Tasting my way through Italy..

While we enjoyed island hopping in Greece, we were very ready to leave the pouring rain that drenched us in Athens 10 days ago.  We were trekking around Athens trying to figure out how to make it to Croatia.  After about the third look of confusion about our plans to go to Croatia and after we were thoroughly soaked to the bone from the rain we decided a plan B was in order. 

We took 10 minutes in the computer room, had our lovely reception man write us a note in Greek so we could communicate properly and efficiently and were off to make the long trip to Bari, Italy!

Naples: After one 3 hour bus ride, one 15 hour ferry, and one 3 hour train ride we had made it to Napoli! The pizza capital of the world.  We met an Austrailian girl on our bus ride who we called the "Buddha" cause she saved our travel lives.  We would have missed our ferry and had no place to stay in Naples if we hadnt decided to follow our Buddha straight from the bus all the way to our lovely hostel. 

Naples was a pleasant surprise.  Not only did we have phenomenal pizza but the city was equally as enjoyable.  After check in at the hostel one of the men at the front desk decided we couldn't just come to Naples for pizza (who knew?) and created a walking tour for us.  It was amazing exploring the city through a native's eyes.  We visited a castle that provided the most stunning panoramic view of Naples.  The weather was perfect and the view was outstanding with water, mountains, and beautiful castles and architecture.  We spent the rest of the day walking around, eating pizza, and stopped at one of the authentic "hang out" spots called piazza Bellini for a drink.  We enjoyed a "hostel made" dinner with the most delicious mozzarella cheese I have ever tasted - it melted in my mouth.  If you ever get to go to Naples the best pizzeria is Gianni and Gennys.  You can enjoy 3 decadent pizza pies and one large Peroni for just 20 euros ;) Naples is truly a beautiful city, with lots of history, and of course delicious Italian food. 

Pompei: Before heading up north, we made a stop at Pompeii the destroyed city from an earthquake and volcanic eruption.  It was amazing seeing this elaborately preserved city down to the structure that belonged to the baker, a couple of ampitheatres and bathing rooms, and remnants of frozen victims in a protective position desperately trying to resist the boiling air and debris.  It was amazing being able to walk around such a unique piece of history. Of course after our day trip we had our final meal at Gianni and Gennys before leaving Naples.

Rome: The theme of Rome was of course - "When in Rome...".  Accounting for our cappuccino followed by espresso addiction, chocolate croissants, and our elaborate 4 course carb loaded meal we had for lunch.  Our waitress actually said to us when she was clearing our plates "wow, you girls really like pasta!". Walking around Rome felt surreal.  I couldn't fathom the fact that I was standing in front of the Colosseum and was walking around Vatican city.  The Vatican museum was the highlight of the sights in Rome.  The artwork was unbelievable.  The massiveness, elaborate detail, and quantity of artwork was amazing.  Being inside the sistene chapel was a cool experience being jammed in the room with so many people all in silence looking up and around the chapel at the beautiful and famous artwork around us.  The purity of silence and no photography made the experience memorable.  Our day in Rome was very unorganised and we just spent the day walking around stumbling upon incredible and famous sites.  We walked around for 8 hours and somehow managed to accidentally see everything we wanted to see.  That is my favorite way to get to know a city and explore it.  We found a street market along a beautiful river and I found a ring that I liked but couldnt decide if I should buy it until the woman brought out the Tibetan meaning: it is the mantra of Avalokiteshavara which is the bodhisattva of compassion.  It contains six syllables of a symbolic representation of purification of the six realms of existence! Om: purifies pride ma: purifies jealousy and lust for entertainment ni: purifies passion and desire pad: purifies ignorance and prejudice me: purifies poverty and possessiveness hum: purifies aggression and hatred. So I decided since I would become one step closer to a Buddha that I had to have it. I love finding little souvenirs along the way that have a special meaning.  Our day in Rome ended with Peronis on the Spanish Steps! 

