Sipping tea in Chicago

Update

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 19:11:00 +0000

I've been writing and drawing, but not having a computer does shorten how much I can do... and really I shouldn't even be doing this, I should be looking at online ads.

Temp. Roomate situation is fine- she thinks my lentil,split pea,collard and mustard greens, garlic, onion, white wine, stock cube, thyme, olive oil and quinoa soup smells really nasty- so I make it when she's not there and then boil up a toffee flavored teabag. She does not conserve paper towels (which is just a pet peeve I'm dealing with silently as she rips off 8 sheets for who knows what), but that's about as dramatic as it's ever gotten between us.

I have a part time job at Victoria's Secret. To anyone who thinks that doesn't really sound like me... well, I do have work clothes from my period of HR where I decided that maybe I should look like an HR for my own good, and I do wear bras. And as for selling them with enthusiasim- my background in drama (and the bs I'd have to come up with for my commercial art projects) comes in handy. They know I'm going to weekends when I get a FT.

It's very rainy here. Normally that would predjiduce me to a city, but Chicago and I have a foundation, so instead I walk around noting how atmospheric the rain makes certain buildings and streets.

And Mom, you'll be glad to know I'm not loosing my driving skills. They are actively applied on the sidewalk. Approaching slow poke.... No, I can't pass... opposite traffic coming too fast... *slow down*... can I pass?... *check behind me to make sure noone else is trying to get ahead*... proceed past slow poke. (and there are a lot of slow pokes in this town. bloody buckets).

Love, me.

The Air and Water Show

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 20:34:00 +0000

I was walking down Clark, about to sign my life away to a new bank, when I saw (and heard) a fighter jet zoom over head, seeming be headed for the nearest tall building.
My breath stopped and I paused "Oh great." I thought in a wry and nonchalant voice, least I get embarressed later for freaking out like a silly hayseed "We're being attacked."

When I didn't see a ball of flame decend upon me, seeing as the fighter jet decided to go around the building, I remembered reading in the free "Redeye paper" that the annual air and water show was this weekend, so I would be seeing and hearing fighter jets zooming around for hours with out needing to fun for my life. Or in my case, assume the fetal position and hope it all goes away.

I then signed my life and my returned saftey deposit check over to my new nationwide bank and went back home for fine dining of lentils and (a home made) baguette. My agenda, as it is pretty much every day, was to go to the Downtown library (since you can use Word there and not at the others) and intend to answer help wanted ads online.

I decided to walk to the library since it was only 3-4 miles, and it would save me $1.75. I had intended to walk down parts of Wells (parts of it have a lot of shops). Another fighter plane zoomed above me and while I don't really like loud sounds over my head, I decided I would feel less depressed about the "no spending" orrdanance on the lakefront than on a shopping street.
So I walked over to lake shore drive, and waited to cross with a women and her young daughter.
The daughter was dressed up in a A-line skirt with pink ribbon with a matching halter top. She stood with one of her hands on her hips surveying those across the road. "I like that women's hair." She said. "Isn't it pretty?" she looked up at her mom "It is."
She fluffed her ponytail "I like my hair to." she said "Me too baby." The mom replyed.
The light changed and I was walking ahead of them. "That girl is wearing tennis shoes with her skirt. Isn't that funny!" The girl loudly proclaimed in an exuberant and happy voice only a kid can pull off as they don't know/don't care that the girl in brown sneakers (rather expensive earth shoes that I wouldn't recommend getting) and colorful red spanish skirt ($1.50- thrift store in omaha) down to her calves can totally hear her.
I didn't get to hear the mom's reply because she did care that I could hear her and lowered her voice.
I felt rather cool that my style had just gotten knocked by a 5 year-old. I probably won't be able to ever get my holy grail- being on People's worst dress list (though I feel I would class it up, since most of the women on the list are usually on their for their penchant for hooker wear). So I will take this kindergarden critique with pride.

I threw off my shoes (for the sand, not the pint sized fashonista) and trodded down the beach. Ah beach. I love walking downtown on the beach- you can't go east because there's the lake, and above you is a mountain range to ensure you know what direction you're headed. The fighter planes were putting on their show the whole time I walked down the beach. It was pretty cool, though I'm sure I looked rediculous cringing and silently gasping if a plane suprised be by zooming directly above or flying directly towards eachother, curving off at the last moment, or looking like they were going to take out downtown.

When I made my way off the beach into the River north part of downtown I stopped, there before me, was the main headquarters for: American Girl.

I never had an American Girl Doll. An American girl doll with historical accesories was not in the Thye family budget. I had one book- "Samantha saves the day." and a monthly subscription to the free cataloge.

Every month the magazine was pretty much the same... but every month I poured over it- wishing, hoping, dreaming, and planning.
I poured a victiorian tea forSamantha and sampled a petite four *(sp?). I assured Kristin that she wasn't stupid, just a Swedish immigrant who was going to be ok on the Minnesotan prarie as I helped her with her lesson on her chalkboard. I sometimes ignored Molly, seeing as she was a bit of a dork with her glasses, dumpy clothes and long mousy brown hair... I now feel I may have been projecting on the poor girl. She was spunky. And she did win capture the flag at camp in "Molly saves the day."

What facinated me most was the miniture plastic lunches each girl had. I'd flip back and fourth- which one would I pick, if I could only pick one. Would it be Smanatha's watercress sandwhich (on white bread), deviled egg, peach and gingerbread man cookie in the shiny gold pail with an embroidered napkin? Molly's lunch with a pbj, celery and carrot sticked looked a bit too close to my own sorry lunch- though she also got a pear and an oreo cookie in a snappy red lunchbox. Addy came much later (I think after I was kicked off the subscription for never buying anything), but I knew she had a meat pie pastry, greapes and 4 cookies spelling out love in a tin pail. The lunch I was always drawn to in the end was Kristin's pioneer school lunch. She got a hunk of bread, sausage, cheese and an apple. How european!
I always cherished the stories where the kids (and if they weren't fetching a doctor or saving a pet... they were running away from evil orpahanges with bad conditions.... or Nazis.) would stuff their knapsacks with the same items before a journey.

Mmmm. bread, sausage, cheese and an apple.
But as I'd finalize my decision I'd go back and look at Samantha's watercress sandwich (on white bread) and wonder if perhaps I was being influenced by the carved swedish box Kristin's school lunch came in. I'd go back to the beginning, as if the lunch I picked would magically appear in place of my used and reused crumpled brown bag containing the dry wheat bun of death*

a little more later

* I would like to state that my mom feed us very well in all other meals and I am a very healthy girl for all my lack of lunch time dessert, salty package snacks and white bread... but I still can't eat pbj to this day (I've slowly forgiven carrots and celery). Soup, rice, chicken, satay, nasi kunig (sp?) Of course! Thanks mom.

Average

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 20:33:00 +0000

More later on this...

Day 9 as a Chicagoan

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 23:58:00 +0000

I would like to keep this somewhat consistant as to updating it at least every two weeks.

I havn't had any real misadventures yet, though I did smash my big toe into the crosswalk when I tripped crossing the street. I was wearing lime green flip flops that weren't exactly masking the blood pouring out as I dug through my purse for a banddaid know I wouldn't find one. I did, however, find a zip-lock baggie- which I put on my toe.

I looked like a walking tetnus shot on the 2-mile walk home, but at least I wasn't bleeding on the lovely sidewalks of Chicago.

No job yet. But resumes and apps have been filled out and turned in. I have also: made some fabulous challah bread (better than the $5-6 savings drain challah at the dsm farmers market), become a regular at the downtown library (the second largest library in the world), made cookies and biscuits, gone to the green farmers market in lincoln park, had some gazpacho at Kopi (kopi means coffee in Indonesian- the two owners met at a hostel in Indonesia) in Andersonville, gone to the Garfield Park conservatory and got a marriage (or boyfreind, if that was what I was looking for) proposal, mastered the art of making a chive omlet or chive frittata (the challah got a little dry after a few days), read a book with a compelation of stories about women and eating, gotten my room and kitchen supplies unpacked so I can sit on my world rug every morning and have tea and breakfast, found 7 health food stores, walked on the shoreline with my sandals off on North Avenue beach, cooked corn and potatoes, and have taken the L almost every day.

Today it was going to rain... kind of, almost... but the sky was taking it's sweet time so there was a foggy mist all over. Poluted Haze is probably more correct, but it still looked romantic.
Often I would pass to see a lone person walking through the arbor off trees and past the brick and stone houses. They were perfectly framed and the mist made the moment quite picturesque.

Hope all is well with you- M

Chicago: Thursday and Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 16:34:00 +0000

Hah to everyone in middle Iowa- you don't have a lake breeze. (You can laugh at me during the refreshing winter breeze.)

Thurs:
Got an apartment, for the next couple months anyways.
I will be living and spliting the rent in a big one bedroom with a very nice 27-year old girl.
I was going to just move in some of my stuff- bed, clothes and put the boxes and boxes and boxes of books, mags, cooking supplies, trinkets, papers, papers, papers in a 5 by 5 by 8 storage unit, but Beth told me just to bring it all there was plenty of room. I told her I had a lot. She said that was fine and that I was paying for the apt as well, so it was mine to move into.

She's currently staying in the studio and I want this studio (but not till I get a job) My gosh it's twice the size of all the others I've seen, hard wood floors, top floor, gas stove, walk in closet. I could live with a family of 8 in there. (but they couldn't use the closet) AND it's only $655. It was delicious- I'm glad I didn't grab the studio I could sort of seeing myself living in Wed. It's also right where I want to move, right by Lincoln Park.

