It's surreal that it's already time! I remember planning this part of my adventure (what, 5 months ago?) and knowing that I would be ready for a break at this point in my time abroad, particularly one that involves meeting up with two of my best friends in Paris and traveling through France and Italy with them for 16 days!!
Boy oh boy! Cay & Alex are on their flight to Paris by now, which is crazy to think about, as my flight isn't even until tomorrow night. Time changes will mess you up, no?
So, on the eve of this fantastic and much anticipated rendezvous avec mes chéris (it's funny how little yet how much high school French will stick in your brain), I can be found languidly packing for weather ranging from rainy to sunny and 50° to 80°. Fun, fun, fun! My sissy gave me some good advice: "Who cares if you wear the same thing the whole time?! Just throw some shit in a bag!" Shocking, if you know my sister, who rarely cusses. Someone's cutting loose, eh?
You can also find me frantically trying to prepare all perishable foods I have around the flat, including: 2 eggs, sauteed peppers & onions, half a kelbasa, some grapes, a bag of sugar snap peas, some ancient beets that are starting to grow hairs, a few sweet potatoes, and a 1 kilo bag of carrots. Needless to say I've been eating some strange meals for the past few days. After work today I made roasted beets & curried sweet potatoes and decided a little brown rice would bring the meal together.
It didn't.
Looks yummy, no? The sad thing is that I was actually paying attention to this. I had just put some extra water in the pot, and not 10 minutes later start smelling smoke through my (open) bedroom door. Panic ensued. Luckily we have a huge window in the kitchen that opens up into an empty courtyard, and whenever I burn something, I simply stick the offending pot out on the ledge to cool off. I was strongly considering simply leaving the pot out there - forever - but I decided to not be a total jerk and clean it (5 hours later). Unfortunately, my hands now smell disgusting and I can't get the stench out of my nose. Yay. In my defense, I have never in my life burned rice before - scout's honor!
Truthfully, just the other day I was thinking about how awesome I am at making rice in a pot, because normally the pot ends up like this:
Perfection!
Needless to say I am looking forward to the next 16 days of relatively little cooking, and there definitely will not be rice on the menu. I'm thinking wine. A lot of wine.
So, where will we three peas be for the next 16 days? Ah, put your sasspants on because you will be jealous, my friends! We'll begin our little expedition in the classical city of Paris, of course. Then we will move to the region of Tuscany in Italy to visit Pisa, Florence, and La Spezia & Cinque Terre. Next comes a night in Genoa, rounding out our Italian adventures before we move on to Nice for a few days, then one last night in Paris before the girls head back across the Big Blue and I return home to Prague (yes, home). While I don't expect to do much blogging during these travels, I'll try to post some pictures and a few updates on all of the fun we're having (and food we're eating, wine we're drinking, clubs we're hopping, and beaches we're lounging on).
For now, enjoy yet another inspirational video I've found below, and if you didn't catch the link in my last post to "Last Days: Meet Zach Sobiech," you should check his story out, too (I accidentally hid him beneath Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive."
Au revoir mes petit choux! Ciao! I look forward to blogging to you again!
Almost anyone you talk to who has taken the opportunity to study abroad will tell you it was the most amazing experience of their life. Cliche? Yes. True? Also yes.
With about six and a half weeks left before I fly back to the stars and stripes, I'm realizing that I don't really want to leave. Although I've stumbled throughout my entire stay in Prague, it's been the most rewarding and exciting time of my life. I am going to miss the independence of living on my own and the ease of living in a city. I'll miss being able to walk to work or the grocery store or just through the narrow cobblestone streets, staring up at the wedding cake that is Prague architecture. I'll definitely miss the never-ending list of things to do at anytime of the day or night, and I'll miss the adventure of meeting new people and making new friends every single day.
Now don't get me wrong, I am so excited to see my family and friends again, to experience some of the things I've been missing from home (Plaza, Qdoba, not outrageously overpriced clothes shopping), to return for my last year of undergrad and competitive volleyball, but I have a feeling that I will be longing to return to Prague after only a few steps on US soil.
My poor little mind is going to be so confused: where is home? Can home be more than one place? I suppose. Can it be more than one country, though? I don't know if I would (could) ever feel that Prague or the Czech Republic is my home the way a native might, but now I feel like I'm halfway there, and I'm leaving the party early by heading home. There's that word again; home.
