From Popolo, I knew the general direction that I was going to need to travel in. From the plazza, I headed to the Spanish Steps, Mausoleum of Augusta, the Trevi Fountain, and stumbled upon the Pantheon (best stumble of all time). It was later in the afternoon, so the sun coming through the oculus was intense. It fell right on a sculpture of a woman pointing outward. Fantastic light quality. I was pleasantly surprised that it was free to enter here.
After being amazed by the Pantheon for awhile, I moved along to the Piazza Navona, then down to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. It is going to be a struggle to capture in words how much was packed into this city. I know I didn't see it all, and I know I can't possibly do it justice by explaining each and every one in a blog. All I can say is this city is rich with history and varying types of treasures.
Day 3 was spent checking out some of the "new" architecture in the north side, including Hadid's new Maxxi Museum and Piano's Auditorium. The tour of the Auditorium was not open during the weekday, but I did get a chance to check out the new Maxxi Museum. There was a large exhibition of architecture competitions that added to the experience.Similar to the MoMA (since the MoMA and Maxxi are in a partnership), there is a competition for the design of the outdoor courtyard during the summer time. This year was a series of floating islands of perfectly green grass that would never grow in this climate without being watered and must need to be cut with scissors since a lawn mower could never work on this (quite literally) rolling landscape. It was great to see the exhibition of the different types of work that were presented for a competition of social architecture initiatives throughout much of Europe.
That afternoon, I hopped the train for the next leg of the trip in the Sorrento/Amalfi Coast area, home of the most spectacular day of the trip, hands down. I think this is best addressed with key words:
*Great group of people
*Great food
*Perfect weather
*Beautiful landscape
*Private boat rental
The best day began in the computer room. I heard two girls talking about what to expect the next day and inquired after listening to what they were referencing. That is when Paige, a lovely gal from Toronto, offered for me to accompany the next day on a private boat rental to tool around where we wanted. How do you say no to that? So the next day, I joined 4 other solo travellers and one couple for a perfect day.
The day began with a heart pumping drive to Sorrento from Sant Agnello. These Italian drivers are out of their minds (more to come in regards to that later). We safely made it to the harbor, boarded the two boats and took off. The weather was perfect, the water was awesome, and we were no longer in danger of crazy Italian drivers. The landscape here is comprised of cliffs, beaches, grottos, mountains, and sea. Everywhere we turned was like a postcard and we must have said 100 times "I can't believe this is how we are spending our Friday!"
We arrived to the Island of Capri and walked around for awhile exploring. This is one of the most expensive areas that I have visited, but you can see why. The setting is out of this world. Everyone has to boat in and out of the island to get to the mainland.
After this, we took off toward the famous blue grotto. However, we all decided waiting for over two hours to spend 5 minutes in the amazing cave was not worth it when we could keep driving and go to the green grotto. We would up in a little cove prior to the grotto. We almost had it to ourselves. Jumping off the boats, floating easily in the water because of the high concentration of water, and just having a good time. This cove was incredible, as was the green grotto. The cliffs rose sharply above us, the water was clean and clear, and there were few people. What more could we ask for?
We took our time in the cove and the grotto before heading off to the town of Positano. This town is another coastal town that sprouts from the cliff. The roads are notched into the mountains or hang from the edge precariously. Definitely nausiating for those with a weak stomach for buses on windy roads. But for those who can handle it, pretty awesome.
That night we grabbed some grub, served with a little lemoncino appertif, cleaned up, and enjoyed lounging on the roof of the best hostel of all time. A little history of Seven Hostel: it was made as a nice hotel. When the market could not sustain the hotel, it was converted to a hostel with free internet, a restaurant, two bars, rooftop patio, and sometimes nightclub. Luxury hostels without a huge luxury rate. (I now expect dividends from the increase in business due to this posting).
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Highlights
Since the last post, there have been travels through Florence, Rome (via Pisa for the tower), Amalfi coast, Nice, and Barcelona. All have been great for their own reasons. (Understatement of the century perhaps)
Florence provided enough Renaissance everything. Michelangelo's David at Accademia deserves the hype. It is much bigger than I thought it would be. There is a great level of detail and the fissure monitor system is pretty crazy too. Photos are prohibited, but there are replicas near the Uffizi Gallery...stop 2. This gallery is HUGE. The highlight for me was definitely Duomo and getting up in Brunellesci's dome. It is so wild to think that they built this huge building with a hole in the roof. The technology to span did not yet exist, but they knew it would in the near future. When you climb the steps up to the top, there is a stop on the inside to view the expansive fresco ceiling and then continues up to the top between the layers of the dome.
