After eighteen months, surviving shitty weather, awesome travel experiences and gaining new interests I am headed back home.
Change is never easy, despite it being constant. And I've experienced many changes of the past eighteen months. Least of all, growing as an individual.
I've been asked a number times now what I think of the UK - the time to leave it fast approaching (the time being tomorrow!).
My reply has been:
I don't like the weather. Because I don't! It's iffy at best...and just about mildly warm in summer. Right now, it's raining. And cold. And the same temperatures as it is back home where it's winter. But back home...there is sunshine! The Brits cannot deal with temperature extremes. Apparently 25 centigrade is a heat wave (summer, as those in the Southern Hemisphere would call it, lasting all of about 2 weeks this year) and when it snows, London comes to a standstill. Case in point: London in February this year when the UK had their heaviest snowfall in however many years it was. No buses, no tube, no train, major delays at the airports... ridiculous really.
I made the decision months ago that I'll be headed home. And I'm happy I've made it. As much as there's plenty of opportunities here in the UK - like going to Paris for a weekend if you so wish - it's not all about earning pounds. Although money does make the world plod along, there's more to life than just that.
Back to what I think of the UK...
It's been good. I've learned lots and successfully accomplished my goals upon entering the country a year and a half ago - gain work experience and travel.
I've more than successfully accomplished them! And I've gained two new loves :)
[side note: you know it's time to return home when you start complaining about a public transport that works...when your country of origin barely has one that functions. Bring on a car...I miss driving!]
How I feel about returning home...excitement and dread.
Starting from scratch is not something I relish (nor is living at home again, even if interim), but it is something that needs doing. All part of my choice and right now I have no idea how things are going to work out, but I trust that they will.
More change.
My one constant.
I've mentioned time and again - the travel bug, it's bitten. And I have the opportunity I've had to live and work in the UK to thank for that. This experience has just filled my mind with 'travel goals'... now, just to figure out how to get the goals out of my head, and into reality.
From Austria back to Italy...and YAY! Good weather is back!
And about time too...having been sick from Milan through to Austria (funny how I think in terms of places I visited instead of time..time really is relative when travelling. Most of the time I don't even know what day of the week it is!) and had grey weather, sunshine was most welcome!
Twas another long day on the bus, but we did stop at the highest Mickey D's in the world...right by the highest bridge in Europe, near Innsbruck...and the view was pretty cool
Watched the Full Monty en route...movie doesn't fail to make one laugh :)
Finally get to Venice, or rather, the hostel outside of Venice, as staying there will just be ludicrously expensive! Check in, find my bungalow (which I had all to myself for 4 days...bliss baby, after a month of sharing my personal space it was most welcome. Another girl I'd met also had a bungalow to herself and as she put it, the cheapest we'll ever pay for a 'single' room, since it's supposed to be shared between three but wasn't.), drop pack, dig out bikini and head to the pool!
That water was most welcome after a long day on the bus. And that dip set the tone for my stay in Venice...every day after being tourist I lazed in the pool, soaked up some rays and just chilled.
Sunshine and blue skies...what more could a girl ask for.
Venice is a great city. No car traffic, it's only foot traffic and canals. Forget a map...because you will get lost, but that's half the fun in discovering a new city - getting lost in it. You discover things you wouldn't if you'd been following a map.
In Venice it's pointless anyway, you're unlikely to find the place you want and will just end up frustrating yourself. A girl was saying how they found this cool mask shop the one day, wanted to buy a souvenir and the next day spent goodness knows how many hours trying to find it again!
Did a walking tour of the area around St Mark's Piazza and the Doge's Palace. St Marks Basilica is insanely decadent on the inside (no photos allowed, sorry). The church itself took about 29 years or so to build while the decor took 400 years to complete!
Insane! There's detail everywhere - the walls, the floors, the roof and most of it is mosaic. There is the beautiful gold leaf piece behind the altar and the detail in it is astounding!
