Italy Day 14

Well today is the last full day of my trip. I woke up to another dreary, wet day in Rome. I got myself ready and met Kate at my hostel at 10. We decided to walk to the Vatican since neither of us had been in St Peters Basilica. The rain started picking up with each step that we took, until our map was soaked through, as well as our shoes and pants. We decided to duck into a coffee shop by the Pantheon to dry off and wait out the storm. We talked over a cappuccino and after about an hour we went out to  brave the weather.

The rain had slowed down slightly, but an umbrella was still necessary. Mine was on its last leg, and it was only a matter of time before even the slightest gust of wind would send it to the trash can. We finally made it to St Peters Square, two and a half hours after we set out. We were excited that we made it, until we saw the line to get in. It went well around the square, umbrella to umbrella and seemed to barely move. The rain had really picked up by now and we were already wet and cold. After debating for a while we decided to not wait in line. I am disappointed that I wasnt able to see St Peters Basilica this trip, but I wouldnt have traded seeing the Pope last week for anything.

We made our way to the Metro this time, we were about done with the rain. We headed down to Santa Maria in Cosmedin,  which was a very unassuming basilica compared to others I have seen here. It does have its own unique beauty, with 11th century carvings and frescos and the skull and bones of St Valentine. The main reason we came down to this basilica is the same reason most people do. To see the Mouth of Truth, famously seen in the movie, Roman Holiday. Fortunately my hand was not bitten off.

It didnt take long to see all there was to see at the church so we then headed for lunch at a restaurant by the Colosseum. There were a couple from Vancouver there that we chatted with, and the gentleman informed me that his favorite football team is the Broncos. I told him I was sorry, and that he should pick another team! At least he has the option!

The rain had nearly stopped by the time we left the restaurant so we chose to walk back towards the Termini. There is a fairly large bookstore in the Termini that we stopped to for a while before we parted ways. I headed back to my hostel to get out of my wet clothes and organize my pack for tomorrow. I was greeted by an unfortunate surprise that my iPod had been stolen from my bag. That did not put me in a very good mood. But the people who work at the hostel were very nice and did what they could, which unfortunately wasnt much! I am just happy it was my iPod and not my wallet with my passport and credit card!

The hostel does free pasta in the evenings, so I went down to the common area with my book to relax for a while until dinner. It was nothing to brag about, but its free food, so I cant complain! Now off to finish packing and get ready for my long day of traveling home tomorrow. See you soon, Denver!

Italy Day 13

I figured I was getting pretty lucky with my stays in the hostels. I havent had any creeps, or anyone who has made me feel uncomfortable, and I have yet to have a hard time sleeping. I knew it was only a matter of time, and last night it finally came. And it wasnt even all that bad of an experience to be honest. There was a mother and daughter from Japan that moved into the room, and neither spoke any English. When I got back into the room after reading last night, I went to take a shower. I grabbed my towel and headed into the bathroom, where I nearly broke my neck! There had to have been about 1/4 inch of water on the floor, and everything was soaked. The bath mat was soaked through, the sink area had a layer of water, and there was not an ounce of dry room to put my towel. I have no idea what this girl did in there! Once out of the shower and in bed, the one closest to me starts snoring. And not like a typical girl snore, I mean full fledged deep throat and nose snore. And of course the cleaners decided to throw out my ear plugs last night… While she is having a heyday in her sleep- honestly, I dont know how she didnt wake herself up- the other stayed up until god knows when, doing what sounded like crumpling paper, all while keeping every light in the room on. When finally morning came around 6am, the snorer got up and went to go flood the bathroom again by taking a shower. The other got up and continued to crumple her paper, again turning on every light in the room. I gave up on trying to sleep, so I got up to go have some breakfast. But as soon I swung my feet off the bed I noticed they had pushed their bunk bed almost completely against mine so I couldnt get out! I am about fed up with them by this point, so I loudly shove the bed back to let myself out, where then I proceed to trip over one of the girls humongous suitcases that she had open with every possible item she had spread over every ounce of floor and dresser space, including all over my backpack. I was going to lose it, so I quickly put on my sandals and sweatshirt and left the room. Needless to say, I was a little tired today…

