Okay so I think I left off with leaving for Rome.
We got up really early on Monday to catch an early bus to the airport to catch our 8ish flight I think. The trains didn't start running until 5:00 which was fine, it would be close but fine. We get to the train station and the first train doesnt get to us until 5:30. Crap. So we panic slightly but decide that we'll have to just rush as much as we can. So after 2 trains we get to the bus station and catch a bus to the airport. We make it there with plenty of time and check in etc and have an uneventful wait for the plane as well as an uneventful plane ride.
We land in Rome around 9 or 10, and catch a bus to the city. Luckily, when I was in Rome in January our hotel was near the Termini Station where the bus let us off so I knew how to get around from there. Rome was significantly less nerve wracking to get to since I'd been there before which was pretty convenient. The directions to our hostel were pretty straight forward and while it was a decent walk it wasn't too bad, though we found out after we could've taken the metro just as easily.
Our hostel was really nice, it was in an apartment building on the ground floor so it was a really nice set up. This was the plan for Rome:
We would be there for 2 nights, each night with 5 people BUT Monday night would be Carolina, Nick, Stephen, Mike and I. Carolina Nick and Mike would be in Rome until Wednesday when they would move on to Venice. Stephen had to get back to London on Wednesday because his family was coming to visit but he wanted to do Florence for a little bit while in Italy because it's one of his favorite places. So the plan was that I would go to Florence with Stephen Tuesday afternoon and we'd walk around a bit get dinner and chill out. Stephen would then go back to Rome because he was flying out of Rome and because I was going to do Florence on Wed. anyway I got a room in a hostel and stayed the night rather than going back and forth. Meanwhile back in Rome, Felicia was getting into Rome Tuesday night and she would take my place in the hostel. We talked to the hostel before hand to make sure this was cool, and it was. To bare you any undo suspense, the plan worked.
So after getting our stuff dropped in the hostel they gave us a map with the primary stuff to see so we headed out to see what we could. Turned out our hostel was right down the block from the Spanish Steps, not the bottom though, the top, which gave us a great view since we were on top of the Steps. We obviously then got down and took pictures. After that we headed in the general direction of the Villa Bourghesie. On the way we passed through this random piazza (you know like you do in Rome) and were harassed by men selling flowers but basically scamming you. We basically ended up with like 9 roses between the 5 of us. We continued on our way and on the way Nick decided he wanted to play with couples and just give them roses, take their picture and move on. It was actually really nice. We passed this one group of teennagers who were all kind of arguing etc and Nick just went up to them and offered them roses and at first they were like no leave us alone and he was like no here, no charge have a nice day and they all started laughing and smiling and took pictures with Nick.
We got lost for a bit walking through the park but it was a really pretty park so it was okay. Turned out when we got there that the museum was closed because it was a Monday so we headed back towards the center of Rome with the destination of the Trevi Fountain because it was easy to get to and it got us closer to everything and it was better than just wandering. So we got there, took pictures made wishes. Ran into more rose selling people and blew them off. Afterwards we headed started doing more of a wandering type thing, we had the map which gave us an idea of where we were and what we wanted to see etc... In the end we ended up seeing the Pantheon, Piazza Nuvona, Campo di Fiori, and probably a ton of other places I can't remember. We passed through Largo de Argentina which was kind of cool because thats where Sam and I hung out a lot in January because it was the one place we figured out how to get to and it had a lot of stores and such. While we were in Campo di Fiori we ran into this clown lady that was handing out hand made post cards with random information on them. She told us all about this church near by that had a painting by Carvaggio in it that she loved very much and so we decided to stop in.
The painting was a Madonna with Child and the painter had used his lover as the model for the Madonna which some people apparently didn't like (this is what she told us) so one day this man cut the womans face and disfigured her so Carvaggio then tried to kill the man and failed but was forced to leave Rome.
After a bit we headed back to the hostel and everyone sort of passed out for awhile since we'd been up since like 4. So finally aroun 5:30 or so, maybe later, we started thinking about dinner and asked at the desk about some place to eat. She told us about a place near the Spanish Steps which we decided to go in search for. We couldn't find it. We ended up at another little restraunt where we ate out on the street and all ate alot and got a dessert. Or two. After that we just went home and crashed.
Next day everyone headed to the Vatican which since I had just done in January I decided to venture off on my own. I had looked up where to find the catacombs since I'd never done those before. I found one that while it was kind of out of the way, seemed cool so I headed up to a small church called St. Agnes which involved walking for like 2 miles only to find out the catacombs were closed for construction or restoration or something. The church itself was still pretty cool and it was a cool little area to see.
