Italy Day 5

I think being constantly on the go has finally caught up to me. I woke up this morning and really had no desire to get the day going. It was freezing in the room though, so that made me get out of bed to take a long hot shower. After hanging around the hostel, having a couple cups of coffee, I finally made my way out the door. Wow, it was nuts. I guess it is a holiday weekend here and the streets were packed! The line to get to the dome was so long I couldnt even see the end. And the line to get into the cathedral was even worse! I booked it out of there as fast as I could. I took a detour down to the Michelangelo house. It was nice to sneak away from the crowds and there was barely anyone in the museum. I think I am pretty burnt out on museums because it didnt really do much for me. Its all still very amazing, but I just wasnt feeling it.
I left and wound my way down to Santa Croce. The line again was long to get in, but I had no desire to go in, so I just hung out in the Piazza. It was a cold and gloomy day, so I could only stay still for so long before I got cold. I made my way towards the Palazzo Vechio and Uffizi. The line to the Uffizi was beyond ridiculous so I didnt even try. Again, I just wandered around outside. I had been here, as well and the Piazza Santa Croce a couple nights back, and I was grateful for that! The was no one out when I explored the other night, a huge contrast to the crowds I had to fight through this time.

I didnt really have a plan, so I just wandered. I made my way down to the river and across. Before I knew it I was winding through more cobble streets that got steeper the further I went. But I was getting warm, and the views were getting better, so I kept going. I barely saw another soul on my trek up. At the top I guess I was at a cemetery next to Piazzale Michelangelo. It was amazing. I wandered through, looking at the different headstones. It was so peaceful, I heard were the birds chirping and every now and then the bells in the tower overhead would ring. There were only a small handful of people around. It was perfect. Which made it more odd that I randomly ran into the Frenchmen from the tour there! Of all the places, and with barely any people! We caught up, I did my best to understand their broken English, and they asked me to go out for more wine with them later. It was a nice encounter!

After the cemetery I made my way over to the Piazzale Michelangelo. The views were just as spectacular as from the cemetery, although more people. I took some photos and hung out for a little while, relaxing and taking in the views. I noticed that there was music playing from somewhere. A nice classical mix. I thought it really help set the mood and made it even more relaxing. I stayed at the top for about half an hour, enjoying the views and the music. For some reason I have been thinking about my mom a lot today. I was wondering what she would think of me being here and again how much I wish I could talk to her. Up at the cemetery it kind of made me sad that she doesnt have a °place° yet in her afterlife, like a grave or plaque or bench or whatnot. Someplace I can go visit and talk with her. I was still thinking about her as I made my way down the path, still hearing the classical music. The song ended as I was approaching the speakers. I nearly collapsed when the next song started. °Over the Rainbow° by Isriel. Classical music the whole time, until right now. Really? I stopped and found a place to sit. I couldnt help but cry as the song played while taking in the view. I knew mom was with me, and that she loved that I was there. It was a wonderful moment.

Once I gathered myself, I continued down the path. Taking more side streets I made my over to Ponte Vecchio. Again, I am glad I went there the other night. The streets were packed. I went into a little shop, grabbed a panini and quickly made my way out of there. I stopped by the Uffizi once more to see if the line had died down, which it had not. I have been too lucky with that so far on my trip that I am a bit spoiled. I dont want to wait in line! The crowds were starting to get to me and it was getting cold. I was really getting to know my way around Florence that I didnt need a map anymore. And that made me realize there really isnt anything else I feel I have to see. So I decided to just go back to the hostel and relax, even though it was only 3pm. I was about to turn down my street when I got the urge to get some wine. I kept going straight, feeling confident there was a wince store not too far in that direction, even though I had no idea. Sure enough I found one, so I entered and started browsing the wines. All of a sudden I heard a familiar voice, so I turned the corner and there were Barb and Bill from yesterday, buying some soup! I was wondering if I would run into them again, but thought that unlikely. We were so excited to see each other and spent a good 30 or so minutes in the small store catching up. They are such fun people!

