(Sunday, May 3)
I got up and headed straight for the airport to catch my flight to Edinburgh. When I arrived in Edinburgh I hopped right onto a bus for about an hour ride to my hostel in the city center. I got to my hostel, got checked in, and settled into my room. The hostel I was staying at did free dinner on Sunday night at 7pm and it was currently about 5pm so I went out to walk around and see a bit of the city. Along my walk I came across a tour group who asked me to take pictures of them with their cameras. I ended up shooting pictures with about 10 different cameras and we all had a laugh about it. When the time drew near to 7 I headed back to the hostel cause I was most certainly not gonna miss a free dinner.
Back at the hostel I grabbed my Wired magazine and sat down in a large comfy chair in the dining room area. There was another large chair next to mine and in that chair sat a beautiful redheaded girl. For about 20 minutes she sat reading her book silently while I read my magazine, both of us waiting for the announcement to eat. When the time came we got up and got in the line for food. I asked her about the book she was reading and from there our conversation continued. The dining room was full so we took our plates down to the TV room. After we had finished eating we decided to watch a movie. She chose "Shaun of the Dead", which I had only seen parts of. When the movie ended we decided to watch another, this time I chose "Supertroopers". After the movie we picked right back up with our conversation. We talked for probably an hour then we decided it was time to get some sleep. Before saying goodnight we finally introduced ourselves. Her name was Jenny.
(Monday, May 4)
I got up kinda early cause I wanted to make sure I got the most of the day. I ate a quick breakfast, got cleaned up, made dinner plans with Jenny, and set off to explore the city. My first destination was the Scott Monument which was just a few blocks from my hostel. I can't really remember who this Scott guy was, but his monument was pretty neat. I walked up the hundreds of windy stairs to the top so I could get a better view of the surroundings. Being at the top of the monument I experienced probably the most powerful winds I've ever felt, good thing my camera had a wrist strap. After the monument I worked my way over to Old Town and up to the castle. Edinburgh Castle is the coolest castle I've ever seen from the outside. Inside the walls it is a bit bland, but still worth visiting. I spent over 3 hours walking around the castle and touring the various exhibits. When I left the castle I headed to the Scotch Whisky Experience which was only about a block away. Those of you who know me know that I hate whiskey, but I figured I would give it one more chance.
While I was waiting to buy my ticket I heard a group behind me talking in what sounded like an American accent so I asked where they were from. They turned out to be Canadian, so I was pretty close. Their names were Jame, Shelby, Jessica and Alex (who was Swiss). The first part of the tour involves sitting in a little car on a rail, very much like a DisneyWorld ride. Jame, Shelby, and I shared a car for this part. At the end of that ride you go into a room where the different regions for Scotch whisky production are explained to you (notice that I'm spelling whisky without the 'e'. Whisky = Scotch, Whiskey = everything else). After this the tour takes you into a huge display room with the biggest collection of Scotch in the world. Here you get a chance to taste 1 whisky from a region of your choosing. After this you head into a bar area where if you bought the gold tour ticket, which we all did, you can taste 4 more whiskys. We all sat down around a table with our tasting sheets and our 4 little glasses of whisky. We spent probably an hour and a half there getting to know each other and sipping on whisky. I can safely say that I still hate whisky just as much. After we had finished our glasses we decided to go grab a quick dinner.
We ended up at a nice little restaurant a few blocks away. Jessica ordered haggis so I got a chance to try it and to my surprise it wasn't bad. My only complaint was a bit of an odd texture, but the flavor was pretty good. We ate and talked for about an hour then it was time for us to go our separate ways. It was a lot of fun getting to know them, especially because of how random it was meeting them.
Back at the hostel I met up with Jenny and we went in search of dinner. We ended up at a place called Bad Ass, which was a bar about 15 minutes walk from our place. The food was some of the best I'd had in the UK. After dinner we went back to the hostel and went back to the TV room where we found people watching Stardust so we sat down and watched with them. After the movie we headed back to our rooms cause we were planning on an early start the next morning.