I've been reading the paper everyday. I feel special everyday, walking to the L stop and grabbing the free daily Red Eye paper. It's a local paper and grocery store magazine all in one- and it's in color.

Friday:
Checked out of my hostel and took the L downtown and put my bags in storage at the HI hostel. Today will be about doing a little job search on the net and then looking for jobs near the apt.

Then I'm going home to get things together, see some cousins up in South Dakota. August 1st I will be back in Chicago for good. That's exciting.

I've gotten bored with the "I did this, this, and this" daily reports. I'm going to still do them, but in my little day by day book just for myself. I'd like to learn more words, be a better writer.
I'm going to save this for complete, specific stories, personal essays, a thought here and there- not all the time, just sometimes.

Chicago so far...

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 23:08:00 +0000

Saturday: Wander into the apartmentpeople (free apartment finding service) at 11am and face 30 bored, slightly impatient looking white kids all plastered on the tan sofas... As the waiting room confirmed, they could take no one sat or sun, I'd have to come in Monday.
Perhaps I should have planned this whole move a bit more...

Sunday: Had pancakes with a friend.
Confirmed that while I really like the Wicker park neighborhood* I didn't really want to live there... just yet. (Plus the whole fact that there is a silly mainstream movie with the guy who looks like a big overgrown sad little boy... josh... something... with the same name and set in that area kind of turns me off as well- though there is an amazing song by sterophonics on the soundtrack I like to call the "sassy owl song") I've been thinking a lot about neighborhoods. What I want in them. I used to want to live where there were the most artists so there was a greater chance of me in flannel in a unheated loft feverishly painting to pay the rent (but surrounded by other flannel/colorful rag wearing wanderers). But after getting followed 15 times in 3 months in Europe... My gosh I want a little saftey. I don't want to have to walk by 4 guys glaring out at me from doorways to go home everyday. I just don't. And I want shops, but trees and parks as well. The Loop is very central, but if I am tired, lost, and hungry I start to feel a heavy despair after walking around the large concrete sidewalks for more than 10 minutes. Lincoln Park and Lakeview are where I want to live.

* (a little chicago knowledge that might be wrong) Wicker Park is one of the top 5 "artist" neighborhoods in Chicago- though I think, but since I'm a baby I don't know, a lot of that art community has migrated to the Pilsen neighborhood since the natural progression is artist move in where it's cheap, it gets popular, the yuppies and starry eyed kids move in, rent goes up- repeat somewhere else. But that Pilsen info is a bit outdated- so now it's probably somewhere I don't even know...),

Monday: Looked at apartments with the apartment people (free apartment finding service).
#1 Was dark, but had air conditioning and a gas stove
# 2 smaller than #1, had lovely hard wood floors but was on a first floor and an active imagination and a first floor, I have never felt, are a good combination.
more on this day later. while the apts didn't thrill me- def. know I want to live here.

Tuesday:
Life, I concluded today at 4:30pm, was stomach turning cappachinos with no promised internet in return, spoiled slurge chicken, soy milk and eggs in the hot hostel fridge, and crushed and smashed free spirited plans to find the perfect apartment first before I found a job to pay for said magical apartment. (went by myself and saw one, that while small and not near perfect, I could actually see myself in unlike 1 and 2)
And then my mind requested the positives of today and I my mind drew a blank. I do, like most people, snap on the tragic.
So what was good about today... 2 hours of free internet, a free bagle, a swifty accident free el ride, a windy breeze, remembering to put suncreen on the tip of my nose, having the renewed sense to forget vanity (after 2 days of bleeding crooked toes and blisters) and wear tennis shoes when one walks 5 miles, a cute leasing agent named Collin with curly hair and a caffine haze to make me feel like every word I shakily type is brilliant...

Wed:
On the search for a temporary apartment...
Looking for a job is fine... but I want a room. (even if it's sharing with someone and temporary situation). I want neighborhood I'm free to walk around in and explore.

I want an Chicago address. A chicago library card. I really want a chicago library card. That is when I will feel like a true and honest Chicagoan. When I had a laminated card that says my name and Chicago in the same 2 by 3 inch area. I think I found one (I could stay up to 3 months) in the neighborhood I want to live, but I will need to meet her and the apartment first and make sure everything is legit.

Apartment Hunting in Chicago

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 04:05:00 +0000

and job hunting to. :)

I leave tommorrow and am staying at a hostel for a little over a week.

I'll keep this a little updated with big news for now (I'm trying to regulate how much time I spend messing around on the internet until I actually find a job and an apt) or what I find...a job, a home, a magical farmer's market, a cheap skirt, a really good loaf of bread...

Back Home

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 23:24:00 +0000

Arrived in Roland safe and sound.

/end trip

and now: the Chicago blog. Me and Chi. I'll have to think about it. Michelle the Chicagoan. Becoming a Chicagoan. Chicagoan Iowan. Iowa girl moves to the big city (yeck/ but i had to put it in there.)
Moving to Chicago. Chicago gal.

Chicago: Saturday the 24th

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Fri, 23 Jun 2006 10:37:00 +0000

Flew out of London at 12:55 on the 24th, Saturday and flew for 8 hours through the time change and got to Chicago on the same day at 3pm.

I will be available to the central Iowans after the 27th or 28th.

Everyone keeps asking me if I'm sad that the trip is over and I can't say I am. A little overwhelmed that tommorrow (tommorrow!) I will be back in the US and will need to get down to finding a job and will be dealing with interviews, apt searches and leases, moving vans, selling myself... but I liked my trip, I like that I get to start things in Chicago (and bake and be a big city gal and listen to music and have 80 outfits to choose from).

Also, I met someone* in Paris and they are coming home with me and moving with me to Chicago... =)

love,
Michelle

*Her name is Sabine, and she is a grocery shopper. Two big white wheels, a purple satin cloth bag, a black plastic handle- she's lovely. I like her very much. She lost a wheel in Paris and I wasnt very happy with her but it snapped right back on. I have wanted a grocery shopper for a very long time... Grocery shoppers are everywhere in the european cities... they are like the car trunk for the cool city dweller who doesnt drive. Mine isn't quite as sofisticated as the plaid or striped designer numbers/ but she can cart scarves and vegetables and waterbottles... and she is a parisian, so we will find fine food and wine together.

London: wed thur fri sat

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 18:16:00 +0000

I am really glad I went back to Paris. I think of all the cities it was probably my favorite... even though on tues (day I got on the night bus) I took Min along with me to trek through the big park (big green areas on maps always lure me to them) on the outskirts of paris and after thinking "what a nice big, happy forest" and then we passed two women in tight outfits looking tired. Then we passed a few more. I looked across the street and there were 15 women in a various and colorful array of tight, tiny outfit all crowded around a vehicle.
Great. Min had a cold and didnt see the women and was wandering a bit deliriously.
"Not to alarm you but we need to walk just a little faster Min" "huh?" "we've wandered into a prostitute/pimp area..." "oh?..." I dont know if she quite believed me because she didnt see the huge group of women.... until she started see women in stilletos and black leather micromini skirts and tops strolling down the forest path every few feet.
We ended up walking through the heavily prostituted area of the park for a couple miles with random men coming out of the woods and amid the strolling prostitutes. and then there few typical men who think that because a normal girl(s) is in a bad area that gives him the right to act like a goon even more than he usually does. But the main one was in spandex, had a helmet and his bicycle- so it took down the intimidation quite a bit.

Min thinks hanging out with me is exciting. I wouldnt term mistaking dryed up stream beds as paths down a swiss mountain, getting lost, ending up in bad areas or attracting stalkers as exciting or that you would think fondly of time spent with a friend who seems to attract those kinds of situations, but she did point out it always turns out alright. We walked for hours and finally hopped on a bus with took us back to the love of the city "walls". We both felt a lot better.

Shoot, I havnt written more about my other time in paris so I hope that doesnt mare your view. Well, all cities have prostitutes and parks and bad men. Paris also has pretty, and scarves, and picnics and music, and trees and light and lovely lovely streets. London looks a bit hard compared.

tues night I took the night bus to london.

Got here fine, really short on sleep, so going to bed in a little bit.

Slept 13 hours, feel better, went walking around hyde park, kensington gardens. They are quite different in the summer. A lot of the grass is let to grow wild so you really get a english countryside feel at times. I went to Marks and Spencers, and did NOT buy a giant chocolate cookie. ick. but did buy a lunchbox

While I like Paris more, there is something nice about London, after I get over the general midwest heartattack of every 50p I spend, I am actually spending 1 dollar. and every 1 pound, 2 dollars.

It is somewhat bizzare to be in a place where I understand what everyone is saying and I know the words to respond to them. When I get to the counter to buy something I go through my word folder in my mind/ "What is the word I need to say?" "oh... yes...thankyou."
thank-you. and then I realize I know english quite well and don't need to be searching for it.
Someone asks me a question on the street and I respond, suprised I could communicate completly with words... that's because you are in an english speaking country.

friday
going exploring. might buy a top.

sat
fly out of london at 1pm.

Paris: Wed,Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 16:14:00 +0000

Wed: Flight got to Bervais fine; took bus to paris and wound around the metro to the hostel.
I have so much stuff... but when I am in chicago and have striped scarves; turkish scarves and a 18 dollar 3 liter container of qaulity olive oil- it will not have been in vain:

The airport security people were rather suspisious of me when the backpack with the oil jug inside went through the xray. Come here. Open it. What is it! Open it all the way up... but in the end me and my olive oil boarded safely.

