Hello all, yes I am back, I got back yesterday actually
For all of those who wish to know all aboutz my trip over seas to the far off place well here it is. So read -{WARNING: ITS LONG}- but if you do read it all and talk with me about itz, Ill know your a smart person and give u a present.
June 9th:
So its a little after 10pm SIT (Standard Italian Time) and I can't sleep. Partly because of Jet Lag and partly because idk why. I haven't slept since I woke up on the 8th at 8 am CST. I've even had three glasses of wine w/ dinner so I should be tired ... but I'm not. However I did have 2 glasses of coke and part of an espresso. So yea.. 18 is legal drinking age here so I should be in for a happy time. So while Im happy and awake let me tell you my story...
When we got to the DSM International Airport (thanks to david driving our car back), I was wearing a pair of my tripps. Well metal detectors do not like these pants so I was pulled out of line and waved over with a wand and patted down. When they found I wasn't a threat, they let me continue on. So anyways its all hurry up and wait, for about 3 hours. We didn't get on the plane to Chicago till sometime after noon. So on and off I texted Andrea, and David. Then it was a semi-bumpy ride to Chicago's Ohare. Where we sat around till 3:50-4pm. Then we were lucky and got to board the plane. Unfortunately we were near the back of the plane AND (because of the weather) we didn't leave till 5:20pm CST. Then it was the longest plane ride of my life. Sat next to my parents all the time too. =( Watched some odd movie, read a little, switched books and read some more. All rather quite boring. Then to arrive in Rome.
Rome's cops all wear bullet proof vests over their uniform and one out of two alway, ALWAYS, ALWAYS! carries a sub-machine gun. Kinda creepy. But today we didn't do much. My parents and I went on a little walking tour (self-guided) and they managed to get lost, so we wondered around a bit, for several hours I saw St. Peter's squre and St. Peter's Basillica. You would not believe how big that thing is. And the marble statue are wonderfully carved and not even damaged! Specially while the town has graffeti everywhere. Don't worry I have tons of pictures. 62 picutes give or take from just one day! Its all so beautiful. The food here is great too. 7 course meal with coffe afterwards (espresso that is) and endless jugs of wine! Endless man! ENDLESS! Im not Catholic but I sure do like their cathedrales and their artwork. I might even buy a roseary in Vatican City. Well this is the end of Day II & I (its all the same really, just one long day). So g'nite.
June 12th:
Walking and drinking. Yup that about sums it up so far. We've walked around Florence. Had a little bottle of red wine for dinner, while my parents had Coke. Rosse della Torre, I think that was the name of the wine. These Italians are tricky w/ their service. They add charges for sitting down at a table, for the bread on the table, they even add a charge for eating while the musicians are playing. Crazy, but smart. Saw a lot of stuff about Dante in Florence. They had a plaque on the wall of a building, that was a quote from Paradisio. It read, "Nel piccol cerchio s'entrava per porta / che si nomava da qui'della pera." (Canto XVI 124-126). Working on translation and meaning as I write this. There was also a huge statue of Dante in front of some church. My tour guide nicknamed it the Church of the Famous Dead People. Inside it are the tombs of Michelangelo, Machieaveli. Oh! I also bougut a wonderful statue. I don't have a picture of it but it is very purdy. Its an Angel killing a demon. ^_^ Right now we are traveling to Venice. Here I shall see a master glass-blower, and a ride on a gondola with a sarenade. Should be lovely. On Monday I think I am going to patch a call to Mr. Jackson and ask him bout that Dante quote. I also took a picture of the god Baccus for him at the Vatican Museum, and Im also going to send him a copy of the picture of Dante's statue.
I've seen Michelangelo's David, which is something to be admired but it loses its good qualities when its analyzed. *Kills local guide* I've seen his paitnings in the sisteen chapel too. His Last Judgement painted on the wall seemed much better than the ceiling. I've seen the Colluseum, the Roman Forum, St. Peter's Basillica, the outside of the pope's apartments, whats left of the circus maximus, and the ruins of the Imperial Palace. I took 126 pictures in 2 days. Now Im pacing myself to leave at least a 100 pics for Paris.
