I was pretty harsh on Vienna looking back on it, but Prague has made up for it.
I definitely feel the weariness of travelling setting in and this morning I wanted nothing more than to sleep for another six hours, but checkout was in fifteen minutes. I took things a bit easier today, I didn't necessarily see all the big sights but I still have more time.
My first mission of the day was to find tickets for a show this evening. I had originally planned on getting tickets for a performance of Swan Lake but my guidebook pointed me to some of the other theaters, most notable The Estates Theater. This was the theater where Mozart premiered his Don Giovanni and they were putting on a performance of The Magic Flute. I had never seen an opera and I thought it would be great to say my first one had been in Prague. I found the theater and luckily they had one seat although I would have settled for standing.
From there I went to find an english language bookstore. I only brought a few books not wanting to carry around the extra weight, but I've also been reading a lot on the trains, and in cafes when I take a break. My father helped me out and found a couple, and it turned out one of them was mentioned in my guidebook, more so for the cafe attached. It's called Globe and it was a wonderful find. The bookstore itself wasn't very big and it didn't stock up to date bestsellers, but there were plenty of good finds. I was able to pick up a short story collection by one of my favorite authors, Haruki Murakami, and also Middlesex by Jeffery Eugindes, I've been meaning to read it forever but can never find the time. The cafe attached to the globe is somewhat famous for being a hangout for expats, and so naturally I wanted to count myself in the ranks of those who have eaten there. I settled in began reading and had a nice sandwich. I almost didn't want to leave.
My next stop was actually right by my hostel. I had to check back in because I had made separate bookings this time in a single room. The Old Town Square is only a few blocks from my hostel. Right now it is hosting the Christmas Market, which is where I spent my first evening here, eating and listening to a Czech cover band. I also ran into another Christmas Market on my way to the theater and picked up a really delicious donut type thing. I can't remember exactly what they call it but it seems to be a traditional Czech treat. Around the square though are some of the main sights of Prague, Tyn Church and the Astronomical Clock. These were all crowded when I got there so instead I went to a gallery showing in an old theater. It was a photography exhibit on the history of communism in the Republic. I don't know much about the history of the Czech Republic and I was a bit confused by the leanings of the captions of the photos. A lot of them featured people coming together in celebration by working, building roads and buildings. It was somewhat odd. I wasn't sure what to do with myself after, it was chilly outside, I was running out of money and my show for the evening wasn't until seven. I was going to head back to the hostel and just read but I noticed a large sign across the square. It was advertising for an exhibit of Mucha paintings. Mucha was a bohemian born artist who helped define the Art Nouveau style of the early 20th century. I really like Art Nouveau and so with the little money I had I bought admission. It was pretty extensive and the paintings were beautiful. I wanted a few things from the gift shop and was disappointed they wouldn't take cards, so I settled on two items and used up the last of my money.
I went back to my room and read for a bit. My second mission of the day was to make my reservation on the train to Amsterdam. I was concerned it wouldn't work out like it hadn't in Barcelona so I made a few back up plans, but when I got up to the ticket booth and made my reservation all went smoothly. From the train station (where don't worry mom I picked up more money) I headed straight to the theater. The theater was gorgeous, it was like being inside of a birthday cake, sky blue layers with a bit of creamy white and gold gilding to top it off. It was in beautiful condition and I could easily picture Mozart there premiering his operas. I was lucky enough to get the last seat due to the fact that it was located behind a pole. I was told this when I bought the ticket but I was okay with it, prefering to sit than stand. The pole was somewhat annoying but not impossible, I wasn't able to see the bottom left hand corner of the stage but I didn't miss much. The opera was gorgeous, I was picturing ornate stage designs like you see in period films, but what I got was almost completely different. It was very minimalistic, the entire set was dictated by a large dyed sheet that faded from marigold yellow to azure. It hung over the stage and a series of weights and counterweights would lift and shape it to create the scene or engulf the characters. Sometimes they would project images onto it, stars for when the Queen of the Night appeared, or when Tamino first sees Pamina and sings Such Loveliness Beyond Compare they actually filmed the diva sitting in the audience and then emerging up to the stage. All in all it was a wonderful experience and it only cost me 50 Korunas or about 2.71 US dollars, I kid you not. To top it all off as I emerged from the theater, it had begun to snow. A nice snow with heavy flakes. The christmas market had closed when I got back but I walked around the square anyways, enjoying all the lovely buildings and the giant sparkling Christmas tree. It was like the Christmas night I didn't have.
I have most of tomorrow here, I catch my train to Amsterdam at around 6:30 and I'll be ringing in the new year there. I probably won't be writing til after then so I'll wish you all a happy new year now.
Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
A Bit of Catching Up
Gruss Gott from Vienna!
Let me pick up where I left off.
You may be wondering how the tapas tour went...so am I, I missed it, but thats alright. I was exhausted that night and went for a walk grabbed a bit of dinner and then took a shower and went to bed.
The next day was Christmas Eve. I woke up after a good night's sleep to rain. I wasn't excited to go out, the weariness and anxiety of the day before not yet worn off but I went anyway. I headed to Parc Gruell, another one of Antoni Gaudi's creations. Maybe I should give a background on Gaudi. He was a great architect and defines a lot of the style and feel of Barcelona. His style is considered Art Nouveau and it can fall under those headings at times, especially his use of nature and natural physics within his creations, but its all a bit more surreal. Dali was a fan of his. Its hard to describe his works to you, but they were one of the reasons I really wanted to come to Barcelona and I concentrated most of my time on his works. There will eventually be pictures.
I get to Parc Gruell and enter one of the side gates. It has been raining for the past couple days and the ground is already somewhat flooded, its sand pathways with large puddles. The Parc seems deserted from where I am, and the view of Barcelona is misty and dreary. I was worried about travelling around Christmas that it would prove to be lonely and boring, with everything closed. I thought my beliefs had been confirmed with the quiet metro ride over and the abandoned park, but then I turned a corner, literally. Suddenly there were more people, as I made my way through the park and spent more time more people showed up, a lot of them tourists like myself. The cafe was open and so I stopped and had a cafe con leche.
My next stop was the Picasso Museum. It doesn't feature any of his major works, but a lot of his early stuff. It was interesting to see his impressionistic things, and although he may have been somewhat of an asshole (from what I gather) he was a genius as an artist. The paintings they have on display start from his early teens and they were quite impressive. The museum was displaying a special exhibit called Secret Images. It was an exhibit of Picasso's erotic Japanese prints and also some of his own drawings that had obviously been influenced by the Japanese artists. It was quite graphic, I found I'm more conservative than I would have imagined, or maybe after the first two dozen prints of...actually I won't go into detail, but honestly it was odd to read these enthusiastic apprasials of very very pornographic pictures, is it really art?
When I emerged from the museum I found dry blue skies. I stopped at a local cafe and ordered chocolate and churros and then wandered around the neighborhood a bit. When trying to find the museum I had accidentally stumbled upon this large indoor food market, mostly meat but some produce. It was really busy and it was fun to see everyone working and talking, carrying on with their normal lives. These women behind one counter would use long grabbers to point and grab at things in their long display cases, and people would brightly greet regular customers. I tried going back after the museum but it was shutting down, I stopped at a grocery store anyways and picked up some food to make at the hostel.
