So now we are in Florence.
Heahter and I have been calling Italy the 'uphill' country as everything appears to be uphill. Its kinda tiring, but, sometimes more than worthwhile Like today for instance when we arrived at the top of the Bodolini Gardens and were treated to a beautiful view of the entire city.
We have seen more artwork than I will ever be able to remember and it has just been incredible. I am a bit tired from trying to cram so much into everyday, but, I feel as though each hour is precious to me.
I have also developed a theory about traffic flow in Italy. It seems as though many Italians have evolved beyond the old 'dodging mechanisms'. On the savanah, when we saw an animal charging at us, we dodged. Simple enough. In Italy, it seems as though people have forgotten dodge and as a result, oncoming traffic means nothing. So, when a car is rushing at you, with most people, we revert back to our evolutionary past, and our mind picks up a charging Hippopotamus. here in Italy, i feel like the only one who sees the Hippo.
Anyway, Italy Still Rocks, but, its hard to find a pay-phone.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Friday, August 25, 2006
Here I am
I am in ITALY!!!
Good food, coffee, people, food.... and the scenery... AHHHHHHH che belleza!
It is day 5 of our trip... i think and things have been amazing. we arrived in ROME on monday and settled in. We then started walking.... and walking... and walking. Everyone in rome walks and I have no idea how the locals do it in such unconfortable, but, oh so fashionable footwear. Men and women alike tend to deck out their feet better than any part of their body it seems. I've been cruising around in a pair of Ben Shermans (proferred on clearance for only $20) which back home have garnered me many compliments. Here in rome... i feel as though the locals have been regarding them with a mixture of disdain, disgust and more than a little sympathy for the 'povere Americano' . Ah well. I have a pair of Italian wheels that my dad has picfked up for me and while great shoes, I couldn't spend more than an hour in them.
Anyway... we walk for days on end, bump into cool stuff like the Pantheon, understand the experience that is St. peters and all the while eat great food. Its a great way to spend a honeymoon i tells ya. I think i will need to keep a journal of my trip. I feeel like there is too much to remember and my ipod (also my picture storage device) seems to be acting funny.
I hope to blog this in more detail, but, as we near the mid point of the trip all I can say is WOW! Part of me seems to be saying 'see.. this is your home'. Which i guess makes sense as this is the place that the culture I was raised in comes from.
My Grandparents payed a large part in raising me when I was young and Italian was actually my first spoken language. I grew up as an Italian living in Canada and, even though I have grown up to be a Canadian with Italian background, those early impressions left an impression.
I Miss my home and my family, but, I also want to wring as much culture and 'Italian-ness' out of my time here that I can.
Florence awaits.... Ciao
Good food, coffee, people, food.... and the scenery... AHHHHHHH che belleza!
It is day 5 of our trip... i think and things have been amazing. we arrived in ROME on monday and settled in. We then started walking.... and walking... and walking. Everyone in rome walks and I have no idea how the locals do it in such unconfortable, but, oh so fashionable footwear. Men and women alike tend to deck out their feet better than any part of their body it seems. I've been cruising around in a pair of Ben Shermans (proferred on clearance for only $20) which back home have garnered me many compliments. Here in rome... i feel as though the locals have been regarding them with a mixture of disdain, disgust and more than a little sympathy for the 'povere Americano' . Ah well. I have a pair of Italian wheels that my dad has picfked up for me and while great shoes, I couldn't spend more than an hour in them.
Anyway... we walk for days on end, bump into cool stuff like the Pantheon, understand the experience that is St. peters and all the while eat great food. Its a great way to spend a honeymoon i tells ya. I think i will need to keep a journal of my trip. I feeel like there is too much to remember and my ipod (also my picture storage device) seems to be acting funny.
I hope to blog this in more detail, but, as we near the mid point of the trip all I can say is WOW! Part of me seems to be saying 'see.. this is your home'. Which i guess makes sense as this is the place that the culture I was raised in comes from.
My Grandparents payed a large part in raising me when I was young and Italian was actually my first spoken language. I grew up as an Italian living in Canada and, even though I have grown up to be a Canadian with Italian background, those early impressions left an impression.
I Miss my home and my family, but, I also want to wring as much culture and 'Italian-ness' out of my time here that I can.
Florence awaits.... Ciao
Friday, August 11, 2006
This is what happens when you blog while tired and drinking beer.
I booked all the hotels for our upcoming Italian Jaunt today. Unfortunately, I had to modify my intricately laid Hotel plan I developed last week-end.
I blame it not on myself, but upon the contraction of the rare disease which tends to afflict many males throughout the summer months. Yes, I have contracted a severe case of “too-lazy-to-get-off-my-sorry-assitus”. Symptoms include
· Falling asleep on the patio for hours at end
· Allowing both the desk at home AND the office to become covered in a layer of paper more than 3cm
· Having your wife-to-be (who tends to be more clutter prone then you) comment “man….. this place is a mess, and responding with a grunt. Just for the record I will have you know that it was an intelligent, well rounded and thought out grunt, thank you very much!