Florence: Firenze!  Talk about a city stealing your heart - Florence has successfully done this two separate times.  It is the most charming, beautiful, and fun city I have been to. I was taken by it although I had already been here just 2 years ago.    We were able to stay with friends- our lovely gphi juniors who are studying abroad there.  It was so comforting seeing familiar faces for the first time in a few weeks.  They had a beautiful and big apartment just steps away from Santa Croce. They showed us a fantastic night on the town starting at a classic favorite Kikuya where they have the amazing and deadly Dragoon beers with a deceivingly large amount of alcohol in them.  Thank you girls so much for letting us stay: Chlois Mayonnais, g-little, nat and Mary b, Morgan, and ali krak!! Love you all! I loved being with them and hated realizing how old I felt that I was in their position 2 years ago as they discussed their thanksgiving gphi reunion and grinding for midterms.  We had some of the most amazing meals in Florence from pumpkin and ricotta penne, to endless amounts of caprese, to scoops after scoops of various gelato flavors, brie and turkey sandwiches, and a repeat order of meat and tomato truffle tortellini - loved it so much the first time had to have it a second time as my final Italian meal!!  My favorite day in Florence was hiking up to Piazzle Michaelangelo and observing the breathtaking views of the city.  It is one of the most amazing sights I have ever seen.  Florence is special because there is so much beauty to see there but you feel a sense of ease that makes you want to sit back and enjoy every moment of it instead of trekking around trying to do it all at once.  

We just got to Budapest and I am thrilled to be in a new city that I know very little about.  Our hostel was rated best hostel in the world a couple years back :) I will miss Italy.  It is an amazing country with so much to see and so much to offer.  I am so happy and feel so lucky to have spent a week there. 

The Greek Islands: Santorini and Ios

"Your life is an island separated from all other islands and continents.  You yourself are an island separated by its own pains, secluded in its happiness."

Ahhh the Greek Islands.  I think a common thought that we had while in the Greek Islands was "Wow, this is the life."  Some words that I would use to describe the islands would be: charming, serene, and stunning.  Overall all of the people we met whether locals or foreigners working on the islands exceeded my previous description of nice.  They were so friendly, helpful, and they treated us like we were family.  The islands were much more touristy than I had anticipated, however, it was pretty mellow and empty because we are just entering the off season of the islands.  Both of the islands we visited were filled with breathtaking views, deep blue crystal clear water, perfect weather, and delicious food.  Greek salad in all of its simplicity is truly scrumptious in Greece.  The feta was tasty and the tomatoes were so fresh!  Something else I really liked about this part of our trip was traveling by ferry.  Although our last leg was pretty rocky and I felt a bit sick, I like the form of traveling by water.  I find it soothing and I enjoy being able to walk around. 

Santorini:
I have dreamed about coming to Santorini for as long as I can remember.  I had set very high expectations for Santorini and therefore I was surprised by my experience there.  I would not say that I was disappointed because the place is truly magical as are all of the Greek Islands in their own unique way but Santorini did not steal my heart away.  It was very deserted and more spread out than I thought it would be.  I was also surprised at how high up on the mountain the city was set.  We decided to stay on the beach side of the island called Perissa to be able to catch some sunshine :)  The beaches in Santorini have black sand which was a cool difference to see.  It was beautiful to see the rich dark colors contrasted against each other of the sand and the water.  I felt like I was being taken care of by family at the hotel that we stayed at.  It was run by the cutest family.  They had a little dog that trotted around after the man, following his every move.  The owners would drive us into town and give us countless glasses of wine on the house.  Our room was poolside with a patio and mini kitchen.

Celebrating Laura's birthday :)

Our little patio at our hotel in Santorini

The main highlight from our trip to Santorini was the day that we rented ATVs.  We rode into the main part of the island called Fira and had bloody marys at a bar called tropical that has the most gorgeous view that I saw while in Greece.  We drove around some more parts of the island and watched the sunset at a famous view point called "The Lighthouse".

