Fun in Florence (3/6)

Today will probably go down as one of my favorite on the trip. I had just about no itinerary so the day was completely mine! Adam also kind of had no itinerary. This morning before we checked out of our hotel to head to Venice, we decided to stay in Florence one more night, to ease the pressure on seeing everything here AND trying to head out to get to Venice in daylight, and also because prices are cheaper for tomorrow and the next night than tonight and tomorrow. Decision made!

Adam decided to use the morning to go for a run, so I took to the streets around 11am to head toward downtown Florence. First stop was the Duomo to see if it was open (the guidebook we have was a little unclear). Even though I did get to see the outside last night, it was even more spectacular to see in the daytime. It was closed at the time I was there but I found out it would be open at 1:30 for visitors (as Sunday is considered a festival/holiday). I was hoping just to kill some time until Adam met up with me to go see the David statue at the Accademia, so I popped in to a cute cafe looking right out at the Duomo (great scenery!) for a quick lunch. I took my time since I hadn't heard from him yet. I eventually realized that I was the one that needed to call him to check in, because his phone can't call mine. Yeah, a week into this trip and we STILL can't figure that out. I got a hold of him and found out that he was still on his run, but he had found a really cool overlook of the city that we hadn't heard of nor had planned on seeing, so that was a note to self to try and do later.

I finished lunch and began my journey toward the Tempio Ebraico - the Synagogue (and Museum) in Florence. As long as he was not meeting me to go to the Accademia, I would go to the synagogue on my own. I found it via directions on the map (proud of myself, of course) and paid the 3 Euro entry (student rate!) to see the synagogue and museum. I'm glad it wasn't much more than that because it didn't have all that much inside, but I did recognize a poster image inside that I think my parents have at their house. Museo Ebraico di Firenze - it just looked SO familiar. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed inside here either, as I had to check my bag and anything metal. So I just had to soak it all in while I was there. I walked through the museum mostly on my own, as most items in the museum had English explanation. A guide came through with an Italian speaking group, but offered to answer any questions I had, in English for me. I went down to the gift shop level and asked if I could actually go in and see the synagogue, and not wait for the next group to go, and the lovely clerk opened the door for me so I could go in. As always, and as expected, it was stunning! Decorations, columns, lights, bima, altar, pews, windows. I only stayed in there a couple of minutes because the clerk was waiting for me to lock the door again.

I took a quick meander through the gardens outside before heading out of the synagogue area, and stumbled upon - Ruth's Kosher Vegetarian Restaurant. Steven mentioned something about this to me a few days ago but it didn't register because I wasn't really planning on going to a kosher vegetarian restaurant with Adam, and I also didn't know it was named Ruth! If I did, I probably would have made it a priority to go. I also didn't realize until I was standing right outside of it, that it was the same place Zora went to when she was traveling, and she tagged me in the picture she took of the sign outside the restaurant. I was a little bummed about just discovering this place now, because it was perfect for lunch but I wasn't hungry. I had already eaten and couldn't justify having a second lunch. I just didn't have the appetite. So I went in to look at the menu anyway, totally impressed and wanted everything, of course, but settled on a cheese blintz with cinnamon, just as a small snack! I took it to go, and walked with it on the street until I got to the Accademia. Adam was going to meet me here from his day's adventures. We finally met up and he decided that he preferred not to go into the museum and continue on his day, so although we met up, it was only very briefly, and we split up again.

I went into the museum, mostly just to see the David statue, but also to see what else was in there. The tourbook said you might need a reservation to get in, so I was a little nervous about getting a ticket. There was absolutely no need to worry; I walked right in, waited a few minutes in the ticket line, made my purchase, and walked into the museum! The first statue I saw was called "The Rape of the Sabine Women" (which I found out really means abduction, not what we consider rape), and when I attempted to take a picture, some woman came out and said very loudly, "No Photo!" OK, I guess no photos allowed in this museum! Bummer because I was hoping to take some photos of the David once I saw that one. I'll just have to soak this one in too!

I turned the corner and saw the David - it was huge, and majestic, and just breathtaking. It was perfect. It literally took my breath away. You know how sometimes people just write or say - it was breathtaking. I think I stopped breathing for a moment. It was fairly quiet in the room, and no one was taking pictures. People were just looking, admiring, staring, analyzing. I fell right into doing the same. I took a seat on a bench behind the statue to open up the tour book and see what I could read about it, while I was standing right there. It was also nice to sit for a few minutes and rest my back. I finally got up and on my way, but there was really nothing else there I wanted to truly see, so I quickly meandered through the other rooms and other halls, and back to the David for one last glance before I departed the museum. I knew that there were David replicas in 2 places in the city, one of which that was not very far away. On the way, I knew I could stop at the Duomo and finally get in to see the cathedral, which was also beautiful, with its gothic style looking ceiling. I don't actually know if it's gothic but it looked like it! My next stop was the square that I knew had the David replica - Palazza Vecchio. Turns out, it was actually my first stop of the day but I didn't really notice it. So when I went back, I took some more detailed photos of the David and the other statues there, including the Rape of the Sabines. Replicas outside are the only ones you can take pictures of in this city!