Am rather sleep deprived so will just walk around, might go check out the tower since i ignored it last time; or rather I was with boys who didnt want to walk two more miles::::
the rooms open up at 5 and then will sleeep. Transfering hostels tommorrow, hopefully get a room set up for 5 days.

I am thinking about things I am happy to get back to in less than two weeks... ginger candy, buckets of tea, perscription sunglasses, my music, my clothes, my cookbooks, a fridge, a kitchen, the farmers markets, bare feet, bathrooms in supermarkets- bathrooms bathrooms everywhere, free internet, a grass lawn to lay in .. oh and my family and friends =)

Tuesday> overnight at Bergamo airport

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 16:12:00 +0000

Tuesday/

travel day
took the train to bergamo, transfered at milan.

took the bus to the bergamo airport after about 6 hours of travel.

my flight left at 6am on the 14th so I am just stayed at the airport.
they moved us bums around a couple of times; but was able to sleep a couple hours

Florence> Sunday, Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 16:00:00 +0000

Monday
got to florence with no reservation. showed up at a hostel at 830 and was able to get a room for 2 nights. perfect. there are a lot of people in florence. I have heard more english spoken than I think I heard the day I left chicago. I have also found where the little 18 yearolds go when they go to europe... but its ok/ there is a bit of florence Im absorbing after intially rejecting and keepng it off my itinerary.

walked to the doumo, the uffitzi, the bobli something gardens/ i plan to go there tommorrow.

walked though streets w stand after stand of purses, clothes, sunglasses, scarves... but a lttle too much for me... and then after I crossed the river I found it/ CHEAP STUFF.

oh it was the flea market of dreams. There was even a tree shaded fountain to take rest in. Michelle was no longer the poor urchin/ she was the 25 yearold who HAD a EURO to buy a handmade jacket that fit her perfectly. She had 4 euro to buy natural oil. She did not buy but looked with love at old black and white photos, shining flowers, hippie clothes, two polyester 3 euro evening gowns (it was very hard to say no/ but I made this (flexible) vow awhile ago upon a survey of my closet that I wasnt really allowed to buy anymore fun clothes, especially fun polyester evening gowns/skirts... or clothes you cant wear at a professional job work... because if I wanted to wear a different nonprofessional work appropriate outfit every day for about 40 days....I totally could.

monday
talked to a girl from korea (but goes to school in nyc) in my room who was leaving for the day.

I was sitting with my notebook trying to be realistic about when I got back and what I could accomplish in what time and I asked her how many days were in june, july...
She showed me how to keep track on calendar days on your hand. hold out a fist. first knuckle, january 31 days, no knuckle feb 28 or 29, knuckle march 31 days, no knuckle april 30 days and then july and august are both 31 and on the pinky knuckle and then you go back. It's like a new land of great power has been opened to me.

went to the boboli gardens and was there for 8 hours. Took a really long seista by the pond. Wasnt too smart and only brought one bottle of water and went to the only cafe in the place after it closed so at the end was wondering around deleriously among the dusty roads, views of florence and 10 feet tall hedges. It was very nice and relaxing though.
Went to a supermarket and bought some watermelon, sandwhich and salad for supper and snacks and tons of water for my train trip the next day.

Sat in the hostels garden and wrote

Lucca: Thursday, Friday, Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 10:11:00 +0000

thurs
got here

fri
a little bored, the novelty of getting to walk around a city wall has worn off a little bit. It's 12. I do have to do errands though so its something to do. I think I am mainly bitter than I missed a huge clothes market in Camucia-Cortona getting to the train. I could have taken a later train, but it just didnt feel sensible. I have plenty of clothes. I have too many. I dont need any more. It s just all the clothes shops I pass here as so expensive it hurts my heart, and a cheap clothes market restores it.

sat
Went to Pisa w- a girl from montreal. Took cheesy photos. it was fun. Walked around pisa. saw some tables, went a little crazy eyed in my search for cheap clothes. but madeline was understanding. bought a 3l container of olive oil to take home. found a 1 euro scarf/ felt a little better.

Sun
left lucca super early and to try get a hostel room in florence

tues
will make my way up to the bergamo airport where I will be a bum that night and stay in the airport

wed
will fly to paris at 6am

a little change

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 20:00:00 +0000

I was in Assisi and had a revelation.

I am going to enjoy tuscany.... and paris. Ryanair was having a sale today so I bought a really cheap flight from bergamo (by milan) for 1 cent (taxes and baggage 19 euros/ still really cheap) on the 14th.

so 2 weeks in tuscany and 1 good full week in paris. The way I saw it, it is costing me aabout 30 euros more than getting back to london via italy. Paris is a little more expensive than Italy and I-ll be doing more expensive things and I know I am wasting a little money zigzagging, but so so so much less if I dont do it while I am here on the continent.

what will 50 to 200 euros mean in a year when I have a job and am a work horse?

I feel good about it because I get the best of everything. Get to see what I wanted to in Tuscany and get to take my pictures, take my walks, and go to the museums in Paris.

michelle

Cortona: monday tues wed

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Wed, 31 May 2006 12:05:00 +0000

Monday the 5th
Got to Cortona with no problem. Walked around the square, ate some gelato, took in the view, bed really early.

Tuesday the 6th
Walked around with two american guys for a couple hours. Found the gelato I had been looking for. It made me go "this is really good.", not "I hope I find that gelato everyone talks about." It was melon gelato.

Will go get my camera and go take some pics now that I've gotten a bit of a feel for Cortona.

The paris hostels are all booked up. I managed to book one day for the 14th and am just going to stake my bets on a HI hostel that you just have to show up in the morning for.

wed
took a daytrip with a german women to a wine loving hill town called moltopuchiano (not how itsspelled, how it sounds)

it took about an hourandahalf to get there, so got to see a lot more of tuscany. great veiws at the town. had no wine, but took tons of pics.

Yes, there is one reason why I wanted to go here and I won't be ashamed. Everyone has reasons for going everywhere and it often is because of a book, magazine, movie,picture or guidebook. And maybe it was from someone else, but can you tell me they didn't get it from a book, magazine, movie, picture or guidebook?

So with my copy of "under the tuscan sun" in my pack I will go, probably monday.

Perugia: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Wed, 31 May 2006 10:35:00 +0000

My body officially does not appreciate extreme weather changes. I went from hot Italy to cold Switzerland, to cool Paris and am now back in Italy and not feeling fantastic. I feel a lot like I did the night before I got sick in London. My stomach hurts, my chest is congested, and my head is getting stuffy... but I am happy to be back in Perugia with my fantastic view from my room and my 1 euro an hour internet cafe so I can empty my cards once again.

Last night I stood at the window of my room, my reflection blending in with Perugia and the lights on the surrounding hills...
"Michelle! You get to write in Tuscany(umbria)!"
"Everyone writes in Tuscany(umbria)" I snapped back to myself
*pause* *shakes head* Ok. Forgetting that the place you wish you were is PARIS *cough* You are not writting a guidebook or novel (as much as you like to daydream that you are)- you are journaling- writting in your diary. And don't worry, in 3 to 4 weeks you will be in the uncharted journalistic territory of Roland and can sell millions of copies with your descriptions about the Velkommen sign at sunset.

I had this nightmare vision of me spending all my free time in Chicago searching obsessivly for a cheap flight deal to Paris for my next vacation, so I started journaling, it's been a little while since I have. My room has a wood desk and chair just made for a little before bed reflection.

Wed: Today is a internet day and I'm ok with that because I don't think I'll be having more than this. I was thinking of my bag and camera as having to travel with a child- having to take care of it, watch it, make sure it is ok and safe, people pay more attention to you when you have it... until I was on the night train to Florence on monday night and a french women came in with an actual child (adorable 7 month old baby). My backpack and camera are nothing like a baby. Aww, babies. So lovely. Infants scare the heck out of me, but a 6-8th month baby is fantastic. So little and squirmy. They can't walk so they can't run away, they can't talk so they annoy you a little less. They just sit there all little and precious and bounce and make cute noises. There were three other backpackers, a somewhat weird canadian girl who looked and acted like she was 18 and two guys from oklahoma and we all kind of fell for the baby. The girl and I were always ready to help out and hold him if needed, the guys would let the baby hold their hand or stare at them. Because baby vibes are healing and good. As long as they dont cry- and this baby didn't at all.

The only thing I am doing today other than this is getting some veggies. I've found I like pasta a lot more than I thought I did, and (of course) it's incredibly cheap here- so I eat a lot of it. I am not a huge fan of Italian cuisine- too much cheese and cream. But a small pocket of it I adore. Lamb, Pasta, articokes, pesto, a little cheese, fresh fruit, gelato. I need veggies.

Went out with a french girl to see the night life of Perugia because she feels you havent really seen a city if you havent seen it at night. It was kind of a slow night, but i liked it.

Thursday: Went to Assisi. It was nice.
it is strangely windy and cold here. winter coat weather.

Friday: Rained buckets today.

Most of the shops, including the grocery store was bizzarly shut this morning. No reason. I asked around but havn't the italian and those I talked to either didnt have the english or knowledge as to why. Some shops have opened now, its like threefourths of the town decided to stay in until the rain let up a little. (found out it was a local holiday of some kind)

Was a little vulnerable on the street so I found a caffe and asked for camomile tea- got dargeeling. Caffiene. Stood at the counter because it was cheaper and drank the pot. Walked to the only town hall and pretended to be a part of a torino tour group so I could get out of the rain. Found another open cafe with lots of tables and chairs and journaled for 2 hours. Figured a few things out that I needed to.

