Roaming through Rome and partaking in Poland

What a city, Rome is. I arrived in the early afternoon to my friend Chrissy waiting for me at the train station. We drop off my stuff at her apartment and right away get out into the mix. Nothing like having a tour guide in a scenic city!

Chrissy knows the trains well and we venture out to do some sight-seeing. It was very considerate of her to show me these places even though she has probably seen them multiple times. We saw the Spanish steps, the fountain of Trevi, Piazza de Navona, the Pantheon, and more. There is so much to see in Rome. The history is rich in Rome, obviously.

It was nice and warm when I arrived. We sat to eat lunch and Chrissy said that it had rained at 4:00pm the last couple of days. Once 4:00pm hit, whatta ya know? Rain... I had a delicious gnocchi dish. Also, the lead guitarist for Rammstein was sitting next to us. People on the streets walking by were asking to take a picture with him and the Norwegian couple sitting at the table next to us did too.  I didn't recognize him. We tried to wait out the rain and then decided to screw it and walk in the warm summer rain. It wasn't a heavy rain so it wasn't a bad walk.

I love taking public transport in foreign cities. I guess I should clarify. I love taking public transport when I can figure out what is going on. It can be overwhelming at times. I have yet to get too lost or taken way off track. I'm sure it's bound to happen.

After taking the city bus back to Chrissy's, we relax and talk for a while. I'll tell you this now. I had only met Chrissy once. It was in Denver the year before and we only met because of a friend of a friend. I had not talked to her since that night we met and here she is letting me stay with her in Rome! Chrissy barely knew me and took me in like we were old pals. I can't express how thoughtful the gesture is to let me stay with her. So needless to say, we talked to get to know each other better. It was such a comfortable conversation. It did feel like we had known each other for a long time. After a nice talk, we get ready to go meet with a friend of hers in an area called Trastevere. We didn't find her friend so we had some dinner in the same area. It is right next to the Tiber river. Very charming area. We even had a funny street performer do magic in front of us. He was actually pretty good. 

It was time to go home after a nice dinner. We took the bus home and I have never been in a city bus that was so packed. It was the last bus of the night so all the younger kids were trying to get back after the bars. We literally couldn't move. Luckily, we didn't have far to go because it was a tight sqeeze. It is pretty neat to be in a city bus and pass places like the Colosseum and other magnificent buildings. I was a little awestruck.

The next day I slept in till 9:30am. It felt nice. I decided to walk Rome. I walked from Chrissy's place, which was a little southeast of the center of Rome. i walked to the Colosseum first. It was a couple of miles away. What a sight! I didn't go in because the queue was very long but I did walk around it and took lots of pictures. Then I walked to the Vatican. Another amazing place. It was bigger than I thought. So many people walking around. I didn't go in there either. I know, what's the point of going. I just enjoy seeing the outside of these buildings and I was pinching pennies. Italy is expensive. After walking around Vatican City, I went up north more to see the Piazza de Popolo. It was one of the bigger piazzas I had visited. I was a long way from home and it was hot. I decided to make my way back. I stopped by the Colosseum one more time. It is such a wonderful piece of architecture. This place is full of them. If you are a history buff and haven't been to Rome, I strongly encourage visiting.

I grab a slice of pizza on my walk home. The pizza here is a little different than in Florence. In Rome, they ask you how big of a piece you want, weigh it and then cut it in half and fold it together like a sandwich. The pizza tasted better in Rome. Both were good, though.

Finally, made it home. I was beat! I walked for five hours straight. Only to stop for pictures and a slice of pizza. Chrissy had an appointment that evening so I just relaxed and wrote in my journal. It is nice to get caught up. That evening was another delicious Italian dinner with some wine and good conversation.

The next day I was very sore. I was surprised since that's all I have been doing on my travels is walking. I decide it's a good day to get caught up on the travel blog. It had been over three weeks since I had posted and I felt bad. Plus, I was getting yelled at by someone for not blogging enough. I won't name names. They know who they are. I do like the encouragement, though. I typed for over four hours! The only thing I haven't posted enough of were pictures. It's just really hard since it takes so long to download and upload. 

After I finish up my blog, Chrissy gets home and she suggests we take a train to a close little town called Frascati. It was a cheap and quick trip there. We buy some pizza and then sit at a cafe and drink a beer and people-watch. Chrissy was excited because she found a store that sold skin care products she likes. I was excited because we went into a gelato place and it was cheap and I got three scoops!

The next day was my last full day in Rome. It has been very nice and relaxing. I walked around the neighborhood and checked out a street market. I bought some beers for Chrissy and I since we were going to the beach. Castel Porziano beach to be exact. Chrissy bought a beach umbrella and we grabbed some pizza and we were on our way! We had to take two different trains and a kind of long bus ride to get there but it was a nice beach. I tried out my new bright orange swim trunks. I keep trying to get these white legs of mine tan so I bought some shorter shorts than I usually wear. I can't seem to get these chicken legs tan. 

The water was nice. It was a hot day. I got in the water a couple times.  Of course, there were topless ladies there. It's funny how it's ho-hum to me now. I'm losing my American sense of modesty. Not such a bad thing, I think. We only had a couple hours there since we were meeting with some of Chrissy's friends for dinner. 

