Switzerland and Italy - October 2018

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October 2018 Switzerland-Italy



10/19 - DFW, NYC

DFW

Flying solo has become such a typical experience, this part of the trip is no different. I've become such a proficient flier, navigating an airport is almost second nature by now.

Delay at getting out of DFW. Apparently some problem with the flight electronics. Had to sit at the gate for about 45 minutes. This is the most frustrating part of flying

NYC

Fourth time to NYC and the city never gets old. Great view flying in over Manhattan. Statue of Liberty and Central Park all easily seen from the left side of the plane, my usual plane seat. Landed only about 30 minutes late

Taxi! A little chaotic getting a taxi from LGA to Manhattan, but I expected that. Love hearing New York accents. The New York stereotype of pushy and aggressive people is greatly misunderstood. New Yorkers are generally friendly and helpful.

Debated on what church to go to for mass. Originally planned on St. Patrick's but didn't want to worship God with hundreds of tourists walking around. Thought about a few throughout Brooklyn but times didn't work out, especially due to the delay. Finally chose St. Peter's in the financial district. Got there with plenty of time. Said the rosary before.

Great mass at St. Peter's. Priest was from Africa. Hard to understand but gave great homily on avoiding being an "actor"/hypocrite and remembering to not be afraid. God is with you. Mass had dozens of people. Very refreshing to see.

Had to decide on what to eat - pizza, bagel, hot dog. Found a good rated bagel place north of St. Peter's, Zucker's. Asked some locals the fastest way to get to JFK. They both agreed taking a taxi would be faster than the subway. The chef suggested going up to central station and taking a shuttle for only $18. Went with that suggestion and took the subway up to central station but looked into the shuttle. Next one was leaving in 45 minutes and wouldn't get to JFK until 4ish without traffic. Decided to abandon that plan and just take a cab. Should've done that from the beginning. ?‍♂️ Totally forgot about NYC traffic. ?‍♂️?‍♂️ Took over an hour to get to JFK. ?‍♂️?‍♂️?‍♂️ Had to reschedule Global Entry interview. No big deal. I'll do it when I return at JFK.

Easily got through JFK. Now have been to all 3 NYC airports. ✔️ Wanted to walk around seeing where all the international flights were going but didn't have much time. Stayed at the gate and couldn't help but try to listen for people speaking Italian. Only found a few.

Boarded with the premium class group. Extremely glad I paid the extra for premium economy. Lots of leg room and a decently comfortable seat.

Delayed, once again, at the gate. ? Some problem with a fuel pump. Delayed over an hour. Getting tired of these delays. Hopefully doesn't affect connection in Rome.

Premium class well worth it. Upgraded meals, which were actually pretty good.

Flight attendants announced over head they needed a medical professional for a passenger. Used to this by now. Wasn't anything important. A lady took ibuprofen instead of Tylenol. ? She wanted to make sure she'd be ok. Negative for asthma, kidney problems, or stomach ulcers. Reassured her she'd be fine. Flight attendant later got my info. Not expecting any reward from American. They're not Alaska. (Edit: a few days after coming home, American actually rewarded me with 25,000 miles. Quite pleasantly surprised)

Watched 300: Rise of an Empire, then put on Avengers: Infinity War, which I fell asleep to. Got decent amount of good quality sleep. Recliner seat worked out well. Will try to upgrade on Iberia flying back.



10/20 - Rome, Zurich, Lucerne

Rome

As we were approaching Rome and the peninsula could be seen, couldn't help but feel familiar and happy to be going back to a familiar country. Wish I continued learning Italian for the last month, but so much going on, couldn't get around to it. Hopefully I retain what I've learned so far.

Landing in Rome was easy. Only about 30 minutes late. Plenty of time to get to Swiss Air. Interesting walk through the airport. Took us through all the duty free shops. Customs was easy. It's nice having lounge access. Went to the Passengers Lounge right above the gate. Simple lounge. Breakfast, drinks, and seats but no shower. Just enough for a short layover.

Impressed with Swiss Air. Very friendly flight attendants. Much better than Vueling. Gorgeous views of the Alps.

Zurich

Ok first new experience and first solo international travel. Let's do this. Need to get to Zurich downtown some how. Easily found the train ticket kiosks and got a ticket downtown.

Have about 4 hours to walk around and explore Zurich. Brian suggested going to Veltliner Keller, which is a 400 year old restaurant with great authentic Swiss cuisine. It's next to St. Peter's church (non Catholic), so I found St. Peter's and used that as my point of reference. Walked along the river. Lots of shops and restaurants. Found Veltliner Keller, but it was closed. Disappointed but from the outside, looks very authentic. Hopefully get to try this another time. Not a whole lot to do in the immediate vicinity. Most people said Zurich is just a city with not a whole lot to do. I agree. Ate a late lunch at Rheinfelder Bierhalle, a few blocks up from the river. It had a lot of people eating there, so gave it a try. Lots of Italian places, but saving that for Italy. Had a delicious local noodle dish with a beer. Felt weird eating at a sit down restaurant alone. This will probably be the most difficult experience throughout the trip. I've never enjoyed eating alone at sit down restaurants. Eating like this should be an enjoyable social experience.

Walked back to the train station bound for Lucerne. Pleasant overall experience in Zurich. Would want to check out excursions next time.

Lucerne

Swiss train system lives up to its reputations. Very punctual and efficient, but noticing how expensive. Wish there was a train route between Shreveport and DFW. Would've extensively used that during school.

First thing I notice coming out of the train station: a carnival! A packed carnival that appears to be a permanent venue.

Pretty lengthy walk to the hostel. Found it using the addresses and a city map. Trying to avoid electronic assistance. Putting my skills to the test. ?