In Venice I didn't do too much...it being my last stop and my budget blown a few cities back...I thought it best to not spend an excessive amount of money. If you avoid the stores and just wander the streets and soak up the atmosphere, it's possible. This doesn't mean I spent no money...of course not! But I did (more or less) behave financially.
It didn't matter though..just wandering the streets you see so much, and it being Italy, and filled with tourists, people aren't afraid to stop and talk to you. Or fellow solo travellers stopping you to ask you to take their photograph...got chatting to this uber tall German dude that way... he was cycling through Europe...I mean seriously! Craziness...fun at times I'm sure, but definitely insane. And he'd started in Prague of all places!
The food was of course good. It's Italy... wander a few streets away from the big tourist areas and you'll find some really reasonably priced and oh-so-yummy food stores! And don't forget the gelati! Never forget the gelati...
Yes, yes...I love food :p
The strangest compliment I have ever received was from some Spanish guy...stopped me asking for a light (like I smoke), had no clue South Africa was a country...gave up trying to explain to him since English was clearly not his first language and I don't speak Spanish...and as I'm about to walk off he shakes my hand and tells me 'Congratulations, you're beautiful.'
To my credit, I didn't laugh in his face...but I did have a giggle after I'd walk off...certainly a new one! And yes, I said thank you...one has to accept compliments graciously...Italian men are very free with their 'ciao bella's'... One gentleman stopped me in passing, Ciao, I greet back, smiles, says 'bellissima' I reply with grazie and then walk off with a ciao....
How can a girl not feel good amidst all of this? :p
So being complimented aside...an awesome way to end a great trip I must say... I had fun in Venice, doing an impromtu study in black and white. Venice is a city that just begs for it...
My last day in Venice, post chill time in the pool of course, I headed back in to the city...failed attempt at sunset photos ( I realised that I needed to be on one of the islands off the main one to get proper photos) and I got lost anyway, after having found my way to St Mark's Piazza - successfully - numerous times..the one time I want to find it fairly quickly I get lost...such is.
I eventually got there - and it was the day Andrea Boccelli had a concert. It was a paid concert so they'd closed off the concert area...but acoustics and microphones and such, just because you couldn't see him...didn't mean you couldn't hear him...It was pretty awesome.
Couldn't stay until the end though, had to weave my way back to the main land to catch the last shuttle back to camp.
The next day was the last leg of my journey...return to Rome, with an evening arrival, just to overnight and head back to London town.
And that is the end of my euro trip!
I had tons of fun, met some pretty cool people and all it did was confirm that the travel bug has bitten good and proper and it ain't letting go!
So, here's to more travels...not only a return to the continent, but the rest of the globe!
Not as wet as Munich, but it was that iffy drizzly weather. The kind that lets up, then starts up again pretty much ruining all outdoor plans!
And yep, St Johann known for outdoor activities. I tell you, hiking in drizzle and mud ain't fun. Apparently there are beautiful mountains surrounding the town...uh, gonna have to take that one on faith because I didn't see the top of any of them!
Not even in the closest big town - Innsbruck! Although, Innsbruck was a nice change from miserable weather because at least the sun shone through the clouds (even though they didn't lift!).
One activity that isn't affected by iffy weather is canyoning...was awesome fun! Abseiling down a 20m waterfall...and then jumping into the river from a height of apparently 7m though for some reason it looked higher. I looked at the guide like he was mad when he told me to jump! A few others had jumped before me already so I knew it was ok but still.
Of course, I jumped. Such fun! Yay for wet suits - with all the rubbish weather the water was pretty cold, not seeing the sun and all 10-12 celsius. Would definitely go canyoning again! I wasn't sure what to expect but it was over before I knew it... hour and a half went pretty quickly.
St Johann I shall share in pictures...because rubbish weather, well, not much to say is there?
The rain that started whilst in Switzerland didn't ease up (and this while London was having sunshine and blue skies! I mean seriously...went to the continent to escape the myth that is an English Summer - that only lasted about 2 weeks...but I digress).
