Day One
I dragged myself out of bed at 6:10am, hoping to catch the sunrise as we sailed into the port of Istanbul. Four of us went up to the top deck only to see the sun already in the sky, and the port was still far from sight. We lay down on the deck for a while until we came near the port, and watched as the enormous mosques and minarets appeared in the skyline. After breakfast I went back for a nap, then got up and met my group for the city orientation trip. We boarded a bus and drove through the city as our tour guide told us some basic facts about Istanbul and Turkey. I was surprised to learn that Istanbul is located across both the European and Asian continents – this means that I’ve traveled from the east end of Asia to the west end in one summer. I took care to note that Muslims account for 99% of the country’s population; having practically no experience with the Islamic culture, Turkey would be a great introduction. We stopped at a quiet park near the river and ate our boxed lunch, then drove to the old city to visit the mosques there. We first stopped at the Mosque of the Crown Prince. We entered the beautiful courtyard of tall columns and high archways, and watched as people cleansed themselves with water outside before entering for prayer. We were all told to dress conservatively - the men to always wear pants and the girls to cover their arms, legs and head before entering. We took off our shoes and entered the mosque, walking quietly on the soft red carpet. Inside you could see the enormous dome above, supported by smaller semi-domes and quarter-domes that were in turn supported by four enormous pillars. Unlike a church there were no paintings or visual depictions of religious scenes; the walls were decorated with colorful geometric patterns and enormous Arabic inscriptions. A series of wide rings hung down from the ceiling on chains, holding hundreds of small glass bulbs. We walked around as we listened to the story of the mosque and the architect who built it, then walked out in time to hear the call to prayer. Voices boomed from the megaphones on the minarets (tall, narrow towers placed around the mosques) with a song-like quality, as the muezzin read passages of the Qur’an to call people into the mosques for prayer. This happened five times a day, and I could hear the call coming from the mosques from anywhere in the city. We walked about five minutes across the park to visit the Aya Sophia, an even bigger mosque that had been turned into a museum; though they call it a museum the building itself is the only thing on display. Next we walked across the street and down some stairs to enter the Basilica Cistern, a dark underground water reservoir with rows of tall columns and arches dimly lit by red lights. After that we saw the Blue Mosque, nicknamed so for its blue windows and colorful painted patterns. We took the bus back to the ship and I took a quick nap before eating dinner on the ship, and then went out for the evening with a small group of six. We walked along the bridge that crossed the narrow strip of water where our ship was docked. Beneath the top level of the bridge was a whole row of restaurants, bars and lounges, and we decided to stop at an outside hookah bar with brightly colored bean bag chairs facing the water. We ordered a mug of the local beer Efes and a peach-flavored water pipe to share, and spent a few hours talking and relaxing while watching the sunset. Later that night we walked across the bridge looking for a local variation of ice cream called dondurma. Instead I ended up buying random foods as I walked along the bridge, stopping at vendors for a fish sandwich and a disgustingly sweet churro-like pastry. Realizing the ice cream stores wouldn’t be open so late at night, we headed back to the bridge and spent some time at a pub before returning to the ship.
Day Two
I slept in and left the ship around 11am with three others, and had breakfast at a baklava restaurant at the port. I had a bland cheese pastry and a Turkish coffee – probably the strongest I’ve ever tasted. We walked across the bridge toward the old part of the city, making our way past the street vendors selling shoes and sunglasses and random junk. In the morning the market was lively with tourists and locals, and we finally found a dondurma stand. Somehow the ice cream here has a sticky consistency like taffy, and the guy plays tricks with customers as he waves the ice cream cone around on a long piece of metal that sticks to the ice cream. Next we walked through the spice bazaar, a narrow strip in the market where there are mountains of colorful spices and Turkish treats for sale. A walk through this bazaar is something of a sensory overload: the strong scent of the spices in the air, the Turkish men yelling for us to come and spend our money, and the sight of all the goods displayed on the tables and walls combined for an overwhelming experience. I bought a few souvenirs but left my shopping for the next day, when we’d be going to the Grand Bazaar. We had heard that a great thing to try in Istanbul is a traditional Turkish bath, so we spent about an hour walking in the hot sun looking for one. Eventually we gave up and got in a cab, which took us straight to what the driver said was the best one in town. We arrived at the Cemberlitas Hamami, a Turkish bathhouse built in the 1500’s by the same architect who had built the great mosques. Including me there were two guys and two girls in our group, so we each paid for our bath and split off into the separate quarters. They gave us a room for us to put our clothes in and with nothing on but a small towel we were led into a large circular room with a dome ceiling. In the center of the room was a marble platform about two feet high and twenty feet across, where a few men were lying down. We lay on our backs staring up at the ceiling for about twenty minutes, and by that time the heat was almost unbearable – I was completely drenched in sweat. As we got up to take a break and go outside, our attendants came in and told us to sit down. The middle-aged Turkish guy, also wearing nothing but a towel, told me to lie on my back. He proceeded to scrub me down forcefully and lather me in soap before giving me a full massage. Over the next 20 minutes he cracked what seemed like every bone in my body as he bent each of my limbs around. As intense as it was, I felt extremely relaxed and didn’t feel at all uncomfortable about a near-naked 40-year old man massaging me. It was at the same time one of the weirdest and most enjoyable experiences I’ve had on this trip. My friend and I walked out feeling incredibly relaxed and sat down outside the steam room for about an hour while waiting for the girls. On the way back we got a Turkish pizza, then spent a few hours resting on the ship. We had heard that there was a soccer game going on that night, so we walked about half an hour to the stadium and lined up to get tickets. The regional team was playing against an Italian team, and a large group of us sat down in the huge stadium to watch the game. We randomly made friends with a group of local guys not much older than us after they asked where we were from, and they taught us a few cheers in Turkish. After the game ended we started our walk back, and I grabbed some kind of meat sandwich from a street vendor. But before finishing my last bite I had an interesting encounter with a little gypsy girl that came out of nowhere. As I was waiting to cross the street she pointed at my sandwich and looked up at me, so I offered it to her. She flashed a big smile and scarfed it down before giving me a high five and running off. Oddly enough (at least to us) no one at the game was drinking and beer was nowhere to be found at the stadium, so we headed back towards the port hoping to find a place to drink. We sat down at a hookah bar only to be told that no one was selling alcohol as it was Sunday, so we reluctantly walked back to the ship and called it a night.
Day Three
I met up with a large group in the morning, ready for a day of haggling at the Grand Bazaar. We crossed the bridge and walked through the spice market, then up the busy streets. We stopped at one of the ubiquitous stands with meat that looks like a monstrous beehive, which spins on a rod as it’s cooked. I ordered a sandwich and they carved some meat right off, placing it in a pita with some lettuce and tomato. I didn’t know it was lamb until I asked the guy afterwards, but it was extremely salty and had an interesting taste. Soon after we arrived at the Grand Bazaar, a huge indoor area filled with rows upon rows of small shops selling a huge assortment of goods: Turkish rugs, cashmere and silk, water pipes, colorful ceramics, musical instruments, and other souvenirs for tourists. Here the process of haggling is expected, and I had a great time figuring out how best to negotiate with the Turkish men. My best haggle was a turban, the cost of which I talked down from 22 lira to 10. After spending a few hours at the bazaar I was completely exhausted, and after sitting down at a café for some pie and apple tea (or chai as they call it) I headed back to the ship and took a long nap. I had dinner on the ship and debarked, ready for a night of drinking after the disappointing turn of events the night before. We bought some bottles of Istanblu vodka from a shop on the street and started walking towards a park where we’d heard there was a free music festival. On the way there our massive group broke apart, and the eight of us decided we’d be more content turning back and drinking near the bridge where we’d be closer to the ship and away from a potentially risky area. We found a small area just beyond the strip of restaurants, right on the water under the road. There we spent hours just hanging out – I had one of the most enjoyable nights of the trip just sitting on a towel on the cement, sharing a drink and talking with my friends. We eventually finished our bottles and moved to the reliable hookah bar from the night before, spending the rest of our night there.