First hostel experience, go! First impression of the hostel is exactly what I expected it to be: a clean and cozy building resembling a college dorm room (public college, not TCU). Host was very friendly. Asked her about what to do in one day and she gave me a great suggestion on going up to Mt. Pilatus. Expensive but I'm here for the excursions. Roommates for the night were two guys from England. One from London, the other from northern England, close to the Scotland border. Both were very nice and friendly, Olly and Patrick. Talked to Patrick a lot. Learned a lot about England, London, and American perception in the U.K. Apparently very few Brits speak a second language. They learn at age 11, mostly French or Spanish, but most don't continue. They're only required 3 years. British see Trump as "mad." Can't blame them. They're all concerned about Brexit. Many are second guessing the referendum. Brits love the vast American land. He took a road trip from NYC to LA. I can see why solo travel is so easy and popular. Meeting people and getting to know their culture and background is fun and rewarding.

The city of Lucerne is beautiful. The oldest covered bridge in Europe is an interesting walk across the river. The paintings, representing the history of the city, is very well done. Has a distinct Swiss feel. Old town is very quaint and cozy. Shops and restaurants scattered around. Ate at Rathaus Biauer, alongside the river. Had breaded a 1/2 roasted chicken with fries. Not the most exotic Swiss meal, but tasty nonetheless.

Hostels are basically upgraded camp bunks. Common sinks but private toilets and showers. Tried meeting others in the common areas but not a whole lot of people staying. It's the shoulder season

Jet lagged pretty bad. ? Didn't really sleep. Not even really tired. Tossed and turned the entire night.



10/21 - Lucerne, Interlaken

Lucerne

It's nice having a separate shower. Was easy getting ready. Tried to stay quiet.

Despite not sleeping, had energy to start the day. Went to 7:00 mass at a Jesuit church off the river. Stunning church on the inside. Unlike Italian masses, where I can understand most of it, didn't have any idea what was going on with this German mass. Format was slightly different from American and Italian masses too. However, further understood and appreciated the universality of the Catholic Church. Despite not being able to follow along with the mass, I was completely aware and understood the most important and sacred part: the Eucharist. From any language, a Catholic always knows when the body of Christ is being consecrated.

After mass, had breakfast at a small cafe on Lake Lucerne next to the boat dock to Mt. Pilatus. Forgot how unimportant breakfast is to most European countries. No bacon, eggs, or hash browns here. ?‍♂️ Croissant, coffee, smoothie, and yogurt. Was a good breakfast though.

Boat ride on Lake Lucerne was cloudy so couldn't see much. Was hoping for sun. Talked to a girl from Thailand. She started in Interlaken and was making her way to Germany. Really enjoying meeting all these random people on their "holidays."

The cable car ride up to the mountain was very scenic. Stupid guy next to me wouldn't stop taking pictures of the most trivial crap. "We're going to the top of a mountain, dude! Plenty of photo ops up there; better than the pictures you're taking of a tree and a black tunnel." ?

It's always good seeing other Americans abroad. Rode up the cable car with a family from, what it seemed, California. Obviously affluent family. Didn't speak to them, but overheard their conversations of recent travel and their next plans after Lucerne.

Mt. Pilatus was well worth the money. Spectacular views of the Alps. We were well above the clouds so couldn't see the lake or the city below, but it gave a feeling of seclusion and uniqueness. Did the long hike to the outer vantage point. Glad I brought my leather boot shoes. They held up very well in the rough trails of rocks. Also glad brought/wore leggings under jeans. Kept legs warm and comfortable walking up and down. Good challenging hike. Got a decent workout.

Had lunch at the little cafe out on the platform. Very good veal bratwurst.

Took the gondola back down into Kreis. At the bottom was another carnival. Weird. Not having much left to do in Lucerne, decided to head out early to get an early jump on Interlaken. Hopped on the bus back to Lucerne, grabbed my bag out of the locker, and boarded the train for Interlaken.

Interlaken

I knew there would be a need to troubleshoot traveling at some point. The train ticket from Lucerne to Interlaken was confusing. It didn't specifically mention which station to transfer at. It only listed certain cities the train would go through. I foolishly got off in Zofingen, a city listed on the ticket but not a transfer city. Not knowing what to do next, I found a map that showed Olten as the next largest transfer station to Bern, which would take me to Interlaken. This didn't work out. Saw a sign that pointed to Olten with "2" next to it. Thinking it was only 2 km away, I started walking in that direction. I didn't know the 2 meant highway 2, not 2 km. Crap. ?‍♂️ Ended up in Kreuplatz. Fought off the temptation to freak out and devised a plan. It'd take over an hour to reach Olten by foot, or could hop on a bus back to Zofingen. Tired of walking for an hour with a heavy backpack, I backtracked on the bus. Of course, in these small towns, no one speaks English. Didn't know what the bus driver was saying, but I'm pretty sure I didn't have enough Franks to pay the fare. ?‍♂️ Fortunately he understood my predicament and let me on for free. ? Got back to Zofingen just in time to catch a train to Olten, and then onwards to Bern and Interlaken. Lost two hours figuring this crap out.

Finally got into Interlaken...2 hours later, but at least only 1 hour later than originally planned.

Got into Interlaken around 6, so didn't have much time to explore. Hostel host originally from Toronto. Recommended mountains to go up to. Ate dinner at an authentic Swiss restaurant, Landgasthof Hirschen. Had a very good breaded pork chop with boiled potatoes and vegetables. Spent the remainder of the night at the hostel. Had a beer at the hostel bar. Got to know a French girl who has traveled across the world - Australia, California, Switzerland, Italy to name a few. Broke the unspoken rule and got into politics - her initiative, not mine. ? She's an environmentalist nut that believes the environmental is the most important world agenda. Had to defend the south when she claim the south were closed minded. Reminded her that just because people don't agree with her doesn't make them closed minded. Schooled her on southern hospitality and the reality of California closed-mindedness. Regardless, enjoyed chatting with her. ? Never got tense. It's good to meet people like this. Three Aussies walked in and we all talked for a while. Cool guys. Just like Americans in their early 20s - looking for a good time, attractive girls, and a good drink.

After a while, went upstairs to go to bed. This hostel was much busier than Lucerne. Many more people. I was one of eight people in my room alone. I liked it. More people to interact with.

Still jet lagged. Decided to get up and stay up a while rather than toss and turn. Browsed Instagram, email, Facebook. Watched a little Netflix. Listened to a podcast. Finally fell asleep. Probably 3 solid hours. I'll take it. ?

