Firenze and Siena

Florence
Have spent the weekend in Florence (Firenze in Italiano) and it has been a good one. Had a nice day strolling yesterday and visiting the Accademia to see Michelangelo's David statue, which was all it was cracked up to be. Sculptural perfection. Then visited the Duomo and made it to the top for a fantastic view of the city amid the rolling hills of Tuscany. Yet another sweet town in Italy.

Today I took a day trip to Siena which is only 1.5 hours away by train. Very cool little town, and the main Piazza del Campo is one of my favorites, as far as piazze go. The town has a great vibe, which I was feeling even while getting dumped on by 25 minutes of torrential rain (got stranded in an alley when the rain started, under an old arch - less than ideal for shelter). First rainy day in weeks.

Siena's Piazza del Campo
Sadly, my action-packed tour of Italy is coming to an end tomorrow, but it has been a great twelve days in my new favorite country. Tomorrow I head to Milan in the morning where I will spend a few hours before hopping an overnight train to Barcelona. Definitely looking forward to my next stop as I hear good things about Barcelona, and hopefully the town is still partying after FC Barcelona's big win last week. But more important matters to take care of tonight, i.e. gorging myself on my last authentic Italian dinner for a while.

Naples, Pompei, the Amalfi Coast, and Capri

Naples
Has been a very enjoyable last few days here in Southern Italy. I spent Monday afternoon and evening in Naples and hung out with Renee's cousins - had a blast. Her cousin Celene was the best tour guide and took me all over town on the back of her motorino (scooter), which made for a true Napolitano experience. I had no idea Naples was such a pretty town. I did have some idea that the town claims to have the best pizza, and I confirmed that claim at Da Michele.

Tuesday I took the Circumvesuviana train to a town outside of Sorrento called Sant'Agnello (one hour south of Napoli) - beautiful, tiny coastal town and a perfect base for visiting the ruins of Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, and the island of Capri.

Pompei
Pompei was a very cool experience as there is so much of the town still intact despite Vesuvius wiping out the population almost 2,000 years ago. There are countless well-preserved structures amid dozens of city blocks, some very detailed and colorful mosaics inside different (roofless) houses, and even a couple victims on display (the victims were people or animals that were killed after the eruption but their forms appear almost frozen by the ash that enveloped the city).

Spent all day up and down the Amalfi Coast yesterday: it is a 40 minute bus ride to Positano and another 50 minutes to Amalfi. Positano is the prettier of the two towns, but both are gorgeous. Huge cliffs jutting straight into the ocean in front of tree-covered hills, and the towns are full of multi-colored houses built on the rock with small streets that wind along the hillsides through the town. So pretty (pic to the right).

Green Grotto of Capri (we swam through that)
Today a group from my hostel took a boat trip to the island of Capri. Was a blast. Capri is a pretty island off the coast of the mainland here, and the coastline looks similar to the Amalfi coast. But we had two local Napolitano guides and our own boat with food, beer, and biscotti, and this means of transport beat any bus or train I've been on. After spending a few hours on the island, our guides returned and picked us up at the marina, then we went around the island and explored the three different grottos along the coastline. The grottos are naturally formed caves in the cliffs along the ocean that are each named for the colors they produce when the sun shines through the openings. Awesome. Lots of swimming, a little bit of jellyfish (though no sting victims), and plenty of sun. Great day. Will be bummed to leave Italia but I've already come up with a laundry list of excuses to return.