The next day was Christmas, my flight didn't leave for Zurich until five in the evening. I was pleased to find that Casa Batllo, one of Gaudi's works was open on Christmas so I planned on going there. I awoke to fifty degree weather and a beautiful cloudless blue sky. I had heard a lot about Las Ramblas a long street of markets and was told not to miss it. So before going to the Casa I decided to try the markets. I was somewhat early and it was pretty quiet, the stands just being set up and the street performers still applying their make-up. The stands were limited to flowers and pets, yes pets, turtles, birds, rats, fish, iguanas, rabbits, they were all there. So there was no temptation for me to buy anything. It didn't take me too long to walk the whole thing and as I walked back to the top things had picked up. A gambling game had started up, the one where you have to guess where the ball is under three containers, I started to take pictures of it and a woman came up to me telling me, "no photos, no photos" so I moved on. I got some more shots of the animals, but all in all I was not impressed with Las Ramblas, but I won't fault Barcelona for it.
Casa Batllo was amazing. My dream house. Most people will think Tim Burton when they see it and definitely from the outside thats the effect it gives. But I like to phrase it that its where Glinda the good witch would live in a Roald Dahl novel. A lot of the rooms are curved and all of them feature some way for natural light. The courtyard is enclosed by a large skylight and features blue tiles that fade in depth of color as you go from the top to the bottom. The woodwork and windows are ingenious, screens and vents built in they can create separate rooms and open up others. The roof is wonderful, a terrace that features mosaic chimneys and a garlic clove cross. Like I said its hard to explain, and if you think I'm being effusive in my praise you should have heard the commentary on the audioguide. I'm mean I like Gaudi and I think he was really original, but is the comment "the most ingineous and beautiful room you will ever see" really necessary for a storage closet that features an arched roof? Regardless I loved it and it was a great way to spend Christmas.
My flights left without a hitch. I had a connection in Palma Mallorca and I'll admit I didn't know where that was. I figured it was in Spain but I couldn't find in the map. Turns out its an island next to Ibiza off the coast. The Zurich airport was beautiful, I don't know if it was just because it was Christmas but I hope they keep those lights up all year round. I stopped a grocery store and picked up a big bag of cookies and some milk for my Christmas treat. I took the train in to the main station and from there was planning on finding a taxi, but it was so difficult that I decided I would try the instructions provided by the Hostel. It required getting on the tram, but I didn't know which direction, and I initially took it the wrong way, but only one stop. I eventually got off at the right stop and easily found my hostel, actually hotel, well more like boutique hotel. I got there but no one was there to ring me in, it was close to eleven and I was supposed to skype with my family at twelve. There was a crowded bar that seemed to be attached and so I reluctantly went in, backpack and bags and all. At first I was ignored and somewhat stared at, so I left and tried buzzing again, and then calling but no luck. I went back in and the bartender helped me out. The room was nice, it was lovely to have my own room and chat with my family.
The next day was beautiful and blue. It was a bit crisp but nothing I couldn't handle. Everything was closed, at least most of the shops which was fine. I spent the morning wandering around the area taking pictures. Zurich is a lovely city, and I would have loved to spend more time there but I didn't schedule it. So I moved on to the train station. I got a train to Vienna and it seemed like all was going well, but then we got to Innsbruk. It was around seven and we weren't scheduled to get into Vienna until a little after ten so I knew we had a while to go. A man kept coming over the loudspeaker and speaking gruffly in German. At first a couple people left and then suddenly there was a mad exodus. I asked someone what was going on and they assured me our train was going to get to Vienna just twenty minutes late. Then a conductor came through stopping at every occupied seat and yelling at them in German to get to platform four. I in my shy apologetic tone that I adopt everytime I have to use english asked, "Even if we are going to Vienna?" "Platform 4!" was his reply. The train there was already crowded and it took a while for me to find a seat. I eventually did and got to Vienna around 11:30.
I only had today in Vienna, which is okay because we really haven't clicked. Maybe I'm in my traveller's fatigue and lull or maybe it just wasn't meant to be. I went out this morning to Stephenplatz which has a large church there. Being a Sunday it held mass pretty regularly. I didn't think about this and felt a bit ashamed as I watched earnest Church goers have to wade through the throng of holiday tourists. I felt even more ashamed as I was only looking for the catacombs, but it wasn't meant to be so I left. I was sitting in a cafe having coffee and had just written in my journal "I feel I haven't given myself enough time in Vienna" when an older gentleman and his toddler grandson sit down next to me. He starts up a conversation and when he finds out I only have the day he says "stop drinking coffee and get out there!" He then jots down the things I have to do and feeling invigorated I go out and do them.
First up was the Hapsburg palace and the imperial apartments. The first part was a rather dull and extensive trip through the many china sets of the Hapsburgs, I kid you not, about twelve rooms of eloquent tableware, it got old after the first two rooms. Then next up was a museum on Empress Elizabeth. A moody empress who became a legend after her death. It seemed a bit ironic that a woman who so hated the fame and restrictions that came along with being royalty has her own museum that ends in a gift shop filled in dozens of items featuring her face, including a child's t-shirt that has rendered her in a Disney princess fashion cartoon. The royal apartments were next and compared to Versailles were elegant but spartan, no frescoes and only very tasteful gilding. That being said looking around Austria I can see how and where Marie Antoinette got her tastes. In no other European city have I seen so many monuments to Royalty, although looking back they would have been destroyed in the revolution in Paris and similarly during communist rule in Budapest. Anyways every building is regal and baroque and worthy of royalty.
I stumbled upon a poster for an Annie Leibovitz exhibit and being a fan of photography I headed out there. It was a bit of a disppointment, but still neat to see. It was a similar feeling as the concert I went to tonight. It featured a small orchestra, two opera singers and two ballet dancers, all on a stage much too small for them. My only comment is it featured audience participation which is nice for crusie ships and state fairs but wasn't exactly what I was looking for when I wanted to enjoy some classical music in Vienna.
Well I leave tomorrow for Prague, a city I'm very excited for. I'm going to retry my theater going experience and try and get tickets for Swan Lake. Til next time, Auf Wiedershen.
Let me pick up where I left off.
You may be wondering how the tapas tour went...so am I, I missed it, but thats alright. I was exhausted that night and went for a walk grabbed a bit of dinner and then took a shower and went to bed.
The next day was Christmas Eve. I woke up after a good night's sleep to rain. I wasn't excited to go out, the weariness and anxiety of the day before not yet worn off but I went anyway. I headed to Parc Gruell, another one of Antoni Gaudi's creations. Maybe I should give a background on Gaudi. He was a great architect and defines a lot of the style and feel of Barcelona. His style is considered Art Nouveau and it can fall under those headings at times, especially his use of nature and natural physics within his creations, but its all a bit more surreal. Dali was a fan of his. Its hard to describe his works to you, but they were one of the reasons I really wanted to come to Barcelona and I concentrated most of my time on his works. There will eventually be pictures.