I wont go into it now- but in conclusion- I am not a victim. Not a walking target.
Not a dumb, stupid, stuttering klutz. I am a brunette, but will accept that I am a temporary blond in other countries.
I am a beautiful, strong, competent, talented, intellegent woman and I will view myself as such. The end.

Will now go see if the grocery store is open.

It was not. Wandered around up and down main street. Left my unbrella on a bench. Realized I had abandoned it and 45 minutes it was still there. I guess unbrellas are safe here.

There is a movie theater between the street where I use the internet and my hostel. And I had seen a few time the poster for the Da Vinci Code... maybe perhaps it was not dubbed? I practiced and practiced )well 4 times) movie dubbed? in italian. but there were a lot of people and the desk women were impationant. I couldnt get an answer. Parlay englase? no? cinema dubio? no answer, shes helping the next person. I got from the desk girl that it was subtitled. not dubbed? no. subtitled? some of it. excellent.
Turns out it was subtitled for the FRENCH parts. and was very much dubbed.
So I watched all of The Da Vinci Code in Italian.

I had been planning on walking out when I couldnt pick up anything anymore- but thats the thing about action movies and movies based on talked about books... I wasn't too confused... a little annoyed with the poor sad Sophie music and the high pitched Italian they chose to dub Audrey Tatou's voice... and Tom Hanks hair was truly terrible... but I picked up on most of it.

and it was kind of meh. I don't really blame the movie or actors for that- just the material.

When you found out (suprise suprise) Sophie is a decendent of Jesus I just groaned. How many times have I heard that one? sorry for anyone who didn't want to know or hasnt seen it. But the second you get that sad sap parents died when she was 4 story is it really a suprise?
And if it's this huge secret the church will do anything to cover up- why do they put a fat puffy faced priest in charge and have a mental patient do all their dirty work and they all follow a crazed professor? And why would a group of cops and bankers care about covering up the fact that jesus was married and had a kid? What exactly would they loose?
I sat there thinking this, this is what the big hallaballo was over?
Why did everyone waste so much time and energy making this book so controversial and discussing and discussing and discussing it? Much worse things have been said about Jesus and this was, even if it got some stuff from history, a fiction book. Seriously. The writer used the bloodlines card as the big reveal.
"Impossible" Sophie says when Tom Hanks tells her, her "shocking" blood line.
"It's not impossible Sophie. It's actually the most obvious. Every freaking story with some girl or boy with a dead or missing parent story also has the accursed bloodline issue as well."
I'll admit, it is tempting to throw in that whole bloodline thing. The mystery! The big secret! The shocking revelation! "She decends from such and such." "They are brothers!" "She is actually her mom! Oh. who. cares?
How about everyone keep the parents and bloodlines and family situation they have and have to deal with them?
I almost did it in one of my stories (maybe V and M are actually brother and sister so M is actually from royal blood!) then decided it was a horrible, unoriginal idea and vowed to never ever use the bloodlines card.
That poor card has such little life left after all the string of shows and stories with secret evil organizations. M was going to have to stay in her slave bloodline.
I'll have to come up with something else. Like all the nuts all the slave folk eat gives them secret powers! heh heh heh. Oh stupid story.

Saturday: It was still quite cold. I was prepared with my coat and sweater. I used the net (need to get accomadation for next 2 weeks), called turtle for an hour, walked for three hours. Bought a book- Bella Tuscany (the second one to under the tuscan sun) for just 11.30 euros.

Got back at 5 and cooked a lot. Plotted out what I would see in Paris. Read a little, Went to bed early. I don't feel sick anymore.

Sunday: It is sunny today. I read on the church steps, snacked on my pasta, walked around with two girls who are leaving for croatia today.

I decided on Tuscany/Umbria (and missing Paris)

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Wed, 31 May 2006 10:00:00 +0000

After an absurd amount of thinking about it, I decided to go back to Tuscany. Going back to Spain had to much "I should" wrapped into it, there will be plenty of things I should and have to do when I get back.

Monday
I checked out of the hostel and walked out with my backpack and a garbage bag I had just thrown everything in. My coat hadnt dried very well so I went to the laundramat and as it dried I got everything out of the garbage bag and organized myself. Checked mail and made sure no wwoofers had written me, nope.

Went to the station and called my family. I was going to spain. No, I was going to Italy. But I like France. But I should start to learn Spanish. But the sun is hot in italy. What if I choose Italy and I loose a leg? The people in Paris are pretty and I like France, but I have a train day left and I really want to use it. Opps the train to Madrid just left, oh I'll get the next one. I want to stay in one place. I want to travel. I really liked the view in Perugia, I wanted to write there. But I could write in Spain and start to learn a little Spanish. back and forth and round and round. I usually make decisions, for the most part, fairly well. Movies, food, where I want to go or do, clothes- all fine. But if I come to a fork in the road for what I feel to be big decisions my brain shorts out. My family was nice to me.

At the end I was going back to Italy, to Tuscany/Umbria. It was the one place I really felt like I was leaving too soon, hadnt seen nearly all I wanted to. I really liked Spain, but I felt like I had said goodbye for now and was good with that. I was going to spend a week in Perugia, see Assisi, spend a few days in Cortona, maybe even go to Florence, Lucca and then get a cheap flight to London after 22 days. It would be relaxed and cheap and all I would worry about was writing in my journal, getting groceries (but not too many- i really am on a budget now), and walking. There were no booked hostels, trains to the next place are less than 5 euros, and the my only deadline was june 21st to fly back to london.

So I went to the Bercy station, looking around me and trying to take more in of Paris and it wasn't happening because part of me wanted to forget the train pass, throw my things in storage and walk around for 4 days. I had one metro pass left, I could run to the eiffel tower- maybe even take a picture. I hadnt taken any pictures of Paris.
I was wanting to just and the travel fairy was good to me, the night train to florence was not full.

Tues-

I am still missing Paris.
Yesterday I was searching to see how easy it would be to get a flight to Paris from Italy and I would have to go to Milan 30 or so euros, the flight would be about 35 euros, and then the bus to london would be 30. So 100 euros to get back to Paris and then to london. As opposed to my original plan to take my sweet time making my way to Pisa or Parma and getting a 20 euro flight back to London.

I had this nightmare vision of me spending all my free time in Chicago searching obsessivly for a cheap flight deal to Paris for my next vacation. I was about to spend all my time in Perugia thinking about Paris. I had done everything there I had planned to do. I ate some bread, walked by the seine- saw the bridges, people watched, walked to the arc de triumph, met up with a friend, met some people, sat in a cafe, saw the park in montmarte where a scene from amelie was filmed, climbed up to the sacre coure, walked through the lourve gardens. It was 5pm and my train to Florence left at 7pm... "I will just jump on the metro, run to the eiffel tower, buy some post cards, take a picture and run back."
Absolutly not. The eiffle tower is on the other side of town. You know the rule, an hour and a half before a night train leaves, you and your flighty always-late self is planted in the station. This is the last day your train pass is valid, if you miss this train you are stuck in Paris for 20 days.
That could be ok...
Yes it could. But you really, really wanted to go back to Tuscany/Umbria because 2 days wasnt enough. You want to go say goodbye to Italy because you feel you havent. You have a great plan, feasible but still relaxed with your current budget. Remember? You already decided that. And you've already reserved your couchette bed for 25 euros.
But I have an unused metro ticket!
Let it be what will get you back to Paris, just like the coin over your shoulder in the Trevi fountain.
Ohhh... that's a good idea. A magic metro ticket. My ticket back to Paris.
my gosh...
.......
I had been looking at a Paris map to get myself into reality and I saw I had only walked through about an 8th of Paris. An 8th, and that was just inside the walled area. It made me incredibly sad. An 8th. I hadn't been too concerned about only being in Paris for 3 full days before. Paris to me had almost been in the same arena as New York and London- hyped to high heavens. I would be fine with never going to New York again. I would be fine with never seeing London again either (though I will be there to get a Marks and Spencers lunchbox and fly back on the fabulous British Airways). If I got offered a free apartment and really sweet job then I'd think about it, but for visiting again, meh. But Paris...
It's not that I want to move to France and learn French or even live in Paris for a few months. It's not that I got there and was swinging a rose around composing poems about the romance and life. The romance of Paris is too hyped to the point of clique... but there is still something about it. I realized there was a reason I like so many movies from Paris- because it is a great city, and I had barely touched it. That was why I was missing it, I hadn't seen EVERY bridge on the siene. Only half of them. I hadn't picked my favorite one like Sabrina did. I didn't skip rocks on Charles bridge. I didn't walk down every street. I hadn't taken a wicker basket and gathered flowers and a baguette. Cripes I had barely walked around.

On sunday I had told Philippe that I was living in Paris. Taking the metro, cooking, doing laundry, running a few errands, researching on the internet, going to a cafe, walking with friends, pretending the eiffel tower doesn't exist like the some of the other Parisians. And I was ok with that because I knew I'd be back. He laughed at my explanation.

And I took no pictures. I just looked at my camera and I just wanted a few camera free days. I just wanted to walk purseless, bagless, free. There are enough pictures of Paris out there in the world. but i could have bought 12 postcards for a 2 euro but didnt because i was with phillipe and we were on a search for a cafe- when you live in paris you don't make the person you are with wait while you patronize a tourist stand. silly goose. should have bought the postcards

I couldn't change the fact that I had to run errands or things to figure out or had a lot of sleep to catch up on. but it was like I had only been there a day and a half. sigh... how clique and common to be yearning after Paris. Even if you are having to watch for pee on the streets, even if it's a modern city with millions of tourists and tons of pickpockets- I walked around and thought "that's a bakery! and that is a cafe! and that's a flower stand! and that's a pretty parisian women wearing a scarve!" You see those things everywhere, but Paris was one of the places where it all started. There is a reason why people love it and miss it.

