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Europe » Italy » Sicily » Villarosa May 23rd 2005

Today I left the noise and the compact living of city life for the mountains and valleys of the province of Enna. Enna is known as l'ombelico della Sicilia , or the belly button of Sicily. In particular, I was headed for San Giovannello, an azienda agrituristica situated about 3 kilometers outside of Villarosa. I found the location (amazingly!) without any backtracking, but the buildings were shuttered and the farm seemed to be deserted. After wandering up the hill and down the road a ways, I found the owners busy weeding part of their garden. Fortunately, I had the foresight to bring a copy of our prior e-mail correspondence, and Marcella reacted as though they had been awaiting my arrival. The room I was given was aptly named La Stanza Bellavista. The location was truly stunning, ... read more
Another view of San Giovannello
Road to San Giovannello
San Giovannello on the hillside

Europe » Italy » Liguria » Cinque Terre May 23rd 2005

Hi All Cinque Terre is amazing. The coast is great, its rocky, lots of good, hard hiking. Alex is amazed at the rocks and the lizards which he keeps trying to take pictures of. Had a great supper last night at Tratoria Billy, saw the sunset. Good breakfast too. They grow lemons here the size of grapefruits. Yesterday we hiked from village to village. It was fun but tiring today we are hanging out by the sea after our morning hike through the hills over looking the sea. Slowly learning Italian. Ciao Sarah and Alex... read more

Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Florence May 23rd 2005

It took us a while to find a hostel/hotel to stay at here, but we finally found one: a 1 star hotel on the top (4th floor) of a building. It has a pretty sweet view of the sorrounding area, and it is very close to the train station, and it is also pretty cheap (20 euro /person /night). It's a traditional hotel (traditional from what I have heard) with the bathroom down the hall (with bidet) and the big keys. To review on the hostels so far: the one in Amsterdam (Hans Brinker) was not that great (now that we know what good ones are like), but it served its purpose, even if it was a little bit more expensive. Munich's hostel (Wombat's) was really really excellent, and I've been told its one of the ... read more

Europe » Italy » Veneto » Venice May 23rd 2005

Just a quick note since I start class this morning. Booo! :) They had an Italian BBQ here last night and some of us followed up with gelatto. My first REAL gelatto experience -- and it will definitely not be the last! I can't get over how beautiful this place is. The Castle is on top of a hill so we're pretty isolated. However, one walk down a VERY, VERY steep hill leads us right into town. Last night we came across three ristorantes with people sitting on the terrraces. It's just like I imagined ... only better. I can tell that this adventure will be a whirlwind! Amidst all this beauty, I need to earn six credits. :) We already had homework last night. I've decided that this is the most beautiful place in the ... read more

Europe » Italy » Lazio » Rome May 22nd 2005

Hm... where did I leave off.. I'll try to make this more exciting to read than the last few entries. Last weekend my friend Janice and I headed up to La Spezia (near Cinque Terre) to visit my friends Enzo and Sandro. They took us sport climbing near Porto Venere which overlooked the Ligurian Sea. I was proud of Janice for making the sketchy descent down in flipflop sandals and I was proud of myself for doing a few routes with certain techniques I havn't used in a long time (for the one person who would understand the lingo - crack climbing, laybacks, heelhooks). This weekend I decided to head down to Rome. since I've done most of the typical touristy things I had to seek out new and exciting adventures. Yesterday consisted of going to ... read more
Beautiful Cinque Terre
mini-truck
Lemons for Lemoncello

Europe » Italy » Veneto » Venice May 22nd 2005

Holy crap, taking night trains that only last about 4 or 5 hours is not a very good idea. We could't reserve a direct train to Venice from Munich, so we had to change trains in Verona at 5 am, and got into Venice at 8 or so. The hostel we are staying it is very nice: we each get our own bed (no bunks), we have a private bathroom and its very close to the train station and in a square with some small vendors and good restaurants. Originally when I called about it, they said I had to email them my credit card number along with the rest of the details of the reservation, but I refused and hoped we would still get the room despite not sending that email to them, and it ... read more

Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Florence May 22nd 2005

This past weekend, along with being the culminating point for a week-long celebration of creativity, invention and science in Fiorentine Geniu, also hosted a Notte Bianca, with all the stores and piazza's open until the wee hours of the night. I've never seen my city so filled and active. Spaghetti supper in Santa Croce, Irish music in Santa Spirito. It's midnight and I'm pooped. What an old lady I am. This weekend we've also been overrun with bike riders as the huge race (I'm at a loss for what it's called) has ended and the racers are enjoying the prize-gelato. As well, we have had parades and impromptu bands with trumpets, trombones and drums at the wee hours of the morning...and today I have finally realized who they really are...these strangely hatted, uniformed men (some women) ... read more
uniforms on bikes
one of the many bands
banners representing battalions from all over Italy

Europe » Italy » Sicily » Palermo May 22nd 2005

The Giardino Garibaldi in the center of Piazza Marina is a small garden square around the corner from where I was staying on Via Bottai. I discovered it the first day I was in Palermo, and from then forward stopped there once or twice a day to rest my feet or simply to watch the activities of the city around me. The first time I visited the piazza I observed a small wedding party posing for professional photographs. Several hours later, I returned to sit and eat my gelato and noticed that the same group was still busy posing, pointing, and clicking away! The garden of the piazza is home to several massive ficus magnolioides trees. The roots are exposed above the ground, and new starts dangle from the existing branches resembling rope-like tendrils waiting to ... read more
Ficus magnolioides
Not a ficus...but I liked it.

Europe » Italy » Veneto » Venice May 22nd 2005

Ciao from Italy! I arrived at our "Castle" in Asolo this afternoon. This country is absolutely breathtaking! I can't even describe its beauty in words (English ones anyway ;) I will try to post some pictures so you have an idea. It's absolutely amazing! And the weather is sooooo much better than London. Good bye raincoat, hello Italy!! I just picked up my books. :( I am taking Cross Cultural Management and Service Marketing. There were four books for four weeks. Yikes! Somehow I think I'll manage if I can study in this beautiful town though. :) I've met one roommate and she's great. The other is yet to arrive. We have a BBQ tonight and classes start already tomorrow. I'm so excited to finally be here! The red tape and paperwork are a thing of ... read more
Bedroom View
The Castle
Another Amazing View

Europe » Italy » Liguria » Genoa May 21st 2005

So we found our hostel, but since there was a bus strike ended up taking a cab with a girl we met from Australia. We unpacked, we are in seperate rooms which is proving complicated, is washed with face wash today. We then walked down the mountain to Genoa and checked out the city and had food down at the old port, we had pasta, fish, and gelato (fixed price meal) and this punch stuff, its a really sweet liqour which we diluted with fanta. Alex woke up at 3 am, so lets just say this morning has been rough, breakfast which was included was a coffee and rather stale bun, coffee out of a machine like at the bus station, but you could buy yogurt and juice. Luckily the lady at the booth where we ... read more




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