My next stop was to try and see an overlook of the city of Florence from the south of the river. I crossed the Ponte Vecchio - the busiest bridge in the city, lined with gold and silver shops selling jewelry, among other stores. It was so crowded and so busy, but I finally made my way across. Palazzo Pitti was a good start and on my way to the Boboli Gardens that was recommended. When I got there, the ticket booth had tickets for 10 Euro a pop! I didn't really think it was necessary to charge people that much money to go spend time in nature, so I took a VERY scenic route back to the Piazzale Michelangelo Adam told me about earlier, that I wanted to see. I ended up going past the Belvedere Fort, and walked much farther than I had planned, got a little list, but finally ended up in the right place. Along the way, I captured some photos of the sun glistening on the buildings, on the river, on the tops of cathedrals. The trees held some of the sun's colors - reds and oranges. It was a long walk but well worth the views. I finally got to the right piazza and the view was absolutely perfect, overlooking the entire city. I even asked a stranger to take my picture in front of the view. Proof that I was there, myself!

I walked down the steep hill to get back down to the river, crossed one of the bridges, on my way back to Ruth's restaurant. I just had to go there. And it was finally approaching dinnertime. Adam met me there for a quick bite, I stayed a bit longer to enjoy the relaxing meal, and the fact that I was finally sitting after so many miles of walking. I took a cab back to the hotel (there was no way I was walking back after all that I did today) to relax for the rest of the night. I even skyped with mom and dad!

Once I was back at the hotel, I used google map pedometers to figure out how much walking I did today - 10 miles! Not too shabby. Maybe I've worked off some of the pasta and cream I've been eating in this country!

The Leaning Tower of Awesome (3/5)

On the road again! That's how the morning started. We took our sweet time getting packed up and into the car and out of Rome, and within a few minutes, we made a McDonald's stop. Erik picked up a sandwich of some kind that smelled like FRIED in the car (fun times) but Adam and I were not as pleased with the selection. Bummer. Snacks in the car I guess!

We were hoping to get to Florence to drop off our bags at the hotel and make our way to Pisa. We are so paranoid about leaving anything in the car from all the horror stories we have all heard about theft and robbery in Italy. We have experienced NONE of it, especially in Rome where we were on the lookout all the time for pickpockets (beause everyone says watch out), but we are still a little worried. Trying to do things the smart way. We were able to check in to our hotel in Florence, which was right on the Arno River, the main river that flows through the middle of the city. Our hotel was right above the Austrian Consulate, so we found out that parking was a little tricky. We were allowed to park there as early as 7:30pm and then through Monday morning, because there is no ticketing on Sundays (HOLY DAY!) in the city (maybe the country). It was fine for us because we wanted to drive to Pisa anyway, but we knew we couldn't park there again until it was 7:30.

We hopped right back in the car and drove to Pisa to see the Leaning Tower and anything else the city (town?) had to offer. It took about 50 minutes to get to Pisa, and we had to find parking nearby to walk over to the tower. We found a parking lot nearby - that wasn't any trouble at all. But there was a guy in the parking lot selling packets of tissues, and other junky souvenirs. We paid the parking machine as instructed, and in his not even broken English (we're not sure what language it was) he was trying to tell us to pay him to watch our car. Well he is definitely a scammer but we didn't want him breaking INTO our car while we were gone, for us not paying him, so I think we gave him 1 or 2 Euro. If he gets this from everyone who comes into this lot, who thinks that they HAVE to pay him, well he is a smart dude doing pretty well for himself, all things considered. But, we were also too wussy to not give him something.

We walked about 3 minutes before arriving in the "Field of Miracles" which contains the Leaning Tower. I was totally blown away by how cool it looked! I obviously expected it to be leaning, and I even read about it in our tourbook and knew that it was approximately 15 feet off of center, and 5 degrees slanted. But up close and in real life, it was completely visibly slanted, and I thought it was - magnifico! Pictures, pictures, pictures! I did a few but the boys were hungry so we wandered the streets of Pisa in search of some grub. We settled on a restaurant not too far from the tower, and we were all pretty happy, I think, with our meal! I got gnocchi (AGAIN, yes, I know) with pesto - it wasn't as good as some of the other gnocchi I've had, but hey, ya win some, ya lose some. We went back to the field to take some more pictures including some attempts at some funny ones, but man, it's hard! You have to stand just so and have your photographer crouch down almost lying on the ground, and then line yourself up exactly with the tower so that it looks like your hand is touching it, or you are kicking it down, or holding it up. Everyone else was doing the same thing, so I didn't feel AS goofy. Not that I have any shame anyways. I'd do it even if I was the only one. I think Adam and Erik were embarassed by me so I tried not to drag it out too long, but I was seriously on a high from seeing this thing. On our way back to the car I took a few last shots of the tower.