Paris/ thursday, friday, sat; sun

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Thu, 25 May 2006 18:20:00 +0000

Paris_
typing on a parisian keybourd is labourious.
this is how that sentence would look at my normal pace...
typing on q pqrisiqn keybourd is lqbourious:
and 2's are é's and m's are ,'s : so needless to say i wont be typing much: i know i could change it but its been two months so i cant remember where everything is-at least on the crazy keybourd i usually find it eventually.

thursday
left the now sunny alps, just got in, am going to bed: plan to do much needed errands sat and the louve or the orsay museum sunday and then i dont have a clue what im doing:i wish i did kinda; but thats what you get when you put things off. =)

friday
i think my first full day in a city is by far my favorite day: I leave my camera in the hostel; i make no plans; i only put toilet paper; a pen; water bottle and a peice of paper in my thai purse and i just walk around and get a feel for the place; In every city I usually have a image; something i associated with the place before hand running through my head non stop: In Rome it was an old Kodak fast film commercial (two american girls in bright clothes traveling in rome see a car with a cardboard sign advertising a city tour: they laugh- should we do it? yeah they agree: Do you need film, the prettier of the two girls asks the other: No I have film: The pretty smart one however grabs KODAK 400 (or 800; i cant remember) film (that probably cost a fortune): So you see the girls zooming around rome precariously in the crazy red car- having the time of their lives and snapping pictures of the colusseum; the forum; and all the other sights: THEN you see them get their film back and smart prettier girl's pics turned out great, while not as pretty girl looks at her pictures glumly "i should have used your film..."
and every time at the end of this commercial i thought - why doesnt not-as-pretty girl just ask her friend to make doubles (they both took hurried pics of the same thing- neither of them were trying to make art) and then they can split the cost of the 50 dollar film from the tourist kiosk? (heh: ok i didnt think the last part 8 years ago; but the thoughts been updated to add that:)
yeah so that was the hamster wheel image for rome, and after a week i was going a bit mad:

Switzerlands image was an obscure film about Heidi (the heidi of the alps) when she is older. Charlie Sheen was Heidi's nowhot and in military uniform childhood friend: She goes to this girls school during the war and after the school is evacuated this evil man for some reason takes her and five girls over a glacier in the alps so he can push them off and kill them. Which also made little sense to me. That seems like a lot of work- to journey over the alps and over a glacier to find a cliff to push them off. It's the mountains, he couldn't find a closer location. I guess they wanted the drama of 5 girls roped together being drug over a glacier and being feed only bread and water (though i always crave bread and water when i think about that movie. I think i may have watched it a lot. I also owned the book. at the end Heidi prevails and Charlie and Heidi KISS on a dark swiss road and then smile and walk back.)

I have quite a few rolling images for paris and they are all fantastic. Amelie, Sabrina (newer one), love me if you dare, happenstance, he loves me- he loves me not, Red, Blue, ( and NOT white), before sunset. It turns out my hostel is two blocks away from the sacre cour (the scene with the park and the carosel and she has the guy follow the arrows to the top of the stairs so she can sneak his albums in his motor bike and not have to speak to him right away. I am sad to say there is no red phone booth in the park, but everything else is there. I sat and watched everyone for awhile (i'll climb the stairs tommorrow) french children are incredibly beautiful. their eyes are so bright and peircing.

I had to get some things by the opera house so I walked around and looked at the statues-there are these green ones that have size twelve feet. That was cool.
The steps are a seating area for the public (I LOVE that about europe; how everywhere the stairs to a well known builiding just become this public meeting place) so i sat for awhile. I realized I was humming lines from "the phantom of the opera" when this parisian turned and stared at me- it's a problem when your by yourself for a long time, in the cinque terre I had a song on my mind and i thought I was completly alone on the trail for a good distance so I burst into song, singing the whole 4 minutes, only to come around the bend and see a guy sitting there "...Thats... a nice song."
"...Thanks. Sorry. *ran away*"
I also sat in a park that has 30 benches in a half moon and everyone had claimed one each for their lunchtime. I started to watch this fasinating couple having a very painful conversation, but then felt bad for treating their emotional pain like a movie to be watched. But it was facinating, better than watching foriegn soap opera: I first saw them enter the park and didnt know they were together right away. She looked like a student- glasses, casual dress, tied up hair. He was in a very sharp buissness suit. Then I saw him say something and she looked back at him sharply and said something short and kept walking quickly and his shoulders hunched up; She sat in a huff on the very end of the bench and crossed her arms, staring firmly ahead and the suit guy sat on the bench and then put his head in his hands- very distressed (that was when i got totally hooked- before i was just trying to decide how they became a couple because they looked quite different... but he looked older, maybe her father... no, a couple. Her professor at law school and secret lover... naw too clique... Oh! Now he is pleading with her... begging her, trying to hold her. She is talking in short words, pulling her arms away-he has done something very wrong and hurt her deeply, her lips are pursed while she talks in french and tries not to cry but nevertheless she is crying. He is leaning into her and touching her arm... I looked away because I knew I shouldn''t be making entertainment out of it. But some popcorn would have made it perfect.

I walked back to the hostel and met Philip, a parisian I had met in the Lisbon hostel. When I had called him the night before the poor guy was the first to get the firm direct michelle "I've had some people not understand we were just hanging out as friends and is this just as friends because thats is all i am interested in" boundry.
I do not feel bad because I wouldn't even have to do this if guys didn't try to cheat the system and avoid being turned down for a date by using deceptive words like "hang out", "hey fellow traveler, wanna go for a walk around the city", "grab some dinner": if they want a date they should bloody ask for a date so I am at least given the chance to say yes or no instead of being pulled into rediculous hair touching and asking me if i've ever had a boyfriend and why not and I should have a boyfriend and what am i thinking, what is on my mind and trying to hold my hand and touching my back as if I havn't crossed streets on my own for 20 years and thinking a kiss is a sure thing just because i am simply there when I never agreed to go on a date with them in the first place and was led to believe it was just casual hanging out.
I am not putting up with it any more. It is a complete waste of my time and theirs. If they want a girl who gets starry eyed and kissy after knowing eachother for an hour they can go find her. (and i still havn't been able to say "i am not attracted to you, i am not interested and here is why... " but i am getting close to that point. no more niceness. because their pea brains would hopefully compute that (or they could think i was a witch and either way i get them to stop trying to make a walk down the sidewalk to get a freaking kebab romantic). the fact that i like being single right now and if I did agree to have a relationship with someone it certainly wouldn't be with the first schmuck who tells me I am attractive does not compute with those boys. Most of them who have tried havn't even gotten one check on the non negotiable list (and it's only like, 10 things- incredibly attractive being #1 ;0) ). Min told me I was too picky and I told her I was ok with being too picky. I don't have a deadline. I am perfectly happy with how things are and I don't like momentary commitment. "I'm going to test you out for a month or a few years and we'll see where it goes." has never appealed to me. They may not understand or respect it but I do and that is enough.)
/end rant

No. didnt say all that to philip. just made sure it wasn't a date in no shape or form. He was very good natured about it. He thought I should write a book about all the guys who have followed me in europe.
He took me to quite a few of the paris overlooks in the department stores, showed me around, and then we went out for indian food (and paid for our own meals). it was a very nice friendly time.

saturday
did all my laundry-16 euros all together. cooked and then went up to the sacre cour steps with a 19 year old brit boy matthew. He was sitting in the kitchen looking bored and drinking wine and was all for walking (i felt no need to give him the is this just friends speech). Especially when he had heard the"every where is romantic" rome story and just groaned "oh gosh". yes. we walked to the arc de triumph; watched the crazy 14 lanes go around it as the sun went down. took the metro back.

sunday.
Have got to figure out where i will be for three weeks france spain italy.

and walk around river with philip

and get some free wine tonight because i gave matthew a metro ticket.

....................................
I refuse to say that i am homesick. I don't get homesick. I get tired. I start to miss a few comforts and feeling. but I have never gotten homesick.
But if I were to be told I could easily change my flight back to be earlier and not be charged I might think about it. I have had a really good trip. I am ready to get things ready for Chicago and form relationships there. I am ready to listen to my music and wear my clothes and hold my pens.
But I have 3 more weeks in Europe and I truly want to take advantage of that... I would just like a home base. that is what i am wanting right now. I really dont want to go home early- I just want to live somewhere for 3 weeks. I dont want to book any more hostels; look up any more train schedules; lug my stuff to 4 more places. I just want to stay somewhere- to know that one place.
I havnt heard back from any of the 7 wwoofers I wrote and its my own fault since I just wrote them a week ago- last minute. My heart wont break if I dont get to wwoof. I just want to be somewhere and to just think about my journal, cooking, walking, possibly working in exchange for a bed. I do not want to think about where I am going next.

I have 2 days left on my train pass (and 3 days before it runs out) to get somewhere.

Italy: The one country where I feel like i missed out on a lot. And everything is so close, so accessible. I could stay in Perugia for a week, Cortona, Lucca, Florence, Assisi. ALl the hostels here are cheap. I would be more than ok with still traveling around in Italy. Men and all. and flights back to london are cheap.

France: I like listening to them. I get followed a little less here. Fresh Mozzerella cheese is only 84 cents at the supermarket. It is very pretty here. It isn't as hot- a big plus.

