I'm Coming Home...

Well, my trip is coming to an end. I am at the airport waiting for the first of 3 legs. So I won't get in till pretty late. The trip has definitely been worth it.

Oh, here's a couple of pictures of the characters on Las Ramblas...(format will be fixed when I get back)

Sorry for the delay....

Sorry for the delay in posting. Between travelling to/from San Sebastian and other stuff, I just haven't gotten around to posting an update.

So my thoughts on San Sebastian - it is an amazing place. The people are very friendly (as I mentioned in my previous post) and the food is out of this world.

My first night there, I had trouble finding a place to eat. All the cafeterias (a restaurant style popular in europe, which I don't think I'll ever get used to) were closing their kitchens and I was in the mood to eat dinner in the bars. So after almost giving into the lure of the local McDonalds, I found a restaurant that was just opening up for the evening. Turns out, this was a very popular restaurant as it filled up quickly. The owner was the only one who spoke english and he politely reassured me that I didn't have to try and order in spanish. I told him I just wanted a traditional Basque dinner and he provided - baked hake (a type of fish) with the head still attached. It was damn good. To finish off the hake, he said I had to eat this one part of the head, which I think was the eyeball (I can't confirm it). He said the "cococha" was considered the best part of the dish and a delicacy - it lived up to its reputation. Oh yeah, I tried pimientos rellenos as well - stuff red peppers filled with cod - very tasty.

The next day, I had until 11 pm to kill so I jsut walked around town, visited a few museums and sat around and read. The town, with the exception of the cafes and bars shuts down at 2 pm and then reopens around 4-ish. They take their siestas seriously!

The plan was for me to visit Andorra on Thanksgiving day. But because of the schedule (I didn't get in from San Sebastian till early Thursday am) and the fact that I am not shaking a cold, I opted to stay in Barcelona and just continue my downtime. So with a couple books in hand, I settled in for the day and had some more paella for thanksgiving dinner. Have I mentioned paella yet? It's a spanish rice dish, with vegetables and meat and it's one of the most traditional spanish dishes. I think I've eaten it almost every night I've been here. But I'm digressing....

Ahh.... San Sebastian and the Basque Region

Wow, this is what i came to Europe for! This place is beautiful. After spending 7 hours (yes - 7 HOURS) on a bus this morning, I arrived in San Sebastian, a spanish city on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Separated from the rest of Spain by a series of mountains, this city, along with its neighboring cities (including some in SW France) make up what is collectively known as the Basque region. The Basque region is known for it's unique language (pre-roman) and for it's food. Tonight, I'm going to check out the food.

It's also known for a little bit of instability and violence, as there is an active group in this region that wants independence from Spain (think PLO for the Basque region). Any way, I'm not concerned.

I was amazed today at the hospitality of the people here. I was walking around this afternoon, trying to find my hostel and I stopped into a cafe to ask for directions. None of these people spoke English and their spanish was bad (mine is much worse). After a few minutes of them trying to figure out what the foreigner wanted, one of the guys (his name is Leo) offered me a ride to my hostel. Sick of walking and wanting to put my feet up, I accepted his generous offer (probably not the smartest thing I've done, but it all worked out) and hopped in his car. He had no clue where my hostel was either, but Leo kept pulling over, stopping in restaurants & shops and got me to my hostel! What a great first experience with the locals! Also, the hostel isn't quite a hostel, but a step or two up from it.

Next Up: Thanksgiving in the tiny mountain country of Andorra. I figure, if I am spending the holiday from family and friends, I might as well do something special and different.

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures.....

Ok, Finally I can post some pictures. These are all from my days in Paris. Spain pictures to follow.

So here goes...

This is Sacre Coeur from my hostel at night. It´s an incredible sight, especially at night!


And another shot during the day as I walked towards it.



Then there is this shot of a huge building from the top of the Eiffel Tower (for the life of me, I can´t remember the name of the building)



Then there is the beloved Mona Lisa, which is much smaller than one would think.



Finally, there is Notre Dame, which is quite impressive.

Paris....My Final Thoughts....

I´m beginning to feel like Jerry Springer, offering my final thoughst on various destinations and events. Hopefully, my adventures won´t be so ladened with marrying cousins and other debacles from the great states of Texas and Florida (where would talk shows be without these states....).