Everyone on the bus hoped the weather would clear up...but alas this was not to be. Left Switzerland, lunched in Liechtenstein, drove through Austria and entered Germany...all with rubbish weather as company.
Arrive in Munich and checked in at Wombats...pretty cool hostel, as hostels go.
Of course, it was raining and after a long day on the bus really wasn't in the mood to do much.
Next day...more rain! But I was determined to do the New Munich Tour; seeing how it runs in all weather. It rained for the entire walk! Yay for waterproofs...but it eventually got chilly that I wish I had thermals on...and I don't particularly like thermals.
So much for summer was the though running through my head!
But, despite the really crappy weather, Munich was totally awesome! The walk was amazing and our tour guide just brilliant.
Finding out all about Munich, old history, to WWII, to modern day...it was pretty amazing.
Started off at the glockenspiel - does it's thing twice a day, and is pretty much as exciting as the astronomical clock in Prague. The people are more interesting to look at. Add that it was pouring down...standing in the rain, watching some mechanical thing dance around for like 10min or however long it was...not quite appealing.
The glockenspiel has a story though - dates and names, not my thing if you haven't realised yet. But it was a Prince, and it was for his wedding...and there are 2 knights - with lances - one French, one Bavarian...and of course the Bavarian one wins.
And there are mechanical men in lederhosen doing their jig...and every few years real men do it in person...that should be quite a funny sight.
From the glockenspiel walked the city centre - the New Town Hall, the Old Town hall, a few churches and quite a few memorials to WWII.
Munich, as it stands today is 64 years old. I don't know why this struck me, but for whatever reason it did.
The only buildings that weren't bombed in WWII were the glockenspiel and the towers of the Frauenkirk - and this was for practical purposes only. Radar had just been discovered and the Allied bombers needed some sort of reference. These two buildings were the highest, and pretty much in the city centre.
The rest of Munich - is all restored. Impressive!
Our tour guide, Matt, was really good. And he'd told us that the tour would take on the theme of memorials...WWII is not a particularly proud segment of German history, but it is an important one.
Munich had it's own role in all of this - not only was the Nazi party founded here, but a failed coup occurred, and the nearby town of Dachau and the first work camp, turned concentration camp, which then went on to serve as a model for the hundreds that were subsequently established. Many of the guards at Auschwitz were trained at Dachau...But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Munich has many many memorials - but subtle ones, not in-your-face ones. I think there's something to be said for a more subtle memorial. I'm paraphrasing Matt, but it rings true. It encourages people to find out more, do their own research, and in that way the memory of WWII won't fade. It will be spoken about, and speaking about it and acknowleding it is one way to ensure that such an atrocity does not occur again.
There are numerous plaques on buildings across the city, and you wouldn't know what they were unless you asked. Or looked. Matt only pointed out a few. It made me want to explore the city centre and find all these memorials (and see the rest of Germany, Berlin in particular).
The one memorial he told us about looks a bit arbitrary - it's bronze cobble stones in an alley between two parallel streets. In the failed coup, Hitler and his fellow partymen walked down both these streets. They started down the one, saw police ahead, headed down the alley and continued along the other - Residenz Strasse...shots were fired. Policemen and Nazis and a innocent bystander were killed. Hitler ran in the opposite direction. When the Nazis came to power the propganda told a different story - he (Hitler) apparently saved a little girl's life. There was no little girl.
At the top of Residenz Strasse a memorial plaque was put up to this event, and a wreath was hung up too. Today the memorial is no longer there but you can see the marks left on the building, and the holes where the nails were.
Everyone that walked passed this memorial had to give the Nazi saulte - if they didn't they were harassed. Now, there was this alley, that bypassed the memorial, and all it added was an extra minute if that, to one's journey...because of the parallel streets.
A silent protest if you wish, to the Nazi regime was going down Dodger's Alley, as it became known as. The Nazis of course cottoned on to this and stationed a guard that the entrance of this alley. They wrote down the names of people using this alley, and if you had no valid excuse for using it (other than the unmentioned one of avoiding saluting the memorial) you were harassed anyway!
