Day 18
Leaving paradise may have been harder, had it not been for the next destination of our journey. One of the biggest things on my Bucket List from before I can remember has always been to go to Lake Como in Italy. As we hopped on the train, Eurail passes in hand, we waved goodbye to the tropical beauty of the Cinque Terre and tried to contain our excitement. Much like Red wonders if the ocean would be as blue as he always imagined in the closing moments of Shawshank Redemption, I wondered what the place would look like. Were my expectations too high? Was it even worth spending 3 days at? No and yes, respectively.
Lake Como, a magnificent body of water surrounded by the Alps, has numerous towns littered along its shores. Our home base was Varenna, a quiet town with nothing to do but enjoy the view. Lucking out again, we were treated to a room with a magnificent view of the lake. Nothing spectacular by most peoples' opinions, but to us, it was gorgeous.
Walking from the train station to the hotel to lake, my heart began to race. I was prepared for heartbreak but experienced overwhelming jubilation. It was better than in the movies. It was prettier than the post cards. It was spectacular. I wanted to freeze the image in my head. But I knew I couldn't and that video and photos would have to suffice. Disparagingly trying to duplicate intangible beauty left us frustrated and hopeless. For once, we decided we would hog the true beauty. Our families back home could be content with pictures that didn't capture the beauty and video that paled in comparison to real life. But we were there. At last.
The rest of the night was spent with our jaws on the ground and eyes to the horizon. It may have been too cold to eat outside, but we each got a delicious cheese pizza and ate it outside overlooking the lake. Our teeth chattered as we ate the pizza, but we couldn't pass up the luxurious feeling of eating on a posh terrace overlooking a picturesque scene. Totally worth it, minus the ducks nipping our feet trying to get some food. Unfortunately for them, however, the pizza was too good to share.
Day 19:
First thing in the morning, we hopped a ferry to the other side of the lake in order to go to Bellagio. A much more substantial town, Bellagio offered a full day of picnicking, gazing, and shopping. Surprisingly for two poor college kids, we didn't feel out of place in the posh streets of Bellagio. We soaked in all the sights and enjoyed our careless wandering with gelato in hand. For the first time, I tried the popular Italian gelato flavor of Pistachio. Taken aback at first, I grew to LOVE it. Who knew nut-flavored gelato could be so good? The dull green color didn't help its appeal, but the taste made it completely worth it. For dinner, we went to a pizza place and got a "Family size" pizza intended to feed 4-5. The workers laughed until we brought back the empty box. Some of the best pizza we had all trip, we couldn't help but eat like it was our final meal. Which, in a sense, it almost was. Our days in Italy were numbered and we knew that there was not much time left.
Day 20:
Sticking with our plans from the previous 5 days, we did nothing. Relaxed and enjoyed the beautiful weather. The only thing on the schedule was to try and find a TV that was playing the Manchester United vs. Bayern Munich Champions League game that night. Until then, we fed the ducks. Hoping for a cherry on the top of our wonderful Varenna stay, we went down to the bar below our hotel to watch the game in a room full of local Italians that night. Jubilation set in when we went up 3-0. Disappointment took over when the game ended 3-2 (confusingly knocking our team, Manchester, out of the competition). After the week we'd been having however, we didn't care. Soccer could cease to exist if it meant we could stay near Lake Como.
It was a surreal experience spending 3 nights in a place I have dreamed about my whole life. My mind ran on overdrive wondering if it was living up to my expectations. I was worried that something would happen; I would wake up; realize it was a dream. But it wasn't. It was really there and Steph and I weren't ready to leave. The bakery in our hotel, however, had her favorite donut the morning of our departure. Suddenly, Steph was being pulled to the train quicker than ever. Man, that girl and her baked goods. My vice? Gelato. Hers? Delicious pastries. Together? Awful diets.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Spring Break Part 5 (Days 15,16,17)
Still recovering from the whirlwind trip of Italy, we are here to update you with the next leg of our journey.
Day 15:
With the gelato sitting heavily within our stomachs, we took off for paradise. Before making it there, however, we had a much anticipated, and purely touristy, stop in Pisa. Our plans? Walk to the Leaning Tower, climb up, take funny pictures, and leave. We did exactly that.