Prague really does feel like home for me now. Maybe not "home home," back in Maryland or even at school in Virginia, but every time I return from a trip, I walk up the metro steps, take a deep breath, and smile. I'm back. Home. I feel certain I could call Prague "home home," given time. I can certainly see myself living here - maybe not forever, but definitely again. Prague deserves more attention than I've given it. I have, after all, already visited eight other countries over the past three months (not including Czech), will definitely be adding two more to that list, and possibly others. So really, I feel like I'm still just starting to get to know the Czech Republic, and I long to keep uncovering the secrets of its capital city of Prague.
Every time I explore a little further or take one more step out of the box I've put myself in, I am amazed at the complexity of this city. Just 15 minutes from the center you'll find rolling hills completely covered in tangles of the greenest shrubbery, spotted with homes overlooking the Vltava, or a huge park with never-ending lanes cocooned in an ongoing ceiling of giant trees. It's heartbreaking to know that most tourists won't experience the city past Old Town, and even worse, that I've really just begun to explore outside the city center myself.
As I have to start saying na shledanou to this city that has become my home, I find myself growing more and more resistant to say that goodbye. Maybe I can settle on a "goodbye for now," but not until after I peel back a few more layers and fall further in love with Prague.
Interesting things:
This song makes me want to put the volume on maximum and just move. I love it.
It's been a month and a half since I traveled to Barcelona, Spain! Not only does it seem like just last week, but I am afraid that my memories of that trip have already started to fade - truly unfortunate, because I remember feeling like everything in the world was absolutely perfect when I was in that city. Although I can't make myself truly experience those pure and absolute feelings again (except maybe with another trip - I wouldn't complain!), I can reflect on them and hope to rediscover some of the infatuating affection I felt for the city of Barcelona.
Barcelona was one of those cities where I step off the plane and immediately smile. It's just that kind of place - I couldn't help but be happy when I was there. Just from my walk down Las Ramblas to my hostel in Plaça Reial, I knew Barcelona would be my kind of city. The shops, the people, just the airs of excitement and happiness - it was all infectious. The city is full of enthralling Spanish architecture - colorful buildings, balconies, shutters - fountains, palm trees, plants, and sculptures. My only complaint? Tourists. Barcelona is chock full of 'em. Yep, I know that I am one. Wouldn't it just be dandy to explore the world as it exists without other tourists?
Besides the crowds, I don't think I could possibly have any other complaints about this city. From the amazing Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria marketplace where every morning I ate a walking breakfast of delicious, vibrant fruits and amazing, authentic empanadas, to the astoundingly, intricately beautiful and truly overwhelming Sagrada Familia, to the sublimely charming and expansive grounds of Parque Güell, to the calming and relaxing Parc de la Ciutadella, to the sapphire (and surprisingly warm) waters of the Mediterranean, I have simply fallen in love. Yup, writing about Barcelona has definitely awoken the city's spirit in me once again. My entire being is now twitching with longing to just go back. What is this pull?!
I think I've also fallen in love with Antoni Gaudí. The fact that I would never have recognized his name or works before visiting Barcelona is simply astounding. Gaudí's impact on the city is beyond obvious, from the previously mentioned Sagrada Familia and Parque Güell, to the lamp posts in Plaça Reial, Palacio Güell (directly across the street from my hostel), and Casas Batlló and Milà (La Pedrera). In my mind, "Gaudí" is simply synonymous with "Barcelona," and of course, "Catalan architecture." The character, wonderment of Barcelona? For me, it's Gaudí.
Not only does this city boast the whimsically delightful works of Antoni Gaudí, but also the lion's share of Pablo Picasso's rearing into the progressive artist he became. It's almost possible to imagine Picasso experiencing Gaudí's work and drawing inspiration, isn't it? At least in my mind, the two artists, although preferring different mediums and styles, share a certain expression - one that I am invariably attracted to and infatuated with. The pair of Spaniards are quickly developing into two of my favorite artists.
So what's next? Good question. Between the attraction I feel towards bustling Barcelona and the contentment I felt while visiting Madrid, I truly think some time spent throughout Spain in my future is necessary. Add it to the list, right? Sometimes, though, it seems like it would be just plain old ignorant to ignore your own feelings, especially when they're so strong. I guess we'll just have to wait and see where this life takes me!
Umm...I'm wondering how it became the middle of May already and I haven't really noticed. Anyone know? I guess when you travel for 15 of the past 18 days, time flies!
You want to know what else happens when you travel that much?
This.