I made my way back to the hostel, feeling happy and comfortable. How weird to run into people I now know! It wouldnt have shocked me as much if it was in the Duomo or something, but a small wine shop and the cemetery?

Back at the hostel I poured myself a glass of wine and settled on the black leather couch to start reading my book. I had yet to even open the cover yeton this trip! I was about 5 pages in when a guy came through the door to check in. I turned around instinctively, and saw it was a guy from the hostel down in Rome that I had chatted with on my first night! This day is getting weird. We said hi and promised to catch up at dinner.

I was getting a little bored hanging around the hostel so I decided to head back out. I just walked the busy streets again, with no map and no plan. I think I have got this city down pretty well. I even tried to get lost by taking any random turn that I could, but always ended up on a corner or street I knew. As I was walking along a busy section an Italian man started talking to me, asking if I spoke French. I said no, that I was American. He did not believe me, and swore I was french. I said no, I was pretty sure I was from America! We walked together for a while just talking about my trip and he told me that he had lived in Seattle for a while. Very nice guy. I do not understand why everyone seems to think I am from anywhere but America! French is definately taking the cake though.

I made my way back to the hostel just in time for free wine and pasta. I got caught up with Andrew (the guy from Rome) quick before he headed out and met a few other people before sitting down at a table with one girl sitting quietly enjoying her dinner. We started talking, about everything and anything and before we knew it, it was 2 bottles of wine and 4 hours later! Her name is Micka, and she is from Canada. She also believed I was French until we started talking! I dont even think I have any French in my blood! Anyways, it was really nice to have such a good, long conversation with someone. We plan to go up to the bell tower tomorrow before I take off for Montepulciano. But now I am exhausted and am in need of a hot shower! Goodnight!

Italy Day 4

For some reason I decided to do a tour today. The Best of Tuscany Tour! So at 8:00 this morning I was on a bus with about 50 other people headed to the outskirts of Florence. First stop: Siena.

I felt like I was in a herd of cows as we followed our leader holding up a flag so we didnt lose her. I didnt really care though, because this tour made it easy to see a lot of the smaller towns without me having to figure out where to go!

Siena was amazing. Inside its walls lie many yellowish-brown buildings, red clay roofs and green shutters. I learned that Siena has the oldest still working bank in the world: Monte dei Paschi. We then made our way to the duomo which had the most amazing marble inlaid floor that took over 200 years to complete. We ended in the Piazza del Campo where the Palio horserace is held twice a year. What an interesting event. They cover the Piazza in sand to make the track, and men race around three times, bareback, on horses. The history on it is amazing and I recommend looking it up. We then got about an hour on our own to wander the streets, which I felt was a perfect amount of time to take in the sites and grab some coffee.

Back on the bus we headed to a wine farm for lunch. Fattoria Poggio Alloro is in the heart of some of the most beautiful countryside, among olive groves and rolling hills planted with grape vines and with spectacular panoramic views over the the towers of San Gimignano. The farm land is cultivated by means of organic agriculture and they make wines, extra virgin olive oil, honey and saffron. They raise their own famous Tuscan Chianina cattle, which we got to see and pet. Here we had an amazing lunch. We started out with extra virgin olive oil Bruschetta with garlic, and a very tasty white wine to go along with that. The next course was a handmade pasta with Chianina beef ragu, which I of course just had plain sauce. But it was still very good! This was served with a rather bitter Chianti. They then brought out different breads and cheeses to go along with a third wine, and my favorite of the day. I dont have the names on me, but it was a reserve and one of the best wines I have tasted! Dessert was Cantuccini almond biscuits that was served with yet another wine, this time Vinsanto which is a dessert wine made from dried local grapes, slighty sweet and had flavors of honey and cinnamon. It was my least favorite, so I went back to the reserve. We were all seated along three long tables, so of course after the wine starts flowing so does conversation. The couple sitting across from me, Barb and Bob were a hoot. They are from Detroit and had me in stitches the whole time. And then I met two Frenchmen who sat on my right. Their accents were strong, but they were great storytellers and made sure my glass was never close to being empty. It was a blast, I could have stayed there all day.