I get to Parc Gruell and enter one of the side gates. It has been raining for the past couple days and the ground is already somewhat flooded, its sand pathways with large puddles. The Parc seems deserted from where I am, and the view of Barcelona is misty and dreary. I was worried about travelling around Christmas that it would prove to be lonely and boring, with everything closed. I thought my beliefs had been confirmed with the quiet metro ride over and the abandoned park, but then I turned a corner, literally. Suddenly there were more people, as I made my way through the park and spent more time more people showed up, a lot of them tourists like myself. The cafe was open and so I stopped and had a cafe con leche.
My next stop was the Picasso Museum. It doesn't feature any of his major works, but a lot of his early stuff. It was interesting to see his impressionistic things, and although he may have been somewhat of an asshole (from what I gather) he was a genius as an artist. The paintings they have on display start from his early teens and they were quite impressive. The museum was displaying a special exhibit called Secret Images. It was an exhibit of Picasso's erotic Japanese prints and also some of his own drawings that had obviously been influenced by the Japanese artists. It was quite graphic, I found I'm more conservative than I would have imagined, or maybe after the first two dozen prints of...actually I won't go into detail, but honestly it was odd to read these enthusiastic apprasials of very very pornographic pictures, is it really art?
When I emerged from the museum I found dry blue skies. I stopped at a local cafe and ordered chocolate and churros and then wandered around the neighborhood a bit. When trying to find the museum I had accidentally stumbled upon this large indoor food market, mostly meat but some produce. It was really busy and it was fun to see everyone working and talking, carrying on with their normal lives. These women behind one counter would use long grabbers to point and grab at things in their long display cases, and people would brightly greet regular customers. I tried going back after the museum but it was shutting down, I stopped at a grocery store anyways and picked up some food to make at the hostel.
The next day was Christmas, my flight didn't leave for Zurich until five in the evening. I was pleased to find that Casa Batllo, one of Gaudi's works was open on Christmas so I planned on going there. I awoke to fifty degree weather and a beautiful cloudless blue sky. I had heard a lot about Las Ramblas a long street of markets and was told not to miss it. So before going to the Casa I decided to try the markets. I was somewhat early and it was pretty quiet, the stands just being set up and the street performers still applying their make-up. The stands were limited to flowers and pets, yes pets, turtles, birds, rats, fish, iguanas, rabbits, they were all there. So there was no temptation for me to buy anything. It didn't take me too long to walk the whole thing and as I walked back to the top things had picked up. A gambling game had started up, the one where you have to guess where the ball is under three containers, I started to take pictures of it and a woman came up to me telling me, "no photos, no photos" so I moved on. I got some more shots of the animals, but all in all I was not impressed with Las Ramblas, but I won't fault Barcelona for it.
Casa Batllo was amazing. My dream house. Most people will think Tim Burton when they see it and definitely from the outside thats the effect it gives. But I like to phrase it that its where Glinda the good witch would live in a Roald Dahl novel. A lot of the rooms are curved and all of them feature some way for natural light. The courtyard is enclosed by a large skylight and features blue tiles that fade in depth of color as you go from the top to the bottom. The woodwork and windows are ingenious, screens and vents built in they can create separate rooms and open up others. The roof is wonderful, a terrace that features mosaic chimneys and a garlic clove cross. Like I said its hard to explain, and if you think I'm being effusive in my praise you should have heard the commentary on the audioguide. I'm mean I like Gaudi and I think he was really original, but is the comment "the most ingineous and beautiful room you will ever see" really necessary for a storage closet that features an arched roof? Regardless I loved it and it was a great way to spend Christmas.
My flights left without a hitch. I had a connection in Palma Mallorca and I'll admit I didn't know where that was. I figured it was in Spain but I couldn't find in the map. Turns out its an island next to Ibiza off the coast. The Zurich airport was beautiful, I don't know if it was just because it was Christmas but I hope they keep those lights up all year round. I stopped a grocery store and picked up a big bag of cookies and some milk for my Christmas treat. I took the train in to the main station and from there was planning on finding a taxi, but it was so difficult that I decided I would try the instructions provided by the Hostel. It required getting on the tram, but I didn't know which direction, and I initially took it the wrong way, but only one stop. I eventually got off at the right stop and easily found my hostel, actually hotel, well more like boutique hotel. I got there but no one was there to ring me in, it was close to eleven and I was supposed to skype with my family at twelve. There was a crowded bar that seemed to be attached and so I reluctantly went in, backpack and bags and all. At first I was ignored and somewhat stared at, so I left and tried buzzing again, and then calling but no luck. I went back in and the bartender helped me out. The room was nice, it was lovely to have my own room and chat with my family.
The next day was beautiful and blue. It was a bit crisp but nothing I couldn't handle. Everything was closed, at least most of the shops which was fine. I spent the morning wandering around the area taking pictures. Zurich is a lovely city, and I would have loved to spend more time there but I didn't schedule it. So I moved on to the train station. I got a train to Vienna and it seemed like all was going well, but then we got to Innsbruk. It was around seven and we weren't scheduled to get into Vienna until a little after ten so I knew we had a while to go. A man kept coming over the loudspeaker and speaking gruffly in German. At first a couple people left and then suddenly there was a mad exodus. I asked someone what was going on and they assured me our train was going to get to Vienna just twenty minutes late. Then a conductor came through stopping at every occupied seat and yelling at them in German to get to platform four. I in my shy apologetic tone that I adopt everytime I have to use english asked, "Even if we are going to Vienna?" "Platform 4!" was his reply. The train there was already crowded and it took a while for me to find a seat. I eventually did and got to Vienna around 11:30.
I only had today in Vienna, which is okay because we really haven't clicked. Maybe I'm in my traveller's fatigue and lull or maybe it just wasn't meant to be. I went out this morning to Stephenplatz which has a large church there. Being a Sunday it held mass pretty regularly. I didn't think about this and felt a bit ashamed as I watched earnest Church goers have to wade through the throng of holiday tourists. I felt even more ashamed as I was only looking for the catacombs, but it wasn't meant to be so I left. I was sitting in a cafe having coffee and had just written in my journal "I feel I haven't given myself enough time in Vienna" when an older gentleman and his toddler grandson sit down next to me. He starts up a conversation and when he finds out I only have the day he says "stop drinking coffee and get out there!" He then jots down the things I have to do and feeling invigorated I go out and do them.
First up was the Hapsburg palace and the imperial apartments. The first part was a rather dull and extensive trip through the many china sets of the Hapsburgs, I kid you not, about twelve rooms of eloquent tableware, it got old after the first two rooms. Then next up was a museum on Empress Elizabeth. A moody empress who became a legend after her death. It seemed a bit ironic that a woman who so hated the fame and restrictions that came along with being royalty has her own museum that ends in a gift shop filled in dozens of items featuring her face, including a child's t-shirt that has rendered her in a Disney princess fashion cartoon. The royal apartments were next and compared to Versailles were elegant but spartan, no frescoes and only very tasteful gilding. That being said looking around Austria I can see how and where Marie Antoinette got her tastes. In no other European city have I seen so many monuments to Royalty, although looking back they would have been destroyed in the revolution in Paris and similarly during communist rule in Budapest. Anyways every building is regal and baroque and worthy of royalty.