(Tuesday, May 5)
We got up early and walked to Jenny's friend's hostel. When we got there I met her friend, Miranda, who is a Canadian and has been living in Edinburgh for 3 months. We all walked to Old Town where we booked our coach tour of the Highlands. The tour was scheduled to last 10 hours and take us to a variety of places in the Scottish Highlands. Even though the weather was pretty crappy, we had a great time on the tour. I wish I could remember all the places that the tour took us, but sadly I cannot. When we got back we headed back to our hostel and Miranda went back to hers. I took a little nap cause I was wiped out from the tour. A few hours later Jenny and I went over to Miranda's hostel for the evening. Miranda and Jenny made dinner which was awesome and then we played drinking games till we decided to leave.
(Wednesday, May 6)
I got up early so I could check out of my room. After checking out, Jenny and I went to meet up with Miranda for lunch. We went to a place called Dirty Dick's, which was right next to Bad Ass, perhaps there is some sort of anatomy theme around there. The food at this place was equally as good as Bad Ass, which makes Edinburgh easily the best food city in the UK from my experience. After dinner we said goodbye to Miranda and went for one last walk around the city. We walked through Prince Street gardens, then up through Old Town, past the Elephant Cafe where J.K. Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter and past the Greyfriar's Bobby, which is a statue of a little dog who sat on its master's grave every day for years after its master died. We eventually worked our way back to our hostel to pick up our luggage. Luggage in hand we headed out to Waverley Bridge where we said our goodbyes. I headed down to the train station to start my journey back to Lancaster and she boarded a bus to the airport.
Edinburgh Photos
Edingburgh Photos 2
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Ireland & Scotland Trip Part 2: Dublin
(Friday, May 1)
My bus from Limerick arrived in Dublin around 5pm. I had forgotten to check where my hostel was before getting on the bus, but much to my surprise the bus actually had free Internet access and I had my laptop on me so that was easily sorted out. When I got to my hostel I checked in and worked on some homework for my online English class. About 2 hours later I got a message from Dennis that he and the group (Katie, Stacey, Oleg, and Marianna) had arrived at their hostel on the other side of the city. We made plans to meet up near my hostel an hour later, so I went back to my room and got cleaned up.
We met up at the O'Connell Monument near my hostel, which is pretty close to what you would say is the center of the city. From there we walked to the Temple Bar district which was only a few blocks away. We walked up and down the streets looking for a reasonably priced dinner, but this wasn't easy cause Temple Bar is probably one of the most expensive areas in the city. We ended up splitting up, with Katie, Stacey, and I going to a small cafe in the district and Oleg, Dennis, and Marianna going to Burger King which was back where we had started the walk.
After dinner we all regrouped at a pub in the district which was really nice. They had some live music playing and I had the best pint of Guiness I've ever had. We hung out here for a few expensive rounds then went in search of a club. We found one just down the block. It was 5 stories tall with a different theme on each floor. The cover was pretty steep so Oleg and Marianna decided to go back to the hostel for the night while the rest of us went in to dance. We stayed there for probably 3 hours or so and then headed out. Thankfully my hostel is right on the border of the Temple Bar district so it only took me about 10 minutes to walk back while Dennis, Katie, and Stacey had about a 40 minute walk ahead of them. I was feeling pretty hungry so I grabbed some Subway on my way. Back at the hostel I wolfed down the sub and did some finishing touches on my English paper before submitting it and going to bed.
(Saturday, May 2)
I got up fairly early so I could snatch some free continental breakfast in the kitchen at my hostel. The breakfast was pretty lame, but it was at least something. After breakfast I met up with the rest of the group and we walked along the Liffey River, which runs through the center of Dublin, to the Guiness Storehouse. We paid our entry fee and set off on the self-guided tour of all 7 floors. It was like an adult version of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Along the way their was a tasting area so we downed a few half pints while we were there and kept on going. At the top there was a restaurant and with your entry you get a free pint of Guiness so we stopped into the restaurant to redeem our coupons and get something to eat. They were serving some hot sandwiches and I had probably the best roast beef sandwich I've ever eaten in my life. After lunch we descended back to the lobby, bought some souvenirs, and headed out.