Roman Holiday

Roman Forum w/ Colosseum in background
Rome has quickly catapulted into the top spot for my favorite city. Incredible, truly. So much history and so many ancient ruins mixed in with modern cafes, restaurants, wild people, great little side streets, and the best food. It is hot, loud, in your face, dangerous to walk around (solely due to Vespas filling every gap in stopped or moving traffic), and often crowded despite how massive the city is - chaos, really. And it is a beautiful thing. Long blog entry beginning...now:

Arrived here Friday evening and Im staying with my buddy Zandy as he is in Italy for the week and is meeting up with his family up north on Monday. We hit the tourist attractions hard yesterday - started at the Vatican Museum, and thanks to the tips of Rick Steves (my new favorite guidebook author) and our quick thinking we didnt have to wait at all to get in. The museum has a staggering amount of sculptures dating back thousands of years, and some very ornate ceilings and artwork (ornate is an understatement). The finale of the museum tour is Michelangelo's masterpiece in the Sistene Chapel. Jaw-dropping paintings and detail - truly amazing, and surreal to finally see in person after hearing so many things about the place. But perhaps the most surprising aspect of the Chapel was how every sign and guidebook said that pictures were not allowed, yet the museum staff silently watched tourists shamelessly snapping photos with flashes by the dozens. I may have snuck in a couple photos myself.

Inside the Colosseum

Next was St. Peter's Basilica (above) which we were able to enter through the Sistene Chapel, thereby bypassing the line outside. The Basilica is the largest church in the world by a longshot, and pictures do not accurately illustrate how huge it is inside. I read that it can hold 60,000 people. Pretty amazing. And there are more incredible sculptures and artwork that line the walls and ceilings. Started to get numb at the beauty of this place by that point in the sightseeing, but then we walked outside into St. Peter's Square which is a grand outdoor plaza surrounded by a semi-circle of statue-mounted columns. There is a fountain on either side and an obelisk in the center, and plenty of empty space for gatherings - symmetrical and sculptural perfection. The only thing missing was a Pope sighting.

Since we did not have to wait much at all for the Vatican City sights, I decided to head over to Ancient Rome and see the Colosseum and Roman Forum (Z arrived to Rome before me and already visited these). Incredible. Really beyond words, especially because the structure is still standing and it is 2,000 years old (I'm having a hard time writing about this stuff as I feel like a broken record and I am running out of new words to describe the sights). Walking up to the Colosseum and then inside and around the stadium seating was quite an experience. I kept envisioning the gladiators in the center with the raucous crowd cheering, just as in the movie. Then the Forum (the main square where it is said Rome began) is not far from the Colosseum, and is filled with columns and ruins from centuries ago that are still standing (at least partially) as well as the Temple of Caesar and other relics of that ancient civilization. Awesome.

Ok that was exhausting to type. So many things to see here, and I didnt even mention the Pantheon temple (above) and Trevi Fountain, which are unique and terrific in their own ways. Bottom line: if you haven't already, visit Rome before you die. It is a must.

Italia

Finally made it to the country I've anticipated most. Arrived in Venice yesterday with my bro and spent the day and night there. Very unique town and very pretty. Hundreds of canals filled with gondolas and bridges all over the place, winding streets and dead-ends that guarantee getting lost (we did), and very old world feel. Public transporation there is by vaporetti, which are water taxi boats.

Jerm and I had a great time seeing the major sights in Venice (Basilica di San Marco, Rialto Bridge, etc.) and just walking around for hours. We grabbed dinner last night and our first Italian dinner in Italy somehow surpassed my obnoxiously high expectations. Had an insanely good meal at this little spot a few streets in from the Grand Canal. Nine euros for one liter of delicious vino della casa (we may have taken down two reds), tomatoes and mozzarella for the antipasto, spinach and ricotta filled gnocchi for my first course, delicious fish for my second (the name escapes me), some tiramisu, and almost too much bread with olive oil and balsamic...but not quite too much. Weight-gain mode in full effect.

After a great visit my brother flew home this morning and I took a train to Florence for the afternoon and night before heading to Rome tomorrow for the weekend. My hostel is right off the gorgeous Plaza della Repubblica, though operated by a guy who seems to be a few slices short of a pizza pie. Ive just been chilling here today and got a much needed haircut and beard trim (pretty high and tight for both the head and stubble, but necessary for the warmer weather) after enjoying un po di gelati. Then I spent the rest of the afternoon walking around amid incredible architecture and scouting the town for when I return here next week to spend more than just a day. Will be relaxing tonight with some more outstanding food and likely my second helping of gelato for the day.