We still had time left to kill, so on our drive, when we spotted a casino next to a cafe, we knew we hit the jackpot! (Pun intended.) The guys wanted to go check out the casino, and I wanted to read in the cafe next to it. I had my book with me, wanted a hot drink to warm me up; this was absolutely perfect. Adam turned the car around at the next roundabout, and we all got out of the car. I walked with them into the casino just to check it out incase I DID want to stay, but it was smoky in there and just not my scene. Ahhh, finally some relaxation time! I ordered a hot chocolate at the cafe, put my bag and book down on the table, and while I was waiting for my hot chocolate, I saw them walk by the door. They came in and told me it wasn't a "real" casino - it only had slot machines. So much for my relaxing time alone! They came in and joined me while I sipped my hot beverage, but there was no reading that happened. We got BACK in the car again and just drove back to Florence. When we arrived, we had about an hour before we were legally allowed to park by the hotel, so we parked the car in a lot at the corner of the street. We paid up for our parking to get us through to the right time, and went into the hotel.

Dinnertime! Our hotel owner gave us a recommendation for a good Italian restaurant in the city called Benedetto, and we decided to check it out. By far it was the nicest restaurant we had been in during our entire trip. Tonight was Erik's last on the trip so it was our last as a group of three - we wanted to treat ourselves! Our waiter was fantastic - explained almost everything on the menu to us, told us what was Tuscan and what was just Italian, and even brought us an extra appetizer since he thought the guys would want more than just the one. They also brought us 2 plates of bruschetta on the house. I normally really do not like tomatoes - almost everyone in my life knows this. But the night in Rome that I had bruschetta, AND this one, proved my taste buds wrong. I guess when it's seasoned nicely, there's good flavor, and it's on yummy bread, I can do bruschetta! (And I've also found out that it is pronounced broo-sket-ah.) We all ordered some wine (my choice being Muscato of course - and the waiter thought it might be too sweet for me - hahaha he doesn't know me very well!). Instead of ordering gnocchi, I decided to change it up and get a spaghetti dish that sounded fantastic - it was with cheese (formaggio - my favorite!), pears, and truffles. I also got a stuffed zucchini appetizer that was really tasty! Unfortunately, the waiter or the chef got my order wrong and they brought me the ravioli! It was the other main vegetarian dish on the menu, and because I had mentioned to our waiter that I didn't eat any meat, he must have just confused it. So he brought it back to the kitchen, and had the chef make me a fresh batch of the spaghetti dish! I had a guilty conscience about it though, because I wasn't sure if they would be throwing away the ravioli, or if they were going to be able to reserve it (maybe their laws aren't the same here as in the US) or maybe the wait staff would get a chance to do some taste sampling! I normally don't cause a fuss in restaurants, but I really truly wanted that dish and was happy I said so. It was what I ordered and what I wanted and what they gave me. Between the appetizer, the bruschetta, the spaghetti, and the wine, I had a fabulous meal, and took pictures of each course to prove it! I even got a picture with the waiter at the end of the night. What a sweetie pie!

We decided to check out the bar scene in Florence, but it was raining. Again. And we heard that Italians don't really go out in the rain. So much for trying to meet the locals! We stayed for a short while at the bar we chose (whose name escapes me already) and went back to the hotel via cab. Erik ran up to the room to get his bags while the cab waited for him downstairs (somehow in broken Italian we explained to the driver to wait and that we had one passenger going to the train station). Another day of the Eurotrip in the books! Buonne notte!

Roma times TWO! (3/4)

Second full day in Rome...we started at the Termini train station so Erik could get his bus ticket sorted from Florence to Milan for his flight. Meanwhile, Adam and I bummed around the station checking out the food. I saw my FIRST Italian cannoli! Well it's a no brainer - I had to try it. Once I was in line, I debated it, because train station food isn't always the best. It's like getting a black and white cookie at Penn Station. A real bakery would be so much better! But, I hadn't seen a cannoli yet, and I figured I might as well try it! I have to say, I was very happy with my selection. It was so good! Sweet, creamy, crunchy on the outside. Perfecto!