Spain: I am determined to get serious about learning spanish when I get back. Being here, "living here" for three weeks might very well help with that. It would be like I was paying to learn spanish. Only it would be on the streets, in the shops. But i dont have a phrase book; I could also possibly do this http://www.vaughanvillage.com/
. as well. Meet people from spain.

ugh. this whole wishy washy cloud head debating is what got me here in the first place.

MON
still dont know i thought and thought and wrote pro cons, am now going to the train station and calling my bank so then i'll decide.
on one hand- i will have think and work and relate more than usual, but it will be a change. and it could be very good for me.
on the other- it will be fun, it will be different places and there wont be dander of me yeqrning after italy when i plan my next vacation.

Might not be able to update for quite a while- at least a few days.
michelle

Grindelwald> Tues, Wed

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Sun, 21 May 2006 19:58:00 +0000

Yep I-m goingto switzerland. Hanging out in Rome one more day Monday/ have no idea what ill do but I will be a little more productive than i was sunday. gardens or ostia antiqua (like pompeii but betterpreserved)

take night train to Bern

Tues
Met a girl,Min; from korea who is my age who was also going to grindelwald:which is high in the alps.

Bern, then an hour train to interlaken and then an hour train to Grindelwald,

Wed
Took the cable car up to First with Min. I dragged my feet becquse i didnt want to pay that much: We werent very prepared with winter gear but it was suprisingly warm amid all the snow. then after a half hour it was alll green. incredible views all the way down once we got out of the snow and fog. My hostel is magical . great food. swity very expensive, but i hqvnt noticed too much because my hostel gives free breakfast and a four course meal if you pay 12.50 cfh about 10 US:

Thur Train to paris. grindelwald to interlaken,then int. to bern, then bern to geneve, then geneve to paris.

got to paris without much incident: am pretty tired; havnt slept well the last couple days: still hqvent figured out what im doing the next 3 weeks: i finally contacted some people four days ago but understandbly havnt heard back:

Rome> Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat, Sun

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Wed, 17 May 2006 16:42:00 +0000

Rome.
WED
I got to my hostel *the pop inn* and as I unpacked and listened to the traffic outside I realized I am quite excited to get to explore rome.

was traveling to rome till 4. its 7 now. will buy some water for tomorrow and get to bed early.

THUR
Rome truly is a great city. I walked from the coluseum (i didn't go in because I am cheap and have heard dozens of dissapointed accounts. and you can walk all around and look in through the gates and see almost everything and save 11 euro), to the forum, to the trevi fountain, to piazza de poplalo, to a view above the city, to some churches in the square, to the panthean, to another piazza, and the campo de fiori.

Despite the traffic and all the tourists it felt very walkable.. The tourists didnt really bother me, sometimes they were comforting, knowing there would always be people on almost any street I went down (until I was in a small gelato store looking at the flavors to decide and 11 fat americans crowded in behind me so I ran away)
I bought water at the SPAR supermarket and they were giving away a free roses. So I walked home with one and watched the sun set over rome and its ruins. A very nice day.

FRI
will walk through the forum today. Am prepared with water and a snack. Then will probably go to st. pauls *I have on a modest skirt that covers the knees and a sweatshirt so I dont get turned away for being a hussy.

actually jjust went to the forum. sat and read and rested

SAT
went to st. peters (though i did take the metro to st. paul first when I got out and was puzzled as to why i was in a rougher neighborhood with no looming cathedral or touristsin sight)
went to the museum and saw the sistine chapel and then the cathedral.

I knew the sistine chapel was at the very end of the museum and so my grand plan was to run to the chapel, see it and then work my way back. But they've got it worked out- esspecially on busy days like sat was that you only get to go one way- they loop you around and around the museum- it took me 2 hours to get through the museum and to the chapel. I got there at 220 and they shut the doors on everyone behind us at 230 /when the museum closes.

there was all these recorded warnings in 10 different lanuages and signs before you enter the sistine chapel that it is a place of worship, no pictures and silence. when you enter the sistine chapel it looks and sounds like a chaotic train station- packed front to back with people- most of the snapping pictures. SHHHH the gaurds kept saying while clapping their hands. Silence please! it only lasted for a second. though the chapel itself was smaller than i expected- i had always invisioned a 10 football field size ceiling and this was like 1 at the most (mabyer two, all the people threw off the scale a bit for me- but i think its one) the ceiling was still incredibly beautiful. Ive seen so many pictures of it but there was quite a few moments of wow, i didnt know that was there. Everyone kept loudly talking and taking pictures and i had the thought that its quite a privilage that we even get to see this. though they wind you through the museum there is plenty to see- thousands of sculpttures and hangings. my favorite was the map hall- more on that later.

the cathedral- was a really big cathedral. and the popes buried in there or embalmed creep me outmore on that later

went out w- a guy from the hostel who had asked me the night before if i wanted to grab some dinner. sure, why not. and it was fine but the night wasnt very relaxed because he hadnt meant grab some dinner. it was lets have a romantic night in rome even though weve just met eachother. when we got back I thanked him for dinner and rang my hostel areas doorbell, rediculous system
He looks at me incredulously/ so i dont get a kiss.
No. ring bell again- did you expect one? I ring the door buzzer again which is not opening
Well ... Yes. he said like an indignant spoilt child.
well im sorry if you got that impression (though i really shouldnt have said that because i gave no impression. i gave the opposite impression. friends. friends.
bah. half of the night was both of us giving eachother hints as to what we wanted/ it was exhausting, only he didn-t pick up on my hints or even my sentences when I flat out said I thought this was just two travelers grabbing dinner and thats what Id prefer. I think i could have given him a document in bold letters and he still wouldnt have gotten it.
what do you want to do on the spanish steps. wink wink. nudge nudge
*take a step to the side* people watch
what do you feel right now (looking at the trevi fountain at night)
nothing. (I know I was supposed to smile and sigh and lean into his arms but i made sure we were standing side by side because i had already gotten 20 hints and was getting so tired of sending them back)
what are your thoughts on the parthenon (romanically said) what are you thinking right now.
Im thinking you need to pick a resturant because weve been walking around for 4 hours and you keep saying your hungry but then you dont pick a resturant
The next guy at a hostel who asks me to explore a city with him is going to get a clear boundry before we even step foot to leave. and if i make less friends so bloody be it. rediculous. though w/ an aussie all id need to say was as friends? and they would say Yeeah, as maates. because aussies are awesome. and a brit would say. a little offended like Well, yes of course, and then they would say something somewhat loving and jabby and maybe a teeny bit mean but witty. because brit boys are lovely.

I am not being nice anymore. Ill even flat out tell them I am not attracted to them/ guppy fish who cant be firm and pick a resturant, cant enjoy all the amazing sites around him because hes trying to force romance and make every one seem romantic, cant addapt to crossing streets like an italian and we have little in common, and he thinks Im very strange but he still wants to kiss me? bah. american boys. i-ll forgive them as a whole later.

i ve forgiven american boys and i feel better now. water and chicken and bread makes everything better. an actual meal does.

sun
laid around on my bed feeling sick because it is the 21st and that is how I feel on the 21st. Booked an overnight train to Switzerland.

MON
I was sitting in the hostel looking at a map and trying to decide if I had enough time to walk up to this park and I heard some people talking about Bill (the stupid boy I walked around Rome with) and how he annoyed them and this australian said "He just kept complaining about this girl he spent money on." I didn't get to hear any more because the blond girl knew I was "this girl" and she must have given an eye message to the australian guy because they abruptly changed subjects. SPENT MONEY ON! I told him before we walked out the door that I pay for my own food. I gave him money. HE WOULDN'T TAKE IT. We argued. Neither of us would budge. I told him he wasnt my boyfriend, this was just two people grabbing dinner and I was paying. He wouldn't let me have the bill. He forced me to let him pay. and it was 6 EUROS. I was supposed to kiss him for 6 euros? It's not as bad as the guys who think a girl should sleep with them if they pay for dinner but it is still pretty bad. and for 6 euros that I could have paid myself and WANTED to and tried to... this is why some girls DON'T let guys pay for them because there are idiots out there with idiotic delusions and bad mindsets. 6 euros...

Took some pics of the coluseum, Walked through the forum to get some gelato- talked to a couple from california, walked to the trevi fountain and tossed 1 coin in over my shoulder so I could come back to rome.

Naples: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Sat, 13 May 2006 18:09:00 +0000

Naples:
Sunday: 11-2 train to rome
3-5 train to naples
6-7 local train. jumped on a fast one that passed the stop I wanted so I got a bit of a naples tour. When I realized this I got off at the next stop, 20 minutes out of my way, I went to buy another ticket since my hour one had expired. When I walked to the ticket window the 40ish yearold teller's face brightened and he opened his arms. "HELLO!" he explained- completly taking away my delusion that I might blend in more since I'm so tan. No, I am very still obviously a north american. I've long ago stopped trying to figure out what gives it away. I am just a "blond" american. "where are you from?" he asked as he sold me the ticket and his younger partner looked at me and smiled and asked if I was from New York
"no, the midwest"
"ah, well you are a very lovely girl"
"grazi." I'm not going to count him on my hit-on list because the way he reacted to me just walking up to the window made me kind of smile

got to my naples hostel, got everything worked out, and was safe and sound in my room by 8

Monday: I had planned to go to Capri today, with the hope that i would meet another lone traveler or couple to go to pompeii with tuesday, since walking around the ruins occasionally by myself with a camera didn't appeal to me. There are 3 ferries from sorrento that go there. 7am, 10:40am, and 2pm. I woke up at 6:30 without an alarm, took a shower, did internet, had breakfast... but then realized it was 9 and it is a 40 min. train ride to sorrento. i would make it if I hurried. but I forgot my shorts in my locker. I forgot this. I forgot that. I kept on having to walk into the room to grab something else. I walked quickly to the station but realized I had no bottled water, so I resigned myself to the fact that there was no way I would mak ethe 10:40 ferry. and just 3 hours at capri seemed a bit of a waster. I would go to Pompeii. there should be enough crowds that I would be fine.