June 13th
On the way to Switzerland! YaY! Bus rides are always boring though. But I did get 2 more post cards written. So all isn't so bad. Just need 3 more, but I'll wait till France and Paris for those. Bought some lovely minerature masks in Venice. Speaking of Venice, here is how it went. Food for dinner was only okay, even teh red wine wasn't that great. Our tour went on a gondola ride, with some sarenading peoples on one of the boats in the fleet. Our gondoleer was awesome. Near the end of the trip he didn't stop or pause for anyone. We even (almost) got into a huge traffic jam. There was another group of Gondolas along side us, and a third group of gondola's coming at us. Well the second group paused and pulled back cuz our guy kept on going, and the thrid group hugged the wall (literally) until we passed. By the time we finished we were so far ahead of everyone else. After the ride my parents and I went to a cafe in St. Marco square. I had a coffee, chocolate, and cream mixture that was 9,50 Euros! They charge you for evertything here! If the musicians were playing here it would have been an extra 5 euro per person. Just crzy! The bill total was 28 euros for 2 drinks and some ice cream. But it was so cool. You could just sit there and watch everyone walk around or feed the pigeons in the square. YES! There are sooo many pigeons in that square! They outnumber people 5 to 1. You can feed them a bag of food (small bag) for a euro. I did it twice. The first time I poured some on my hand and on the ground and a lot of them swarmed me! Its like Pigeon Death!! XD The second time I started to feed them one landed on my arm, just one, (the rest were on the ground). So I named him 'Polly' ^_- and fed him the rest of the bag. It was cool. I also bought another memory card for my camera. Giving me 147 more pictures. SO I should be okay. More on today later (after something happens). I also learned a new card game, called "Between the Sheets".
June 15th:
Yesterday was fun, I guess. It set me in an odd mood after it was all over. The day began with a trip up Mt. PIlatus. The mountain name means capped with clouds, also a legend has it that Pontus Pilate, the dude who signed Jesus' death warrant, came to the mountain to find peace but when he saw the lake in the shape of a cross he killed himself. How silly. Well anyways we went up in a cogwheel train, that climbs at a 48 degree angle. Part of it was in clouds. For some reason a cloud decided to hug the middle of the mountain. Once on top I grabbed a couple of pictures, including a faimly photo. Then I climbed up the staircase all the way to the highest viewing point. It was cold and my lungs were burning, but I made it. So, since it seemed only fitting, I let out a triumpant 'Moo', admired the view and headed back down. The trip down was by cable car. Well this made many people uneasy. Part of this trip was in clouds and then the 2nd half was broken into small cable cars, 3 to 4 people per. My mother didn't like this part either. I convinced my parents to buy me a Swiss Army knife (in Switzerland, go figure) which I got engraved with 'XIII' for my lucky number and 'Moo!' for my common saying/phrase/whatever. We went on a little cruise, came back n my parents went shopping whilest I went back to the hotel. Now here is where my mother freaked out. Not only did she tell me how to get back to the hotel 5 times, but she asked Marie, our tour guide, to make sure I got there okay. Now marie, understanding that Im 18 and fully capable of being by myself, walked with me about a block and then briefly told me jpw tp get back. But during that walk I asked her what was the best chocolate in Switzerland, and needless to say at this moment I am sitting next to 2 of the finest bars here. So I got back to the hotel, cleaned up a bit, grabbed my coat and went out. Decided I didnt wanna carry my coat, so I ran back and threw it in the room. Then went back out. I made it as far as the lobby when I saw it was raining so I ran back to my room once more, grabbed my coat and then finally went outside. So I wondered around Luzern in the rain, parent-free, and it was great. First I bought some Lindt and Lindor chocolate. Cost me 5 CHF, or 2,50 Euro. Then I went 2 see two different covred bridges which were a good distance apart. so needless ot say I was soaked at the end. Talked with a guy from Boston about Hockey and his tour. Went back to the hotel, laid down and rested. After I hid my chocolate of course. Went out and had dinner at the Rathaus Brewery. The waitress was cute. But after dinner I separated from my parents under the cause of going to buy gelato (ice cream). I went back and talked to 3 girls who were just sitting on a bridge drawing. The one who stopped me was alicia, she was the only one I don't have a picture of. The other one was Jen, and the 3rd girl I unfortunately forgot, so sorry. But I got all three of their AIM sn's. So hopefully I will get to talk to them again. I talked with them for about 40 minutes. They were really fun people, and they befriended me instantly. I was sad when we parted and not just because I had to go back to the hotel. And now I am in France ...and three postcards left to write with 4 days left on my tour. I almost dont want to go back to the states.