I stumbled upon a poster for an Annie Leibovitz exhibit and being a fan of photography I headed out there. It was a bit of a disppointment, but still neat to see. It was a similar feeling as the concert I went to tonight. It featured a small orchestra, two opera singers and two ballet dancers, all on a stage much too small for them. My only comment is it featured audience participation which is nice for crusie ships and state fairs but wasn't exactly what I was looking for when I wanted to enjoy some classical music in Vienna.
Well I leave tomorrow for Prague, a city I'm very excited for. I'm going to retry my theater going experience and try and get tickets for Swan Lake. Til next time, Auf Wiedershen.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Its a Man's World
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There are so many things I want to write about my trip to Morocco and I worry about forgetting things or more likely going off on tangents and losing you along the way, but I'm going to start at the beginning because thats where it all started.
Norah and I spent our last night in Galway, Ireland out at the Spanish Arch. Not our usual bar hangout but we choose it because it featured local cover band Milhouse. This was a fitting choice as Milhouse was the band we saw on our first night out in Galway and so we drank a few last pints, danced with a spirited German woman and then boarded the 3:30am bus to the Dublin airport.
Our plane took off a bit late at 10am and landed mid-afternoon in Malaga, Spain. From there we had to take a bus to Algeciras, our final destination. The bus ride was about three hours long and although the view was gorgeous a man repeatedly throwing up in the aisle across from us ruined it. I add all these details to help set the stage. We got off the bus very tired and very tense only to find that the directions to our hostel were not only vague (head east on...) but not correct. Like all of Europe there are little or no road signs and it seems people don't even know the name of the roads anyways. So we wandered a bit around the grimy port city of Algeciras and found our hostel only to discover that no one is there to check us in. Once we did get checked in we stayed in our room for the rest of the night, uneasy about the next day’s journey.
The next morning after some ten hour odd hours of sleep neither of us are excited about getting out of bed, but we do. We head down to the port where my guidebook told us we could buy tickets to Tangier. Unfortunately a moment of hesitation finds us prey to an old man hanging around the gates of the port. Its hard to refuse somebody when you don't understand what they are saying, so we end up following him across the street to a travel agency and book our tickets there. I knew the man would want money and though all he did was literally walk us across the street I grabbed a few euros and practiced saying in my head thanks for your help in Spanish. I was not expecting that he would be so blunt about wanting money, just coming right out and saying it to us as he took us back to the gates. We smiled politely, gave up our money and headed to the port. We were still a bit confused about when and where our boat was leaving and no one seemed particularly happy to help. We ended up on the 11:00 ferry to Tangier among a couple hundred others, everyone else toting large suitcases and preparing for a longer stay.
The boat was a disaster, it took us almost an hour to leave the harbor and then another two and a half to get to Tangier. Meanwhile on the boat you had to check in with customs which involved standing in a long line while the boat rocked swiftly back and forth. Seating was odd too, limited to a few tables scattered around a lounge area and a bar, it was first come first serve and very uncomfortable.
But we made it. Not being able to turn back I adopted a bit of a cheerier mood than I had been in before. A girl we had met in Budapest, who had visited Tangier before, had told us to get out of the port area, where it was the seediest, and we tried hard to do so. Of course we were stopped by a few "official tour guides" and asked if we needed help, one playing on our tension and fears by saying 'its not safe, really its not safe" but we kept moving.
We headed to a main plaza right outside the port entrance to a restaurant mentioned in our book. The plaza was filled with cafes and open air seating and strikingly was occupied with almost entirely men, occasionally a woman was scattered among them, but no groups of women were sitting alone together. It had been apparent on the boat that this was a more patriarchal society. The men had been the ones to stand patiently in the customs line, their wives and children joining once they reached the front. At the time this didn’t seem like a bad deal for the women, at least to me. Without knowing more about the culture I don’t know that I would call their culture oppressive to women. While there were no groups of women sitting, we would see them passing together, moving from one location to another.
As two white, unaccompanied females, we certainly stuck out and we got a lot of attention for it. I had heard about the comments and cat-calling before we went but I wasn't really prepared for it. Everyone stared at us, men, women, kids, and the men would occasionally comment, it was annoying at first but we got used to it. And honestly it never felt like we were in any danger, the comments were predatory but harmless, the most we had to worry about was pick pocketing but no one really got close enough to us to try. Norah and I hypothesized that if we had come with at least one male we wouldn't have gotten as much attention, as we saw other tourist couples go by unnoticed. I don't think the society is oppressive as I said before, it is conservative and I think us walking around, two young women alone, was like going out to eat and using your feet; its just not done and its going to get a reaction.
Otherwise our trip was great, the biggest culture shock we had. It started with Norah's fish meal which consisted of an entire fish deep-fried, eyes and all, and continued with the sudden appearance of a lamb running down a crowded city street to little reaction. I'm sorry to say I didn't take many pictures, not wanting to draw more attention to myself than there already was. We made it safely to our final destination, a cafe carved into the cliffs overlooking the ocean where we triumphantly sat high up among the rows of men drinking te a la menthe and eating warm peanuts.
In the end we only spent four hours in Morocco and I would love to go back and explore it some more. I would probably fly directly into Marrakesh or one of the other large cities and maybe go with a man.
Take the ferry from Tarifa to Tangier, its shorter, the boats are nicer and so is Tarifa.
For women: travel in a larger group, or with at least one male or try wearing a head scarf to blend in a bit more.
From there Norah and I headed to Granada. I'm very excited and a bit jealous that my cousin Annie will soon be studying abroad there. We didn't get much time there, as the bus took longer than expected, but we got Alhambra in, at least part of it. The city is beautiful though, full of arabic and moorish designs. The Alhambra itself is spectacular filled with ornate carvings in Arabic and beautiful mosaic floors. I wish I would have had more time there.
I may as well add in my trip so far in Barcelona as that is where I am writing you from today. Norah left me in Granada (as planned) mid-afternoon yesterday. I spent a little time exploring the city and then went to the train station. My train was an overnight one and I had been considering springing for an individual sleeper if the price wasn't too much, well it turned out to be my only option. It was a bit more expensive than I would have liked but it included dinner and breakfast, a valet, and a free bag of toiletries. I was very out of place on the train, I went to enjoy my complimentary dinner and sat across the aisle from a well-dressed couple and their completely indifferent teenage daughter. I was confused as to what was free and what I had to pay for as the menu listed prices but I took advantage of it and ordered wine which was a half-bottle and got a crepe and had some tea, it turned out to be all free. I giggled upon my return to my room as I was completely out of my element but loving it. It was nice to have my first night alone especially on a train when conditions are already less than ideal for a good night's sleep. But I got one and woke up to a beautiful sunrise over the coast. I had my complimentary breakfast and deboarded in Barcelona.
I haven't got much done today as I was distracted by a fear that I wouldn't be able to get out of Barcelona and continue with my trip as planned. It seems the entire city of Barcelona is going to Switzerland for the holidays as all the trains are booked up. It was not good news to hear on my first day alone and after already spending an arm and a leg for train fare to Barcelona. But I have a flight out to Zurich on Christmas day and my traveling should resume from there as planned. It gives me a bit more time here in Barcelona which is nice because all I have seen so far is Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece. It was actually very neat to see, very different from all the churches I have seen in Europe but what was more striking was seeing it still under construction, its fun to know that in twenty years it will be completed and in hundreds of years (hopefully) it will still be standing and people will visit it and wonder about its creation (just as I do at every church I visit) and know that I was there in the process.