Once I had the room to myself I went back, packed up my things and checked out. I headed back to the train station and got back to Naples without a hitch. When I got to Naples I found out that the next train was almost 2 hours away. I found a place to sit and just waited. Within about 5 minutes a younger Italian guy came and sat next to me. He asked me a question in Italian, sounding like he was asking directions somewhere, but I had no idea how to help him. He found out I spoke English, and he has been learning, so he practiced some with me. We ended up talking up until my train left, and I learned probably the most Italian I had all week! It was definitely one of the most fun conversations of the trip.

I got to Rome and went right to my hostel to check in, now at the Alessandro Downtown, which is just on the other side of the termini. It is much bigger than the Alessandro Palace, and immediately I wished it had openings! No free pizza here, and not beer. Bummer! But at least the beds arent on top of each other. I dumped my bag in the room and headed out to meet Kate. She is staying about 5 minutes from me. We went to the Santa Maria Maggiore, and went inside this time. Another amazing church with frescos floor to ceiling. After we wandered around a bit, and it felt weird to be back here. It feels like it was ages ago that I was here on my very first day. We made our way over to the Republica Plaza and sat by the fountain for a while deciding on what to do next. The consensus was to get pizza and wine. We found a good pizza place down the street from her hostel, and she had a free bottle of wine, so we just took the pizza back to her hostel. We decided to try to shake off our laziness and head down to the Colosseum, but as soon as we stepped outside it started to rain, so alternatively we stopped at the super market, grabbed some chocolate and went back to her hostel to have more wine and chocolate as we watched How to Train a Dragon on her laptop. Great movie by the way! We were both exhausted by the time it was over, so I headed back to my place to get some much-needed sleep. I just hope tonight is better!

Italy Day 12

I was in desperate need for some coffee this morning, so I decided to have breakfast at the hotel, and then Kate and I made our way to the train station. She took off back for Rome and I got on the bus to head to Posetano.

After a beautiful drive along very winding roads, the bus finally stopped in Posetano. I got off at the first stop, so at the top of the hill, so I could see more of the town. I found some stairs and made my way down towards the beach, taking in my surroundings as I walked. Again, more narrow walkways and stairs, leading to many homes and a few shops. After my legs started to shake from all the stairs, I had finally made it to the bottom. It was a lot further than I thought! I strolled out onto the rocky beach were just a handful of people were sunbathing and wading in the water. I sat down and enjoyed the sun beating down, and the sound of the waves coming in. I really felt like I was on vacation here. I spent about an hour just being lazy, wading in the water and soaking up the sun before I decided to make my way back to the bus stop. I knew there was one further down, but I decided to head all the way back up to the one I got off at. Once I was about half way up I questioned why the heck I did that. I was getting really sick of stairs. But, I have to try to work off at least a little bit of the food I have eaten on this trip!

The bus came about 20 minutes after I got to the stop, and I piled in, anxious for the next leg. This is the part I have heard so many stories about, and a part of my trip I have been looking forward to the most. It did not disappoint! The road is set high atop the hillside, overlooking the coast the whole way. It is also only wide enough for about a car and a half, but it doesnt stop busses, cars and mopeds from whizzing by each other. I will have to say, Italians are pretty good drivers. I would not have the nerve to drive on that road!

Soon the bus headed into Almalfi, with white buildings scattered along the hillside, looking like they could collapse at any time. This town is set right up against the water, so no stairs! Yipee! I strolled down the docks, enjoying the breeze coming off of the water and watching the fishing boats out in the distance. I made my way through the town, again small streets lined with shops. I stopped in to get a slice of pizza from a local shop and headed back down towards the beach. I found a nice bench overlooking the water where I relaxed for a long while. After a bit, about 10 young men on kayaks appeared and started doing sprints back and forth across the water. I watched, interested in what they were doing. After a few of these they headed into a small area that had nets hanging about 10 feet above the water. They continued to do drills, but it looked like a form of hockey, but in kayaks and with paddles. It was very intriguing, and I ended up watching them for about another hour until the bus showed up to head back. I need to look into this sport when I get home!

