Our time in Siena is sadly almost over. We were here for less than 24 hours but feel refreshed after getting away from the hustle and bustle of Rome.
Rick Steves (I've embraced him back into the familia like a true Italian would) says it best: "Rome is magnificent and brutal at the same time. But Rome is required, and if your hotel provides a comfortable refuge [it did, way to go Katie!]; if you pace yourself [we did the best we could for 3 days]; if you accept and even partake in the siesta plan [we did not]; if you're well-organized for sightseeing [we are better than when we first started]; and if you protect yourself and your valuables with extra caution and discretion [we did], then you'll do just fine."
We left early this morning from Rome, took a 3 hour bus, and will be leaving early tomorrow for Florence. I thought I was being so well-organized by buying museum tickets to Florence in advance (going off the recommendation of RS); however, in my organization, I overlooked the minor detail that tomorrow is when we are supposed to ARRIVE in Florence and booked our Accademia (where the statue of David is) for 8:45. Needless to say, we will be catching a VERY early bus to make it in time and will probably need that siesta tomorrow.
Siena has been such a nice breath of fresh area, so we are hoping Florence will follow that trend. Rome reminded me a lot of New York - huge, dirty, loud, exciting. It was fun to explore but not hard to leave. Siena has been a good break for our tired feet and the wine tour was exactly what we needed. Everyone we have met so far have been really friendly, and we are looking forward to meeting up with our George Michael lovin', Irish dancing Aussie roomie from Rome in Florence tomorrow night for dinner.
Catch up with everyone in Florence!
tracy
Friday, August 3, 2007
A trip to wine country
Today we made our way to Siena, leaving the busy streets of Rome behind. We enjoyed the change of pace when we arrived. We met a tour group that went to the Chianti vineyard, saw two villages from the Middle Ages and tasted some good grapes. Now, we are headed to see the Duomo, eat some dinner, and head out for Florence early in the morning. Everyone wants to know where we are from, and we proudly say either Texas or Austin. I guess Texas pride knows no boundaries. We have met a lot of interesting people. One friend that we made from Australia always comments on our "good energy." Hope that we can keep that energy flowing through our next stops.
Katie
Katie
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Pictures ... finally!
My next purchase!
Staying hydrated!
Me and my new boyfriends.
We still love each other.
Our room at the International Women's Hostel
We are ready to head out of Austin! Well, Katie looks ready, but I look like I need to use the bathroom.
Katie loves our exit row seating!
Love,
Your multilingual techno genius
Third Day the Charm
Today we saw a lot of big sites including the Colosseum, Palentine Hill, Marmentine Prison, Spanish Steps, and more. All were good times as we imagined the height of the Roman Empire and the persucution of those who stood in their way. We also strolled to do some shopping in affordable stores and looking at not so affordable stores. (Emily if you are reading, I did stop by Armani for you--something is coming back from there.) We are headed to Siena tomorrow and will be on a wine tour all afternoon, so it will be time to say goodbye to Rome.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Keeping it real
I have to follow up the post from Tracy to say--we are having a good time. Apart from the amazing sights and learning a whole city in a day, and walking it, and seeing families, and babies, and people going to work and living their lives- it is all really intriguing. I figure, if Tracy and I are laughing over a liter of wine at the end of the day from the ups and downs of a tourist, then everything is ok. One more full day to take in the sights of Roma, and then we are on to Siena for a wine tour. Hope to give more exciting posts soon. Ciao, Katie
Warning:long blog below, read with caution!
I thought I would follow up Katie's short and sweet blog with my usual narrative entries. After another long day in Rome, I think the phrase we could best use to sum up our experiences here would be "so close, yet so far."
Today started off wonderfully. We recharged our batteries and got some much needed sleep. One of our dorm room buddies -this cool girl from Australia-tagged along with us to Vatican City. We saw all the sights and had a great lunch buffet at a place recommended in my Rick Steves guide book.
First of all, let me just say that the Vatican City is a very interesting place. It is, in itself, its own tiny country with separate military, postal service, etc. To summarize it eloquently, it is very Catholic (obviously), very old, and full of dead popes. It amazes me to think that some people actually make the trek to pray in front of some tombs. I have nothing against that - just think it's interesting. I will admit, though, that St. Peter's tomb was pretty pretty pretty cool (in Larry David voice for anyone who appreciates Curb Your Enthusiasm). The Sistine Chapel was also pretty amazing, albeit extremely crowded.
