife, and 2 daughters. The only one who spoke good English was the mother, so they just conversed in Italian the whole time and I smiled and quietly ate.
After lunch I walked to Piazza Plebiscito, which is a huge square with a church at one end and a palace at the other. I waited in the square for Jess and her mom to finish getting settled. When they got there we walked to the waterfront. On the way to the waterfront there was a little cart selling various food items, so I bought a slice of fresh coconut, which I thought was pretty odd for Italy. I ate my coconut as we wandered aimlessly along the water, taking in the city. When the sun was starting to set we headed back towards our hostels. As soon we arrived at my hostel Diego showed up. He had stayed in Rome for a few extra hours to go to Vatican City and see the Pope. After he got checked in we all got cleaned up and went for dinner. We ate at a small pizza place, which was delicious. After dinner we wanted to go out for a bit so we went to a jazz bar nearby. The music wasn't as good as I hoped for, but we still enjoyed conversation over drinks.
(4/6) After a quick breakfast Diego and I met up with Jess and her mom to catch a train to Herculaneum. Herculaneum is a town near Pompei that is full of ruins just like Pompei. When we got to the train station in Herculaneum we walked down some steps and caught a bus up to Mt. Vesuvius. The ride was pretty crazy, swerving right along the edge of steep dropoffs. The bus dropped us off a few hundred feet below the top, so from there we walked along a dirt path up the steep hillside. At the top we got to look into the giant crater left from when it erupted and destroyed Pompei. We hung out at the top for about an hour and ate a picnic lunch. After lunch we rode back down to the town and caught a train to Pompei.
In Pompei we went straight to the ruins, which were close to the station. The city was huge, with so many well preserved ruins. We spent around 3 hours there walking up and down the streets taking in the history. When we decided we had seen enough we caught the train back to Naples and returned to the hostels. Back in our hostel a group was forming for a night out on the town so we decided to link up with them. Our group for the night consisted of 6 girls and 2 guys from my hostel, me, Jess, Diego, and Jess' mom. The first stop of the night was a tiny little bar which is owned by the boyfriend of one of the people who works at my hostel. The guy gave us a free drink then it was off to the restaurant next door. Dinner was a blast and pretty tasty. This place was definitely a locals-only kind of place with a completely authentic feel. The atmosphere of waiters buzzing around and noisy conversation was almost better than the food. After dinner we went back to that bar had a few more free drinks, then headed back to the hostel to crash.
(4/7) After breakfast it was time to say goodbye to Diego, cause he was off to Greece. When he had left I met up with Jess and we walked to the docks to catch a boat to Capri. As soon as we arrived in Capri we hopped on a 2 hour boat tour around the island. The tour stopped at several caves and natural landmarks around the island, including the famous Blue Grotto at the end. Looking at the island as we motored around in the boat was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Capri is truly stunning, with huge cliffs that drop straight into the sapphire blue water. After the boat tour we grabbed some lunch, then walked up the zig-zagging streets to the city center, which is up on a hilltop. We browsed the shops as we walked along the tiny streets. As we crested the top of the hill we found a beautiful park, so we stopped for a break to enjoy the sun. After a little break we started the walk back towards the pier, grabbing a gelato along the way. When we got back to the pier we checked the timetables for ferries and decided to take one leaving an hour later. Since we had some time to kill we walked along the rocky beach, then laid down for a short nap until time to catch the ferry.
Back in Naples we went straight to our hostels to get cleaned up. The owner of Jess' hostel, Giovanni, was making dinner for everyone staying there so I was invited to come along. He made a huge portion of pasta and we all sat around and enjoyed. After everyone was done eating Giovanni broke out a guitar and harmonica and started jamming. He was surprisingly good and it was fun singing along with him. After dinner I said goodbye to Jess since my flight was leaving very early the next morning.
On my way back to my hostel I ran into the group that had gone to dinner with us the night before. They persuaded me to go out to the bars with them for a while. We went to the restaurant from the night before and they were just closing up. They remembered us though, so they let us come in and hang out after hours for a while. They gave us tons of free limoncello, which is like a sugary-vodka-lemon dessert drink. The owner threw on some salsa music and took turns dancing with each of the girls, which was hilarious. We we finally stepped out of the restaurant the girls talked the waiters into giving them rides on their Vespas. Finally, when everyone was back we followed one of the waiters, Francesco, to another bar nearby. We stayed long enough for 2 rounds then went back to the hostel. Back at the hostel we hung out for a while then crashed.
(4/8) I was hungover from the night before and slept through my alarm, thus causing me to miss my flight. When I realized I was definitely not gonna make it I sat down and ate some breakfast and tried to sort out a new plan. After an hour of searching online I decided to catch a train to Pisa, stay in a hostel for one night, and get the first flight out the next morning. I got all my stuff packed up and headed to the train station to go to Pisa. In Pisa I caught a bus to my hostel and dropped my stuff off. My hostel was only a block away from the Leaning Tower, so I went for a walk around the courtyard where the tower stands. After a quick walk I went to a restaurant next door to my hostel and wolfed down some pizza. I chased down my pizza with some gelato then went back to my hostel to await the owner's arrival. When he got there he helped me book a taxi for the morning. After that I went back to my room and talked with my roomie for a bit before passing out.
(4/9) I got up at 4:15am, grabbed my stuff and caught a taxi to the airport. I got checked in, grabbed something for breakfast, and got a flight from Pisa to Liverpool. In Liverpool I took a bus to the train station then caught a train back to Lancaster. It was sad to see the end of my travels, but at the same time it was relaxing to go back to Lancaster.
Naples Photos
Vesuvius and Pompei Photos
Capri Photos
Pisa Photos
After lunch I walked to Piazza Plebiscito, which is a huge square with a church at one end and a palace at the other. I waited in the square for Jess and her mom to finish getting settled. When they got there we walked to the waterfront. On the way to the waterfront there was a little cart selling various food items, so I bought a slice of fresh coconut, which I thought was pretty odd for Italy. I ate my coconut as we wandered aimlessly along the water, taking in the city. When the sun was starting to set we headed back towards our hostels. As soon we arrived at my hostel Diego showed up. He had stayed in Rome for a few extra hours to go to Vatican City and see the Pope. After he got checked in we all got cleaned up and went for dinner. We ate at a small pizza place, which was delicious. After dinner we wanted to go out for a bit so we went to a jazz bar nearby. The music wasn't as good as I hoped for, but we still enjoyed conversation over drinks.
(4/6) After a quick breakfast Diego and I met up with Jess and her mom to catch a train to Herculaneum. Herculaneum is a town near Pompei that is full of ruins just like Pompei. When we got to the train station in Herculaneum we walked down some steps and caught a bus up to Mt. Vesuvius. The ride was pretty crazy, swerving right along the edge of steep dropoffs. The bus dropped us off a few hundred feet below the top, so from there we walked along a dirt path up the steep hillside. At the top we got to look into the giant crater left from when it erupted and destroyed Pompei. We hung out at the top for about an hour and ate a picnic lunch. After lunch we rode back down to the town and caught a train to Pompei.
In Pompei we went straight to the ruins, which were close to the station. The city was huge, with so many well preserved ruins. We spent around 3 hours there walking up and down the streets taking in the history. When we decided we had seen enough we caught the train back to Naples and returned to the hostels. Back in our hostel a group was forming for a night out on the town so we decided to link up with them. Our group for the night consisted of 6 girls and 2 guys from my hostel, me, Jess, Diego, and Jess' mom. The first stop of the night was a tiny little bar which is owned by the boyfriend of one of the people who works at my hostel. The guy gave us a free drink then it was off to the restaurant next door. Dinner was a blast and pretty tasty. This place was definitely a locals-only kind of place with a completely authentic feel. The atmosphere of waiters buzzing around and noisy conversation was almost better than the food. After dinner we went back to that bar had a few more free drinks, then headed back to the hostel to crash.