So, the bronze cobblestones serve as a memorial to those who silently protested the Nazi regime...and possibly even risked their lives.
Another memorial is outside the University of Munich. It is in honour of the White Rose movement. This was a group of students and professor who printed what was considered propaganda but was in fact the truth, about the Nazis.
These students printed flyers en masse and tossed them in the corridors of the university hoping that students will pick them up and read them. This went on for months. A brother and sister - Sophie and Hans Scholl were part of this group. Both were in their early 20s.
One day, the janitor who'd been sweeping these corridors for months now spotted them dropping the flyers...reported them to the dean, the dean reported them to the Nazis. Hans and Sophie and a third student were arrested and interrogated. They refused to give the names of the rest of the group but the Nazis eventually found out and in the end these students and their professor were executed.
For telling the truth.
The Nazis spared no-one.
And this memorial is dedicated to these brave students who wanted to do something, however small, about the injustices that reigned supreme under the Nazi regime
There's far more to Munich than just the dark history of WWII...there's Oktoberfest! And beerhalls (and of course the history from when it was founded...but that kinda thing you can research yourself...better yet - visit Munich)!
And really really good German beer! This from a non-beer drinker!
After a wet, cold three hour walking tour, yummy Bavarian Stew (2 helpings!) and beer was most welcome.
The rain remained...and after a cold day, the warmth of the hostel was most welcome.
I only spent two full days in Munich...not very long...but long enough to leave a lasting impression. I visited the Dachau Memorial and Concentration camp.
I've been asked so many times wasn't it tough. And I have to reply that no, it wasn't.
It wasn't because I have nothing to compare and even to begin to imagine what these prisoners went through. There are photographs, you get told stories...but there's nothing to make it hit home if you wish.
You really need to take yourself out of where you are, away from all the tourists and somehow transport yourself to a place - which as you're standing there is surprisingly clean, and roll call square looks vast - a place where roll call square held 20 000 men! And not just the 6000 the camp was build to house. A place where sanitation was the last thing on mind of the guards. A place where human filth reigned, and it was smelly, and lice were a problem (amidst many). Food was vile and you are treated as a second class citizen, or worse.
This is difficult to imagine. Very.
Through work, freedom. Cruel Nazi sense of humour
Roll Call Square
One prisoner's words on being in the bunker
A memorial to those who died and survived Dachau. Done by a survivor of the camp.
But it was an eye opener...and has given me a curiosity to find out more about the Third Reich...but not only that, to find out more about the history of my country.
Not the same...but definite similarities. South Africa must have similar stories! Now, to find them. To do the research...and seek out the memorials (if they are there...and if they're not...perhaps attempt to do something about it? Ambitious, possibly.)
You know how it looks in postcards, green, mountainous, snow covered peaks in the distance, stunning lakes, wooden houses, cute shutters and window boxes with pretty flowers?
That's how it looks in reality!
From the city of Milan I headed to gorgeous outdoors of the Jungfrau region, the village of Lauterbrunnen in particular.It was a long day's drive from Milan to Switzerland - but the beauty was reward enough after a long day on the bus.
Arrived at the campsite early evening, checked in and didn't really do much else.
I'd picked up a cold in Milan (started out as sinus issues...and I really hope I'm now nursing the last of it. I've been through dunno how many packs of tissues already!)
Lovely night...and sad to say, the only clear one of my stay in the Swiss Alps.I had a lie in on my first morning, while some people doing busabout went skydiving! I just couldn't bring my sick self to get up that early... in some ways I'm glad my time in Switzerland turned out the way it did. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
My first full day in Switzerland I did what was called the Murren loop - a cable car/train journey from Lauterbrunnen to Murren, past the Trummelbach falls and back again.It was a gorgeous day, and I was able to fully appreciate the beauty of the Alps.