Once Erik was done sorting out his train ticket, we went downstairs in Termini to ride the subway (something we really haven't done much of on this trip because we have walked most places or taken cabs when we needed to), and it was so cheap! We hopped on the subway for 2 stops to get to the Colosseum, our starting point for the day. As soon as we got out of the subway we saw the Colosseum - it is pretty massive, to say the least. Unfortunately, it was already raining a little bit, but we did come prepared - raincoats and all. Some guy outside the Colosseum tried to convince us we should take an English speaking tour for such and such deal...yeah buddy we were not that interested. We knew that our ticket would provide entry to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Forum, and for 12 Euro, that was a pretty good deal. Three sights for the price of one. Plus, Adam did a report on the Colosseum when he was in 6th grade, so instead of renting audioguides, I told him he was mine for the day. Despite the rain, there were a lot of other tourists there, taking pictures just like us! After our walk around (and up to the 2nd level of) the Colosseum, we left toward Palatine Hill, not really knowing what we were looking at. We tried to pay attention to maps and read the Rick Steves book to help us out, but with the rain it was hard, and I wasn't that impressed. I think I was also losing patience being outside and cold in the rain. Our next stop was the Forum, which was kind of just next to Palatine Hill, and none of us really knew where it was but thankfully we stumbled upon it anyway. The Forum was very cool! It reminded me of some Jerusalem/Israel stuff because of how old the columns were, and what the Forum used to be - the center of life in Rome! It used to be the center for markets, socializing, politics, and religion. It was great to see the ruins and imagine what it looked like 2,000 years ago - hustle and bustle kind of a place. Now it's hustling and bustling with tourists stopping to take pictures of everything.

Our last stop in the area was to check out the Circus Maximus, the racetrack used back in the day. We kind of knew where it was, which direction it was in, so we started walking there. We stumbled upon it, knowing it would be HUGE and it turned out to be almost 7 football fields in length, but there was absolutely nothing there. NO one selling souvenirs (could have been the jackpot!) and nothing that seemed like it was very preserved from 2,000 years ago.

The guys sucked up the walk with me to the Great Synagogue so I could go find out what time Shabbat services would start. If I got to go, it would be great. If I didn't get to go, it wouldn't be a big deal. We walked a short while until we got there, and it was pretty dead. No one around to ask about Shabbat services, nor was it posted anywhere. After a few minutes, a dad and 2 teenagers came around the corner, and I asked in Italian if they spoke English. Turned out they were Swedish, so they didn't really speak Italian, but they understood me and the dad said that he spoke English. He had heard that services started around 5:30. At this point, it was probably around 5pm. Adam and Erik decided to split. I wanted to stay for the service. We agreed that after the service I would call them and see where they were to meet up - easy enough!

Well the doors finally opened and people came in from out of nowhere! Most went right in (you could tell they were the locals) and others, like me, were screened. Passports were a must. Leaving phones and cameras was a must. The lady who screened me asked me about the nature of my visit to Europe, to Rome, why I wanted to come to the synagogue, made sure that I was Jewish and entering for Shabbat services. It was tighter than Israeli security!

I was very happy to get inside, so happy that I didn't even realize, or think, that it was an Orthodox synagogue and I was not supposed to enter the bottom level of the sanctuary. I had to go up to the women's balcony (which, obviously, I LOVE, segregation, ha), but before the service started I just kind of took it all in. The decoration, the lights, the beauty, the setting, the scenery. It was stunning inside. I didn't have my camera with me, since I had to leave it at the security check, so I was kind of bummed not to be able to capture the inside of the synagogue.

I picked up a prayer book (a siddur) in hopes of being able to follow the service since it was in Hebrew. For the most part, I was able to follow. It was actually a little difficult to hear the cantor from the women's balcony, as there was no microphone, but there was some semblance to a men's choir that helped to amplify the sound and I could flip a few pages to figure out where we were. I wasn't too focused on being on the right page; I just wanted to soak it all in. This was my first Shabbat in 5 months (for the most part) that I wasn't in Israel. I became so used to celebrating and observing Shabbat in at least a small way (a dinner, a service, a meal of some kind) that it seemed natural for me to find a place to go on Friday night to be with the Jews! It was very comforting to feel at home.

When services were over, I left the synagogue going toward Campo di Fiori, where the guys were finishing up a drink. I met them at the bar, and the waitress gave us a recommendation on a restaurant to try for dinner, about a 5 minute walk from Campo. We found it with no problem (she also gave us turn by turn directions so that was quite helpful) and had yet another great meal. Foccaccia bread with rosemary, garlic, and oil. I got a fairly large Greek salad, and a plate of ravioli. I was still ravenous so I helped Erik finish his margherita pizza before we went back to the hotel for the night.

Another great day complete, and we're heading back north tomorrow to Florence and hopefully Pisa, for the day. Buonna notte!

Roma! (3/3/11)

The best way to start the day is...sleeping in, of course! So we did exactly that. We were all so exhausted from the drive yesterday (and the 6am wakeup) that we needed to sleep in until we all woke up naturally. The hotel did have shuttles running between 9am and 12pm but we slept so late and took so long getting ready for the day, that we missed the last one out until 4pm. We asked the front desk to call us a cab, and apparently they can just push a button and a cab comes to the front door within 30 seconds. They weren't kidding! The cab was there in less than 30 seconds, and before we knew it, we were on our way to Vatican City!