The trip home was faster. We both get ready speedy-like and head to the meeting place. I meet Gina, Maggie and Kylie. Me and a bunch of girls. Nothing new. Gina is from the states and Maggie and Kylie are from Australia. The place we were at was cool. You pay 10 euro for your first drink and it includes food. They had a great spread of pasta, veggies, meats, cheeses, olives and bread. It was all very good. We all sit for a while and talk. Everyone I met was really nice and easy to talk to. Everyone seemed so well traveled. I was getting pointers and tips for upcoming destinations of mine. You can't have too many resources.

After dinner, we walk to a bar to have drinks. As time passes, it starts to get pretty busy. It's Friday so I guess it makes sense. We all talk some more and have some wine and beer. It starts to get pretty late so Chrissy and I make our way to the train station to catch the last train. We just happen to catch the last one.

The next morning Chrissy is nice enough to make breakfast for us. She goes with me to the train station to make sure I make the bus to the airport. Chrissy, you are a wonderful and generous person! Grazie mille, doesn't say it enough. You have been awesome! Some day, I hope to return the favor.

So I am off to Krakow, Poland. I wasn't sure where to go next. I had been told Krakow was great and cheap so I booked a flight and a hostel a couple days before I left.

I get to Krakow at around 5:00pm. I read that it was easy to take a train to the city center. I start walking, following signs that say train. I get to the stop and ask a taxi driver if I was in the right spot. He didn't speak much English. He tells me the next train is in 25 minutes and asked whether I would like a taxi. I ask him how much and he says 15 zloty. I read that the train was around 12, so I think it's a good deal. The exchange rate is a little more than 3.5 zlloty to a dollar so it was cheap, so I hop in. I attempt to talk to the driver but he doesn't understand me very well. He does point out museums and other interesting buildings. We get to the city center, or market square, as they call it and I only had a 50 zloty bill I exchanged in Rome. I hand it to him and he says thank you. I told him I needed change. In broken English, he said it was 15. He pulls out a pad of paper and writes down 50. This whole time I was thinking 15, but it was 50. I tell him I thought it was 15 and tell him that's all the money I have. He starts to get a little frustrated and rubs his face a few times and then writes down 25. I say great and he gives me 25 back and I rush out of the cab. He wasn't very happy with me. Come to find out, that was a very good deal for me. 

I get dropped off really close to my hostel. The hostel is pretty much in the market square. Great location. I check in, get a tour of the hostel and meet my dorm mates. I meet Keer, she is an Asian from Manchester, England. Then I meet Tom and Robert. Two young Dutch guys who live in Amsterdam. Later I meet David, he is from Houston. I get settled in and then go to the common room to meet more people and see what there is to do. There were these Welsh guys who now live in Krakow, Sean and Rich, who were funny. I also met another David from Canada who lives in Krakow now, too. He was putting together a vodka tasting in the common room. I also met another Canadian named Dan whom I hung out with mostly that night. 

David starts handing out shots of vodka. It's lemon and cherry flavored vodka. He then makes a shot called a Mad Dog. We ask what's in it and he wouldn't say until we tried them. Not a good sign. We all take shots. It burns. Turns out to be vodka, raspberry syrup and Tabasco. Not my favorite combination. The room is full with people taking shots now. Dan and I call it quits on the vodka and then some other girls who work at the hostel tell us about the pub crawl going on. Funny, cuz I booked this hostel as opposed to another one that was recommended to me called, "Greg and Tom's Party Hostel" because I read it was too much party there. I guess you really can't escape it in hostels.

Dan and I decide to try the pub crawl. My dorm mates, Tom, Robert and Keer decide to stay. The people going on the pub crawl start to leave the hostel to go to the meeting spot. There is only Dan and I and two girls who work at the hostel. I start to think it's going to be a lame pub crawl. We get to the meeting spot and there are about 100 people there. It turns out to be the biggest pub crawl I've been in. We get to the first place and pretty much take over. We pay our 60 zloty and it's all you can drink for an hour and a half. Dan and I meet a couple of girls from Finland and Australia. They were nice and then decided to ignore us. We meet other people and everyone is very nice. The next bar was cool. I am amazed at how they can direct so many people on this crawl. Talk to some more cool people and drink some more beer. Beer here is 4-6 zloty, by the way. Ridiculously cheap. After two bars, it was time to go to the first dance club. Dan and I see the Finnish and Aussie girls again. We dance with them a little and then they disappear. Off to the last dance club. Dan is talking to a new girl every time we get separated and then meet up again. It was funny. He must be quite the charmer. The last dance club was very big. I lose the people I was hanging with most of the night so I decide to leave early. It was 3:00am. What a way to get introduced to a new city. I guess it's not the first time I've been introduced this way. It was a fun night.

The next morning I talk to Tom, Robert and Keer. They are going to the Schindler Factory. They ask if I want to join, so I do. It was about a two mile walk. We did get a little lost but eventually found it. It was a really interesting museum. This type of subject matter is really heavy and emotional. We walk around the museum for a couple of hours and then we head back to the market square. We stop at one of the restaurants to have a cheap beer and talk. We stayed there for a while and talked to our server, Kasia for a while too. It was her Dad's restaurant/bar. She gave the best service I have had in Europe. I was amazed. Since nobody works for tips in Europe, the level of service isn't what it is in America. Kasia is the exception. She tells us to come back for karaoke. We agreed to do so.

We get back to the hostel and we all take a nap. We find out the hostel has organized a karaoke night at one of the bars as well. Robert decides to go to the hostel one and Tom, Keer and I go back to Kasia's place for karaoke. It wasn't very busy. Everyone in there is a local except for us. The first few people who sing are really good. It was a mixture of American music and Polish music. The three of us have a hard time deciding on a song. We settle on "Summer Lovin'" from Grease. It was pretty bad. We stayed a little longer, sang one more song and decided we would try and meet up with the other karaoke people. We find them after some time searching and it was all winding down a bit. This bar was mostly doing Polish music so we left. I had enough karaoke for one night.