I'm about to take a nap, as I'm going to go out on the Tapas tour tonight to watch some Flamenco dancing and more. It might be Zurich or Vienna for the next time I post, either way Merry Christmas and lots of love from Spain!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Its My Life
It is a nice life when one day you are hiking the snowy Bavarian Mountains in Austria and the next day you are strolling the sunny side streets of Florence. That was my last ten days, I got home about twelve hours ago from traveling through Budapest, Salzburg, Florence and Rome with Norah and a new friend Anne.
We arrived in Budapest around eight o'clock at night and checked into our hostel. The hostel was nice and small but empty. The owner, Ian, a young handsome British boy, told us that everyone else staying there was at a local bar for karaoke night and that he we could join him as he was heading there soon. The beer was cheap and the bar was full. It was mostly international students and travelers, everyone spoke English. I made a new friend and ended up singing "Twist and Shout" and Bon Jovi's "Its My Life."
Our night out meant a long lie in the next day. When we awoke it was already raining, a rarity we were told in Budapest, but just our luck. We believed we could handle it and headed out. Taking things slowly we had breakfast at a local cafe. Not wishing to have the "What do you mean no meat?" conversation with the stern Hungarian woman behind the counter I picked a crepe filled with coleslaw and chicken. I picked out the chicken, and it was still delicious. From there we went to St. Stephen's Basilica which preserves, displays and on his saint day parades around the mummified hand of St. Stephen. The church was massive, as I'm finding all major churches in Europe to be, but the difference with this church was the use of rose and green marble on the inside. Still dark the colorful marble made it feel less imposing and grim as the other grey stone churches.
Budapest is actually two different cities: the hilly palatial Buda and the buzzing metropolis Pest. We were staying in Pest and after the Basilica headed across the river to Buda. Unfortunately it was still raining and while we made it to the top of the hill where Buda Castle overlooked Pest, I had had enough. Soaking and cold we headed back to the hostel. We ate at a Thai-Hungarian Restaurant across the street from our hostel. I was sure they would have vegetarian food and was pleasantly surprised to find they had a section of vegetarian hungarian food. I had mushrooms stuffed with camembare and then fried served with rice and a yogurt sauce, it was delicious. Later we went out again with the people in our hostel this time to a local bar with gipsy musicians, but we made it an earlier night.
The next day was much better. We awoke early to gray but dry skies and headed out to get as much done as we could before we had to leave. We started out at the Christmas market, all over Europe each major city features a Christmas market, selling ornaments, gifts and delicious food. We all did some shopping I picked up an enamel ring and some gipsy fortune telling cards.
We arrived in Budapest around eight o'clock at night and checked into our hostel. The hostel was nice and small but empty. The owner, Ian, a young handsome British boy, told us that everyone else staying there was at a local bar for karaoke night and that he we could join him as he was heading there soon. The beer was cheap and the bar was full. It was mostly international students and travelers, everyone spoke English. I made a new friend and ended up singing "Twist and Shout" and Bon Jovi's "Its My Life."
Our night out meant a long lie in the next day. When we awoke it was already raining, a rarity we were told in Budapest, but just our luck. We believed we could handle it and headed out. Taking things slowly we had breakfast at a local cafe. Not wishing to have the "What do you mean no meat?" conversation with the stern Hungarian woman behind the counter I picked a crepe filled with coleslaw and chicken. I picked out the chicken, and it was still delicious. From there we went to St. Stephen's Basilica which preserves, displays and on his saint day parades around the mummified hand of St. Stephen. The church was massive, as I'm finding all major churches in Europe to be, but the difference with this church was the use of rose and green marble on the inside. Still dark the colorful marble made it feel less imposing and grim as the other grey stone churches.
Budapest is actually two different cities: the hilly palatial Buda and the buzzing metropolis Pest. We were staying in Pest and after the Basilica headed across the river to Buda. Unfortunately it was still raining and while we made it to the top of the hill where Buda Castle overlooked Pest, I had had enough. Soaking and cold we headed back to the hostel. We ate at a Thai-Hungarian Restaurant across the street from our hostel. I was sure they would have vegetarian food and was pleasantly surprised to find they had a section of vegetarian hungarian food. I had mushrooms stuffed with camembare and then fried served with rice and a yogurt sauce, it was delicious. Later we went out again with the people in our hostel this time to a local bar with gipsy musicians, but we made it an earlier night.
The next day was much better. We awoke early to gray but dry skies and headed out to get as much done as we could before we had to leave. We started out at the Christmas market, all over Europe each major city features a Christmas market, selling ornaments, gifts and delicious food. We all did some shopping I picked up an enamel ring and some gipsy fortune telling cards.
We decided to attempt to explore Buda again, by this time the sky above was a creamy blue and I actually pulled out my sunglasses. The views were great from the Buda side. We went back to the palace and to a church atop the hill. Walking back we passed the impressive Parliment building and then went to catch our train.
Looking back now Budapest seems like a distant speck. I hadn't really thought about going there before Anne and Norah had suggested it, but I'm glad I did. Norah kept reminding us the city we saw was not very old, only built in the late 1800s but yet it still showed the history and grandeur of older European cities. The people seemed to keep to themselves, the trams were silent as we moved along the roads. What I can say is that its very cheap. Not on the Euro but on the Forint, it was a little intimidating to be taking thousands out of my bank account, but it got me pretty far. It seems to be a great town for young people, again cheap and everyone knew a little english. I joked that I had found a blackhole in Budapest and its center seemed to be in our hostel as everyone we met there had extended their stay in Budapest, some a few days others a few months. I would like to go back one day and spend more time discovering the city, but after our trip I have to say it wasn't my favorite city we visited.
Next up was Salzburg. The city of Mozart and Sound of Music. We arrived around midnight and went straight to bed, only to wake the next morning to cold damp skies. I was tired but Norah and Anne were energized by the sight of snowy mountains bordering the city. I was amazed with them as well, but I couldn't quite keep up as Norah and Anne rushed to find a better view of them. We slowed things down a bit and walked towards the center of town. Going through the city's Christmas Market. This market seemed more focused on Christmas decorations, most of the stands boasting ornaments and make-your-own-creche supplies rather than gifts. As the rain picked up we headed into one of the large churches. It was different from any other one I've been to. Baroque and filled with carvings, I could imagine Mozart sitting in its pews. We than headed up the hill to the convent that gave us a problem like Maria, or at least the woman she was based off of. Unfortunately the rain had picked up and the mountains were shrouded in heavy gray mist, as was the rest of the town and myself.
Looking back now Budapest seems like a distant speck. I hadn't really thought about going there before Anne and Norah had suggested it, but I'm glad I did. Norah kept reminding us the city we saw was not very old, only built in the late 1800s but yet it still showed the history and grandeur of older European cities. The people seemed to keep to themselves, the trams were silent as we moved along the roads. What I can say is that its very cheap. Not on the Euro but on the Forint, it was a little intimidating to be taking thousands out of my bank account, but it got me pretty far. It seems to be a great town for young people, again cheap and everyone knew a little english. I joked that I had found a blackhole in Budapest and its center seemed to be in our hostel as everyone we met there had extended their stay in Budapest, some a few days others a few months. I would like to go back one day and spend more time discovering the city, but after our trip I have to say it wasn't my favorite city we visited.