Our cab driver dropped us off right outside the entrance to the museum, and instead of going in, we went across the street to a restaurant to get some good ole Italian grub! Minestrone style soup for me, and pasta and meat for Adam and Erik. Finished up with some fruit salad for dessert, and we were on our way back across the street to get into the museum. I heard the Sistine Chapel was worth seeing. You know, that little painting by Michaelangelo. So we walked all the way through the museum, looking at paintings, sculptures, tapestries, stained glass, and other works of art (and archaeology) before entering the Sistine Chapel to see Michaelangelo's famous piece. Unfortunately, it was the ONLY room in the entire building where people are forbidden to take pictures. Not just flash photography, but any photography at all. I thought that was kind of bogus so I took a picture anyway (no flash) and then a nice young police officer looking security guard said in his best English with an Italian accent, "I talking to you, no photo here." I apologized to him and we left the room. I got my one picture! Better than nothing at all.

After we left the museum, we walked around the walls of Vatican City (which really is its own country with its own postal code and uniformed officers) to see St. Peter's Basilica, the most grand church in the world! We waited in line outside, which seemed to move fairly quickly, taking pictures of the square and the fountains and the pigeons around us. We got to the main entrance of the church and walked in slowly and quietly. There were tons of other tourists around, but I'm sure that the semi-rainy weather also scared away some other potential tourists who chose to stay indoors to stay warm and dry. The church was huge and beautiful, to say the least. We walked around for probably around an hour, looking at different statues, paintings, Latin letters, the altar, and more. It was so impressive! My camera hardly captured its fullness in photos.

We left the church and began to walk toward the downtown part of Rome to see what else this lovely city had to offer. We made a pit stop in a little cafe on our walk, and ended up stopping at Campo di Fiori, an area of Rome we heard was very popular for going out. It was way too early for the bars, and we really wanted dinner, so we ended up going to Piazza Navonna where I had heard there were lots of restaurants. There was also a fountain there and a big square, so we walked around for a little bit until we could decide which restaurant to go to. We sat down at one restaurant right across from the fountain (great view!) and had an incredible meal. Well my meal was incredible! Probably the best I've had so far on this trip! Gnocchi with gorgonzola and spinach, and of course I put more cheese on top - grated parmesean! So Italian! And so fattening. All I'm doing on this trip is eating. Cheese. Lots of cheese. Formaggio!

We knew we wanted to get back to Campo di Fiori for the bar scene later, but we also knew we had time to kill. A lot of people had said that the Trevi Fountain is beautiful at night, and also traditionally a place that people throw coins to signify their return to Rome. The walk was just a few minutes from the Piazza, so we went there to take some pics and throw in some coins, and then got to Campo di Fiori. Someone we had met earlier said that all the Americans go to "The Drunken Ship" so needless to say, that's where we ended up! There were maybe 2 others in there when we got in (around 9pm, way early), but by 11pm it was way crowded! Lots of Americans came in and filled up the place. By around 11pm I had enough, so I took a cab back to the hotel to call it a night.

Tomorrow, we explore Rome's ancient history - Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill!

Adventures in Southern France (3/1-3/2)

We picked up our rental car around 9:30am and did some circles around the city of Paris before finally getting out of the city. We were fortunate enough to read the Rick Steves book that indicated that Lyon had a "Subway" restaurant, and that became our intermediate destination for the day. (Right, so, we leave Paris to drive toward the south of France, and we are heading toward a Subway for lunch. Nothing else more authentic? This is what happens when you travel Europe with 2 American dudes. Haha, love you guys!)

So after multiple hours of driving, seeing the countryside, passing old castles and green fields, we end up in Lyon, driving along the river as the GPS attempts to direct us toward this Subway, which was blocked by gate/code access. After some circling and realizing there was no way we were making it down that street on our own, we gave up. Kind of. We parked in a lot nearby, Adam and I ran in to pick up the sandwiches, and we all ate in the car. Well, that was our visit to Lyon, because immediately after we were done with our sandwiches we got back on the road heading toward Arles (pronounced Arl) where we were hoping to stay in one of the hotels listed in the Rick Steves book. Before we could even get out of Lyon, our stupid GPS had us going in 3 figure 8s along highway entrances because it couldn't make up its mind of where it wanted us to go. Well we finally got off of the GPS path so it could re-route us toward the correct highway, and got out of Lyon. A few hours later, we arrived in Arles, and the roads were so tiny that we had to back up and turn around a few times still not finding the hotel we wanted. We found a nearby hotel, Hotel Voltaire, that was also listed in Rick Steves book and his description was pretty accurate - a questionably clean room with ceiling fans. The guy only had a double room, which meant it had 2 single beds. Well there are 3 of us so guess what that means - squish-tastic! I was able to check out the room before booking it, and although it was certainly not glamorous, it was half decent. The boys didn't necessarily agree but it seemed like we didn't have any other choice. The original hotel we wanted (according to Rick Steves) was closed! Out of business! Operating no more! Thanks Rick Steves. You're a genius.