(4/7) After breakfast it was time to say goodbye to Diego, cause he was off to Greece. When he had left I met up with Jess and we walked to the docks to catch a boat to Capri. As soon as we arrived in Capri we hopped on a 2 hour boat tour around the island. The tour stopped at several caves and natural landmarks around the island, including the famous Blue Grotto at the end. Looking at the island as we motored around in the boat was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. Capri is truly stunning, with huge cliffs that drop straight into the sapphire blue water. After the boat tour we grabbed some lunch, then walked up the zig-zagging streets to the city center, which is up on a hilltop. We browsed the shops as we walked along the tiny streets. As we crested the top of the hill we found a beautiful park, so we stopped for a break to enjoy the sun. After a little break we started the walk back towards the pier, grabbing a gelato along the way. When we got back to the pier we checked the timetables for ferries and decided to take one leaving an hour later. Since we had some time to kill we walked along the rocky beach, then laid down for a short nap until time to catch the ferry.
Back in Naples we went straight to our hostels to get cleaned up. The owner of Jess' hostel, Giovanni, was making dinner for everyone staying there so I was invited to come along. He made a huge portion of pasta and we all sat around and enjoyed. After everyone was done eating Giovanni broke out a guitar and harmonica and started jamming. He was surprisingly good and it was fun singing along with him. After dinner I said goodbye to Jess since my flight was leaving very early the next morning.
On my way back to my hostel I ran into the group that had gone to dinner with us the night before. They persuaded me to go out to the bars with them for a while. We went to the restaurant from the night before and they were just closing up. They remembered us though, so they let us come in and hang out after hours for a while. They gave us tons of free limoncello, which is like a sugary-vodka-lemon dessert drink. The owner threw on some salsa music and took turns dancing with each of the girls, which was hilarious. We we finally stepped out of the restaurant the girls talked the waiters into giving them rides on their Vespas. Finally, when everyone was back we followed one of the waiters, Francesco, to another bar nearby. We stayed long enough for 2 rounds then went back to the hostel. Back at the hostel we hung out for a while then crashed.
(4/8) I was hungover from the night before and slept through my alarm, thus causing me to miss my flight. When I realized I was definitely not gonna make it I sat down and ate some breakfast and tried to sort out a new plan. After an hour of searching online I decided to catch a train to Pisa, stay in a hostel for one night, and get the first flight out the next morning. I got all my stuff packed up and headed to the train station to go to Pisa. In Pisa I caught a bus to my hostel and dropped my stuff off. My hostel was only a block away from the Leaning Tower, so I went for a walk around the courtyard where the tower stands. After a quick walk I went to a restaurant next door to my hostel and wolfed down some pizza. I chased down my pizza with some gelato then went back to my hostel to await the owner's arrival. When he got there he helped me book a taxi for the morning. After that I went back to my room and talked with my roomie for a bit before passing out.
(4/9) I got up at 4:15am, grabbed my stuff and caught a taxi to the airport. I got checked in, grabbed something for breakfast, and got a flight from Pisa to Liverpool. In Liverpool I took a bus to the train station then caught a train back to Lancaster. It was sad to see the end of my travels, but at the same time it was relaxing to go back to Lancaster.
Naples Photos
Vesuvius and Pompei Photos
Capri Photos
Pisa Photos
Friday, May 15, 2009
Easter Break Part 5: Rome
(4/2) My train arrived in Rome around 2pm and my first order of business was to find an Internet cafe. I grabbed my stuff, picked a direction, and started walking. Thankfully I found one only a block or 2 away from the station. I hopped on a computer and went in search of directions to my hostel. To my surprise it was only a few blocks away from where I was sitting so I paid for my time and hit the street. I quickly arrived at my hostel and checked in. After I dropped my stuff off I called up Dennis, who was with Stacey and Katie on the complete opposite side of the city. We made plans to meet up a while later so I went and did some grocery shopping to waste time. I brought my groceries back and put them away then headed out towards Piazza della Repubblica. On my walk I ran into Diego who had just arrived. He and I were staying at the same hostel so I gave him directions to our place and I continued on to the Piazza to meet up with the rest of the group and wait for Diego to get settled in.
There is a beautiful fountain in the center of Piazza della Repubblica and the sun was shining so I laid down and enjoyed the weather while I waited for everyone else to arrive. When everyone showed up we headed out to see the Trevi Fountains. The fountains were really impressive and the area was teeming with people. We grabbed a beer from a nearby shop and sat around the fountain enjoying a little siesta. The next stop on our walk was the Spanish Steps. The view from atop the steps was an great panorama of the city. As the sun was setting we walked through the city until we decided to stop for dinner. I had told the group about appertivo and so our target was any bar that was hosting appertivo for the evening. We found a nice one near the Tiber River. The food was pretty good and everyone was happy to sit down and enjoy some wine and snacks.
After dinner we headed to Campo dei Friori, which was one of the larger squares in the city. The square was alive with street performers and people enjoying drinks. We went into a bar at one of the corners of the square and to our pleasant surprise the bar had a beer pong table set up. Being the beer pong fan I am I was so excited to find this place. We played 2 games, with the teams of Dennis and I versus Katie and Stacey. As you can guess, Dennis and I schooled the ladies. The drinks were a bit expensive in this place so after our 2 games we headed out. We split up for the night to go back to our hostels, cause Diego and I were at one hostel and the other 3 were at a different one far away.
(4/3) Since there is so much to see in Rome we decided to divide up our 2 days. Today was designated as Ancient City day. Diego and I grabbed our free croissant and latte and then headed out to meet up with the rest of the group at the Colosseum. The people who run the hostel where I stayed let us in on a little tip for seeing the Ancient City. Their tip was to go to Palatine Hill first and buy a ticket for all 3 areas. Then go to the Forum and then the Colosseum last cause with the ticket already purchased you can skip the massive line. With this tip in mind our first stop was Palatine Hill. The hill is covered in ruins and vegetation. It was really nice walking through the gardens on the top. From Palatine Hill we walked down a path directly into the Forum. The Forum was huge, with tons of ruins all around. It really made me wish I could see that place at the height of the Roman empire. After the Forum it was on to the Colosseum. The Colosseum is truly massive and awe-inspiring. When we passed through the exit gate we found ourselves flanked by carts selling various types of food, so we deemed it lunch time. I bought a big slice of pizza and a bottle of water and we set up shop on a grassy hill nearby. The weather was absolutely perfect, which made it hard to not just sit and bask in the sun.
After lunch we went to Piazza Venezia which was just next to the Ancient City. In Piazza Venezia is the gigantic monument to Vittorio Emmanuelle II. We walked up to the top of the monument for some bird's eye views of the surrounding city. Upon a hill near the monument is a place called Compidolio. It is a small square with some cool buildings on 3 sides and a statue of Caesar in the middle. We hung out at the top of the steps for a little break from walking. When we were ready to keep going we headed for the Tiber River. There is a small island in the river called Isola Tiberina, so we decided to go explore it. There are a few buildings on the island, including a gelateria, so of course I had to stop and get a scoop. There wasn't much to see on the island really, but it was a leisurely stroll. After the island we worked our way along the south side of the river. We found a path leading up to a large hill near the river so we walked up. At the top we found a great park with a perfect panoramic view of the city. Further down the road from there was a famous door with a keyhole. The keyhole has a perfect line of sight to St. Peters Basilica in Vatican City. After looking through the keyhole we walked down the hill and back to our respective hostels. Back at the hostel I took a short nap, ate a snack, and got cleaned up.
Around 8pm Diego and I met up with the others at the base of the Spanish Steps. We had picked up a flyer the day before while we were at the Trevi Fountains. The flyer was advertising an organized bar crawl for 20 euros, which included several bars and loads of free drinks so we were sold. We hung around for a few minutes while the rest of the bar crawlers showed up. With everyone in attendance we headed to the first bar of the night. At the first bar we got unlimited beers for the first hour, so we were all downing our drinks as fast as we could and then going up for more. I ended up getting 5 down before time ran out. After that bar we went to 2 more where we got a free shot at each. Then it was on to the club to finish out the night. The club wasn't that great, but we had a good time regardless. Dennis, Katie, and Stacey each made some "friends" on the crawl and Diego and I had some good laughs about it. After the club it was time to find our way back to our hostel, which ended up being a 45 minute walk.