We had booked our non-refundable tickets in advance in order to ensure our access to the top of the Tower. Knowing there could be lines and no room, we bit the bullet and payed way too much money for advance tickets. A little part of me worried, however, due to the non-refundable nature of these tickets. I worried because I was told the tower often closed in bad weather. No worries though right? I mean, we hadn't had rain more than once or twice in Italy.
Sitting on the train trying to stay awake, we stopped at a town about 20 minutes outside of Pisa. Nothing unusual besides for the influx of about 10 Nigerian men carrying umbrellas. Had we not been traveling in Italy for 2 weeks, we would have thought nothing of it. But, as you may know, we had become somewhat experienced by then and we knew that these Nigerian men were only to be seen near the large tourist attractions. Normally they sold handbags, but today they had umbrellas. Something clicked in my head that maybe these guys checked the weather...
Stepping off the train and CRACK. Lighting was overhead as rain began to fall. Not a big deal, had it not been for 2 25 buck tickets that were quickly becoming useless in my pocket. I tried my hardest not to mention any of this to Steph as I knew she was ecstatic for our endeavor up the Tower. Thankfully, I never had to break the bad news to her. Luck was on our side as the rain stopped as we hit the Field of Miracles.
We paid a lot of money to climb up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but it was worth every penny. It was a surreal feeling that completely altered your senses. I felt as though I was entering an MC Escher painting. Our trip had to be quick though in order to catch the train to paradise!
Entering paradise, our train went through a long, 2-minute tunnel. Upon exiting the tunnel, my eyes struggled to focus as I looked at what I thought was an extraordinarily bright sky. As they focused, however, I saw the bluest ocean I have ever seen. This is when I knew we had entered paradise: a land known as the Cinque Terre.
Steph and I didn't even wait for the doors to open as we jumped out of the train onto a concrete platform baking in sunlight overlooking the ocean. Was it really the ocean? We have no idea. We figured it is connected to the ocean, so it is the ocean. Check Google Maps and let us know. We didn't care. We were like kids in a candy shop. We had our eyes open wide as we walked to our hotel for our three-night stay.
Whoever said you can't get luxury for cheap? 60 euros a night, and we felt like royalty. Sitting atop the hill in Manarola (town 2 of the 5 Cinque Terre towns), our hotel had only three rooms. Ours had a balcony. If that wasn't cool enough, check out the video whens it's up. What's cooler than waking up to use the bathroom in the morning and before crawling back into bed, stepping out and breathing the fresh air as you look out over the bright blue water framed by pastel houses perched on the side of a cliff?
We then took a walk from town 2 (Manarola) to town 1 (Riomaggiore) via the 'Trail of Love.' A simple 25-minute hike that wrapped around the edge of land overlooking the water, this trail is known for its connection to love. It is covered in amorous graffiti and gushy couples walking hand in hand (like two people I'm sure you all know). Needless to say, we fit right in. There is a local tradition that if you and your significant other lock a padlock in a special, romantic place, that you will have eternal love. Needless to say, we did it.
On our way back, we stopped to have a snack at an outdoor cafe overlooking the water as the sun set. We got cake and hot chocolate as we celebrated the beauty of life. And the hot chocolate was literally hot, melted, chocolate. How yummy. After that, it was aimless gazing and wandering as we begrudgingly left the outdoor beauty of paradise for internal confines of a room. But remember, we did have a balcony!
Day 16:
No time for rest for these 2 kids! Waking up as early as possible, we were determined to hike the entire length of the Cinque Terre, from Manarola (town 2) to Monterosso (town 5), about a 4 hour hike. It was long and difficult, but very much worth it. Spectacular views and countless friendly kitties help motivate our tired bodies to climb the countless hills and stairs. I was very impressed for two non-hikers. This day was to be spent in town 4, Vernazza. Arguably the most dramatic of the 5, Vernazza provided us a day full of nothing but beauty. The itinerary? Relax, cannoli, sit on the rocks and rate the crashing waves, cannoli, pizza, cannoli and slushes. And gelato of course.
