Thursday, October 30, 2008
Putting the Die in Diet
I went to the gym today for the first time in over two weeks. Running wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, probably because we did so much walking. We also did so much eating, and (I know I'm going to sound like a girl right now, but) I gained four pounds. I wish somebody would do something about how fat I am.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Lessons Learned
1) Don't expect Scott to stay awake in moving vehicles. This includes trains. When we were road-tripping, every night I'd be ready to hit the sack, and all he wanted to do was walk around more. Well, gee, Scott, maybe if I'd had a two hour nap in the car, I'd be ready to party, too!
2) You can get away with wearing the same underwear two days in a row, but always make sure you have enough socks. They don't come cheap in Switzerland.
3) If a European asks who you voted for, tell them Obama, even if it isn't true. They'll be nicer to you. There are no McCain fans in Europe, and if you mention Nader, they'll just look at you funny.
4) Hostels are totally the way to go. I'd never stayed in hostels before, but if I'm ever travelling by myself, I'll never try anything else. They're much cheaper than hotels, and usually have good information for people travelling on a budget. Scott and I never made reservations, and only did a little online research for each place we went. The only minor bad luck we had was in Cinque Terre. Our first choice was booked, so we had to walk around looking for another room. We ended up finding a really nice room for a good price, so it was little more than an inconvenience. So yeah, if you don't mind staying in a room with seven other people or sharing a bathroom, look into hostels.
5) Bring a book.
2) You can get away with wearing the same underwear two days in a row, but always make sure you have enough socks. They don't come cheap in Switzerland.
3) If a European asks who you voted for, tell them Obama, even if it isn't true. They'll be nicer to you. There are no McCain fans in Europe, and if you mention Nader, they'll just look at you funny.
4) Hostels are totally the way to go. I'd never stayed in hostels before, but if I'm ever travelling by myself, I'll never try anything else. They're much cheaper than hotels, and usually have good information for people travelling on a budget. Scott and I never made reservations, and only did a little online research for each place we went. The only minor bad luck we had was in Cinque Terre. Our first choice was booked, so we had to walk around looking for another room. We ended up finding a really nice room for a good price, so it was little more than an inconvenience. So yeah, if you don't mind staying in a room with seven other people or sharing a bathroom, look into hostels.
5) Bring a book.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Little Italy
Monday night, after we got back to Milan, Scott and I met up with Brian, Simona, and Frederica for dinner. After that, we went to a party with some of their friends. Again, Scott and I felt a little out-of-place, not just because we couldn't communicate very well, but because we're not exactly in the artsy crowd. Our pants didn't fit too tight and we weren't wearing scarves indoors. Still, they had a pretty kickin' DJ and more free beer.
Frederica dropped us off at our hostel, and on the way there, we discovered Frederica's parents live in Budoia. We had a nice conversation about our travels and how she got involved with Simona's store. She said next time she's in Budoia, she'll take me to some places for "great fun." I can't wait.
This morning, I made sure Scott and Brian made their flight, and then took the next train home from Milan. The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of travel and fun and adventure. Luckily, I have the rest of the week off to relax.
Frederica dropped us off at our hostel, and on the way there, we discovered Frederica's parents live in Budoia. We had a nice conversation about our travels and how she got involved with Simona's store. She said next time she's in Budoia, she'll take me to some places for "great fun." I can't wait.
This morning, I made sure Scott and Brian made their flight, and then took the next train home from Milan. The past two weeks have been a whirlwind of travel and fun and adventure. Luckily, I have the rest of the week off to relax.
Monday, October 27, 2008
The Five Lands
Sunday morning, Scott and I caught an early train headed for the Cinqe Terre. It's an area on the Italian Riviera where five little villages are built right on the coast line. Geographically, it's not far away from Milan, but we had to switch trains twice, so it was mid-afternoon by the time we arrived.
We found a room in Riomaggiore, the southernmost town. We spent the evening walking around and eating some of the local cuisine, including pesto.
Since the town is so compact, many of the main roads are little more than alleyways. If it weren't so quaint and adorable, it would almost resemble a ghetto.
We woke up early Monday morning, and headed north. All five villages are easily within hiking distance, though some areas are a little steep.
When we started our hike, it was sprinkling a bit, but we didn't care. It kept the temperature a little cooler and made for better photography.
Normal people would see this rocky, treacherous coastline and maybe use it for hiking or diving. But the Italians, who've never been accused of doing things the easy way, decided to build entire towns along it. I'm sure glad they did.
We hiked all the way to Vernazza, the fourth town. We decided to take the boat to Monterosso, not because we were tired, but because we wanted to see the town from far off.
