ChelseaandRebecka

I went to St Peters Basilica and the Vatican today. It was very crowded but worth it. I highly recommend going early so it is less crowded but no matter what time you go there are going to be crowds. At the Basilica they have guys dressed in dark suits who are enforcers and they dont mess around. Their job is to keep you in line and respecting when you can and cannot take pictures, that you are appropriately clothed and that you dont disturb quite sacred places. They mean business too. I seen them kick several people out while I was there so be respectful if you are going there. The Vatican Museums were as over whelming as the Louvre. They have way too much stuff to try and see it all in one day, ... read more

July 11th Well if the train ride to Rome is any indication of how I will like it then Im off to a good start. I met a Fryer from the Francescian order and we talk all about his interesting life and about how his order came to be. As it happens St. Francis of Assisi started their order and Assisi is only 30 minutes from Perugia. In fact, I was going to go there but got side tracked by the Jazz Festival. We went right past Assisi on our train ride to Rome and he pointed out all the important sits as we went by. When we got to Rome we took the A line together and he showed me all the ins and outs of navigating the metro system in Rome. He saved me ... read more

I always find it fasinating to learn how different people experience the world because each person lives such different realities, kind of like the blid men and the elephant. On the train ride to Pisa I sat with 2 girls from Sweden. They were backpacking across Europe as a high school graduation gift to themselves and to avoid the question "What are you going to do with the rest of youre life". After talking with they for a while I learned that they each knew 4 languages fluently and that they considered North Americans to be ill educated. Apartently their school shows clips from "Are You Smarter Then A Fifth Grader" to show just how stupid US citizens are. Out of politeness I didnt point out the fact that US kids did learn this stuff but ... read more

My first impressions of Forence have not been good. I was warned that in Italy it was organized chaous and it is but some how it always works out. For example, there are very few traffic light and no four way stops so cars people just go when they find an opening and it seems to work at lest it did in Turin. In Forence there is very little street signs and the map that the tourist office made me paid 1 euro for was crappy. I walked around in a big circle with a hugh pack on my back in 37 C heat before I finally got on the right street that lead to my hostel. By the time I got here I was soaked in sweat and pissed that I couldnt shower or go ... read more

I was very lucky when staying in Turin because I was on the top level and could look out the window and see the Mountians in the background. On top of this the place I stayed was by a school of music and wonderful music drifted in the widow from the time I woke up to the time I fell a sleep. I could also do a lot of people watching from the widow (well when ever it was not being occuppied by someone else). Turin has a very rich history dating back to Roman times all the way up to Neloplian and beyond. They have a lot of Barocco style buildings and in some places you can see where the new city is built over the old Roman and something else but I never caught ... read more

I spent the day walking in Paris and boy are my feet tired! I planned on only visiting Musee du Louvre and then walking around downtown to see the remainning sight from the street as my budget is pretty limited on this trip and Europe is very expensive but One of the people I was visiting in Versailles highly recommened that I see Musee D'Orsay so I did. Unsuprisingly, being that he was a local, he was right. Musee D'Orsay is a must see when in Paris! The museum consist of 1800-1900 impressionism. Just so we are clear. I have no training in art but I know what I like and I liked the works there very very much. Impressionism is most famous for its paintings and the painting were wonderful to see, however; the sculptors ... read more