We met our favorite Italians of the trip at a local pastry shop. Two true-blooded Sicilians who loved Steph and I had some of the best treats we have ever had. Helping clueless foreigners get the best treats, they taught us how delicious Sicilian pastries are. Stephs favorite? The oversized ricotta cheese cannoli. My favorite? Their homemade fruit slushes with homemade cream. I think Steph loved the place because they called her pretty.
Day 17:
This day? A whole lot of nothing. Nothing at all. We got more pastries of course, but nothing else. It was Easter and we figured that doing nothing was the best way to celebrate the holiday. We sat together and debated why we would soon have to leave. We thought of ways to stay. Would anyone notice if we never came back to civilization? We didn't have internet, no phone, no ties to humanity. Surely no one would notice? Unfortunately, we knew better and realized that our time was limited in this gorgeous chunk of earth. We thought that in order to truly appreciate such a place, we needed to do absolutely nothing and soak in the beauty one last time.
There is something completely calming about the consistent sound of the waves crashing against the rocks. The waves try so hard to be fierce and intimidating, yet they cannot escape the label of soothing. This we noticed as we finished our sugar cone and headed for our temporary home, one last time.
Day 15:
With the gelato sitting heavily within our stomachs, we took off for paradise. Before making it there, however, we had a much anticipated, and purely touristy, stop in Pisa. Our plans? Walk to the Leaning Tower, climb up, take funny pictures, and leave. We did exactly that.
We had booked our non-refundable tickets in advance in order to ensure our access to the top of the Tower. Knowing there could be lines and no room, we bit the bullet and payed way too much money for advance tickets. A little part of me worried, however, due to the non-refundable nature of these tickets. I worried because I was told the tower often closed in bad weather. No worries though right? I mean, we hadn't had rain more than once or twice in Italy.
Sitting on the train trying to stay awake, we stopped at a town about 20 minutes outside of Pisa. Nothing unusual besides for the influx of about 10 Nigerian men carrying umbrellas. Had we not been traveling in Italy for 2 weeks, we would have thought nothing of it. But, as you may know, we had become somewhat experienced by then and we knew that these Nigerian men were only to be seen near the large tourist attractions. Normally they sold handbags, but today they had umbrellas. Something clicked in my head that maybe these guys checked the weather...
Stepping off the train and CRACK. Lighting was overhead as rain began to fall. Not a big deal, had it not been for 2 25 buck tickets that were quickly becoming useless in my pocket. I tried my hardest not to mention any of this to Steph as I knew she was ecstatic for our endeavor up the Tower. Thankfully, I never had to break the bad news to her. Luck was on our side as the rain stopped as we hit the Field of Miracles.
We paid a lot of money to climb up the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but it was worth every penny. It was a surreal feeling that completely altered your senses. I felt as though I was entering an MC Escher painting. Our trip had to be quick though in order to catch the train to paradise!
Entering paradise, our train went through a long, 2-minute tunnel. Upon exiting the tunnel, my eyes struggled to focus as I looked at what I thought was an extraordinarily bright sky. As they focused, however, I saw the bluest ocean I have ever seen. This is when I knew we had entered paradise: a land known as the Cinque Terre.
Steph and I didn't even wait for the doors to open as we jumped out of the train onto a concrete platform baking in sunlight overlooking the ocean. Was it really the ocean? We have no idea. We figured it is connected to the ocean, so it is the ocean. Check Google Maps and let us know. We didn't care. We were like kids in a candy shop. We had our eyes open wide as we walked to our hotel for our three-night stay.
Whoever said you can't get luxury for cheap? 60 euros a night, and we felt like royalty. Sitting atop the hill in Manarola (town 2 of the 5 Cinque Terre towns), our hotel had only three rooms. Ours had a balcony. If that wasn't cool enough, check out the video whens it's up. What's cooler than waking up to use the bathroom in the morning and before crawling back into bed, stepping out and breathing the fresh air as you look out over the bright blue water framed by pastel houses perched on the side of a cliff?
