October 18: Italian Travel Sucks!
We have voted Italy the worst country to visit and the voting pool includes people who have been to Algeria, Bosnia during a war, and Guatemala during hurricane Mitch and the resulting mud slides. We have been at this stupid train station for 2 hours now and just finally found the ticket station. We're still in line so we're hoping we are finally at the right place. We have actually been involved in what is quite humorous in a movie where we go to one place, they send us to the other side of the station which then says we have to go back to point A for validation. Then point A says we have to go back to point B because they don't do validation either. Oh well. Here's hoping this is the right place. I think we are on point F or G now. There's a group from Japan following us and we were just joined by another group of lost Americans.
October 19: Picture of the Day (Venice)
No internet yet so here's a picture of Venice I took with my phone. Tomorrow we head to Florence. Hopefully we will have an easier time with the train. :)
October 20: Picture of the Day (Leaving Venice)
We came all the way to Italy to see this? We are finally escaping the train station in Florence, with Steve now found, and are on our way to Cortona. We should be there in about 1.5 hours. The train is not user friendly here, but it is providing adventure. Tomorrow we are heading out with Brandy's uncle Scott and his students from UGA.
October 21: Picture of the day Part I (Church of Saint Margaret)
Obviously, we have made it to Cortona after the train debacle yesterday with Steve in tow. Today we went hiking uphill to the fortress, but were turned away by their defenses. Dave was going to try to toss Brandy through a window, but we talked him out of it. Thwarted but not discouraged, we head to the monastery.
October 21: Picture of the day Part II (Monastery of Saint Francis)
We did make it to the monastery and were let in (obviously they didn't know us). We just made it down the hill and are now sitting at a local pizza joint waiting for lunch. Tomorrow we are heading back to the train (God help us) and on to Florence.
October 22: Picture of the day Part I (Florence)
I think we managed to find the worst hotel in Florence. The fact that it was recommended makes me worry about how the others rate. We will just don our hazmat suites before bed and pray the antibiotics my doctor gave me won't be needed. We are escaping the smell and are heading out to do some touristy stuff. Amy and Brandy are strategizing the plan of attack now.
October 22: Picture of the day Part II (Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore)
I figured I should send something better than a picture of Amy in our questionable hotel room, so here's a picture of the Duomo.
Otober 23: Picture of the day Part I (Boboli Gardens)
We made it through the night without being carried off by bed bugs or any other creatures hiding under our beds. So, once we made sure we all survived unscathed, out we went for more tourism. Since we are in Tuscan country, we are still looking for the School of Olive Garden like we saw in the commercials, but no one seems to know what we are talking about. Maybe we'll find it tomorrow while we walk the gauntlet in Naples hoping to avoid a mugging.
October 23: Picture of the day Part II (Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore)
Worry when the table next to you has the following conversation: "How much wine will we drink tonight?" "As much as we want!" Luckily, we left before they finished their third bottle. Talk about rowdy! Now that dinner is over, back to the hotel to pack for tomorrow's train ride!
October 24: Picture of the day Part I
And we are on the train again leaving Florence. In preparation of Naples, we watched a few episodes of Chuck Norris, Texas Ranger to pick up some moves for handling the pick pockets. Turns out it is a good thing we prepared for hand to hand combat as there are riots in Naples over the building of a second landfill. I do know from Matthew's experience to not take pictures during one as it is frowned upon by the rioters. I think we'll be able to safely avoid them as it looks like they are on the outskirts of town far away from where we will be. The good news is that we escaped the Florence hotel unscathed. We never did figure out what the organic substance on the walls were. I guess some mysteries are best left unsolved. The bed and breakfast run by Fabio in Pompeii should be a vast improvement though the bar has been set rather low by Florence.
October 24: Picture of the day Part II (Streets of Naples)
I have to say that the gypsies are quite efficient. They board the train while people are getting on and leave a piece of paper with each group of seats with their story in both Italian and English and then come back through a few minutes later to pick up the sheets (they recycle) and money.
This is a picture I snapped while crossing the street to the train station. The bum on the right is for reference for the height. The trash is everywhere.
Naples is definitely not a place to visit. It reminds me a lot of Mexico with piles of trash everywhere and no real traffic laws. I was surprised our taxi driver didn't wreck on the way to the museum. I can understand why people would be rioting though we missed out on seeing any rioters. We are very happy to be heading to Pompeii.
