Florence, Venice and a crooked building.

On the 16th of July Ainslie and I continued our trip to our next destination, Florence, the home of Leather and Michelangelo’s “David”. I expected a classy, rich town, steeped in culture. What I saw initially was a dirty town with shanty houses lining a murky brown river. “Never mind” I thought to myself, it’s not bad - it’s different. I spent our first day with a few friends we met on our Southern Italian adventure running around hectically with them while they tried to fun leather jackets. Not my idea of fun but I stuck it out and surprisingly they made a decision and actually bought jackets. After having dinner at a local restaurant, Ainslie and I got back to our hostel and I crashed at 7pm, sleeping through to the next day. Our plan for our second day in Florence was to walk through town, see the main plaza, Piazza della Repubblica, the Gothic style Duomo, and Galleria dell Academia where Michelangelo’s David is housed. The Duomo is one of the world’s largest cathedrals standing since the 13th century. It is an amazing building with a red, green and white marble facade, accompanied by an 82 metre high bell tower. By the time we got to Galleria Dell Academia it was midday and the queue had stretched over 200 metres, winding round the outside of the building and down the neighbouring streets. We were looking at a 3 hour wait so decided instead to head to Pisa to see the leaning tower it is famous for.

Initially we thought that we could only catch a bus to Pisa which left nearby the main train station so when we arrived there Ainslie headed off to find where it left from and I lined up to ask at the ticket counter. When I got to the front I spoke to the lady who said that we could catch the train, so I bought two return tickets. At that moment Ainslie returned with two one way tickets to Pisa resulting in too many tickets. We asked the lady if we could get a refund and she refused, claiming Ainslie could have found them on the ground. The situation then got a bit out of hand and tempers flared when the lady decided that she couldn’t speak English and started talking to us in French. Defiant and unwilling to give us a refund, or let us speak to her supervisor, we were sent to platform “cinq” where we would find Customer Service (Quite a funny concept in Italy, this term Customer Service). The customer service man was about as useful as a snooze button on a smoke alarm. We began our explanation for our excess tickets and got the same response. Mr Customer Service man’s mobile phone started to ring and from the look in his eye, I could see this was his exit strategy. “You will not answer that phone, we are still here”, I said to him, but in a blink of an eye he was on the phone with his back to us, writing on a note pad. I couldn’t help but think it was the old decoy phone call trick that one would use to get out of a bad date. With a minute before our train left, we gave him the universal symbol and ran to our train and were soon on our journey to Pisa.

The only reason anyone goes to Pisa is to see the leaning tower and cathedral as it is a pretty boring place to be. It took just over an hour to get there from Florence and when we got there it lived up to my expectations. That thing is on quite a lean and had been increasing its lean ever so slightly until it was getting a bit dangerous. Work has taken place on the tower to fix the movement and the tower is no longer shifting. The leaning tower is a bell tower which accompanies the nearby cathedral and it tolls every 15 minutes. After taking a few photos we went back through the local markets then headed back to Florence where we walked around and saw a bit more of the town. After the second day Florence started to grow on me, and I began to feel a sense of style and class about town. This was a similar feeling I had in Rome but I had to remind myself that these towns have existed far longer than anything in Australia and will seem old and dirty. However this all adds to the underlying character of the town.

On our last day in Florence we got up early and went to see the Statue of David and got straight through once gates opened. The statue was amazing and you can immediately see why it has captivated people for 500 years. The statue is so smooth and the intricate detail which has gone into it, make it so realistic. It really does have to be seen to appreciate why it is heralded as one of the greatest pieces of sculptured art the world has ever seen. Photos aren’t allowed but I was able to sneak a few in with my golden gnome.