I've used that word a lot - because it is beautiful.
There's an Afrikaans word - asemrowend - and that describes it far more aptly than any English one I can think of.
For those who don't speak the language, a poor substitute (but a translation nonetheless) would be the word breathtaking.
How does one describe being thousands of meters above sea level, up in the mountains, in little villages and looking down on the valleys below?
If there is one place (of the few I've seen, and having absolutely loved Italy!) you should see and experience for yourself it is the Swiss Alps.Nothing you see or read will ever compare to the experience of actually being there and feeling oh-so-small with the towering mountains all around you.
The villages I saw included Murren, Gimmelwald and Stechelberg. From Stechelberg I took a walk to the Trummelbach falls - these are the only internal waterfalls still accessible to the public.The falls consist of ten waterfalls and is the drainage of Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau - glacial water at -2 centigrade - being inside and viewing the gushing of the water is a chilly experience :p
Photographs won't do these falls justice.
How the water has shaped the rock and curves through the mountain...just the sound of the water gushing - how powerful!
Mother nature one definitely needs to respect.
After gawping at the falls, I headed back into sunshine and warmth and took a lovely walk back to Lauterbrunnen.
The Jungfrau region has many many hiking trails and is a fabulous place for both summer and winter sports! We were told that one cliff face near our campsite is famous for basejumping - I think I might have seen one on one walk I took on my last day - I'd just heard the whoosh of a glider opening (on the otherside of the valley might I add) - and there was definitely no sky divers around, so it had to be a base jumper as the glider opened quite close to the ground as far as I could see!
Day two was supposed to be my day to do my bit of outdoor adventure sport, but alas, I got rained out! And for the rest of the day it remained raining on and off, mostly on.Didn't do anything, found a book in the lounge, read, fell asleep and I guess continued recovering from my cold ( I really am fed-up of blowing my nose already! At least it is far less than what it was...going through four packs of tissues in a day - not fun!)
Day three...and success! I went paragliding!It was such an awesome experience...and I wasn't nervous or frightened at all. There were two sisters from camp who went paragliding as well - we were all quite disappointed that we didn't go get to do it the day before and were hoping like crazy that we could. And we did.
There was cloud cover - the weather was pretty iffy for the rest of my time in Switzerland but hey...need to take such things in your stride (or end up not doing anything at all!)We went paragliding through Outdoor Interlaken- great pilots.
The one thing I didn't think about was how I'd actually get up in the air - yeah, by running down a short strech of mountain!Perhaps a wee bit apprehensive, but still no nerves, it was a very short run (for me at least, being on the short side, the pilot did a bit more running) and then we were up and floating away into the clouds, through the clouds...and all of Interlaken and the valleys below us!
It was gorgeous - floating away above the world - wished it were for longer! It really is the dream of flying come true :)
It was an overcast day again, but thankfully not as wet as the previous one! Wondered Interlaken, grabbed coffee and then took the train back to Lauterbrunnen.
Went for a short walk later that afternoon, viewed the Staubbach falls, the falls closest to the campsite I was staying at, and viewed Lauterbrunnen from above.Last day in the alps and yet more rainy weather (if I'm not used to rainy weather by now then I never will be!).
Another chilled day, another walk, in a different direction, just soaking up the beauty around me.It was great having some chill time, even somewhat enforced chill time with the rainy weather and all.
Sometimes you're on this mission to just see as much as possible of a place and kinda forget to relax - even though technically speaking you are on holiday :p
What's there to say about Milan? It's a city - financial capital of Italy; fashion capital One of the few buildings that survived WWII is the gothic duomo, and if you didn't know (I didn't) Mussolini was executed here.
Milan I will share in pictures
16 June 2009
from flea markets...
to designer shopping...
only 500 euro if you want to wear a cup on your foot!
It was an entire day’s ride to get to the French Riviera – but it was pretty. Italian countryside, that became Italian coastline...have not seen blue blue oceans in yonks! Eventually we say Ciao to Italia and Bonjour to the Côte d’Azur ...still driving along the coast and getting our first glimpse of Monaco!