Monterosso has a pretty nice beach, and by the time we got there, it had cleared up somewhat. The water was warm, and if we would have had our swimming trunks, we would have gone for a swim. After a stroll along the beach, we had a late lunch, and then took the next train back to Milan.
We found a room in Riomaggiore, the southernmost town. We spent the evening walking around and eating some of the local cuisine, including pesto.
Since the town is so compact, many of the main roads are little more than alleyways. If it weren't so quaint and adorable, it would almost resemble a ghetto.
We woke up early Monday morning, and headed north. All five villages are easily within hiking distance, though some areas are a little steep.
When we started our hike, it was sprinkling a bit, but we didn't care. It kept the temperature a little cooler and made for better photography.
Normal people would see this rocky, treacherous coastline and maybe use it for hiking or diving. But the Italians, who've never been accused of doing things the easy way, decided to build entire towns along it. I'm sure glad they did.
We hiked all the way to Vernazza, the fourth town. We decided to take the boat to Monterosso, not because we were tired, but because we wanted to see the town from far off.
Monterosso has a pretty nice beach, and by the time we got there, it had cleared up somewhat. The water was warm, and if we would have had our swimming trunks, we would have gone for a swim. After a stroll along the beach, we had a late lunch, and then took the next train back to Milan.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Art, Fashion, and Love
One of the reasons Scott came when he did is because of his friend Brian. Brian is an artist, and a few months ago, Brian was in New York and met Simona. Simona owns a boutique in Milan and was looking for artists to show their work in her store.
Brian's opening was Saturday night, so Scott and I took the early train to Milan to do some sightseeing beforehand. Milan is different than most cities in Italy, in that it has a modern feel to it.
The most famous building in Milan is the Duomo. With over 100 spires, it's the largest gothic style cathedral in the world.
The inside was equally impressive. It's probably one of the most extraordinary pieces of architecture I've ever seen.
Milan is one of the fashion capitols of the world, and it seemed like there were models everywhere. We walked through a few stores, but everything was way out of our price range.
Brian's opening was really fun. There were tons of artsy Italians there. Very few of them spoke English, so Scott and I just stood around and drank the free beer all night.
Brian's work is rather explicit, often dealing with sex, from a very pop cultural perspective. His work will be on display (and for sale) until November 25th, so if you find yourself in Milan, check out Simona's store, Wok. Did I mention there's free beer?
Brian's opening was Saturday night, so Scott and I took the early train to Milan to do some sightseeing beforehand. Milan is different than most cities in Italy, in that it has a modern feel to it.
The most famous building in Milan is the Duomo. With over 100 spires, it's the largest gothic style cathedral in the world.
The inside was equally impressive. It's probably one of the most extraordinary pieces of architecture I've ever seen.
Milan is one of the fashion capitols of the world, and it seemed like there were models everywhere. We walked through a few stores, but everything was way out of our price range.
Brian's opening was really fun. There were tons of artsy Italians there. Very few of them spoke English, so Scott and I just stood around and drank the free beer all night.
Brian's work is rather explicit, often dealing with sex, from a very pop cultural perspective. His work will be on display (and for sale) until November 25th, so if you find yourself in Milan, check out Simona's store, Wok. Did I mention there's free beer?
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Into Thin Air
We kept Friday as a free day, just in case anything came up; however, we didn't want to waste it, either, so we took a drive toward the Dolomites, the section of the Alps nearest to my house.
We basically took random turns toward what looked the coolest, and, through amazing luck, ended up at a trail head.
We hiked through a canyon, up the side of a mountain, and took in the wonderful scenery. It was a gorgeous day, and there wasn't another soul in sight.
We were hoping to reach some kind of peak, or at least a clearing where we could have a wider view; but after hiking for a couple of hours, we had no indication of where we were, so we decided to turn back. Plus, we were really, really hungry.
We'd only driven 45 minutes to the trail head, and I had no idea there was such great hiking so close to my house. I'll definitely be going that way again, if only I can remember how to get there.
We basically took random turns toward what looked the coolest, and, through amazing luck, ended up at a trail head.
We hiked through a canyon, up the side of a mountain, and took in the wonderful scenery. It was a gorgeous day, and there wasn't another soul in sight.
We were hoping to reach some kind of peak, or at least a clearing where we could have a wider view; but after hiking for a couple of hours, we had no indication of where we were, so we decided to turn back. Plus, we were really, really hungry.
We'd only driven 45 minutes to the trail head, and I had no idea there was such great hiking so close to my house. I'll definitely be going that way again, if only I can remember how to get there.