Our next stop was Venice, the island city of Italy, known for its canals and over-priced gondola rides. Ainslie had booked a B&B about 15 minutes outside Venice which was great to get away from the hostel environment for a few days. On our way into Venice we met an Italian man in our cabin who I stereotyped as the “mi scusi” man from Eurotrip. We got speaking to him and as it turned out he was quite a nice guy. Ainslie asked if there was anything to do in Venice and he said there wasn’t much but asked if we liked classical music. Who doesn’t like classical music? He then invited us to come to his concert that night which was held at a church just off Canal Grande in the centre of Venice. Turns out he is part of a famous classical group which has toured the world for 20 years. His weapon of choice is the violin and man can he play it! We were reserved two seats four rows back, for free and at the end of the concert he gave us two of his CD’s. This would have cost us about $80 Euro but for some reason this complete stranger decided to be very nice to us and treat us to a different experience which we would have never done otherwise. Here is the plug: they are Interpreti Veneziani, and his name is Paolo Ciccola. They will be touring Australia this year so I recommend you check them out.

On our second day in Venice we took a walk around the winding streets and alleyways, crossing many small canals with no particular purpose or sense of direction, just seeing Venetian life. The main plaza in Venice is Piazza San Marco, with Basilica di San Marco its centrepiece. With its busy architectural design showcasing many spiralling spires it is very hard to focus on any one stand out feature but it is quite a sight to behold. The weather in Venice was very hot so on our third day we took a water taxi to a nearby island called Lido and got some quality burn time in. Lido was a really nice place and Very similar to Capri in lifestyle and definitely a must do while in Venice.

Southern Italian Adventure

On the 13th of June we joined a Busabout tour group for a three day trip of Southern Italy. Our first stop on the trip was to Pompeii. Pompeii is an ancient Roman town which was destroyed and completely buried during an eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Excavations began in the 18th century and the town is now fully exhumed and open for tourism. We were given a guided tour of the town, learning some intriguing facts about ancient Roman life. Many of the buildings have maintained their external structures, giving you a real sense of life in Pompeii over 1900 years ago. Many of the frescos are still intact, in particular a brothel which has its walls lined with frescos of varying sex positions. The most moving part of our visit to Pompeii was when we got to the artefact section. In a caged off area there are many vases, pots and personal items which have been excavated, but the pieces which gain the most attention are the plaster moulds of people which were petrified by the ash of the volcano. These plaster moulds capture the pain of these people as they died. Two of the most moving are a person hunched up with their hands covering their face and a pregnant lady lying face down, both trying not to breathe the ash.

After we left Pompeii, we continued our drive down the coast of Italy past Napoli (Naples). Naples isn’t a very nice town, with many people living in almost slum conditions, though it is rich in history. However it has an amazing backdrop, situated on the coast by the Gulf of Naples with Mount Vesuvius in the distance. We arrived at our final destination for that day, Sorrento which is also situated on the coast of Italy, amongst high cliffs and mountains. The region is famous for its Lemon industry and “Limoncello”, a strong Lemon liquor. It is the Lemon industry of Southern Italy and Sicily which gave rise to the Italian Mafia. Sorrento is a beautiful town with a great Italian feel with its small roads littered with cafe’s and pizza stores. We were lucky enough to be there during the Euro 2008 tournament so there was a real buzz around town, with every restaurant having a television playing the football. We spent our first night in Sorrento having a group dinner then a cocktail at a local bar.

On our second day we all caught the ferry out to Capri to visit the famous “Blue Grotto”. When we arrived at Capri we were told that the Blue Grotto was closed due to the strong winds making the waves too choppy to enter the cave. This was very disappointing as this opportunity would surely not present itself to many of us ever again. When all hope was gone, along came “Jerry”, a local 72 year old man who hasn’t spent a day of his life out of the sun. Tipping 5 foot with leather skin and wrinkled eyes Jerry approached us and offered to take a group of us round the sheltered side of the island to see some of the smaller grottos and the rest of Capri by sea at only 10 Euros. Given the Blue Grotto was closed and would have cost 25 Euros, many of us jumped at the opportunity. Two boats of 10 people headed out and we were lucky enough to be on Jerry’s boat. He gave us an amazing insight into the history of Capri, speaking of famous people who have visited and those who have shaped its history, also showing us the natural landmarks and the stories and myths behind them. The sea was something I have never seen before, giving off a rich dark blue colour, and in the shallow areas it was a light green colour which you could see through to the sea bed. The trip took about an hour and afterwards we spent the day exploring the rest of Capri by foot. We went to the top of Capri to the main shopping district where you could have a 360 degree view of the island. The rest of the day was spent swimming in the Mediterranean Sea before heading back to Sorrento.