10/22 - Interlaken

Woke up somewhat rested. Not bad for 3 hours of sleep in 48 hours. Based on the recommendations from the host, headed towards Grindelwald. Scenic train ride on the way up. Several small towns and fields, reminiscent of the Cascades.

Not much to do in the actual town of Grindelwald. Walked around and found a cafe for breakfast. Getting used to croissants and yogurt for energy. Coffee is pretty good throughout Switzerland.

Went to the gondola to First. Impressive views all the way up. Took a hike to a nearby lake. Challenging at first due to steep hills but enjoyed the exercise. Thankful again for bringing leggings and boot shoes. Breathtaking views all around. Went out to the First cliff. Had to walk over a cat-walk path suspended over the cliff. I'm not afraid of heights but this was pretty nerve racking. Views were worth it though.

Enjoyed a hot chocolate at the cafe. Watched people go parajumping over Grindelwald. Very cool.

Hopped on the gondola back down but stopped at one of the checkpoints to rent a trottibike, basically a scooter with brakes. Had a blast rolling down the mountain. Wiped out once. Going too fast and trying to film the trip. Not smart. ?‍♂️ Kept stopping to take pictures on the way. Such a great way to see the mountain.

Spent more time than I had thought at First. Wanted to try to get to Pfingsteggbahn, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, and Monch but didn't have enough time. Ended up just taking the train through those cities back to Interlaken because I wanted to get to Harder Klum, the cliff overlooking the lakes. The train ride was amazing, especially from Klein S to Wengen. Hustled back to town and went up to Harder Klum. The views keep getting better. Stayed for dinner at the restaurant. Finally had fondue, although it was plated, with some soup. Excellent dinner. Walked back to the hostel and got ready for bed. Bar wasn't open this night. Met two girls who were in my room. Both from Ontario. Have noticed a lot of Canadians traveling for extended times. They were on their way to Amsterdam in the morning. I liked them a lot. Friendly and easy to talk to.

Finally got a full nights rest. Jet lagged no more. ??




10/23 - Interlaken, Lugano

Interlaken

Not much to do within the actual city of Interlaken. Next time, I'll stay in Grindelwald. Since not much to do and wanting to get an early start to Lugano, went back up Harder Klum for another look at a different time of day. Decided to leave for Lugano 2 hours earlier.

Hopped on the (expensive) train and rolled out back to Bern-Zurich en route to Lugano.

Had another mishap with the trains. Instead of getting off in Bern, like I should have, I continued on to Olten. This put me behind schedule and I ended up losing the 2 hours I had intentionally changed to get to Lugano earlier. Lesson learned: there is absolutely no reason ever to go to Olten. ??? It's a small city, out of the way of main connections. It is a connecting city, but an out of the way one. Just go to Bern. Ended up sitting at the Zurich station for an hour.

Finally made it onto the train bound for Lugano. Nicest train so far. Many Italian speakers on board either returning to Italian region of Switzerland or to Milan.

Based on my experiences in the German influenced Switzerland, I much prefer Italian. I got tired of German very quickly. Looking forward to interacting with Italian speakers, although the mountains are pretty much done for this trip

Lugano

Impressed with the lake and town as soon as I exited the train station. This hostel is certainly not like the others. More hotel based. Reminds me of the hotels from the summer. Definitely not expecting to meet other travelers.

Took the bus downtown. Beautiful walk along the lake. Very scenic. Found a spaghetti restaurant for dinner. Was curious to see how well my Italian would come back, so I ordered everything in Italian. To my pleasant surprise, successfully ordered everything in Italian and even asked for a nearby gelateria. Couldn't help but smile. Continued walking along the lakefront enjoying the night view. Full moon out given the lake a fantastic look. Weather was amazing.

Back at the hostel met another traveler from Minnesota. Also met an Italian guy looking for a job. It appears this hostel serves as a residence for men that are seeking employment. I talked with Francesco until 3 AM, trying to help him find work. I was impressed with myself because I was able to speak about half the conversation in Italian and use google translate for the more complex sentences. His situation was quite difficult. His mom and Dad separated, his mom had a stroke and lives with his youngest sister in Naples, his dad was an engineer that worked for the the company that maintained the Genoa bridge but can't find work since the collapse, his other sister is married to an Italian soldier and they live in Venice, and his brother is a policeman in Florence. He's been looking for work for months but can't find any. He's been in Lugano for a few weeks to look for a job. I offered to host him in America to find work but I made it clear that would be a very lengthy process for him because he doesn't have an Italian passport or speaks English. I told him those two are a must before he can even apply for a work visa in the US. God has called me to help this man, but I'm not sure how. Admittedly, I don't want to host him and assume responsibility for his well being in the US, but God is calling me to help him somehow. I thought about Anzio and asking Silvano if there is any work in Anzio/Nettuno. Perhaps there is work in that area. Now I pray God helps me help him in the most efficient way.



10/24 - Lugano, Milan

Lugano

Slept in a little since was up chatting so late. Woke up Francesco to see if he wanted to eat breakfast. He wanted to sleep more

Ate breakfast at one of the historical restaurants in Lugano, Grand Cafe al Porto. Fantastic eggs with an espresso. And of course, ordered it all in Italian.

Jumped on the boat tour throughout Lugano Lake. Spectacular views, and the weather was perfect: 75 degrees and clear sunny skies. Left my jacket and fleece in the locker.

Impulsively jumped off at Morcote because the city seemed like a quaint town to explore and there was a large impressive church at towards the top of the hill. Glad I jumped off. Enjoyable town with small shops and restaurants. Made a hike up steep steps towards the top of the mountain but gave up 3/4 the way up. Sweating like crazy and jeans/polo were not ideal for a challenging workout. Francesco texted saying he just woke up, around 12:30. Told him I'd return around 4:30. Enjoyed walking throughout the town with cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways. Thought about grabbing a pizza but wasn't hungry enough. Good half-day trip.