(click to enlarge)
Uhh, yeah. That was fun to fold this morning. The good news is that from traveling I have become a lot less attached to my material belongings, and I've already started a list in my mind of the items I'll be giving away before I head back home. I think the airline baggage guys (and my wallet) will appreciate that!
Another benefit of all of this recent traveling - Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands, London, & Madrid - is that I really am feeling much more myself! Keeping busy is the key, I suppose. I read somewhere that humans tend to be happier when kept busy, but are lazy by nature. Whether scientific fact or just one person's theory, I have to agree! My favorite way to stay busy just happens to be hopping around Europe. We've all got our faults.
So anywho, have I mentioned that I am going to learn Spanish? No? I guess I haven't mentioned that I'm moving to Spain either, then. Okay, not really, but a girl can dream. I just love Spain!
Honestly, I love everywhere.
A recent conversation with Cay: Cay: You're in Madrid? Me: Yup! Cay: Sweet! How is it? Me: Beautiful!! The weather is perfect today and Spain might be my favorite country. I love it!! Cay: every country is your favorite haha Me: Okay, true. Spain is my favorite for fashion and men. And food. Me: Germany is second on fashion and men. Me: Ireland is favorite for landscape. Me: Czech is my favorite beer. Cay: and Berlin? Me: Berlin is in Germany, you nut!
Besides working on our geography, my conversation with Cay made me realize that I really have adored every country I've been lucky enough to visit. I've also always said to myself, "I can't wait to come back here" for every single city I've visited. But in Madrid I finally allowed myself to admit the truth: I might not ever get to see these places again. As heartbreaking as that realization is, it's true. Of course I've made plans in my head to return not only to Europe in general, but to all of the amazing places I've been, in addition to all of the places I want to go, but we all know that plans are useless (although planning is essential) (thank you for that wisdom, Mr. Eisenhower).
I also know that as much as I plan and try to map my life out, God has his own plans for me, and all of the ideas I have about where I want my life to head, only He really gets to decide (and let me know about those plans on His own time). So, I can wish and dream and hope (and throw tantrums when none of that works) that someday I'll get to have another experience like this, and I really pray that I do, but I have to realize that I might not. What better inspiration could there be to enjoy every second?
Last thought: flying over the Alps was one of the most breathtaking experiences of this adventure. I only wish the pictures could do the views justice!
If you were wondering, there are just 9 short days standing between me and the 16-day French/Italian adventure I have planned with Cay & Alexthat includes the destinations: Paris, Pisa, Florence, Cinque Terre/La Spezia, Genoa, and Nice! To say that I am excited is an understatement!!
My Pictures page has been updated with pictures from all of my travels! Enjoy!
Aye aye aye. What a busy little bee I have been! Between not submitting assignments for school (sorry Dr. Bob!), creating presentations that can't be opened, working on projects for my internship, battling the Czech Ministry to try to get a visa, and taking some pretty incredible trips - not to mention a bit of wallowing here and there - I have actually been quite enjoying myself & my time abroad. Really! I know that I complain sometimes (a lot), and that's a pretty bratty thing to do, but I really am having the best time of my life!
My most recent trips that I have not yet written about are: Barcelona, where I went almost a month ago (I can't believe it's been that long!), and Dublin & Edinburgh from which I just got back last night! I am heading out to the Netherlands this weekend - leaving today - to visit Rotterdam, Amsterdam, and the Tulpenfestival with my Dutch friend Robin, who I met one of my first weeks here in Prague!
So, although I don't have much time right now, I am going to try to do a quick update! I have tons & tons of beautiful pictures to share (although this girl somehow didn't charge her camera before going to Barcelona & most of the pictures are crappy quality phone pics - silly!), so check out my Pictures page, where you can scroll through the updated albums from my different destinations!
I have been a bit of a Debbie Downer lately, I know. But, recently I've been back on the horse...
Err...well I hope not David Černý's dead horse, but, uh, you know... This statue is actually in LucernaPasaz, just a quick walk from my flat, and yes, I have indeed seen it in person, although this is not my picture.
My return to normalcy started with an awesome party at Palackeho on the riverbanks of the Vltava. I accidentally ran through the party when I went for an afternoon jog through my neighborhood and then the two blocks down to the river - have I mentioned the location of my flat is amazing?! Later, my friend Colin asked if I wanted to join him and some of his friends from his studio, and although I was initially a little reluctant (irrationally), I decided to go. I am so glad I did! Not only did I get to meet some awesome people - mostly Czechs - but I really had a great, carefree night hanging out in good company on a beautiful evening.