Our third day was the last day of the tour and we headed off early and continued south along the Amalfi Coast to Positani. Our time in Positani was spent lying on the beach soaking in the rays before we headed off to our last stop, Ravello. Ravello is situated high in the mountains, accessible by small winding roads not made for large buses. It was quite off-putting swerving along a hillside road with nothing but a small railing between you and the ocean. We spent our two hours in Ravello walking around town square and eating huge mozzarella and prosciutto rolls before we headed back to Rome which saw the end of our trip.

Rome wasn't seen in four days

On the 10th of June, Ainslie and I headed out on our 17 day trip around Europe, starting with three days in the town of Gladiators and Gelato – Rome. On our first day we caught the revolting underground train out to the Colosseum. Though an amazing structure and everything and more that I imagined, tourism has had an impact on this great structure. A busy road runs right by the Colosseum, mobile souvenir stores litter the surrounding grounds and a six foot high fence spans the perimeter of the arena, limiting entrance to one ticket gate. It is only once you enter the Colosseum do you then get a real sense of how great the arena once was. If you close your eyes and try to picture it fully intact with up to 50 000 screaming spectators all vying to see an epic battle between the Gladiators and various beasts, it really would have been an amazing spectacle.

On our second day we went to Vatican City and toured the Vatican Museum which houses an array of ancient sculptures and art. We walked through long corridors, all depicting the various Roman times through these pieces of art. Religious art littered the roof, large tapestries hung from the walls and many large sculptures stood along the seemingly never ending corridors. After about 30 minutes of walking you could tell we were getting closer to the Sistine Chapel as the many other visitors started spending less and less time viewing the art and started walking at quite a brisk pace in the direction of the “Capella Sistina” signs. After winding through many more corridors, down several flights of steps, we finally came to a little door with a security guard out the front.

This couldn’t possibly be the Sistine Chapel (I had envisioned a grand entrance with steps, pillars and two great wooden doors), but to my surprise it was. The chapel was crowded with hundreds of people all with heads tilt backwards admiring this famous masterpiece by Michelangelo. Soon enough the modesty of the entrance was soon forgotten and I found myself in awe at the absolute detail and complexity of the many features of this painting that took four years to complete. Even a person that doesn’t have an active interest in art it is still hard not to appreciate the greatness of this piece of work which spans the entire roof and the whole wall behind the altar. After 10 minutes the room got extremely crowded, people were getting in trouble for taking photos and many were trying to keep others quite by “shooshing” them so we left and walked to the plaza out the front of St Peter’s Basilica.

Once we got to the plaza we saw a huge line into St Peter’s Basilica so ignorantly thought there must be an entrance fee and decided not to go in but to sit outside in the sun instead. It wasn’t till later in the day once we got back to the hostel did we find out that St Peter’s Basilica was free and the only reason there was a large crowd was because the Pope had delivered a speech that morning. Regretfully we were unable to get back to the Vatican during our time in Rome to see inside St Peter’s Basilica. On our third day Ainslie and I went for a walk around Rome to see the many other historical sites including Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Trevi Fountain is a large fountain with a sculptured background where people gather and make wishes then throw coins into the water. While we were there I saw a man with a magnetic rod picking coins out of the water while trying not to be seen by the patrolling Police. We were told by someone later on that during the night all the homeless people come to the fountain and fight for the coins which had been thrown in during the day.

A little late but I don't Kare-oke

It has been a while since I last wrote a blog and I’ve started to receive requests for the next instalment of my travels. Actually that is a lie but people have asked me what I've been up to, so either they don't read my blog or they really want to know what happens next in my worldly adventures. I’ve been typing my stories since May but have to date been too lazy to actually get them online. UNTIL NOW!!