(4/4) The morning wasn't very friendly, as I was nursing a nice hangover and we had to get up early to meet up with the rest of the group in Vatican City. Joining our group today was a Swiss guy named Roland, whom we had met on the bar crawl the night before. The first item of the day was St. Peters Basilica. It was definitely the most impressive church I've ever seen. I guess that is to be expected though, since it is the seat of Catholicism. We spent quite a while walking around looking in the various apses and such. We decided not to pay the money to go up to the top and we also didn't get to see the catacombs underneath. After the museum we went to the Vatican museum. Like the basilica, the museum was amazing. The amount of artwork that that museum houses is staggering. I must say though, the Sistine Chapel wasn't as impressive as I was expecting it to be. All in all though I think it is my 2nd favorite musuem, with only the Louvre being better in my opinion. After the museum we walked to Castello St. Angelo, which is yet another impressive old structure. We didn't go inside, merely admired from the park which surrounds it. After the Castello it was lunch time.
With lunch taken care of we headed to the Pantheon. Sadly there was a mass going on when we got there so we couldn't go in, but at least we got to see it from the outside. It had begun to sprinkle so we split up and headed back to our hostels to get cleaned up for dinner. We met up again a few hours late at the Trevi Fountains. Even at night that place was loaded with people just hanging out. We found a restaurant nearby which was called "Thats Amore". Dinner was really good and we enjoyed a toast to our last meal together as only Diego and I would be continuing on together. After dinner we went to Campo dei Friori and sat around drinking the free bottles of wine that our hostel had given us for staying there. The weather was perfect and we all had a great time drinking and people watching.
(4/5) After 3 great days in Rome it was time to say goodbye. Next stop Naples!!
Rome Photos 1
Rome Photos 2
Rome Photos 3
There is a beautiful fountain in the center of Piazza della Repubblica and the sun was shining so I laid down and enjoyed the weather while I waited for everyone else to arrive. When everyone showed up we headed out to see the Trevi Fountains. The fountains were really impressive and the area was teeming with people. We grabbed a beer from a nearby shop and sat around the fountain enjoying a little siesta. The next stop on our walk was the Spanish Steps. The view from atop the steps was an great panorama of the city. As the sun was setting we walked through the city until we decided to stop for dinner. I had told the group about appertivo and so our target was any bar that was hosting appertivo for the evening. We found a nice one near the Tiber River. The food was pretty good and everyone was happy to sit down and enjoy some wine and snacks.
After dinner we headed to Campo dei Friori, which was one of the larger squares in the city. The square was alive with street performers and people enjoying drinks. We went into a bar at one of the corners of the square and to our pleasant surprise the bar had a beer pong table set up. Being the beer pong fan I am I was so excited to find this place. We played 2 games, with the teams of Dennis and I versus Katie and Stacey. As you can guess, Dennis and I schooled the ladies. The drinks were a bit expensive in this place so after our 2 games we headed out. We split up for the night to go back to our hostels, cause Diego and I were at one hostel and the other 3 were at a different one far away.
(4/3) Since there is so much to see in Rome we decided to divide up our 2 days. Today was designated as Ancient City day. Diego and I grabbed our free croissant and latte and then headed out to meet up with the rest of the group at the Colosseum. The people who run the hostel where I stayed let us in on a little tip for seeing the Ancient City. Their tip was to go to Palatine Hill first and buy a ticket for all 3 areas. Then go to the Forum and then the Colosseum last cause with the ticket already purchased you can skip the massive line. With this tip in mind our first stop was Palatine Hill. The hill is covered in ruins and vegetation. It was really nice walking through the gardens on the top. From Palatine Hill we walked down a path directly into the Forum. The Forum was huge, with tons of ruins all around. It really made me wish I could see that place at the height of the Roman empire. After the Forum it was on to the Colosseum. The Colosseum is truly massive and awe-inspiring. When we passed through the exit gate we found ourselves flanked by carts selling various types of food, so we deemed it lunch time. I bought a big slice of pizza and a bottle of water and we set up shop on a grassy hill nearby. The weather was absolutely perfect, which made it hard to not just sit and bask in the sun.
After lunch we went to Piazza Venezia which was just next to the Ancient City. In Piazza Venezia is the gigantic monument to Vittorio Emmanuelle II. We walked up to the top of the monument for some bird's eye views of the surrounding city. Upon a hill near the monument is a place called Compidolio. It is a small square with some cool buildings on 3 sides and a statue of Caesar in the middle. We hung out at the top of the steps for a little break from walking. When we were ready to keep going we headed for the Tiber River. There is a small island in the river called Isola Tiberina, so we decided to go explore it. There are a few buildings on the island, including a gelateria, so of course I had to stop and get a scoop. There wasn't much to see on the island really, but it was a leisurely stroll. After the island we worked our way along the south side of the river. We found a path leading up to a large hill near the river so we walked up. At the top we found a great park with a perfect panoramic view of the city. Further down the road from there was a famous door with a keyhole. The keyhole has a perfect line of sight to St. Peters Basilica in Vatican City. After looking through the keyhole we walked down the hill and back to our respective hostels. Back at the hostel I took a short nap, ate a snack, and got cleaned up.
Around 8pm Diego and I met up with the others at the base of the Spanish Steps. We had picked up a flyer the day before while we were at the Trevi Fountains. The flyer was advertising an organized bar crawl for 20 euros, which included several bars and loads of free drinks so we were sold. We hung around for a few minutes while the rest of the bar crawlers showed up. With everyone in attendance we headed to the first bar of the night. At the first bar we got unlimited beers for the first hour, so we were all downing our drinks as fast as we could and then going up for more. I ended up getting 5 down before time ran out. After that bar we went to 2 more where we got a free shot at each. Then it was on to the club to finish out the night. The club wasn't that great, but we had a good time regardless. Dennis, Katie, and Stacey each made some "friends" on the crawl and Diego and I had some good laughs about it. After the club it was time to find our way back to our hostel, which ended up being a 45 minute walk.
(4/4) The morning wasn't very friendly, as I was nursing a nice hangover and we had to get up early to meet up with the rest of the group in Vatican City. Joining our group today was a Swiss guy named Roland, whom we had met on the bar crawl the night before. The first item of the day was St. Peters Basilica. It was definitely the most impressive church I've ever seen. I guess that is to be expected though, since it is the seat of Catholicism. We spent quite a while walking around looking in the various apses and such. We decided not to pay the money to go up to the top and we also didn't get to see the catacombs underneath. After the museum we went to the Vatican museum. Like the basilica, the museum was amazing. The amount of artwork that that museum houses is staggering. I must say though, the Sistine Chapel wasn't as impressive as I was expecting it to be. All in all though I think it is my 2nd favorite musuem, with only the Louvre being better in my opinion. After the museum we walked to Castello St. Angelo, which is yet another impressive old structure. We didn't go inside, merely admired from the park which surrounds it. After the Castello it was lunch time.
With lunch taken care of we headed to the Pantheon. Sadly there was a mass going on when we got there so we couldn't go in, but at least we got to see it from the outside. It had begun to sprinkle so we split up and headed back to our hostels to get cleaned up for dinner. We met up again a few hours late at the Trevi Fountains. Even at night that place was loaded with people just hanging out. We found a restaurant nearby which was called "Thats Amore". Dinner was really good and we enjoyed a toast to our last meal together as only Diego and I would be continuing on together. After dinner we went to Campo dei Friori and sat around drinking the free bottles of wine that our hostel had given us for staying there. The weather was perfect and we all had a great time drinking and people watching.
(4/5) After 3 great days in Rome it was time to say goodbye. Next stop Naples!!
Rome Photos 1
Rome Photos 2
Rome Photos 3
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Easter Break Part 4: Venice
(3/29) Our train from Florence arrived in the early afternoon in Venice. On the train Lauren gave me an education in "The Party Dream", which has inspired further study since. After getting off the train we trekked through the rain to our hostel which was only a few blocks away. Thankful to be out of the rain, we checked into our hostel and dropped our stuff off. We decided that we wanted to see at least a little bit of Venice while it was still light out despite the poor weather. We walked along the eastern side of town towards Ponte Rialto, which is a large bridge with shops that stretches over the Grand Canal. We browsed the shops on the bridge and snapped a few photos, then worked our way back to our hostel. Back at the hostel we all napped for a few then got cleaned up.
