65days

12 july // day 29 // venice to vienna

VENICE TO VIENNA
- I took an overnight train to Vienna. This was my first overnight train and I thought it was pretty decent. I slept well, but only for maybe 6 hours since the train ride wasn't longer than 7 hours. They served continental breakfast complete with tea or coffee before we arrived in Vienna.

VIENNA
- It was wet, rainy and chilly when I arrived in Vienna. After four weeks of sun and heat, I loved the cold temperatures. Overall, I was happy to be back in central Europe which I generally enjoy more than southern Europe.
- I was staying in university residence halls a bit out of the way, and had some trouble finding the building. I was able to rely on my mediocre German skills to call them and ask for directions. I remember being quite pleased at myself for asking in German and understanding the woman on the phone.
- I headed back in to town and went straight for H&M... the weather was a bit TOO chilly and I didn't have a jacket. I bought a heavier nylon shirt which helped keep out some of the chill.
- I took the streetcar #1 which goes around and around the ring road and gives you a good sense of the city.
- I then went to the Haus Der Musik which was really cool. It's an interactive museum centered around sound and music.
- I was confused about my duvet back at the "hotel." I wasn't quite sure how I was supposed to use it.

11 july // day 28 // venice, italy

VENICE
- 28 days in Europe = four full weeks.
- I checked out of my hotel this morning because I was taking a night train from Venice to Vienna in the evening.

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- I headed to St. Mark's Basilica and was mostly inspired by the views of Venice from the windows.
- I also visited the Doge's Palace and once again liked the views out the windows more than the actual attraction.

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- I was roaming around during the afternoon and saw a kid wearing an SOA tshirt. The summer I graduated from high school, I traveled through Europe with a band and chorus performing in various locations. I had unknowingly been in Venice at the same time as this group, which travels each summer with a different group of kids. I asked the kid wearing the tshirt if they were going to be performing in Venice, then headed there in the evening. I found one of the tour organizers who remembered me. I hung out with her for a while, went to the concert, then said my goodbyes.
- My night train didn't leave for a while, so I hung around the outside of the train station. There were lots of weirdos hanging around the station.

10 july // day 27 // florence to venice

FLORENCE TO VENICE
- On the train to Venice, I sat in a compartment with a few Americans. One happened to also be from Cincinnati. She was with a university friend who was from Philly. They went to an Ivy League school but I can't remember which one. She wasn't very talkative and what she did say wasn't very kind to me or the fact that I chose to live in her hometown (which unfortunately seems to be the case with most native Cincinnatians who 'escape'. But I digress...)

VENICE
- When I arrived at the train station, I had to get on a water taxi to get to my hotel... definitely something different.
- The hotel where I stayed in Venice was great. It was super cheap but really nice. I was shocked I was paying as little as I was. It had a TV which felt weird after a month of not really seeing TVs.
- It was hot, so I opened up the windows to the hotel room, then left to explore.
- I was hungry so I found a pizza place. The waiter was singing while he waited tables.
- I roamed around and got lost... literally. Venice is very easy to lose your bearing and I did. The more I explored the more I liked Venice.

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- I thought it was going to be touristy and it was. But once I looked past that, I really enjoyed it. It's one of those "I can't believe I am here" kind of places.
- Because I left the hotel room windows open while I was away, I came back to a room FULL of mosquitos. I had to kill them all with a bath towel.

9 july // day 26 // florence, italy

FLORENCE
- I headed off this morning to see the David statue at the Accademia di Belle Arti. There was a LONG queue to get in. I was standing behind a group of Americans and they were being loud and obnoxious.
- The David statue really is amazing in person. It's HUGE! (that's what she said)

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- After the Accademia di Belle Arti, I headed to a public phone to call my parents, which I did every Sunday morning. None of the phones I used were working, so I told my mom I'd call her in a few days. I remember being over Italy at this point.
- For lunch I had an "omelette sandwich". I don't remember this, but I wrote it down in my journal.
- After lunch, I headed to the Ultrano for a view of the city, which I really liked (see 7 July entry below for photo).
- Chinese (#6) for dinner!!!!