Friday, October 24, 2008
The Birthplace of Italian Renaissance
Thursday, we woke up and took the train to Florence. I'd been to Florence before, so I didn't take too many pictures, but it was no less interesting this time around. We also ran into Clint and Jimmy, two guys from Boston who we'd met over breakfast in Interlaken. We walked around together for most of the day, checking out the Duomo, the Ponte Vecchio, and, of course, Michelangelo's David.
Something new I saw this time was a group of university students sitting in the middle of the street outside an administration building. They were chanting and shouting and holding up signs. I asked around, and found out they were protesting the privatisation of their school. It was cool to see them so passionate about their cause.
After that, we did some wine shopping, and caught the late train back home. Originally, we planned for two days in Florence, but I'm glad we cut it down to one.
Something new I saw this time was a group of university students sitting in the middle of the street outside an administration building. They were chanting and shouting and holding up signs. I asked around, and found out they were protesting the privatisation of their school. It was cool to see them so passionate about their cause.
After that, we did some wine shopping, and caught the late train back home. Originally, we planned for two days in Florence, but I'm glad we cut it down to one.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Between Giants
Wednesday was basically a travel day. It was a six hour drive home, but again, we took our time, making sure to stop wherever we wanted to take in the scenery.
The GPS took us through a mountain pass, on which we crossed paths with only two or three other vehicles. We even went above the snow line. We kept seeing roadblocks on the sides of the road that would be set up for winter in a few weeks. I'm glad we made it through when we did.
Driving through the Alps is an experience like no other. You know how when you're in a big city and you stand between two huge buildings and you look up and it's really cool and overwhelming? Well, imagine doing that, but instead of buildings, it's mountains.
The GPS took us through a mountain pass, on which we crossed paths with only two or three other vehicles. We even went above the snow line. We kept seeing roadblocks on the sides of the road that would be set up for winter in a few weeks. I'm glad we made it through when we did.
Driving through the Alps is an experience like no other. You know how when you're in a big city and you stand between two huge buildings and you look up and it's really cool and overwhelming? Well, imagine doing that, but instead of buildings, it's mountains.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Scenes From A Painting
The last stop on our European road trip was Interlaken. It's not far from Zurich, but we took our time, stopping whenever we wanted to take pictures. We passed through several little mountain villages that each seemed like their own little paradise. (Unfortunately, I'm a bonehead and accidentally deleted a few of my pictures on this part of the trip.)
Interlaken (literally, "between lakes") is a tourist haven which caters to water sports in the summer and winter sports when there's snow. Since we were there in October, there weren't a lot of people, but the scenery was no less spectacular.
It was mid-afternoon by the time we arrived, but we still managed to fit in a few short hikes before it got too dark.
One of our hikes was to a place called Truemmelbach Falls. The waterfalls are made of glacier water, and are actually inside the mountain. We hiked through little caves to see them. Definitely not for the claustrophobic.
After hiking, we headed back to town for dinner. Like I said, there weren't a lot of people around, so after a few beers at the hostel bar, we called it an early night.
Interlaken (literally, "between lakes") is a tourist haven which caters to water sports in the summer and winter sports when there's snow. Since we were there in October, there weren't a lot of people, but the scenery was no less spectacular.
It was mid-afternoon by the time we arrived, but we still managed to fit in a few short hikes before it got too dark.
One of our hikes was to a place called Truemmelbach Falls. The waterfalls are made of glacier water, and are actually inside the mountain. We hiked through little caves to see them. Definitely not for the claustrophobic.
After hiking, we headed back to town for dinner. Like I said, there weren't a lot of people around, so after a few beers at the hostel bar, we called it an early night.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Swiss Miss-ters
Monday morning, neither of us were feeling exactly peachy. We considered staying another day in Munich, but ultimately decided to head to Zurich.
Only two hours from Munich, Zurich is situated in the middle of the Alps and next to a big lake. It's full of breathtaking architecture, accentuated by the mountains in the background.
Switzerland is one of the few countries in Europe that doesn't use the Euro, so we exchanged some money for Francs. We didn't know how expensive things were in Zurich until I did the math in my head and realised I'd payed $7.50 for a tall (read: small) Macchiatto at Starbucks. (Yes, I know I'm in Europe, but there aren't any Starbucks in Italy and sometimes I just need to feel American, okay?)
But it wasn't just the coffee that was expensive. There was no free parking anywhere, so whenever we walked anywhere, we'd always have to go back to the truck to put money in the parking meter ($5 for two hours!).
It seemed like there were churches on every corner, each with more grandeur than the last.
We totally scored with our hostel, which was in the middle of a neat commercial district, and a ten minute walk from the lake. All the restaurants were out of our price range, so we ended up getting sandwiches and sitting on the street.