But alas, we had to move on. Now that everyone was now good friends, the bus was loud with conversation and laughter. Within minutes we were in San Gimignano and were free to wander for about 2 hours. It is known as The Medieval Manhattan for its skyline of stone towers that look like modern skyscrapers from a distance. It is a beautiful town inside its walls. I wandered the cobble streets with my new friends, taking lots of pictures and chatting about our lives. Even though we were all full from the delicious meal, none of us could pass up getting some gelato from the Worlds Best Gelateria. It was very tasty indeed!

The last part of the trip was to Pisa. It was about 1.5 hours from San Gimignano, and honestly I could have done without this section. The leaning tower and the nearby cathedral, Baptistery and the monumental cemetary were all amazing to see, especially because the sun was starting to set and the sunlight danced off the tower. But it was a long trek, and there wasnt much to do. Me and this crazy girl Amy got some coffee and chatted while we waited to meet up with everyone. It took almost 2 hours to get back to Florence due to dead stop traffic. Yes, I would have been more than ok to have missed Pisa.

We arrived back in Florence around 9:00. I said my goodbyes to all my new friends and headed back to the hostel to get some much needed rest. Another great day in Italy…

Italy Day 3

I enjoyed my last night in Rome with pizza and beer with great people. I ended up spending most of the evening talking to Bjorg and Bjorn and their significant others, from Norway. Bjorg is 55 and her husband 66. She has the sweetest life, working on an oil rig. 14 days on, 4 weeks off. So they travel a lot. They tried to teach me Norwegian. They got a kick out of that. But I did get cheers. Skàl! Bjorn studied Italian wine so he gave me a crash course, teaching me everything I need to know to get me a good glass of wine while I am here. By the time they went off to bed I had their email and home address and I am expected to go to Norway next year to stay with them. They say I have an old soul and am a true person. I guess that means a lot to them because they said they have never offered that someone they just met before. We only chatted for maybe an hour. I exchanged hugs and kissed with Bjorn and Bjorg, which were the only two I really interacted with. But before he walked out the door Bjorgs husband came up to me and gave me the biggest, truest hug I have ever had and so many kisses it almost made me uncomfortable. He then told me he expects to see me in Norway next year, that he knows I was meant to meet them. I guess I am going to Norway next year!

I stayed in the bar a little longer, meeting many other people, but I will leave those experiences in my own journal for now. But it was a great day.

I must have been exhausted because I didnt wake up until 9:30 this morning! All of my roommates were gone and I never even heard them leave. Not sure how that was possible. It was time to check out, so I said goodbye to the people I knew and headed to the train station. It was surprisingly easy to figure out the trains and soon enough I was on my way to Florence. It was only about an hour and a half ride with beautiful countryside for scenery. I was ready to be out of Rome. The train was pretty empty but I started chatting to a lady from Baltimore as we were waiting for the train to stop and within 5 minutes she invited me to dinner tomorrow night with her and her friends. I am amazed at how friendly people have been.

I got seriously lost trying to find the hostel. But in the process I saw a part of Florence I never would have and met a very sweet old man, who claimed he spoke English, but gave me directions all in Italian. I was able to somewhat figure out what he was trying to say, but I more just enjoyed the interaction we were having. I went back to the train station and headed in the opposite direction to see if I could find the right street. Once I figured out that every time the directions said left, they really meant right, I found the place no problem.