I headed back in and met up with Bari who was just finishing the Colloseum and we grabbed some lunch and walked through Palatine Hill which is kind of like the Roman Forum but with less full structures and less important structures. We then went to the Forum for a bit before I left to get my stuff from the hostel and to meet Stephen at the train station to go to Florence.
We met there got a ticket and missed the train by like seconds, and then exchanged those tickets for the next fast train to Florence and made that one no problem.
Again, I'm going to cut it here because it's long enough and I have to go meet people for dinner. Stay tuned for the rest of reading week and a belated Thanksgiving update.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Ok, get comfortable we have a lot to cover...
So since the last post a lot has happened. Starting the week before reading week...
A while ago, Nelle, Sam (nelles flatmate from washington), and I sat down and figured out what we wanted to do and see while we were here. We found 7 pound tickets to La Cage aux Folles. The show was awesome and by the end I really really liked it. As we walked out it was pouring, really heavily and it almost looked liek snow. It was almost sleety. Then it became sleety. Then it became snow. Which was really exciting! It didn't last very long but it was still fun while it lasted.
Next night was A Disappearing Number with the London Theatre class which was about how if you add up all the numbers between 0 and infinity it comes out to -1/12. It has a whole other way of looking at math as artistic and beautiful which was kind of nice. Outside of that the story was really convoluted but at the same time nice enough.
The next night, Thursday, Mike and I went into the city to wander around and got quick tickets for Blood Brothers. It was good in a different way, but totally quintessentially English. It's about two brothers separated at birth and they grow up as best friends and then die together. Not great in the Broadway sense of great but still impressive.
The next day after class I speed packed and Carolina, Nick, Stephen, Mike and I left for the airport to get to Barcelona. We got to the airport no problem, went to grab dinner and then Nick realizes he doesn't have his passport with him. He had it before but its not there now. So he tells us to go catch the plane and hes going to check the lost and found and security. So we all get on the plane and as Mike and I are sitting there contemplating how Nick could not be freaking out over losing his passport and wondering if we'd find him again before getting back to London we looked up and see Nick getting on the plane into a seat.
After an uneventful flight we landed in Girona and took the bus all the way to Barcelona (only about an hour). We then took a cab to our hostel which ended up being on a really big hill/ in a park a short train ride outside of the central city. It was pretty late by the time we got there so we grabbed a bag of chips and went to bed.
The next morning we took the metro into Barcelona and started by walking down Las Ramblas which is really just a street that leads from the center of town down to the water with a lot of stands and street performers along the way. At the end of the street was a bus tour ticket booth so we got a 2 day pass which would get us around the city and tell us what to see. We started with going to the beach and taking a little bit to be at the Mediterranean before grabbing a quick snack at McDonalds and getting back on the bus.
The next stop was a Chocolate Museum. Your ticket was a bar of chocolate and it sort of gave you some information about the history of chocolate but mostly was all about chocolate sculptures including a white chocolate gorilla and a Milk Chocolate Pieta. We walked around the area a bit which was still beautiful and found a Picasso Museum that we decided to explore. Most of us weren't really Picasso fans but it wasn't the biggest museum so we decided it was worth the time and it was. I think everyone found something they liked and the way the museum was set up was more chronological than most which gave you the chance to see the whole progression and how his style developed.
Afterwards we headed toward a Gaudi house that we'd found in a coupon booklet that came with our tour. The house was called Casa Batllo. The house had been renovated by Gaudi and was totally inspired by the ocean and sea life and stuff. It was awesome and beautiful. The coolest part was that he did it with no plans. He had drawings and a model but no real plans. There were also no straight lines and he'd figure out arch ways by holding a chain upside down and seeing how it fell. It was brilliant.
We got back on the bus and finished the loop for the day so we could see the rest of Barcelona and get a view of Barcelona at night. We ended up back on Las Ramblas to get dinner and then headed home.
The next day it was pouring and windy. So we picked up the bus again to do a different loop. We got off at Sagrada Familia which is a Cathedral that was designed by Gaudi but has yet to be completed. It was insane. The outsides far more completed than the inside with tons of spires and just a lot of really cool images going on. The back had all the stations of the cross while the front had the whole nativity and the creation story going on with all the animals.
The rest of the bus tour was less interesting because it was pouring so we couldnt sit on top to see everything and it wasnt as entertaining. We eventually got off for a late lunch and then walked down towards the water again where the aquarium was. After a lot of debate we hit up the aquarium and saw cool penguins who thought we were going to feed them, a giant stingray and went through this tunnel where the sharks and other fish all swam around you. We also got to see an octopus or two up close which was really cool.