We then took a walk from town 2 (Manarola) to town 1 (Riomaggiore) via the 'Trail of Love.' A simple 25-minute hike that wrapped around the edge of land overlooking the water, this trail is known for its connection to love. It is covered in amorous graffiti and gushy couples walking hand in hand (like two people I'm sure you all know). Needless to say, we fit right in. There is a local tradition that if you and your significant other lock a padlock in a special, romantic place, that you will have eternal love. Needless to say, we did it.
On our way back, we stopped to have a snack at an outdoor cafe overlooking the water as the sun set. We got cake and hot chocolate as we celebrated the beauty of life. And the hot chocolate was literally hot, melted, chocolate. How yummy. After that, it was aimless gazing and wandering as we begrudgingly left the outdoor beauty of paradise for internal confines of a room. But remember, we did have a balcony!
Day 16:
No time for rest for these 2 kids! Waking up as early as possible, we were determined to hike the entire length of the Cinque Terre, from Manarola (town 2) to Monterosso (town 5), about a 4 hour hike. It was long and difficult, but very much worth it. Spectacular views and countless friendly kitties help motivate our tired bodies to climb the countless hills and stairs. I was very impressed for two non-hikers. This day was to be spent in town 4, Vernazza. Arguably the most dramatic of the 5, Vernazza provided us a day full of nothing but beauty. The itinerary? Relax, cannoli, sit on the rocks and rate the crashing waves, cannoli, pizza, cannoli and slushes. And gelato of course.
We met our favorite Italians of the trip at a local pastry shop. Two true-blooded Sicilians who loved Steph and I had some of the best treats we have ever had. Helping clueless foreigners get the best treats, they taught us how delicious Sicilian pastries are. Stephs favorite? The oversized ricotta cheese cannoli. My favorite? Their homemade fruit slushes with homemade cream. I think Steph loved the place because they called her pretty.
Day 17:
This day? A whole lot of nothing. Nothing at all. We got more pastries of course, but nothing else. It was Easter and we figured that doing nothing was the best way to celebrate the holiday. We sat together and debated why we would soon have to leave. We thought of ways to stay. Would anyone notice if we never came back to civilization? We didn't have internet, no phone, no ties to humanity. Surely no one would notice? Unfortunately, we knew better and realized that our time was limited in this gorgeous chunk of earth. We thought that in order to truly appreciate such a place, we needed to do absolutely nothing and soak in the beauty one last time.
There is something completely calming about the consistent sound of the waves crashing against the rocks. The waves try so hard to be fierce and intimidating, yet they cannot escape the label of soothing. This we noticed as we finished our sugar cone and headed for our temporary home, one last time.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Spring Break Part 4 (Days 11,12,13,14)
Day 11
After waking up one last time in beautiful Siena and enjoying our ritual morning gelato, it was to the bus station, Volterra in sight. Still new to the use of buses as transportation instead of trains, we mistakingly took a bus on a half-hour circular trip around the city of Siena. Once we pulled up to the stop in which we started, Steph looked at me and said "Uh...I don't think this is Colle Val D'elsa (our intended layover connection)." Angry about the mistake, we reused our bus tickets and hopped on the right bus. This time, we made it to our layover stop in Colla Val D'elsa before connecting to the beautiful hill town of Volterra.
Unfortunately for us, our lodging was located on the outer corner of Volterra, a 10 minute walk from the town center. Normally this wouldn't have been an issue, but our quickly growing backpacks made it so. We saved money by booking a room in an active convent for only 26 euros. Everything was nice and pleasing, but it was still a bit odd. I mean, it was a true convent. Imagine...staying in a church. The halls were vast and tall enough to hear an echo. Being the only ones staying there only made things creepier.
The stars were not aligned for us to fall in love with Volterra. The town was beautiful, with arguably one of the best Tuscan views we had seen, but weather and health trumped that joy. It was the coldest day of the trip, with sweatshirts and jackets barely keeping us warm enough to explore. An unnecessarily long morning of bus travel had made both of us fatigued and left me somewhat sick. Sick enough to only get gelato twice that day. Needless to say, with bad weather, tired kids, a boring city, and a long walk, we spent a good amount of time in the creepy convent.
