You were great. The people... the ruins... everything! I just loved it all! Dang your food is good. mmmm gelato! I wish I could have stayed longer, but you know how it goes.
your pal, Katie
P.S. thanks for not ruining the ruins in the earthquake.
That's what I would tell Italy if I wrote her a note.
We trained right on over to Florence to stay with Shay & Lyndsy. We visited the Duomo. It's not really tilted. The man who took the pictures was however tilted. We didn't mind though. He counted in funny voices. I love stranger-photography etiquette.
We went to go see David. He was not ready... he didn't have any clothes on. It was very impressive though. I'm still trying to figure out how a ninja turtle worked with marble like that.
Our last stop in Florence was Ponte Vecchio. It was just a crazy bridge with tons of shops on it... I thought it was really cool.
Next we were off to Rome, la citta eterna. Kirk Cameron gave us a tour of the Vatican. He left his days of growing pains behind him and now takes English speaking tourists on a 3 hour tour... a 3 hour tour.
As Kirk was taking us through the enormous Vatican museum, past the pope's apartment, and famous sculptures I couldn't help but notice the immense crowds that surrounded us. At first I thought they were all here to meet Kirk Cameron... but then it hit me. Tomorrow is Easter! The Vatican was a bustling with tourists and little pope helpers setting up for the big mass.
So Easter... in Rome.... pretty big deal apparently. We show up at the Vatican Sunday morning almost 2 hours before the mass begins and this is what greeted us. Thousands and Thousands of people as far as we could see. Apparently they started arriving nearly six hours before mass to get close seats to the pope. Silly me, I did not realize this was a Beatles concert. We were quite a ways back in the standing room only section. It was still pretty tight though because we did get to see the Pope.
As we are listening to the mass not understanding a single word because it was all in Italian of course.... Shay started getting a little dizzy. Apparently the crowd surfing and mosh pitting in the beginning was a bit much for her so early in the morning. She wandered off to get some air. The next thing we know the pope-bulance is driving through the crowd in the middle of the mass and Shay is strapped down on a stretcher. Lyndsy, Meg & I chase after her as they take her to the front of the crowd.
The next thing we know we are in the Vatican hospital clinic and Shay is getting a shot in the butt from the Pope's doctor. I have never been more envious of anything in my entire life. Just think about it. This has got to be the most prestigious doctor in the entire world. The pope is old. He is sick. Always. This doctor has the most important job... he has to keep the pope alive. And Shay is getting treated by the fleet of pope doctors... ON EASTER. Why can I not faint on command???
These doctors were hilarious though. They didn't speak very much English, but they tried a whole lot. They wanted to know why Shay was screaming terrified of the shot... and if we had oil rigs on our land in Texas. Those were the only questions we were able to successfully translate. Then they brought us some chocolate pieces from their giant chocolate eggs, an Easter gift from the Pope no doubt. Here are a few of the doctors standing outside the clinic and the nurse... look at her outfit! Ahhh... I'm so jealous of Shay right now.
At this point the pain killers are kicking in. Shay is starting to feel better, and the Pope is about to give his blessing. We tip toe on over to the door to see if we are allowed to watch him give his blessing. Keep in mind we ran after the pope-bulance past 22,000 devout catholics and 20 swiss guards, who were not so eager to let us pass by. Nevertheless, we creep to the door. The crazy doctors push us right out in the middle of the do not enter buffer zone between the Pope and the thousands in the crowd. One doctor grabs my camera and the other stands with us for a picture.... while the Pope is in the middle of giving his blessing. He is up on the little balcony behind us.
Are you allowed to pose for pictures when the Pope is giving his blessing? I'm still not sure. Then the doctor shooed us over to the Swiss guard who was the front man in charge of keeping people, like us, out of this safe zone and away from the pope. So we scurried on over and had a photo shoot with the jester... still while the pope is giving his blessing... on Easter.
After we finished our uninterrupted photo shoots, we let the Pope finish his blessing and Shay get out of the hospital bed. We took her back to the hotel and decided to do some more sight seeing. First stop: Trevi fountain. We threw coins over our shoulder and everything Lizzie Mcguire style.
Speaking of Lizzie... we took another free walking tour and I swear Ms. Ungermeyer was our tour guide. She asked me where Shay was. I told her she didn't feel well and was staying in our hotel room for the day. The Ungermeyer called me a sneaky little brown noser with a hidden agenda. I was left speechless.
The next morning Meg & I went to tour St. Peter's. It was one large cathedral. They have this dress code there to keep skanky females like Meghan away from the Pope. Well she was unaware of these precautions. As we approached the doors of St. Peter's, two guards stepped in front of her and shook their heads. We had just waited in a huge line to enter. Meghan wasn't about to let her sleazy exterior keep us from entering the cathedral. All of the sudden she went all MacGyver on me and grabbed her northface raincoat out of her bag. She steps into it... pulls it up to her hips... zips it up & ties the arms like a belt around her waist. The guards look at us confused and then step aside.