I bought an ugly straw hat for 5 euros. rather extravagant for me to spend so much on a hat I hate. on a hat. but I had read 15 people die in pompeii a year from the heat (pompeii has very little shade or water stations). I also bought a 2 euro yellow unbrella (parasole) just in case. I got fruit and bread and sat at the station when two little blond girls walked past me. I knew them. I knew them because I had been yearning after their pizza in the hostel dining room the night before. I kept casting furtive glances at it, considering walking up to them and giving them a euro for a slice half a slice. you can get a whole pizza here for 3 euro easily. but it was 9pm and i didn't really feel like hightening my adrenaline by going out in the dark in naples. you aren't really encouraged to go out at night in naples.

I went and asked them if they were staying at the fabric hostel. yes they were. it turned out the ferry to capri situation had gotten them as well, so they were going to pompeii.
So after a ride on the train and a little conversation I was gifted with some friends for the day...

They laughed at my ugly straw hat and I realized the heat related deaths probably arent happening in early may... but it would protect my eyes.
.....
I never quite expected to feel this way... Pompeii had been a huge reason for going to Italy. Pompeii *cue grand music and silver sparkles* But after 3 hours of walking past one half house (made of brick with a small band of orange or umber stucco still on the wall, with a carpet of dirt or grass) after the other- i started to get the museum drain. 4 hours. Not. one. more. ruin. but Pompeii was a fairly large city in its day and it did go on. and on. I think I may have gotten more out of it had I been alone. I would have imagined every inhabitant- their furniture, their clothes, their job, their quirks. I could have done it to... but I was with people. One one had I was relaxed, on the other hand I could only let my imagination go so far. I had to keep up and watch the ground so as not to trip. I am glad I was with people though. and I got to go to pompeii. What amazed me the most about it were the frescos. Very faded, but amazing they were painted 2,000 years ago. There are scenes of 2 women sitting on a bench on a green hillside with buildings behind them that I keep thinking about. I could have a house of frescos. I would paint them myself.

tuesday:
I didn't get to capri. got as far as touristy sorrento. I missed the cheaper ferry after a series of getting off at the wrong stop, not being able to find a restroom, tripping and smashing my good knee. Needless to say no guy followed the girl with the straw hat stuffed down on her head so it wouldn't fly off, hiking boots, and hitched up peasant skirt with the bleeding knee. so I walked around sorrento for awhile, saw lots and lots of cheap scarves but my heart wasn't in it so I didn't buy any. I was just looking for one to make the day right (or to make up for my lost scarve) but none of them were that grand. Sorrento has a small dirty beach, but some really nice views. Bought bandaids at the grocery store with little bears on them. the train schedules arent totally updated in napels. the local one I took turned out to not be as the schedule said and it shot me to naples so I took the train back. It was kind of a blah day, but it was alright.

natalie *(one of the aussies i went to pompeii with( came back that night and was telling us *me and tamika, the other aussie) about her trip to capri. When she found out i had been to sorrento she exclaimed how amazing was sorrento!
and I looked at her... and tamika laughed (she had already heard about my day)
when she showed us the pics of sorrento, they were the same things I saw. the view, the gorge with the street below leading to the wharf. I told her I had seen the same things, but had had a bit of a cloud over my head at the time

wed
rome. I got to my hostel *the pop inn* and as I unpacked and listened to the traffic outside I realized I am quite excited to get to explore rome.

Then Rome!

Perugia: Thursday and Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Thu, 11 May 2006 17:45:00 +0000

Thursday: trains all day. got in at 4.30. took 2 hours to walk to and find hostel. It has an amazing view of Perugia and the surrounding hills of Umbria.

Friday:
A mother and her kid are walking up a never ending flight of stairs. The kids huffs and stops. The mom tugs on his arm wearily "come on." The kid pulls back "I. can't!" He whines, planting himself into the ground "I'm tired!" The mother is also very tired "You aren't going to spend all night on the stairs. Pick up your feet, we are almost there." The kid slumps a little, still not moving "I don't want to." The mother tugs harder "come on!" The kid flops himself dramatically on the stairs. "NO! I can't!"
"GET UP!"

And you will just have to read more to understand that story =)

I decided to spend the day in Perugia. Yes, Assisi was only 20 minutes away. But I was right here, for just one day- in a hill town. (a hill city, but it has all I wanted in a hill town. Views. hills. gelato. Old buildings. townspeople. Internet cafes.) One thing I really liked about Perugia is noone seemed to care at all that I was there. I was being compelty ignored and it was wonderful. I didn't feel safe at first when I first got there, but then found that every guy that did something that seemed fishy- stopping abruptly, changing direction, standing on the street- had a reason for it. (walking to his car, waiting for someone, opening a door). "What a great town-city Perugia is." I finally thought, relaxing. I sat on the stairs of the town center for awhile just taking in the sun. I love central meeting points. Everyone just sitting on the stairs. Though the cleaning guys come around with their brooms to sweep the stairs and just look at everyone sitting on them, sweep the one available section,and in typical italian fashion- move on. I found a market selling cheap clothes and almost bought a three euro skirt and then remembered I would have to travel with it, and it was one of those skirts that you know if going to fall into a pile of threads after a few outings. It got warm so I took off my sweater and rolled up my pants under my skirt. I was wearing my lovely white top. I knew it was dangerous- but nothing had happened to it yet. Maybe it would make it to Chicago to go flower arrangment shopping on a July day. I would go hiking today. I wanted to anyways. Hiking through the lush green hills I could see from my hostel window seemed perfect. When it got later I would go back to the hostel (the lockout ended at four) , grab my camera and upload my pictures in 2 hours. I went to the tourist office (got a little lost finding it) but found a couple great lookouts over the town on the way). They didn't have any walking or hiking trail maps. The women went through the dusty files and got out a printout in italian of train schedules to the surrounding mountains. I went to the internet cafe and wasted a little time there, looking for hiking trails online. I decided to go to the surrounding parks. But first- the grocery store! I got an apple and orange and took off in the street that looked best to me on the map.
I got out my orange and started to open it as I walked down the hill. And then a guy in a dusty jean jacket with slumped shoulders came around the corner, walking slowly. I was immersed in the joy that is peeling a fresh orange while you explore a new town, but I was watching enough to see him look down at me as I passed, and then he turned and started to slowly follow me down the hill. Little alarm bells went off so I crossed the street and pretended to be immersed in the expensive jewelry case. He had stopped and was standing watching me, but it was a fairly pedestrianized area, so in 20 seconds later a buissness man and a pregnant girl came down the stairs and so I followed after them, 3 normal people walking down the street. I made sure the man wasn't following me. His intent on me seemed to diminish after I turned the corner with the pregnant girl.

I was angry. For one thing the crooks here in europe are so... dissapointing. Don't get me wrong- I'm thrilled. It's for my benefit that the ones I run into are nitwits. But how stupid would a guy think I was to think I wouldn't notice (even if I'm opening an orange) him watching me and changing his direction 2 seconds after I've passed him. You wait till the girl has turned the corner at the very least. These men are starting to really make me angry. I want to turn around and start pumpeling them "YOU DO NOT FOLLOW A WOMEN. UNDERSTAND! THAT IS AN INVASION. IT IS NOT OK. You don't try to indimidate or scare her or blow gross kisses while glaring at her or yell at her to "come here." and then yell more when she understandably does not." With that thought I chomped into half of my orange, juice ran all over my hands. Opps. shouldn't do that. I wouldn't turn around and pummle them- I wouldn't want to get that close, and I don't know how to say what I want to say in italian (or portugese or french or spanish) anyways. But a rage has been building inside of me and I'm trying to take care of it. I came upon a steep staircase that wound around trees and greenry to come out unto the street far below.
Argh! I made myself look at the walkway. 2 months ago this wouldn't have bothered me. Now it does. I realized in Deiva Marina, when I was looking suspiciously at old women hobbeling on canes that my brain was just doing what brains do. If something happens that upsets it, it wants to find a way so that that upsetting thing never happens again. Hence- all people are crooks/muggers and to be avoided. I worked on that, still working on it. But narrow streets and stairways were still getting to me. But instead of walking away, because you are pretty stuck in a hill town if you don't walk down any stairs. Did I feel unsafe? No. Was the man from earlier anywhere around? No. Where the hairs up on the back of my neck? no. So I walked down the stairs. All was well. I got stuck on the side waiting to cross the street and looked down at my shirt. An orange stain was on my top from the earlier chomping.. Argh! oh shirt. poor white shirt. Now it had been demoted to be one of my many stained shirts- set aside for the day I become a painter. I walked a while and couldn't locate where the heck I was on the map. None of the streets worked. After an hour of walking on main streets and not finding where I was I sat down. I can't do this. I don't want to anymore.
Remember about not giving up right away
Bah! I am. sick. of. this.
Ask for directions.
No! I am just going to sit here.
You are not.
I am!
...
It's a tendency I have. If something involves just me, I have a horrible tendency to just give up and shut down right away. and with working on it I feel like a mom dragging her kid up the stairs. all. the. time. But I got up and asked where I was and found I had walked north instead of south. Circular hilltowns are really bad for my already faulty sense of direction.. Even my map reading skills can barely keep afloat.
I walked back to the square with the steps and wrote. I had made the connection earlier that when the guy followed me I had been (unknowingly) walking down to a car park. So the guy probably thought he might see if he could get a free rental car from the soft, pretty, orange-eating american girl. Or at the very least a free purse.