For dinner I took Jade and Lauren to a place I enjoyed during my first visit to Venice. The food was as good as I remembered and the wine was tasty, which made up for the weather at least a little bit. After dinner we walked back towards our hostel and stopped at an Irish pub just around the corner. It was pretty crazy on the walk cause some of the streets were flooding so we walked on a raised platform that they had put up just in case. After the bar we called it a night.
(3/30) Since we didn't get to see much the day before we got up fairly early and headed out. Right after stepping out of our hostel I spotted my friend Darcy from Lancaster. He is a really tall Aussie so it wasn't too tricky cause his head bobbed well above most everyone elses. I chatted with him for a few minutes before we went our separate ways and we headed for breakfast. We kept it simple for breakfast with lattes and croissants all around. Our first destination for the day was Piazza San Marco, which is a massive square with a large basilica on one end. Upon arriving in the Piazza we walked around and snapped a few photos before queuing up to go in Basilica di San Marco. We walked around the inside of the Basilica and then ascended the steps up to the terrace for a better view of the surroundings. After touring the Basilica thoroughly we walked along the waterfront and stopped for lunch.
After lunch we walked around the Accademia, past the art institute, and to another waterfront. We walked along the water and found a random art show being held in a warehouse. It was free so we stopped in to check it out. The art was really good, very eclectic. The rest of the afternoon was spent working our way back to our hostel, stopping at numerous shops along the way.
Back at the hostel we hung out and snacked for a few hours. Around 7:30pm we walked out the door and back to the Piazza to meet up with a bunch of friends from Lancaster: Dennis, Kyle, Diego, Katie, Stacey, Jess, and Jess' mom. After introducing everyone we started the search for a restaurant. Dinner was quite interesting with such a big party. I think it was a bit too much for the girls, but they handled it well. After dinner I said goodbye to Lauren and Jade who were leaving very early in the morning. The rest of us went to a small jazz bar called Bacaro Jazz to get some drinks. Katie and Stacey ended up getting free t-shirts because they gave their bras to the bar's collection. We also met two girls, one who was part Russian part Canadian, and the other was Aussie. They hung out with us for the rest of the evening. We stayed at the bar until closing then headed back towards the hostel where the rest of the group was staying. On the way we stopped at an open-air bar and had a few more drinks. Kyle escorted the 2 ladies back to their hostel while the rest of us went back to crash.
(3/31) I woke up early at Jess' hostel and walked back to my hostel to check out. The city was just waking up as I strolled the narrow streets. Back at my hostel I packed my things up, checked out, and set out back across the city to Jess' hostel once again. When I got back to her hostel I booked a bed for 2 nights and then went back to sleep for another hour or so. When I woke up I staggered into the kitchen slowly regaining consciousness. We made sandwiches for lunch and talked about the plans for the day. After lunch we walked across Ponte Rialto and back to Piazza San Marco. Jess' mom, Kyle, and I hung out while Jess and Dennis went up in the bell tower for some good panoramas. About 30 minutes later they came down and we all walked to the water to catch a ferry to a nearby island called San Giorgio Maggiore.
The island was really small and the only thing we could really do on it was go inside a large church. We didn't stay on that island for too long before catching the ferry to another island called Giudecca. Katie and Stacey were staying on this island so when we got off the ferry we walked to their hostel for a short break. After we left their hostel we walked along the water and found a grocery store so we bought stuff for dinner. Groceries in hand we caught our ferry back to Piazza San Marco and walked back to our hostel for a nap. Kyle and I got up first, so I went with him to try and find a laundromat. We walked all over the city but the only place we found was already closed. Defeated from our quest we went back to the hostel and enjoyed some food and wine for the rest of the night.
(4/1) We got up fairly early and had breakfast. After breakfast we said goodbye to Kyle who was headed to Pisa. Katie, Stacey, and Diego also left that morning. In similar fashion to the day before we headed straight for Piazza San Marco to start the day. Along the way we found an Internet cafe so we stopped for a few so everyone could check their emails and such. With all of that business sorted, it was on to the waterfront to meet up with Dennis. Since we had seen most of the rest of the city we decided to walk along the water to the southeastern tip of the island. We spent the rest of the day wandering around the eastern area of town, which was really quiet and non-touristy. We ended up back near Piazza San Marco and stopped for a late lunch. After stuffing ourselves we went back to the hostel for a nap. The night consisted of snacking on whatever scraps we had and playing cards till we all passed out.
(4/2) Dennis left early that morning around 5am to head to Rome. I got up a few hours later, said goodbye, and rushed to the train station on the other side of the city. I ended up boarding my train with about 2 minutes to spare. Next stop Rome!!!
Venice Photos
For dinner I took Jade and Lauren to a place I enjoyed during my first visit to Venice. The food was as good as I remembered and the wine was tasty, which made up for the weather at least a little bit. After dinner we walked back towards our hostel and stopped at an Irish pub just around the corner. It was pretty crazy on the walk cause some of the streets were flooding so we walked on a raised platform that they had put up just in case. After the bar we called it a night.
(3/30) Since we didn't get to see much the day before we got up fairly early and headed out. Right after stepping out of our hostel I spotted my friend Darcy from Lancaster. He is a really tall Aussie so it wasn't too tricky cause his head bobbed well above most everyone elses. I chatted with him for a few minutes before we went our separate ways and we headed for breakfast. We kept it simple for breakfast with lattes and croissants all around. Our first destination for the day was Piazza San Marco, which is a massive square with a large basilica on one end. Upon arriving in the Piazza we walked around and snapped a few photos before queuing up to go in Basilica di San Marco. We walked around the inside of the Basilica and then ascended the steps up to the terrace for a better view of the surroundings. After touring the Basilica thoroughly we walked along the waterfront and stopped for lunch.
After lunch we walked around the Accademia, past the art institute, and to another waterfront. We walked along the water and found a random art show being held in a warehouse. It was free so we stopped in to check it out. The art was really good, very eclectic. The rest of the afternoon was spent working our way back to our hostel, stopping at numerous shops along the way.
Back at the hostel we hung out and snacked for a few hours. Around 7:30pm we walked out the door and back to the Piazza to meet up with a bunch of friends from Lancaster: Dennis, Kyle, Diego, Katie, Stacey, Jess, and Jess' mom. After introducing everyone we started the search for a restaurant. Dinner was quite interesting with such a big party. I think it was a bit too much for the girls, but they handled it well. After dinner I said goodbye to Lauren and Jade who were leaving very early in the morning. The rest of us went to a small jazz bar called Bacaro Jazz to get some drinks. Katie and Stacey ended up getting free t-shirts because they gave their bras to the bar's collection. We also met two girls, one who was part Russian part Canadian, and the other was Aussie. They hung out with us for the rest of the evening. We stayed at the bar until closing then headed back towards the hostel where the rest of the group was staying. On the way we stopped at an open-air bar and had a few more drinks. Kyle escorted the 2 ladies back to their hostel while the rest of us went back to crash.
(3/31) I woke up early at Jess' hostel and walked back to my hostel to check out. The city was just waking up as I strolled the narrow streets. Back at my hostel I packed my things up, checked out, and set out back across the city to Jess' hostel once again. When I got back to her hostel I booked a bed for 2 nights and then went back to sleep for another hour or so. When I woke up I staggered into the kitchen slowly regaining consciousness. We made sandwiches for lunch and talked about the plans for the day. After lunch we walked across Ponte Rialto and back to Piazza San Marco. Jess' mom, Kyle, and I hung out while Jess and Dennis went up in the bell tower for some good panoramas. About 30 minutes later they came down and we all walked to the water to catch a ferry to a nearby island called San Giorgio Maggiore.
The island was really small and the only thing we could really do on it was go inside a large church. We didn't stay on that island for too long before catching the ferry to another island called Giudecca. Katie and Stacey were staying on this island so when we got off the ferry we walked to their hostel for a short break. After we left their hostel we walked along the water and found a grocery store so we bought stuff for dinner. Groceries in hand we caught our ferry back to Piazza San Marco and walked back to our hostel for a nap. Kyle and I got up first, so I went with him to try and find a laundromat. We walked all over the city but the only place we found was already closed. Defeated from our quest we went back to the hostel and enjoyed some food and wine for the rest of the night.