The next day we all woke up late and we were all in slow motion. Robert, Tom and Keer were going to Auschwitz. They asked me to join. We weren't really sure how to get there. We walk to the bus station and I ask a lady but she doesn't speak English and she just points to an area. We walk that way and see a mini bus with a sign that said Auschwitz. It was only 24 sloty round trip. It took about an hour and a half to get there. We got there after 3:00pm so we got in free. We didn't have a tour guide either. We just walked around and checked everything out ourselves. It was a lot bigger than I had thought. It was an extremely emotional place. More so than the Schindler factory. At one point, I think we were all so emotional that we sat a table and discussed what we all knew about the holocaust. It was a very serious and captivating discussion. I still can't believe how this all happened.

Enough seriousness. I was glad I was able to visit Auschwitz. We barely made the last bus back to town. Robert and Tom had a night train to catch so Keer and I said farewell to them. They were really, really fun and cool guys. I hope to visit them in Amsterdam some day. 

After Auschwitz, I was drained. I went to bed super early. It was nice. I woke up the following day early enough for breakfast and refreshed. There was a free walking tour and a few of us from the hostel decided to do it. It was one of the better walking tours I have done. Our tour guide, Joanna, was really good and very cute. She spoke multiple languages, of course. I am so impressed with how many multi-lingual people I have met. It is truly inspiring and I wish the American educational system would adopt the idea. I know... one thing at a time.

After the walking tour, the four of us from the hostel (Dan the Canadian, Sam, another Canadian and Emilio, a New Yorker) went to go eat pierogis. They are little dumplings. I had the Polish sampler that came with mushroom/olive ones, cheese, meat and potato pierogis. Cheap and good. Less than $4 for the meal. Emilio and I headed back to the hostel. We chilled for a bit and then for a walk a few hours later to a restaurant that was recommend. Here, I had a potato pancake dish with goulash. Extremely filling and equally as scrumptious. 

After dinner, Emilio and I grabbed some beers and hung out in the common room to chat with people. The two Welsh guys, Sean and Rich, were there and they wanted to go do karaoke. They obviously love karaoke in Krakow. Emilio and I go with Sean and Rich and Rich's girlfriend to a bar to check it out. Since Sean and Rich know the bartender, we get a beer for three sloty. That's less than a dollar. Craziness. The bar had a bunch of young Polish kids singing Polish songs. I was tired and left after one beer. I think I've had enough karaoke for a while.

The next day, I decided it was a good day to do a solo day. I walked to the Jewish Quarter and went into some museums and just surveyed they area. It was a cool neighborhood. I was close to another recommended restaurant and went there to eat healthy. I have had enough kebabs and street food. I had an awesome salad and some lemonade for 15 sloty. I would have eaten here everyday if it were closer to the hostel. After lunch, I walked along the Wisła river. It is actually pronounced, vee swa. It was fun to try and pronounce the words here. 

That night, David, the Canadian who lives in Krakow was putting together a "hug crawl." It is a pub crawl where everyone gives out hugs on the street. It was a success. We even got, Kay, a wonderful 67-years-young California woman to join. I hung out with Kay almost the entire night. She was truly and inspiration to a lot of people who met her. She travels by herself for two months every year and stays in hostels. What a lovely woman. We even danced at one of the clubs. She is a very good dancer. We picked up some randoms along the crawl. They were drawn to the "Free Hugs!" sign and the welcome reception of randoms hugging in the street. We even gathered some locals to join. Overall, a successful crawl. Good job, David!

The following day was my last in Krakow. It was another good day to just walk around and take in this beautiful city. Emilio and I grabbed some delicious lunch at a random place and just hung out in the common room. Staying in one place for a while has allowed me to meet so many people and get to know them well. I extended my stay in Krakow a couple of days after a few too many beers one day and I didn't regret it. I know of at least ten other people who did the same. If you are ever in Krakow, stay at the Flamingo Hostel. The place and the staff are the best!

It was time for me to leave Krakow, sadly. I will definitely be back. I was now headed to an all-too-familiar spot, Hereford!!! I have missed my roommates, Jill and Sean, and decided to go back for a third visit. They are probably sick of me. Now it is time to spend some quality time with these two amazing people and plan on where to go next. Greece, perhaps. Then, out of Europe and into Istanbul, India, Southeast Asia and beyond!!

Pictures are coming, I promise.

Be well!

Changing things up

So, I last left off by explaining our silly two minute taxi ride when we arrived in Dubrovnik. We had to leave Budapest a day early in order to get all the way down to Dubrovnik, so I had big expectations. Let me just say that I was not disappointed. 