The elevator in our hostel had a manual door. It was the first time I'd ever seen anything like that before. If you didn't open it as soon as the elevator got to your floor, it would immediately leave for a ground floor.
Tuesday morning, we woke up and took one last stroll down by the lake. We were tired and running low on underwear, but still decided to make the drive to one final destination.
Only two hours from Munich, Zurich is situated in the middle of the Alps and next to a big lake. It's full of breathtaking architecture, accentuated by the mountains in the background.
Switzerland is one of the few countries in Europe that doesn't use the Euro, so we exchanged some money for Francs. We didn't know how expensive things were in Zurich until I did the math in my head and realised I'd payed $7.50 for a tall (read: small) Macchiatto at Starbucks. (Yes, I know I'm in Europe, but there aren't any Starbucks in Italy and sometimes I just need to feel American, okay?)
But it wasn't just the coffee that was expensive. There was no free parking anywhere, so whenever we walked anywhere, we'd always have to go back to the truck to put money in the parking meter ($5 for two hours!).
It seemed like there were churches on every corner, each with more grandeur than the last.
We totally scored with our hostel, which was in the middle of a neat commercial district, and a ten minute walk from the lake. All the restaurants were out of our price range, so we ended up getting sandwiches and sitting on the street.
The elevator in our hostel had a manual door. It was the first time I'd ever seen anything like that before. If you didn't open it as soon as the elevator got to your floor, it would immediately leave for a ground floor.
Tuesday morning, we woke up and took one last stroll down by the lake. We were tired and running low on underwear, but still decided to make the drive to one final destination.
Monday, October 20, 2008
In The Land Of Umlauts
We woke up Sunday morning, threw our stuff in the truck, and punched Munich into the GPS. It was a short drive, and we made it to our hostel by 10:30. Upon check-in, we found out there was a guided walking tour of the city that left at 11. It ended up being one of the best things we did the entire trip.
Our tour guide was Auzzie, who was originally from Canada, but had Bavarian roots and plenty of knowledge about Munich and its history.
Munich is a very Catholic city, and since it was Sunday, most of the shops were closed; but there was still plenty to see, including the Glockenspiel, which chimed at noon.
Particularly fascinating was Munich's role in the Third Reich. Hitler considered Munich one of his strongholds, and consequently, it was heavily bombed during WWII. Very few original structures remain, but such great care was taken during reconstruction, one would never know the difference.
The tour was over three hours long, and ended, naturally, at the biergarten.
There was some amazing architecture throughout the city. Auzzie kept referring to this as the Tina Turner Church, but I don't know why.
We met some really cool people on the tour. Among them, Zach (from LA), Ashley and Emily (from Minnesota), Robert (from Bermuda), and Dusty (from Sydney).
After the tour, we hung out in the biergarten for a while, then headed back to the hostel to regroup. That evening, we all went to a big brew house where the beer continued to flow quite liberally.
From there, we headed to another bar across town. This one was an Irish pub, and we had to take two trains to get there.
Then came the karaoke. Lots and lots of karaoke. I'm pretty good at making an ass of myself during karaoke, but that part of the night was rather fuzzy. It was 3 AM by the time we left, and all the trains had stopped, so we had to walk the entire way back to the hostel. I doubt any of us cared; but, like I said, that part of the night was rather fuzzy.
Our tour guide was Auzzie, who was originally from Canada, but had Bavarian roots and plenty of knowledge about Munich and its history.
Munich is a very Catholic city, and since it was Sunday, most of the shops were closed; but there was still plenty to see, including the Glockenspiel, which chimed at noon.
Particularly fascinating was Munich's role in the Third Reich. Hitler considered Munich one of his strongholds, and consequently, it was heavily bombed during WWII. Very few original structures remain, but such great care was taken during reconstruction, one would never know the difference.
The tour was over three hours long, and ended, naturally, at the biergarten.
There was some amazing architecture throughout the city. Auzzie kept referring to this as the Tina Turner Church, but I don't know why.
We met some really cool people on the tour. Among them, Zach (from LA), Ashley and Emily (from Minnesota), Robert (from Bermuda), and Dusty (from Sydney).
After the tour, we hung out in the biergarten for a while, then headed back to the hostel to regroup. That evening, we all went to a big brew house where the beer continued to flow quite liberally.
From there, we headed to another bar across town. This one was an Irish pub, and we had to take two trains to get there.
Then came the karaoke. Lots and lots of karaoke. I'm pretty good at making an ass of myself during karaoke, but that part of the night was rather fuzzy. It was 3 AM by the time we left, and all the trains had stopped, so we had to walk the entire way back to the hostel. I doubt any of us cared; but, like I said, that part of the night was rather fuzzy.
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