As I said before, I was underwhelmed by Paris. For a country that appears to despise the US, they sure do like their McDonalds, Gap and Disney Stores. On one block alone, I found MickyDs, KFC and Pizza Hut! Talk about your fine, french cuisine.

UPDATE: 11/23/04: I owe the French a small apologies. They aren't the only ones in Europe who have been totally Americanized with our fast food and shopping. Barcelona, which has fine dining pleasures of McDonalds & KFC also has numerous Dunkin Donuts! Go figure.

All that being said, I may have been a bit harsh on the Parisians. I spent yesterday just walking around different areas of the city. The area I stayed in, Montmartre, is a very unique area and home of the famous Moulin Rouge and of Sacre Coeur. I liked the area a lot. I also stumbled onto the Jewish Quarter of the city as found it to be quite quaint and unique as compared to the rest of Paris. So my grade on Paris? C+/B-

Oh, the people were not rude as they were in Italy. So kudos to the Frenchies....

Anyway, I am now in Barcelona and I´ve got good vibes here. The hostel is quiet and clean. I decided to take a bit of advice from someone and settle in one spot for a longer than normal time. She suggested this because I´ve been moving around so much over the past few months and thought a semblance of stability would be a good idea. So she wins and I am settled in Barcelona for the end-run of the trip.

Now just because I´ve got a private room at a hostel for the next week and a half doesn´t mean I am going to sit idly by and watch the vacation wisp away like an ocean wave breaking across a mediterranean beach... No..... Tuesday I take off for the beloved food, wine, and chocolate of the Basque region and Friday I spend the night iun the Pyranees mountains in a little unheard-of country of Andorra.

Tonight is a mellow night. I strolled along Las Ramblas (about 100 feet from the hostel), which is this huge, downtown strip filled with small shops and restaurants. What makes it stand out from other places is the variety of street performers littering the entire pathway. From bad versions of 3-card monty to spray paint artists to charlie chaplan-type entertainers, this is definitely an entertaining strip. There are even people pretending to be statues and when folks walk by, these ´statues´scare the hell out of the passerbys all for everyone´s amusement. More pictures forthcoming.....

The Decision Has Been Made....

Well, I needed to make a decision and that decision was to fly out to Barcelona on Sunday morning. This is really taking some advice from a friend who suggested staying put in one location longer to offset the constant moving around I've had to do between the campaign and this trip. So, I will be using my hostel in Barcelona as my home base for the final nine days of the trip. I('m going to do a few days trips (or possible overnight trips to the Basque region, the Pyranees, as well as a few other locations some Barcelona locaals have mentioned to me. It'll be a great finish to my trip with hopefully many stories to share.

As for Paris, I am very underwhelmed by it. Other than the Louvre, which is HUGE, the city is very Americanized and didn't appear to have much of it's own character outside of a few smaller areas of the city (including the area I am staying - Montmartre). I walked the Champs D'Elysee today and saw McDonalds, Gap, Disney Store, Movie Theatres, etc... It was like walking in NYC or Chicago on one of the main drags.

What separated it out for me from Rome was that Rome seemed to maintain its historic and more local flavor. Hopefully Spain will carry the same individual style that I felt in Italy.

FYI - this post will likely be updated in the next day or two.

Hmm....Not Sure About Paris....

It's been a day or two since my last entry and a lot has happened. From Venice, I hopped on the overnight train to Paris. That was an experience in and of itself. The next time I take an overnight train, I'll book a chair instead of a couchette. It was a miserable experience sharing a broomcloset with 5 cigarette smelling, bad bo people. It definitely won't make the highlight reel...

Paris itself? Well, I'm pretty much underwhelmed by it. To me, it seems like Chicago, with a few cool places. I did the Eiffel Tower today (Diva....sorry you couldn't make it. Maybe a redo on Saturday...) and the view was incredible. Surprisingly, the line to go up went really fast. But once you're up there, there isn't much to do except look around. Once you've done that, the thrill of it is gone.