Katie and Stacey decided to go back to their hostel for a nap while the rest of us pressed on to see more of the city. The first stop on our walk was Dublin Castle. The name is quite deceptive as only a tiny part of it still looks like a normal castle. Most of it looks like some kind of Victorian palace or something like that. Next stop was Christ's Church. We didn't bother going in, we simply walked past it but it looked kinda neat. After that we walked to St. Patrick's Cathedral. The cathedral is fairly plain from the outside and we didn't want to pay to go inside, but the park outside of the cathedral was nice so we laid down in the grass for a quick siesta. Next up was St. Stephen's Green. This was certainly the best part of the afternoon. St. Stephen's Green is a beautiful park in the southern part of the city. Its filled with criss-crossing footpaths that take you along little ponds and past flower gardens. We walked around the park for a bit before coming to rest on a patch of grass near one of the ponds. We all laid down for a bit and I fell asleep for probably about 30 minutes. Our last stop on our tour of the city was Trinity College. Sadly by the time we got there it was starting to rain so we didn't walk around it as much as I would have liked. I'm sure its a nice campus to walk around and I will go there if I make it back to Dublin again. When we left Trinity College we headed back to my hostel which was fairly close by.
Back at my hostel we all relaxed on the couches in the lobby and checked our email on my laptop. We made plans to meet up with Katie and Stacey in an hour so while we waited I went back to my room and shower up. When I came back to the lobby Dennis, Oleg, and Marianna were all asleep on the couches. I shook them around a bit and reluctantly they got up. We left the hostel and met back up with Katie and Stacey. The first order of business for the evening was dinner. Since it was Dennis' birthday we let him decide and we ended up grabbing some lackluster Chinese food. After dinner we walked once more into the Temple Bar district in search of some drinks. The first place we came to was a bar on the bottom floor of a hotel. The place was pretty fancy and it was really busy so we decided to join in. We managed to find an open table and I headed to the bar for a round. It took me about 30 minutes to get a drink, which led to our decision to leave after that round. When we left there were some people in the street handing out flyers for a nearby strip club so we decided to go there so we could embarass the birthday boy. When we got to the door of the club they said that no ladies were allowed to come in so we nixed that idea and instead went looking for a pub. We ended up going to The Temple Bar, which was one of the coolest pubs I've ever been in. It was completely packed so there wasn't a whole lot of space to move around, but the atmosphere was great. We had a few drinks there before we called it a night. We walked out to the main street then said our goodbyes cause I was going to Edinburgh in the morning by myself.
Dublin Photos
My bus from Limerick arrived in Dublin around 5pm. I had forgotten to check where my hostel was before getting on the bus, but much to my surprise the bus actually had free Internet access and I had my laptop on me so that was easily sorted out. When I got to my hostel I checked in and worked on some homework for my online English class. About 2 hours later I got a message from Dennis that he and the group (Katie, Stacey, Oleg, and Marianna) had arrived at their hostel on the other side of the city. We made plans to meet up near my hostel an hour later, so I went back to my room and got cleaned up.
We met up at the O'Connell Monument near my hostel, which is pretty close to what you would say is the center of the city. From there we walked to the Temple Bar district which was only a few blocks away. We walked up and down the streets looking for a reasonably priced dinner, but this wasn't easy cause Temple Bar is probably one of the most expensive areas in the city. We ended up splitting up, with Katie, Stacey, and I going to a small cafe in the district and Oleg, Dennis, and Marianna going to Burger King which was back where we had started the walk.