Rome. What a beautiful city! So full of life, beautiful architecture - buildings, fountains, ruins. Rome is certainly a city that everyone should see in their lifetime! I was lucky enough to get to visit both Rome and one of my best friends at the same time!
I had a great time catching up with Carly and getting to spend more time with Katie and Jacqueline, and we did so many fun things! Gelato, awe-inspiring architecture, the amazing Italian food, and getting to see Mumford & Sons in concert were definitely the highlights of my trip!
Although the forecast threatened rain, Mother Nature was on our side for the weekend and not a drop fell while I was there. It was quite a bit colder than I expected, and I was definitely not prepared with a proper coat, but a little chill in the air didn't hinder our adventures!
After my plane landed, I followed the signs leading me to the train, purchased my ticket, and headed into Rome! I had two sets of directions - one from my hostel and one from Carly - and Carly's were much clearer for what train to take away from the airport. Unfortunately, her directions only led me to the tram stop closest to her housing, so once I got off, I was left to wander my way to my hostel. After quite a while of walking around and not finding the right road, I finally bought a map and tried to follow the hostel's directions, which were actually from a different stop. My amazing sense of direction had me walk completely the wrong way, across the river, down and around and about. Although getting to walk around Rome and see it's beauty was exciting, after almost two hours, I just wanted to find my hostel! I finally buckled down with my map, figured out where I was and where I was supposed to go, and started my trek. I was nowhere near where I was supposed to be! Oops. I finally found the right address, found Orsa Maggiore Hostel for women only, and checked in.
I was much later getting in than I expected because of my lost wandering, and Carly was just about to leave for her cooking class when I finally got in touch. Thankfully, Katie and Jacqueline were kind enough to come collect me, and we made our way through their neighborhood to a grocery store for them to stock up and get some food to make dinner.
Walking through their neighborhood was great! Their housing is on a quiet street, but just a quick walk to a charming area with tons of shops, cafes, bars, and beautiful piazzas, statues, fountains, and buildings! It was dusk when we were walking around, and everything looked beautiful all lit up!
When we got back to their place, which is right around the corner from my hostel, we hung out, caught up, and Jacqueline made us dinner. Katie had made a spur-of-the-moment chocolate pie purchase at the grocery store, and we dug into that while Jacqueline was cooking. As their roommates filtered in and out, several asked if our pie was to celebrate Pi Day (the 14th of March - 3.14). We hadn't even thought of that! It was fun to "celebrate" and not even know it, and the pie was delicious!
When Carly came home, she told us about how repetitive and boring making homemade gnocchi is, but how delicious and fun it is to bake Nutella cookies! We hung out for a while, and eventually I left for a quick nap at my hostel before meeting back up and heading out for the night. When we reunited, we made our way through Rome's winding cobblestone streets and ended up at the Pantheon! The Pantheon is MASSIVE, and although I am sure it is not as beautiful as when it was covered in marble, is still an incredible sight - especially when lit up at night!
After a few pictures, we continued on our way to get my first genuine, Italian gelato! Yup. It was AWESOME.
Jacqueline headed home to get some sleep before a bright and early field trip the next morning, and Carly, Katie, and I went out and about.
The neighborhood the girls live in is great! The whole area is crawling with people our age, and it's almost like a college town! We had so much fun just walking around with our 3 euro 40s, sitting on the steps, and being harassed by local Italian boys about our favorite football team.
After a relaxed night, we headed home - my hostel had a 3am curfew, anyway (which I did not know before booking >:( ) The next morning I woke up bright and early - waking up at 7:15 every morning for work will do that to you on vacation, and hung out at the hostel since the girls weren't up until around 11. Carly and Katie met me and we headed out for some sightseeing, while Jacqueline met up with us after her field trip! The list included the cat sanctuary in the center of Rome (so cool!), the Pantheon in the daylight,Vatican City & St. Peter's Square where I sent some postcards (were you lucky enough to get one??), the Via del Corso which is the crazy busy shopping street in Rome, the Barcaccia Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and so much more! We were exhausted after so much excitement and walking, and by the time we got to Tony's for dinner, we were so ready to sit and relax!
