Italia! 3/19/2006

Ah, Italy! 10 days away from cell phones, email, the day job and the LA music scene. 10 days of pasta, gelato, vino, and very old things. And, pasta. And, more pasta. Did I mention pasta?
This photo to the left is me, my brother's fiance Daisy, and my brother Jack overlooking St. Mark's Square in Venice. That's we we started the trip. Venice is so charming - it's a completely pedestrain city (except for the canals). The first night I went to bed with the windows open and fell asleep to an opera singer who had set up her "busking" in the courtyard of a church next to our hotel. It was lovely - I thought at least. Apparently she kept Jack and Daisy awake all night. The photo to your left is my mom, me, and Daisy overlooking the Grand Canal in Venice. Florence was our next stop. I don't have any pictures because I got the flu when I was there. It's all kind of a blur...except for Michelangelo's The David. Wow. I don't even know how to explain that. Go to Florence. Oh the other memorable experience in Florence occured at about 2 am in our sweet little hotel. Jack and Daisy were in one room and my mother and I were in another down the hall. At 2 in the morning, our phone rings. My mother answers. "Hello? What? Uh-huh....uh-huh....alright, come down here." My mother turns to me. "Scoot over, they are coming to sleep with us - apparently they heard what sounded like someone breaking a window in the courtyard and are afraid someone is breaking in." I was half asleep and half annoyed but must admit, if I was in their position I would do the same. So I scooted over in our (thankfully) King-size bed. Moments later, Jack and Daisy arrived and climbed into bed with us. We all layed there for about 30 seconds before busting up laughing. "We are NOT all in one bed right now....this is NOT happening!" I mean, I'd heard traveling with people brings you closer, but this was ridiculous. Needless to say, no one got a lot of sleep that night. Our final destination was of course, Rome. Or Roma, as the Italian's say. It perplexed me that we as Americans change the names of their cities to suit the english language. Like, Venice is really Venezia and Florence is Firenze. I mean, we change the entire spelling of the word. What's wrong with calling them by their actual names? I mean, I sure we would all still slaughter the pronunciation, by why translate a city name? I shared my distress with our group but no one else seemed to get it or care. Ha, oh well....so, Rome.
Very very old. Unbelievably old. Seriously...this is what I took away from it. It is an amazingly modern city with incredible history. The photo to the right is Jack, me, and my mom and the Trevi Fountain. Supposedly if you make a wish and throw a coin in you are guarunteed to be back someday. I made 3 wishes with 3 coins. I guess I'll be back 3 times. Rome was great - Vatican City, The Forum, the Colliseum, the wine! I bought 2 really great bottles (actually drank one with my friend last night) Mmmmm...so good. So 10 days out of the country taught me a few things...1) to appreciate the conveniences of American life - 2) to appreciate the simplicity of European life - and 3) i can probably never have pasta in the USA again. I have become a true pasta snob. ;)