I love Italy
-Went to Switzerland
-Went on a floating bar
-Climbed a mountain
-Swam in the mediterranean
-saw a train w/ cars
-travelled in a double decker train
-talked to cool german - american highways are too slow
-watched the sunset from a train
-Rory Michelle's waist encircled by an italian man (measuring for a belt)
-worked a sink by foot pedal
-discussed disturbing roman statues
-learned to do french braids in Italy
-Heard a native italian say "Ciao Bella"
-ate real coconut in Italy
-sat on floor in really really crowded three hour train ride
-stayed on a sinking island for 3 days
-learned how to flirt from Rory Michelle
-navigated Venice in the pouring rain/thunder & lightning storm at night
-heard the St. Marks bells @ midnight
-built a sandcastle on the beach at Venice
-Read Invisible Cities on the beach in venice
-rode a ferry into the sunset on teh Grand Canal (and heard gondoliers singing)
-Dana's debit card gets eaten by a voracious venetian ATM machine (it
wanted gelato but the card was the next best thing)
-playing poker betting with wine (Sonal = 50 sips)
-went chasing after phantom hot air balloons
-took the terrifying/scenic route
-sonal getting pooped on by a pigeon
-waterfight in front of the Pantheon
-ate chinse food in Rome
-ate authentic italian food in an authentic italian restaurant with an
authentic italian accordian player (Dana has her first taste of
lasagna)
-got willingly hoodwinked into transportation scam to Mt. Vesuvius
-climbed to the summit of a smoking active volcano
-sat on a B.C. bench
-visited the thermopodium, the ancient roman version of starbucks
-had a crazy train ride - got hoodwinked by the official national
italian train company (victim of crazy naples) --> 23 1/2 hour day
trip, sleeping @ 5:30 am
Rory: Do you think that there's only a certain amount of people that can be born?
Dana: the population will keep increasing as long as people keep
reproducing.
Rory Michelle & Dana: Sonal! (In resonse to sonal putting down the
wrong card in crazy 8's - 4 of diamonds on Jack of clubs)
Rory Michelle: Does my belt match my eyes?
Dana: (peering intently) Sort of. Well, yeah.
RM: Good, 'cause that's what I was going for.
D: Great, so people can look at your belt and then at your eyes and
say "ooh! they match!"
RM: If you feed me at regular intervals, I'll be ok.
RM: I'm hungry
Sonal: I'm cold
D: I have to pee
S: Hey, look at those curtains.
RM: You know what I want, I've always wanted a bed with those curtains
that surround it, maybe I'll get some for my dorm room next year. That
and my parasol.
S: Chainsaw?
RM: Dana, can I have another piece of bread?
D: Weren't we gonna save it for tonight?
RM: But you said we have to eat it up!
D: I said we have to eat it so it doesn't sit in my backpack, not to
go after wit with a passion!
RM: Sonal, I think you should bat your eyelashes.
S: Yeah - I wanted to dye my eyelasshes, I think I'm gonna dye them blue.
RM: Sonal, you're the good call girl.
German guy on the train: American cars so 60 mph. Is there a movie on
this thing?
S: 21 sips!
D: You betted that high.
S: I had good cards!
D: I had better cards.
D: I'm just going to guess that everything is a church from now ono. I
have a 75:24 chance of being right.
RM: What's the other 1%?
D: Oh, um, something that was a church but now is something else.
In response to the crazy fast tailgating Italian scam driver, goign up
the side of Mt. Vesuvius:
RM: This is like an amusement park ride gone wrong.
In response to the crazy fast tailgating Italian scam driver, going
down teh side of Mt. Vesuvius:
Random Australian in the back seat: Grab his nuts and tell him to go slower!
(The driver slows down)
Boyfriend of girl in front seat: You can let go now.
Nick the greek (told by North Carolina hosteller): I'm worried for
your beautiful american safety.
S (during cards): Not if I have anything to say about it! (looks at
cards). Which I don't. (reluctantly puts down card).
Dana skips Rory Michelle
D: Go ahead sonal.
S: You can try to act all buddy buddy now but it's not gonna work!
(puts down draw 2)
During the day Saint Mark's in Venice is incredibly crowded, so we went at midnight in a thunderstorm, (navigating Venice in broad daylight is hard enough), carrying white bread, packaged cheese, and yes, cartoned wine (which after several days wound up leaking everywhere), and had a little picnic. Plus we heard the midnight church bells, soooo atmospheric :)
We hiked up Cinque Terre. I don't know how many stairs we climbed, but I've never done so much excecise in my life. It was totally worth it. The hike was beautiful, and we went swimming in the Mediterranean.
The last boat ride from Lido to mainland Venice was amazing, probably my favorite part of the trip. In Venice there are no cars, just bridges and boats. Its the most beautiful city I'll probably ever see, (made better by Invisible Cities of course).
Pompeii was sooo cool. And the drive up to Mt. Vesuvius was crazy. Our insane driver sped up the side of the mountain at like 100 km/h, tailgating scooters, passing busses, and the usual italian driver stuff.
crazy driver with pink shirt and pink cellphone
The Vatican museums were huge. They just have so much stuff.
We took a picture of Invisible Cities wherever we went. Carra, your book was well used :) Hehe, and then there's morning shots. (I told you I'd post them).
Dana just woke up :)
Rory Michelle
Me
We met soo many amazing people. The hostels were all really clean. Everyone was so nice. And there's so much more I want to say, so many pictures I want to post, but I'm too tired. Next year we're going cross country :)