Fall Break 2006, October 29-November 6

The long awaited post about my fall break:
Sunday: enjoyed my extra hour due to the wonderful invention called "Fall Back" (colloquially speaking), finished packing, final check of email before the week away, met Hillary at Gare du Nord at 4 to take the train to the Brussels International Airport, dinner at Pizza Hut (good old fashioned american-style congealed cheese before the real thing), flight to Rome; once there we had to fend off a sketchy cab guy to use a real cab (the book said to only use white or yellow ones, so we did) because the buses were a bit odd and we didn't want to take our chances with them and the real cab was about 20 euros less than sketchy cab; checked into the hostel and crashed.
Monday: Up at 7:30 after a horrid night's sleep (I've never heard so much snoring in my life), checked out and trekked to the Termini station to leave our luggage for the day. Then: Ancient City day! Colosseum (took pictures figured we'd save the time, money, and experience of going inside for another trip), took pictures of Domus Aurea but couldn't find the triple 6 (it was his address), Forum tour (funny things happened whilst going there), Vittorio Emanuel II monument, Bocca delle Verita (face in the wall from Roman Holiday, it's actually on a porch [sorta] of a church), Jewish Ghetto (museum and synagogue-which, by the way, was beautiful inside), Fontana di Trevi (the fountain on the side of a building that is in every movie set in Rome, threw a coin in and everything), Spanish Steps (which despite the name were built and funded by everybody else, English and French and whatnot, spent some time there doing as Romans do-namely sitting and watching the tourists). Then we trekked back to Termini to collect bags and take a very cold train ride to Naples (they did not need that much air conditioning). Took the metro to the hostel easier than our trip in Rome. Had gelato today! Chocolate around lunch and lemon a little while later, just like a remembered it too!
Tuesday: Lava Day! Well, sort of. We went to Pompeii via train. We walked around for a couple hours (and yes, we did go into the bordello and yes, the pictures were on the walls) taking pictures and generally getting a bit confused as the guidebook didn't always agree with the signs posted on building walls. Then we took a bus up to Vesuvius, well two-thirds or so up. Then we hiked the rest of the way. That's right, I climbed a volcano and yes it hurt but it was so worth it. If nothing else for the view of the Naples and the water and the small islands in the bay/lagoon/harbor thing. I will say though, the crater itself was kind of a let down because it was just rocks and a bit of steam on a side wall. I wanted lava or at least some activity but I suppose it's better that there's only rocks, for the people at least. Then back to Naples for dinner at a pizza place where President Clinton ate back when he was in Naples for the G-7 summit. They even have a picture up. Halloween night was fun, all in all.
Wednesday: Woke up around 8, which meant we got lots of sleep. Dumped stuff at the train station for the day after visiting Virgil's Tomb (which we couldn't exactly see because of gates). Archeological Museum-more statues than you could shake a stick at, by the way, and where all the real stuff from Pompeii is kept. Then walked, in the rain, down to Via dei Tribunali, buying me a 4 euro umbrella on the way as both of mine were in the train station but the new one is bigger and is fun to play with as it can be used as a cane. Lunch of calzone at the other recommmended pizza place from the book. Catacombs weren't visitable until 2 which was too late so we walked down a side street looking at shops which we think were all for manger scenes as all the figures were religious. The Duomo was closed as well, this whole closing in the middle of the day thing that Europe has is not very logical to me, so we headed back to the Metro. Then the cultural experience that we don't ever want to repeat happened. We were getting onto the Metro and I had to get out my wallet to buy a ticket. So we go to put them in the machines and this guy tried to "help me" but I had heard it click. I couldn't shake him off though until I felt fingers on my left side near my purse. I whirled around and shouted "what do you think you're doing?" at him and he backed away. I went through with no problems after that. But that incident just solidified my distaste for Naples. The rain helped as well, but it felt like a beach town and sort of looked like one too. But nothing happened after that incident and that incident was averted so all is well. So don't worry, family. Took the train back to Rome, got into hostel fine and watched some of Pride and Prejudice, the BBC version as Hillary had her laptop with her.