Thirty people a year are allowed to apply to become citizens – only costing $1 000 000.00 – and this does not guarantee that they will get citizenship.I can’t recall which famous celebs are citizens of Monaco – no tax here! But I do remember that Michael Jackson applied and was rejected!
The decadence of Monaco is INSANE! When the grand prix is on the one hotel (forget the name) is booked out – at only 8000.00 euro per night.
Drive through small towns and then we hit Nice.
Check in – bit of a hiccup here.I’d booked 8 bed mixed dorm, was put in 10 bed - and wasn’t very happy at all, no lockers or anything – just didn’t work for me! They expected payment upfront – in cash! Silly people, so I wander off to find an ATM, get back ask for a receipt...and then I was asked how my room was, I told the manager person I was expecting an 8 bed dorm as that was what I booked...he was like he could move me to a 6 bed. I accepted on the spot – no difference in cost! Much better room – and it had lockers underneath the beds!
I don’t like hostels without lockers...but other than that minor issue, it’s a decent enough place. I’d rate it better than the hostel in Siena for sure!
Opted out of the group dinner this time – and was glad I did. I didn’t like the menu options anyway – wasn’t in the mood for pork.
And guess what, they ate at an Irish Pub whilst along the French Riviera! And I only know this because there was supposed to be a walking tour to orientate us before hand – but it was just a walk to the restaurant.
Of the people I met in Florence also came to Siena, so had dinner with them at a French restaurant near the markets (or at least where the markets are during the day). That was good food – three course meal and of course I was stuffed by the end of it. Really need to stop with the three course thing – my waistline and my budget won’t be happy with me if I continue this way!
Had to have gelati – from a place with 96! Flavours – things like tomato and basil and thyme flavours! I had rhubarb, lavender and walnut – was good; the lavender surprisingly so.
First full day in Nice –and I day tripped Cannes. Walked the promenade and then I lay on the beach catching some rays and a much needed tan! Months of iffy sun in the UK I revelled in the sunshine of the French Riviera!I was surprised at how time flew when I decided to head back it was early evening; I couldn’t believe how long I just lay on the beach and chilled for. A welcome change from all the walking I’d been doing.
Another French meal – grilled swordfish and veggies – was so good!
Friday - cruise to St Tropez with a stop in Port Grimaud before hand - it's called 'Little Venice' I guess because of all the bridges but other than that - uh, not like Venice at all!
The boat we were on supplied free drinks...a potent Captain's rum punch, beer, wine and soft drinks...
Heard gossip about all the stars in who presently live, or have lived in the area. In Millionaire's Bay we were shown Bridget Bardot's house, Mohammed Al Fayed's house ( Dodi's dad) and this house with a green dome where apparently uhm, adult films, are made.
Who knows how much of what we were told was true...but it was a pleasant cruise and St Tropez is a quaint town (when all the tourists disappear - yay for not being there in peak season!). The sun was just starting to set when we cruised back...and it was just beautiful!
Saturday wanted to go to Monaco but the trains (well staff) were on strike. Not sure why; so there went that idea.
Nice it was instead – a walk up the one end of the Promenade where an old castle stood gave a beautiful aerial view of Nice – new town, old town, beach front. Walked along the promenade afterwards and then lay on the pebble (and very eina) beach of Nice!Many people have straw mats and some have the inflatable pool floats – great idea!
But with a beach towel and correct positioning you can get comfortable :pSwimming is another story – when the tide pulls you in, you sink...in rocks! And it is quite sore – unless of course you could be bothered to get past the pain, and wade deeper – or wear shoes (although some people – kids mostly where playing in the water).
Catching rays is awesome...and this time ‘round you can see I got a tan (surprisingly had no tan lines from lying on the beach in Cannes; I guess the regular application of Spf 50 sunscreen works!)