Bianca and I got in pretty early, around 8:00am. We were staying at a guesthouse and check-in wasn't until 2:00pm. Toni, the guesthouse owner encouraged us to put on our bathing suits and go for a walk. We followed his suggestion. We first ate a nice breakfast. It was the first time on our trip that we had an egg-based breakfast. So we were energized and began our walk around the coastline. It was a beautiful walk, much like a trail walk. There weren't any sandy beaches to stop and enjoy, but the turquoise water looked very inviting. We get to a small beach and it's a rock beach. No sand. I kicked off my flip flops to test the water and had to walk gingerly to the water, as I wasn't used to walking on river rocks to walk into water and my poor feet have endured miles and miles of walking during my travels. The water was quite cold. You had to pay about $10 for a lounge chair if you didn't want to put your towel on rocks. We decided to keep walking to another beach we saw on the map. We find ourselves walking with others who are looking for this beach as well. You had to walk through resorts to get there. We find the area it was supposed to be in and there are nice restaurants and cafes along the walkway to the beach. We decide to have a drink at one of the cafes. I have a beer and Bianca tries a drink that was on the signage in front. It was called a Movida. Bianca loved it and everywhere else we went to up have a drink, she would ask for it but they never had heard of it. So, after the drinks we get to the beach and relax after our long journey there. It was very warm. Perfect beach weather. After relaxing, I get in the water and it was colder than I had hoped but it was nice. Bianca and I chill at the beach for a few hours and we make it back to our guesthouse. 

We clean up and go to the Old City to have dinner at a restaurant that Toni suggested. The Old City is surrounded by these tall walls and it is a maze of shops and restaurants inside. It was spectacular! We found the restaurant with pure dumb luck. The place was called Taj Mahal but served Bosnian food. Not sure why. The food was great. We walked around some more and decided to check out a club that was recommended. It was too early and too expensive. We then went to a different club that was suggested but it was too early for that place too. We settled on an Irish pub within the city walls. The place was packed. Bianca and I had a couple of drinks and enjoyed the people watching. On our way back, we stopped at a kabob place by our guesthouse. They were out of pretty much everything. The place was busy with after hours people too. I settled on what the guy in the window suggested and it was delicious. Good ole Kebob Bob came through. Not a bad first day in Dubrovnik. 

The next day, Bianca and I booked a boat trip that does and island hop. The boat wasn't that full, which was nice. We couldn't find the boat we initially were going to get on but Toni said they are all pretty much the same. The first island was called, Kolocep. It was pretty small and we didn't have much time there but it was nice. Bianca like the post office there. The next island was Sipan. We had a little more time here and it was lovely as well. We were going to go to the beach but the "beach" was just about 20 feet of rocks and there were already people there which meant it was full. We instead walked around to see a bit of the island. It was very beautiful and quiet. The last island was Lopud. We had the most time here. We were told to take a golf cart taxi to the beach to maximize our time. It was worth it. The beach was actually a sandy beach! It was fantastic! I got in the water and sun bathed. Bianca did the same. Of course, there were topless ladies everywhere and even a full nudist part at the end. I didn't get a good look at that part of the beach but Bianca did. The boat trip was a great idea.

Dubrovnik was a great find by Bianca. I never would have thought to go there. Great job, B! I was feeling a quite tired after the boat trip (too much wine) so I slept most of the bus ride to Split, our next stop. Bianca chummed it up with the girls next to us on the bus. They were five girls from Montreal. They were extremely charismatic and seemed like a lot of fun. The bunch of the, always take a big trip somewhere together. They told Bianca about a private tour they were doing the following day to a place called Plitvice Lakes. It is a national park in Croatia and according to many, a must see. We exchanged information with the girls after getting off the bus and they were nice enough to invite us on their trip to the lakes. They said they would ask to see if they could add two more people. They got back to us by email saying it was fine for us to join if we would like. Bianca and I researched it a little and it looked like a beautiful place so we decided to go.

Our accommodations in Split were great. I booked a place last second. It was an apartment really close to the main boardwalk and port in Split. The owner's name was Goga. She was a treat. She met us at the post office next to the bus station and walked us to her place. It was a nice little one bedroom apartment with a washer too! We actually were able to do laundry! What a luxury! We were going to meet the French Canadians for drinks but I guess we went to the wrong place. We didn't stay up too late since we had to get up early for the trip to the lakes. 

We arrived at the meeting place at 7:45am with croissants and pastries for everyone. The girls were down a girl since one got sick so there was six of us now. The girls' names were Marie-Eve, Caroline, Clodanne and Corine. We met our driver, Mario. He was a nice young man who spoke seven languages at the young age of 22. The weather wasn't great on the way up. It was windy and cold and it didn't look like most of us were dressed for that kind of weather. It was about a two and a half our drive. Poor Corine got sick on the way up. I'll tell you this, I have never seen someone smile so much when they are about to puke. She was a trooper!

The lakes were remarkable! The color of the water was one I had never seen before. There were waterfalls everywhere and tall green trees as far as the eye can see. We walked around a lot and took boats to other parts of the park. Unfortunately, we couldn't get in the water. It looked very inviting, even though it was cold. I guess this park is the main attraction in Croatia, I guess besides the islands. I would suggest that if anyone is ever in Croatia, to go see the lakes.

After a long trek through the park, luckily the weather cooperated with us and we were fine, we went to a restaurant that Mario recommended. The food was fine. The girls provided plenty of entertainment. They were making up songs and flirting with the waiter. Actually, the waiter was flirting with them. The waiter gave us all a shot of grappa. Corine wisely chose not to partake. The grappa was like firewater. It burned going down. It was a nice gesture.

We finally got back to town and Bianca and I were going to meet some of the girls for a drink. We met at a really hip place called cafe Figa. Clodanne and Marie-Eve were the only ones that made it out. I also got a pleasant surprise! Amelia, from my Ireland and London traveling days was in Split too and she met up. We had a nice time talking and drinking. Amelia had an early departure the next day so she couldn't stay long. The Canadians, though, they had a 4:30am pickup for the airport so they decided to stay up all night instead. Ballsy! The four of us went to a dance club and danced a little. There were a lot of youngsters around. It was fun, all the same. Bianca and I walked Marie-Eve and Clodanne home and said good-bye.

