Still in Italy

WOW! I can't possibly fill you in on all I've been up to since my last blog, but I'll try.

I spent 5 days in Rome and absolutely loved it. It was weird though being the single person traveler in one of the romantic places on earth. I was about to start charging for taking pictures for couples in love. Actually, I started volunteering when I'd see two lovebirds trying to hold the camera out in front of them with some massive ancient monument behind them. After awhile, I started even taking pictures of them with my own camera.

I stayed in a campgrounds outside the city, that was just the most beautiful place. The accomodations were lacking a little, but hey, what can you do? My favorite thing in Rome was BY FAR the Sistine Chapel. Actually, the entire Vatican was so much more than I ever could have imagined. An Artists' dream. I am now a huge fan of Renaissance Art. I would go back there a million times over.

After Rome, I made my way to Florence, in the Tuscany region, where I stayed at another campgrounds. This one was in an ancient olive grove on a hill above the city. A friend of mine from Ireland met me there and we stayed in Florence for 9 days. We went to churches and museums galore. Each one outdoing the last with sculpture, architecture and artwork. I think I just walked around with my jaw on the ground. Seeing the statue of "David" and the Academia museum was a truly moving experience. My Art History classes came flooding back into my head. Pictures definately don't do any justice.

We took a day trip to Pisa to see the leaning tower, which is definately LEANING! That was an absurd experiece walking up to a building that is slowly falling over. That city was wonderful. It was smaller and less touristy and we got to play frisbee for a few hours on the green next to the leaning tower and the bapistry that was there. That was surreal.

Yesterday, we decided to leave Florence and maybe explore some of the coast. So without any real plans we got on a train and headed West. At one of the train stations along the way, we met a group of Canadians who were headed in the same direction, so we traveled along with them to the coast. Afetr talking and walking around with them in this beautiful little village, all five of us ended up renting an apartment for a night. The area is called Cinque Terre which means Five Towns and it's a National Park around these Five seaside villages. We are going to hike the next few days between the five towns and explore the region. It's amazing!

After that, I'm not sure. I had decided not to get a job in Italy because I wanted to go back to Ireland, back to the Retreat Center. But unfortunately, the Retreat Center is full right now and they don't need me. So, I'm roaming aimlessly for the moment. I will kepp you all updated.
I miss and love all of you- Ciao!Me

CIAO Greece!

This computer is in Italian and I just shut it down by accident after writing a long post of my adventures...fun.

The top pic is my postcard shot of a beautiful little church on a hillside by Brian Gillian's. the second one is me with Brian and Gillian, the day I was leaving for Usha's for 2 weeks. The next one is me lounging at the beach...rough, and then me with Usha, Suzanna and Roli. Suzanna and Roli are artists who live at Usha's house while she travels. And the last one is me (very tiny in the bottom right corner) at the Acropolis! That, my friends, was amazing!

I have changed my mind about my original opinion of Athens. The part I stayed in before, was obviously a bad one. This time, it was a completely different experience. Still a little dirty, but I loved it.

Leaving Greece however was truly a Martzy experience. After getting on the wrong train to the Airport, waiting a half hour for the next train to come and wanting nothing more than to check my backpack, to get RID OF IT! I scan the electronic departure board to check my flight, and there is only one flight with the word "cancelled" next to it. Can you guess which one? Well, let me tell you...MINE! Of course the Alitalia counter was on the opposite end of the terminal and the woman there was not very nice. Apparently the flight was cancelled due to a strike and there were no other flights out that day...YAHOO! But she put me on a flight to Austria where then I could pick up a flight to Rome. Air Austrian, everyone, is quite possibly the PERFECT airlines. The Vienna airport, for that matter, is pretty great too. After a few hours there (my favorite thing in the world to sit in an airport), I got a plane to Rome. I won't get into the nitty gritty details, but let me just say that I don't think that EVER in my life have I JUST missed so many buses and trains and walked so far for absolutely nothing as I did yesterday. I didn't get to the hostel until almost 1am...Yikes.

Today, I'm in Rome! What a beautiful city. The modern hustle and bustle around an enormous ancient city is quite the sight. Of course, it's been pouring down rain since I got here, but I think that just adds to the romance. I will be here until Monday and then hopefully I am off to Tuscany. I can't think that far in advance because my brain is mildly fried today.

Just a few little things before I leave you. In Athens, I saw a car with Massachussetts plates-WHAT? On the plane they played episodes of "Home Improvement" and "King of Queens" in German, and Mickey Mouse is spelled Miky. Also, I don't like Ouzo. And one more little ditty (this is for adults only). Usha was complaining because the Greeks don't know how to make French fries. She said they are always too soft like a ...and she couldn't think of anything. So I taught her the expression "Limp Dick". It was fun going through the description both verbal AND with hand signals...just doing my part (Sorry Mom). I'd be a great English teacher.

I love and miss all of you. Ciao.