There are of course topless bathers – the beach is perve central for men not used to seeing topless women bathers! And even men...wearing speedos but having paunches – wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong!
Nobody cares, everyone lets it all hang out – flab, paunches everything.
Dinner and a wee night time walk around Nice and along the beach front – lovely evening. Sunday and off to Monaco.Great views, all along the coastline and plenty of uphills! Saw the changing of the guards at 11.55 – nothing overly exciting really, tourists are funny people though (and yes, I know I am one :p )
Was going to attempt walking to Monte Carlo Casino, but the heat, and the fact that I was going to have climb downhill and uphill made the decision to use the bus easy! Pricey, beautiful cars everywhere, but alas no famous folk.
Then it was back to Nice – after waiting for an hour due to train delays...repack and then an early start tomorrow...to return to Italia!
Siena is a quaint town – managed to see it all in one afternoon.
I left Rome early Friday morning and on the way to Siena had a bonus stop at Orvieto – such a lovely small town.
Cool looking marble church – from the outside; never got to go in because somehow the hour allocated flew by.
I arrived in Siena, along with the other (4) getting off mid afternoon, checked in and headed into town.
The hostel we stayed wasn’t the greatest but it was a place to sleep and it was clean.
The town is lovely, narrow little streets, cute shops, many many food stores – wine, cheese, pasta – and all looking very very yummy!
The main ‘hang out’ place in the town is Il Campo. This is the piazza in the centre of town and here a bi-annual horse race is held. We missed the horse race by about a month. I saw postcards of this event and I really don’t know how that many people fit into that small area!
After our wander about town, headed back to the hostel and just chilled – first early night of the entire trip.
We were all quite glad that other people got off at Siena because that small town by yourself – it would still be quaint but not the same as having other people to hang out with.
Saturday was a lie in day (seeing how there really was nothing urgent we needed to see or do in Siena). Made our way back into town mid morning, bought goodies for a picnic lunch and chilled on Il Campo – good food, lovely place to just soak up the atmosphere.
It’s amazing how different a place can feel – Friday had this small town vibe, and Saturday was crowded with tourists taking day trips to Siena.
Last night about town grabbed a meal – was divine Tuscan cuisine.
I had toasted bread and sheeps cheese drizzled with Chianti honey and accompanied with two pear slices as a starter. My main – aubergine ravioli with a tomato based sauce.
All of homemade, all so so yum!
I know aubergines aren’t the greatest vegetables – I had my doubts, but the way it was described on the menu made it sound fab – and I was not disappointed.
Desert – gelati of course! I’d been having gelati daily since I arrived in Italy, kinda decided to make it my unofficial rule of this trip :p
Sunday, woke up poured with rain...and it being Sunday public transport of course not as frequent and we were catching a lunch time bus out of Siena. Bummed around the hostel waiting for time to move along so we could move on out the hostel – seriously not the best atmosphere! But it is the hostel in Siena and being on a budget, fussiness is curbed!
Siena to Florence!
(only one hour’s drive)
Stopped at Piazzo Michelangelo for aeriel view of Firenze – pretty – before heading in to town and checking in.
Central enough hostel – within walking distance of everything you want to do and see within Florence.
I’d opted in for the group dinner – and it wasn’t even Italian food, and mediocre at best. The biggest disappointed was that they didn’t even serve gelati – but ICE CREAM! There is a difference in taste, trust me!
And this in the place that is also known as the gelati capital of Italy.
Other than the mediocrity, the company was good. Didn’t stay for a karaoke do afterwards – I really did not like the feel of that bar/restaurant and the loos were SMELLY!
A group of us headed back to the hostel and chilled on the Terrace bar for a bit. Nice-ish view of Florence by night – you could only really see roof-tops and the dome of Florence’s Duomo.
On a Monday all the museums in Florence are closed – so, if you do make your way to Florence and are an art buff, do bear this in mind.
Did a wine tour of the Tuscan, in particular the Chianti, region.