June 17th
Dont worry, be happy. Paris was good yesterday. We saw L'Arc de Triump in the morning, so I took lots of pictures of that and saw the Paris Opera house, then my dad and I walked to the Louvre Museum. The place is huge, we walked at least a mile in there. Then walked through le jarden de Touilerie's about 2 or 3 miles to L'hotel des Invalides, to see Naopleon's tomb, as well as the army museum. Then I waisted away the night, doing nothing but watching TV. How sad, isn't it? Today we board the Eurostar and leave France, go under the chunnel to England. I have plans to have dinner with Jen at a great Chinese resturant. So that should be fun. But alas everything good must end.. ;_; Today we say good-bye to our Italian driver Raphaelle, who has gotten us around incredibly well. Wedging our bus into the massive traffic jams around Rome and Paris. Then at the hotel we say bye-bye to our wonderful tour guide Marie. So today will have its up but mainly its downs. More later....
June 19th:
Right now, I am 1894 miles from Chicago, with 3:39 minutes left to go in my flight. Which is travelling 563 mph, at 10972 meters, roughly 36000 feet. So I think I 'll continue where I left off, for the conclusion of my story. We arrived in London mid afternoon and so the family took the bus from the hotel to Harrods, which is a big, fancy, expensive mall in London. We went because my mother wanted to go. The place wasn't so bad, if you like shopping. I bought Dante Alighieri's "Divine Comedy" and just recently on this plane flight I gave up reading the Aeneid for this. But moving on. Then we went back to the hotel and met Jen, from fencing (she now fences for Cambridge) and she took us throught the 'Time's Square' of London, Picadilly's Circus I think is the name of it. The Chinese food was wonderful, better than anything here!! I ate so much, it was just that good. Afterwards, we took the underground (Mind the Gap) back to the hotel. But before we went inside we all went into Marks & Spencers to buy me some shorts and my dad a couple shirts. Nothing interesting after that. The next day we got the city tour of London. Saw the changing of the guard and the "Pied Piper Effect". Where everyone follows the band right up to the Palace gates. Had a nice little talk with Meagan, away from everyone else. That was a plus, it made my morning. Its good to make friends, even if for a short while. Like marie. When we got to the hotel the first day in London everyone said their good-byes to Marie, there were lots of hugs, and sad faces, some tears. I couldn't handle it so I left w/out saying good-bye. Dropped my stuff off in the room and then decided that it wasn't right not to say good-bye so I left my room and went back to the lobby. Btw our room was on the 13th floor. When I got to the lobby, everyone was gone. I was more sad that I let myself leave without saying goodbye, and went back to my room with my head down. BUt in the hall I ran into Marie and she gave me a good strong hug good-bye. I haven't had a good hug like that in a loooong time. ;_; *tear* This was a lady whom I felt like I could trust, who was always like "Dont worry, be happy" and made my wonderful experience in Europe so much fun. She was like a third parental figure and a friend. I told her I would see her in 2 or 3 years, when I take another European trip sometime in college. So we parted ways, I shed a tear or two. Not just for her, but for the leaving that eveyrone would do shortly. All the people that I had befriended, liked, drank with, talked with, laughed with, for 10 days. Its all so sad really. But anyways after the changing of the guard my dad and I went to see the Tower of London while my mom went to go see Windsor Castle. We had a tour with a Yeoman Warder who had a good sense of humor and made the tour very enjoyable and funny. Afterwards we took the underground to a sherlock holmes museum, cuz it was there n we were killing time. Afterwards my parents went on a Jack the Ripper tour which I would have gone on but I was exhausted from earlier. So I got myself a pizza nad a Bloody Mary n had dinner at the hotel room. Watched some movies, finished packing, and went to bed. My parents came in and said the tour was so-so and that they ran into Meagan and her parents. Meagan sayd good-bye, so my parents said. In the morning I found out that she left with most of the rest of our tour at 5:30 am. John and Heathers family were the only ones from our tour who left with us at 7:00am to go to the airport. Unfrotunately they got off at Terminal 4. Heather put her hand on my hsouler and said have a safe trip home. Ill never forget the look in her eyes. John and his dad said stuff along the same lines. I said my good-bye of the sort, "Take care, have fun, you too," the sort. I was the only one they said bye to one the bus. I feel bead about not getting to say good-bye to everyone else, specially Meagan, my friend of those days now gone.