Vienna

Austria´s capital is a pretty one. Jeremy and I have hit most of the main tourist draws, including the Hofburg Palace, St. Stephen´s Cathedral, the Parliament and City Hall buildings, plenty of older Baroque-era theaters, and Mozart´s apartment from when he lived here for a few years. To be honest, everything was awesome except for Mozart's apartment which was a letdown (I think because Salzburg, his birth place, has the rights to all of his original music, property, etc. This museum had nothing except claim to his original apartment, which was interesting as it is where he wrote Figaro, but overall a bit weak).

Today held the highlight of Vienna: the Schönbrunn Palace and palace grounds from where the Habsberg monarchy ruled. The grounds were massive and beautiful and Jerm and I walked all over. Great gardens, majestic fountains, incredible sculptures, and an unbeatable view of all Vienna from the top of a hill. Feeling strong after our palace visit, we ventured into the Naschmarkt (had authentic wiener schnitzel there yesterday) for another solid meal and some more good Austrian bier.

We cut out Salzburg from our itinerary due to my bro´s schedule and we are taking an overnight sleeper train to Venice tonight which should be Eurotrip-esque. Then we have a full day in Venice before he has to fly out Thursday morning. I am pumped to start my time in Italia.

Prague - Czech it out

Prague's Old Town Square
Pretty cool city here - beautiful castles (apparently there are 100 spires  in Prague), very pretty streets, and fun night life.  Having a good old time despite coming here with no idea what to expect and very little idea of what to see (the Czech Republic is not covered in my Lonely Planet, and I was lazy about getting another guide book).

Highlights so far in Prague: Prague Castle that sits on a hill above the river and has several old cathedrals within; Charles Bridge with it's old statues and dime a dozen local artists; the bar and club scene which can have a very Euro feel; and last but certainly not least the 24 hour bratwurst stands on the street corners (though I think all the sausage and Pilsner Urquell consumption is starting to catch up with me).  

Have one more night here and will spend it with my youngest bro (arrived last night) and my friend Ed from work who was nearby for business (seriously) before Jeremy and I head to Austria tomorrow.  TK had to fly back this morning after an awesome stay.  And now it's nap time.

Street sausage stand

More Deutschland

Leipzig at night
Tom and I had a very nice stay with my friend Annemarie in Leipzig (my bro and I met her in an Argentine hostel and she so graciously offered us her apartment for the night) - rented a rowboat on a river in town and paddled around for the afternoon with some local brews, then we all had dinner and we went out with her for a bit to her colleague's art show then to her favorite local spot which was this giant bar and dance club that looked more like a dungeon. Very cool, and Leipzig has a solid vibe.

Tom and I took the train south this morning and stopped in Dresden, Germany for a few hours. Beautiful town - old looking architecture (though much of it had to be rebuilt after the WWII firebombings) and situated right on the Elbe river. A beautiful mix of new commercial development with the old surviving buildings and churches. And the weather was perfect, as were the bratwursts and beers we took down in the town square before catching the train to Prague.

About to head out on a pub crawl here in Prague. First impression of the hostel is that it is a decent one. And more sausages are in our near future (in more ways than one as we are sleeping in a six bed dorm).

Dresden

Amsterdam, now Berlin

Amsterdam 
Everything you've read or heard about Amsterdam is true. It is a beautiful city with canals running all through town and very pretty 17th century architecture lining the streets. Tom and I have had solid weather, adding to the daytime appeal of this place. It's such a civilized city on the surface, so it feels a bit funny to walk by a couple kids legally rolling some reefers outside a coffee shop in the middle of the afternoon. But that provided a glimpse of the other culture in Amsterdam, which takes the spotlight at night. And when it gets dark in Amsterdam the city is quite different than in the daytime. As a packaged deal it is a pretty cool place to visit.