I am in love with Florence! As soon as I got away from the train station and started walking down the narrow streets I had the biggest smile on my face. And when I turned the corner and saw the Duomo, I was in such awe. This place is amazing. The hostel I am staying at is a minute walk from the entrance to the dome. I dropped my pack at the hostel and started wandering around. Before heading into the Duomo I figured I better eat first. I found a cute place that looked straight up at the Duomo, Sergios Bar. I got a glass of Chianti, following Bjorns advice, and yep. Best wine yet. I figured I needed to try some pasta so I got some ravioli which was delicious! Then I saw Tiramisu on the menu, and I couldnt say no to that, so I got a slice and some cappuccino to go along with it. Best Tiramisu I have ever had. One of the waiters came up and started rambling to me in Italian. I looked at him wide eyed and sputtered that I didnt know Italian. He was shocked. He said I looked Italian and not like a tourist at all. I  will take that as a compliment. We then continued the conversation in English.

After filling up great food and wine and coffee I rolled my way over the entrance to the dome. I then started climbing the 423 stairs or whatever it is to the top. It was the coolest thing ever. Narrow staircase, most of it spiral, all concrete with small windows along the way overlooking the city. Part way up you have to walk along a path that looks down on the cathedral and up at the dome. After taking pictures of the frescoes on the ceiling I continued up the crazy stairs. They got steeper the closer I got to the top. And I mean steep! The last section I saw some people going up hand over foot! But it was all worth it. The views were to die for. You could see all of the city as well as the surrounding mountains. I felt like a little kid. This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. I took a lot of pictures and hung out for a while, taking it all in. The was down was just as steep and it made me wonder how many people broke an ankle going down. The path crossed the opening of the cathedral again, but even further up. I could literally touch the paintings. I had no idea it was so… gruesome! But I loved it.

Once down I then went into the cathedral. It was so beautiful and fortunately not that crowded. I lit a candle for my mom and then found a place to sit to just think for a while. It was really nice. More parts that will just be in my journal…

I then made my way down to the Accademia to see David by Michelangelo. Wow is all I can say. I sneakily took a couple pictures. What intricate detail, and perfect symmetry. He even had veins through his arm, hands and feet! I will admit that is one of the first things I noticed. I have worked in a lab way too long… I was hesitant to spend the £10. I will be honest I am getting burnt out on museums. But it was worth it.

After I got enough of David I then started heading to The Basilica of San Lorenzo. Heading there, though, I somehow ended up in the middle of The San Lorenzo Market. It was a sight to see. Streets and streets lined with vendors, it was almost overwhelming if it wasnt so cool.

I did finally find the Basilica, but decided not to go in. I liked being on the outside. It was at this point that I was done with the map, done with trying to see everything. So I put the map away and just walked. I turned down this street, then that. I never felt lost because it was so easy to spot the Duomo. If I found myself on the same street, I would just turn down the next. I found an open plaza with a carousel with a bunch of kids laughing and screaming as went around. I watched for a while, but then continued walking. I came across another market section of vendors selling their jewelry, scarfs, trinkets, and decided to take a look. I got some souvenirs and did the whole transaction in Italian! I was proud of myself! Ok, it wasnt much, just °Hi, how are you° °Ill take 4,° °how much,° °thanks you very much°. But it was a fun experience.

It was 6:30 now so I headed back to the hostel to get some pizza and wine that they serve for free to all the guests. I chatted with a girl from Argentina for quite a while who is also traveling by herself. Once done here I am going to check out the city at night. There is no bar here, and not nearly as many people.

Skàl!

Italy Day 2

I will start this post by finishing off what happened last night. Here at the Alessandro Palace Hostel, they have free pizza in the bar every night at 8:00. I figured I couldnt pass that up, plus I was too tired to go try and find somewhere to eat. So I made my way down a little early and had a glass of wine. I will say I havent been too impressed with the wine yet… There were a couple other people at the bar, but that was about it. Until the pizza came. Then there had to have been about 40 people there! They all spoke English although I was shocked to find only 2 other Americans. The bartender was a lot of fun and I chatted with him quite a bit while he decorated his bar for Halloween. It was a relief to have some people to talk to. I even got a note from an older Italian man. I havent been able to interpret the whole thing, but it is something about writing (I was writing in my journal earlier) and being a camera. Taking everything in and not caring what other people think. I thought it was interesting, because he seemed to have me all figured out without a word spoken between us.