Very windy going back on the boat. White caps all over the lake. Decided not to head up to San Salvatore. Assumed it was even windier, and the views probably wouldn't compare to Interlaken or Lucerne. Also wanted to see the lake tranquil and calm from high above. I'll go up next time if/when I return.

Got off the boat at Paradiso, the stop for San Salvatore, regardless. Wanted a nice walk along the water, although it was very windy. Stopped for a drink of water at a pizzeria and thought about ordering a pizza, but didn't want to cut time too close.

Missed seeing Francesco back at the hotel. Felt bad didn't catch him but hopefully can find him work in Anzio. Really don't want to host him in the US. And I believe it'd be better for him to stay in Italy anyway, but all of that is for God to decide.

Overall great trip to Switzerland. More expensive than I thought but worth it. German got old really quickly. Food wasn't anything amazing but still decent. No mountains will ever be able to compare to the Alps. Will definitely go back. Need to go skiing then.

Milan

Massive change of pace from the previous cities, even compared to Zurich. Reminds me of a slightly smaller NYC. The hustle and bustle off the train was the first obvious sign that I'm no longer in quaint, small town Europe. Had to get to the metro and figure out the primitive directions to the hostel. Got turned around a few times, but eventually found it. Certainly an urban feeling to this hostel. More of a hotel style. Rooms have separate bathrooms and are more private. The general vibe I'm getting is I won't enjoy this as much as the previous cities. We shall see. Now that I'm out of the mountains, travel will be focused more on sightseeing and exploring rather than adventures and excursions.

Had a great bruschetta and pizza along the river for dinner. Glad to be eating good food again. Swiss food was so, so.



10/25 - Milan

Nice to have shower in the room but tried not to wake up the roommates. Wasn't sure if I was going to head over to Mesero to see Santa Gianna Molla but decided to go for it. Figured not a whole lot else planned except Duomo, and it was a short train ride.

Figured nobody in the town would speak English, so anticipated needing to crank out Italian only. Tried getting a taxi but didn't go as smoothly as I hoped. Started out asking the question wrong but ultimately the train station store people got me a ride over to Mesero from Magenta. Car ride was with an older Italian man that smoked like a chimney. Could smell the cigarettes the entire day. The church was beautiful and had plenty of recognition to Santa Gianna Molla. There was a tremendous shrine to her off to the side, and there were a ton of children's clothes with embroidered names. I assume these were children who were born, and the parents were paying homage to Gianna. Saw there were rosaries and plenty of other items for sale but didn't have 5€, only 20s€. Went across the street to a local shop and bought an apple to make change. Unfortunately the guy was too nice and sold it to me for only 1€ instead of 2.50€ and had me pay with coins. So I went next door to the cafe to buy a coke and made change. Bought two rosaries, one for me and one for Maddie. Since she's inspired to me pray the rosary more and since she initiated the 40 days for Life, I wanted to do something nice for her.

Left feeling impressed and more connected with Santa Gianna Molla. I am very glad the town continues to recognize her.

Caught the bus back to Magenta. Didn't want to bother attempting to find another taxi.

Got back to Milan and headed towards the Duomo. Walked out of the metro with it right in front. It's a stunning cathedral. Took the guided tour, and it was worth it. Flash backed to the tours from the summer with the head set and the tour guide. Very informative tour. Learned a lot about the acclaimed cathedral. Went up to the top for a great view of the piazza and surrounding buildings. ? There was some type of soccer party going on in the piazza. Everyone was trashed. ? Good experience overall but certainly not something that warrants an extended stay in Milan

Not much else to do and didn't want to go back to the hostel before dinner. Walked around the city. Went to Università Catolica and walked around campus. Walked inside Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio and prayed the rosary at the side alter with the tabernacle. Had a lady ask me for directions on the map. She thought I was a student. Politely replied I didn't know because I wasn't a student. Feels great to improve my Italian. I've noticed I can understand people more. So when they talk, I can respond more appropriately. That's all from listening and watching to many songs and movies.

Tried Kris' pizza place. It was great. I wouldn't say it's the best pizza I've ever had but it was certainly good. I'd the the best pizza claim goes to either the street pizza place in Florence or the homemade pizza from Sorrento. This one was about as good as the margherita pizza from last night.

Grabbed a fragola gelato and walked around the piazza a little more. Relaxed by listening to a guy play his guitar and sing American music. Very relaxing. Took the metro back, took a hot shower, and called it a day.

Met a nice German woman back at the hostel. Learned about the German education and healthcare systems. She was originally from Bulgaria but lives in Germany now. She was with a group that was going on a hike. Interesting conversation



10/26 - Milan and Florence

Milan

Woke up and checked out of the hostel. Decided to walk a little more to explore Milan. Feet are certainly tired. Didn't really see much. Overall, Milan could be done in a day trip. I'd say next time, stay in Como or Lugano and take a day trip to Milan. It's just a big city with a lot of businesses.

Got to Centrale and easily boarded the train bound for Florence.

Florence

I didn't realize how much I loved Florence until I got off the train started walking the streets and saw the duomo. ? Had a little time before could check into hostel, so ate at a nice restaurant close to the market. Had gnocchi for the first time in Italy: gnocchi alla sorrentina. Fantastic.

Checked into the hostel. Much larger than any of the others. Spoke half Italian half English with the guy who checked me in. Roomed with a guy from Tennessee and a girl from Argentina. Would later meet a guy from Toronto, who complained to no end about how crappy the city's infrastructure is. ?

Decided to follow the suggested walking route from the hostel host. Started at Santa Maria Novella. Was going to step inside the chapel to pray the rosary but ended up getting there right before a mass. I think the priest's parents were in attendance. They were recoding him consecrate the bread and wine, and later saw them walking around the duomo at night. The mass was entirely in English and followed the USCCB readings. Pleasant surprise.

Walked around to the front and got hailed by some young adults soliciting money for rehab center. I think I spoke my best Italian with them. Felt great being conversational and really speaking with an Italian accent. Still didn't understand 100% of what they were saying to me, but getting much better. Donated 5€ to them. Nice people and a good cause

The duomo view never gets old. Found a tour to go up top. Spectacular views. Terri should've taken us up here. Learned more about the duomo too. Inside is less extravagant than the other cathedrals. But the inside duomo is magnificent.