· Using the floor as a CD storage unit.
Luckily the cure for this is a trip to Italy, so this vacation now counts as therapeutic, so, I can claim it on my medical benefits. What’s that you say? Bah! Jail-Schmail!!!!!
I look forward to my wedding and the trip, but I also seem to be yearning for a return to normalcy in my house. Although in all honesty I don’t know what that is.
So anyway, due to the above noted affliction, the hotels that I had chosen no longer had rooms available. I set out with my trusty Frommer’s guide to find new places in in the total of about an hour had booked everything. What’s the Moral of this story? I spent hours looking at Hotels and researching, because the internet travel experience allows it. There is so much information out there nowadays that we can research the hell out of anything, then in the end, we still have to rush to make decisions.
I LOVE being wired. But, sometimes I hate the internet.
Tomorrow brings more shopping. Perhaps an iPod for this geeky rambler and a night out with the boys. Kind of a Stag Night. We are going to a place Called “Dave & Busters”. Which I can best describe as a Chuck-e-cheese for big boys.
Hear that? That was the sound of any doubt that my inner five year old runs this show escaping.
1 week and half an hour to my wedding day!
I blame it not on myself, but upon the contraction of the rare disease which tends to afflict many males throughout the summer months. Yes, I have contracted a severe case of “too-lazy-to-get-off-my-sorry-assitus”. Symptoms include
· Falling asleep on the patio for hours at end
· Allowing both the desk at home AND the office to become covered in a layer of paper more than 3cm
· Having your wife-to-be (who tends to be more clutter prone then you) comment “man….. this place is a mess, and responding with a grunt. Just for the record I will have you know that it was an intelligent, well rounded and thought out grunt, thank you very much!
· Using the floor as a CD storage unit.
Luckily the cure for this is a trip to Italy, so this vacation now counts as therapeutic, so, I can claim it on my medical benefits. What’s that you say? Bah! Jail-Schmail!!!!!
I look forward to my wedding and the trip, but I also seem to be yearning for a return to normalcy in my house. Although in all honesty I don’t know what that is.
So anyway, due to the above noted affliction, the hotels that I had chosen no longer had rooms available. I set out with my trusty Frommer’s guide to find new places in in the total of about an hour had booked everything. What’s the Moral of this story? I spent hours looking at Hotels and researching, because the internet travel experience allows it. There is so much information out there nowadays that we can research the hell out of anything, then in the end, we still have to rush to make decisions.
I LOVE being wired. But, sometimes I hate the internet.
Tomorrow brings more shopping. Perhaps an iPod for this geeky rambler and a night out with the boys. Kind of a Stag Night. We are going to a place Called “Dave & Busters”. Which I can best describe as a Chuck-e-cheese for big boys.
Hear that? That was the sound of any doubt that my inner five year old runs this show escaping.
1 week and half an hour to my wedding day!
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Wow!!!! A blog!!!
My life in a Nutshell.
In an effort to get back into this Blogging Thang I will condense what has been going on in my life as of late.
· Getting married in a week and a half. Not nervous about marriage. Nervous about the wedding going well and everyone having a good time
· As a result of the wedding 2 of my friends who have not spoken in 7 years are getting together for my Bachelor’s send-off. Its not a stag party.
· Planning a wedding makes you tired. I know this now.
· Planning a wedding can make you broke.
· I am going to Italy for honey moon! Can I get a Woot Woot!!!!!! I have never been to Italy and this trip is well over 11 years in the making since I backed out the first time. I’ve had 11 years of good reasons not to go visit my roots. I probably have more good reasons not to go this year but damnit.. I’m going! Oh, and so is Canuck Girl.
· Canuck Girl is allergic to Olives… As a result Olive oil… should make Italy interesting. Its not a bad allergy, but, can maker her intestines uncomfortable…I hope she still has fun!
· I got to be the +1 at a dave Matthews band concert. Outside, Music, Beer.. it was all good
· My tolerance for alcohol packed up and left me. I always knew the sauce was a duplicitous Mistress. On Sunday I had 2 pints of beer. Apparently, rather than being the warm-up that used to be… It now means I get a hang over. A few years ago I laughed at people like me. (JP looks in mirror) HA-HA ya lightweight.
· CG is an awesome wedding planner and I never tell her enough how much I love her.
· I’m going to Italy! And I might be buying an iPod that I can afford less than the plane ticket I already bought. Apparently when you plan a wedding and honeymoon all sense of the value of money leaves you.
That’s enough for now. Sense a pattern? Its all been about the wedding!
Can’t wait for it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)