Day Four
I woke up with a terrible cough and a slight fever; my exhaustion had finally caught up with me. I decided to sacrifice the day for rest so that I might make my hike the next day. I spent the day relaxing and getting some work done, then went out alone to an internet café for a few hours, enjoying my first relapse since Halifax. Internet use on the ship is extremely expensive so it felt great to spend a few hours catching up on emails and other things. I headed back to the ship and watched a movie before going to bed early, hoping I’d be well enough in the morning to not have to miss my trip.
Day Five
Woke up at 8am for a quick breakfast before my scheduled hike in Ballikaya. I still wasn’t feeling too well but I decided I didn’t want to spend my last day in Istanbul stuck inside. We got on a bus and drove across the enormous bridge crossing the Bosporus Strait, which is the dividing line separating the Asian and European continents, crossing over to Asia for the first time. We drove about an hour from the city and arrived at a scenic campsite next to a lake. From there our Turkish hike-leader and the interpreter/guide led us on a hike through the middle of the canyon, along the river for about half an hour. It was a great experience to get out of the city for once and get to see Turkey’s natural beauty. It was bright and sunny, and the canyon was full of plant life. Walking along the river I was reminded of Yosemite Park. We walked back to the camp, had a leisurely lunch next to the lake and took another route going up to the top of the canyon. This half of the hike was a little more challenging with a bad cough but I managed to get up to the top without killing myself. We admired the view from the top overlooking the river and the waterfall, and finally walked back down. After taking the bus back we had a few hours before we had to be back on the ship, so we decided to spend the rest of our Turkish money at an Internet café. While I surfed around I had a few cups of tea and a plate of watermelon, and then bought some baklava to take back on the ship. After boarding I spent the rest of the night catching up on work and went to bed early.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Pics
I finally stopped at an internet cafe in Istanbul. Here are some of the pictures I've taken.
Departing Halifax, first day on ship.
The cathedral in Sevilla, Spain.
Watching a flamenco show in Spain.
Relaxing on the beach on Capri Island, Italy.
Hanging out with some Croatian high school students in Dubrovnik.
Getting poured on at the Coliseum in Rome.
Cliffjumping on Lokrum Island, Dubrovnik.
Sun setting on Mykonos Island, Greece.
Departing Halifax, first day on ship.
The cathedral in Sevilla, Spain.
Watching a flamenco show in Spain.
Relaxing on the beach on Capri Island, Italy.
Hanging out with some Croatian high school students in Dubrovnik.
Getting poured on at the Coliseum in Rome.
Cliffjumping on Lokrum Island, Dubrovnik.
Sun setting on Mykonos Island, Greece.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Greece
With only one day between ports and trying to juggle class, readings, papers, journaling, travel planning and catching up on sleep, life on the ship is getting pretty hectic. I’ll try to capture what I did in Greece before landing in Istanbul but we’ll see how that goes.Personally, Greece marks an important point of this trip in a few ways. First, it’s probably the country that I was most excited for. I’ve heard so much about the beauty of the Greek islands, the party scene, and of course the world-famous historical sites. It’s also the last country I’ll be visiting that I’m at least somewhat familiar with. Many of us have noticed the general trend as we travel East through the Mediterranean: the languages become increasingly foreign to our ears, the letters begin to take on unfamiliar shapes, and our expectations of the countries become farther and farther from what we actually encounter. When we started out in Spain most of us could make a decent attempt to communicate with locals in their language and navigate through cultural differences without much difficulty. Words sounded at least somewhat similar, we could make sense of menus when we sat down to eat, and even non-verbal gestures usually got the point across. But from here on, as we visit Turkey, Bulgaria, Egypt, and Morocco, we’ll be leaving behind our familiar Western world. I’ve heard that even the simplest of gestures like nodding your head can mean the opposite in some of these countries. I’m excited to experience a culture shock that I expect will be even greater than what I went through moving from Japan to Hawaii, and again from Hawaii to New York. But enough rambling – I’ll tell you about my experiences in Greece.
Day One
I woke up at 7am feeling like a kid on Christmas morning but to my disappointment, I threw up my window blinds to see tall trees and buildings blocking my first view of the port of Piraeus – a stark difference from scenic Dubrovnik. We met up around 9am to get off the ship, but as friends invited friends our group grew and grew to a cumbersome size, and we spent far too much time waiting around for people to get ready. I’ve learned on this trip that you should never travel with a group of more than six or seven people. We walked through the busy streets stopping at ATMs and banks and then to find the station to pick up our ferry tickets. After the massive group broke apart into a more manageable size, we found the metro and got on a train to Athens to see the stadium used for the recent Olympics in Athens. We arrived to find a massive site that would’ve been impressive had it not been a complete ghost town. No vendors, no tourists – the stadiums and buildings were all locked up. We walked around trying to find something interesting but eventually gave up, and took the train to the market in the center of Athens. Here we finally found what we were looking for. We walked out of the train station and into the busy plaza and stopped dead in our tracks as we looked up and saw the Acropolis, sitting high atop the city. The impressive white columns of the Parthenon was visible even from far away, but the tour of the Acropolis was on the next day; today we would just wander around the market place. We sat down at a restaurant in a crowded alleyway and I ordered a chicken souvlaki and a tall bottle of Mythonos beer. I’ve never been a fan of Greek food in America, but the authentic version is absolutely incredible. Grilled chicken seasoned with paprika laid across a warm pita, with bright red tomatoes and sweet red onions covered in a creamy sauce of yogurt, olive oil and garlic: so, so good. We walked through the touristy shops for a while then took the train back to the ship. We showered, rested, and then hopped on a train back to the market. We walked around for a while looking for a good place to have dinner, and settled on an outside restaurant near the street, with dim lights and live music. Here I tried a moussaka, a traditional Greek dish recommended by a guide book. It looked like lasagna, layered with cheese, eggplant and beef – a bit too creamy and rich for my taste but it was something new. Looking for a bar we settled on a brightly colored lounge that was, strangely enough, completely empty. Luckily we had enough people in our group to make the place lively, and the bartender waited on us as if we were in the VIP section of a club. We had the whole place to ourselves, and had a great time listening to music while drinking tequila and the local specialty ouzo, a licorice-flavored spirit. We took the train back around midnight before the metro closed and made it early back to the ship, since we had an early start the next day for a tour of the Acropolis.
Day Two
Got up at 7am for a ship-organized trip around tourist spots in Athens. I usually avoid the planned trips because they’re overpriced, slow and inflexible, but I figured it would be easier to get around such a big city on a bus than on my own. We first visited the stadium where the first modern Olympics took place in 1869, then drove to the Acropolis. We climbed the long stairs up to the entrance to see the beautiful ancient theater, then through the great columns of the gate to see the world-famous Parthenon. The roof and inside of the structure were completely destroyed and scaffolding covered one side for reconstruction work, but still it was an incredible sight. From the top of the Acropolis we could see Athens reaching out inland as far as the eyes could see. It really is a massive city – according to the guide 4.5 million of the 10 million people in Greece live in the city of Athens. After taking a bunch of pictures at the Parthenon and the Temple of Athena we took the bus to the National Archaeological Museum and saw historical artifacts, kouros, and other statues. We took the bus to the other side of the market and had some free time, so we got some gyros to go and ate at the park. Gyros are one of my favorite things from Greece – they’re a godsend for poor travelers like myself. They’re delicious, satisfying and really cheap; I probably had five during my four days in Greece. Anyway, we quickly saw the Temple of Zeus and got back on the bus to return to the ship. I had half an hour to shower and pack for a two-night trip to the island of Mykonos, which I booked weeks in advance. We took a three-hour ferry ride, stopping at the island of Syros on the way. The sun had set by the time we arrived on the island so we couldn’t see much, but we were all really excited to arrive. Instead of booking an expensive hostel or villa we opted to rough it and share a bungalow at a camping site: a great decision. A guy from Spain picked us up in a van and drove us to the camp twenty minutes away, and we talked to him about our experiences in Cadiz and Seville. A girl with an Australian accent showed us to our bungalow in the dark, and we dropped our stuff off in what was basically a shack with five beds. We got a few bottles of tequila and started off the night in our bungalow with some music, then walked about twenty minutes along the narrow roads towards Paradise Beach while admiring the stars in the sky. We arrived at Paradise Club to learn that just the cover charge was 15 Euros and that drinks were over 10 inside, so we got a few more drinks outside before going in. The inside was beautiful and packed with people. Loud techno music filled the large open area just above the beach, with a huge pool in the center. We were there until about 3am (though apparently you’re supposed to stay till six) and started to walk back. Unfortunately none of us remembered which road led to the campsite and we spent two full hours going back and forth, making our way along dirt roads and rock walls. As tired as I was I couldn’t really feel upset about the situation; the stars were out and we could see the lights across the island. Eventually we found our bungalow at around 5 am, but realized the person with the room key had gotten separated from the rest of us. We ended up popping open the screen window and climbing into our bungalow. The others had wandered onto some beach and fallen asleep on some chairs before finding the place at six in the morning, only to find us all somehow in bed without the key.