Days 12/13/14
It was another morning of bus travel, but by then we were champs. 2 smooth bus rides and we were in the city that may have very well been the biggest surprise of our trip. While not our favorite city, Florence blew our expectations. Unlike Rome, we were not able to both splurge on food and visit all of the historical monuments. For these 3 days, it was one or the other. Did I mention Florence is the capital of gelato? Food won, and historical monuments were neglected. In fact, our stay in Florence may very well be best described by our numerous gelato conquests. All 10 of them.
The town of Florence was beautiful and clean. There was plenty of window shopping as we walked by shops selling things we will never be able to afford. Every gelato stop was a success and we each eventually picked a favorite. Mine was called Grom (and turns out to be an Italian chain) and its specialty is all natural ingredients and a menu that changes in accordance with local fruits and produce. Stephs was the fabulous Festival Del Gelato which provided a parade of amazing flavors (Strawberry Cheesecake being the best).
We treated ourselves to laundry for the first, and only, time this trip. Considering we were surviving out of our backpacks for the entire trip, clothes were constantly re-worn and packed into stench-filled plastic bags. Putting on clean clothes is a beautiful feeling that is taken for granted.
The only thing spoiling our pleasant stay in such a nice town was our lodging. While the price was nice and the location was excellent, the habitat was awful. 1. They made us switch rooms after night one. 2. Our light did not work. 3. The double bed was two twins pushed together. 4. They did not turn on the heat and would not allow us to have a blanket. We saw one in the hall and put it in our room, and they came in and took it out saying that the sheet and the comforter were enough. Above all these issues, however, was the unbearable volume of our hosts. A true Italian couple, these two individuals did not understand the concept of keeping it down. They celebrated and watched TV outside of the rooms until midnight and were up yelling at 7 a.m. Considering how thin the walls in Europe are, this was unbearable. I can sleep through a lot, but not this. And it was nonstop. About nothing to boot. Just simple chit chat that they thought would be better communicated through shouting across the hall. We would've caught up on sleep during the day, but our luck provided construction on the street below from 10 to 5.
Crummy hosts didn't ruin our stay in Florence though. Clearly surpassing Volterra, Florence left us with an unmistakable impression of beautiful Italy at its nicest. A heaven where gelato is on every corner, Florence was a quiet and peaceful Rome.
Before leaving, however, we jetted off to Fiesole simply for the view. On a hill overlooking Florence, Fiesole provided a breathtaking visual and little more. A few pastry shops and gelato rounded off the trip that was unfortunately hindered by the hazy, cold weather. The trip may have been a complete waste had it not been for the curiously humorous event involving an angry Italian and an oblivious tourist. As buses and cars were stopping at the cross walk in front of the bus station, a man on a scooter was doing the all-too-typical Italian driving style and cutting back and forth between cars as he honked his horn. The cross walk signaled to stop walking, which everyone did, as the scooter proceeded to accelerate while honking his horn. This is when I looked up. And this is when I saw a middle aged asian man obliviously walking in the street get hit by a scooter.
It was one of the moments when you don't know what to think. As his coffee and bags flew across the street and the Italian angrily threw down his scooter and walked to the injured man, the severity of the event was unknown. I wanted to laugh but I didn't know if it was because I am a bad person or if it is the psychological argument that says people laugh when they are uncomfortable. Upon learning that the accident was not serious, I felt better about my reaction. Because I laughed. Sheepishly, sure, but a laugh is still a laugh. Thankfully no one was hurt and Steph and I were provided with an innocent mental image of a dramatic Italian moped accident.
Im trying to catch up with these posts, but there is so much to say with so little time and internet access! You guys will be hit with a barrage of updates in the next few days as we get back into our rhythm at Hull. Right now, however, it is 4:36 AM at the Liverpool airport and the computer is about dead. Stay tuned for part 5: Pisa and Cinque Terre!