Hurried down and walked across ponte vecchio to get to the Piazzale Michelangelo for an evening view. This view never gets old either. I really think this is my favorite city in the world. ✔️ Love the mountains, love coastal cities, but Florence is beyond special for me. I think an annual trip to Florence is necessary. Plus the surrounding regions must be explored.

Walked back across the river and easily got to Santa Croce. Great so see the piazza empty and not have an exhibition in it. Tried one of Power's recommendations for dinner: Pino's panini. Great suggestion. ? Probably best sandwich I've had.

Grabbed two gelati on the way back (couldn't help myself). Stopped in the Piazza del Duomo just to relax. I love hanging out here at night. The lights on the duomo, the bustling people, and street performers is such an enjoyable environment. Wanted to stay out longer, and thought about going to a bar, but figured it'd be best to head back and prepare for tomorrow. Pretty tired anyways. Really, really want to stay out and walk some more but feet are exhausted. Got back to the hostel to talk a little bit with the other travelers then off to sleep.



10/27 - Florence and Siena

Florence

Knew would be on a time crunch from the get go due to not being able to check out until 8. That's one of the problems with some hostels: no 24 hour front desk. It worked out though. Checked out at 8, dropped off backpack at the train station, and got to Uffizi museum around 8:45. Late for the 8:15 reservation but didn't matter

Uffizi museum is amazing. Disappointed I forgot about the galleria d'academia to see the original David, but that's for next time. Enjoyed seeing the renaissance artwork, especially since almost all of it portrayed religious themes. The portrayal of Mary was astounding. Our Catholic devotion to Mary is certainly epitomized in these works. Great trip and well worth the time and money. Hurried through, but saw everything worthwhile.

Had plenty of time to grab a sandwich from i fratellini, another recommendation from Powers. Delicious sandwich. Walked to the piazza del duomo and enjoyed a great sandwich in my favorite spot. ?

Stopped into San Lorenzo on the walk to the train to pray the rosary. Fitting after seeing all the artwork of Mary. Grabbed a gelato and caught the train to Siena

Siena

Train station in Siena is strange. It's at the bottom of a hill so there are several escalators to the top, which I thought was the main entrance. Directions to the hostel, as I've learned here in Italy, are spotty at best. ? It never specified which exit to take. I went up to the top and tried following directions. I basically took a mile long detour back down the hill. Got to see parts of the city but certainly wore me out. Finally saw familiar landmarks from their directions. It was a long uphill trek getting to the place. It turns out it is more of a campsite than a hostel. My room was a twin trailer but it was actually quite nice. Own bathroom, towels, sheets, plenty of toilet paper, working electricity; everything I need for this stay and very clean. Luckily have it to myself for now.

Took the bus back into town but forgot to buy a bus ticket. This city certainly regulates bus passage like the gestapo. Staff were waiting in the city to fine me and another women who was in the same situation. Cost me 42.50€. Wasn't happy about it but at least the guy was nice about it. Tried playing dumb tourist but didn't work. It's not that much money but still aggravating. Tried not letting it leave a bitter taste for this city.

The city is quite remarkable. Very scenic. Definitely typical Tuscan feel.

First went to San Domenica, the shrine of St. Catherine. Old and run down church but seeing her preserved head was breathtaking.

Then went down to the house she was born and grew up in. Very nice memorial in her honor. They've made a church out of her home.

Walked up to the duomo. It's a spectacular facade. More detailed than the ones in Florence. Probably save going in for tomorrow.

Worked my way up to the Piazza dello Campo. It's a massive plaza with a large tower. Plenty of restaurants surrounding the piazza. Rick Steves claims it's the best piazza in Italy. I disagree. Piazza del Duomo is the best.

Ate a good lasagna at one of the trattorias. Enjoyed the view of the massive piazza.

Walked back along one of the main vias leading up to the piazza. Lots of shops and restaurants. Thought about heading back to the hostel but decided to head into a wine bar and have a drink. I'm in Tuscany, haven't had a drink so far in Italy, gotta enjoy one. Drank a nice chianti.

Walked back to the bus stop. Had my bus ticket this time. ? Started a conversation with a nice German woman. She has worked here for a few months learning Italian. She's working through this program. That pays for rent and food while staying in the host country. No extra pay though. Really enjoy meeting these international folks.

Looks like Francesco won't be able to meet me in Anzio. I'm actually glad. The trip to Anzio is a special family trip for me, and as much as want to help him out, inquiring about work on his behalf is just as good. I'm thinking he doesn't know how to look for a job. My plan is to look for jobs online for him and teach him the process. I really don't think coming to the US is the best option for him, especially not speaking English.

Only lasagna and gelato was certainly not enough to keep me full with the amount of exercise and activity I'm getting. Went out for a late night (9:30) snack. Found a local pizza place and ordered a margherita. It was ok. Not the best but the crust was really good. Cheese was so-so.

It's nice have the room to myself but I'd rather have people around to chat with. Oh well. One more hostel to go in Rome. Realized I needed more socks and shirts so did some makeshift laundry. Hand washed a polo and some socks for the next two days. I had one last clean pair of socks but going to save those for plane home. Going total athleisure for the plane home - leggings under jeans and workout shirt. Will feel like a TCU sorority girl ? but I'm low on clothes and it'll be comfortable for 15 hours in the air.



10/27 - Siena and Rome

Siena

Great night's sleep. Woke up refreshed and ready to go. Clothes weren't dry yet but used the extra towel to dry them off. ?‍♂️ Started to thunder and lightly rain but that won't stop me from heading out. Checked out and made the walk back to town. Had the great idea of avoiding massive hills by taking the never ending series of escalators at the train station. Actually glad I made that mistake yesterday. Saved me a major trek uphill. ? Now it was an easy walk to the train station then onto San Domenica for mass.