The market in Florence was (hands down) the best market I have seen to date. Fruits, vegetables, pastas, fish, meats, oils, vinegars, wine, cheeses, olives, jackets, purses, jewelry and more.
After Florence, I stopped in Pisa for a quick peak at the tower. I was somewhat skeptical of the hype, but then seeing a building that leans 15 feet off the vertical axis in person eleviated the skepticism. After some cheesy photos, I hopped back on the train to Rome.
Ah, Rome. First of all, though 2.5 days is not enough, it is enough to see a lot and move out. Day 1 included a trip through the Vatican City to view a dichotemy of art...pagan and Christian. I will spare you my thoughts on that. Regardless, the sheer number of busts and sculptures in the Vatican Museum is impressive. The main attraction of course is the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms. Word for the wise, go to these first when you are full of energy, then check out the rest of the gallery. Sistine chapel was tourism chaos if you were cattled through and pushed along by the guards. A large benefit of travelling a lot of these places alone is that you can fly under the radar and are granted more liberties. So when I sat on a bench to soak it up, they spared me their 'Keep moving' cadence. Besides, I was not about to be rushed through this part. Michelangelo laid on his back for years and years painting this. Again wtih the detail...he truly deserves the title of Master. That is not to discredit the other artists that labored on this masterpiece. The composition is stunning.
Day 2 was spent on a walking tour from Piazza del Popolo to the Colosseum and Roman Forum. To be described later...
Florence provided enough Renaissance everything. Michelangelo's David at Accademia deserves the hype. It is much bigger than I thought it would be. There is a great level of detail and the fissure monitor system is pretty crazy too. Photos are prohibited, but there are replicas near the Uffizi Gallery...stop 2. This gallery is HUGE. The highlight for me was definitely Duomo and getting up in Brunellesci's dome. It is so wild to think that they built this huge building with a hole in the roof. The technology to span did not yet exist, but they knew it would in the near future. When you climb the steps up to the top, there is a stop on the inside to view the expansive fresco ceiling and then continues up to the top between the layers of the dome.
The market in Florence was (hands down) the best market I have seen to date. Fruits, vegetables, pastas, fish, meats, oils, vinegars, wine, cheeses, olives, jackets, purses, jewelry and more.
After Florence, I stopped in Pisa for a quick peak at the tower. I was somewhat skeptical of the hype, but then seeing a building that leans 15 feet off the vertical axis in person eleviated the skepticism. After some cheesy photos, I hopped back on the train to Rome.
Ah, Rome. First of all, though 2.5 days is not enough, it is enough to see a lot and move out. Day 1 included a trip through the Vatican City to view a dichotemy of art...pagan and Christian. I will spare you my thoughts on that. Regardless, the sheer number of busts and sculptures in the Vatican Museum is impressive. The main attraction of course is the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms. Word for the wise, go to these first when you are full of energy, then check out the rest of the gallery. Sistine chapel was tourism chaos if you were cattled through and pushed along by the guards. A large benefit of travelling a lot of these places alone is that you can fly under the radar and are granted more liberties. So when I sat on a bench to soak it up, they spared me their 'Keep moving' cadence. Besides, I was not about to be rushed through this part. Michelangelo laid on his back for years and years painting this. Again wtih the detail...he truly deserves the title of Master. That is not to discredit the other artists that labored on this masterpiece. The composition is stunning.
Day 2 was spent on a walking tour from Piazza del Popolo to the Colosseum and Roman Forum. To be described later...
Thursday, July 7, 2011
My Bologna has a First Name...It's L-I-N-D-A
Linda and I met waiting for the train from the Ancona port and became instant friends. Sharing travel, life, and weird stories for 4 hours. I was invited to check out Bologna and stay with Linda so I did, and it was great. I don't know all of the site names like I did in the other locations, but the it did not limit the experience.
The first day I arrived, Linda and I bumped into her friend Ramiro on the street that informed us of a free showing of the Phantom of the Opera original movie in the public square with a live orchestra and opera singer performing. It was awesome. The piazza was filled with chairs that were chalk full. It was awesome. Subtitles to the silent movie in enlish, italian, and french.
If Venice is the city of canals, then Bologna is the city of street-front arcades and red brick construction. There is red brick everywhere! The city is much different from many of the others. It was not so metropolitan. More like a college town, with a strong youth presence who cares a lot about education and politics, and in turn it seems that the city cares for them as well. Also, this city definitely has the most bikes than any other so far. They were strapped to any and every sort of secure post or fence available. "Do not park" signs did not deter.
Day two was spent seeing some of the sights of Bologna including churches and a not-so-famous leaning tower. The afternoon in the park with Linda and Ramiro was great.
