Contiki II - Italy

Well, the weather has finally cleared! I had to wash my shoes because they stunk so badly from getting repeatedly soaked in Paris, Barcelona and Nice. Oh well, at least it was exotic European soggyness.

Since my last post I have been to Aigues Mortes (a short stopover), Nice on the French Riviera, Monaco for an evening, Venice, Florence, Pisa, and today I am in Rome. Aigues Mortes was super cute, but touristy. Nice was nice (heh, sorry), though I had to find a dress for Monaco so the whole day was spent on errands rather than enjoying it, so it was less cool. Florence was unmemorable, Pisa had a tower and many street hawkers (lookee-lookee, good price) but nothing else of note.

Monaco was awesome. I would have liked to have spent a day there rather than just the evening watching people gamble, as fascinating as that was. When I get home, however, you can all touch the hand which has touched the hairpin of the Monaco racing circuit. How cool is that?

Venice was indescribable. I'll describe it anyway though, just for you ^^ It was a beautiful little Italian town with winding cobbled streets and window boxes with flowers and washing out the windows, but with no cars at all. Only pedestrians! I was quite surprised to see this. In addition to being all that you think of when you think of picturesque Italian villages, it also has canals - little winding streets made of water. SO cool. And the food! All of Italy wins on the food thing. Sorry Paris. Though Paris wins everything else.

Today... well, Rome is awesome. We arrived last night and did a bit of a walk around, some of it guided. The Trevi fountain is the coolest thing ever - I want one. I never knew it was so big! I really want one. The P....on... - um, the place with the columns which is not in Greece - is cool. I saw the Vatican, complete with listening to the pontiff pontificate and recieving the benedictions of Benedict. I also looked at the Sistine chapel, and ate gelato. I will miss Italy. But mostly for the food.

Oh, and the Pope sends his blessings. Apparently he blessed me, and through me all my friends and family. So if you want 'em, consider yourself blessed. Sweet, huh?