(4/1) We got up fairly early and had breakfast. After breakfast we said goodbye to Kyle who was headed to Pisa. Katie, Stacey, and Diego also left that morning. In similar fashion to the day before we headed straight for Piazza San Marco to start the day. Along the way we found an Internet cafe so we stopped for a few so everyone could check their emails and such. With all of that business sorted, it was on to the waterfront to meet up with Dennis. Since we had seen most of the rest of the city we decided to walk along the water to the southeastern tip of the island. We spent the rest of the day wandering around the eastern area of town, which was really quiet and non-touristy. We ended up back near Piazza San Marco and stopped for a late lunch. After stuffing ourselves we went back to the hostel for a nap. The night consisted of snacking on whatever scraps we had and playing cards till we all passed out.
(4/2) Dennis left early that morning around 5am to head to Rome. I got up a few hours later, said goodbye, and rushed to the train station on the other side of the city. I ended up boarding my train with about 2 minutes to spare. Next stop Rome!!!
Venice Photos
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Easter Break Part 3: Florence
(3/27) We arrived in Florence in the early afternoon. With luggage in tow we walked the few blocks from the train station to our hostel which was right next to the Duomo (cathedral). We got checked in and dropped our stuff off, then set out in search of lunch. We ended up grabbing a pizza at a small restaurant a few blocks away. After lunch we walked through the city to Piazza della Signoria, which is where Palazzo Vecchio is located. It cost money to tour the Palazzo so we just walked around as much of it that we could for free then headed out. From there we walked to the Arno River and then across Ponte Vecchio which is a large bridge with shops on it. Once across we walked down to the next bridge over the river so we could get a view of Ponte Vecchio from afar. After snapping a few photos we walked to Palazzo Pitti, which by that time of day was closed so we couldn't go in or tour the Boboli Gardens. Instead we sat in front of the Palazzo and watched the sunset as did a lot of other people. When the sun had set we walked back to our hostel to clean up and then we went for dinner at a restaurant near the Duomo that Lauren said she remembered from her last visit to Florence. The food was pretty good and after a day of walking around it hit the spot. After dinner we went back to the hostel and I did some online homework. While I was doing homework I decided I should do some laundry. It ended up being the longest load of laundry in my entire life. From starting the wash to the end of drying it was about 4 hours. I finally went to bed around 2am when the laundry had finished.
(3/28) We got up and enjoyed the free breakfast of croissants, cereal, and juice. The first stop of the day was the Duomo since it was so close. We had to wait in line for about 15 minutes to get in and once in we climbed over 400 steps (not all at once) to get to the top of the dome. The panoramic view from the top was beautiful and worth the walk. After the Duomo we went to a nearby flea market and browsed the wares, most of which were leather. We left the flea market empty-handed and moved on to the Uffizi Gallery, which holds tons of Renaissance works such as "Birth of Venus" by Botticelli. We waited in line for 2 hours to get into the gallery, which left all of us a bit on edge the rest of the day. The art collection was impressive, but I didn't find it to be worth the wait. After the gallery we walked to Santa Croce, which is another large church. By this time we'd done a lot of paid touring so we decided to forego the few euros it would cost to go inside and just sat in the square outside the church for a few minutes. After a short rest we trekked across town to another flea market that is home to a lucky copper statue of a pig. We each took a turn rubbing the pig's nose for good luck and then went back to our hostel cause it had begun to drizzle lightly.
We took naps and then took showers and got cleaned up to go out. I asked the girl working the reception desk at our hostel for a dinner suggestion and she directed us to a place called Kitch for what is known as "appertivo". Appertivo is basically a buffet of appetizers at a bar. The way it works is you pay a flat fee, which gets you your first drink and all you can eat appetizers, then any drinks you get after that are normal price. This place had a pretty good variety of stuff to eat and we all got filled up for just 8 euros each, which isn't too bad considering we got a drink with it as well. We headed out after we'd had our fill of snacks and went to a bar called Mayday. We didn't realize how early it was so we were the only people in there for the first hour, and after that another few parties showed up. It was a cool bar with various types of artwork displayed on the walls and ceiling. After a few drinks we packed it up and went back to the hostel where I proceeded to do another load of laundry which took until 6am to finish. Thankfully I slept while the clothes were washing and drying.
(3/29) Breakfast was the same as the day before, but this time I made sure to grab some extra croissants to take with me for the train ride. After breakfast we packed up our stuff, checked out of the hostel, and walked to the train station. We said our final goodbyes to Florence and hopped on our train. Next stop Venice!!
Florence Photos
(3/28) We got up and enjoyed the free breakfast of croissants, cereal, and juice. The first stop of the day was the Duomo since it was so close. We had to wait in line for about 15 minutes to get in and once in we climbed over 400 steps (not all at once) to get to the top of the dome. The panoramic view from the top was beautiful and worth the walk. After the Duomo we went to a nearby flea market and browsed the wares, most of which were leather. We left the flea market empty-handed and moved on to the Uffizi Gallery, which holds tons of Renaissance works such as "Birth of Venus" by Botticelli. We waited in line for 2 hours to get into the gallery, which left all of us a bit on edge the rest of the day. The art collection was impressive, but I didn't find it to be worth the wait. After the gallery we walked to Santa Croce, which is another large church. By this time we'd done a lot of paid touring so we decided to forego the few euros it would cost to go inside and just sat in the square outside the church for a few minutes. After a short rest we trekked across town to another flea market that is home to a lucky copper statue of a pig. We each took a turn rubbing the pig's nose for good luck and then went back to our hostel cause it had begun to drizzle lightly.
We took naps and then took showers and got cleaned up to go out. I asked the girl working the reception desk at our hostel for a dinner suggestion and she directed us to a place called Kitch for what is known as "appertivo". Appertivo is basically a buffet of appetizers at a bar. The way it works is you pay a flat fee, which gets you your first drink and all you can eat appetizers, then any drinks you get after that are normal price. This place had a pretty good variety of stuff to eat and we all got filled up for just 8 euros each, which isn't too bad considering we got a drink with it as well. We headed out after we'd had our fill of snacks and went to a bar called Mayday. We didn't realize how early it was so we were the only people in there for the first hour, and after that another few parties showed up. It was a cool bar with various types of artwork displayed on the walls and ceiling. After a few drinks we packed it up and went back to the hostel where I proceeded to do another load of laundry which took until 6am to finish. Thankfully I slept while the clothes were washing and drying.
(3/29) Breakfast was the same as the day before, but this time I made sure to grab some extra croissants to take with me for the train ride. After breakfast we packed up our stuff, checked out of the hostel, and walked to the train station. We said our final goodbyes to Florence and hopped on our train. Next stop Venice!!
Florence Photos
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Easter Break Part 2: Cinque Terre
(3/25) I woke up in my sleeper-car bed about 2 hours before we reached Milan, so I went to the dining car to relax for a bit and get a glass of juice. The girls showed up about 30 minutes later so we chatted until the train arrived. In Milan we first went to buy tickets to La Spezia, which is the main train station for the Cinque Terre region, then we went to get something to eat. We were hoping to find some normal breakfast food, but we ended up just getting some McDonald's. After food we still had about 1 hour to kill so we just went out and sat in the sun outside the train station until time to leave. We took the train from Milan to Monterosso, which is the northernmost of the five towns. From there we were going to catch another train for the short 10 minute ride to Vernazza where we were staying, but we just missed the next train leaving that direction so we hung out in Monterosso for an hour and ate some pizza. Once the next train arrived we hopped on for the quick ride to Vernazza. In Vernazza we got off the train and went to a shop near the train station per the instructions of the owners of our villa. The people at the shop called the villa owner, Michelle, and she came down to show us to our room. We walked up a hill behind the town to our room which was tucked away on the hillside. We dropped our luggage off and took a quick walk through town and up to the castello on the hill near the bay. The view was absolutely stunning as the sun was just setting over the hills. We headed back to our room to shower up and get changed then we went to a restaurant in the city square as recommended by Michelle. The pesto at this restaurant was so ridiculously good. After dinner we went back to the room and crashed.