8 july // day 25 // florence, italy

FLORENCE
- For the most part of the day, I just roamed around Florence. I did go to the Uffizi Gallery which I remember liking for the architecture and the views of the city mostly.
- I remember a string trio playing in the courtyard of the Uffizi. I sat and listed for a while.

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- I had gelato in Rome, but I also had it in Florence and I liked it better for some reason. I remember getting really good at ordering gelato in Italian.
- I made a note in my journal that I was getting sick of southern Europe. I think it had to do with the heat and the general lazy atmosphere (things not working, trains being late, etc.) I tend to like when things are on time and appear organized.

7 july // day 24 // rome to florence, italy

ROME TO FLORENCE
- On the train to Florence, I saw lots of cool Tuscan and Umbrian hill towns out the window. One of the stations the train stopped at was Ferrara... I remember noticing because I have a friend whose last name is Ferraro.

FLORENCE
- Once in Florence, I couldn't find my B&B. I was honestly lost for about half an hour. Once I finally found the place, it ended up being a room in a woman's apartment. The woman kinda crazy and wore giant Jackie O. glasses. She called me "Mr. Andrew." She had lots of rules, none of which I remember.
- She would leave the window open and the mosquitos would fly in. I remember getting a bunch of bites. She eventually put some kind of citronella device in to one of the outlets and the mosquitos left.

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- When I arrived, there was an American couple leaving. They were in the middle of packing and she was trying to get them to leave. They were very rude to her which embarrassed me. Definitely "ugly Americans."
- The woman would walk around saying in English, "I am sooo tired. I work sooo hard." The entire thing was awkward. It was a place to stay that was clean and affordable, so I stuck it out for three nights.
- I walked around the center of Florence for a bit, then went to bed.

6 july // day 23 // rome, italy

ROME
- I headed to the Vatican this morning. Because it was the year 2000/Jubilee there were thousands of people in St. Peter's Square. I really hate crowds, so I new this wasn't going to go well.
- I was wearing shorts and knew I probably wouldn't be able to get in to see St. Paul's, but I tried anyway. I walked past a rude tour guide who snapped in broken English, "you no shorts!" I tried to get in anyway, and they refused. I wasn't upset... I could pass on seeing yet another old church.
- I decided to get as far away from the Vatican as I could. As I was leaving, a woman who was handing out flyers tried to hand me one and I smiled and shook my head no. She snapped back at me, "You could say 'no thank you' ". I kept walking and turned back around at her and she had the most horrible smirk on her face. At this point I was over Rome and headed back to my hostel.
- I needed to do laundry, so I headed out and found one that was run by a nice South African. It also had internet access. There was a bunch of left over guide books, so I took a Frommer's Europe that was a year old which ended up helping me later in the trip.
- I had planned on staying in Rome another day, but decided to leave. Rome was, and still is, my least favorite city in Europe.
- I have a few photos of the Vatican, but thinking about this day is making me upset even 10 years later. So I'm not going to scan them. Sorry!

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THOUGHTS/TRAVEL TIPS
- My frustration in Rome probably had more to do with rushing and not slowing down to take in everything that was happening around me. Roaming around any non-touristy neighborhood and taking my time probably would have been more fun and more relaxing. Don't feel like you have to see everything... chances are you will be back. In fact, I was back in Rome three years later (and I still didn't like it).

5 july // day 22 // rome, italy

ROME
- I am pretty sure I headed to another hotel or hostel this morning, but I have no recollection of doing so. I just have a vague memory of only staying in the first hotel for one night.
- I headed straight to the Colosseum. I remember being overwhelmed when I first saw it... it's HUGE!
- The gypsies running around asking for money is frustrating.
- There were tourists everywhere around the Colosseum, although I guess I should have expected that.

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- After the Colosseum, I headed to the Forum. I liked this much more than the Colosseum. The history smacks you in the face.
- Guess what... it was HOT.