On our last day in Santorini we did a day tour where we took a boat around and hiked the volcano, swam in the hot springs, and road donkeys on a tiny island Thirissia.  Santorini was so quaint with its cobblestone streets and narrow winding paths through all of the shops, bars, and restaurants.  I love how on the islands there is one or two main roads and then no cars drive through the area where the stores and life of the city is.  It was so fun to just wander around and get lost through those streets.  This was a very romantic island and I saw love all around us.  I hope to visit it again someday :)

Hiking the volcano.

Donkey ride in Thirissia

  Ios:
Everyone had said that Ios was going to be completely dead and that it would have little to offer.  I have found that having low or no expectations is always when you turn out to be very pleasantly surprised.  It was like night and day going from Santorini to Ios.  Although Ios was definitely smaller and a bit less picturesque than Santorini it had a great feel.  All three of us instantly had great vibes from the second we walked off of the ferry.  One of the people we talked to said "You don't get hung over in Ios, it's just how it is here.  It's magical" We were picked up by this hilarious British man named Allen who used the F bomb every other word and immediately informed us of the main activity in Ios: partying!  We stayed at this awesome hotel/resort/village called Far Out which was recommended to us by Gabby :) and also by some girls we met in Istanbul.  It was absolutely perfect.  Both days we enjoyed great sunny weather by the pool and hung out with a group that was doing an organized Greek Islands trip and at night went to a couple of signature places that became our favorite spots after just one night.  We met some of the craziest, most hilarious, and most interesting people in Ios.  One of the people we became friends with actually left the group trip early and traveled with us to Athens.  It was crazy to talk to some of the girls who come over to the islands just to work during the six month season.  Their hours are from 11pm-6am and they do not get a single night off.

 Our favorite bars were Fun Pub which we started at both nights and Slammer bar.  Fun Pub was filled with hilarious signs all over the walls like: "AVOID HANGOVERS.  STAY DRUNK" and a mechanical deer head that danced to the music.  They also had a bunch of games so we played Jenga and darts.  The Jenga was life sized and we managed to build it so tall it was up to Laura's shoulders before it fell!  Of course I made it fall two out of three games.  The drink of choice on the island seemed to be Jager bombs that were passed around like candy and they even had special glasses with built in shot glasses for the Jager.  The Slammer bar looked Medieval inside with stone walls and arches between the different sections of the bar.  The DJ played great music and the bartenders were really energetic and friendly.  The bar gets its name from their famous shot which is a large shot that you take with a helmet on your head and then after you take the shot they whack you on the head with a hammer/large board.  My head still hurts a bit from that...It was hilarious to watch one person after the other take these shots.

  On our last night in Ios we enjoyed an amazing meal with some of the people that we met at the hotel and from the previous night.  It was the cutest restaurant, with teal painted walls and so many decorations and nik naks all over the place that fit together so well and gave it such a great feel.  It could have been a room in someones home it was so cozy.

Today we made our way back on the five hour ferry to Athens and are trying to figure out our travels to Croatia tomorrow.  I am so happy that I got to get a little tour of the Greek Islands and would love to go back and island hop someday during the high season!  Like I said each and every island seems to have something very special about it and it is definitely worth discovering.

My personal travel companion: Doug, he's become a very special member of the trip to all three of us :)

 
<3

 

Istanbul! The Turkish delight

Outside of Topkapi Palace.

Inside of Hagia Sophia - once a mosque, now a museum.

Little kitty I fell in love with...this one wears the ACDC t-shirt

Laura and I grabbing some Efes and apps on the Asian side of Istanbul!

Beautiful view from the ferry back from the Asian side.

Our last night in Istanbul with our friends who own the Hookah/tea lounge.

They told Laura she looks Turkish they told me I look Korean.

At the Acropolis in Athens!