After dinner we all regrouped at a pub in the district which was really nice. They had some live music playing and I had the best pint of Guiness I've ever had. We hung out here for a few expensive rounds then went in search of a club. We found one just down the block. It was 5 stories tall with a different theme on each floor. The cover was pretty steep so Oleg and Marianna decided to go back to the hostel for the night while the rest of us went in to dance. We stayed there for probably 3 hours or so and then headed out. Thankfully my hostel is right on the border of the Temple Bar district so it only took me about 10 minutes to walk back while Dennis, Katie, and Stacey had about a 40 minute walk ahead of them. I was feeling pretty hungry so I grabbed some Subway on my way. Back at the hostel I wolfed down the sub and did some finishing touches on my English paper before submitting it and going to bed.
(Saturday, May 2)
I got up fairly early so I could snatch some free continental breakfast in the kitchen at my hostel. The breakfast was pretty lame, but it was at least something. After breakfast I met up with the rest of the group and we walked along the Liffey River, which runs through the center of Dublin, to the Guiness Storehouse. We paid our entry fee and set off on the self-guided tour of all 7 floors. It was like an adult version of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Along the way their was a tasting area so we downed a few half pints while we were there and kept on going. At the top there was a restaurant and with your entry you get a free pint of Guiness so we stopped into the restaurant to redeem our coupons and get something to eat. They were serving some hot sandwiches and I had probably the best roast beef sandwich I've ever eaten in my life. After lunch we descended back to the lobby, bought some souvenirs, and headed out.
Katie and Stacey decided to go back to their hostel for a nap while the rest of us pressed on to see more of the city. The first stop on our walk was Dublin Castle. The name is quite deceptive as only a tiny part of it still looks like a normal castle. Most of it looks like some kind of Victorian palace or something like that. Next stop was Christ's Church. We didn't bother going in, we simply walked past it but it looked kinda neat. After that we walked to St. Patrick's Cathedral. The cathedral is fairly plain from the outside and we didn't want to pay to go inside, but the park outside of the cathedral was nice so we laid down in the grass for a quick siesta. Next up was St. Stephen's Green. This was certainly the best part of the afternoon. St. Stephen's Green is a beautiful park in the southern part of the city. Its filled with criss-crossing footpaths that take you along little ponds and past flower gardens. We walked around the park for a bit before coming to rest on a patch of grass near one of the ponds. We all laid down for a bit and I fell asleep for probably about 30 minutes. Our last stop on our tour of the city was Trinity College. Sadly by the time we got there it was starting to rain so we didn't walk around it as much as I would have liked. I'm sure its a nice campus to walk around and I will go there if I make it back to Dublin again. When we left Trinity College we headed back to my hostel which was fairly close by.
Back at my hostel we all relaxed on the couches in the lobby and checked our email on my laptop. We made plans to meet up with Katie and Stacey in an hour so while we waited I went back to my room and shower up. When I came back to the lobby Dennis, Oleg, and Marianna were all asleep on the couches. I shook them around a bit and reluctantly they got up. We left the hostel and met back up with Katie and Stacey. The first order of business for the evening was dinner. Since it was Dennis' birthday we let him decide and we ended up grabbing some lackluster Chinese food. After dinner we walked once more into the Temple Bar district in search of some drinks. The first place we came to was a bar on the bottom floor of a hotel. The place was pretty fancy and it was really busy so we decided to join in. We managed to find an open table and I headed to the bar for a round. It took me about 30 minutes to get a drink, which led to our decision to leave after that round. When we left there were some people in the street handing out flyers for a nearby strip club so we decided to go there so we could embarass the birthday boy. When we got to the door of the club they said that no ladies were allowed to come in so we nixed that idea and instead went looking for a pub. We ended up going to The Temple Bar, which was one of the coolest pubs I've ever been in. It was completely packed so there wasn't a whole lot of space to move around, but the atmosphere was great. We had a few drinks there before we called it a night. We walked out to the main street then said our goodbyes cause I was going to Edinburgh in the morning by myself.
Dublin Photos
Friday, May 29, 2009
Ireland & Scotland Trip Part 1: Limerick
(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
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 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
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