I got back on the bus, and was again exhausted. I cant tell if my body is just on vacation, lazy mode, or if it is just done with all the walking and sightseeing. Either way though, it is a bit frustrating…

I saw another amazing sunset from the bus. It was slowly setting over the sea, which I had a perfect view of the whole time. Again, the haze was thick in the air, adding to the beauty. The sun shine sparkled off of the water, while the sky started to turn a lighter shade of blue, making it difficult to tell where the sea ended and the sky began. Eventually the sun dipped all the way down, bringing on the darkness.

The town of Sorrento was full of life when I got back. Many people must be in town for the weekend. The streets were crowded and the restaurants were buzzing with people. I decided to walk through the streets for a while before heading back to the hostel. I have started to get to know a few of the locals, and cant seem to make it across town without running into one of them. On the main street is the gentleman from the English Pub. He knows my name, but adds the à at the end, and has no problem trying to catch my attention even if I am across the street. A few times I have stopped to chat with him, but tonight I just smiled and waved as I passed. On the other street is the gentleman from the restaurant we have eaten at a couple of times. He is somewhat of a host there, working in the street to try to bring people in to the restaurant. It was really crowded this time, and I did my best to blend in, but sure enough as I pass I hear °Miss Colorado°! (which is what he has decided to nickname me) and blows me a kiss as I walk by. As weird as it all is, I will miss it here.

I am not hungry for dinner, so instead I check out the happening gelato place and then head down to the overlook. The sea is dark, but I could still see the flashing lights of the fishing boats, and hear the sound of the waves hitting the rocks, letting you know it is still there. I stay a while until I start to get cold, and then I make my way back home. I take the side street, so I get another blown kiss from the host and I say goodbye since I knew it would be the last time I see him.

Due to the strike on Monday on the train lines, I decided to cancel my reservation in Posetano, where I should have stayed two nights, and instead came back to Sorrento tonight and will head to Rome a day early. I am glad that I chose to stay in Sorrento these four nights. I felt like I really got to experience this part of Italy, without being rushed to fit everything in. I dont feel like I am missing out on not staying in Posetano, and I am actually looking forward to spending one last full day in Rome.

Back at the hostel I go down to the lounge to read a while on the couch before heading off to bed. I will very much miss this place.

Italy Day 11

After grabbing some more incredible pastries again this morning, I headed off to Capri. It was a short 30 minute boat ride, and I was taken aback as soon as we approached. It is a jagged island with homes and shops built into the side. There is not much to see or do as soon as we docked in Marina Grande, so I bought a ticket for the funicular and headed up the steep slope to Capri town. It is very touristy with lots of high end shops and expensive restaurants. I made my way out of there as soon as I could. There was a nice walkway that led to an overlook, the Belvedere Tragara, which has a breathtaking view of the three limestone rocks known as the Faraglioni. I guess the farthest one is home to bright blue lizards found nowhere else on the planet. I wasnt able to see any, obviously.

After hanging out at the viewpoint for a while, I made my way down the stairs on the opposite side of where I came. They were steep and were never ending it seemed. A random dog wanted to follow me, so I had company on this leg of my journey, which was nice. There were no other people around, so I had no idea who this dog belonged to or where it came from, but I enjoyed its energy and companionship.

Me and my new dog made our way down the couple hundred steps to the bottom, which ended at the sea, just below the start of one of the rocks of Faraglioni. There was not another soul around and made me feel I was the only one on the whole island. I stayed down here for quite a while, watching the waves hit the surrounding rocks and listening to the seagulls overhead. Eventually I made my way back up all of the stairs. Somewhere along the way my new  dog took off, and I never saw him again. I hope he found his owners or made his way back home. When I got to the top of the stairs I turned left and continued on the nature trail. Well, I tried to at least. It wasnt well marked and all the streets looked the same, and I eventually got lost. I had no idea where I was, and all the narrow streets were surrounded by walls so there was no lookout to see if I could figure out my bearings. I kept walking uphill, hoping it would lead to something, but all I found were more streets and no tourists. I finally just turned around, admitting that I was lost. It took over an hour, but I finally found the main piazza again. This island is exhausting! The only way to get from point A to point B is either by steep, narrow walkways or lots and lots of steps.