After another glass of wine and a few beers, I decided to leave the chaos of the bar and went to chat with the other 2 Americans while waiting for a computer. They were pretty cool, the guy is from Ohio, the town where Glee is based from. Wherever that it. The girl was from Connecticut. They are both studying abroad in England and are down here for a week on Fall break. Must be rough!

Finally at about midnight I made my way to bed, thinking I would be the first back in the room since the bar was still packed. Quite the opposite really. I think one guy came in after me, but other than that everyone was passed out and snoring. Having never been to a hostel before, I didnt really know what to expect and it took me a little off guard when I saw how close the beds are. My bed was in the middle, nearly touching the two on either side. Fortunately, as some of you know, I dont really have a hard time sleeping in odd or uncomfortable situations. So needless to say, I was out pretty quick and didnt  wake up until morning.

Which brings me to today, which started out interesting… Other than trying to say hi to two of my roommates who dont speak English, I havent met any of them. At about 7 this morning I slowly get out of bed, still half asleep. It is pretty dark in the room, but I am still able to make out things. As I am gathering my things to take a shower, I get a weird feeling that I am being watched so I look over to the guy sleeping next to me and sure enough his eyes are wide open staring at me. He starts to chat, a lot. Asking me if I am leaving, where I am going, what time it is… He would be the guy that stumbled in after me last night. I grogily try to answer him, but his accent is so strong and I am still half asleep that I feel I am a little short with him. Then he says °I like your nipples.° Im look at him wide eyed, cover myself with my jacket and make a beeline for the bathroom. As I am taking a shower and starting to wake up, I replay what he said in my head. At first I was really uncomfortable, but then I had a huge OMG moment. I get out of the shower and go back to my bed, where the dude is slowly getting up. He then says, °so I take that to mean you dont like Naples?° Yep. Thats what I was afraid of. Fortunately we are going to grab some beer and pizza later, so no harm done.

They server free breakfast here, so of course couldnt pass that up. Nothing exciting, but its free food! I then head out about 8:30 to catch the Metro. So I hit rush hour. It was packed! I had to wait two trains just to get packed like a sardine for 10 minutes. I finally get to breath again one I reach Vatican City. I go right to the Vatican Museum because I heard the line is usually a couple hours long. I didnt have to wait even 5. The museum was amazing! The work was fascinating and the Sistine Chapel was even more breathtaking than I ever imagined. I was disappointed when I saw you couldnt take pictures. And they were strict about it too! But pictures would have never done it justice. Plus I got a lot of pictures of other amazing art on ceilings. There seems to be a theme here… The museum seemed never ending, so once I saw the Sistine Chapel I was done. So I went for a cappuccino and Panini before I went on to St Peters Bacilica.

As I am walking down the stone streets to St Peters, I hear a lot of commotion. Someone talking on a loud-speaker, people cheering. I make my way through the metal detectors and into St Peters square and then realized what it was. It was the Pope! I guess he addresses his flock every Wednesday. I had no idea, but what a surprise. I heard the Pope speak! I know it is not the biggest deal, but it was for me at the time… And the people really seem to love him here, too. The only downside of him speaking is they wouldnt allow you into the Bacilica during that time. I had already seen everything else, and I had much more to see in other areas, so I opted not to wait for them to reopen. I will have to come back at another time, hopefully on this trip!

I hopped back on the Metro and took it to Spagna to see the Spanish Steps. Another fascinating site. I walked up to the top and the views were amazing! The town surrounding them were also just as spectacular. I then walked over to the Trevini Fountain, stopping for my first gelato on the way (which was very tasty). The fountain was beautiful, and I did toss my coin in.

The one thing that is making me not enjoy the sites as much or stay at as long, is all the people! I am shocked at how crowded everything is. It is such a tourist trap that it is hard to actually really enjoy the sites. The upside is I get to see more in a day!