May 20008
On the 18th, Drew (1 of 9 occupants of the house which I was dossing) celebrated his birthday and we went to a bar called Mill Inn for a night of Karaoke!!! I was lucky enough to hear renditions, both good and AWESOME, of Billy Joel, Elvis Presley, Grease, Barry White, Queen and many more. I couldn't help myself and after a few drinks (not that the drinks were needed to get me singing), I got up for my first performance of the Jackson 5 hit, I want you Back. It was a great way to practice my "oo-ka cha-oo's", "heee-hee's" and "shamone's", and burn up the dance floor. I really couldn't help myself and got up for my second song about an hour later and tried my hand at the classic by the Four Seasons, Oh What a Night. It was a great night for all and I tried not to butcher the songs but if I did, for all those who were there, you know who to blame it on. If you don't, just ask little Michael. The night was topped off by Drew singing "What's Up" by 4 Non Blondes, which had everyone joining in for the ANZAC remix I shall coin, "Wassup!!"

On Sunday Andrew, my brother, and his work mate Ian arrived in London for the start of their 2 week work-holiday trip. We met up in the city and I showed them some of the sights from Piccadilly Circus down to Westminster Abbey, trying my best to re-hash the information I received from my tour guide only a month earlier. We decided to go into Westminster Abbey, something I had not done, to see the many tombs and monuments which paid tribute to the famous English people of centuries gone by. A large number of the English monarchy are buried here including people which have shaped English history in some way; people such as Winston Churchill, William Shakespeare, Jane Austin, and Charles Darwin. We were all quite in awe with this magnificent structure, which in varying forms has stood since the 11th century.

On Wednesday morning I met David Orr (an old GE friend) at a Walkabout Inn and we watched the State of Origin at 10 am. That evening, Andrew, Ian and I went out to a pub in Islington to watch the Champions League final between Manchester United and Chelsea which Man U won on penalty kicks. While we were there we caught up with a friend from back home, Alana, who has been staying in London for the past 6 months studying.

Andrew and Ian left for Cyprus on Thursday morning for four days and that weekend Jenna arrived in London on her 2 year Working-Holiday visa. Being the seasoned London tourist I took her round many of the city sights, many of which were the fore-mentioned with Ian and Andrew. On Sunday night Kurt, Jenna and I went to see a stage show called “Stomp” in Leicester Square. It was quite an entertaining show, featuring rhythmical beats on kitchen sinks, rubbish bins and matchstick boxes, which at times was extremely loud and somehow I managed to fall asleep at one point. I’ve had a history of falling asleep in front of the TV, while at the cinema, but never did I think I’d fall asleep during a musical whose main purpose is “stomping”.
On Wednesday the 28th I went on an “Old London” walking tour which ventured along the Thames, passed London Tower and Tower Bridge, London Bridge, the sight of Medieval London where the Great Fire started, down the narrow cobblestone pathways to the oldest pub in London, through the financial district with the Royal Exchange and the Bank of England, and passed Temple where the Knights Templar were based. Along the way we were told about the many stories of old London from the ridiculous laws of the time which still stand today, the demise of London Bridge 1, 2,3 and 4 and the many feeble attempts to rob the Bank of England. It is a great way to see this city and learn about its history for just a small tip.

That afternoon, Jenna and I went to London Dungeon. London Dungeon is a walk through themed attraction which highlights the darker events in London’s history. It takes you through the Black Plague, the time of Sweeney Todd and Jack the Ripper, the Great Fire of London, and finishes with a simulated hanging for your crimes. The hanging is a “Giant Drop” type ride where you are taken up about 5 metres to the nooses and then dropped suddenly. As you are dropped, a photo is taken for you to buy. Well I lost contact with the seat as we fell, resulting in a photo capturing a moment of utter fear.

On Thursday, Andrew and I caught up with Georgia, a friend from school, and along with Jenna and Ian we went out to the Southbank region in London and had a few drinks at a bar called Tempasa, which is located in the famous Oxo building.

Friday was Andrew’s last night in London, and just to keep the trend going of meeting friends and consuming alcohol, myself, Andrew and Kurt met Alana out in Islington and had a nice dinner at an Italian restaurant. The dinner was great but i thought I’d tell you something cooler!! Get excited people... Now when I arrived in London I was very impressed with the Tube system, but more impressing was the HUGE escalators which brought you back above ground. Well, we had to get off at Angel Station to meet Alana, and it is here that you will find the biggest escalator of them all...wait for it....27 METRES!!!

Andrew left on Saturday and it capped off an eventful two weeks which saw me spend a lot of money, but that’s what a holiday is all about and I got to do it with friends and family!