Whilest at the bar, the Canadian girls and Amelia had recommended Hvar, which is an island not too far away from split. Bianca and I discussed and played a hunch and decided to move around ferry dates and shorten our stay in Italy to check it out. 

We initially said we would go for a day. I booked a late apartment the next morning and we got a ferry ticket to Hvar. The ferry ride was only an hour. We had to walk a good distance to our apartment and it was warm out. The owners of the apartment didn't speak English and kept talking to us in Italian. I understand a little. The man gave me the keys and we put on our bathing suits and went out exploring Hvar. Again, the beaches are all river rocks and big boulders to lay on. We stopped in a market to get snacks and Bianca met two girls from Australia who invited us to take a boat taxi to a nearby island. They also informed us that we would have to buy our ferry tickets back to split the day before because they always sell out. So instead of a boat taxi to another island, we had to wait for the ferry ticket booth to open. We finally take care of the ticket back to Split and we went to a bar that everyone told us about called Hula Hula. They have these padded chaise lounge chairs that you normally have to pay about $10 to use but since it was after 4:00pm, it was free. We lounged for a while and I jumped into the water and we had some drinks. Bianca then starts talking to the guys next to us and she introduces me. Their names are Jakob and Martin are they are from Sweden. Jakob said he was an entrepreneur and Martin is an entertainer. Come to find out, Jakob owns some clubs in Sweden and Martin sings with Swedish House Mafia. I had never heard of Swedish House Mafia.

The guys are really nice and buy us a couple of drinks. They invited us to dinner and so I gave Jakob my number. I thought it was a long shot that we would meet up but Bianca and I got ready. The shower in our apartment was a space age coffin with water that didn't stay hot for long but all is good, we like Hvar so far. I texted Jakob that Bianca and I were heading into town and I never hear back from him. It's about a 15 minute walk and Bianca I wait for a little while longer in a popular area and Bianca spots them. She actually spots Martin's stylish hat. I'm not sure if they are glad to see us or not. I asked if they got my text and Jakob said yes and just told us to follow them to the restaurant. I was a bit confused but followed anyway. The restaurant was very nice and expensive. I tried to order the cheapest thing on the menu. The guys order a bottle of wine for the table and some appetizers. I get a feeling this is going to be an expensive dinner. We don't stop there. We get grappa and dessert. We had a nice dinner with pleasant conversation and then the bill comes. I look at it first and it's over $300. I try and act cool and reach for my wallet and Jakob says, "no, we invited you to dinner so we'll take care of it." I feel relieved and respond with the courteous,"No, you don't have to do that." But insisted and so we accepted. They just said to buy them a drink at the next bar. 

We go to the next bar and it's packed with rowdy young kids. We have a drink there and Martin buys shots. We leave and go to another bar. We have a beer and they buy more shots. I buy a round of just beers and feel like I really can't pull my own weight around here. Then they wanted to go to this wine bar they know of. It's getting pretty late. I think it was around 2:00am when we get there and the owner was just locking the place up. The guys talk to him for sec and convince him to re-open. The owner is a really nice guy who reminded me of Captain Lou Albano without the rubber bands on his face. His name is Vidan. He lets some other people in. I think they were Russia. Vidan starts pouring 

Wine for everyone and then hands a guitar to Martin. Martin starts to wail away on the guitar and belt out song lyrics. He is a great guitar player and has a good voice but doesn't know many lyrics. He was like a human jukebox. Anything anyone would shout out, he would play. He even played a Croatian song for one of the other people in the bar. Vidan was starting to get worried about the noise. He kept telling Martin to keep it down a little. It didn't work. He sang and sang and sang. We all did. It was a lot of fun. Then a shot was bought for everyone in the bar. Bianca really like the logo of the bar that was imprinted on the wine glasses and Vidan gave her one. He was even nice enough to exchange it for a champagne flute since those were more sturdy and she would be traveling with it. 

Vidan finally gets us all out of his place and the four of us are walking home. Jakob and Martin try and convince us to stay another night in Hvar but we say we have a ferry ticket to Italy already. We tell them we don't have a place to stay and they offered their place. Most likely drunk talk. We finally say good-bye and thank you and Bianca goes to hug Martin and hands him the champagne flute to hold and he tosses it into the ocean. It was really weird. I guess it was his way of saying, "Stay here and I'll get you another one." Bianca was really sad. 

The next morning we wake up tired, of course, and go to pay the people and I think they may have overcharged us. Nevertheless, we spent more money than we wanted to the night before and gave the lady all the money we had, including change. We were a little short but she waved us off like it was ok. We had time to kill so we had a nice breakfast at a nice little place along the walk from our apartment to the ferry port. There was a little "beach" along the way too and we decided to chill by the water for a bit. I got in and it woke me up somewhat. On the ferry, I slept and Bianca talked to an American next to her. Bianca has an impeccable knack for making friends. She also has the ability to go on little sleep without napping.