Next up was Salzburg. The city of Mozart and Sound of Music. We arrived around midnight and went straight to bed, only to wake the next morning to cold damp skies. I was tired but Norah and Anne were energized by the sight of snowy mountains bordering the city. I was amazed with them as well, but I couldn't quite keep up as Norah and Anne rushed to find a better view of them. We slowed things down a bit and walked towards the center of town. Going through the city's Christmas Market. This market seemed more focused on Christmas decorations, most of the stands boasting ornaments and make-your-own-creche supplies rather than gifts. As the rain picked up we headed into one of the large churches. It was different from any other one I've been to. Baroque and filled with carvings, I could imagine Mozart sitting in its pews. We than headed up the hill to the convent that gave us a problem like Maria, or at least the woman she was based off of. Unfortunately the rain had picked up and the mountains were shrouded in heavy gray mist, as was the rest of the town and myself.
We went back to the hostel to dry off and make a game plan. Norah and I decided to try and see the two house museums about Mozart. We headed towards his childhood home and attempted to purchase admission to his family home as well, but it was closing in five minutes. His childhood home was nothing special, not preserved or recreated, it was mostly whitewashed walls with plaques and portraits. It featured a few items of his, jewels given from dignitaries and his childhood violin but was otherwise sparse and uninformative. The oddest part was a section of the museum that went completely unexplained. We walked out a door and followed a balcony outside to another section once inside there were three rooms that were something out of a Lewis Carroll novel. The first one featured an old piano and wooden cut outs of two 18th century figures and a dog. A mozart song played but otherwise there was no explanation. The next room was even odder, painted entirely a light sky blue its walls bore different drawings of Salzburg in Mozart's time yet all were hung upside down and on the ceiling was a topographical map of Salzburg as well. The last room was the most bizarre, painted black with white script of Mozart's lyric it was lit by two florescent doorways each containing a headless manniquin dressed in operatic costumes. The manniquins backs were to us in the rooms as if they were entering some alien theater and an aria was played loudly overhead. Again no explanation. I was in a fit of giggles as we walked through these rooms unsure of where and what had just happened, but I pulled myself together enough so to purchase some of the Mozart Chocolates that are advertised all over the city.
Salzburg is not a very large city and we had exhausted most of it the first day. We set our sights out a bit to fill our next day. Anne really wanted to hike but it was going to rain or snow and our original hiking plans fell through. My book mentioned a small town outside of Salzburg, Hallstatt, and it wasn't a long journey to get there. So we took a bus and the train there. It did begin to snow on our way there, and it made me miss home and Christmas just a bit and our arrival at Hallstatt only made those feelings deepen. You arrive in Hallstatt at a station actually across the lake from the town, a ferry waits at the bottom of the steps and takes you across in about five minutes. Hallstatt is set right on the lake and right into the Bavarian mountains. Surrounded on all sides by massive snowy peaks and ashore a large smooth lake, the town is magical. All the houses are built into the mountains with steep steps needed to reach them.
Salzburg is not a very large city and we had exhausted most of it the first day. We set our sights out a bit to fill our next day. Anne really wanted to hike but it was going to rain or snow and our original hiking plans fell through. My book mentioned a small town outside of Salzburg, Hallstatt, and it wasn't a long journey to get there. So we took a bus and the train there. It did begin to snow on our way there, and it made me miss home and Christmas just a bit and our arrival at Hallstatt only made those feelings deepen. You arrive in Hallstatt at a station actually across the lake from the town, a ferry waits at the bottom of the steps and takes you across in about five minutes. Hallstatt is set right on the lake and right into the Bavarian mountains. Surrounded on all sides by massive snowy peaks and ashore a large smooth lake, the town is magical. All the houses are built into the mountains with steep steps needed to reach them.
We had begun to wander around these steps when we stumbled on a hiking path. We followed the path all the way to the top of one of the mountains, as we hiked what had been large wet rain drops crystallized into light white flakes of snow. It meant that we couldn't see out at the top but we were so happy to see snow and not rain they we didn't complain. We came back down to find lunch which proved to be more difficult a task than we had believed. A popular and busy spot in the summer, it has little to offer in the cold wet winter months. We did find one restaurant open and I was able to get some good Austrian vegetable strudel and boiled potatoes. It was hard to leave the picturesque city, as Anne said "This must be where they make Christmas cheer." But we left anyway and boarded a train for Florence.
Salzburg was very pretty. A perfect Christmas town, snowy and small it seemed preserved in the baroque era. Hallstatt was also a very nice surprise, absolutely gorgeous, we all agreed there couldn't be a day where you woke up there with a bad view. But again Salzburg wasn't my favorite place we visited, maybe it was the cold, maybe it was because I was tired.
The train ride to Florence was horrendous. We were booked into a compartment with three other people, and the heater was broken. It was stifiling and uncomfortable, the train stopped a lot and we slept uneasily. We arrived in Florence at six in the morning, Norah wasn't sure we could check in at our hostel, but I was hopeful they would have some couches for us to sleep on. I led us through the dark sleepy city as the sun rose. I awoke the woman in charge of the hostel and she led us in to a sitting room with three chairs which we proceeded to slump into and fall asleep for two hours. This provided us with enough energy to explore the city until we could check into our own room. Luckily it was sunny and blue skies outside, we walked lazily around the streets stopping in squares and parks to enjoy the sunlight. At one, we walked back to our hostel and slept the afternoon away. The Christmas market was right down the block from us, and so after dinner we sat under the heaters and chatted and watched the locals. We ended up at the only American bar in Florence, an establishment called the Red Garter around the corner from our hostel. We split a bottle of wine, but didn't do any dancing or karaoking just watched the crowd and then went to bed for some much needed sleep.
Like Budapest, Florence is divided by a river, and the next day we crossed the river to climb to the church atop the hill overlooking the city. It was another gorgeous day, blue skies and the city contrasted nicely with its yellow houses and red clay roofs. The church was gorgeous, well preserved from the 1200s it was white and decorated on the outside, and gave prime viewing for the city. We ate calzones at a restaurant on top of the hill and then headed down for gelato. We took our time wandering the streets just enjoying the sun and atmosphere. We went out that night for a nicer dinner, splitting a bottle of wine and eating pasta. Later we bought another bottle of wine at a market and split it, along with a jar of Nutella and cookies, as we sat on the steps of the church that overlooked the Christmas Market.
The next day was supposed to be our inevitable rainy day but it ended up being gorgeous again. We wandered the markets along the Duomo for souvenirs and ducked inside the massive cathedral to escape the wind. The Duomo was less impressive than I had expected, more like a gathering hall than a church its most interesting aspect was the fresco on its massive dome. Depicting the different areas of the cosmos, heaven, earth and a fiery hell complete with skeletons and devils. We found a great cafe for lunch, the highlight of which was the old man who worked there. He babbled to us in Italian even after he knew we didn't speak it, he repeated our odd english sayings and as we ate he stood at the door calling to those passing by trying to tempt them to come in. He even allowed for us to take a picture of him. After lunch we decided to explore the church behind the Christmas Market, Santa Croce. It ended up containing the tombs of Galileo, Marconi, Machiavelli, and Michaelangelo. As we left we could see the pink sky above the rooftops and rushed to the river to watch the sunset.