(3/26) This day will forever be known as "Il Giorno di Cinque Gelato" (The Day of Five Gelatos). We woke up around 10am and grabbed some croissants and lattes in the square in Vernazza. Fueled up we hit the trail for the hike from Vernazza to Monterosso. This stretch is the hardest of all the hikes in Cinque Terre, but it was certainly worth it. The views from the hillside were beautiful, with Vernazza fading behind us, Monterosso growing in front of us, and the Mediterranean sprawled out beside us. After about 1.5 hours we arrived in Monterosso. We walked along the waterfront road from one side of the town to the other through the tunnel. When we emerged on the other side we found a small gelato shop and got our first cone of the day. My choice was fragola (strawberry) and it was one of the best gelatos I've ever had in my life. We walked around the town and along the beach to the Gigante statue and then went to the train station to catch a train to Rio Maggiore, which is the southernmost town of the five.
When we arrived in Rio Maggiore we walked through the tunnel to the other side of the city and grabbed some pizza at a small takeaway. We sat down to enjoy our pizza in the sun before walking down to the bay. We took in the sights for a little while before grabbing our 2nd gelato of the day, for which I chose nocciola (hazelnut). With gelato in hand we set off to the Path of Love which connects Rio Maggiore to the next town of Manarola. It was an easy, paved walk along the oceanside and the main highlight of the walk is a tunnel that is painted to depict famous scenes of love.
We didn't stay in Manarola too long, but long enough to get gelato number 3, for which I chose frutti de bosco (mixed berry). We took a short break and then hit the trail again en route to Corniglia.
The end of the hike to Corniglia was pretty brutal with 385 steps leading you into town which was up on a hill. Corniglia was quite a bit different from the other towns because it had more terraced farming and it was located high up on a hill instead of down along the water. As you can guess now that we were in Corniglia it was time for gelato number 4, this time it was limone (lemon). Sadly, the trail between Corniglia and Vernazza was closed so we walked back down the steps to the train station and caught a train back to Vernazza.
Back in Vernazza I went straight to the gelato store to get my fifth and final gelato, banana (banana). I should mention that this whole thing with five gelatos arose out a challenge that Lauren thought up. It was quite funny because she is a bit lactose-intollerant so she was suffering by gelato 3 whilst I was crusing all the way through. Jade and I had a few laughs at her expense. Anyways, with all of my gelatos complete I headed up to the room to get cleaned up. After a shower and getting changed I went out onto the terrace to watch the sunset with a glass of wine. It was really a beautiful sight and a relaxing end to a strenuous day. After sundown we descended into town to a fancy little restaurant near the shop from the first day. The food was alright, not as good as the first night though. After dinner I walked with Lauren to the square so she could get her fifth gelato of the day. With the challenge completed we went back to the room and passed out.
(3/27) Sadly it was time for us to leave beautiful Vernazza. We packed our stuff up and headed down to the shop in town so we could check out. The rain had started to come down so after checking out we hid under the canopy at the train station and waited for our train to La Spezia. Next stop Florence!!!
Cinque Terre Photos 1
Cinque Terre Photos 2
(3/26) This day will forever be known as "Il Giorno di Cinque Gelato" (The Day of Five Gelatos). We woke up around 10am and grabbed some croissants and lattes in the square in Vernazza. Fueled up we hit the trail for the hike from Vernazza to Monterosso. This stretch is the hardest of all the hikes in Cinque Terre, but it was certainly worth it. The views from the hillside were beautiful, with Vernazza fading behind us, Monterosso growing in front of us, and the Mediterranean sprawled out beside us. After about 1.5 hours we arrived in Monterosso. We walked along the waterfront road from one side of the town to the other through the tunnel. When we emerged on the other side we found a small gelato shop and got our first cone of the day. My choice was fragola (strawberry) and it was one of the best gelatos I've ever had in my life. We walked around the town and along the beach to the Gigante statue and then went to the train station to catch a train to Rio Maggiore, which is the southernmost town of the five.
When we arrived in Rio Maggiore we walked through the tunnel to the other side of the city and grabbed some pizza at a small takeaway. We sat down to enjoy our pizza in the sun before walking down to the bay. We took in the sights for a little while before grabbing our 2nd gelato of the day, for which I chose nocciola (hazelnut). With gelato in hand we set off to the Path of Love which connects Rio Maggiore to the next town of Manarola. It was an easy, paved walk along the oceanside and the main highlight of the walk is a tunnel that is painted to depict famous scenes of love.
We didn't stay in Manarola too long, but long enough to get gelato number 3, for which I chose frutti de bosco (mixed berry). We took a short break and then hit the trail again en route to Corniglia.
The end of the hike to Corniglia was pretty brutal with 385 steps leading you into town which was up on a hill. Corniglia was quite a bit different from the other towns because it had more terraced farming and it was located high up on a hill instead of down along the water. As you can guess now that we were in Corniglia it was time for gelato number 4, this time it was limone (lemon). Sadly, the trail between Corniglia and Vernazza was closed so we walked back down the steps to the train station and caught a train back to Vernazza.
Back in Vernazza I went straight to the gelato store to get my fifth and final gelato, banana (banana). I should mention that this whole thing with five gelatos arose out a challenge that Lauren thought up. It was quite funny because she is a bit lactose-intollerant so she was suffering by gelato 3 whilst I was crusing all the way through. Jade and I had a few laughs at her expense. Anyways, with all of my gelatos complete I headed up to the room to get cleaned up. After a shower and getting changed I went out onto the terrace to watch the sunset with a glass of wine. It was really a beautiful sight and a relaxing end to a strenuous day. After sundown we descended into town to a fancy little restaurant near the shop from the first day. The food was alright, not as good as the first night though. After dinner I walked with Lauren to the square so she could get her fifth gelato of the day. With the challenge completed we went back to the room and passed out.
(3/27) Sadly it was time for us to leave beautiful Vernazza. We packed our stuff up and headed down to the shop in town so we could check out. The rain had started to come down so after checking out we hid under the canopy at the train station and waited for our train to La Spezia. Next stop Florence!!!
Cinque Terre Photos 1
Cinque Terre Photos 2
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Easter Break Part 1: Barcelona
(3/20) After many weeks of anticipation, the time for Easter Break had finally arrived. I got up and finished packing and headed off to the train station. I had to take 2 trains to get to Liverpool, first from Lancaster to Preston, then Preston to Liverpool. My train to Preston was late departing which caused me to miss my connecting train to go to Liverpool, so I sat in the Preston train station for an hour waiting for the next train. Once I got to Liverpool I only had about 45 minutes before I absolutely had to be at the airport to check in, so I grabbed a taxi cause it was the fastest way to get there. Check-in went smoothly and the flight was fine cause I had an exit row. After arriving in Barcelona I caught a bus from the airport to Plaza Catalunya, which is the city center. From there I walked down Las Ramblas and met up with Lauren and Jade outside the flat we rented. With the exception of Rachel Kubacki, they were the first friends or family I'd physically seen in almost 4 months. After a catching up for a few minutes we went up to our flat so I could drop my stuff off and relax for a few minutes. Then we walked down Las Ramblas a few blocks and got tapas for dinner at a place called "American Soda". Full from dinner we decided we would keep it a quiet night and just head back to the flat to crash.
(3/21) With a decent night's sleep under my belt it was time to start enjoying Barcelona. I wolfed down a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast and we set off for a day of sightseeing. First stop was Plaza Reial, which was just a few blocks down off of Las Ramblas. There was a nice fountain and the sun was shining so we hung out in the plaza for a bit before moving on. We proceeded down Las Ramblas towards the waterfront. Along the way were numerous little tents with people selling various crafts. At the end of Las Ramblas, just before the water, is a monument to Christopher Columbus which was pretty neat. We walked along the waterfront towards Barceloneta, passing more tents along the way. Barceloneta is where the beach is located, so we sat down for a bit and enjoyed the sun. After our brief siesta we walked along the boardwalk towards the site where the 1992 Olympics were held. We walked around a few of the buildings and then decided it was lunch time so we found a nearby cafe and enjoyed some pizza.