Day Three
No one in the bungalow woke until noon. After lying in bed for a while recounting our foggy memories from the night before, we got up and headed to Paraga Beach, which was just a few steps down from our camp site. Everything I’ve heard about the beauty of the beaches on Greek islands is absolutely true; I’ve spent ten years on Maui and still I’ve never seen water so green and clear in my life. Apparently the real partiers don’t get up until the afternoon because the beach was far from crowded. We swam around for a while then sat out on the big rocks protruding from the middle of the water, simply mesmerized. After lying on the sand, we walked back up to the store and had a quick lunch, then walked across the beach out to the rock cliffs extending out into the sea. Then we walked back to the campsite where there was a pool bar overlooking the entire beach and the water. We booked the bungalow with the thought of saving money, yet this lounge looked like it belonged in a five-star hotel. There were beanbags and lounge chairs surrounding the large pool, with a live DJ playing music all day. So we sat down, ordered a beer and just relaxed for hours. My favorite moment in Mykonos might be the moment the DJ switched from European techno to “Kids,” an MGMT song (one of my favorite bands) – I can’t describe how great it is to hear music you love on a random island thousands of miles from home. We went back to our bungalow, showered and took a bus to an actual town. It was exactly as I pictured it: every building is small and roundish, with whitewashed walls complemented by brightly colored doors and window frames. The sun was just starting to set when we sat down at a restaurant not ten steps from the beach, with a row of old-fashioned wind mills lined up on a hill behind us. I had a spaghetti arabbiata, a dish I became familiar with in Italy, which was prepared differently but still amazing. The tourists lined up against the rock wall to see the sunset, so I got up during dinner and walked over to the sand to get a better view. Watching the red sun sink into the sea is another experience I won’t forget. Once it got dark we walked around the narrow streets for a while until we found a liquor store, then bought some cheap (but horrible) champagne, which we took to the pier. There we saw an enormous pelican being led around as tourists snapped photos. We went out to a Scandinavian bar where we hung out, then went upstairs to the dance floor. After spending the rest of the night there I got a late-night gyro then took the bus back to the bungalow to sleep.
Day Four
Reluctantly waking early to check out, we packed up our stuff and got onto a van back to the pier. There we found a massive crowd of kids from the ship, some of them still visibly drunk at 10am. We boarded the ferry and made the long trip back to Piraeus, arriving at around 3. Exhausted and almost out of Euros to spend, I walked back around the port to the ship, stopping once to enjoy my last gyro. After two nights in Mykonos I was desperately in need of sleep, so I dropped all of my stuff in my room and took a nap. I woke in time for dinner and spent the rest of the night catching up on reading and homework.
Day One
I woke up at 7am feeling like a kid on Christmas morning but to my disappointment, I threw up my window blinds to see tall trees and buildings blocking my first view of the port of Piraeus – a stark difference from scenic Dubrovnik. We met up around 9am to get off the ship, but as friends invited friends our group grew and grew to a cumbersome size, and we spent far too much time waiting around for people to get ready. I’ve learned on this trip that you should never travel with a group of more than six or seven people. We walked through the busy streets stopping at ATMs and banks and then to find the station to pick up our ferry tickets. After the massive group broke apart into a more manageable size, we found the metro and got on a train to Athens to see the stadium used for the recent Olympics in Athens. We arrived to find a massive site that would’ve been impressive had it not been a complete ghost town. No vendors, no tourists – the stadiums and buildings were all locked up. We walked around trying to find something interesting but eventually gave up, and took the train to the market in the center of Athens. Here we finally found what we were looking for. We walked out of the train station and into the busy plaza and stopped dead in our tracks as we looked up and saw the Acropolis, sitting high atop the city. The impressive white columns of the Parthenon was visible even from far away, but the tour of the Acropolis was on the next day; today we would just wander around the market place. We sat down at a restaurant in a crowded alleyway and I ordered a chicken souvlaki and a tall bottle of Mythonos beer. I’ve never been a fan of Greek food in America, but the authentic version is absolutely incredible. Grilled chicken seasoned with paprika laid across a warm pita, with bright red tomatoes and sweet red onions covered in a creamy sauce of yogurt, olive oil and garlic: so, so good. We walked through the touristy shops for a while then took the train back to the ship. We showered, rested, and then hopped on a train back to the market. We walked around for a while looking for a good place to have dinner, and settled on an outside restaurant near the street, with dim lights and live music. Here I tried a moussaka, a traditional Greek dish recommended by a guide book. It looked like lasagna, layered with cheese, eggplant and beef – a bit too creamy and rich for my taste but it was something new. Looking for a bar we settled on a brightly colored lounge that was, strangely enough, completely empty. Luckily we had enough people in our group to make the place lively, and the bartender waited on us as if we were in the VIP section of a club. We had the whole place to ourselves, and had a great time listening to music while drinking tequila and the local specialty ouzo, a licorice-flavored spirit. We took the train back around midnight before the metro closed and made it early back to the ship, since we had an early start the next day for a tour of the Acropolis.
Day Two
Got up at 7am for a ship-organized trip around tourist spots in Athens. I usually avoid the planned trips because they’re overpriced, slow and inflexible, but I figured it would be easier to get around such a big city on a bus than on my own. We first visited the stadium where the first modern Olympics took place in 1869, then drove to the Acropolis. We climbed the long stairs up to the entrance to see the beautiful ancient theater, then through the great columns of the gate to see the world-famous Parthenon. The roof and inside of the structure were completely destroyed and scaffolding covered one side for reconstruction work, but still it was an incredible sight. From the top of the Acropolis we could see Athens reaching out inland as far as the eyes could see. It really is a massive city – according to the guide 4.5 million of the 10 million people in Greece live in the city of Athens. After taking a bunch of pictures at the Parthenon and the Temple of Athena we took the bus to the National Archaeological Museum and saw historical artifacts, kouros, and other statues. We took the bus to the other side of the market and had some free time, so we got some gyros to go and ate at the park. Gyros are one of my favorite things from Greece – they’re a godsend for poor travelers like myself. They’re delicious, satisfying and really cheap; I probably had five during my four days in Greece. Anyway, we quickly saw the Temple of Zeus and got back on the bus to return to the ship. I had half an hour to shower and pack for a two-night trip to the island of Mykonos, which I booked weeks in advance. We took a three-hour ferry ride, stopping at the island of Syros on the way. The sun had set by the time we arrived on the island so we couldn’t see much, but we were all really excited to arrive. Instead of booking an expensive hostel or villa we opted to rough it and share a bungalow at a camping site: a great decision. A guy from Spain picked us up in a van and drove us to the camp twenty minutes away, and we talked to him about our experiences in Cadiz and Seville. A girl with an Australian accent showed us to our bungalow in the dark, and we dropped our stuff off in what was basically a shack with five beds. We got a few bottles of tequila and started off the night in our bungalow with some music, then walked about twenty minutes along the narrow roads towards Paradise Beach while admiring the stars in the sky. We arrived at Paradise Club to learn that just the cover charge was 15 Euros and that drinks were over 10 inside, so we got a few more drinks outside before going in. The inside was beautiful and packed with people. Loud techno music filled the large open area just above the beach, with a huge pool in the center. We were there until about 3am (though apparently you’re supposed to stay till six) and started to walk back. Unfortunately none of us remembered which road led to the campsite and we spent two full hours going back and forth, making our way along dirt roads and rock walls. As tired as I was I couldn’t really feel upset about the situation; the stars were out and we could see the lights across the island. Eventually we found our bungalow at around 5 am, but realized the person with the room key had gotten separated from the rest of us. We ended up popping open the screen window and climbing into our bungalow. The others had wandered onto some beach and fallen asleep on some chairs before finding the place at six in the morning, only to find us all somehow in bed without the key.