After waking up one last time in beautiful Siena and enjoying our ritual morning gelato, it was to the bus station, Volterra in sight. Still new to the use of buses as transportation instead of trains, we mistakingly took a bus on a half-hour circular trip around the city of Siena. Once we pulled up to the stop in which we started, Steph looked at me and said "Uh...I don't think this is Colle Val D'elsa (our intended layover connection)." Angry about the mistake, we reused our bus tickets and hopped on the right bus. This time, we made it to our layover stop in Colla Val D'elsa before connecting to the beautiful hill town of Volterra.
Unfortunately for us, our lodging was located on the outer corner of Volterra, a 10 minute walk from the town center. Normally this wouldn't have been an issue, but our quickly growing backpacks made it so. We saved money by booking a room in an active convent for only 26 euros. Everything was nice and pleasing, but it was still a bit odd. I mean, it was a true convent. Imagine...staying in a church. The halls were vast and tall enough to hear an echo. Being the only ones staying there only made things creepier.
The stars were not aligned for us to fall in love with Volterra. The town was beautiful, with arguably one of the best Tuscan views we had seen, but weather and health trumped that joy. It was the coldest day of the trip, with sweatshirts and jackets barely keeping us warm enough to explore. An unnecessarily long morning of bus travel had made both of us fatigued and left me somewhat sick. Sick enough to only get gelato twice that day. Needless to say, with bad weather, tired kids, a boring city, and a long walk, we spent a good amount of time in the creepy convent.
Days 12/13/14
It was another morning of bus travel, but by then we were champs. 2 smooth bus rides and we were in the city that may have very well been the biggest surprise of our trip. While not our favorite city, Florence blew our expectations. Unlike Rome, we were not able to both splurge on food and visit all of the historical monuments. For these 3 days, it was one or the other. Did I mention Florence is the capital of gelato? Food won, and historical monuments were neglected. In fact, our stay in Florence may very well be best described by our numerous gelato conquests. All 10 of them.
The town of Florence was beautiful and clean. There was plenty of window shopping as we walked by shops selling things we will never be able to afford. Every gelato stop was a success and we each eventually picked a favorite. Mine was called Grom (and turns out to be an Italian chain) and its specialty is all natural ingredients and a menu that changes in accordance with local fruits and produce. Stephs was the fabulous Festival Del Gelato which provided a parade of amazing flavors (Strawberry Cheesecake being the best).
We treated ourselves to laundry for the first, and only, time this trip. Considering we were surviving out of our backpacks for the entire trip, clothes were constantly re-worn and packed into stench-filled plastic bags. Putting on clean clothes is a beautiful feeling that is taken for granted.
The only thing spoiling our pleasant stay in such a nice town was our lodging. While the price was nice and the location was excellent, the habitat was awful. 1. They made us switch rooms after night one. 2. Our light did not work. 3. The double bed was two twins pushed together. 4. They did not turn on the heat and would not allow us to have a blanket. We saw one in the hall and put it in our room, and they came in and took it out saying that the sheet and the comforter were enough. Above all these issues, however, was the unbearable volume of our hosts. A true Italian couple, these two individuals did not understand the concept of keeping it down. They celebrated and watched TV outside of the rooms until midnight and were up yelling at 7 a.m. Considering how thin the walls in Europe are, this was unbearable. I can sleep through a lot, but not this. And it was nonstop. About nothing to boot. Just simple chit chat that they thought would be better communicated through shouting across the hall. We would've caught up on sleep during the day, but our luck provided construction on the street below from 10 to 5.
Crummy hosts didn't ruin our stay in Florence though. Clearly surpassing Volterra, Florence left us with an unmistakable impression of beautiful Italy at its nicest. A heaven where gelato is on every corner, Florence was a quiet and peaceful Rome.
Before leaving, however, we jetted off to Fiesole simply for the view. On a hill overlooking Florence, Fiesole provided a breathtaking visual and little more. A few pastry shops and gelato rounded off the trip that was unfortunately hindered by the hazy, cold weather. The trip may have been a complete waste had it not been for the curiously humorous event involving an angry Italian and an oblivious tourist. As buses and cars were stopping at the cross walk in front of the bus station, a man on a scooter was doing the all-too-typical Italian driving style and cutting back and forth between cars as he honked his horn. The cross walk signaled to stop walking, which everyone did, as the scooter proceeded to accelerate while honking his horn. This is when I looked up. And this is when I saw a middle aged asian man obliviously walking in the street get hit by a scooter.