Tomorrow, I am checking out the Louvre and other stuff along Champs d'Elysee (sp?). I expet that will take all day. As for Saturday? Well, that's up in the air. Though I had an idea....so pass on your thoughts. I'm toying with bolting from Paris early, skipping the rest of France and going somewhere else in Europe for a few days before finishing up in Barcelona. Any ideas, throw them my way. The decision will be made Friday night/Sat morning (my time, not yours). Ideas that are ringing loud are Madrid (more than 1 full week in Spain), Southern Italy (I really want to see Pompei and Sicily), or even London or Vienna.

Venice and It's Charm...

I've got to say - whoever told me Venice isn't worth visiting had it all wrong! This place is quaint, charming and unique. By far this is one of the highlights of the trip. I didn't do much today as I'm not in the mood for a bunch of museums, though there are some great ones here. Instead, I just walked around and began my Christmas shopping. No getting lost today. Not only did I bring my map with me, but my aimless wandering lastnight gave me a good sense of where I was and where I was going. Anyway, I am not spending much time here as I am headed to Paris on an overnight train in about an hour. However, I know people have been asking for pictures. So I've uploaded a few to wet your appetites.



I'll write more later, but for now it's Ciao to Italy and Bonjour to France....

My First Week In Europe...

Ahh....one week down, 2 to go. As I write this, I am sitting in a wine bar bar, drinking cheap Cab and enjoying Italian techno music. And it's only 6 pm...

Anyway, my first week in Italy ended with a touch of drama and getting lost. The drama meant I parted way with my new friends, but such is life. I'm sure I'll stay in touch w/ 1 or 2 of them. It's a long story as to what happened, so if you really want to know, email me.

The getting lost actually wasn't a bad thing, but aa GREAT thing. I wasn't planning on it, but I ended up in Venice. This city is so unique and beautiful. In a way, I wish I lived here. To make a long story short, I got lost and I mean LOST... The city is so confusing with alleyways, bridges, and plazas. Fortunately, I made my way back to my hostel and now I'm quietly settling in for the night.

Tomorrow, I plan on really taking in the city of Venice (only I'll take a map with me) and then I'm off to Paris on an overnight train...

Big Domes, Nice Dinners, and Crutches...

I'm in Florence now and the city is incredible. I've taken a lot of pictures as have the girls I've been hanging w/ for the past day or two. We have also expanded our group to included another guy and gal, so now there are five of us trapsing around the city causing a ruckus.

I got into Rome at noon and got lost trying to find my hostel. I finally did find it and met up with my traveling buddies. First we just walked around for a few to acquaint ourselves with the city then went on to see Michaelangelo's David. The statue is incredible! From there, we walked over to the Duomo which is a beautiful Church with a high dome and a small, spearate building with a set of Bronze Doors that are considered to be the beginning of the Renaissance period.

A few of us opted to climb to the top of the dome, which is about 900 steps round trip. I felt like is was a flashback to the Half Dome climb over the summer. The view from the top was incredible (pictures are forthcoming....).



Once we got down and were leaving the church, low and behold klutsy dave appeared and jacked my ankle. Such is life. I'm limping a bit, but I'll survive.

The night ended with a great dinner at a fine restaurant with a group of other hostelers and the owner of the hostel my travel buddies was staying at.



next stop: Sienna and wine country....

My Final Day in Rome...

Well, today started off pretty frustrating. I wanted to stay an extra day in Rome so I could take in the Vatican Museum again as well as possibly do a day trip to Pompei. Unfortunately, the hostel I'm staying in was full so I spent the morning finding a place to stay, both in Rome and in Florence. As it turned out, I was able to worki something out at my current hostel. But I had already bought my ticket to Florence for tomorrow morning. So I visited the Vatican Museum again and saw all the stuff I missed (and there was a ton of stuff......).

Sorry, no real Rome nightlife for me. I didn't come here for it anyway. But I have enjoyed many glasses of wine and beer at the hostel and a few really nice meals. One thing to recommend: Always look for a menu w/ prices before ordering. I, along with a couple girls from Irvine I met, got burned at a restaurant when the bill came to €50 (approx $65) for 3 simple entres and 3 cokes! Our own fault for being starving and eating at the first place we came upon.....

The Historic Rome....

Wow! What an amazing day Thursday was. The pictures will be incredible. Aside from the rain (the €5 umbrella is the best souvenir by far!), the day was great. I ran into a group of college kids in a Study-Abroad program in France and hung out with them for the day. After getting drenched learning about the founding of Rome on Palatine Hill, we then went on a tour of the Colliseum. Did you know that 'Arena' is actually latin for sand and the term came about because the floor of the Colliseum was covered in sand?