Salzburg was very pretty. A perfect Christmas town, snowy and small it seemed preserved in the baroque era. Hallstatt was also a very nice surprise, absolutely gorgeous, we all agreed there couldn't be a day where you woke up there with a bad view. But again Salzburg wasn't my favorite place we visited, maybe it was the cold, maybe it was because I was tired.
The train ride to Florence was horrendous. We were booked into a compartment with three other people, and the heater was broken. It was stifiling and uncomfortable, the train stopped a lot and we slept uneasily. We arrived in Florence at six in the morning, Norah wasn't sure we could check in at our hostel, but I was hopeful they would have some couches for us to sleep on. I led us through the dark sleepy city as the sun rose. I awoke the woman in charge of the hostel and she led us in to a sitting room with three chairs which we proceeded to slump into and fall asleep for two hours. This provided us with enough energy to explore the city until we could check into our own room. Luckily it was sunny and blue skies outside, we walked lazily around the streets stopping in squares and parks to enjoy the sunlight. At one, we walked back to our hostel and slept the afternoon away. The Christmas market was right down the block from us, and so after dinner we sat under the heaters and chatted and watched the locals. We ended up at the only American bar in Florence, an establishment called the Red Garter around the corner from our hostel. We split a bottle of wine, but didn't do any dancing or karaoking just watched the crowd and then went to bed for some much needed sleep.
Like Budapest, Florence is divided by a river, and the next day we crossed the river to climb to the church atop the hill overlooking the city. It was another gorgeous day, blue skies and the city contrasted nicely with its yellow houses and red clay roofs. The church was gorgeous, well preserved from the 1200s it was white and decorated on the outside, and gave prime viewing for the city. We ate calzones at a restaurant on top of the hill and then headed down for gelato. We took our time wandering the streets just enjoying the sun and atmosphere. We went out that night for a nicer dinner, splitting a bottle of wine and eating pasta. Later we bought another bottle of wine at a market and split it, along with a jar of Nutella and cookies, as we sat on the steps of the church that overlooked the Christmas Market.
The next day was supposed to be our inevitable rainy day but it ended up being gorgeous again. We wandered the markets along the Duomo for souvenirs and ducked inside the massive cathedral to escape the wind. The Duomo was less impressive than I had expected, more like a gathering hall than a church its most interesting aspect was the fresco on its massive dome. Depicting the different areas of the cosmos, heaven, earth and a fiery hell complete with skeletons and devils. We found a great cafe for lunch, the highlight of which was the old man who worked there. He babbled to us in Italian even after he knew we didn't speak it, he repeated our odd english sayings and as we ate he stood at the door calling to those passing by trying to tempt them to come in. He even allowed for us to take a picture of him. After lunch we decided to explore the church behind the Christmas Market, Santa Croce. It ended up containing the tombs of Galileo, Marconi, Machiavelli, and Michaelangelo. As we left we could see the pink sky above the rooftops and rushed to the river to watch the sunset.
One of the bridges is known as Ponte Vecchio and boasts buildings along the side of it perched precariously on wooden stilts over the water. The buildings house jewelry stores and lead onto a larger shopping area. On the street off the bridge a shop of costume jewelry caught my eye and Anne led us in. I was sure there would be nothing I could afford there but it was fun to look around. The woman behind the counter was persistant though, she saw me eyeing a beautiful art deco diamond ring and she went in the back and brought out some more modest options. They were all so fun and I loved trying them on, with each compliment I gave of a ring she would go back and bring out another box filled with similar designs. I ended up finding a great ring, a sort of Art Nouveau design, its a backward S with three jade stones. The woman told us that she remembered the family who brought it in and it was made at the latest before the 1940s. As it was our last night in Florence, we went out for another large meal and then each bought our own bottle of cheap wine and sat up chatting for most of the night.
Florence was wonderful, my favorite place I've been to so far. We lucked out and had three gorgeous days there, but regardless I loved the city. It had the vitality of a larger city with the intimacy of a smaller one. It seemed there would be lots to do there but it wouldn't be intimidating or as demanding as a larger city. I would really consider living there for any amount of time. The language is beautiful as well as the scenery and the people are so friendly and lively.
Next we took a ten-forty train to Rome and arrived a little after noon. Our hostel was right around the corner so we dropped off our bags and started exploring. We walked first to the Colosseum. Outside an American boy called to us and let us in on his deal of a tour. It was eight euros more than admission alone to the Colosseum and so we signed up and joined the larger group. The Colosseum was impressive but it felt so weird to be there as it seemed like something only existing in movies and history books. Its also so unassuming, surrounded on all sides by bustling city streets and a metro stop. The tour was pretty interesting, mostly the gory details of the gladiator events but I was surprised to hear that it was once used as condominiums after the games were outlawed. The tour group was also offering a free tour of Palantine hill across the street and so we joined along. Our guide was an enthusiastic Australian woman who enraptured us as she told the story of Romulus and Remus. Palantine hill was beautiful as well, a huge park of ruins that you can just wander freely around. It was odd to look down and know you were standing on the ruins of what was once the greatest city in the world, land that Caesar and Marc Anthony had wandered. We were on the sight at a great time, right at sunset and the hill gives great views of the city. So we wandered around and took photos of the scenery. I wanted to go to the Trevi fountain and eat gelato and the girls were all for it, so we headed there next. The fountain was gorgeous at night and massive, larger than I had believed. It was crowded with tourists and we all threw a coin in, and then went to a gelateria and ate our ice cream despite the chilly weather.
The next morning we woke up with the intention of catching the metro out to Vatican City. We wanted to meet up with a 9:30 tour that was going to the Papal Audience. When we got down to the Metro it was crowded and people were pushing onto the trains. We had to wait three trains before we could get on, at which point we were running very late. I was amazed at how unorganized it all was especially for a city as big and great as Rome, but we found out that the Metro workers were soon to strike and so service was poor and slow. Unfortunatley we missed the tour we had hoped to take, but there were a lot being offered and we were still able to catch up with a group going to the Papal Audience. We were shuffled into a large convention hall which was packed with school groups. I felt suddenly like I was back at a confirmation retreat, it was very odd. The groups literally started doing cheers for the pope, it felt a bit disrespectful and I felt sort of out of place. It really did just feel like we were making a stop on a tour, we were given a fifteen minute time limit and then we had to be out of there. It was odd to me that all those people were going to be sitting there for hours listening to the Pope and that many had come to Rome just for that moment. Unusually the Pope was actually a bit late coming out but he did so to loud cheers. It quickly quieted down and he said a blessing. I took a few pictures and we sat through as they read the gospel of the day in six different languages and then we took off. It was a bit incredible to be in the same room as the Pope, regardless of whether you agree with him or not, he is a very powerful man. Next up we went through the Vatican museum. If we hadn't gone with a tour I would have been completely lost and uninterested but I was fascinated the entire time. It is the most impressive collection of art in the world and we barely saw a third of it. Of course the most impressive is the Sistine Chapel. I can't really describe it to you, I wasn't sure what to expect but it was definitely a lot more. The room is covered in colorful powerful figures and after learning the history of it it was all the more impressive. Lastly we ended up in St. Peter's Basilica which is the most incredible, magnificent church I've ever been in. Enormous in size it boasts large thick pillars of rose marble and a giant sunburst of stained glass. A beautiful bronze high altar stands in the front over where St. Peter is assumed to be buried, and each Pope up to the building of the church is immortalized in gigantic sculpture. I feel like a little kid telling you about this but I don't know how to properly convey the size and dignity of the church, it was beautiful. We walked back from the Vatican to our hostel, stumbling across the Spanish Steps as we did. The steps were filled with photo-snapping tourists and leering teenage Italian boys. It served as our last stop and we made it back to Galway at around 2 this morning.