We get to Spilt and have about six hours before we have to check-in for our Italy overnight ferry. Our plan was to stay in Cinque Terre for about three nights before we go to Florence. We stop at a cafe to drink Pipi juice. It's the Croatian Fanta but according to our waiter, "Three times better!" We use their Internet to find a place to stay and it is really expensive. Bianca starts game planning and we decide to see if we could transfer our Italy ferry a couple of days to go back to Hvar. We walked up up and down the port walkway numerous times trying to time everything. The only ferry left to go to Hvar gets in around 11:00pm and we don't have a place to stay. Soooo, I text Jakob, the entrepreneur to see if we could crash on their floor until we find a place the next day. He responds 20 minutes later telling us it was fine. We transfer our Italy ferry a few days and buy tickets to the Stari Grad, which is on the other side of the island. We did hear that there were buses to Hvar that ran regularly. Both Bianca and I start second guessing our decision. 

We get to Stari Grad and hop on a crowded bus to Hvar. It's only a 20 minute bus ride. The thing about these Croatian port cities and towns is that as soon as you get off a bus or ferry, there are locals with little signs asking if you need accommodations. Every time we had landed, we had some booked. Except this time. It was around 11:30pm and there were people asking us if we needed a place to stay. We inquired a few but nothing sounded great. Plus, we had a free place to stay! Maybe. I texted Jakob and we wait about 15 minutes and texted back that he and Martin were at a restaurant right a across from the one we ate at the night before. Now we had to remember where that was. We found it okay. We had all of our stuff and go to meet them at another nice restaurant. We talked for a bit and they offer us some food. I just wanted to sleep. I ask again if it was okay for us to stay with them and he said it was fine, as long as we all fit. I started to think he didn't really think we would take them up on their offer. Jakob leaves the table to call their hotel to see if they had any available. I start to get nervous because they are staying at the nicest resort on the island. He comes back and said all that was available were some really expensive rooms. 

So, we finally leave the restaurant after multiple courses of food for the guys and we walk back to their hotel. I start thinking how crazy this whole thing is because we barely met these guys yesterday. We go along with it anyway and they have a decent sized room with one bed and a couch. I lay on the floor, exhausted and pretty much crash immediately. I wake up in the middle of the night freezing because the A/C is cranked up. I had no blankets and I didn't want to open my bag and make noise and wake anybody up. I got a fair amount of sleep. I was waking up every 45 minutes. Finally, at around 8:30am, Bianca and I leave. Bianca leaves a note thanking them and we go to try and find an apartment. 

We walk to the city center with our packs and there isn't very many people around. The locals only come out when buses and ferries arrive and I think it is too early. I tell Bianca to stay with the stuff so I can walk around and see what I can find. I head to the bus stop and it's quiet. I walk the little neighborhood there and ask around. One guy only has a place for one night and I find a pensione that is nice but expensive. I walk back to the bus stop and a bus had arrived. I only see two people with cards in their hands trying to woo people. I ask a lady about her place and she doesn't speak English. I tell her there are two of us and I need two nights. She writes down a price and I say it's too expensive. I start to walk away and she takes off 100 Kuna, or about $20. She persuades me to go look at the place. I follow her and it's a decent place. Great location. I think to myself for a second and tell her ok. She tells me her name but says it fast. It sounded like vodka so we decided to call her Vodka. She gives me the keys and off I go to get Bianca. It is so strange that it was that easy. I didn't fill out any paperwork, no credit card numbers, no deposit. She just gives me the keys! I loved the trust.

I get back to Bianca waving the keys. It was a little bit of a hike with all our gear but we make it. It was hot and the A/C works great. The only downfall is no Internet. I know it sounds picky but when you are traveling on-the-go, I need to be able to research some stuff for the next stop. 

Bianca and I put on our swim suits and walk around. We find a market nearby and Bianca buys some fruit. Good move. We have been eating on the run and not nutritiously. Fruit is very expensive in these countries. We walk around some more and go in a market to buy snacks. We eventually head in the direction of Hula Hula, our go-to spot. The night before, Jakob mentioned he was renting a boat to go to some of the islands. He invited us saying they leave at 11:00am. It was 11:15 and they hadn't texted. I figured they had had enough of us free-loaders. In all fairness, we didn't ask for anything but a  floor to sleep on. We walk by their resort and there they are, finalizing their boat reservation. We say hello and thank you for the free night of sleep (somewhat). They said they were heading in the same way as us and said maybe they would pick us up later at Hula Hula. I knew they wouldn't. We go to a beach on the way to Hula Hula to relax. We had to lay on concrete because the chaise lounges are to expensive. Bianca and I get in the water to cool off because it was hot. There were a lot of sea urchins so we had to be careful. We lounge for a while waiting for 4:00pm to come to go to Hula Hula when the chairs are free. When we get to Hula Hula, it is pretty busy. We have a couple of drinks and I walk around the place and there were some guys from Norway that kept buying bottles of champagne purely to spray the crowd. They must have bought 20 bottles. I ask them why don't drink it. They really didn't care to respond. I grab my camera, which is water proof and take pictures of the champagne explosions. I show the guy the picture and he loved it. He hands me a bottle to spray and I spray most of it and decide to drink the rest. I met an Italian guy, Filippo. He was nice and told me about his club in Rimini, Italy and that I had to check it out. I meet back up with Bianca and she meets Filippo and his friends. They are all very nice. Filippo then asks Bianca and I to have dinner with them that night. I get his number and we go home to change. I texted him but got no response. Oh well.