Day Three
No one in the bungalow woke until noon. After lying in bed for a while recounting our foggy memories from the night before, we got up and headed to Paraga Beach, which was just a few steps down from our camp site. Everything I’ve heard about the beauty of the beaches on Greek islands is absolutely true; I’ve spent ten years on Maui and still I’ve never seen water so green and clear in my life. Apparently the real partiers don’t get up until the afternoon because the beach was far from crowded. We swam around for a while then sat out on the big rocks protruding from the middle of the water, simply mesmerized. After lying on the sand, we walked back up to the store and had a quick lunch, then walked across the beach out to the rock cliffs extending out into the sea. Then we walked back to the campsite where there was a pool bar overlooking the entire beach and the water. We booked the bungalow with the thought of saving money, yet this lounge looked like it belonged in a five-star hotel. There were beanbags and lounge chairs surrounding the large pool, with a live DJ playing music all day. So we sat down, ordered a beer and just relaxed for hours. My favorite moment in Mykonos might be the moment the DJ switched from European techno to “Kids,” an MGMT song (one of my favorite bands) – I can’t describe how great it is to hear music you love on a random island thousands of miles from home. We went back to our bungalow, showered and took a bus to an actual town. It was exactly as I pictured it: every building is small and roundish, with whitewashed walls complemented by brightly colored doors and window frames. The sun was just starting to set when we sat down at a restaurant not ten steps from the beach, with a row of old-fashioned wind mills lined up on a hill behind us. I had a spaghetti arabbiata, a dish I became familiar with in Italy, which was prepared differently but still amazing. The tourists lined up against the rock wall to see the sunset, so I got up during dinner and walked over to the sand to get a better view. Watching the red sun sink into the sea is another experience I won’t forget. Once it got dark we walked around the narrow streets for a while until we found a liquor store, then bought some cheap (but horrible) champagne, which we took to the pier. There we saw an enormous pelican being led around as tourists snapped photos. We went out to a Scandinavian bar where we hung out, then went upstairs to the dance floor. After spending the rest of the night there I got a late-night gyro then took the bus back to the bungalow to sleep.
Day Four
Reluctantly waking early to check out, we packed up our stuff and got onto a van back to the pier. There we found a massive crowd of kids from the ship, some of them still visibly drunk at 10am. We boarded the ferry and made the long trip back to Piraeus, arriving at around 3. Exhausted and almost out of Euros to spend, I walked back around the port to the ship, stopping once to enjoy my last gyro. After two nights in Mykonos I was desperately in need of sleep, so I dropped all of my stuff in my room and took a nap. I woke in time for dinner and spent the rest of the night catching up on reading and homework.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Croatia
On the night before landing in Croatia, I sat down on my bed and opened up my Europe travel guide to learn about a completely unfamiliar country. This was a rare experience in that I had literally no preconceived notions of the country’s history, people, or food; despite the fact that Croatia is located between Italy and Greece - two countries I’ve read and heard about all my life - I knew practically nothing about the place before getting there. That made it all the more exciting when I woke up in the morning and walked to the dining hall to see the view of Dubrovnik outside. Without a doubt, it is the most picturesque port that I have traveled to so far. What immediately strikes you is the color of the buildings that are scattered along the coastline: a sandy base contrasting a bright orange rooftop. Just about every building you can see has the same color. Sitting between the bright blue green of the Adriatic Sea and the mountains gradually rising behind the town toward Bosnia, the small town of Dubrovnik is an absolutely captivating sight. Unlike my time in Italy and Spain, I was perfectly content spending all four days in the same town, relaxing and enjoying the sights. Because it’s a major tourist area and not exactly representative of the rest of the country, I do sort of regret not seeing more of the country outside Dubrovnik; but it’s definitely the kind of place you don’t want to leave once you’re there. Later I found out that Croatia had only achieved independence as a nation in the early 1990’s. Walking around the city you would never know that the country had been ravaged by war less than twenty years ago.
Day One
I started the day with the routine of having breakfast on the ship and taking in my first sights of the port from the deck. Many of us had trips planned starting at one o’clock so we decided to take a quick walk through the city before coming back for lunch. Seven of us walked from the port, on to the streets through the market place where I unintentionally made my first haggle for a peach, not knowing that the bunch of coins I had received at the bank were practically worthless. We walked uphill in a random direction towards the coastline, and in about 30 minutes we found ourselves on a sidewalk overlooking the ocean from a couple hundred feet above the water. While admiring the view we heard a bunch of splashes and looked down to find people jumping off the cliffs, and immediately I decided that that was where I wanted to be. We walked down the rocky stairs down to the water where we found a small group of people from our ship on the rock shelves jumping into the water. We made our way past the “locals only” sign and within 30 seconds I changed into my swim shorts and jumped into the sea. After swimming and jumping for about half an hour we headed back to the ship for lunch. There were four of us, including myself, with no trip planned, so with nothing to lose we went down to the buses to see if we could get on a trip. We managed to get last-minute tickets to tour the historic walls that encircle the Old City of Dubrovnik. We took a bus above Dubrovnik for a panoramic view overlooking the coast, and then down to the entrance of the city. Unlike the rest of the scattered town, the Old City is a massive clump of orange roofs and stone streets, enclosed in massive walls that have protected the port from invasions for centuries. The buildings themselves, which are all made of stone, are breathtaking; our tour guide mentioned that a house in the city costs at least 1.5 million Euros. Another thing that strikes you as you walk into the city through the drawbridge is the sight of countless black birds swarming above the rooftops. As you walk along the smooth marble-like path along the main street you can see hundreds of birds flying overhead. We spent an hour walking on the top of the walls learning about the history of the city and taking in the view from above – the orange rooftops are a sight I’ll never forget. After the tour we had an hour to kill so we walked down to the square and sat down for a big mug of a delicious beer called Bavaria, which everyone around seemed to be drinking. We headed back to the bus and showered at the ship, then met up with a big group to go out for the night. There was a grocery store outside the port, so to save money at the bars a group of about ten of us stormed in looking for cheap alcohol. We ended up buying bottles to split in small groups and took them to a nearby park, where we found a group of cabin stewards from the ship hanging out. We also met three Croatian high school students and had an amazing time talking to them. They spoke English surprisingly well and told us about Croatia and what their lives were like. After a few hours at the park we walked about a half hour to the Old City, and found a small bar tucked in behind the city walls along the coast. A number of signs that read “Cold Drinks” pointed the way there; otherwise we probably wouldn’t have found the small entrance in the dark alleyway. We stepped in and down the stairs to find a dimly-lit area that was carved into the cliff side – called a buja, it’s one of several bars in Dubrovnik where during the day you can actually jump off the cliff and swim while at the bar. But at night the place was quiet; everyone spoke softly, taking care not to disturb the aura of delicate tranquility that hung in the air. They played old American music like the Beatles and Frank Sinatra; I honestly can’t think of a more blissful time in my life than sitting there that night, listening to “Across the Universe.” We sat and talked for hours while watching the ocean and the moon glowing above the small island across the water. People left one by one, but I stayed sitting at the rocks near the water until two in the morning.
Day Two
Four of us left the ship to head to the beach at the Old City. We took a bus to avoid the long walk and made our way through the crowded street, then sat down on the small pebble beach. The beach was crowded with students from the ship as well as tourists from all over; we could see boats going out for parasailing, water skiing, kayaking and other water sports. We swam for a while then got some wine at a convenience store to enjoy while sitting in the sun. We went to a small bakery where I randomly pointed at a pastry, which turned out to be a delicious sort of meat pie. We ran into a few other friends and we headed to the cliff bar from the night before to jump from the cliff. After jumping and swimming for a while we made our way to a different buja, a more relaxed place with a bunch of rock shelves with tables and chairs. We spent hours lying in the shade and by about six o’clock we were ready for dinner. A guest student from Croatia who did a presentation on the ship had recommended an authentic Bosnian restaurant called Taj Mahal (the connection evades me) and we managed to find the place. I had a mixed plate of veal shish kebab and cevapi, a sausage-like dish, along with some more Bavaria – an incredible meal. I headed back with a friend to the ship to take a shower while the others went back to the cliff bar. On the way back I realized how lucky I was to have friends with a sense of direction after spending about an hour trying to get back to the same place I was at the night before. The plan was to meet up there then head out to a bar or club, but when I got down to the rocks I found everyone drunk and having a great time. We ended up staying on those rocks in the dark for the rest of the night. I didn’t mind at all – most left after a few hours but four of us stayed there until three in the morning. That spot more than deserved two full nights, and they turned out to be my favorite memories from Dubrovnik.