Tony's is a very yummy, very Italian restaurant in the girls' neighborhood. We all started with bread, oil and balsamic, water, wine, and bruschetta. Jacqueline and I enjoyed Tony's pesto, Katie got lasagna, and the real star of the meal was Carly's penne in vodka sauce! So delicious! By the time we finished, I was falling asleep at the table, but when the waiter brought two tiramisu out for us to share (on the house), I woke up long enough to enjoy the dessert! The last time the girls had been to Tony's, they had been given several treats on the house as well, and it was extra fun, as we realized that nobody else in the section we were sitting in was getting the special treatment that we were! It pays to travel in a group of young girls ;)
Next, of course, I headed to the hostel for a quick nap before heading out for the night, and man, did I need it! After meeting up with the girls, our first stop of the night was the chocolate bar, and yes, it is as amazing as it sounds! The line was out the door (and, well, it's kind of hard not to be with how teeny tiny the bars are in Italy), but the wait was not too long and totally worth it! The bar serves up shots of Baileys mixed with chocolate sauce and topped with whipped cream in a completely edible, completely delicious chocolate shot glass! It is so fun! You just drop the whole thing in your mouth - it's quite a mouthful, but quite delicious - and enjoy!!
We headed to a few other places, and after an extremely long bathroom break for Katie, she returned to us apologizing that the toilets were overflowing, but brought back a friend. Uhm...yes...it really happened like that and was that hilarious (sorry, Katie!). Apparently this isn't the first time Katie has met friends in the bathroom! The guy was Irish but living in London, and he and his friends invited us to join them at another bar. Who can say no to that accent?? We walked around with them and actually ended up taking them to one of the girls' favorite bars, 8 Millimeter. The place was quirky, artsy, and full of cool people and awesome bartenders. One bartender asked me to marry him later by the new Pope. Of course I said "yes!"
We lost half the group of Irish/Englishmen, but two hung around with us, and we went to a bar with a ridiculous selection of beer, then to get crepes. I had my first crepe - Nutella and banana - and I am sold. What a delicious concoction! I have eaten more Nutella in Europe than I have during the first 20 years of my life!
We finally called it a night - all the bars seem to close around 2am in Rome, such a bummer (and very different from Prague and many other European cities). Unfortunately, the night's excitement for me hadn't truly even hit.
So, I get back to the hostel right before 3am, ready myself for bed, chat with my Momma, and finally head to bed around 4am. I wake up later to the girl in the bed next to me moaning really loud. In my mostly-asleep state, I am just pissed that she is being so loud, roll over, and kind of fall back asleep.
Next thing I know, it feels like somebody is sitting on the end of my bed. Again, in my half-asleep state, I thought that somebody sat down to put their shoes on or something, and although I found that inconsiderate, figured I would just ask them to not sit on my bed while I am sleeping in it. I opened my eyes to see who it was and ask them to move, and was greeted by the completely bare naked ass of the girl from the bed next to mine, the one that was moaning. She had her pants pulled down and was squatting over my bed!! I AM NOT KIDDING!
Me: What the hell are you doing?!
Girl: Going to the bathroom.
Me: On my bed?!
Girl: Yeah, it's fine.
Me: No! What the hell? Go to the bathroom!
Girl: Sorry, sorry, it's not that bad (starts moving towards another bed to defile).
Me: NO! GO TO THE BATHROOM!!!
Girl: (finally walks away to go to the restroom)
Me: (totally pissed off & rips top 3 blankets off bed, goes back to sleep)
Okay, so I don't know if the girl actually peed on my bed (and, in retrospect, I probably caught her before she did), but come on! Honestly, this is just karma getting me back for all of the crappy situations I put other people in during my not-so-responsible high school years, and it truly gets funnier and funnier every time I tell the story. But, I was pissed at the time!!
The girl was obviously very very drunk, and it was entertaining the next morning to hear her friends tell her that no, she didn't do anything embarrassing last night, then get to tell her that she peed on my bed (I know, I am mean). But, I was still really mad at the time, and seeing the girl embarrassed after she asked me to explain exactly what happened (because she didn't remember - no duh, Sherlock, you were hammered) felt like retribution for having to see this girl's bum squatting over my bed. She apologized, and I am embarrassed (now) to say I wasn't particularly gracious. Live and learn?
What really made me angry (and still does) is the hostel's response to the incident. Obviously, they did not see fit to refund me for the night or charge the girl extra, which I do understand, but I don't think that asking for new sheets and blankets was too much! Although it might have been a language barrier thing, the woman working refused my request twice before finally agreeing to have my bed made up with new linens. Who knows if that actually happened. But, like I said before, I think I caught the girl before she actually started going to the bathroom.