With our hunger sated we pressed on. Next on our tour was Parc Cuitadella. The park was nice and it had a really cool fountain, although the building attached to the fountain was undergoing renovation, which was a bit annoying. We moved through the park and emerged on the other side near the train station so we decided to stop in a check on getting our tickets for the overnight train to Milan, which we would be taking in 3 days. With that sorted out we once again hit the road. We worked our way back towards our flat and passed the gothic cathedral along the way, which was undergoing renovation as well.
Back at the flat we snacked on some bread and cheese that the girls had purchased at La Boqueria. After enjoying the snack we all decided to take naps, cause things don't get going in Barcelona until really late. We all awoke from our naps around 9PM and began contemplating our plans for dinner. We decided to just start walking down one of the side streets near our flat and after about 30 minutes we ended up deciding on a place called "DosTrece" (Spanish for "213"). The place had a bit of a funky hispanic feel and it was very neatly decorated. We talked with the owner for a bit and found out that he was originally from LA, hence the 213 which is the area code there. The food there was pretty good, albeit a bit random, and the music was good as well. After dinner we asked the owner for a recommendation about where to go for the rest of the evening and he suggested a placed called "Jamboree", which was in Plaza Reial. When we got to "Jamboree" we mentioned that Gabriel, the owner of DosTrece, had sent us and we were able to skip the line, but once inside we got confused and ended up leaving. It was still fairly early so we decided we would just walk around and look for somewhere else to hang out. We ended up at a place called Bar Tequila, which was a rock and metal bar. It was ridiculously smoky and the drinks were a bit pricey so we only stayed for one round. After that we called it a night and walked back up Las Ramblas to our flat. We discovered that at night Las Ramblas is swarming with hookers and one of them tried to pick me up, but I immediately denied her and kept on walking. It was a funny experience for all of us.
(3/22) Today began in similar fashion to yesterday. After a light breakfast we were out the door. There was a falafel place near our flat called Maoz, which I had heard good things about so I couldn't resist and I got one for the walk. Our first stop of the day was Plaza Reial because there was a flea market going on. The flea market ended up being pretty lame with most of the items being collector's coins and stamps. After a quick browse we walked up Las Ramblas, through Plaza Catalunya, and on up through the city towards the Gaudi apartment. We paid and took the tour of the Gaudi apartment which was pretty neat. They had most of the living spaces preserved with old artifacts from when Gaudi actually lived there. The tour begins in the living areas and then works its way up to the roof which has odd-looking statues and chimneys and a nice view of the city. We hung out on the roof for quite a while cause the sun was bright and shining. After leaving the Gaudi apartment we went across town to the most spectacular of Gaudi's creations, the still unfinished La Sagrada Familia. La Sagrada Familia is a giant church which Gaudi designed during his life and work on it has yet to be completed well after his death. The current architects have estimated a completion date somewhere in 2026. It was truly a breathtaking sight. With the weather still holding out we decided it would be nice to go and relax on the beach once more so away we went. We relaxed on the beach for about an hour and then returned to our flat for our usual late afternoon nap.
We regained consciousness around 9:30PM and decided that dinner for the night was going to involve paella. We found a restaurant on Las Ramblas near our flat and grabbed a table. The food was alright, but I have yet to be very impressed by paella. I find it to be a bit too plain. Anyways, after dinner we went to an absinthe bar called "Casa Almirall", which we had found on our walk to DosTrece the night before. We settled in at the bar and all ordered a glass of absinthe. The taste was a lot stronger than I remembered, which made it difficult to even sip on. I went back up to the bar and ordered a Coke, then slammed my glass of absinthe and chased it with the Coke. With one glass down I sat back and relaxed hoping that absinthe's fabled effects would start to play out, but after 15 minutes I felt nothing but slightly nauseous. I decided to go ahead and order another one. In similar fashion I downed it in one go and chased it with my beloved Coke. The girls had a good laugh as I grimaced from the awful lingering taste. I again sat back and waited for absinthe to work its magic. I was yet again disappointed as I felt nothing but even more nauseous. I decided I couldn't stomach another one so after the girls finally finished their glasses we packed up and went back to the flat to get some sleep.
(3/23) First stop today was La Boqueria, which is a huge covered market off of Las Ramblas and less than a block away from our flat. It is truly an awesome place with food of all sorts and freshness that is hard to beat. We picked up some food to make sandwiches with and went back to the flat to make a quick lunch. After lunch we went to Plaza Catalunya and caught a bus up to Parc Guell, which is yet another beautiful Gaudi creation. We walked all around the park, which is like a whole garden city, then laid down on the grass for a 30 minute nap. After Parc Guell we caught the bus back to the city center and walked to the gothic cathedral so we could tour the inside this time. The cathedral was pretty neat and the courtyard beside it was even better. After the cathedral it was time for the daily nap at the flat.
Upon waking it was time to sort out dinner plans. We decided to go in search of this place called "FoodBall", which Lauren remembered from her last visit several years ago. We later found out that it had been closed down a while ago and so we were left without a plan and we also had very little time before we were going to see a flamenco show. We decided to just walk to the flamenco show and figure something out afterwards. The show was at a place called "Tarantos" and it was just off of Plaza Reial. The show was pretty cool, especially the kid that came out at the end and threw some moves down. I also randomly ran into my friend Alexa from Lancaster while we were there. After the flamenco show we went to a Chinese restaurant nearby and filled up before heading to a club called Apolo for NASTY MONDAY.
Lauren knew one of the guys who was DJing that night, Soren, so we were supposed to get free entry, but due to the language barrier and the bouncers being dicks we ended up having to pay. Once inside we grabbed drinks and went up to the front to say hi to Soren. Lauren talked to him for a few minutes and he let us into the VIP area on the right side of the stage. In the VIP we got free alcohol until it ran out and it was nice cause the rest of the floor was shoulder-to-shoulder. After setting us up in the VIP Soren headed back on stage to finish his set. After Soren was done a band came on to play. The lead singer/lead guitarist played completely naked which was funny. Their music sucked, but then again that could be because they were singing in Spanish so I couldn't even understand the lyrics. After the band's set was over Soren and his buddy went back on to DJ the rest of the evening and we moved out of the VIP and onto the dance floor. The floor was super crowded so most of the time was spent being shoved around, but we made the most of it. I ended up losing the back of my phone which was really annoying cause my battery kept coming loose. We danced for about an hour then decided we'd had enough and headed back to our flat to crash.
(3/24) We had to check out of our flat at noon, so the morning was spent packing things up and eating a light breakfast. Luggage in hand we went back to La Boqueria to pick up some snacks for later. We caught the subway to Estacion de Franca which is where were going to be catching our train to Milan later. We were under the impression that there were lockers at the station where we could store our stuff, but we were wrong. With all our luggage in tow we wandered around in search of nearby hostels that might let us put our stuff up for a few hours. Luckily, we ended up finding one across the street from the station after trying 2 other ones. Now that we weren't bogged down with luggage we wanted to go see a few last things of the city before we left. We decided to split up and Jade went to the zoo, while Lauren and I just started wandering. Lauren and I ended up going to H&M for some shopping and I got myself a new shirt. We met back up near the zoo 2.5 hours later and walked up the dirt path in Parc Ciutadella towards the Arc de Triomf. We hung out in the sun and watched some skateboarders to waste time. With about 1.5 hours till our train departed we headed back to get our luggage, got a bite to eat, and then boarded our overnight train to Milan. I ended up sharing a car with 3 Japanese guys with limited English-speaking ability, but we were able to get a conversation going and they were fun to hang out with. Anyways, next stop Cinque Terre.
Barcelona Photos 1
Barcelona Photos 2
Barcelona Photos 3
(3/21) With a decent night's sleep under my belt it was time to start enjoying Barcelona. I wolfed down a bowl of Cheerios for breakfast and we set off for a day of sightseeing. First stop was Plaza Reial, which was just a few blocks down off of Las Ramblas. There was a nice fountain and the sun was shining so we hung out in the plaza for a bit before moving on. We proceeded down Las Ramblas towards the waterfront. Along the way were numerous little tents with people selling various crafts. At the end of Las Ramblas, just before the water, is a monument to Christopher Columbus which was pretty neat. We walked along the waterfront towards Barceloneta, passing more tents along the way. Barceloneta is where the beach is located, so we sat down for a bit and enjoyed the sun. After our brief siesta we walked along the boardwalk towards the site where the 1992 Olympics were held. We walked around a few of the buildings and then decided it was lunch time so we found a nearby cafe and enjoyed some pizza.