Day 3
Woke up a little late around 10:30am and got ready just in time to answer a friend’s call in my room, asking if I’d be up for wakeboarding. Naturally I said yes, and we gathered a group of five and headed down to the beach by the city. After spending some time swimming and waiting for friends to show, we talked to the people at the water sports stand to figure out the details. In the past few days we had talked about taking a ferry to visit the island right across from the city, and we decided to go check it out. After a little negotiating we arranged for the boat to take us wakeboarding and then drop us off at Lokrum Island. The boat took us out to the middle of the sea and my friend Spencer, who had wake boarded many times before, strapped on a board and jumped right in. He made it look ridiculously easy, getting right up and turning here and there and making small jumps on the wakes. About fifteen minutes later it was my turn. I struggled to get the boots strapped and nervously hopped in. I consider myself to be pretty good when it comes to sports involving boards, but as always the first time wasn’t easy. When the boat started to pull away I gripped the strap and tried to stand up, and immediately my board sank into the water and the strap tore away from my hands. After two more embarrassing tries and having the boat make a big circle to pick me up again, I managed to stand and gain some speed before falling over once more. By my last run I managed to hang on for a good thirty seconds or so, turning here and there before falling; it was difficult but exhilarating. I got back on the boat and found both my arms to be ridiculously sore, and the rest of my body still hurts now a few days later. Unlike skateboarding or snowboarding, just ten minutes is really a workout. Anyway, the boat turned around and in a short while we hopped off on a small pier on the island. Lokrum is a small island known for its botanical garden and great cliff diving spots. We walked towards the center of the island to find a number of restaurants, then made our way through toward the coast. As we walked we saw peacocks strutting around showing off their colorful tails, and the nostalgic sound of cicada filled the air from the treetops. We made our way into a clearing to find a small lagoon where people were laying and eating on the flat rocks and swimming in the water. We took a quick swim and played with the rope hanging from the tree before heading to the coast. The rocky coastline was lined with jutting rocks that were perfect for jumping, and we found a spot where it was easy to get out of the water. For the third time in three days I went cliff diving, then dried off in the sun. One of our friends got pushed against the rocks as she missed the ladder getting out of the water, and was scratched across her back before scrambling out. She wasn’t seriously hurt but a little shook up, so we took her back to the restaurant hoping to find a first aid kit. As I joked about how the waiter would probably just hand us a bottle of tequila he actually took out some alcohol and handed us a towel, but a kind tourist gave us some antibacterial wipes instead. We decided to just sit down and have lunch there, and in the middle of an island I enjoyed the best shrimp risotto I’ve ever had (to be fair I probably haven’t had risotto that many times before, but it was really good). We walked around trying to find a sandy beach, but it turned into a minor hike as we walked around the cliff hills getting lost. We eventually made our way back to the pier and I took a short nap on the flat rock shelves near the water while the others swam. We took the ferry back to the city around 4:30pm and had dinner on the ship. After a quick shower I shook off my exhaustion and we repeated the pre-game from the night before with a bottle at the park. Determined to finally see the nightlife of Dubrovnik, we walked into a bar/club called Fuego near the old city at 11:30pm, only to find that we were about the only people in the place. After paying the cover charge we were feeling a bit ripped off, but the place quickly picked up over the next hour. Soon the place was completely packed with not only Semester at Sea students but workers from the ship on break. The drinks were cheap compared to Italy, so we spent the whole night there drinking and dancing. When we came out of the bar at 3am it started to rain, but after spending hours in a packed bar we couldn’t have been happier about cooling off on the walk home.
Day 4
Slept in until 11:30am to recover lost sleep and had a late breakfast on the ship. After three packed days all I wanted to do was lie on the beach, so we took a bus down to the city for the last time. I browsed through the shops alone while eating a gelato to look for souvenirs but didn’t find anything I wanted in the countless trinket shops, save a few postcards. I met up with friends back at the beach and lay in the shade for about an hour, and decided to head back to the ship around 4pm. On the way back I had a not-so-fun experience - while waiting in the crowd for the bus, a friend of mine suddenly fainted and fell to the ground. I rushed to get her up and into the shade to drink some water. We made our way back to the line and just as the bus arrived, she fainted again, though this time I managed to catch her. Strangers came over to help and I called over a taxi, and with the help of a policeman we managed to get her back to the ship before boarding time was over. She went straight to the doctor and luckily, she turned out to be okay. After dinner and a shower I was exhausted, and I managed to get some reading and work done before going to bed at 10pm. By the time I woke up next morning Croatia was long behind us, but I was perfectly content thinking about what lay ahead: the next country, Greece.
Day One
I started the day with the routine of having breakfast on the ship and taking in my first sights of the port from the deck. Many of us had trips planned starting at one o’clock so we decided to take a quick walk through the city before coming back for lunch. Seven of us walked from the port, on to the streets through the market place where I unintentionally made my first haggle for a peach, not knowing that the bunch of coins I had received at the bank were practically worthless. We walked uphill in a random direction towards the coastline, and in about 30 minutes we found ourselves on a sidewalk overlooking the ocean from a couple hundred feet above the water. While admiring the view we heard a bunch of splashes and looked down to find people jumping off the cliffs, and immediately I decided that that was where I wanted to be. We walked down the rocky stairs down to the water where we found a small group of people from our ship on the rock shelves jumping into the water. We made our way past the “locals only” sign and within 30 seconds I changed into my swim shorts and jumped into the sea. After swimming and jumping for about half an hour we headed back to the ship for lunch. There were four of us, including myself, with no trip planned, so with nothing to lose we went down to the buses to see if we could get on a trip. We managed to get last-minute tickets to tour the historic walls that encircle the Old City of Dubrovnik. We took a bus above Dubrovnik for a panoramic view overlooking the coast, and then down to the entrance of the city. Unlike the rest of the scattered town, the Old City is a massive clump of orange roofs and stone streets, enclosed in massive walls that have protected the port from invasions for centuries. The buildings themselves, which are all made of stone, are breathtaking; our tour guide mentioned that a house in the city costs at least 1.5 million Euros. Another thing that strikes you as you walk into the city through the drawbridge is the sight of countless black birds swarming above the rooftops. As you walk along the smooth marble-like path along the main street you can see hundreds of birds flying overhead. We spent an hour walking on the top of the walls learning about the history of the city and taking in the view from above – the orange rooftops are a sight I’ll never forget. After the tour we had an hour to kill so we walked down to the square and sat down for a big mug of a delicious beer called Bavaria, which everyone around seemed to be drinking. We headed back to the bus and showered at the ship, then met up with a big group to go out for the night. There was a grocery store outside the port, so to save money at the bars a group of about ten of us stormed in looking for cheap alcohol. We ended up buying bottles to split in small groups and took them to a nearby park, where we found a group of cabin stewards from the ship hanging out. We also met three Croatian high school students and had an amazing time talking to them. They spoke English surprisingly well and told us about Croatia and what their lives were like. After a few hours at the park we walked about a half hour to the Old City, and found a small bar tucked in behind the city walls along the coast. A number of signs that read “Cold Drinks” pointed the way there; otherwise we probably wouldn’t have found the small entrance in the dark alleyway. We stepped in and down the stairs to find a dimly-lit area that was carved into the cliff side – called a buja, it’s one of several bars in Dubrovnik where during the day you can actually jump off the cliff and swim while at the bar. But at night the place was quiet; everyone spoke softly, taking care not to disturb the aura of delicate tranquility that hung in the air. They played old American music like the Beatles and Frank Sinatra; I honestly can’t think of a more blissful time in my life than sitting there that night, listening to “Across the Universe.” We sat and talked for hours while watching the ocean and the moon glowing above the small island across the water. People left one by one, but I stayed sitting at the rocks near the water until two in the morning.