What a fun night, right? On top of this excitement, of course I still woke up way too early, so right around four hours of sleep for the second night in a row was just awesome =)
The next morning Carly and I did a bit more sight seeing, which included Rome's massive Parliament building, the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and the Arch of Titus (I think). We had a fun time, and eventually parted ways to get ready for the Mumford & Sons concert!!!!!
Mumford & Sons is an awesome folk rock band from the UK (although a couple members are from the U.S.). Their music is wonderful, and many songs have religious underpinnings.
The group has been touring Europe, and even before I left the States for Prague, I learned that they were having a show in Prague and wanted to go! Unfortunately, instead of buying tickets right then and there, I dilly dallied and waited, and the show in Prague was sold out by the time I got around to checking back. I was so upset at the time, but it ended up being a blessing!
Katie and Jacqueline both had tickets for the show, and Carly and I had our fingers crossed and were hoping to scalp two when we arrived. After a scary taxi ride, we were immediately approached by an older Italian man at the venue. We were confused as to whether he wanted tickets or was selling them, and finally realized he wanted to sell them to us - well, that was easy. At first the price was€60, but once the guy realized we wanted two tickets, it was magically raised to €140 for the pair -____- what an ass. We looked over the tickets thoroughly, comparing them to Jacqueline and Katie's, and they looked completely real. There was a shiny, metallic part, a barcode - things that we figured would be pretty difficult to copy. We were satisfied, paid the guy, and got in line. While waiting, I was looking over my ticket, and cold shivers came over me when I realized that my ticket said "Mumford Song." Uhm...shouldn't it say "Mumford Sons?" Yup, it should. We had looked over the tickets so well and completely missed the most obvious mistake! Carly and I were pissed, and decided to find the fraudulent Italian man.
Hell hath no fury like two 20-year-olds jipped out of €140!!
We were walking around, asking each other if we remembered what he looked like or what he was wearing. Neither of us did, but we finally saw the guy, and once he saw us, he surprisingly walked over to us. Using our future-mom voices, we firmly told the guy the tickets were fake, pointed out the mistake, and demanded our money back. He told us that it wouldn't matter that the tickets were fake, that it wouldn't be a problem - yeah, right!After some arguing, the guy relented, and gave us our money back with the promise that we wouldn't tell anyone else that his tickets were fake. Nobody was more surprised than us that we got our money back!
We went back in line, and tried to figure out what to do. The fraudulent Italian had a friend who tried to sell us tickets as we were returning the fake ones, but his looked fake, too, so we passed. While we were waiting in line, though, the guy brought over yet another scalper, who offered us his tickets for €100 each. There was no way we were paying that much, and we told him so. After a while, he returned, and told us he would sell them for €80 each. We asked to look over the tickets, and this time we really were thorough. Everything was good - different barcodes on each ticket, different serial numbers, the correct price, etc. He explained that he bought them in Florence, where the group had had their previous show. We decided that these ones actually were real, and that the extra €10 per ticket was worth it! We finally had real tickets!
It turns out that the fraudulent Italian was right - his fake (& cheaper) tickets would have been just fine. Although the tickets were super intense with barcodes and shiny things, and more, the guy checking our tickets barely even glanced at them before admitting us, and I am sure that many many people got in with fake tickets! Oh well, we didn't care!
The concert was incredible and I am so happy and thankful that I got to go!
After waiting a ridiculous amount of time trying to catch a taxi (we're talking hours here), crashing a disco birthday party full of 40-somethings dressed and dancing like teenagers - which I would like to erase from my mind - and eating some birthday cake, we finally made it home!
We walked around for a bit, I got some late-night pizza, and we all crashed for the night.
The next morning, Carly and I went around for my last sights of Rome, my last Italian gelato (for now), and an attempt to buy some genuine Italian leather (seriously, who doesn't take credit cards for a $25 purchase). The morning was dreary and punctuated by the incredibly heartbreaking loss of the Seton Hill women's lacrosse coach and her unborn baby, along with the injured players and deceased bus driver. Having traveled so much on buses with our own team, the tragedy hit home. For Carly, whose mother works at the school and who has many friends as students there, the tragedy was particularly difficult.
We said goodbye, Carly loaded me onto the tram, and I said "ciao" to my long weekend in Rome.
After such a long trip, I returned home exhausted. My trip was great, but it is always a good feeling to be back home, in your own flat, with your own bed, able to cook your own food, and not having to worry about your roommates peeing on you in the middle of the night =)