I grabbed a sandwich at a shop in the piazza and walked a little bit in the other direction. I was starting to feel exhausted and decided that I saw all that I wanted to see, so I headed back to the funicular. It was only about 3pm and my ticket wasnt until the 6:30 boat. I walked along the beach and hung out on some rocks watching crabs eat at the algae. I killed about an hour doing this, but then couldnt take any more. I sucked it up and spent another £14 to get on an earlier boat back to Sorrento. On the ride back I watched a beautiful sunset. The first one I have seen all trip, and it was well worth the wait. They have been doing a lot of burning, so the air was still smokey, which made the sunset even more amazing, letting different shades of orange and red streak across the sky.

The sun was almost completely down by the time we docked. I climbed the many stairs back to the main road, grabbed a bottle of wine and headed back to the hostel. Not too long after I got back, Kate showed up with a couple of friends she met while traveling that she ran into on her outing. The four of us went out to dinner, the same place we went last night. We got pizza this time, and it was tasty! Kates friends are from Tulsa, and they are on about day 54 of their year long travel, and have only been married for a year! They are definitely putting their new marriage to the test! They seemed to be enjoying themselves thus far, and they gave me some good information if I ever wanted to go teach snowboarding in Germany. I might have to at least look into it…

After dinner we parted ways. Kate and I stopped for some gelato on the way back, where we ended up being lazy, just drinking wine and chatting down in the lounge until we were exhausted enough to go to bed.

Italy Day 10

I slowly rolled out of bed this morning. It seems to be getting harder and harder to get going in the mornings. I met and chatted with a couple of my roommates and found out one of them was also planning on going to Pompeii today, so we decided to go together. On the way to the train station we stopped at a pastry shop that Kate knew about. It is now both our favorite spots. You can get a huge croissant, muffin and some other chocolate filled pastry for only £2! We were now set for breakfast and lunch.

Pompeii was amazing. It was founded around the 7th century B.C. and was home to about 20,000 people. On the morning of August 24th, A.D. 79, Versuvius, which is a nearby volcano, erupted, causing devastating effects to the city. Pompeii lied directly in its path and was totally consumed by stones and ash. The excavation started around 1748. Now Pompeii is a poignant ghost town, suspended in time. While we wandered the stone streets I noticed the grooves worn in the paving, assuming by heavy carts and such back in the day, and many people enjoyed hopping across and taking pictures of the stepping stones across the paths, designed to keep feet dry when it rained. We wandered through old homes which still had frescos on the wall that were full of such detail. I think my favorite was Casa del Fauno. It was a 2nd century B.C. house, which has the best statue I have seen yet on this trip. It is of a faun, frozen in a stance that reminded me of the music video of Staying Alive. We also saw many casts of humans and dogs, frozen in the position that they died. It was heartbreaking. One was crouched in a ball, praying, another had their hands up, trying to protect themself from the inevitable, and one even, looked like they were asleep and didnt notice a thing. The dog definitely got us the most. It was curled up on its back, and reminded me of Seranno while she is sleeping in her awkward position. Kate and I just kept saying that we couldnt believe everything we saw was over 2000 years old. It was all amazing and I would definitely recommend it.

After we had seen about as much as we could, we found our way back to the train and headed back to Sorrento. We relaxed over a bottle of wine in the hotels lounge, catching up on people back home and talking about our lives. She is well from Tasmania, and is well-traveled. She has been on the road for almost a year, traveling by herself. It was admirable and I definitely got some good tips from her!

Finally it was late enough for us to go have dinner and she took me to an amazing pizza place she had found the night before. We both ended up getting pasta, but it was still amazing! Best pasta I have had yet. After finishing with some Tiramisu, we headed back to the hostel. Kate was tired, so she went off to relax in bed.