Erik didn't want to leave all of our belongings in the room without being there, so Adam and I went across the street to pick up some food to take back to eat in the room. Unfortunately, the only food we could take back was pizza, and they had so many other great things on the menu. But we ordered 3 pizzas and took them to go. Once we arrived back at the hotel, we opened up the boxes to discover that NONE of the pizzas were sliced. Fun times! We had to rip apart our individual pizzas and use tissues as our napkins. One of the more budget nights but definitely more fun nights. A lot of laughing and joking ensued. There was absolutely nothing to do in Arles, and we weren't really sure how safe the neighborhood was. I thought it was fine to walk around but these non-NY natives were a little freaked out I think. Erik fell asleep watching Big Brother on his iPad; Adam and I fell asleep watching Indiana Jones on my computer.

The next morning, we woke up at 6am and Adam jumped out of bed ready to roll for the day! Mission - get to Rome. Via many stops along the way and some driving along the coast.

Our first stop after Arles was Les Baux, where we thought we could see a cool old castle, but because we had left so early (by the time we left it was really more like 7:30, because we had to wait for our friend downstairs at the Hotel Voltaire to give our keys back) that it wasn't yet open. We drove to the top of the hill and took some (crappy) photos, and left toward Nice to see the Marc Chagall Museum, which I really wanted to see. I told the guys that they probably wouldn't enjoy it like I knew I would (based on how much time they spent in the Louvre), but they came along anyway. They lasted about 20 minutes before deciding to head out in search of wi-fi to book a hotel in Rome, and I stayed at the Chagall museum for almost an hour and a half. I took tons of pictures, of almost every piece of work, and even got a cute little French lady to snap a photo of me in front of one of his Moses works. The boys picked me up at noon outside of the museum, as promised, and we continued on our journey.

Our next stop was Monaco, which is as big as a city but technically is a different country. The second we got to the coast, we all saw the breathtaking views overlooking the cliffs and the water lapping on the shore. Despite the stress and arguing over whether or not to get food at a restaurant overlooking the water, or at a rest stop on the highway up ahead many miles, we ended up having a beautiful drive and a nice lunch just east of Monaco and before we entered Italy. The restaurant was called "Fellini" and honestly, when we got there, we were so close to Italy that we weren't sure if we were there already! The hostess greeted us in Italian, and we were so used to French (bon jour) that when she said hello in Italian (bon giorno) which was slightly different, we were so confused!

The menu was great and had lots of options for all of us. We each got something different: gnocchi in a creamy walnut sauce, linguini with seabass, and grilled swordfish with potatoes. So we each tasted each other's dishes and quite enjoyed them! It was a cheap lunch considering how nice the food was, and how generous the portions were! We all felt a little less cranky I think, after lunch. So we were moving in the right direction. We went next door to Hotel Victoria to use their wi-fi to book a hotel in Rome. Up until this point, we were really unsure as to whether or not we'd make it all the way to Rome or not. We could have stopped in a number of cities along the way incase we got too tired or it got too late. But once we booked a hotel in Rome, our mission was even MORE clear - GET THERE! After lunch, we only took 2 or 3 very short rest stops for quick bites to eat, bathroom, and gasoline. Through many tunnels, winding roads, naps for some of us, listening to various radio stations, vineyards to our right and our left, and even some rainfall, we finally arrived at our hotel in Rome - the Crowne Plaza! It was like a palace when we finally walked in.

Adventures in Rome begin -- TOMORROW!

All day at the Louvre (2/28/11)

I basically spent all day at the Louvre today. We got there a little after 10am to buy our tickets and our audio headsets; the boys had some "breakfast" at the cafe (I got my breakfast from Starbucks on our walk there so I was all set) and we started with the "Masterpieces" tour. This included 3 main highlights - the Venus de Milo (statue), the winged victory of Samothrace (a Green sculpture), and the Mona Lisa. It took about 45 minutes and had us follow certain paths of the museum according to instructions. It was a bit slower than we were hoping, but I did enjoy hearing about the different aspects of the pieces, not that I remember all of them. Specifically, I wouldn't have looked at the Venus de Milo statue from behind because looking at it straight on is just so natural. But because the audio guide had us each walk behind it to consider the artist's intent, I appreciated having the headphones.