Thursday: Best Laid Plans...Day. Another trek to Termini to drop off luggage then went to Ottaviano to go to the Vatican Museums where we encountered a huge line, which we weren't exactly expecting. An hour or so later we finally get in but had to race through as we wanted to see the Sistine Chapel before trying to go to noon Mass. We saw it, it was nice, but couldn't take pictures (bad attitude) and the museum was closing at 12:30 (winter times are lame in Italy) so we couldn't go back. However, once we're out of the museums, having trekked all the way around to the square, the line to get into the Vatican was really long too. So, no Mass and a poor job on the museums for nothing. Hillary went off to the Maritime Prison and I got in the line. Randomly, the woman in front of me who was traveling with her daughter was not only American, but went to AU! She's now working at the University of Hawaii and was on a belated post college graduation trip with her daughter. They were fun to talk to. Once past the metal detectors, the reason for the back up, I skipped the line to the dome and wandered around St. Peter's. My religion really does have a nice place here, lots of stuff in the museums too. Couldn't light a candle in St. Peter's, which makes sense due to the number of people around and the place'd probably burn down. Then mailed a postcard from the Vatican Post Office and went to the Colosseum for souvenirs then took the train to Florence, hiking about 10 minutes from the bus stop to the actual hostel because it was in an old villa, pretty but a hike. Found out we'd only booked one night but shelved it until the next day. Happy 18th schwesters!!
Friday: Found out hostel didn't have any openings for that night so we called around and found one that did, cheaper and closer to the train station. Dropped stuff then went into Florence. Went to the Duomo and saw the doors of the Baptistry, the church was really pretty with colored marble and stuff. Then went on to the Uffizi Museum (having reserved tickets the day before) and did it properly, seeing everything. Lunch near the museum, had the local specialty of bruschetta with pasta. Went to the Accademia to see David in all his 14 foot glory. Saw the synagogue but it was closed. On to Palazzo Vecchio, the government center and former Medici residence before they moved. Toured it, twas nice, all palatial-y. Saw the Piazza delle Repubblica then on to dinner where we had regional soup-it was a cold day! Pretty skies, but cold. Went back to the hostel where we had our own room, got to use an elevator, were next to the church, and generally considered it to be a gift from on high to make up for the day before.
Saturday: Morning train to Pisa. Walked to Piazza del Duomo, past hundreds of kids who were either scouting or doing some sort of scavanger thing with hats (no idea really). Saw the Leaning Tower, and yes, it leans. We took a couple fun pictures then went inside the Duomo (which was nice) then got souvenirs on our way back to the train station for the train to Venice. Hostel is called Camping del Serenissima for a reason-really does feel like Girl Scout camp with small cabins and space for tents and RVs. We walked down the road for dinner, reasonably priced pizza and warmth which was nice.
Sunday: Venice! Walked around Piazza San Marco before Mass at St. Mark's. Lunch off the piazza (really good lasagna) then a tour of the Doge's Palace led by me and the guidebook. Off to Murano via water taxi (really useful and sorta fun), bought glass but as it was Sunday, the workshops were closed. Back to San Marco for masks and by 5 PM it was already getting dark, which is insane and feels just wrong. Off to the Rialto bridge to buy me a handmade leather bound journal that the guidebook talked about, the couple who owns the shop were so nice too. Back to the hostel to get warm and relax.
Monday: Took forever to get to the airport as we had to take buses. First from the hostel to Venice, then a bus out to Treviso, then another bus to the airport as we were flying RyanAir and thus at a small airport. Took about 3 hours altogether but we didn't have a line for security, a plus with the small airport. Flight back, bus from Charleloi to Midi then via metro back to host home. Unpacked and relaxed. :)

General thoughts: A good trip, overall. Got dark around 5:30 which is crazy, and got cold towards the end of the week, colder than expected which wasn't fun. But we had a great time, I took about 614 pictures (without changing memory cards mind you) and now am dealing with labeling all of them, so pictures will be up on Facebook later this week...as in this weekend.