It was one of the moments when you don't know what to think. As his coffee and bags flew across the street and the Italian angrily threw down his scooter and walked to the injured man, the severity of the event was unknown. I wanted to laugh but I didn't know if it was because I am a bad person or if it is the psychological argument that says people laugh when they are uncomfortable. Upon learning that the accident was not serious, I felt better about my reaction. Because I laughed. Sheepishly, sure, but a laugh is still a laugh. Thankfully no one was hurt and Steph and I were provided with an innocent mental image of a dramatic Italian moped accident.
Im trying to catch up with these posts, but there is so much to say with so little time and internet access! You guys will be hit with a barrage of updates in the next few days as we get back into our rhythm at Hull. Right now, however, it is 4:36 AM at the Liverpool airport and the computer is about dead. Stay tuned for part 5: Pisa and Cinque Terre!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Spring Break Part 3 (Days 7,8,9,10)
Day 7: We left the wonderful city of Rome with the Umbrian hilltown of Orvieto in sight. After a scare thinking we lost my credit card, we arrived in Orvieto cash in hand. The lodging was surely the highlight of the trip, putting all other rooms to shame. Placed atop a lush countryside hill, our room was equipped with a private bathroom and private terrace. It was a luxurious bed and breakfast with all the amenities we had forgotten about staying in hostels. If only the owners spoke a word of English.
Thankfully for us, it was market day in Orvieto. We quickly bought pastries and postcards and set off to explore the town. After catching our breath from the stunning views, we hopped a bus to nearby Chivita. We had debated whether or not to spend the money for bus fare, but were quickly thankful of our decision as we approached the town on a cliff. Requiring a 10 minute hike up a bridge simply to reach the town, Chivita was its own separate world. Cut off from all of civilization, the town had no more than 4 restaurants and what appeared to be fewer residents. There seemed to be more cats than residents, a fact we greatly enjoyed.
After basking in the sun and eating pastries, we were approached by some curious kitties. Numerous came and went, but only one, a Buddy clone that we named Chivvy, stayed with us the entire time. Content to sleep in our arms, the cat enjoyed our company and would not leave our side. After convincing Steph we couldnt take him with us, it was time to head back to reality.
Day 8: It was unfortunate that we only booked one night in Orvieto, for the stay was beyond pleasant. The breakfast of cake, toast, and juice fueled our travels towards hill town number 3: Cortona. The basis of the book/movie Under the Tuscan Sun, Cortona was a beautiful place perfectly content to just sit atop a dramatic mountain. We would not complain. For this day had nothing planned other than roam the city. Which we did. All day. With gelato in hand of course.
Dinner was a treat of tortellini and ravioli, but disaster soon struck as the desired gelateria was closed. After bountiful pouting, I discovered that nothing beats gelato for breakfast. And so I knew as we headed back to the convent/hotel for a quick nights sleep.
Day 9/10: The gelato did not dissapoint as I awoke from a cold nights sleep. Bundled up under sweatshirts, we ate our morning gelato in the face of cold weather and strong winds. Unfortunately for us, it turns out, towns perched atop hills do little little to block the already cold weather. The bus driver must have seen our forlorn faces as he allowed us the ride the bus down to the train station for free.
Hopping a train to Siena, we were more than excited. Some slow days in lazy hill towns had rejuvenated us and made us ready for the excellence of Siena. Siena kept with the theme of the past few cities, and allowed us 2 days full of nothing. Shopping, eating, and gelato filled the agenda as we made Il Campo our second home.
Travelers luck was on our side as we were somehow upgraded from a shared bathroom double into a luxury suite, complete with a bathroom, kitchen, and terrace. There was enough room to run laps in the room! What a great surprise. This simply added to the joy that we experienced in Siena.
It is pointless to separate each day and explain our itineraries, for each was equally empty and enjoyable. Imagine wandering a quaint town, eating gelato that magically seemed to reappear every 2 hours, and enjoying the peacfull bliss of doing nothing. It was vacationing at its finest as we forgot about life and slowed things down to a level never reached by us before. 2 days originally seemed much too long is this uneventful town, but in hindsight, it was nowehere near long enough.