With our hunger sated we pressed on. Next on our tour was Parc Cuitadella. The park was nice and it had a really cool fountain, although the building attached to the fountain was undergoing renovation, which was a bit annoying. We moved through the park and emerged on the other side near the train station so we decided to stop in a check on getting our tickets for the overnight train to Milan, which we would be taking in 3 days. With that sorted out we once again hit the road. We worked our way back towards our flat and passed the gothic cathedral along the way, which was undergoing renovation as well.
Back at the flat we snacked on some bread and cheese that the girls had purchased at La Boqueria. After enjoying the snack we all decided to take naps, cause things don't get going in Barcelona until really late. We all awoke from our naps around 9PM and began contemplating our plans for dinner. We decided to just start walking down one of the side streets near our flat and after about 30 minutes we ended up deciding on a place called "DosTrece" (Spanish for "213"). The place had a bit of a funky hispanic feel and it was very neatly decorated. We talked with the owner for a bit and found out that he was originally from LA, hence the 213 which is the area code there. The food there was pretty good, albeit a bit random, and the music was good as well. After dinner we asked the owner for a recommendation about where to go for the rest of the evening and he suggested a placed called "Jamboree", which was in Plaza Reial. When we got to "Jamboree" we mentioned that Gabriel, the owner of DosTrece, had sent us and we were able to skip the line, but once inside we got confused and ended up leaving. It was still fairly early so we decided we would just walk around and look for somewhere else to hang out. We ended up at a place called Bar Tequila, which was a rock and metal bar. It was ridiculously smoky and the drinks were a bit pricey so we only stayed for one round. After that we called it a night and walked back up Las Ramblas to our flat. We discovered that at night Las Ramblas is swarming with hookers and one of them tried to pick me up, but I immediately denied her and kept on walking. It was a funny experience for all of us.
(3/22) Today began in similar fashion to yesterday. After a light breakfast we were out the door. There was a falafel place near our flat called Maoz, which I had heard good things about so I couldn't resist and I got one for the walk. Our first stop of the day was Plaza Reial because there was a flea market going on. The flea market ended up being pretty lame with most of the items being collector's coins and stamps. After a quick browse we walked up Las Ramblas, through Plaza Catalunya, and on up through the city towards the Gaudi apartment. We paid and took the tour of the Gaudi apartment which was pretty neat. They had most of the living spaces preserved with old artifacts from when Gaudi actually lived there. The tour begins in the living areas and then works its way up to the roof which has odd-looking statues and chimneys and a nice view of the city. We hung out on the roof for quite a while cause the sun was bright and shining. After leaving the Gaudi apartment we went across town to the most spectacular of Gaudi's creations, the still unfinished La Sagrada Familia. La Sagrada Familia is a giant church which Gaudi designed during his life and work on it has yet to be completed well after his death. The current architects have estimated a completion date somewhere in 2026. It was truly a breathtaking sight. With the weather still holding out we decided it would be nice to go and relax on the beach once more so away we went. We relaxed on the beach for about an hour and then returned to our flat for our usual late afternoon nap.
We regained consciousness around 9:30PM and decided that dinner for the night was going to involve paella. We found a restaurant on Las Ramblas near our flat and grabbed a table. The food was alright, but I have yet to be very impressed by paella. I find it to be a bit too plain. Anyways, after dinner we went to an absinthe bar called "Casa Almirall", which we had found on our walk to DosTrece the night before. We settled in at the bar and all ordered a glass of absinthe. The taste was a lot stronger than I remembered, which made it difficult to even sip on. I went back up to the bar and ordered a Coke, then slammed my glass of absinthe and chased it with the Coke. With one glass down I sat back and relaxed hoping that absinthe's fabled effects would start to play out, but after 15 minutes I felt nothing but slightly nauseous. I decided to go ahead and order another one. In similar fashion I downed it in one go and chased it with my beloved Coke. The girls had a good laugh as I grimaced from the awful lingering taste. I again sat back and waited for absinthe to work its magic. I was yet again disappointed as I felt nothing but even more nauseous. I decided I couldn't stomach another one so after the girls finally finished their glasses we packed up and went back to the flat to get some sleep.
(3/23) First stop today was La Boqueria, which is a huge covered market off of Las Ramblas and less than a block away from our flat. It is truly an awesome place with food of all sorts and freshness that is hard to beat. We picked up some food to make sandwiches with and went back to the flat to make a quick lunch. After lunch we went to Plaza Catalunya and caught a bus up to Parc Guell, which is yet another beautiful Gaudi creation. We walked all around the park, which is like a whole garden city, then laid down on the grass for a 30 minute nap. After Parc Guell we caught the bus back to the city center and walked to the gothic cathedral so we could tour the inside this time. The cathedral was pretty neat and the courtyard beside it was even better. After the cathedral it was time for the daily nap at the flat.
Upon waking it was time to sort out dinner plans. We decided to go in search of this place called "FoodBall", which Lauren remembered from her last visit several years ago. We later found out that it had been closed down a while ago and so we were left without a plan and we also had very little time before we were going to see a flamenco show. We decided to just walk to the flamenco show and figure something out afterwards. The show was at a place called "Tarantos" and it was just off of Plaza Reial. The show was pretty cool, especially the kid that came out at the end and threw some moves down. I also randomly ran into my friend Alexa from Lancaster while we were there. After the flamenco show we went to a Chinese restaurant nearby and filled up before heading to a club called Apolo for NASTY MONDAY.
Lauren knew one of the guys who was DJing that night, Soren, so we were supposed to get free entry, but due to the language barrier and the bouncers being dicks we ended up having to pay. Once inside we grabbed drinks and went up to the front to say hi to Soren. Lauren talked to him for a few minutes and he let us into the VIP area on the right side of the stage. In the VIP we got free alcohol until it ran out and it was nice cause the rest of the floor was shoulder-to-shoulder. After setting us up in the VIP Soren headed back on stage to finish his set. After Soren was done a band came on to play. The lead singer/lead guitarist played completely naked which was funny. Their music sucked, but then again that could be because they were singing in Spanish so I couldn't even understand the lyrics. After the band's set was over Soren and his buddy went back on to DJ the rest of the evening and we moved out of the VIP and onto the dance floor. The floor was super crowded so most of the time was spent being shoved around, but we made the most of it. I ended up losing the back of my phone which was really annoying cause my battery kept coming loose. We danced for about an hour then decided we'd had enough and headed back to our flat to crash.
(3/24) We had to check out of our flat at noon, so the morning was spent packing things up and eating a light breakfast. Luggage in hand we went back to La Boqueria to pick up some snacks for later. We caught the subway to Estacion de Franca which is where were going to be catching our train to Milan later. We were under the impression that there were lockers at the station where we could store our stuff, but we were wrong. With all our luggage in tow we wandered around in search of nearby hostels that might let us put our stuff up for a few hours. Luckily, we ended up finding one across the street from the station after trying 2 other ones. Now that we weren't bogged down with luggage we wanted to go see a few last things of the city before we left. We decided to split up and Jade went to the zoo, while Lauren and I just started wandering. Lauren and I ended up going to H&M for some shopping and I got myself a new shirt. We met back up near the zoo 2.5 hours later and walked up the dirt path in Parc Ciutadella towards the Arc de Triomf. We hung out in the sun and watched some skateboarders to waste time. With about 1.5 hours till our train departed we headed back to get our luggage, got a bite to eat, and then boarded our overnight train to Milan. I ended up sharing a car with 3 Japanese guys with limited English-speaking ability, but we were able to get a conversation going and they were fun to hang out with. Anyways, next stop Cinque Terre.
Barcelona Photos 1
Barcelona Photos 2
Barcelona Photos 3
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