I guess the audio tour built anticipation up to the Mona Lisa. We knew it was coming at some point during the tour, and we started to see the signs to that part of the museum. So when we walked into the room it was in, it was clear where it was by the crowds of people. I hate to say that I wasn't all that much impressed with it, perhaps because I don't like being stuck in a crowd and I just wanted to get out of that room as quickly as possible, but also I think because it wasn't that big and I've seen pictures of it so many times, that it didn't look any more authentic than the photos I've seen. It's a shame because the work I saw today WAS the original. It WAS authentic.

After that audio tour, we decided to go to the Egyptian exhibit to see some of the artwork there. We stayed together for the most part but listened to our own tracks. You can just enter the number of any artwork listed with a number, and the guide would give you the information about that specific item - history, context, artist critique, etc. I was clearly spending more time looking around than the boys, who I could tell were getting antsy. At about 1pm we decided to go downstairs and consider lunch. They decided to give back their headsets and leave for lunch and for the afternoon, so we just agreed to meet up later at our hotel. I stayed at the museum for another few hours, so I had lunch at one of the cafes there (which wasn't so great, and then I found out there was another eatery on another level which may or may not have been better), and headed back out to see more artwork. I took my time, wandering through the French painting section, Italian paintings and Spanish paintings, and walked back through some of the sculpture, found Napoleon's furniture (which was absolutely stunning, although apparently not his actual furniture!). The museum was SO big and had 4 floors and many wings; it was very confusing! I got a little turned around a couple times, but eventually hit up the gift store on my way out. Seeing as the only souvenirs I really buy when I travel are collector's spoons, it only seemed natural to inquire about them. Unfortunately, they didn't have any. Out of luck. So I would need to find another place to get a spoon in this city/country.

On my walk back from the museum, I walked into 2 souvenir shops to look at spoons, and although neither had the ouvre specifically, they both had Paris ones and for the same price, so I went for it and got one with the Eiffel Tower because of how happy I was last night after the whole experience. I took a scenic route back to the hotel because I knew I had time to kill. I scoped out some restaurants in the area incase we were desperate to find something closeby tonight. When I got back to the room, the boys were already there, after their separate wandering around adventure.

We decided to head out for dinner and stumbled upon a sushi restaurant! The waitress spoke very little English, and clearly we still do not speak French, so once again it was kind of an experience. For the most part, we got what we ordered! I had some miso soup (hoping to thwart off the feelings of another cold coming on) and some really good fish! Normally I like tuna better than salmon but the salmon tonight was SO good!

Back at the hotel for a nice hot shower (followed by wrapping myself in the comfortably soft robes the hotel provides) before going to bed. The beds here are so comfortable; I will miss them! We are picking up our rental car tomorrow morning and heading to the south of France. Maybe stopping in Lyon for lunch and some adventures off the beaten path, and then toward Nice and Monaco. Totally relying on Rick Steve's book for some clues as to where to go, stay, eat, etc. Then we're heading to Italy so we're going to bust out the next Rick Steve's book for advice on how to plan our days. Just as I'm finally picking up some French, it'll be time to learn a new language!

French, Hebrew, What? (2/27)

I realized after a full day in Paris, in France, a French speaking country, although I can get by with the very minimal French I know, and the amount of people who also understand English here, I still have a TON of Hebrew in my head! I have really gotten accustomed to asking for directions in Hebrew, ordering in restaurants and cafes in Hebrew, and just making small remarks like "nachon" (correct/right) or "betach" (of course/sure). Adam and Erik don't understand any Hebrew besides Shalom so it's hopeless for me to expect them to understand me. It just caught me by surprise that I had so much Hebrew in my head. I guess when I know it's not an English speaking country, my brain automatically switches into Hebrew to make sense of being in a foreign country.

I do have to say though, I was quite proud of myself for ordering a drink at Starbucks today (not for me, for Erik), completely in French! It wasn't until the order came correctly, that I was really proud of myself!

Eurotrip Day 1 - Paris (2/26/11)

Flight was pretty good, didn't sleep much unfortunately. Arrived in Paris, started stumbling through the airport to get to baggage claim (which was a tram ride away). Meanwhile, this sign was lovely and welcoming:

Met up with Adam and Erik (my travel buddies) at the airport (kind of miraculously considering none of us had cell phone use and we came in at different terminals). We took a cab to our hotel, which is pretty central in the city, went up to our room to put our things down, and went to get some lunch. The first restaurant we stopped at just to see the menu, had a VERY excited waiter. He came right up to us and started mentioning all of the great things on the menu. We weren't 100% sold on it so we walked down the block a bit more, and ended up finding something that was a bit more affordable. Food here is expensive! Wow!

We started to do some wandering, saw the Academy of Music (aka Opera House, above) and walked to the Louvre (which we will probably go to tomorrow, it's only 10 euro, so cheap!).