Got a little turned around trying to find the train station, and it started raining harder. Finally found the station. Dropped off my backpack and headed to the basilica.

Short walk to church. Got their 10 minutes before mass. God always looks out for me while traveling.

Enjoyable mass and able to follow along with a printed missalette. Continue to be amazed with the true universality of our faith. We are one Body, one Body in Christ.

Walked to the duomo after mass. Had a nice cappuccino and pastry at a nearby cafe. Paid the entrance fee and bought an audio guide for the duomo. Spectacular artwork. By far the most artistically decorated church I've ever been in. That's why I bought an audio guide. Having been to the Uffizi museum, I'm now intrigued to observe the paintings depicting various stories in the Bible.

Finished the tour and walked to piazza del campo. Still raining. Figured the tower would be closed, and I was right. Grabbed lunch at a local panini shop. Probably the smoothest transaction in Italian I've had so far.

Since not much else to do and the weather was crappy, headed over to San Francesco to see the miracle Eucharists. The church was very similar to San Domenica. Very open inside and old. Unfortunately the miracle hosts weren't on display at the time. Nevertheless, I prayed the rosary at the chapel the hosts are kept. Prayed a generic decade, prayed a decade for my wife, a decade for my children, a decade for mom and Dad, and a decade for Meghan. I truly felt connected to Mary with this rosary.

Still raining and not really sure what to do since tower opening is contingent on the weather. Even if the rain lightens up, the latest I can head up would be 2:30 in order to walk up, look around, walk down, retrieve my backpack, and make it to the train station by 4. Based on mom's question if I could head to Rome early, decided to follow through with that inquiry and take a bus, provided it's not outrageously expensive. Hurried back to the bus terminal to get there before 1:00.

Retrieved my backpack and looked into buying a bus ticket. 19 € is certainly reasonable. And the next bus was in 15 minutes. Done. I don't like cutting a city short of time and also wasting a train ticket, but there's nothing else to do in Siena and the train ticket was only 22 € all together. Plus I would have had a 1.5 hour layover in a small Italian town and not gotten into Rome until 9:00. Now I have plenty of time to settle in, revisit some sights and get my favorite gelato.

Had to buy a local gelato before I boarded. Got a larger cone but still ordered fragola. Buonissimo! ? Started heavily raining and winding as I boarded the bus. As we were driving out of Siena, it sun started to peek through. I'm not concerned about it. Clouds were behind the opening, and I doubt the tower would've opened anytime soon.

Overall Siena was a fun city to visit. The religious icons were the highlight of this city for me. I don't like how touristy it is. Florence has the infrastructure to accommodate so many tourists but Siena is a smaller town on three hills. I'd come back, but only for the same amount of time, and mainly to see the miracle hosts and walk up the bell tower.

Bus ride took me back to all the bus traveling from the summer. Not much to see. Some Tuscan villas and vineyards but nothing spectacular. Got a little nap and ready to revisit the eternal city.

Rome

Bus dropped us off at Tiburtina station, a little ways from Termini. Being the experienced traveler that I am, I knew the best way to get to the hostel was simply taking the metro. Easy 3 stop ride and I'm there. Thank God I was smart enough to get a hostel close to the train station. Had a nice walk from Termini to the hostel. Stopped at Santa Maria degli Angeli, an old Basilica. Yet another fantastic church in Italy. Continued on through the Piazza Republica. Don't remember this piazza. Very scenic.

So glad to be in Rome. It's like NYC. A big city I've grown accustomed to and enjoy finding my way around. Easily got to the hostel. Certainly the most fancy. Computers, courtyard, nice lounge areas. Almost like a TCU dorm. Obviously more people here since it's Rome, which is nice. Looking forward to meeting others.

Got settled in and started out towards the Piazza di Popolo. We didn't go north very far last time, so wanted to check out a new area. Walked past the top of the Spanish steps, a Medici casa, the Piazza di Popolo, and then on to the river. As I walked along the river, I started feeling weak and light headed. I knew exactly what this was. After the constant walking, exercise in Switzerland, little sleep, and inadequate food, my body finally succumbed to hypoglycemia. Probably only the third time I've had a true hypoglycemic episode. I had a route planned out where I would walk counterclockwise from the hostel, walking along the river, and getting to Piazza Navona for dinner. I figured I was close, but knew I needed to hurry. I didn't have much time to get some sugar until my body was in trouble. Finally got to the Umberto Ponte, where I knew I turn left to get to the piazza. Almost there. Stopped and grabbed a pack of cookies from a stand nonetheless just to get the metabolism started. Piazza looks just the same as I remember. Knew that I needed simple sugars first, so went to Terri's gelato place from last time. Got a medium cone with peach. So good. Decided on a trattoria and had a delicious stuffed ravioli with bruschetta. It probably wasn't even objectively that good, but I was so hungry, it felt like the best pasta in the world. I was so sluggish, my Italian was choppy at first. But it came back as my glucose increased. Had a nice talk with the waiter in Italian. He gave me a few pointers on the language.

Continued on my walk. Grabbed the most anticipated gelato of the trip. Changed it up and went with coconut and mint. Topped it off with whipped cream. Incredible. Decided to walk around as much as possible since I have the blessing of being here three hours early. Pretty much hit almost all the iconic sights: Fontana di Trevi (and of course threw in a coin), Spanish steps, Pantheon. Even walked into the church at the Spanish steps. Beautiful church with marvelous artwork throughout. Ventured up towards via veneto and walked down the famous affluent street. Found the US embassy. Even though we made fun of MJ for wanting to see a US embassy abroad, it was pretty cool to see the US flag in a foreign country. Considering I covered a massive amount of ground in three hours, I'll probably follow the exact same route tomorrow to see everything in the day time. I'm guessing I'll get back from Anzio around 2ish with plenty of time to explore some more.

Made my way back to the hostel and got everything planned out for my final day.

Met a girl from Idaho who'd been traveling throughout Europe for a month. She had been to London, Paris, Amsterdam, Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, and now Rome. She's headed over to Ibiza for a few days before she flies home. Always nice to meet someone from the states while abroad, especially someone from either Texas or Pac NW. Meeting people throughout the world has been an eye opening and fantastic experience.