Day Two
Four of us left the ship to head to the beach at the Old City. We took a bus to avoid the long walk and made our way through the crowded street, then sat down on the small pebble beach. The beach was crowded with students from the ship as well as tourists from all over; we could see boats going out for parasailing, water skiing, kayaking and other water sports. We swam for a while then got some wine at a convenience store to enjoy while sitting in the sun. We went to a small bakery where I randomly pointed at a pastry, which turned out to be a delicious sort of meat pie. We ran into a few other friends and we headed to the cliff bar from the night before to jump from the cliff. After jumping and swimming for a while we made our way to a different buja, a more relaxed place with a bunch of rock shelves with tables and chairs. We spent hours lying in the shade and by about six o’clock we were ready for dinner. A guest student from Croatia who did a presentation on the ship had recommended an authentic Bosnian restaurant called Taj Mahal (the connection evades me) and we managed to find the place. I had a mixed plate of veal shish kebab and cevapi, a sausage-like dish, along with some more Bavaria – an incredible meal. I headed back with a friend to the ship to take a shower while the others went back to the cliff bar. On the way back I realized how lucky I was to have friends with a sense of direction after spending about an hour trying to get back to the same place I was at the night before. The plan was to meet up there then head out to a bar or club, but when I got down to the rocks I found everyone drunk and having a great time. We ended up staying on those rocks in the dark for the rest of the night. I didn’t mind at all – most left after a few hours but four of us stayed there until three in the morning. That spot more than deserved two full nights, and they turned out to be my favorite memories from Dubrovnik.
Day 3
Woke up a little late around 10:30am and got ready just in time to answer a friend’s call in my room, asking if I’d be up for wakeboarding. Naturally I said yes, and we gathered a group of five and headed down to the beach by the city. After spending some time swimming and waiting for friends to show, we talked to the people at the water sports stand to figure out the details. In the past few days we had talked about taking a ferry to visit the island right across from the city, and we decided to go check it out. After a little negotiating we arranged for the boat to take us wakeboarding and then drop us off at Lokrum Island. The boat took us out to the middle of the sea and my friend Spencer, who had wake boarded many times before, strapped on a board and jumped right in. He made it look ridiculously easy, getting right up and turning here and there and making small jumps on the wakes. About fifteen minutes later it was my turn. I struggled to get the boots strapped and nervously hopped in. I consider myself to be pretty good when it comes to sports involving boards, but as always the first time wasn’t easy. When the boat started to pull away I gripped the strap and tried to stand up, and immediately my board sank into the water and the strap tore away from my hands. After two more embarrassing tries and having the boat make a big circle to pick me up again, I managed to stand and gain some speed before falling over once more. By my last run I managed to hang on for a good thirty seconds or so, turning here and there before falling; it was difficult but exhilarating. I got back on the boat and found both my arms to be ridiculously sore, and the rest of my body still hurts now a few days later. Unlike skateboarding or snowboarding, just ten minutes is really a workout. Anyway, the boat turned around and in a short while we hopped off on a small pier on the island. Lokrum is a small island known for its botanical garden and great cliff diving spots. We walked towards the center of the island to find a number of restaurants, then made our way through toward the coast. As we walked we saw peacocks strutting around showing off their colorful tails, and the nostalgic sound of cicada filled the air from the treetops. We made our way into a clearing to find a small lagoon where people were laying and eating on the flat rocks and swimming in the water. We took a quick swim and played with the rope hanging from the tree before heading to the coast. The rocky coastline was lined with jutting rocks that were perfect for jumping, and we found a spot where it was easy to get out of the water. For the third time in three days I went cliff diving, then dried off in the sun. One of our friends got pushed against the rocks as she missed the ladder getting out of the water, and was scratched across her back before scrambling out. She wasn’t seriously hurt but a little shook up, so we took her back to the restaurant hoping to find a first aid kit. As I joked about how the waiter would probably just hand us a bottle of tequila he actually took out some alcohol and handed us a towel, but a kind tourist gave us some antibacterial wipes instead. We decided to just sit down and have lunch there, and in the middle of an island I enjoyed the best shrimp risotto I’ve ever had (to be fair I probably haven’t had risotto that many times before, but it was really good). We walked around trying to find a sandy beach, but it turned into a minor hike as we walked around the cliff hills getting lost. We eventually made our way back to the pier and I took a short nap on the flat rock shelves near the water while the others swam. We took the ferry back to the city around 4:30pm and had dinner on the ship. After a quick shower I shook off my exhaustion and we repeated the pre-game from the night before with a bottle at the park. Determined to finally see the nightlife of Dubrovnik, we walked into a bar/club called Fuego near the old city at 11:30pm, only to find that we were about the only people in the place. After paying the cover charge we were feeling a bit ripped off, but the place quickly picked up over the next hour. Soon the place was completely packed with not only Semester at Sea students but workers from the ship on break. The drinks were cheap compared to Italy, so we spent the whole night there drinking and dancing. When we came out of the bar at 3am it started to rain, but after spending hours in a packed bar we couldn’t have been happier about cooling off on the walk home.
Day 4
Slept in until 11:30am to recover lost sleep and had a late breakfast on the ship. After three packed days all I wanted to do was lie on the beach, so we took a bus down to the city for the last time. I browsed through the shops alone while eating a gelato to look for souvenirs but didn’t find anything I wanted in the countless trinket shops, save a few postcards. I met up with friends back at the beach and lay in the shade for about an hour, and decided to head back to the ship around 4pm. On the way back I had a not-so-fun experience - while waiting in the crowd for the bus, a friend of mine suddenly fainted and fell to the ground. I rushed to get her up and into the shade to drink some water. We made our way back to the line and just as the bus arrived, she fainted again, though this time I managed to catch her. Strangers came over to help and I called over a taxi, and with the help of a policeman we managed to get her back to the ship before boarding time was over. She went straight to the doctor and luckily, she turned out to be okay. After dinner and a shower I was exhausted, and I managed to get some reading and work done before going to bed at 10pm. By the time I woke up next morning Croatia was long behind us, but I was perfectly content thinking about what lay ahead: the next country, Greece.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Italy
Over the course of five days we stopped in two ports, Civitavecchia and Naples. With only one day between Italy and Croatia I’ll just quickly try to write about the things I did.
Day One
I awoke to find a new view outside my window – the small port-town of Civitavecchia. We spent some time navigating the city trying to find a post office, then after waiting in line for an hour we mailed some post cards and purchased train tickets. We met some friends back at the ship and rushed back to the station to catch the train. An hour and twenty minutes later, I was standing on a street in the middle of Rome. Walking around trying to find our hostel, I couldn’t help but wonder why we were surrounded by Chinese street signs and stores full of 5-Euro sunglasses; apparently Rome has a China Town as well. We eventually got to our hostel, which was run by an almost stereotypically warm and charming Italian woman; I didn’t figure out until next morning that there were two of them – twins, in fact, and I could never tell which one I was talking to. After dropping our stuff off we headed out to see the city. How can I describe Rome… to say the very least Rome is a city that’s full of surprises. Walking down the street you never know what you’re going to see when you turn the corner. Enormous buildings, obelisks, statues, fountains, and historical sites are there everywhere you look. The feel of the place reminded me of New York City; but it looks much, much older and more beautiful. After wandering for about 40 minutes I walked across a street and saw in the distance, the Coliseum. It’s really strange to suddenly see something of that size while walking in a city. We rushed to take a tour and after admiring it from across the street, we stopped for a quick meal (I didn’t eat because I didn’t want my first Italian meal from a tourist vendor) and then went inside. When we got to the Coliseum we noticed the dark clouds gathering above, and sure enough it started pouring and lighting began to flash in the sky; for me this made the experience even more exciting. We toured the Coliseum on our own, getting drenched and slipping everywhere – it was incredibly fun. After getting soaked we headed back to the hostel. Some of us wanted to rest but I was ready for dinner, so four of us sat down at a restaurant just down the street. Beneath an awning on the street, we sat down at a table draped in the red and white-checkered cloth. After we ordered, a random guy started playing the accordion next to us, and again I felt like I was in a movie. The meal was everything I wanted it to be. I had penne all’arrabbiata, a pasta dish with a sauce of tomato, onion and hot red pepper: infinitely better than any pasta I’ve had at home. After showering at the hostel we headed out to the Spanish Steps, where we heard people were gathering for a Pub Crawl celebrating Canada Day (I guess any excuse would do). We arrived at the historical site to find about 300 people sitting on the steps; from there we were divided into three massive crowds that stormed the streets walking from pub to pub. Over the course of the night I stopped at three bars in completely different parts of the city. On my inebriated stroll to each one, the typical sights of fast-food restaurants and apartment buildings were replaced by breathtaking Roman bridges, statues and fountains. After our third stop I called it a night and took a taxi back to the hostel, leaving half of our group to move on to the next pub. Once we got there we realized we left our room keys with the others, and three of us passed out on the floor in the hostel locked outside of our rooms. About an hour later the owner found us and let us in. It would have been embarrassing but I was too tired to care.