I decided to take Megs away from St. Peter's before she embarrassed us further... I thought the Coliseum would be a safe location. They like kill people there all the time. They probably don't have a dress code. Turns out I was wrong... the guards at the Coliseum were even more angry then the St. Pete ones... and these guards were packing swords! I honestly can't take her anywhere.
Ok so there is this one building in Rome that I took a particular liking towards. I do not know why... It wasn't the oldest structure... it did not endure anything particularly amazing. I am not even certain what it was built for. I just had a fondness towards the giant horse building... as I lovingly referred to it as. Look at her... Isn't she beautiful?
I went on and on all week about how we needed to get a picture in front of my favorite building. That was all I wanted to do in Rome. Finally our last night, we made it happen. We trek over to my horse building and wait patiently for someone (who looks like they won't jack my camera) to stroll by. FINALLY some guy heads down our sidewalk. I bound on over towards him unable to control my excitement. I explain all the important buttons on my camera and run back over to pose. This was what we ended up with. Why am I not surprised? Definitely framing this one...
As our backpacking adventures are coming to an end, we suddenly realized that we had too many cities left... and not a lot of time. We could either make sacrifices or we could create an insanely hectic schedule. I'll take the latter thank you. Our journey to Pisa begins. We arrive in Pisa, a little later than planned, with 1 hour and 15 minutes until our train departs. We drop off our backpacks and run to go buy bus tickets to take us to the leaning tower. We go to the bus station with 1 hour until our train leaves. We approach bus after bus asking if they go to the leaning tower of Pisa. Couldn't understand a word they said... but they all pointed in different directions. 45 minutes until our train leaves. We ask a fellow American tourist how to get there... she points and says "a 15 minute walk that way". We take off running (of course). And we are running... running... running... Ok we have been running for 15 minutes... she said 15 minute walk? Shouldn't we be able to see a tower by now? We go into a couple stores. "Could you tell us how to get to the leaning tower of Pisa?" --- blank stares--- "We are looking for the leaning tower of Pisa?" ---blank stares---. Ok might as well just keep running... and running. "Oh I think I see something!!" Apparently we ran like half a mile past it. Reverse... running... jump over fences... swerve through traffic. We finally arrive at the tower 20 minutes before out train leaves. We literally take a picture and leave. We don't have time to even look at the tower.
This entire quest we have been looking for a taxi. Apparently Pisa does not believe in those. Not a single taxi in the entire city. So I guess we are going to have to run back to the train station. Megs looks at me and says "We are not gonna make it... we are going to miss our train and consequently our hostel tonight". I glance over to my left and a smile comes across my face. Rickshaw rental. I grab Megs and we jump on the bench of this tiny little rickshaw. We share the bench with a Hungarian man who promises to pedal us on over to the train station in 15 minutes. Can I please paint you a picture of what this rickshaw was like? It's like 2 bicycles combined with a bench across. There is a canopy overhead... a large basket in the front and a steering wheel.
I noticed as I took my seat that there was a set of pedals in front of me. I guess it's up to me and the Hungarian! I'm pedaling my little heart out.... but it feels like the thing is in like first gear, so my legs are just flying around in a circle to the swishing noise. I'm pretty sure I wasn't doing anything, but Meg was so nervous about missing our train that I didn't dare stop pedaling. This bench seat had no restraints to keep you on the bench, so every turn we made I was halfway to the pavement. I had to hold on for my life. We were pedaling away down like busy city roads getting passed by women pushing strollers on the sidewalk. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I was crying I was laughing so hard. We arrive at the train station with 1 minute to spare and an incredible leg workout. I love rickshaws!
We made it to Cinque Terra where there are 5 cities all on the coast that you can hike between. Since we are still on somewhat of a "time constraint" we hiked 2 & a half hours to the first city and then just took the trains to the rest of them. Well not quite... We missed a train connecting the 2nd to the 3rd city and decided to be unconventional to maximize our time. Most people do cinque terra by visiting the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and then 5th city. Not us... please! We went 1, 2, 5, 4, 3. and I wouldn't have had it any other way.
City 1: Monterosso
City 2: Vernazza
City 5: Riomaggiore
City 4: Manarolo
So here Meg decided that we had to go swimming... even though the water is like 43 degrees frigid. She was very set in her ways, so I caved. In we went one by one. A crowd gathered on the bridge above us laughing at me screaming like a girl about how freezing cold the water was. All I could hear as I hit the water was the roaring laughter from above.
As I scurried out of the water as fast as my little legs could take me I encountered a rock of razor blades. I emerged from the water with blood streaming down my legs. Luckily Meghan never travels without her gauze wrap. I look like I've been attacked my an animal.
City 3: Corniglia
After Cinque Terra we went to Verona to stay with a friend from Maastricht. I ended up staying an extra day to see Venice while Megs took the earlier ferry. As I walked around Venice I loved the irony. Here I am in maybe the most romantic city in the world... all alone.
so Italian Job right? Ah... I love Europe.
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