This is the part in our day when things started to go downhill. We had a good lunch and then headed to the main train station to buy a Roma pass - this pass you can get to save you money on transportation and sights. Kind of like a combo deal. So we get there and find a place that sells them but decide we want to go to a place we remember where we can use our credit cards. Why? Because we like to make things difficult. So we troop across the street and can't remember where the tour desk is located. So as we are looking for it, I, of course, find a children's clothing store and commence to go inside and buy a baby dress. Why? Because that's what I do. Katie knows this and says nothing because that is what she does.
After my little distraction, we realize that our tour guide book says that the tour desk is by track #24. We find it, buy our Roma pass (with cash), and then decide we need to find an internet cafe pronto to figure out our bus schedule information for our next departure on Friday. We get the address from Rick Steves, our bff, and find it very easily via the metro. p.s. we have got the metro and bus system down now, alelia (aka:hallelujah). Like I said, we find it, but it, being the biggest internet cafe in Rome with 250 computers and snack bar, is closed. No longer exists. So great. We go to plan b and track down the second and only other internet cafe good ole Stevie recommends. Again -no existe. But we are told of another one and spend the next 20 minutes walking in circles looking for it.
By this point, Katie can tell I am frustrated, so we decide to turn around and go back to our hostel. I use my brain though, luckily, and suggest walking back on the opposite side of the street in case we overlooked it. So of course we stumble upon it, and are then rescued by mozilla firefox and friends.
We then decide to grab some dinner. I had already suggested a place in the guide book that came highly recommended from our bff, AND the coolest part is that they have people with disabilities working alongside people from the community as the waitstaff. The place is called "Inn with Friends," and Stevie said it is popular with the locals. So I'm thinking ... hey, I like to eat and I like people with disabilities. Let's eat there. Katie is all for it so off we go. Stevie puts some pretty crappy directions with this one though and just says two blocks from this particular piazza. So we are walking. And walking. And walking. Seriously. No "Inn with Friends." We take turns asking people for help with directions, and everyone keeps pointing us around the same bend. We are walking in circles. But there was no room at the inn, I suppose, because it could not be found. Katie's comment to this adventure was, "I've been lost my whole life." Finally a helpful police officer tells us, "There it is." And it turns out to be a closed up building. Sweet.
And now the most important question of the day is: where do the people with disabilities now work?
It just makes you wonder.
Oh! But I am forgetting one of the most entertaining stories of the day. My book. This book has traveled with me through 3 airports and 3 countries. I bought it in Austin the day before we left with the intentions of mailing it out to someone early Monday morning. That didn't happen and there wasn't a post office at the Houston airport, so it's been accompanying me ever since. It has been the thorn in my side ever since but I FINALLY shipped it off on its merry way today. This is after going to 3 post offices and finding out that you have to purchase an envelope to put the book in from a Tabbachia (little tobacco store). Then you take it to the post office. Once this was figured out and we successfully bought the envelope, we waited at the post office in a ridiculous line for one hour. One hour of my life that I will never get back. I kid, I kid, but seriously, this was anarchy at its finest. The line was so long and I thought people were going to stage a coup by the time I checked out of there. Impatient Italians = no bueno. I am just so glad to have that book gone, and I feel ridiculous for toting it with me all the way to Europe.
I can only imagine the adventures we have in store for us tomorrow at the Colosseum.
As far as Rick Steves goes, I now refer to him as Big Fat Liar (BFL) and intend to send him an e-mail to ammend his guide book. He is long overdue for some positive points, so we will just see what kind of help he can provide us with tomorrow.
At the end of today I just wanted someone to strap one of those kid leashes to my arm and drag me to the location I was seeking. Another lesson I have learned: Italians give very vague directions. "So close, yet so far."
ciao,
tracy
Today started off wonderfully. We recharged our batteries and got some much needed sleep. One of our dorm room buddies -this cool girl from Australia-tagged along with us to Vatican City. We saw all the sights and had a great lunch buffet at a place recommended in my Rick Steves guide book.
First of all, let me just say that the Vatican City is a very interesting place. It is, in itself, its own tiny country with separate military, postal service, etc. To summarize it eloquently, it is very Catholic (obviously), very old, and full of dead popes. It amazes me to think that some people actually make the trek to pray in front of some tombs. I have nothing against that - just think it's interesting. I will admit, though, that St. Peter's tomb was pretty pretty pretty cool (in Larry David voice for anyone who appreciates Curb Your Enthusiasm). The Sistine Chapel was also pretty amazing, albeit extremely crowded.