From the fountain I walked over to the Pantheon, which was under construction, so the outside was surrounded by scaffolding. But the inside. That was a different story. I know I am not going into much detail about what I saw, but I really cant. I cant think of good enough words to describe it all. And in some ways, I dont want to try. It might ruin how I see them. You all will just have to come and see for yourself.

From the Patheon I walked over to the Piazza Navona, with I believe more Baroque art and architecture. It is also home to the Fountain of the Four Rivers as well as the Fountain of the Moor and Neptunes Fountain. All were spectacular, and this is probably one of my favorite places so far.

It was time to sit for a while, all of this and it was only 2pm. So I went back towards the Pantheon and found Hostaria Pantheon Wine Bar. Perfect. I sat outside, overlooking the Pantheon. The sun was out in full force and I do believe it turned my arms and face a little dark. But it was refreshing. I ordered a Chianti Castalide. Best wine so far, but still not overly impressed.

Once my feet were rested and my wine gone, I made the long walk back to the Metro. I headed down to the Colosseum since I still had time and didnt make it yesterday. I would definitely agree with other peoples comments in that it is eerie. Very cool and amazing yet so hard to imagine what took place there. And even more hard to imaging that it all took place around AD 523. The structure is still so solid and still lets you see and feel how it was back then. Like I said, eerie.

After the Colosseum I got lost trying to find the entrance to the Palatine. I ended up walking all the way around it, adding another hour on my feet. But it was a nice distraction. I ventured down side streets and saw a lady hanging clothes outside her window of her second floor home, yelling down to another person on the streets. It was neat to be walking on the uneven stone roads, dodging the cars and they nearly hit me, but to see Rome in its raw form. Not just the tourist part, but the real, day to day part. One of my other favorites of Rome so far.

I was going to bail on the Palatine and just head back to the hostel to rest my feet, but I got dragged in as I past the entrance. I am more in awe of the ruins in the Roman Forum. Again, hard to imagine this place hundreds of years ago. It is amazing how preserved some artifacts are. Walking around the Forum made me feel like I was in a zoo, but with artifacts in cages instead of animals. It was refreshing to be seeing some touristy stuff without the huge crowd.

It was time to be done. My feet were tired and I was tired of sight seeing. I couldnt believe I did as much as I did today! I made my way back to the Metro, too lazy to walk the 30 minutes back. Had to wait almost 20 for one I could get on. Rush hour again. And I cant believe I got on at all! I was squished so tight between people I didnt even have to try to keep my balance. I probably could have fallen asleep there if I could at least breath. But it was only 2 stops and I was back at Termini, and my home turf. And here I am! It was a great day, and I hope to enjoy my last night in Rome before I head off to Florence tomorrow. I feel much better about being here today than I did yesterday. I hope that continues.

Italy Day 1

I arrived in Rome this morning around 8:30. It was hard to sleep on the plane, but it fortunately went by fast. I was greeted by cold, dreary weather. It was simple enough to find my way to my hostel and check in, although I really wish I could have gone to the room and nap, but couldnt do that until later in the afternoon. So I went out to explore Rome. Man this city is HUGE! There are so many people, the drivers are crazy and everyone seems to smoke. As I type this I hear the bells ringing outside, which has been an ongoing enjoyment throughout the day. Such a different place.

I make my way down Via Cavour, past the Termini, heading towards the Colosseum. On the way I make a stop at Santa Maria Maggiore, which is a basilica that integrates Romanesque, medieval, Renaissance and Baroque styles or architecture. I didnt go in, but the outside was amazing and if I have time I would love to explore more.

My next stop was San Pietro in Vincoli, home of Michelangelos masterpiece; Moses. It is said to instill reverence and embodies wisdom, fortitude, honor, conviction and inner strength. The statue itself was amazing, but the rest of the architecture and paintings were a sight to see.