Serefe!! The one word that I learned in Turkish meaning - Cheers! (of course) Istanbul exceeded the high expectations that I had.  A couple of words I would use to explain this city would be unique, rich, and authentic.  For five days straight Laura and I were going non stop!  There was so much to do and so much to see.  Between the beautiful and intricate mosques and other ancient ottoman and bizantine relics to the most elaborate bazaars, to taking a 20 minute ferry to the Asian side of Istanbul, to experiencing a traditional Turkish bath, making friends with the owners of a hookah/tea lounge and teaching them how to play blackjack,Laura acquiring the title "Princess" of our hostel within 24 hours of arriving and just simply getting lost in different parts of the city.

Some funny memories from this trip are: one of the hostel owners asking if Laura and I are "together", a shopkeeper that we passed everyday falling in love with Laura who at one point said about Laura as she walked by: "my favoriteeee eating a banana", Laura's expression when we entered the sauna room for our Turkish bath to about 30 practically naked women, and the many bumps and bruises we acquired through our various modes of transportation.

Both Laura and I were pleasantly surprised by how friendly and respectful all of the Turkish people were to us.  We felt completely safe and comfortable in Istanbul.  Something that was very cool and different from anywhere I've ever visited was the call to prayer that would bellow throughout the city 5 times a day from the mosques.  It amazes me that this is the way that part of their religious ritual works and that the mosques speak to an entire city. We would wake up to the call to prayer and a rooster every morning.  Another surprising thing was the abundance of cats roaming the streets of Istanbul.  One of the locals said "the cats run this city".  As a generalisation I have never known cats to be social but these cats would walk right up to us and curl up and sleep in our laps.  I fell in love with a 4 week old kitten that isn't named yet and wears a mini ACDC Tshirt.

One of my favorite things that I saw in Istanbul was all of the mosques and famous historical buildings lit up at sunset.  We were taking a ferry back from the Asian side around 7 or 8pm one night and were able to see an array of glowing mosques against an orange sky.  It was stunning. This city was different from anywhere I have ever been and the historical aspects were also completely unique to anywhere I have visited.  From ancient swords and guns much taller than me to sultan outfits to the most intricate detail, coloring, and lighting of the inside of the mosques.

The food was amazing and you couldn't walk a block without passing a kebab shop - yummy! All of our meals were accompanied with the signature beer of Turkey, Efes. they sold delicious pretzels with cheese on the side of the street that Laura and I indulged in several times. They also sold fresh pomegranates that were a deep fuchsia reddish color on the streets as well.  I found it very interesting that our hostel breakfast consisted of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers as opposed to fresh fruit in the morning. I found fresh veggies to be equally as delicious in the morning.

On our last day we spent wandering around the Taksim area of Istabul. It became one of my favorite areas. It is bustling with people, markets, and has a lively nightlife. It's up on a hill which was a trek to find but provides gorgeous views of the city. We went to a cool bar one night on a pub crawl in Taksim that played great music and had walls decorated by graffiti from the customers.  Only downfall was that it was 22 Turkish lira for a vodka soda!!

I cannot be happier to have started my trip in Istanbul.  It is a friendly city with a great energy and has so much to offer.  I would recommend this city to anyone who gets the opportunity to visit!

We just stopped off in Athens which truthfully was disappointing.  However the Acropolis was amazing to see and walk around.  I felt such an authenticity about the monuments observing how broken down all the structures were and could really feel the history that occurred there. Parts of it look as if it has been practically untouched. The views from the top were unbelievable.  We also had a fantastic meal last night! I know I am going to love the Greek food too much.  Besides the Acropolis we found Athens to be pretty dead and lacking character. We are en route to Santorini first and we have acquired another member of our pod, Lauras friend from Las Vegas. Welcome Presley :)

Today and tonight we will be celebrating Laura's 23rd birthday on the beautiful island of Santorini!!

<3

(pictures to follow soon!!)