This is the part in our day when things started to go downhill. We had a good lunch and then headed to the main train station to buy a Roma pass - this pass you can get to save you money on transportation and sights. Kind of like a combo deal. So we get there and find a place that sells them but decide we want to go to a place we remember where we can use our credit cards. Why? Because we like to make things difficult. So we troop across the street and can't remember where the tour desk is located. So as we are looking for it, I, of course, find a children's clothing store and commence to go inside and buy a baby dress. Why? Because that's what I do. Katie knows this and says nothing because that is what she does.
After my little distraction, we realize that our tour guide book says that the tour desk is by track #24. We find it, buy our Roma pass (with cash), and then decide we need to find an internet cafe pronto to figure out our bus schedule information for our next departure on Friday. We get the address from Rick Steves, our bff, and find it very easily via the metro. p.s. we have got the metro and bus system down now, alelia (aka:hallelujah). Like I said, we find it, but it, being the biggest internet cafe in Rome with 250 computers and snack bar, is closed. No longer exists. So great. We go to plan b and track down the second and only other internet cafe good ole Stevie recommends. Again -no existe. But we are told of another one and spend the next 20 minutes walking in circles looking for it.
By this point, Katie can tell I am frustrated, so we decide to turn around and go back to our hostel. I use my brain though, luckily, and suggest walking back on the opposite side of the street in case we overlooked it. So of course we stumble upon it, and are then rescued by mozilla firefox and friends.
We then decide to grab some dinner. I had already suggested a place in the guide book that came highly recommended from our bff, AND the coolest part is that they have people with disabilities working alongside people from the community as the waitstaff. The place is called "Inn with Friends," and Stevie said it is popular with the locals. So I'm thinking ... hey, I like to eat and I like people with disabilities. Let's eat there. Katie is all for it so off we go. Stevie puts some pretty crappy directions with this one though and just says two blocks from this particular piazza. So we are walking. And walking. And walking. Seriously. No "Inn with Friends." We take turns asking people for help with directions, and everyone keeps pointing us around the same bend. We are walking in circles. But there was no room at the inn, I suppose, because it could not be found. Katie's comment to this adventure was, "I've been lost my whole life." Finally a helpful police officer tells us, "There it is." And it turns out to be a closed up building. Sweet.
And now the most important question of the day is: where do the people with disabilities now work?
It just makes you wonder.
Oh! But I am forgetting one of the most entertaining stories of the day. My book. This book has traveled with me through 3 airports and 3 countries. I bought it in Austin the day before we left with the intentions of mailing it out to someone early Monday morning. That didn't happen and there wasn't a post office at the Houston airport, so it's been accompanying me ever since. It has been the thorn in my side ever since but I FINALLY shipped it off on its merry way today. This is after going to 3 post offices and finding out that you have to purchase an envelope to put the book in from a Tabbachia (little tobacco store). Then you take it to the post office. Once this was figured out and we successfully bought the envelope, we waited at the post office in a ridiculous line for one hour. One hour of my life that I will never get back. I kid, I kid, but seriously, this was anarchy at its finest. The line was so long and I thought people were going to stage a coup by the time I checked out of there. Impatient Italians = no bueno. I am just so glad to have that book gone, and I feel ridiculous for toting it with me all the way to Europe.
I can only imagine the adventures we have in store for us tomorrow at the Colosseum.
As far as Rick Steves goes, I now refer to him as Big Fat Liar (BFL) and intend to send him an e-mail to ammend his guide book. He is long overdue for some positive points, so we will just see what kind of help he can provide us with tomorrow.
At the end of today I just wanted someone to strap one of those kid leashes to my arm and drag me to the location I was seeking. Another lesson I have learned: Italians give very vague directions. "So close, yet so far."
ciao,
tracy
Missed the Pope, but saw where he lives
Today we went to Vatican City to see the sights. The pope was not there but a televised version of his mass is played before the audience in the square from the villa. We toured the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museum and the Basilica, and even found the unmarked door that leads out of the Sistine Chapel to avoid the hike back to the front. The tour book has helped pay off by leading us to cool retaurants and giving us hints. Some of the stuff we are learning about Roma is coming throught good experience ( like riding the city bus for a while,) but it is all fun.
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