Day Two
We woke up around 10am for breakfast – the owner made us fresh cappuccino and croissants. We took the subway down to the Trevi Fountain, which is a major tourist site. They say if you throw in a coin you’ll come back to Rome some day, so we all did it and then had a sandwich nearby. Next on our itinerary was the Vatican. We avoided the long lines by getting our tickets online and entering from the museums in the back (thanks Lisa for the tip). Needless to say the museum was incredible; it was packed with religious artwork, the significance of which I could never fully appreciate. I learned a few interesting things along the way by standing near the tour guides and listening in. We walked through a few buildings and across the courtyard, admiring the countless statues and art that filled every surface; the most amazing paintings were the ones done on the ceilings. I saw the School of Athens, and of course the Sistine Chapel – my neck was killing me by the end because I spent the whole time staring at the ceiling. Everything I saw in the Vatican was surreal. Next we took a quick stop for sandwiches then walked to St. Peter’s Basilica. When I saw the cathedral in Seville I remember wondering if I would ever again in my lifetime see something so incredible – but this was beyond even that. The sheer size of this structure is baffling; but what you see when you walk inside cannot be captured with words or photographs. I was prepared for what I saw at the Sistine Chapel but I had no idea such a place existed - if you ever go to Rome go see St. Peter’s. We also took a tour of the tomb where many popes are buried, then rested outside at the famous plaza. We decided to head back to the hostel but we stopped at a restaurant for dinner along the way. A few of us wanted to see the Pantheon, so we walked there but it was closed. Instead we bought gelatos and wandered around, seeing the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps once more. We took the subway back to the hostel where we stayed inside and drank until about 11pm. We hung out at a pub and spent the rest of the night on the street, then returned to the hostel around 1:30.
Day Three
On our last day in Rome we woke in the morning and headed out to the Pantheon. On the way there we saw the Roman Forum and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier – both incredible sites that I didn’t know existed. Had a quick lunch and hung out in front of the Pantheon talking to people who were leading the pub-crawl from a few nights ago. We spent time inside admiring the architecture, then walked towards the hostel, stopping along the way at Trevi Fountain once more and sitting down to enjoy a crepe. We picked up our stuff at the hostel and said goodbye to the owner, and took the hot, stifling train back to Civitavecchia. I had dinner on the ship and spentthe night relaxing and going through the two hundred (no joke) photos I took in Rome.
Day Four
While I slept on the ship that night the MV Explorer arrived at our second port in Italy, Naples. I got up at 7:10am to meet some people I met the night before, planning to hike Mt. Vasuvius, a famous volcano that erupted and buried nearby cities about two-thousand years ago. We got directions on the ship and left for the train station. A friend described Naples to me as “a dirty old city,” and she was right. Walking to the station I felt like I was in Vietnam, not Italy: the streets were littered with trash, the buildings were decayed and countless birds hung in the air. To be fair I found the other side of town to be much nicer later, but that morning we hurried to get to the next town. We ended up in a small town called Ercolano with no directions and no map, having been told to get off there and take a bus to the mountain. We walked through the city wandering aimlessly, looking for something resembling a bus station. Ercolano was not the Italy I had gotten used to in the past few days; the people didn’t speak English, street signs were scarce and tourist offices were non-existent – navigating through this town was impossible. After spending about an hour trying to get directions we figured out that we were in the wrong town, and we still had no idea what station would get us to Mt. Vasuvius. So, we changed plans and got back on the train to see Pompei, a city a few stops down the same train line. Pompei is famous for its ruins, which are the remains of a large city that was destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vasuvius, which is 45 minutes away. We arrived at the quiet town of Pompei and walked in a random direction hoping to find the ruins. As we strolled along we found a pizzeria with tables that lay in the shadow of thick vines overhead – an inviting sight after hours of walking in the hot sun. Here I had my first authentic Italian Pizza: pizza alla romana, consisting of cheese, tomato, herbs and anchovies. It was nothing like American pizza; it was thin, made with a few simple ingredients and little grease. The anchovies were an interesting addition but it was delicious. We continued on and with some help, finally found the ruins. This place was massive; hundreds of ancient buildings had been excavated since the late 1800’s. We spent a couple of hours exploring, taking in the sights of the remains of a civilization that perished thousands of years ago. The whole town had a very quiet feel to it – stray dogs lay still in the shade and the people walked by lazily – it was hard to believe we were in Rome just a day ago. After the ruins we stopped for gelato and walked back to the train station to return to the ship.
Day Five
I somehow managed to get myself out of bed at 6:40am, determined to make the most of my last day in Italy. We had heard of ferry trips going to the nearby island of Capri, and we planned on getting last-minute tickets early in the morning instead of going with a massive organized tour group. We got down to the station around 7:30 to see a paper sign on the ticket window that felt like a slap in the face: “Capri Completo” – the tickets were sold out. Wondering if we should go back to bed or try to salvage our day, we scrambled around the port trying to find another ferry. After running around and waiting in line for about an hour we finally managed to get tickets on a hydrofoil. About an hour later, we got off on what I might concede to be the most beautiful island I have ever seen. The small island of Capri stood towering above from the dock, with rugged green cliffs and colorful houses lining the mountainside. We quickly walked away from the crowds at the dock and sat down at a restaurant overlooking the rocky beach. There I had a pizza marinara, a simple pizza of tomato, garlic and basil. This pizza didn’t even have cheese and it was one of the best I’ve ever had. After a long lunch admiring the view of the crystal clear waters below, we were ready for a swim. The water was perfect; we waded around in the turquoise water, taking in the view of the island soaring into the sky. We decided that we needed to see the view from the top, so we endured the stuffy long lines to take the tram up to the town above us. We got off the tram to see a spectacular view of the ocean and the rest of the island. There was a whole town carved into the mountain; up-scale restaurants and luxury stores lined the streets and tour groups ambled along the narrow sidewalks. We walked to one end of the town admiring the view, then walked back and rested on a bench in the plaza. I sat down with a chocolate gelato in one hand and a lemon granita (an Italian slushy of sorts) in the other and simply enjoyed the moment. We took the tram back down to the dock and spent our last hour on Capri back at the beach. I sat upstairs on the boat ride back, sitting in the sun and reluctantly watching the island fade away. We returned to the boat for a barbeque on the deck, and I spent the night going through pictures and trying to record everything I did in the past five days. Civitavecchia, Rome, Naples, Ercolano, Pompei, and Capri: I couldn’t be happier with what I saw and experienced in Italy.