Afterwards we walked around the mall that was right next door, got coffee and just sat out on the porch and talked. It was a nice ending.
The next morning we headed to Rome. Check back for that update because I think this is pretty long already and there are still three more cities to do before we're back in London. Stay tuned!
A while ago, Nelle, Sam (nelles flatmate from washington), and I sat down and figured out what we wanted to do and see while we were here. We found 7 pound tickets to La Cage aux Folles. The show was awesome and by the end I really really liked it. As we walked out it was pouring, really heavily and it almost looked liek snow. It was almost sleety. Then it became sleety. Then it became snow. Which was really exciting! It didn't last very long but it was still fun while it lasted.
Next night was A Disappearing Number with the London Theatre class which was about how if you add up all the numbers between 0 and infinity it comes out to -1/12. It has a whole other way of looking at math as artistic and beautiful which was kind of nice. Outside of that the story was really convoluted but at the same time nice enough.
The next night, Thursday, Mike and I went into the city to wander around and got quick tickets for Blood Brothers. It was good in a different way, but totally quintessentially English. It's about two brothers separated at birth and they grow up as best friends and then die together. Not great in the Broadway sense of great but still impressive.
The next day after class I speed packed and Carolina, Nick, Stephen, Mike and I left for the airport to get to Barcelona. We got to the airport no problem, went to grab dinner and then Nick realizes he doesn't have his passport with him. He had it before but its not there now. So he tells us to go catch the plane and hes going to check the lost and found and security. So we all get on the plane and as Mike and I are sitting there contemplating how Nick could not be freaking out over losing his passport and wondering if we'd find him again before getting back to London we looked up and see Nick getting on the plane into a seat.
After an uneventful flight we landed in Girona and took the bus all the way to Barcelona (only about an hour). We then took a cab to our hostel which ended up being on a really big hill/ in a park a short train ride outside of the central city. It was pretty late by the time we got there so we grabbed a bag of chips and went to bed.
The next morning we took the metro into Barcelona and started by walking down Las Ramblas which is really just a street that leads from the center of town down to the water with a lot of stands and street performers along the way. At the end of the street was a bus tour ticket booth so we got a 2 day pass which would get us around the city and tell us what to see. We started with going to the beach and taking a little bit to be at the Mediterranean before grabbing a quick snack at McDonalds and getting back on the bus.
The next stop was a Chocolate Museum. Your ticket was a bar of chocolate and it sort of gave you some information about the history of chocolate but mostly was all about chocolate sculptures including a white chocolate gorilla and a Milk Chocolate Pieta. We walked around the area a bit which was still beautiful and found a Picasso Museum that we decided to explore. Most of us weren't really Picasso fans but it wasn't the biggest museum so we decided it was worth the time and it was. I think everyone found something they liked and the way the museum was set up was more chronological than most which gave you the chance to see the whole progression and how his style developed.
Afterwards we headed toward a Gaudi house that we'd found in a coupon booklet that came with our tour. The house was called Casa Batllo. The house had been renovated by Gaudi and was totally inspired by the ocean and sea life and stuff. It was awesome and beautiful. The coolest part was that he did it with no plans. He had drawings and a model but no real plans. There were also no straight lines and he'd figure out arch ways by holding a chain upside down and seeing how it fell. It was brilliant.
We got back on the bus and finished the loop for the day so we could see the rest of Barcelona and get a view of Barcelona at night. We ended up back on Las Ramblas to get dinner and then headed home.
The next day it was pouring and windy. So we picked up the bus again to do a different loop. We got off at Sagrada Familia which is a Cathedral that was designed by Gaudi but has yet to be completed. It was insane. The outsides far more completed than the inside with tons of spires and just a lot of really cool images going on. The back had all the stations of the cross while the front had the whole nativity and the creation story going on with all the animals.
The rest of the bus tour was less interesting because it was pouring so we couldnt sit on top to see everything and it wasnt as entertaining. We eventually got off for a late lunch and then walked down towards the water again where the aquarium was. After a lot of debate we hit up the aquarium and saw cool penguins who thought we were going to feed them, a giant stingray and went through this tunnel where the sharks and other fish all swam around you. We also got to see an octopus or two up close which was really cool.
Afterwards we walked around the mall that was right next door, got coffee and just sat out on the porch and talked. It was a nice ending.
The next morning we headed to Rome. Check back for that update because I think this is pretty long already and there are still three more cities to do before we're back in London. Stay tuned!
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