The countryside is just beautiful, if you don’t love Italy in which ever place you first arrive – Tuscany will do the trick!
First stop – can’t recall the place’s name – tasted four local wines, 3 reds and a white as well as olive oil!
The olive oil was just divine. Especially the Truffle Olive oil. And don’t forget the 30yr old Balsamic vinegar, sweet and oh, so yummy. And only 45 euro a bottle (which is actually reasonable cos I saw it for 60 at some other shop in Florence)!
Alas, I bought neither the olive oil nor the balsamic – no space...and my budget. I do have the web address somewhere though...so maybe, just maybe!
Oh, the wine was good – Chianti, Chianti Classico, another red and a white. Their tasting is a whole lot more than what I would pour for tasting!
Another wine farm – this time we were shown around the vineyards and in the distance we could see the medieval town of San Gimignano.
At the second stop tasted a white (better than the first), a rose and red (too dry for my liking and by then I’d had enough – but still not as much as the others around me – and I didn’t finish it).
We had ‘lunch’ there too – more of an entree really: bread salad, 3 types of Salami, bruschetta (yum!) and pecorino (sheep’s cheese) drizzled with Chianti honey – not melted this time, but still really really yum!
The Tuscan region is known for its wines, olives, cheese (pecorino) and meat.
There are meat stores everywhere! As our guide said – if it moves, they kill it and eat it!
Our last stop was San Gimignano – a town which contains the best Gelataria – having one awards etc etc – and making the oddest of flavours, like rosemary and basil (or some sort – together!)
I was not that adventurous – chocolate, lemon and cinnamon flavoured; the cinnamon was surprisingly good!
Wandered around the town along with all the other tourists and enjoyed the views of Tuscany.
The symbol of the Chianti region is a black rooster.
The story goes that way back when (sorry, there is limited space for dates, seriously!) Siena and Florence needed to decide on the borders of their regions. Initially they wanted knights to go to war but then someone suggested that they get two roosters and when the rooster crows a knight from each area must wake up and start walking, where they meet this will be there border.
Florence had a black rooster and Siena a white. The Sienese fed and pampered their rooster making sure it will crow, the Florentines kept their’s hungry.
This paid off – the Florentine rooster awoke crazy early and started crowing...so the knight started walking. We were told that the well fed Sienese rooster was so content he didn’t even wake.
And this was how initially the border of Florence/Chianti was 12km (if I remember correctly) outside of Siena.
It differs today, but I don’t know the details.
The tour was an all day thing, head back in to town and I went a wandering, had dinner with of the people I met and then bed.
I was optimisitic and wanted to go to the Uffizi and Musea d’Academia – but couldn’t get tickets reserved – the guy at the hostel was on the phone for like 5min and gave up. Pfft, what kinda holding is that?
I slowly made my way to the Uffizi, and stood the queue for like an hour before finally getting in and spending a couple hours inside. I missed one section though – more queues, and by then I’d had enough.
It’s slightly annoying that you have to pay for pretty much everything in Italy – Students get discount, and if you’re an EU citizen in a certain age bracket – you either get discount or free entry. I’m none of the above so full price it was – this and more queues stopped me from seeing the real David.
Instead I saw the fake David where the real David used to stand before he was moved to the Museu d’ Academia
Lunch – getting cultured by (trying) to absorb Renaissance art is hard work and makes one hungry! :p
More wandering the town up and down random streets; was good. Had gelati three times!
I had to make for the ice cream on my first day in Florence!
First one was so so. Second one was good, the third one was AWESOME! From a gelataria called Vivoli, out of the way and not where you find hundreds of tourists – but the shop is busy! Because it apparently has the best gelati in Florence.
Yoghurt, dark chocolate and lemon flavoured gelati – heavenly!
Last night in Florence, dinner, terrace, drinks, met up with some other people...and then chilled for a bit (ok, a few hours) before eventually heading to bed and having an early start the next day and catching the bus out of Italy to the Côte d’Azur!
My time in the UK has come to an end.