The next day, we walk around some more and buy our tickets back to Split. We then get a cheap boat taxi to a nearby island called Stipanska. The beach there is called Carpe Diem. It is known for the party that goes on there starting at 2:00am. We went in the early afternoon to take it easy. It was a nice little getaway. After Carpe Diem, we go back to Hula Hula and see Jakob and Martin again. We say hi and chat for a little bit. Jakob introduces us to a couple from San Francisco sitting next to them. They were really nice. Bianca also saw Filippo. he said he never got my text and was sad we didn't meet up. There were some other Swedes there and Jakob and Martin talk with them. Bianca goes to talk to Jakob and Martin and meets everyone else there. The other Swedes are younger guys. All good looking and spoke multiple languages and very funny and friendly guys. Bianca became good friends with the lady from San Francisco, Lisa. I was getting tired and hungry so I decide to leave early. I told Bianca to just meet me back at the apartment. A couple hours later, Bianca comes back with Jacob, one of the younger Swedes and they persuade me to go to the sailboat that Jacob and his friends sailed in on. I said no a few times but got convinced. It was our last night in Hvar, after all. 

Jacob was really nice and told me to come and leave when I wanted. When we get to the boat, there was about 20 there. Jakob and Martin were there, Lisa and her husband were there and some girls that the young Swedes had met. It was a good time. All of these Swedes knew how to play guitar, sing well, sail, speak multiple languages and were very charming. I felt like a schmuck. A few guys took turns playing guitar and we all sang. Then Martin got the guitar and played some of his famous songs and others as well. It was fantastic! At around 2:00am, some of the guys said they were going to Carpe Diem to dance and party. Bianca and I were unsure about going. We finally succumbed to the pressure and went. The boat taxi was free, at least. We get there and ther is a cover charge. I buy a round of beers for the guys to thank them for letting us come on their boat. After a couple of hours, Bianca and I decided it was time to go. We say bye to the guys and leave. It was 4:30am. Fun times!

We say bye to Vodka the next morning. She was sweet. We go to a nearby bar to use the Internet. We were walking to the ferry port and see the young Swedes. We ask them how their night went and they said it was fine. We said our final good-byes and we were off to Split, again. 

When we get to Split, we leave our bags at a Left Luggage place where you can just store your bags. I bargain with the guy and get a good deal. Bianca and I walk around Split and shop a little. We have a nice lunch and buy some snacks for the long ferry ride. I bought a whole rotisserie chicken and some beer. We board the ferry and the ferry is huge. Much bigger than the previous ones we had been on. It is a 12 hour ride so I guess it has to have more accomodations. Bianca and I checked into our cabin. It had bunk beds and a bathroom with a shower. We walked around the boat and took pictures. We walked by one of the bars and saw Filippo. He was playing cards with his friends. We mostly talked to his friend Massimiliano. A young good-looking guy that worked with Filippo and the night club. I guess there was a big "Pink Party" going on in Rimini. They wanted us to go. It sounded fun but I wasn't too sure about it. We said bye to the Italians and went back to our cabin. I had downloaded two songs by Swedish House Mafia, since we now knew the singer, and rocked out a bit and ate chicken and drank a couple of beers. We went to sleep kinda early we woke up to someone in the hallway clapping their hands saying something at 6:30am. I guess it was our wake-up call. We thought we were about to port. We actually had an hour and a half before we ported. I felt pretty tired.

So we get off the ferry and try to figure out how to get to the train station so we could get to Florence. We ask a couple of people but get confusing information. We decide to board a train that we were told would take us to the main station. I asked if we needed a ticket and was told no. I hoped that was true. I didn't want to pay another transit fine like in Budapest. It was a slow train but we didn't have to go far. We go to the main station information center and they tell us how to get to Florence. It involved changing trains in Bologna. We go to buy our tickets and I was having problems with the self service machine I was using. I thought I bought the two tickets needed but it didn't work. Bianca was on the machine next to me and gets her tickets just fine. I ask a lady who works at the station to help me and come to find out, the second train that Bianca is on is sold out. I said I would figure it out when we get to Bologna. That proved to be a little mistake. We get to Bologna and the second train is sold out too. The only thing available is business class which is more expensive. I buy it anyway or else Bianca would be waiting for me for two hours in Florence. Bianca and I part ways and I get on my train without a problem. Business class was nice. Too bad it was only a 40 minute ride. I arrive at the station and Bianca and I spot each other pretty quickly. We aren't sure how to get to our hotel. We go to the ATM and withdraw euros so we are ready for any mode of transportation. We decide on a taxi. Luckily the driver knew the place. It wasn't very far. Our place is really nice. The staff is extremely friendly. We get settled in and prepare ourselves for a Florence experience.

Our room is nice and big. It has a sink in the room but bathroom. That's fine. Bianca and I were really hungry and ready to eat good Italian food. We ask where to go to eat and Andrea, the hotel guy told us about a couple of places close by. We chose a place and ate a delicious pasta meal. I was feeling really disoriented and was in need of a nap. I know, lame, but I had to listen to my body. I told Bianca I needed to rest so I went back to the room to take a nap. Bianca went out to explore. I woke up two hours later. Bianca came home about an hour after that. I felt a lot better. I was hungry when I woke up so I told Bianca I was gonna grab a slice of pizza. I got a slice and walked around for a little while. Florence is beautiful and Bianca found a great place for us to stay. Right next to the Arno river. I took some pictures and then headed back. It was an early night. Bianca and I booked a day trip to Cinque Terre for an all day trip the next morning. 