I ended up going back out on the town with another girl from my dorm, which I never got her name, but we just call her the Girl from England. She was nice, but a little odd. We wandered the streets, again. I am definitely getting to know this town well. We stopped in an Irish bar for a drink, and then went to find something for her to eat. I eventually wore down with her company, and was exhausted from the day, so I politely said goodnight and went back to the hostel. I went down to the lounge for a little while to read my book, but it wasnt long before my eyelids started getting heavy and I had to make my way to bed.

 

 

Italy Day 9

Laundry day! Oh how fun. As I was walking to the Splashnet Laudromat I was thinking how nice it has been to not have to do any chores. I get up, pack my bag, and I am off for the day. No cleaning, no making the bed, no dishes… It has been nice. But alas, I must do laundry before I start to smell bad. I found the perfect place, though! All I had to do was take my clothes out of my bag, and the guy there did my laundry for me as I got caught up on the internet. Cant beat that! I want to find a place like that back home.

After getting my laundry done I walked down to the train station to head to Naples. I was getting a hang of the train station, and soon I was relaxing with my ipod on the train to Naples. I decided to only spend £10 instead of £40 and take an extra hour, which ended up working out just fine. Once in Naples I immediately found the local train and headed right to Sorrento. It took over an hour, but the views were amazing. Jagged rocks with homes build on them, over looking the coast. It was nice to see water for a change.

I was in Sorrento by 3pm and as soon as I steped off the train, I knew I was going to love it here. I wandered my way though town and finally found the Ulisse Deluxe Hostel. Wow, it is nice! It has a huge lounge area with a bar and breakfast place. It also has a swimming pool, spa and fitness center. And this is the cheapest hostel yet! I couldnt believe it. I really feel like I am staying in luxury. They do charge £5 for just one hour for internet though, so maybe thats how they make thier money.

I put my bag down in my room and headed out. It was so nice to finally be outside and not have to wear a jacket! I could feel the moist air coming off of the water, and it smelled of the sea. I wanted to see the water so that was my first stop. I wound my way down the steep, winding narrow street, and eventually it opened up to the coast. Fish boats were coming in and heading out, there were men tiding up their netting and cats running wild, chasing each other. There werent many people out and the ones that were seemed to be lost in their own worlds so they didnt seem to notice me. The days are really getting shorter and the sun was already behind the hills. I took a lot of pictures and then found a foot path that seemed to head back up towards town. It was again steep, and I was the only one on it otherthan a few cats. I had to keep stoping to take pictures of everything, it was too amazing to just walk by.

I eventually turned onto a narrow street lined with shops that were full of home-made trinkets, scarves and other souvenirs. The street was crowded, but not nearly as bad as being in Rome or Florence. It finally ended as it ran into the main street, so I slowly made my way back to the hostel. On the way I found an English Bar, so I decided to stop in and get some dinner. An Italian waiter immediately came to my side and started chatting with me. He said he saw me today on the train, although he didnt look familiar. After taking my order he came back over and sat down to chat some more. He was a nice guy, and was fun to talk to. He asked me where I was from and was shocked when I told him America. He said °no, you cant be from America! You do not have an American body. Americans are fat! You must be from somewhere else, no? Maybe France, or Canada?° It was rather amusing that he didnt believe me, but I will take that compliment. Once my pizza was ready he let me enjoy it in peace. He came back after and asked if I would go out with him and some friends later tonight. I told him  would think about it, and would be back there at 10pm if I was up for it. I am not sure if  will take him up on that or not…

After dinner I continued to walk down the street. It was completely dark by now and people were starting to close down their shops. So I made my way back to the hostel and decided to go for a swim. It was nice, although more crowded than I had hoped. Maybe later would be better for that. But I cant pass up a pool at a hostel in Italy! I am now going to head down to the lounge for a while, for a glass of wine and decide what I want to do for the evening.

I have come to realize this last week that I really dont mind, and actually have really enjoyed, traveling by myself. On quite a few occassions I have overheard couples getting into arguments over the most rediculous things, travel buddies fighting over where they are going to go next, and parents screaming at their kids to behave. I feel so grateful that I have the freedom that I do. I can get lost, sleep in or get up early, stay as long or as short as I want to at the different places, and meet and talk to whoever I want until as late as I want, all without consequence. It is such a good feeling, and it has made for such an amazing experience. I think that after this trip it is going to be hard to find someone I am compatable with for traveling! I am sure that is not true actually. I already know this trip has been so good for me, and just what I need at this moment in my life.