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- I wondered around some more, randomly roaming.
- This was the first day I gave up and headed to McDonalds. I don't know why or remember what I ate. It could have been just to sit in air conditioning for a while.

4 july // day 21 // cinque terre to rome

CINQUE TERRE TO ROME
- Happy July 4!
- I took a train to La Spezia to transfer to a train to Rome. While waiting, I spoke with a group of American students who happened to all be Mormon. I walked to another bench to sit and met a women name Peggy who was from Minneapolis.
- On the train to Rome, I sat in a second class compartment with Peggy and some Japanese tourists.
- In the same compartment, there was an Italian woman who smoked the entire way. Italian people kept asking her were she was going and she would reply "Napoli."
- I had some gooseberries that I didn't want and gave them to the Japanese travelers.
- The train arrived 1 1/2 hours late due to a fire on the tracks ahead of the train.

ROME
- I headed out with Peggy once in Rome to look for a room. Neither one of us could find one. However, we did find a double with two twin beds. So, we decided to go for it. I'm still shocked to this day that she was willing to share a room with a stranger.
- We headed out to get some dinner. I had spaghetti bolognese. She ordered some kind of interested desert wine after dinner.
- In the morning, she left to catch her plane back to the states. I can't remember but I am pretty sure I left this hotel and went to a hostel.

3 july // day 20 // cinque terre, italy

CINQUE TERRE
- I allowed myself to sleep in this morning since I was sick. This was the first time I slept in since I arrived in Europe. I think I got sick from pushing myself too hard the previous three weeks.

vernazza's harbor | click to enlarge

- After I ate breakfast/lunch, I headed out for a hike between towns #3 (Vernazza) and #5 (Manarola). There were a lot of great vistas on this hike, including the famous ones you always see of Vernazza and its harbor. I was too sick to hike back, so I took the train that runs between the towns.
- In the evening, I ate pasta for dinner on the rooftop terrace with David and Laura.

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THOUGHTS/TRAVEL TIPS
- Take your time... You are going to sick if you push yourself too hard. You don't need to see every old church, every museum, every park. If you are traveling for several months, there will be plenty of stuff to see.

2 july // day 19 // nice to cinque terre, italy

NICE TO CINQUE TERRE
- This morning, I took an early train to Genoa. There were about a billion tourists on the train. I remember a blond Canadian woman speaking Italian. I could tell her travel mates were over it/her.
- In Genoa I need to transfer to get to Cinque Terre. I remember it being cool and cloudy.\
- On the second train to Cinque Terre, an American guy started talking to me. I thought at first he was hitting on me, but then he mentioned traveling with his girlfriend who was a few seats away. Their names were David and Laura. They were from Seattle.

view from the terrace | click to enlarge

VERNAZZA
- When I got to Vernazza, I looked for a room and couldn't find one. I stumbled upon Laura and Dave also looking for a room, but they needed a third person, so I joined them and ended up staying with them two nights in an amazing villa that had a rooftop terrace overlooking the entire village and coastline.
- Vernazza was VERY touristy. Once I got settled, I went to get a slice of pizza for lunch and overheard an American woman complaining to her teenaged daughter that she is sick of tourists, especially the "American ones." She turned and saw me standing behind her and apologized. I remember being horrified that she assumed I was American. We chatted a bit... they were from LA.
- I remember thinking that Vernazza looked like Disneyland.
- In the evening, the locals brought out a large screened TV and watched the Italy/France EuroCup final on the main square. It felt really weird since there were tourists there yelling "I-TAL-IA" along with the locals. I left and went to bed since I was sick.

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THOUGHTS/TRAVEL TIPS
- Don't be afraid of sharing hotel rooms with fellow travelers. However, get to know them a bit and make a judgement if you think it will be ok. I was able to lock up my pack and valuables just in case.
- Be warned... Cinque Terre is VERY touristy. I'd spend a night or two in one of the smaller towns to get away from the crowds.