Our Italian adventure commenced in Southern Italy coming from a ferry from our beloved Grecian island, Corfu (which funny enough one of my current professors is from!) When we got there we immediately shuffled through the hustle and bustle to our bus and headed off to the famous site of the ancientPompeii.
When I learned of Pompeii in school, I thought that it was a small relatively unimportant and unfortunately geographically located city. I was so wrong. Pompeii was quite advanced for the time! To the extent that there were actually bakeries, businesses, sewerways in the roads and even elevated stones for pedestrians while crossing the street (who knew-i didn't!) My unbeknownst mind was impressed and couldn't believe it! It also was a thriving port city Especially now since the water has long be receded ..Pompeii had many foreign visitors too as it was a port city. They would frequent prostitution businesses. We went into one and we didn't know what sort of building we were in until our most precious tour guide told us to look at the paintings on the wall..needless to say it was quite graphic! We explored all over the ruins. The whole time I was thinking how thousands of years ago the people of Pompeii did the same thing, walking enjoying their day, never knowing what was going to hit them (Mt. Vesuvius). It was eerie and a little sad...Another interesting memory about Pompeii was how tiny these people were! Doorways were extremely small but their community baths were extremely large, I suppose because so many people would go in them at a time-well men at least because women were not privy to community pools, according to our guide, ancient Discrimination ;P!
First view of Italy
Amazing restoration!
Alana, Adamo, Juan and I in front of a special section of Pompeii
After Pompeii we were off to Roma!! June was a super HOTT month for Italy but amazing--except air conditioning isn't really big over there in some places-of course being our hotel, naturally.
We did the Colosseum the next day after arriving, I had to pinch myself- I couldn't believe I was there. Then we did a walking tour all over from where the apostle Paul was martyred to the Vatican. & WOW being in Sistine Chapel underneath the work of art of the famous and talented Michelangelo, was humbling.
One of the days Alana and I decided to do our own thing, got a little lost got a little found and stumbled upon the Spanish Steps (only in Roma!)! And what we dubbed, 'creeper cafe' (has a nice ring to it, eh? Shown in a pic below). Then we-at the last minute-decided to go on a huge pub crawl, and it was a great decision. We had the BEST time I didn't get back to the hotel until the next morning. Partly because we were out so late and partly because we missed the last tram and had to find a taxi. Crazzzy I don't even do that in America. Then we were off to Florence which is such a quaint beautiful and serene city, where we also met up with our friend Neil who we just happened to run into when we toured the Vatican! He was studying abroad in Florence so it worked out:)
WOW there she is!
Kalyn, Claire, Me and Alana in front of the Colosseum!
VIVA ITALIA!
What are the chances, srsly, that alana and I see our high school friend at the Vatican?!! Crazzzy!! Small World. later we met up with neil for some gelato in Florence :)
Our Roman solo exploration day!
Spanish Steps!
Alana and I at Creeper Cafe. The owners bribed us with limoncello and chocolate bark so we wouldn't leave!! scaryy but fun
Roman Pub Crawl=Crazy Adventurous Night!!
Us and the incredible Ashford sisters/roomies, Candace and Jayde :)
Florence Bridge :)
Custom Leather Hair Pieces! "K" for Kelsey :)
Pisa!!
A fitting boat title for an Italian vessel
St. Marks with my Bffll alana :)
I must have forgotten my 400 EUROSSSS that day..shame
I <3 Venezia
Me with the gondola hat :)
I know its gross, It's from my sea urchin sting when we were in Corfu, Greece, it took around a month to be completely gone!
The calm waters of Venice
Some of the gang in Trevi-we did fishy faces, i took it more literal lol
Fontana di Trevi!! The magical fountain, if you go you will come back to Rome
We were in Venice in June and we got so cold we had to buy sweaters--Italia ones..of course!
Pisa..you bore me! ;P
BFFLs in front of Pisa!
This picture is so fierce. Me, Adam and Alana in Pisa
Delicious Sangria in Florence :)
DID it!! :) . Venice, Italy
Me in the beautiful Firenze Florence (photo by alana bevan)
VENICE: we got a glassblowing lesson :). Most expensive glass color: RED
After Florence we went to Venezia :) a beautiful floating city, so many waterways, it was crazy and surreal, little did I know it would be very similar to another favorite city I hadn't yet seen, Amsterdam.
After Italy we were off to Austria... :)
MUST Dos:
Rome
Pub Crawl
Trevi Fountain (is says if you go there, you will come back one day :) )
Venice
Buy a Venetian Mask
Vatican City (send a postcard FROM the Vatican :) )
Eat Gelato (it's EVERYWHERE)
Spanish Steps
Florence (see the Duomo)
Go to a genuine leather shop in Florence
See the birthplace of Dante and the bridge erected just for Hitler (random, I know, but they did)
Pompeii
Leaving Germany was so sad because Munich had been spectacular. I was starting to feel like a local since our hotel (hotel Maria) was smack dab in the hustle and bustle (truly German) part of town.
Some Krons, you'd think I was rich! but sadly this is the equivalent of about $20 lol but you get around nicely with this.
Me at one of the many Gothic style Cathedrals
The sadness faded away when we realized the fairytale-esque town we were going to be staying in. Now, I can only speak for Prague because that's where we stayed but it was beauuuutiful and also a lot darker than the other cities-literally. It was significantly more cloudy and most of the buildings were very haunting in old town Praha.
Alana and I about to see a movie in Prague (we saw Angels and Demons-complete with subtitles lol that we didn't need)
on the Bridge, touching the golden dog will make your wish come true or bring good luck, one of those! (Alana Bevan photo)
The city is fairly large and can be sort of maze-y. Alana and I had the best gnocchi EVER better than in Italy then leaving the restaurant we got lost, i mean LOST. Separated from our group, no knowledge of Czech or the name of our hotel, no phone-nothing. After about 2 hours of walking late at night in and out of streets/dark alleys/and a mcdonald's (to seek help/refuge)/getting into a fight lol we hailed down a random cab and we happened to have the hotel card in our pocket (but we couldn't read it) and handed it to the driver. The tab ended up being around $20 but it was worth it! We made it back safely.
Charles Bridge Prague
We visited the Daliborka Museum/ Prague Castle (old torture location for prisoners) there we found a curious surprise:
Vin Diesel?! You decide. (Alana Bevan photo)
The next night after exploring the heart of Prague, the astrological clock, walking the bridge, going into even more cathedrals (not helping my chandelier obsession!) we went out, and BIG. :) After taking the subway to another part of the city we arrived at the coolest club ever complete with cheap beer lol called
>Karlovy Lazne night club, a FIVE story club with a different theme on each floor. We all had an amazzzzing time!
The Disco Floor!!!
Starbucks, we will always find you! located in the main square, by the Astrological Clock :) (Alana Bevan photo)
A beautiful Glimpse of the city, you have to remind yourself you're in the 21st century! (Alana Bevan Photo)