Italy Day 8

I was ready to get back to the city by the time I woke up this morning, so I packed my bag, said bye to the owners and headed down the dirt road. I had no idea how I was going to get to the train station, but I was grateful it wasnt raining out. There was a bus stop close to their drive, but from what I could read, it didnt look like one was coming for at least an hour. I decided to start walking and figure it out from there.

I made it to the next town, but realized that walking probably wasnt the best idea. There was no shoulder and the roads were starting to get more narrow and windy. I found another bus stop, and even though the bus wasnt scheduled for another 45 minutes, decided to wait. I was praying one would come, because I had yet to see a bus, going in either direction, yesterday or today. But one did come, right on time, and eventually I was at the Termini.

I decided to head back to Rome. It didnt make sense to go north again, since I am planning to be in Sorrento on Wednesday. I had to wait almost an hour for the train, and the train took over an hour and a half, but soon I was off the train, back in Rome. It actually felt good to be back around lots of people, and a place I kind of knew my way around. I made my way right to the Alessandro Hostel, where they greeted me with happy surprise to see me. They had room, and as he was doing the paperwork he asked me where I had been, what I had done etc. I realized I really missed people interaction!

After putting my bag down in the same room I stayed in last week, I made my way down to the computers to get caught up. A guy, Taylor, came in and we started chatting. He is traveling alone from Toronto, and he just got into town today. He is majorly jet lagged and was asking me for all sorts of advice. It feels like forever ago that I was in his shoes! We both finished up and headed to the bar to share the open bottle of wine I had. It was more good conversation. People started piling in the closer it got to 8:30 and the free pizza. Taylor and I invited a couple of guys from Germany to come sit with us, and I am glad we did. They were a riot. I could barely understand them through their thick accents, but their animation was more than enough to understand what they were trying to say. We all spent the rest of the evening enjoying pizza and beer, laughing until our cheeks hurt. I realized I did miss this the last few days. But I am off again, leaving tomorrow to head south. I am excited for this last leg of my adventure though. Skàl!

Italy Day 7

Fortunately I think the bugs left me alone last night. I was eager to get out of bed so I could go explore the countryside. They have bikes for rent at the farm and I was looking forward to getting some good exercise. I was disappointed when I opened the windows and saw yet another dreary day. It was raining, although not hard. I changed my plan, and decided first things first I had to find something to eat. I decided to walk to the store, mainly because I couldnt find the owners. The rain really started picking up as I walked down the dirt road. Fortunately I was well protected by all of the trees. But I was completely exposed once I hit the main road, and the rain seemed to pick up. I walked as quick as I could along the road with no shoulder. About 1-2km down I finally came across a small shop that was open. They didnt offer much food, so I bought some biscotti and pasta with a mushroom pesto sauce.

By the time I left the store it had begun to rain in sheets and the wind was howling. I decided I just needed to get back to the guest house as quick as I could.

I made it back in one piece, but I was drenched from head to toe. I stripped down and put all of my wet clothes on the heaters to try to dry them. I sat on the couch as I wondered what the heck I was going to do for the day. Biking was obviously out, and without a car, so was going anywhere for that matter. I was stuck in the guesthouse for the day. It wasnt too bad, relaxing actually. It was nice to not have an option but to relax and do nothing.

The rain finally died down a little bit around 5pm. I was going stir crazy so I decided to go for a walk around the farm. It was beautiful walking through all of the olive trees, dripping from the rain. There was an ominous fog looming over the surrounding hills that it made me feel I was trapped in this place. I enjoyed it, as I stood there with my eyes closed, breathing in the damp air.