Day One
I awoke to find a new view outside my window – the small port-town of Civitavecchia. We spent some time navigating the city trying to find a post office, then after waiting in line for an hour we mailed some post cards and purchased train tickets. We met some friends back at the ship and rushed back to the station to catch the train. An hour and twenty minutes later, I was standing on a street in the middle of Rome. Walking around trying to find our hostel, I couldn’t help but wonder why we were surrounded by Chinese street signs and stores full of 5-Euro sunglasses; apparently Rome has a China Town as well. We eventually got to our hostel, which was run by an almost stereotypically warm and charming Italian woman; I didn’t figure out until next morning that there were two of them – twins, in fact, and I could never tell which one I was talking to. After dropping our stuff off we headed out to see the city. How can I describe Rome… to say the very least Rome is a city that’s full of surprises. Walking down the street you never know what you’re going to see when you turn the corner. Enormous buildings, obelisks, statues, fountains, and historical sites are there everywhere you look. The feel of the place reminded me of New York City; but it looks much, much older and more beautiful. After wandering for about 40 minutes I walked across a street and saw in the distance, the Coliseum. It’s really strange to suddenly see something of that size while walking in a city. We rushed to take a tour and after admiring it from across the street, we stopped for a quick meal (I didn’t eat because I didn’t want my first Italian meal from a tourist vendor) and then went inside. When we got to the Coliseum we noticed the dark clouds gathering above, and sure enough it started pouring and lighting began to flash in the sky; for me this made the experience even more exciting. We toured the Coliseum on our own, getting drenched and slipping everywhere – it was incredibly fun. After getting soaked we headed back to the hostel. Some of us wanted to rest but I was ready for dinner, so four of us sat down at a restaurant just down the street. Beneath an awning on the street, we sat down at a table draped in the red and white-checkered cloth. After we ordered, a random guy started playing the accordion next to us, and again I felt like I was in a movie. The meal was everything I wanted it to be. I had penne all’arrabbiata, a pasta dish with a sauce of tomato, onion and hot red pepper: infinitely better than any pasta I’ve had at home. After showering at the hostel we headed out to the Spanish Steps, where we heard people were gathering for a Pub Crawl celebrating Canada Day (I guess any excuse would do). We arrived at the historical site to find about 300 people sitting on the steps; from there we were divided into three massive crowds that stormed the streets walking from pub to pub. Over the course of the night I stopped at three bars in completely different parts of the city. On my inebriated stroll to each one, the typical sights of fast-food restaurants and apartment buildings were replaced by breathtaking Roman bridges, statues and fountains. After our third stop I called it a night and took a taxi back to the hostel, leaving half of our group to move on to the next pub. Once we got there we realized we left our room keys with the others, and three of us passed out on the floor in the hostel locked outside of our rooms. About an hour later the owner found us and let us in. It would have been embarrassing but I was too tired to care.
Day Two
We woke up around 10am for breakfast – the owner made us fresh cappuccino and croissants. We took the subway down to the Trevi Fountain, which is a major tourist site. They say if you throw in a coin you’ll come back to Rome some day, so we all did it and then had a sandwich nearby. Next on our itinerary was the Vatican. We avoided the long lines by getting our tickets online and entering from the museums in the back (thanks Lisa for the tip). Needless to say the museum was incredible; it was packed with religious artwork, the significance of which I could never fully appreciate. I learned a few interesting things along the way by standing near the tour guides and listening in. We walked through a few buildings and across the courtyard, admiring the countless statues and art that filled every surface; the most amazing paintings were the ones done on the ceilings. I saw the School of Athens, and of course the Sistine Chapel – my neck was killing me by the end because I spent the whole time staring at the ceiling. Everything I saw in the Vatican was surreal. Next we took a quick stop for sandwiches then walked to St. Peter’s Basilica. When I saw the cathedral in Seville I remember wondering if I would ever again in my lifetime see something so incredible – but this was beyond even that. The sheer size of this structure is baffling; but what you see when you walk inside cannot be captured with words or photographs. I was prepared for what I saw at the Sistine Chapel but I had no idea such a place existed - if you ever go to Rome go see St. Peter’s. We also took a tour of the tomb where many popes are buried, then rested outside at the famous plaza. We decided to head back to the hostel but we stopped at a restaurant for dinner along the way. A few of us wanted to see the Pantheon, so we walked there but it was closed. Instead we bought gelatos and wandered around, seeing the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps once more. We took the subway back to the hostel where we stayed inside and drank until about 11pm. We hung out at a pub and spent the rest of the night on the street, then returned to the hostel around 1:30.
Day Three
On our last day in Rome we woke in the morning and headed out to the Pantheon. On the way there we saw the Roman Forum and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier – both incredible sites that I didn’t know existed. Had a quick lunch and hung out in front of the Pantheon talking to people who were leading the pub-crawl from a few nights ago. We spent time inside admiring the architecture, then walked towards the hostel, stopping along the way at Trevi Fountain once more and sitting down to enjoy a crepe. We picked up our stuff at the hostel and said goodbye to the owner, and took the hot, stifling train back to Civitavecchia. I had dinner on the ship and spentthe night relaxing and going through the two hundred (no joke) photos I took in Rome.
Day Four
While I slept on the ship that night the MV Explorer arrived at our second port in Italy, Naples. I got up at 7:10am to meet some people I met the night before, planning to hike Mt. Vasuvius, a famous volcano that erupted and buried nearby cities about two-thousand years ago. We got directions on the ship and left for the train station. A friend described Naples to me as “a dirty old city,” and she was right. Walking to the station I felt like I was in Vietnam, not Italy: the streets were littered with trash, the buildings were decayed and countless birds hung in the air. To be fair I found the other side of town to be much nicer later, but that morning we hurried to get to the next town. We ended up in a small town called Ercolano with no directions and no map, having been told to get off there and take a bus to the mountain. We walked through the city wandering aimlessly, looking for something resembling a bus station. Ercolano was not the Italy I had gotten used to in the past few days; the people didn’t speak English, street signs were scarce and tourist offices were non-existent – navigating through this town was impossible. After spending about an hour trying to get directions we figured out that we were in the wrong town, and we still had no idea what station would get us to Mt. Vasuvius. So, we changed plans and got back on the train to see Pompei, a city a few stops down the same train line. Pompei is famous for its ruins, which are the remains of a large city that was destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vasuvius, which is 45 minutes away. We arrived at the quiet town of Pompei and walked in a random direction hoping to find the ruins. As we strolled along we found a pizzeria with tables that lay in the shadow of thick vines overhead – an inviting sight after hours of walking in the hot sun. Here I had my first authentic Italian Pizza: pizza alla romana, consisting of cheese, tomato, herbs and anchovies. It was nothing like American pizza; it was thin, made with a few simple ingredients and little grease. The anchovies were an interesting addition but it was delicious. We continued on and with some help, finally found the ruins. This place was massive; hundreds of ancient buildings had been excavated since the late 1800’s. We spent a couple of hours exploring, taking in the sights of the remains of a civilization that perished thousands of years ago. The whole town had a very quiet feel to it – stray dogs lay still in the shade and the people walked by lazily – it was hard to believe we were in Rome just a day ago. After the ruins we stopped for gelato and walked back to the train station to return to the ship.
Day Five
I somehow managed to get myself out of bed at 6:40am, determined to make the most of my last day in Italy. We had heard of ferry trips going to the nearby island of Capri, and we planned on getting last-minute tickets early in the morning instead of going with a massive organized tour group. We got down to the station around 7:30 to see a paper sign on the ticket window that felt like a slap in the face: “Capri Completo” – the tickets were sold out. Wondering if we should go back to bed or try to salvage our day, we scrambled around the port trying to find another ferry. After running around and waiting in line for about an hour we finally managed to get tickets on a hydrofoil. About an hour later, we got off on what I might concede to be the most beautiful island I have ever seen. The small island of Capri stood towering above from the dock, with rugged green cliffs and colorful houses lining the mountainside. We quickly walked away from the crowds at the dock and sat down at a restaurant overlooking the rocky beach. There I had a pizza marinara, a simple pizza of tomato, garlic and basil. This pizza didn’t even have cheese and it was one of the best I’ve ever had. After a long lunch admiring the view of the crystal clear waters below, we were ready for a swim. The water was perfect; we waded around in the turquoise water, taking in the view of the island soaring into the sky. We decided that we needed to see the view from the top, so we endured the stuffy long lines to take the tram up to the town above us. We got off the tram to see a spectacular view of the ocean and the rest of the island. There was a whole town carved into the mountain; up-scale restaurants and luxury stores lined the streets and tour groups ambled along the narrow sidewalks. We walked to one end of the town admiring the view, then walked back and rested on a bench in the plaza. I sat down with a chocolate gelato in one hand and a lemon granita (an Italian slushy of sorts) in the other and simply enjoyed the moment. We took the tram back down to the dock and spent our last hour on Capri back at the beach. I sat upstairs on the boat ride back, sitting in the sun and reluctantly watching the island fade away. We returned to the boat for a barbeque on the deck, and I spent the night going through pictures and trying to record everything I did in the past five days. Civitavecchia, Rome, Naples, Ercolano, Pompei, and Capri: I couldn’t be happier with what I saw and experienced in Italy.
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