So Last time I wrote I had just spent a wonderful weekend with my parents in Venice and Florence, and if you thought the fun stopped there, it didn't. Because Babs and Dean actually came to Rome! And yes my dad still brought out Rick Steve's in MY city. Psssh, there is more to Rome than the Colosseum, Mr. Steve's, so I think I'LL be the tour guide in this neck of the woods if you don't mind.
My parents had this great idea of going to Pompeii and Sorrento that Saturday, and since it was on their bill, I obviously wasn't going to object. The only problem with going to Pompeii and Sorrento is that you have to get off the train in Naples first. Let me think of a few places that you might be able to associate Naples with... how about Ensenada mixed with South Central mixed with somewhere in Cuba, plus an Italian touch. Needless to say, don't go there. Unless you want a fake purse.
I just realized that I have to include Spring Break in this Part 1, so I'll make my descriptions of Pompeii and Sorrento short:
Pompeii: old. cool. city covered in lava. dug up. neat. go.
Sorrento: ride a vespa to Positano. We did. now i want one.
That Sunday it was Easter, IN ROME. On good Friday we had gone to the Colosseum for the Stations of the Cross with the good ol' Pope (I think I've mentioned him once or twice before. He lives here. We're close.) so Sunday Babsies and I headed to St. Peter's Square for Easter Mass with the Pope and a few thousand other easter-goers. I'd try and describe that feeling, but it's quite impossible. I didn't even care that I didn't do an easter egg hunt. Instead of looking for eggs, I looked for a spot in a mass of people and LOVED it. Who needs candy when you've got the Sistine Chapel? Take that easter bunny. (p.s. Babs did bring me candy and an easter basket all the way from America, so I got both Reeses and Rome this past easter. iiii know, even I'm jealous of myself.)
SPRING BREAK:
I know i know, you've already been reading for an hour, but trust me, you will not want to miss out on my spring break. Even I'M impressed with my trip. I'll give you a teaser: Paris (that alone should make you stay), Nice, Cannes, and Barcelona. Go get a snack. Come back and Enjoy.
PARIS:
I went to Paris when I was 12, and here's what I remember: body odor, smoke, rude people, the mona lisa, body odor, frog legs, eiffel tower, and oh yeah, BODY ODOR.
Apparently I was ignorant, blind, and had an extremely sensitive nose back then because my view of Paris was sooooo wrong. In fact, I can honestly say that it's my favorite city in Europe (technically second city compared to Rome, but that doesn't count).
Everything was great there EXCEPT the Parisian's sense of direction and timing. (Example: we were told to go to the Louvre at 6 p.m. because that's when it's free to go. So we got there at 6 only to find out the hard way that it CLOSES at 6. We didn't see the Mona Lisa. And it wasn't even free because we had to buy a postcard of the Mona Lisa from the giftshop just so we could pretend that we saw it. Thanks, Lady.)
Our hostel really set the tone for the trip. First of all, it's called the "peace and love" hostel. Right then, we should've known. Second, there is no lobby. Just a bar. As in, you can get your room key and a rum and coke at the same time. I literally signed in on a book that smelled of tequila. The rooms were purple. We had a bunk bed that was 3 beds high. The shower was the size of broom closet that could only hold 1 broom. Basically, it was awesome.
We decided to go on a tour of Paris offered through the hostel, and that's when we met Karen. Karen is a 40 year old American from Philly who decided to visit Paris for a week when she was 30, joined a reggae band, ended up living there permanently, and now plays the flute, goes on tour, smokes weed, and gives tours in Paris for a living. This woman is planning on writing a book in the near future, and I definitely recommend for you all to go out and buy it. I remember more about her life than I do facts of Paris. She is crazy in the best possible way, and gives great tours in Paris. I have her card. Let me know if you need it.
So we didn't tour the Louvre, didn't go up the Eiffel Tower, and didn't eat escargot, and STILL, Paris is my favorite city. It's THAT great.
We headed to the French Riviera for the next few days, because after 2 1/2 months in Rome, seeing water other than the Tiber River is a rare occasion.
NICE:
Something I didn't quite put together before going to Nice in the Spring time. Let's see if you can figure it out: French Riviera. Beaches. South of France. Beaches. Sand. French Women. Laying out on the Beach.
If the word "topless" hasn't come into your mind yet, then you were like me. That was until I walked onto the beach and saw a lady the same age as my grandma fully... exposed. Wow, I just got the shivers. Unfortunately that image is permanently engraved in my brain. Sorry, Grandma, but it's hard to even look at you the same way...
To sum it up: nice is "nice". HA! get it? it just might be nicer if swimsuit stores sold tops to match the bottoms. or if the senior center got a pool with a massive tall gate around it. everyone would be happy.
CANNES:
Yes, the film festival is held there. Yes, it's what you'd think of as a typical French Riviera city. Yachts, Marinas, Louis Vuitton, Red Carpet, Ferraris, The Ritz, Sun, Sand... It's basically a celebrity paradise in France. And if we were celebrities, we probably could've afforded something more than McDonald's. But we aren't. So we couldn't. Don't feel bad for us, that BigMac tasted great.
My big splurge? A MANICURE. That doesn't sound like much of a splurge until I let you in on the fact that you can get around 5 American Manicures for the same price as one in Cannes. I know, gasp. And they chipped within 2 days. Not to fret, I'll be home soon. "Divine Nails" on Glendora Avenue here I come...
So I still have Barcelona to do, but I'm sure the screen is beginning to get blurry, your foot is asleep, you still have crumbs on your mouth from those snacks you got in the middle of this, and you're dying to go on facebook. SO. I will include Barcelona in my next blog, along with Croatia and Dublin, and I promise to write it WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. So keep your eyes out. We're moving at full speed here because I'll be home in ONE WEEK. iiiiiiii knowwww, start planning the party.
Ciao for now! (umm, hi that rhymes. soooo neat.)
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