I ended up on a road that led me right back to the farm. The owner was out, so we tried to chat for a moment as best we could. He then gave me 2 more bottles of wine for what reason, I have no idea. I went back to my home and enjoyed another glass of wine with the pasta and pesto that I had bought earlier. I have enjoyed the solitude, but I think I am about ready to go…

Italy Day 6

I woke up to dreary, cold weather this morning. I took my time getting ready, having coffee while catching up on emails and chatting with Micka. I totally forgot it was daylight savings, so I had an extra hour to hang out in the dry hostel. But soon enough 11:00 came around and we had to leave, so Micka and I ventured out into the wet streets. The rain had slowed to a drizzle, but the roads were full of puddles and everyone still had their umbrellas up. Neither Micka or I had anything in particular we wanted to do, so we just wandered, getting lost in the streets. She has been a lot of fun to hang out with, and I appreciated the company. Soon, though, we had seen about as much as we could wandering aimlessly, and the conversation had dropped off, so we said our goodbyes and headed our separate ways.

I decided to make another pass by the Uffizi to see how long the line was. I should have guessed, even worse than yesterday. It wound almost the whole way around the plaza. I guess I will not be seeing that on this trip! I needed to get away from the crowds, and I found a park on the outskirts of town so I headed there. The rain had started to pick up again, so I joined in and got my umbrella out. It didnt take long to get away from the mass of people, and I immediately felt relief. I walked for a while, block after block. Eventually the streets started looking familiar again. I turned a corner and saw the park I was headed to, and realized it was the park I had stopped at my first day in Florence when I got lost. So much for finding someplace new! By the time I made it to the park, the rain was really starting to come down, and my shoes and pants were soaked. Instead of wandering through the park, I decided to head back towards the hostel.

I still had a little over an hour to kill before I could get my bag and be on my way, so I decided to get something to eat. I found a nice restaurant right in the Republic Piazza, that overlooked the carousel. Kids were still laughing and playing on it, despite the rain. I ordered a glass of Chianti and a tomato and mozzarella pizza. It was nice to be sheltered from the rain for a while and I enjoyed the people watching. I decided to have a cappuccino and tirimisu, just since it was my last meal in Florence and all…

Once I finished stuffing my belly it was finally after 2pm, so I headed back to the hostel to grab my bag and say goodbye to the people I had met here. I then headed to the train station to figure out where I was going from here!

It was easy to buy the train ticket to Chiusi, but I could not figure out where the train took off from. Nowhere on the ticket did it say what platform it took off from, or train number. I asked a lady at the information booth, and she told me platform 5. Ok, so I head over there and wait for a train to show up. When it does, it says it is actually going somewhere completely different. I go back to the information booth and find a different gentleman to give me directions. He fortunately leads me to the right train, and soon I was off! This was the first time I got kind of nervous about where I was headed. The train had many stops, and everything was in Italian. It seemed every stop got further and further away from civilization. Finally the stop to Chiusi came and I exited the train, not sure what my next step was. I felt a little out of sorts, being in the countryside, away from the tourists. I made my way outside and found a taxi. I thought since it was already getting dark out it probably would be a better idea than the bus.

The countryside was amazing. So many rolling hills covered with olive groves and grape vines. It seemed to take a long while, but eventually the cab driver made a left turn onto an unmarked dirt road. I am glad he knew where he was going! It was about 1km to the farm, on a narrow dirt road full of potholes. There were two gentleman waiting outside the castle-like home. They greeted me, and then one took my bag and led me in the opposite direction of their home up a path towards their guest house. I opened the doors and could only smile. My own kitchen, bathroom and queen sized bed! I was in heaven. I asked if they had any wine, and he led me back down to his home where I had my choice of three different Chianti wines. I took a bottle and headed back up to my new home. But then I realized it was only about 6pm, I had no food and was a long way from everything! Oh well, I enjoyed the wine while catching up on my own journal. I had no internet access and no tv. As I sat on the couch, I started noticing things moving out of the corner of my eye. Bugs. Lots of bugs. Beetles, Spiders, centipede looking things, and many more I could not identify. I had to remind myself I was staying in a farm-house out in the middle of nowhere. What should I expect?

I did my best to ignore them, since they seemed to be ignoring me, and I went off to bed, praying they wouldnt eat me in my sleep.

micka