Anyway, after the students and I separated, I opted to check out a few more sites by foot. While I found the sites I wanted, I got lost in the meanime. However, by getting lost I came upon a couple known, but not quite acknowledged sites that were beautiful, including a little known church that was breathtaking and some snapshots of real-italian life rather than the touristy crap that most people see.

By far, this will be the most memorable day in Rome!

The Pope and My First Full Day in Rome...

All I can say is that the rain sucks! Despite that, today was fabulous. I arrived at the Vatican early in the morning (8-ish) because I was warned about the lines and I didn't know where I was going. After getting drenched and talking to the Swiss Guards, who by the way wear the most outrageous military outfits ever (rumored to be designed by Michaelangelo...), I found my way into St. Peters Basillica. Now normally, the General Audience (a crowd of 1,000+ visitors) is held in St. Peter's Plaza or the Audience Chambers. But for some reason, it was held in the Basillica. This place is amazing! I have some great shots of the Pope giving the homily and blessing.



I also checked out the Vatican Museum, which was overwhelming. The Sistene Chapel in beautiful and awe-inspiring, so much that I am comtemplating a 2nd day at the Vatican on Friday.

Oh, I didn't get to talk hats with His Holiness. Maybe next time...

Tomorrow's adventure: Rome - Forums, Fountains, Ancient Festivals and Fights (the Colliseum, Pantheon, and Markets)

The Trip Has Begun...

So far so good for this little excursion. I arrived in Rome after spending 12+ hours on planes and I am exhausted. The only memorable thing to note is the jerk at the train station when I asked which train I take to Rome. Suffice it to say, I got the answer I needed, but he was a bit of a pill.

After arriving in downtown Rome, I stumbled my way around trying to find my hostel in the pouring rain. It wasn't too bad though, I got some good directions from a local guy. And now I am at the hostel (my very first hostel stay no less) relaxing from a long day. I've already treated myself to a simple dinner at the bistro across the street and met a woman here who is a bit 'off'.

The rest of the evening will be wind down time to relax and get situated, as well as figure out my game plan for the rest of the Rome trip.

Tomorrow's entry: Shop talk with the Pope or The Great Hat Exchange (he'd get the shortend of the deal with my Nike ballcap)

The Quiet Airport...

It's almost 2pm and I am sitting at the terminal just
killing time. My flight doesn't leave until 3:30. I
am still amazed that I am even doing this trip. One
bad thing to note (it's more of an annoyance than
anything): I'm stuck with a center seat all the way to
Amsterdam.

The Tentative Itinerary...

A few friends have asked "Where are you going exactly..." so here's a tentative map of my trip. Who knows how close I'll stay to my tentative plan though.



For the geographically challenged, my trip begins in Rome. In fact, the morning after I arrive I'll be attending the general audience with the Pope at the Vatican! A few days later, my adventure continues onto Florence. Soon after, I make my way to Paris where I may stumble upon my campaign's communications Diva. From there I make for the Pyranees mountains where I might take a ski lesson or two. Then it's off to the Basque region for food! There's an international food festival in mid-late November that I might be able to catch. And I wrap up my trip in Barcelona. I'm sure there will be side trips and adventures along the way as well!

Just a few days to go....

In just a few short days, I’ll be boarding my plane to Rome.  I’ve already confirmed my plane reservations and spent way too much money yesterday on a new digital camera, some travel gear for packing, and books.  Today and tomorrow are going to be crazy days as I begin packing and figuring out what last minute items I need.

The Next Adventure

Well, I've just completed what has been a whirlwind summer and fall. Skydiving with my dad, climbing Half Dome in Yosemite and spending the last three months on one of the tightest and closely watched legislative campaigns in California (outcome still to be determined).

So what's the next adventure? Europe of course! On Monday, I'll be hopping on a plane for parts unknown - well, they are known but I've never been. Next week begins my 3-week sojourn to Southern Europe, starting in Rome and finishing up in Barcelona.

Keep an eye on this blog, as I'll be updating it periodically with my exploits!

Oh, pass on any packing or traveling tips as well. I can use them.