Then we walked down Champs Elysses (which we all still don't really know how to pronounce), we could see the Eiffel Tower from there, and I took some pictures of the gardens and the tower in the distance.

Then we ran into EITAN (who was on WUJS) who I knew was in Paris but I hadn't called him yet to try and meet up. It started raining so we headed back to the hotel; Ethan went to his. We each took a nap back in our deliciously comfortable beds (which may or may not have been a good thing; I think we woke up more groggy then when we fell asleep) and met up with Ethan for dinner and some drinks in Paris! The American Dream restaurant/bar which we passed by before had live music and a pretty cool atmosphere, so it was a hit.

Already took some pictures today which have been posted to Facebook, so find Ruthie Jewthie online and check 'em out!

I made it past the passport police! (2/26)

I was so worried about the trouble the passport police might give me when leaving for Paris. Well lo and behold, I am sitting at the gate ready to board my plane for Paris, and I had relatively little trouble. Of course, the clerk at the counter was not so pleased that I was well over my visa (and I explained to her that I tried to extend it and even get the right visa to begin with), but she said it shouldn't be (at least) a major problem when I return, since I am only a tourist when I come back, no longer on an organized program.

Europe, here I come!

What being abroad has taught me (2/25)

Being abroad has taught me...

...that I don't need TV! The only American TV show I've kept up with while I've been gone is, of course, "Grey's Anatomy." I have been able to find a commercial-less stream every week to keep up to date. I gave up on "The Biggest Loser," among many other shows. I think when I go home I'm cancelling my cable and using my $80 a month for something else.

...that language is so crucial to communication. I've had trouble communicating ideas I have, when I am speaking with someone who doesn't understand English. Likewise, someone living in Israel who speaks only Arabic and Hebrew, must have a difficult time communicating to non-native Hebrew speakers. The way that children learn and play starts with verbal language, and of course nonverbal language. But speech is so crucial to development and relationship building. Although I assumed that by the end of 5 months of living in Israel, I'd be fluent in Hebrew, that isn't the case. I want to take Hebrew classes in NYC to keep up what I've learned and continue to learn more. Israel, Judaism, and Hebrew are all going to be a major part of my life in the future, so my knowledge of the language must not go to waste.

...that the conversation about religious versus secular (in Israel or anywhere) is not even the right place to start. Both words are spoken about like they are on opposite sides of a dichotomy, which never overlaps, never meets in the middle, doesn't even have a middle. People ask others all the time, "Are you religious?" but what does that really mean - do you believe in a god, do you keep/observe Shabbat, do you keep kosher, are you shomer negiyah (not touching the opposite sex), do you pray regularly? If you really want to get to know a person and you want to see how "religious" or "secular" they are, I think a better word to use is "observant" and even so, still isolating. Truly, ask a person what you want to know - if they believe in a god, keep Shabbat, keep kosher, etc. Putting people in one particular spot of a spectrum or on one side of a dichotomy is alienating and inaccurate. The Jewish people are comprised of many kinds of Jews who do and think very differently from one another, but we all need to recognize those differences in each other before we can expect the rest of the world to give us some respect.

...that I could probably live anywhere in the world (for a certain period of time) and survive. Maybe not be the happiest or at my best, but I certainly could survive. If the WUJS program were an 8 month program, I'd still be a participant, and I'd probably be very happy. I'd still be going on field trips, I'd still be learning and volunteering, and I'd still be content here. If I was transplanted to another country, another city, English speaking or not (hey I've learned a new language and adapted fairly quickly), I'd probably survive. Have no fear NYers, I'm coming back and planning on being there for a while, but, it was nice to learn that although I didn't LOVE being away from my family and friends for so long, I missed a lot of things back home (including my birthday, my sister's birthday, and my dad's birthday, among other occasions) and there was a language barrier most days, I could do it. I DID do it.

...that I really enjoy traveling! Not like I didn't know this. I have gotten 2 more stamps on my passport since I arrived in Israel - one in Turkey (traveled in Istanbul for 4 days) and one in Jordan (went to Petra for a day). Tomorrow I leave for Europe to acquire at least one more. We'll see what the EU decides to do with my passport.

...that I enjoy taking pictures! I have always been the one back home to rely on other people bringing cameras to parties, nights out, events, housewarmings, birthdays, hangout nights, and trips. Because I wanted to share my experiences here with everyone back home, I decided that I would take TONS of pictures to share on Facebook (which I have done pretty well so far, I think!), so people back home could follow my every move. I think I'm now addicted to the camera. This is either really good...or could become very problematic!

...that I enjoy writing! Keeping this blog has been a great way for me to process my thoughts, through writing. I write what I would say if I were speaking it out loud. For the most part. So I don't think it's all that poetic, or articulate. But it's been a great outlet for me, and the compliments I've received on some of my blog posts has been very positive! Maybe I have a new career or hobby in store for me!