The next day we woke up early, had some free breakfast and got picked up to be taken to the meeting place. We got on our bus and our tour guide, Amadeus, informed us of what was to come. It was a two and a half hour ride. Amadeus was funny. He spoke decent English but some phrases were funny. He kept using the term, "99%." He spoke with such passion. It was a big group and we had to take trains and boats everywhere. The area was beautiful. We didn't have much time in each spot. We even skipped a town, Corniglia, because according to Amadeus, 99% of tourists skip it because it involves climbing 152 steps or something. All of the villages were really cute. Small beaches and lots of shops. We did get to stay in Monterosso for three hours. One and a half of that was eating lunch. Lunch wasn't that great. With the remaining time, we walked to the beach. All the beaches require payment to enjoy. The only free one was small and crowded. I didn't get in the water. As Bianca would say, "Bwomp, bwomp." Bianca put her feet in. We then walked around and tasted some pesto and limoncino. That is a liquore with grappa. It wasn't that bad. The best grappa we have had so far. I guess this is the birthplace of pesto. Bianca bought some things and we made our way back to the group. One of the ladies on the tour was suffering from dehydration and Amadeus started to get worried. Our train to the last village was 20 minutes late too so he was panicking. Seems like it can be a stressful job sometimes. The last village was a quick stop. We walked around for 20 minutes and regrouped. All in all, it was an ok trip. I would have liked to stay in the villages a little longer. Bianca and I both agreed that we made the right decision staying in Hvar longer.

When we got back, Bianca had made friends with a guy from Thailand, Vee. He was by himself and really nice. He invited us to have dinner that night. Bianca and I got back to the hotel and got ready. We met up with Vee at one of the main bridges, Ponte Vecchio. Vee knew Florence pretty well. He was there for a yarn show. He is a designer of womens' sweaters. He is based in New York. I saw his line and the sweaters were really nice. They were expensive, too.

We had a nice dinner and had great conversation. Vee gave me his email because I told him I was going to Thailand during my travels. He told me to email him so I could get in touch with his friend who could help me out. Bianca comes through again with another friend/resource. After dinner, we walked around town. There were a lot of people still out past midnight. It is a nice city at night. We said bye to Vee and headed home ourselves. 

The next day Bianca and I walked around just soaking in the city. So many beautiful buildings. The one that blew my mind was the Duomo. I have never seen anything like it. The colors, the architecture and the size. I was awestruck. We had some time to kill because Bianca and I booked a half day wine tour of Tuscany. We walked to some nice churches and museums but they all cost money and I was felling cheap. Sorry, Bianca. 

We get to the meeting place and board our bus. Our tour guide guide was a nice lady named Levinia (sp). She was super friendly and a lot more easy going than Amadeus. Our first stop was in Siena. It was a small village called Monteriggioni. It had a renaissance feel to it. We tasted wine and olive oil and then walked around then little village. We bought some sangria for the souvenir clay cups. It was a neat little town. The next stop was Carabinieri. It was a town with a castle and Levinia gave us the history of the battles here. There was a weird tandem cart race going on. We didn't see much of it but what we did see was entertaining. Our final stop was a vineyard. We were served four different wines, some olive oil and two different vintages of balsamic vinaigrette. The wine was delicious. I was surprised at how good 20-year-old balsamic is. It is sweet! Our instructor told us to eat it with strawberries and you will never eat strawberries with it again. The tour was lovely. 

Bianca made new friends, of course. She met two ladies from New Jersey. They were funny. They brought their own wine on the bus and had some guy push the cork in with a pen. They ended up throwing the bottle away. They said the wine was horrible. Anyway, Bianca becomes besties with them and they wanted to go eat at a restaurant that a young couple from L.A. That was on the tour told them about. We decide on a time and Bianca and I go to the restaurant on time but find that there is a 40 minute wait. We waited 45 minutes for them and they didn't show. Bianca and decide to just dine by ourselves. We were trying to decipher the menu, since it wasn't in English and were about to order when the Jersy girls show up. We were surprised to see them. We talked all through dinner. I had pretty much macaroni and cheese. The Jersey girls split a pasta dish and the steak with a blueberry sauce that was recommended. They said it was very good. I spoke with Shannon most of the night. I told her my plans of travel and loved it. Shannon had been everywhere! She gave me tips on Istanbul and other places. She was funny. She was a typical Jersey woman. She is married to a doctor so her method of travel is a bit different than mine.  After dinner we said farewell to them and we called it a night.

Our last full day in Florence was upon us. Also, the last day of traveling together for Bianca and I. She wanted to do some shopping and I wanted to walk around so we separated. I walked to the other side of the Arno and went to the Piazza de Michelangelo. It was a hike but it had a great view of the entire city. I walked around some more in other areas of the city I hadn't seen and then met back up with Bianca. She wanted to shop more so I made my way back to the hotel and sat on the terrace of the hotel. I was able to communicate with some people back home, which was nice. When Bianca got back we got ready and went to a restaurant that Andrea recommended.

We got to the restaurant and there was a line. We waited a while and finally sat down. We ordered a bottle of champagne and we eat ordered a steak. We treated ourselves to a nice last dinner. The food was superb! It was a nice dinner. Afterwards, we walked around for a tad and Bianca finally had some gelato in Italy. Our last night of travels together. What a ride! 

It was unbelievable that Bianca and I travelled for 20 days together. We had our ups and downs but we definitely had way more ups. Thank you, Bianca, for your accompaniment. We have made so many more memories to add to the many we already have. This trip would not have been the same without you. Love you much!

Well, I am currently in Rome staying with a lovely friend, Chrissy. She was kind enough to let me stay here for a while. I am building up material for a Rome blog. I hope to get back to you guys soon.

Sidenote: I didn't proof read this blog so I hope it makes sense. I have just been typing for hours and figured it would make sense.

Ciao, from Rome!  Be well!

Just some pics