Tag Archives: italy

Rome, Italy: Vatican Museum, Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps

After completely losing my mask of sanity on my first night in Rome, I was awoken at around 5:30 am by a thunderstorm.  I went to make sure my window was closed and that’s when I remebered my window doesn’t even go outside, it goes into the hallway and across from that is an open window.  I am not so sure my sanity will return to me today.

I get up and get ready to go out.  My hotel leaves your breakfast for you the night before.  I went from fresh breads, fruit, smoothies, yogurt, pots of coffee and home made deserts in Naples to this:

breakfast

I leave a note for someone to please fix my WiFi and I head out.

Today is Vatican City day.  I do not have much of a personal interest in seeing the Vatican Museum, but I am in Rome.  I have to go, right?  So I do.

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Rome, Italy: Train Mishap and Where is My WiFi Dammit?

I do not like Rome.  This is not entirely Rome’s fault.   I acknowledge that.  But I do not like it.

I was leaving Napoli today.  I last left off leaving Castel Sant’Elmo.  I had to go back to my hotel and pick up my luggage.  Dying, hot, sweaty, death.

I walked back over to Centrale to buy a train ticket to Rome.  The next train was leaving in ten minutes, I wanted a tiny bit more time to do things like buy an ice cold drink (DYING, HOT, SWEATY, DEATH) and smoke a cigarette.  I look at the later times and see prices €40 and up.  What the hell, I thought it was going to be like €10.  Then I notice the too-soon train is only €11.20.  Perfect, I will take it.  Who needs a cigarette and ice cold drink when you will be in Rome in about an hour for only €11.20?

Ugh.  Did you know they have slow trains between Naples and Rome?  I didn’t.  I am now on a three hour train.  I boarded late so there are no seats left.  I am sitting outside between the two cars, burning hot.  There is a guy selling cold water, he does not have change for a €20 bill.  I don’t have anything smaller since I just put all my change and smaller bills into the ticket machine.

I did see some cool scenery though:
View train from Rome to Naples

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Naples, Italy: Castel Sant’Elmo

My last morning in Naples.  I wanted to spend a few hours here before leaving for Rome.  Especially since I have now mastered the fine art of not being murdered by a Vespa when crossing the street.  (Hint:  walk with a local in between you and the direction of oncoming traffic.)

Naples chaos:

naples chaos

After a last game of catch with the cute dog who lives at my hotel, I was off.

b&b doggie

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An Easy Side Trip to Sorrento, Italy from Pompeii and Naples

I last left off in Pompeii.  I wanted to go to Mount Vesuvius.  I know it is cold there, always.  This should have been a draw since I was slowly dying in the heat in Pompeii.  But I could not get my mind to believe that a volcano would be cooler.  So I decided to go to Sorrento, which was burning hot of course.  Meh, whatever. At least I had the joy of being able to switch my plans last minute and not have to deal with anyone else because I am solo lalalalalaaaaaaaaaaa.

Leaving Pompeii and buying a train ticket for Sorrento was a bit difficult.  The ticket booth guy was not at the window, but instead could be seen from the window gabbing it up with his coworker.  The maniac behind me in line starts smashing at the window. Of course, the guy thinks its me since I am the one standing there when he comes over.  Great.  I ask for a ticket. He gives it to me and tells me “You need to run to catch the train”.  Yeah well I wouldn’t have if you had been here instead of over there….whatever.

Since it is later in the day now, the Circumvesuviana train smells even worse than it did earlier in the day.  I am from New York, I can handle this.

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Naples, Italy: SideTrip to Capri

I woke up early for my trip to Capri.  I have been dying to see this place.  Being as stubborn as I am, I refuse cabs.  So I walked to the ferry and I got so very lost.  I mean LOST.  And sunburned

When I found the ferry terminal, it was the slow ferry terminal. The fast ferries leave from somewhere else, but damned if I was going to try and find it.

I did a quick picture post here:

http://iputmylifeonashelf.com/2013/05/03/quick-picture-post-capri-italy/

swing chair lift to monte solaro summit, capri island, italy

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Quick Picture Post: Capri, Italy

Have you ever seen the episode of The Simpsons where Lisa becomes a vegetarian?  The family starts out at a petting zoo.  A lamb walks up and they all “Awwwwwwwwww” it.  Then a smaller lamb comes up and the “AWWWWWW” gets louder.  Then the third….and then when the poor first lamb returns, they have seen so much cuter that Homer “Get out of the way YOU”s it?

Capri Island is that petting zoo.

First you get off the boat and you are at the Port of Capri.  Oh wow!  Look at this!  You take like fifty pictures, it is so beautiful.

capri island, italy

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Quick Picture Post: Live From My Terrace in Naples, Italy

This was just way too good to not share immediately.

I am a budget hotel kinda gal.  Always have been, always will be.  Every now and then a budget hotel will surprise me.  Today is one of those days.

I get to Sweet Sleep Bed and Breakfast this morning and my room is not ready because I am too early.  I am brought out onto the communal outdoor terrace, where I am stunned at the view.

sweet sleep bed and breakfast, naples italy

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Milan, Italy: Last Stop on First Backpacking Trip

duomo milan italy

After a full day in Florence, it was time to head to Milan, my last stop on this trip.

Upon arriving at Milan Central, I was really surprised to see how elegant this train station is.  I was not expecting that.  You could seriously spend some time here just admiring it.

milan train station, milan italy

milan train station, milan, italy

 

train station, milan, italy

Even though this is my last stop, I am still staying near the train station so that I can take a shuttle to the airport.  I am at Hotel Cristallo, which is a mere two blocks from the train station…if you don’t get lost.  I did, as always.  So it took me about an hour to get to my hotel.  I wish I were kidding or exaggerating.

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Venice, Italy: You Are Beautiful But I Still Don’t Like You

rialto bridge, venice, italy

Ahhhh….Venice.  The city once dubbed by The New York Times as “the most beautiful city built by man.”  Who would not love Venice?

Me. That’s who.  Allow me to channel my inner Grumpy Cat for this post.

I could not wait to be in Venice.  I bought not one, not two, but THREE Venice guide books.  I even carried one around with me on this trip so I could gaze lovingly at the colorful pictures in anticipation.

And as it turns out I hated Venice. Hated it.

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Where Will You Go in Europe?

How do you pick what trip is perfect for you?  Well that’s up to you really.  Don’t listen to other people, do what YOU want.  I once read a message board where some woman posted that her niece (or whoever) went to (wherever) and hadn’t planned enough time in that city and that “The poor thing rushed around so much that she couldn’t even remember what museums she had visited!”.

See, that’s not how I view it at all.  To me, the “poor thing” arrived in a city unclear of what there was to do and see there, and followed other people’s advice rather than doing her own research.  That’s how she ended up at places with names she couldn’t remember.  Trust me, if she had done research and planned “I want to see THIS”, she would have made a beeline for THIS and she would in fact remember seeing the thing she was most excited to see in that city.

If you aren’t sure what you want?  Find out!   I bought a ton of completely outdated guide books on ebay for around a dollar each.  You can also use your library and get these for free.   The beauty of Europe is that everything is so old that you can read a book from a decade ago and all the attractions are still there.  You can find things you never knew existed, that are huge musts.  This is how I learned more about cities and this is how I began to find places I wanted to see.  I never had a clue that the dancing house in Prague existed.  What if I had gone to Prague and not had seen THIS:

dancing house prague czech republic

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