Got my camera and discovered downloading my pics would take 10 hours. But I had wrote, and the kid had shaped up. So I made the plans I needed to (to the best of my ability) and went home.

Sat: train to Naples.
actually not. I found a place to download my photos. I found out it would take about 5 hours per card, so I decided to stay in Perugia just for sat night. I had my naples hostel booked and decided to overcome my adversion to calling people. Only to be hung up on SEVEN times every time I opened my mouth after they said "hello, fabric hostel". I tried everything to get them not to hang up. Bonjorno. Chow. Parlay Englasee. Hello. Ihaveareservation. Please don't hang up. I don't know what was going on. Maybe I sounded like one of their crazy old girlfriends. I wrote them an email to see if being their sunday instead of sat would be alright but they didn't write me back. I checked out of the Perugia hostel with the plan to hop on the train if there was no email, but dang it I tried and if they charge me I'm out... 15 euros... and It will be very nice to get this full card thing DONE WITH. A canadian girl told me she just sets her camera to take less pixels so her card fits a lot of pics. And if I'm taking that grand scenery shot, I can always change it. So that's what I'll do now.

I can not quite express the joy that is enveloping me right now as "California" plays on the radio. California! I think it's my karmic payment for having to hear "S.O.S." every. damn. day. I don't know if it's an american or british song. I'm pretty sure it's american but I didn't hear it till I got to europe, and the worst is I saw the video in Porto about 5 times so every time I hear it I've got the booty moves shaking around in my head It's not a bad song really, it is kind of catchy... in the way that at first you think, oh this song is kinda fun... and then it latches itself to your brain like the evil leach it is- S(booty shake down). O (booty shake up)S (booty shake down) will someonehelpmeblahblahblahgotthebestofmesososososososososososblaharrrgh "shake it shake it. In the cittAYYYYY of L.A. In the cittAYYY city of (something) keep it rocking. keep it rocking.. KEEP IT ROCKIN.." Such a great great song. a song of fun. a song of peace. a song of dance.

Should be on the train to Naples and the fabic hostel of phone problems tomorrow.

ok... I know most don't really care... but the dinner song is playing. oh life is good. it really is. dod ododod do do do do . I am sitting on the corner.... It is a song to bob your head to. Who says you need an ipod in europe. I say you don't. my camera is more than enough for me.

9pm All. Day. in. a. internet. cafe. Don't desire to do that again. I don'tt think I'll ahve to though.

Verona: Wednesday night

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Thu, 11 May 2006 17:09:00 +0000

Decided I didnt want to spend the day hopping from one train to the other and kept thinking about Verona so I spent the morning on the Venice train station steps soaking in the sun and took the 1pm train to Verona. and I got to talk to a british boy for a bit. soaked in his british accent as well. It was a lovely one. not stuffy, kind of subtle.

If I havent mentioned it before, most of the radio in Europe seems to be English/American music. I was grocery shopping in Padua and there was a rap song playing (they dont bleep out words) so youve got Bev and Sue housewife shopping for their lettuce and milk amid "you gotta breeeeeeeeeathe oh. breaaaatheee. oh. you b......s gotta ..... f....ng.... and I am looking up at the ceiling going "oh my gosh." that uncensored rap music is playing in a supermarket as everyone else walks around completly oblivious. Luey and Bonnie told me that youll even be in a fancyish resturant and uncensored music will be playing and everyone will just be eating as they looked around somewhat shocked. Its interesting. I guess if mostly spanish music was playing I wouldnt be picking up on all the swear words either.

Got to Verona at 4, hostel was pretty amazing, in a old villa- garden grounds and all.

I didn't go to Verona because of Romeo and Juliet. Frankly I think they both needed serious counseling and if I was an english teacher and had a say in the matter... well I'd still probably teach it so that they kids weren't thought as nitwits when they got to college, but I wouldn't spend too long on it. Certainly wouldn't wax on about how it's about love and it's power. They were both wanting to kill themselves at the drop of a hat when things went bad. and then they ultimently did. Does that not make any teacher pause when they are about to teach it to teenangers?
There should at the very least be a PSA at the end of it in textbooks. "If your boyfriend Ben dies in a car accident, you can be depressed and incredibly sad but do not kill yourself because that would be really stupid. He was going to dump you this summer anyways."

Despite my feelings about Shakespeare, I did go to Juliets courtyard. It was free. In the courtyard is a statue of Juliet. There is this belief (I have no doubt started by a guy) that if you rub her Left breast you'll have good luck in love or something like that. So the poor bronze statue's right breast and arm is completly shiny.. It was rather funny seeing how the different cultures reacted to the customary pose with the statue. I watched a whole group of japenese tourists pose with her one by one as their tourguide took a picture. Most of them were rather embarresed, they mostly just held her arm. A lot of them still wanted luck in love though, so they just quickly and bashfully touched the boob. after the photo and then ran away. It was actually a rather beautiful statue. I stood and looked at it for quite awhile. I didn't think she looked like a Juliet. She looked braver. more independent. more mentally sound. and in a really nice dress. I touched her hand and told her I thought she was cool and I knew she wasn't Juliet. She was the brave and beautiful lady of Verona, withstanding a never ending tourent of sexual harrassment day after day and still having a great sense of who she was. I did not get my luck in love for the year, I wouldn't do that to any female, but especially not a friend.

Everywhere in europe there are people who make themselves look like statues (paint themselves white, bronze, gold, black) and stand in costume with a money jar in front of them. I noticed the notJuliet statue and I had a simularly shaped face. Wow, I could make some money in Verona if I dressed as the Statue. The statue heard my idea and tilted her head to her shiney right side, reminding me why I've never seen any statue person dressed as the Juliet statue in Italy. Oh that would be horrible. Even if you put up a sign.

Hung out in the garden of the villa hostel and wrote.

Venice: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Michelle T.) — Mon, 08 May 2006 09:37:00 +0000

Since Italian men are infamous for hitting on women I am keeping a tally. So far its up to 6 (2 very very old men, 2 younger men, 1 middle aged men, and 1 old man) 8 if you count the scary men blowing gross kisses). Not bad for 10 days. It really hasnt been bothering me, most of them arent scary, and I have been using them as practice on how to deal with being hit on. As a plus, on occasion I walk away thinking "you know... I am a fox." which makes me start laughing and there is joy in the world.

My fake engagement/marriage ring does absolutly nothing here. A guy asked me if I was "alone" (single) and I flashed the ring with a "i am taken" expression and he started laughing at me, took out his keys- put the key ring on his finger and said "see. I can do that to."
A british guy who is traveling with his girlfriend (he lived here for a year( told me all the ring means to italian men is that they just have to try a little harder.

Monday: Took a long leisurly time to walk to the street by the station.
Will miss padua. Very glad I came. I feel like I have a nice secret. All the covered sidewalks with the pillars, the river walk, all the bike riding locals, the market, the enormous square (2nd largest square in the world, moscows is bigger- though lisbons seemed pretty big to me. The first guy to hit on me in padua told me this but seeing as he was hitting on me I didnt believe him. But then I kept hearing it from people who werent hitting on me. I told him I was from canada (winnipeg) but then he started asking me all these questions and I realized I needed to change my lying location. I am now from Kansas. Kansas City to be exact. I know its silly to lie about where I am from to my new boyfriends on the street seeing as the US is huge. But Iowa and Chicago are mine. They are a part of me and I dont want to just hand them off to just anyone. (the hostel people get to know the truth though)

Am taking a12:30ish train to venice, checking into my hostel and doing more exploring. maybe some of the islands. I feel so pleased with my vaparetto card. 72 hours of hopping on and off the vaparettos. usually ist €25 euros. but because I am under 29, I bought a rolling venice card for €4. which got me a free map (worth 2.5) and the vaparetto pass only cost €15.

Really need to figure out what Im doing next month and where i am staying in tuscany. the next hostel has free net (but only 15min a day) so might get to do very very short updates)

Monday
didnt do much. checking into new hostel, doing internet, train took a great deal of day. walked around till 8

tuesday
not including being able to clean your room with just the snapping of your fingers, the best part by far of Mary Poppins is when they get to choose a drawing to jump into and walk around in. Just the concept of it is wonderful. Thats how I feel, getting to walk around Venice. I am walking around in a painting.

It was driving rain until 4pm today. But since I was in venice I did everything I planned on doing. Sit on a park bench and eat my banana-orange-breadoliveoil for breakfast, Go to the islands of murano and burano, and walk around venice. Looking back on it, since I really truly only had one full day here, I wouldnt waste it going to murano again since it (and burano) took almost half the day. It was nice, but most of it didn-t make me stop like venice does. If you really like bright colors, which I do, burano is really nice because all the houses are painted in a different shade. But again, venice is better. Found another girl in the tiny hostel who wants to see venice at night so thats what we are doing. I dont have my hostel set for tomorrow so Ill really be flying by the seat of my pants, which is nice for a change. just realized i could stay in venice another day if I really wanted to, but i probly will move on.

to my turtle- i hope all went well. breathe.