10/29 - Rome, Anzio

Rome

Not a lot of sleep last night mainly due to the room turning into a train station. Four of the travelers got up 4 and had to get to the airport. None of them were thrilled to be up that early so they didn't use much courtesy as to staying quiet. It's fine. I got to sleep after they all left.

Checked out and walked towards the train station ready to head out to Anzio. Grabbed a cappuccino at a local cafe and a croissant at the train station. Had a lot of time to kill but train was on the track, so boarded early and relaxed until it departed.

Anzio

Pretty initial frustrating visit. Thought I was at the wrong station so started walking back the other way, thinking I overshot and needed to head back. Turns out I was wrong and I was exactly where I needed to be.

Got to the museum in Anzio and it was closed. Able to speak enough Italian to the lady at the museum that I was looking for Silvano. She told me he was in Nettuno. Frustrated, I reluctantly decided to march to Nettuno to try and find him at the other museum.

Got to Nettuno after a soggy and windy walk only to find the museum was closed. Pretty irate at this point, I emailed Silvano to figure out where he was. I started to make my way to the train station thinking he wouldn't respond and I'll just go back to Rome. He responded and said he had to attend to his wife, who has knee problems. Met up with him and he started showing me around. We got in his car and he wanted to show me around but asked for 50 € in exchange. Pretty sinister move of him to ask while we were already in the car but I obliged. Not happy about it by any means. He did give me a decent tour and guide of the two cities. Showed me some places where Generals Clark, Truscott, and Alexander had their HQs and personal residences during the invasion. Also learned that Nero had a villa on the Anzio coast. Had to assert myself that I needed to be back in Rome at 5. Was planning on repeating my walk from last night during the day, but don't think that's possible now. At least the weather is pretty bad today and probably wouldn't have been the best experience anyways. At least I'm in a car. Grabbed a coffee to end the tour with Silvano. Usually don't drink coffee this late in the day but I'm exhausted and still want to walk around Rome as much as I can. Got on the train and headed back to Rome.

Rome

Got back to Rome and headed straight to the left luggage counter to drop my backpack. Wanting to get out as soon as possible, darted straight to Santa Maria Maggiore then onto Piazza Venezia. Was hoping to find something to eat in one of those places to change up the scenery, but nothing stood out. Kept on walking toward the river and finally decided to head back to Piazza Navona. I've come to the conclusion that Rome doesn't have the best food. That goes to Milan, Florence, Venice, or Naples/Sorrento. Rome is more for the ambiance and atmosphere. Wanting to enjoy the atmosphere more than hunt for a highly rated restaurant, I decided to try a new restaurant at the Piazza Navona. Looked up the ratings this time and found a good one. Had bruschetta with a pizza. Yet again, the waiter was intrigued/impressed I spoke Italian. Food was ok. Pizza wasn't the best but plenty of calories to fill me up. Considering it was my first full meal of the day other than a half sandwich in Nettuno, anything would've tasted good.

Carried on towards the river for an evening passeggiata. Walked across the Ponte Vittoria and by the Castle Sant'Angelo. Was heading back across Ponte Sant'Angelo when the dome of St. Peter's caught my eye. Didn't realize it was that close. So turned around and walked into the square. It's so peaceful at night. Certainly more spiritually significant without the mass crowds. Walked around St. Peter's square for a while then headed back across Ponte Sant'Angelo.

Still a little irritated I paid Silvano 50 € but getting less upset about it. Very few Americans have seen as much of Anzio and Nettuno as I have now. And while it would've been nice to have seen it all without paying a steep price, Silvano clearly isn't a tremendously wealthy individual, and Anzio/Nettuno is a pretty older and simple town. It's not a lot of money to me, and Silvano did give me a pretty comprehensive tour of this region in a car, avoiding the terrible weather. Would've liked to have gotten back to Rome earlier, but there's always another time to see the sights in the daylight and in better weather.

Had to grab a gelato from Giolitti one last time. Fragola + cocco + creme = delicious. Probably the best gelato yet.

Caught the Fontana di Trevi one last time since it was on the way back. Threw in another coin and continued on to Termini. Walked through Piazza Barberini and Piazza Republica. Thought about stopping back at the hostel since there'd be an open lounge and my feet were starting to really feel it. But decided to push on towards Termini and rest there.

Got my backpack with an hour to spare. Spoke to the guy at the center in Italian. I told him I speak a little so he continued on entirely in Italian. It really is true that the Italians love it when tourists speak their language. Went up to the waiting area on the top floor and relaxed.

Such a stark difference between the Italian trains and the Swiss trains. Swiss trains are impressively punctual while the Italian trains are lucky if they're five minutes late. Had a 20 minute delay getting out of Termini to Fiumicino. Not really concerned about it. Don't expect to sleep much tonight due to the late coffee and chocolate gelato cone. Cannot wait to jump into a hot bath at the hotel and take a real shower.

Fiumicino

Made my way to the hotel from the train. A lot further than I imagined. Had to walk through a bunch of moving walkways. Certainly feeling the blisters. Feels good to check into an actual hotel.

Immediately filled the bathtub with warm water. Settled all my stuff and got in. Blissful! Feet and legs absolutely needed this. Drained the water, showered, and took another bath. It felt so amazing. Watched some Netflix while relaxing in there. Could've fallen asleep in the tub but dried off, got everything ready for the next day, and went to sleep.



10/30 - Fiumicino, Madrid, NYC, DFW

Fiumicino

Woke up and hit snooze once. Knew I'd miss my flight if I continued to do that so forced myself up. Showered with the travel toiletries for the last time then threw them all away. Packed up, checked out, and walked over to the terminal. Blisters are sore.

Got to the desk and checked in. Couldn't get an upgrade here. Will have to try in Madrid. Worked my way over to the gate and revisited the Passenger Lounge. Grabbed some breakfast and relaxed for a while before boarding.

Iberia has a very disorganized boarding process like I've read. Makes me appreciate all the domestic carriers and US airport gates. Finally got on board with plenty of room to stow my backpack.