I had a final this morning and it went well. I really was supposed to be studying for my next final tomorrow but instead I'm writing this. Tomorrow is my last day in Galway. Luckily today was beautiful but I'm sad I don't have more time. Its too bad that my last day will be spent taking an exam and cleaning, but thats the way things are. Leaving here I of course go back to thinking of how I felt coming here. I know I felt bittersweet leaving Madison after a wonderful summer, but leaving here I just feel sad. I always knew I would be coming back to Madison, but I'm not so sure when I'll get back to Galway, it won't be so easy. There isn't a whole lot tying me to Galway, most of the people I've met here I can see back in the states, and school was never a big priority, but I'm going to miss the lifestyle here. I was able to relax and explore, see so many great things, I can only hope that going home will only deepen my affection for Galway and strengthen my drive to keep traveling.
I'm not quite done traveling yet so keep coming back for posts. I'll try to post photos when I have more time.
To play along at home here is my schedule from this point on:
Galway, Tangier, Granada, Barcelona, Zurich, Vienna, Prague, Amsterdam and Brussels
I'll be back in the states on the 5th
Florence was wonderful, my favorite place I've been to so far. We lucked out and had three gorgeous days there, but regardless I loved the city. It had the vitality of a larger city with the intimacy of a smaller one. It seemed there would be lots to do there but it wouldn't be intimidating or as demanding as a larger city. I would really consider living there for any amount of time. The language is beautiful as well as the scenery and the people are so friendly and lively.
Next we took a ten-forty train to Rome and arrived a little after noon. Our hostel was right around the corner so we dropped off our bags and started exploring. We walked first to the Colosseum. Outside an American boy called to us and let us in on his deal of a tour. It was eight euros more than admission alone to the Colosseum and so we signed up and joined the larger group. The Colosseum was impressive but it felt so weird to be there as it seemed like something only existing in movies and history books. Its also so unassuming, surrounded on all sides by bustling city streets and a metro stop. The tour was pretty interesting, mostly the gory details of the gladiator events but I was surprised to hear that it was once used as condominiums after the games were outlawed. The tour group was also offering a free tour of Palantine hill across the street and so we joined along. Our guide was an enthusiastic Australian woman who enraptured us as she told the story of Romulus and Remus. Palantine hill was beautiful as well, a huge park of ruins that you can just wander freely around. It was odd to look down and know you were standing on the ruins of what was once the greatest city in the world, land that Caesar and Marc Anthony had wandered. We were on the sight at a great time, right at sunset and the hill gives great views of the city. So we wandered around and took photos of the scenery. I wanted to go to the Trevi fountain and eat gelato and the girls were all for it, so we headed there next. The fountain was gorgeous at night and massive, larger than I had believed. It was crowded with tourists and we all threw a coin in, and then went to a gelateria and ate our ice cream despite the chilly weather.
The next morning we woke up with the intention of catching the metro out to Vatican City. We wanted to meet up with a 9:30 tour that was going to the Papal Audience. When we got down to the Metro it was crowded and people were pushing onto the trains. We had to wait three trains before we could get on, at which point we were running very late. I was amazed at how unorganized it all was especially for a city as big and great as Rome, but we found out that the Metro workers were soon to strike and so service was poor and slow. Unfortunatley we missed the tour we had hoped to take, but there were a lot being offered and we were still able to catch up with a group going to the Papal Audience. We were shuffled into a large convention hall which was packed with school groups. I felt suddenly like I was back at a confirmation retreat, it was very odd. The groups literally started doing cheers for the pope, it felt a bit disrespectful and I felt sort of out of place. It really did just feel like we were making a stop on a tour, we were given a fifteen minute time limit and then we had to be out of there. It was odd to me that all those people were going to be sitting there for hours listening to the Pope and that many had come to Rome just for that moment. Unusually the Pope was actually a bit late coming out but he did so to loud cheers. It quickly quieted down and he said a blessing. I took a few pictures and we sat through as they read the gospel of the day in six different languages and then we took off. It was a bit incredible to be in the same room as the Pope, regardless of whether you agree with him or not, he is a very powerful man. Next up we went through the Vatican museum. If we hadn't gone with a tour I would have been completely lost and uninterested but I was fascinated the entire time. It is the most impressive collection of art in the world and we barely saw a third of it. Of course the most impressive is the Sistine Chapel. I can't really describe it to you, I wasn't sure what to expect but it was definitely a lot more. The room is covered in colorful powerful figures and after learning the history of it it was all the more impressive. Lastly we ended up in St. Peter's Basilica which is the most incredible, magnificent church I've ever been in. Enormous in size it boasts large thick pillars of rose marble and a giant sunburst of stained glass. A beautiful bronze high altar stands in the front over where St. Peter is assumed to be buried, and each Pope up to the building of the church is immortalized in gigantic sculpture. I feel like a little kid telling you about this but I don't know how to properly convey the size and dignity of the church, it was beautiful. We walked back from the Vatican to our hostel, stumbling across the Spanish Steps as we did. The steps were filled with photo-snapping tourists and leering teenage Italian boys. It served as our last stop and we made it back to Galway at around 2 this morning.
I had a final this morning and it went well. I really was supposed to be studying for my next final tomorrow but instead I'm writing this. Tomorrow is my last day in Galway. Luckily today was beautiful but I'm sad I don't have more time. Its too bad that my last day will be spent taking an exam and cleaning, but thats the way things are. Leaving here I of course go back to thinking of how I felt coming here. I know I felt bittersweet leaving Madison after a wonderful summer, but leaving here I just feel sad. I always knew I would be coming back to Madison, but I'm not so sure when I'll get back to Galway, it won't be so easy. There isn't a whole lot tying me to Galway, most of the people I've met here I can see back in the states, and school was never a big priority, but I'm going to miss the lifestyle here. I was able to relax and explore, see so many great things, I can only hope that going home will only deepen my affection for Galway and strengthen my drive to keep traveling.
I'm not quite done traveling yet so keep coming back for posts. I'll try to post photos when I have more time.
To play along at home here is my schedule from this point on:
Galway, Tangier, Granada, Barcelona, Zurich, Vienna, Prague, Amsterdam and Brussels
I'll be back in the states on the 5th
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