These days were quickly explained and did not recieve the justice they deserved. This can be contributed to both the inexplicable nature of this leg of our trip and the lack of time available for my explanations (as the clock in the right hand corner of my screen ticks below 4 minutes, indicating the amount of internet time left in this dingy internet cafe). Also, I apologize for any grammatical errors and typos, but the Italian keybards are much differen (I cant find an apostrophe), I cant figure how to turn on spell check on this computer, and I have no time to proof read. Oh well. Italy rocks. I got gelato 4 times yesterday. We will catch you all up to speed soon. So much to see!
Thankfully for us, it was market day in Orvieto. We quickly bought pastries and postcards and set off to explore the town. After catching our breath from the stunning views, we hopped a bus to nearby Chivita. We had debated whether or not to spend the money for bus fare, but were quickly thankful of our decision as we approached the town on a cliff. Requiring a 10 minute hike up a bridge simply to reach the town, Chivita was its own separate world. Cut off from all of civilization, the town had no more than 4 restaurants and what appeared to be fewer residents. There seemed to be more cats than residents, a fact we greatly enjoyed.
After basking in the sun and eating pastries, we were approached by some curious kitties. Numerous came and went, but only one, a Buddy clone that we named Chivvy, stayed with us the entire time. Content to sleep in our arms, the cat enjoyed our company and would not leave our side. After convincing Steph we couldnt take him with us, it was time to head back to reality.
Day 8: It was unfortunate that we only booked one night in Orvieto, for the stay was beyond pleasant. The breakfast of cake, toast, and juice fueled our travels towards hill town number 3: Cortona. The basis of the book/movie Under the Tuscan Sun, Cortona was a beautiful place perfectly content to just sit atop a dramatic mountain. We would not complain. For this day had nothing planned other than roam the city. Which we did. All day. With gelato in hand of course.
Dinner was a treat of tortellini and ravioli, but disaster soon struck as the desired gelateria was closed. After bountiful pouting, I discovered that nothing beats gelato for breakfast. And so I knew as we headed back to the convent/hotel for a quick nights sleep.
Day 9/10: The gelato did not dissapoint as I awoke from a cold nights sleep. Bundled up under sweatshirts, we ate our morning gelato in the face of cold weather and strong winds. Unfortunately for us, it turns out, towns perched atop hills do little little to block the already cold weather. The bus driver must have seen our forlorn faces as he allowed us the ride the bus down to the train station for free.
Hopping a train to Siena, we were more than excited. Some slow days in lazy hill towns had rejuvenated us and made us ready for the excellence of Siena. Siena kept with the theme of the past few cities, and allowed us 2 days full of nothing. Shopping, eating, and gelato filled the agenda as we made Il Campo our second home.
Travelers luck was on our side as we were somehow upgraded from a shared bathroom double into a luxury suite, complete with a bathroom, kitchen, and terrace. There was enough room to run laps in the room! What a great surprise. This simply added to the joy that we experienced in Siena.
It is pointless to separate each day and explain our itineraries, for each was equally empty and enjoyable. Imagine wandering a quaint town, eating gelato that magically seemed to reappear every 2 hours, and enjoying the peacfull bliss of doing nothing. It was vacationing at its finest as we forgot about life and slowed things down to a level never reached by us before. 2 days originally seemed much too long is this uneventful town, but in hindsight, it was nowehere near long enough.
These days were quickly explained and did not recieve the justice they deserved. This can be contributed to both the inexplicable nature of this leg of our trip and the lack of time available for my explanations (as the clock in the right hand corner of my screen ticks below 4 minutes, indicating the amount of internet time left in this dingy internet cafe). Also, I apologize for any grammatical errors and typos, but the Italian keybards are much differen (I cant find an apostrophe), I cant figure how to turn on spell check on this computer, and I have no time to proof read. Oh well. Italy rocks. I got gelato 4 times yesterday. We will catch you all up to speed soon. So much to see!
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