The rain has stopped and the sun has started peeking out of the clouds as I make my way down to the Roman Forum and am taken away by the sight. It was breathtaking and overwhelming at the same time. I knew it would take eternity to see everything that was here, and I was already fading from hunger and lack of sleep, so I decided my next priority was to get something to eat. I found a nice touristy restaurant called Ristorante Pizzeria de Massenzio. I ordered a vergitariana white pizza and a glass of Rosso di Montalcino. I am Italy, I must drink wine! But then, as I am sitting enjoying the view and waiting for my pizza, I think about home and realize it is 4:20 in the morning there! I loved the thought that I was in Rome, enjoying wine and pizza while everyone else at home was sound asleep in bed. The wine was tart but tasty, and the  pizza was delicious. I would not say the best I have had, but it was good. I finished the meal off with an expresso, I needed caffien!

After satisfying my hunger I went back to the Roman Forum. I cannot decribe what I saw here. I took a lot of pictures, but they still wont do this place justice. As I walk around I come across the Vittoriano Museum and I remembered reading that there was a VanGoug exhibit in town, so I made a stop in. I should have gotten the audio tour because everything written was in Italian! But the artwork was amazing and I took some time trying to read and figure out what some of the descriptions said. I dont think I did that great of a job…

During my tour of the exhibit it really started to hit me how tired I was. My plan was to do the Colosseum and the Palatine, but there was no way I had enough energy. So instead I walked around the Capitoline, taking in the sights of the Palazzo Senatorio and the Il Vittoriano. Again, words and pictures cannot describe the architecture and beauty.

After making the full circle I started on the trek back to the hostel. I took one wrong turn because I wanted to walk through the back streets, and ended up a few blocks out of the way, but was able to make it back without really looking at the map.

I was able to get into the room, where I met one of my roomates. He didnt speak English and was on his way out, so we exchanged hellos and that was about it. I showered and then layed down to take about an hour nap. I am looking forward to a good nights sleep and I hope that will make me feel a little better about being here, because I am missing home a little at the moment… I will try to touch base again tomorrow

I am off!

The day has come! I am on my way to Italy. I have dreamt of this trip since I was a kid, and can’t believe I am actually going! I will arrive at 8:30am Tuesday Italy time, so I think that is around 12:30am Denver time. I will be spending my first few days in Rome and hope I adjust to the time difference ok. I will do my best to keep my blog updated, so stay tuned! Next time I check in I will be in Rome!

One week out

Not even a month ago I was at happy hour with a friend, chatting about life and dreams over a few beers. It came up that I wanted to start planning a trip to Europe and actually go through with it. Her only response was “well than, just go!” I honestly think she said it just to get me to stop talking about it, and wasn’t actually serious. But in my head it meant something. It was not long before this that I was out to dinner with another friend who randomly asked when I was going to go to Italy. I shrugged it off, saying who knows and proceeded to list many different excuses. He then said the words that honestly got me to where I sit today. He told me that there will never be the perfect time to go on such a trip. There will always be some excuse or another that could prevent you from going. That in order to make something like this happen you will have to make some type of sacrifice and let the excuses go.

So here I am, just one week away from getting on a plane and heading to Italy. I get the sacrifices. There has been more than one occasion where I honestly regretted booking the trip when I did. There have been many things that have come up that I have been invited to that now I can’t go. Halloween parties, concerts, dates, hockey games… I have felt I will be missing out on a lot here while I am gone. That things might not be the same when I get back. But then I have to slap myself in the face for even thinking that! That there was even a part of me that for a second thought I would be better off staying home to make it to a party or concert instead of spending two weeks in Italy! How ridiculous can I be?

So instead I am focusing on being excited to go and letting everything else go. It will all still be here when I get back. Plus I have enough nerves at the moment that I don’t need any feelings of doubt. I have never been to Europe let alone anywhere in CO by myself for a vacation. I am sure it will be a blast once I get out there and I will meet a bunch of people, but it still is a little intimidating.

I hope to keep this blog up to date during my travels, so check back often! I will not be able to upload pictures until I get back, so you will just have to suffer through my horrible words! I hope I will have good stories to share with all of you.