Berliner Dome
TK and I took a six hour train ride to Berlin last night and once we successfully navigated the S-bahn (local train system) we arrived at our hostel and got a feel for the neighborhood here. We got a bite to eat at a local biergarten which had very good German food (veal meatloaf and meatballs), then headed back to our hostel to enjoy the `Monday Madness´ at the hostel´s bar. Beers cost one euro and boots cost eight euros (boots hold over two liters of beer) - needless to say we parked it here with some other guests for a while. Things are a bit hazy this morning, but we are feeling strong and are headed out to sightsee. On the list for today: the Brandenberg Gate, Reichstag, Holocaust Museum, and Berlin Wall (the 1.3km that is left of it). Pretty pumped.

Brussels, Belgium

Final experience in Paris: was sitting at a cafe in the quasi-outdoor international train station, Gare du Nord, waiting for my train to Brussels and a pigeon took a dump on my right arm. It almost went unnoticed, but it was too disgusting and as a result took my long-sleeved shirt total for this trip from three down to two. FYI.

Moving on, I had a fun afternoon in Brussels and it was consumption-packed: hit up a local frites place (Belgians claim they invented fries) that had 46 different kinds of sauce to go with the fries; then had some local beers and a croque monsieur sandwich at a recommended bar; and finished it all off with some ice cream. Gross, yet awesome. Oh and I did some good sight-seeing as well. The main square here is pretty cool.

Going to go try and navigate the French and Flemish street signs around here and see what this town has to offer on a Tuesday night.

Paris

It was only a matter of time before I left the spoiled environment of a country whose people speak the same language as I do (though most people we met speak English anyway). No matter, everything about Paris (besides the fashion sense of Parisian men) has been beautiful.

Have had a great time with my Mom and grandmom here (they were both in town for my grandmom's 80th birthday present and left for the U.S. this morning), and we have mastered the town and seen all the major attractions.

Highlights: the Musee d'Orsay, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, and of course taking an elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower for some incredible views. The Arc de Triomphe is right near where we stayed, and it might be my favorite landmark in the city.

Paris itself has a very relaxed cafe culture that is easy to get used to, though I think we experienced more crowds than usual as this past weekend was a holiday weekend in France. Regardless, I've had a blast these last four days.
main entrance to the Louvre

London in 48 hours

Having a great time in London. Arrived here Wednesday afternoon and met up with my buddy Bruce outside his office after taking the overground train from the airport. As he finished up work I re-entered tourist mode and visited St. Paul's Cathedral. Absolutely beautiful, and there was a choir singing when I arrived which helped the hairs on the back of my neck stand up even further. And to think of how old everything here is is crazy - the sign at the entrance of St. Paul's said that a church has stood on that site continuously since 600 AD.

Wednesday night we went out in Fulham/Chelsea area where Bruce lives and watched the first half of the Manchester United - Arsenal game. Saw the only goal of the match, then met up with our friend Carl and had a pretty big night. Was glad I didn't have to get up for work in the morning.

Yesterday I did the standard tourist circuit in the City - hit up Big Ben and Parliament, spent an hour in Westminster Abbey (incredible), and saw Buckingham Palace. Very cool. Big Ben is gorgeous and so detailed, and Westminster Abbey has a mind boggling amount of history inside of it (as does the rest of London). There are graves or memorials for some of the most important Britons in history, including many royal figures, authors like Chaucer and Shakespeare, war heroes, and even Charles Darwin (go figure).

After my sight seeing I met up with Bruce and a couple guys he works with, as one of his colleagues is a former muay thai fighter (trained in Thailand for a bit and fought semi-professionally for years) and trains at a place in East London. I went along and it was awesome. Great to workout, and while I was definitely a bit rusty I held my own with some of the aspiring MMA guys in the gym when we sparred for 45 minutes at the end. My shins have the bruises to prove it.


I'm off to Paris this afternoon to meet up with my Mom and grandmom. Very excited.