Italy lives up to its reputation of disorganization and not having being on top of things. We had to sit at the terminal for 20 minutes before pushing back. I've yet to have an on time flight departure on this trip. I now completely understand the meme I saw a while ago: heaven is where the police are British, chefs are Italian, all organized by the Swiss. Hell is where police are German, the chefs are British, all organized by Italians. While I love Italian culture, cuisine, langue,and people, Italian organization is among the worst in Europe. They're the Hawaiians of the EU.

Madrid

Landed only 10 minutes late into Madrid. Everyone tried to bum rush the exit while we were still taxiing. We were about 100 yards from the gate and everyone gets up and starts getting their stuff. ?‍♂️?‍♂️ That'd be considered a riot on any US domestic flight.

Tried hustling over to the gate to try and upgrade. Forgot how horribly designed this airport is. Had to get a tram to head over to the satellite terminal. Customs was easy to get to the terminal at least. Hurried on over to the gate but forgot there was a stupid additional security check for US bound flights. Decided to abandon any upgrades and head to the lounge. At least I'll enjoy a nice break with some free food and drinks. Lounge was actually really nice. If it wasn't for the expedition around the country of Spain to get to the terminal, I could've had more time to sit and enjoy. Headed to the terminal after a quick break. Called American Airlines along the way to try and upgrade to first from LGA to DFW. No such luck. The agent was actually pretty funny. A British fellow who encouraged me to try back later.

Boarding with iberia continues to be a mess. At least this gate agent voices with authority the group numbers boarding.

Boarded and had plenty of overhead space to stow my backpack, the only thing I was concerned about. Economy isn't terrible. I can tolerate this for 8 hours. At least it's a new A350. And the lady next to me is small. Have a blanket and pillow and will get a meal and snacks. Not planning on sleeping a whole lot on this flight so this won't be so bad. Can't always be spoiled with premium classes. Makes me appreciate the blessing of being able to fly premium as often as I do.

The A350 is certainly a state of the art airplane. I first noticed how remarkably quiet it is compared to any other aircraft I've flown, including 777 and A330.

Overall it was actually a pretty tolerable flight. Seat wasn't the comfiest but it was fine for the flight. The review online was pretty much spot on. Watched The Avengers twice (once in English the other in Italian) and Ocean's 8. Only needed to get up once. The food was pretty decent for an economy class meal. If I have the chance, I think I'll book premium economy anytime I fly transatlantic. It's worth the extra few hundred.

NYC

Landed at JFK and of course the customs process is nailed down to a science. Got through no problem and headed to the Global Entry office.

Able to get in early and easily get through the interview. Would've been in and out in only 5 minutes but, of course, the wonderful fingerprint process, yet again, slows me up. ? At least this time it was entirely due to the agent. He forgot to close out the previous applicant's file or something. I stayed to make sure mine was ok. It was.

Caught a cab over to LaGuardia. Got there with plenty of time. I keep having the impulse to speak Italian. I've become accustomed to it. Found a cafe and ordered a cheeseburger for my first meal back in the states. Was an average cheeseburger but it was mainly for nostalgia.

Bordered the outdated and run down AA 737. Actually glad I didn't spend the extra money for first class on this junky aircraft. Plus there was no one in the middle seat.

Threw on Interstellar on my phone to watch throughout the flight. These seats are considerably more uncomfortable than Iberia's. I barely lasted 3 hours in this plane. Can't imagine sitting any longer in this piece of junk. Tried staying awake but my body is stuck on European time. I can feel the fatigue and exhaustion hitting me. It feels as if I pulled an all nighter, which I basically did.

Got off the plane, ordered an uber, and got back to the apartment ready to shower and set aside my luggage for later.

This trip was an incredible experience. Yet another interesting and enjoyable vacation. I was looking at a map on the plane - both US and European. I've already extensively traveled so much throughout the US, there are very few places I'm wanting to go to. I've starting making my European vacation list of the groupings of cities I want to cover. I never thought I would be this passionate and interested in traveling but it's now something that is one of my top interests and worldly desires.

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Photos

NYC
Mid-day mass at St. Peter's in the financial district

American Airlines Premium Economy
Lots of leg room

Premium Economy Meal
Pretty good meal. Very similar to first class

Zurich
Limmat River

Zurich
Overlooking Limmat River and downtown Zurich

Zurich Food
Great tasting traditional Swiss meal

Lucerne
Lake Lucerne

Lucerne
Kapellbruke - the oldest covered bridge in Europe

Lucerne
Jesuitenkirche - a beautiful Catholic church in downtown Lucerne, right next to the river

Mt. Pilatus
Heading up the mountain

Mt. Pilatus
Top of the hike around Mt. Pilatus

Mt. Pilatus
Facing the Alps

First
Endless amounts of gorgeous trail hikes

First
Rolling down the mountain on the trottibike

First
Heading back down into Grindelwald

Interlaken
Evening view of Lake Brienz

Interlaken
Morning view of Lake Thun

Lugano
Evening sunset in Lugano

Lugano
Morning walk along the lake

Morcote
Great day trip to Morcote. The land across the lake is Italy

Morcote
A hidden gem

Mesero
Santa Gianna Molla, prega per noi

Milan
Fourth largest church in the world

Florence
My favorite city in the world

Florence
My favorite spot in my favorite city

Florence
Galleria degli Uffizi

Florence
Spectacular architecture on the inside

Florence
Until next time...

Siena
Cattedrale Metropolitana di Santa Maria Assunta

Siena
Impressive piazza with many restaurants

Siena
The most artistically sophisticated church I've ever set foot in

Siena
Cloudy and rainy but still a great place to sit and enjoy a meal

Rome
Piazza della Republica

Rome
One of my favorite spots in Rome

Rome
Best gelato ever

Nettuno
Hidden facts around Nettuno

Nettuno
An abandoned wine cellar that used to house soldiers in World War II

Rome
Sacrario delle Bandiere delle Froze Armate

The Vatican
Such a better experience at night with few people around

NYC
Almost home