Additional perk: fresh, home-cooked food and clean laundry from a real washing machine rather than a sink. Yay!
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| New Friends, Linda y Ramiro |
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| Public Plaza outside 7 churches, Bologna, Italy |
Day two was spent seeing some of the sights of Bologna including churches and a not-so-famous leaning tower. The afternoon in the park with Linda and Ramiro was great.
Additional perk: fresh, home-cooked food and clean laundry from a real washing machine rather than a sink. Yay!
Cinque Terre, *sigh*
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| Old Town Dubrovnik port. Island of Lokrum in background. |
(Cinque Terre):
After the trip to Venice, I took the train to Riomaggiore. This is one of five small towns that comprise the Cinque Terre. Stone foundations and walls terrace up the mountainside; all of these were hand placed without mortar. The five towns are connected by a hiking trail that typically takes about 4.5 hours, but one of the trails fell subject to a landslide and the detour trail adds approximately 1.5 more hours, unless you take the shuttle between two of the towns as suggested, but since when am I someone who takes a suggestion.
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| Riomaggiore (Cinque Terre), Italy |
The work to hike up the bluff rather than along the coast was well worth it once I could see the view. One of the trails is more like a light, quick stroll, but the others are a lot of up, down, and around the rocky terrain. The views from the top were amazing, and though it doesn't make for the most spectacular of pictures, the overcast days were welcomed protection from the sun. It was still crazy hot and I met a few nice people.
During the first half, I met a family that invited me to join them for lunch half way through. Super nice people from Massachusetts. At the end of the hike, none of us had a difficult time justifying a dip in the Sea or a gelato. The next day was a relaxed day checking out the towns and a very random run-in with some people I had met during the travels in Prague. Really strange but awesome. Leaned out my window in this one street town of five towns at just the time that Dylan walked by. Awesome when life works out so well. Dylan and Brittany were two people I spent a fair amount of time with in Prague. :)
Also in the Cinque Terre, I discovered figs. Why am I so behind on this? I eat everything...not beans, but still. I have a new favorite fruit.
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| View from the Sea, Corniglia (5 Terre) |
They are so bizarre. From Riomaggiore, my trip took me to Bologna where I spent two days with Linda, an amazing, caring, little ball of positive energy that I met waiting for the train to Venice less than a week before.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Welcome to Italy
After the trip to Dubrovnik, I caught the bus, then ferry, and finally train to Venice. The train was a bit of a headache. Reservations couldn't be made by the time I arrived, so instead of sleeping on the overnight as hoped, I sat on a tiny pull down seat in the hall outside the cabins for five hours. You would think after a night of no sleep, I would crash once I arrived, but Venice was a jolt of energy and I couldn't sleep.
So in a land of canals and bridges, what do you do?...get lost, and enjoy. The main streets often narrowed down to just a meter wide. In almost any other context it would feel like a dark alley, but here in a land populated by the extremely wealthy and/or tourists, it was perfectly safe and so much fun.
The bridges are everywhere and have a fairly common look until you arrive at the Constitution bridge near the train terminal by Santiago Calatrava. With a cost that exceeded the budget drastically, compromises the already deteriorating foundation of the city, and it's modern design, there isn't much for positive feedback provided by the locals. It is a little odd to traverse as well. Too low of a rise and long of a run.
San Marco square, San Marco church, the tower, Doge's Palace were all very cool. You could get lost in the city and the tiny streets and then open up to the grand public square. The floor of the church was incredibly uneven. They focused much of the structural stability at the perimeter, so the interior floor was all over the place. Connected to the back of the Doge's Palace is The Bridge of Sighs. Prisoners would be transported through this bridge before being locked up, the would see the beauty of Venice for the last time and sigh.
During my trip back from the island of Murano to see the glass makers, I walked the the park and back toward San Marco square on my way home. When crossing a bridge I noticed some minor commotion. An old man had fell and hit his head on the marble steps and was unable to get up. There was a couple of people helping, but he was obviously in terrible shape. I was so annoyed and saddened by all the stupid tourists walking over the guy like he wasn't there, continuing with their picture taking. I mean, come on people. The boat ambulance came, wrapped his head, and carted him away. It made for a reflective evening.
More to discuss on later trips to Cinque Terre, Bologna, Pisa, and now Rome to come soon. Peace people!
So in a land of canals and bridges, what do you do?...get lost, and enjoy. The main streets often narrowed down to just a meter wide. In almost any other context it would feel like a dark alley, but here in a land populated by the extremely wealthy and/or tourists, it was perfectly safe and so much fun.
The bridges are everywhere and have a fairly common look until you arrive at the Constitution bridge near the train terminal by Santiago Calatrava. With a cost that exceeded the budget drastically, compromises the already deteriorating foundation of the city, and it's modern design, there isn't much for positive feedback provided by the locals. It is a little odd to traverse as well. Too low of a rise and long of a run.
San Marco square, San Marco church, the tower, Doge's Palace were all very cool. You could get lost in the city and the tiny streets and then open up to the grand public square. The floor of the church was incredibly uneven. They focused much of the structural stability at the perimeter, so the interior floor was all over the place. Connected to the back of the Doge's Palace is The Bridge of Sighs. Prisoners would be transported through this bridge before being locked up, the would see the beauty of Venice for the last time and sigh.
During my trip back from the island of Murano to see the glass makers, I walked the the park and back toward San Marco square on my way home. When crossing a bridge I noticed some minor commotion. An old man had fell and hit his head on the marble steps and was unable to get up. There was a couple of people helping, but he was obviously in terrible shape. I was so annoyed and saddened by all the stupid tourists walking over the guy like he wasn't there, continuing with their picture taking. I mean, come on people. The boat ambulance came, wrapped his head, and carted him away. It made for a reflective evening.
More to discuss on later trips to Cinque Terre, Bologna, Pisa, and now Rome to come soon. Peace people!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Dubrovnik: Pinch Me, I'm Dreaming
Since I am having issues loading images, I have uploaded some images to my Picasa account. You should be able to view with the following link:
https://picasaweb.google.com/tina.vasinda/Europe2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCMP9sMLjgfPKjQE#
I almost missed out on a bus to this amazing city. The website for bus tickets from Zagreb to Dubrovnik said they would need to be purchased on site. So even though I have preferred to error on the side of overly prepared, I went with it. Guess what! When I arrived in Zagreb, not only was the bus leaving at 21:00 full, but also the 22:30 and the following day at 16:00. There was nothing! I asked the woman at the ticket counter what I could do, she told me to go to the gate and ask the bus driver if there was by chance an opening. So that is what I did....and I got a resounding no, there is no room. OMG! I told him I didn't care if I was sitting on the stairs, I would. He chuckled and then realized I was serious, so he went to work talking to the other people coordinating the buses to Dubrovnik. I, on the other hand, sent a little message to the big man for a little assistance. It all worked. I got a spot!!!
So, now I am in Dubrovnik and I didn't have to sit on the stairs of the bus to get here. It is literally like I have died and gone to paradise. So unbelievable that less than 15 years ago, this area was ravaged by war. Croatia has fought hard for its independence.
I spent today familiarizing myself and getting too much sun. No matter how much sunscreen I put on, it still ate me alive. Well worth it. The scenery is amazing, the beaches are beautiful. There are numerous islands scattered about that daily excursions can be taken to. The old town is gorgeous as well. I have two more full days here and I plan to live it up, and get to know this place. I cannot believe I have not heard more about this place prior to this trip. So incredible. Now to decide what there is time for...cable car to the top of the mountain, island excursion, 1/2 day kayak around the islands, of course the wall tour. Hmm. :)
https://picasaweb.google.com/tina.vasinda/Europe2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCMP9sMLjgfPKjQE#
I almost missed out on a bus to this amazing city. The website for bus tickets from Zagreb to Dubrovnik said they would need to be purchased on site. So even though I have preferred to error on the side of overly prepared, I went with it. Guess what! When I arrived in Zagreb, not only was the bus leaving at 21:00 full, but also the 22:30 and the following day at 16:00. There was nothing! I asked the woman at the ticket counter what I could do, she told me to go to the gate and ask the bus driver if there was by chance an opening. So that is what I did....and I got a resounding no, there is no room. OMG! I told him I didn't care if I was sitting on the stairs, I would. He chuckled and then realized I was serious, so he went to work talking to the other people coordinating the buses to Dubrovnik. I, on the other hand, sent a little message to the big man for a little assistance. It all worked. I got a spot!!!
So, now I am in Dubrovnik and I didn't have to sit on the stairs of the bus to get here. It is literally like I have died and gone to paradise. So unbelievable that less than 15 years ago, this area was ravaged by war. Croatia has fought hard for its independence.
I spent today familiarizing myself and getting too much sun. No matter how much sunscreen I put on, it still ate me alive. Well worth it. The scenery is amazing, the beaches are beautiful. There are numerous islands scattered about that daily excursions can be taken to. The old town is gorgeous as well. I have two more full days here and I plan to live it up, and get to know this place. I cannot believe I have not heard more about this place prior to this trip. So incredible. Now to decide what there is time for...cable car to the top of the mountain, island excursion, 1/2 day kayak around the islands, of course the wall tour. Hmm. :)
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