I returned from Italy a little less than a week ago and even thinking back to it now it seems as if it were one of those dreams where you're half-awake and and half-asleep, guided by realistic notions and motivations but moving and acting in an alternate reality. So I'm pretty sure I should write down my adventures before it occurs to me as completely unrealistic.
Prologue: I guess it's important to recap that the night before we left I was informed by Bank of America that somehow my debit card numbers had been fraudlently obtained so I needed to withdraw money ASAP so they could close out the account immediately. This happening occurred almost simultaneously with the realization that I left my train tickets from Milan to Venice sitting at home in California in my mononucleosis stupor. Sooo I was up until two in the morning figuring out how to get refunded for the tickets and getting new ones as well as stressing out about having limited financial means in Venice, all in the form of cash that could easily be swiped by sleezy Italians. Everything ended up working out for the most part in the end, but I thought it would be important to note these two circumstances as you will notice it is a common occurrence in my life for random unfortunate things to happen... and I'm not being a downer, this has been pointed out by multiple others besides myself. However, I am under the impression that things always work out for me in the end, no matter how stressful the situation in the meantime is, and in this I find myself extremely fortunate. Speaking of fortunate, let me continue on with my Italian escapades.
Thursday, February 11th
Hannah and I left after class to catch the one-hour shuttle to Stansted Airport at the edge of London (which edge I'm not exactly sure). We got to the airport and eventually boarded on our Ryan Air flight. Ryan Air is probably the cheapest airline known to man, with roundtrip flights to multiple places in the E.U. for about 50 USD or less, which immediately makes you think of some shiesty puddle-jumping plans that have a high crash-rate and low survival-rate. However, for the most part, Ryan Air operates the standard 747 passenger planes, and apart from the horrible blue and yellow interior of the plane and the constant peddling of merchandise and food by the flight attendants clad in blue and yellow wool, I felt relatively safe.
The flight landed around 7 pm Italia time in Milan, and we took a one-hour shuttle to Milano Centrale. After finding our hostel (Hotel Sabatino) which was actually pretty nice for a hostel despite the ass of the front-desk receptionist, Hannah and I went to get food. We found ourselves sitting outside at a cafe called something like Cafe di Gatto (the Cat Cafe), having no idea what to order or how to get food and not just alcohol. After the butler-dressed server brought us some sort of strawberry-champagne concoction that we didn't order (but was delicious nonetheless) he brought us the bill. This was my first realization that due to the fact we both were dying of starvation and had yet to order, this whole language-barrier thing might be a problem. Thank god I chose to study in an English-speaking country. Anyway, after we convince the butler to bring us a plate of Lasagna, we decide not to pay for another strawberry champagne concoction and find a cheap bottle of wine. After we acquire said bottle of wine from a little Italian whole-in-the-wall liquor store with an attendant who loved us for being from California and insisted on giving us free pastries, we meet up with Georgina, a friend from Santa Barbara meeting us in Milan to join us on our Italian adventure. We drink the bottle of wine back at Hotel Sabatino, try to decide what to do on our first night in Italy and eventually have the ass at the front desk call us a cab. When we get in the cab, we notice the running fare is already at 8 euro... what? We try to question the driver about this but he shrugs us off and uses the language barrier as an excuse not to explain the absurd fare. We discuss this in the back seat and decide four blocks and two euro later to get out of the cab; after we pay the ridiculous fare, we all get out and I slam the door. This apparently warrants the driver to start yelling at us in Italian as we walk away. By this time, it's about 12:30 a.m. and we're all exhausted so we get some kebabs and another cheap bottle of wine at a small shop with some attendants who also love us for being California girls. After the kebabs and wine, we trek the four blocks back to the Hostel and call it a night.
Milan day 1: fail.
Hannah, Me, and Georgina at the kebab place with 4 euro red wine: ripped off by sleezy cab driver and exhausted.
Friday, February 12th
The three of us depart from Milan at 7 in the morning from the Milano Centrale train station. I'm originally seated next to two attractive Italian guys (seated across from one who is incredibly so) but after some investigative observations that include careful application of hand moisturizer, style so good it could be an art form, and slightly affectionate touches, I decide that these two attractive men are not just extremely metro, but in fact they are indeed a couple. Damn. At about 9 in the morning our train breaks down and we are loaded onto another train where, of course, it is overcrowded and there is no seating available. Really Italy? Is this what you're amounting to so far?
We lived like hobos for about two hours.
After another hour and a half of sitting on the floor (and napping on the floor) Georgina and Hannah get off at Venezia Mestre, which is on the mainland, and I get off on at Venezia Santa Lucia, which is on the Island and where my hostel with Amanda is. The second I step out of the train station... well I guess pictures would sum it up better. Needless to say, hellish journey there was definitely worth it.
Stepping out of the train station. It honestly took my breath away.
View from the bridge to my hostel
I arrive at my hostel (Absolut Venice) which is a short walk from the train station. Absolut is owned by an Italian/South-American man named Lapo who I would put at fifty-five years old but dresses like he's a hip twenty-year old. I wish I took a picture. Lapo was nice for the most part but could be occasionally crabby and his hostel was more like a house-turned-hostel and had a much more run-down homey feel than Hotel Sabatino... I think I preferred this. Amanda, one of my best friends from Santa Barbara currently studying in Bordeaux, France, wasn't due to arrive till later that night so I power napped, showered and got ready to meet up with everyone else on a southern part of the Island, Plaza San Marco. Since Amanda had yet to arrive, I made the one hour journey alone on foot to San Marco but I have to say this was one of the most memorable experiences of Italy and possesses the most aforementioned dreamlike qualities for me. (This might be a good time to mention that this was the last weekend of Carnevale in Venice, the main reason we made the journey. Carnevale is a huge festival in many parts of Europe, comparable to Mardi Gras in New Orleans but more cultural festivities, but having had the privilege of attending both, I have to say they're both wonderful cultural experiences with different vibes but amazing for their own reasons. It lasts a month and many people dress in elaborate costumes... it's really beautiful and I recommend if you have the chance in your lifetime, make your way to one of the European cities famous for the celebration, such as Venice). Making my way through the crowded alleyways of Venice during Carnevale at night was surreal; the streets themselves are all laid brick or cobblestone and the buildings on either side perfectly echo every beautiful thought or picture of Italy you've had or seen in your lifetime. Beautiful lights are strung everywhere, and carts line the streets selling gorgeous masks, famous Italian glass, or other souvenirs. You're constantly passing by people dressed in the most elaborate costume that really do just stop you in your tracks. Which is unfortunate because people are everywhere, making their way to various plazas (everything is a Plaza in Venice). I couldn't stop smiling the whole way there, taking in all the beautiful canals and streets at night was almost overwhelming. Not to sound cheesy or cliche, but my heart was actually on fire, excited for everything that Venice had to offer. Plus, I was about to be reunited with some of my best friends from California who were also studying abroad in Europe in Venice, Italy. Surreal.
On my way to San Marco that night
This was my arrival in San Marco, and an example of some of the gorgeous costumes
I finally found my way (not without constant direction from strangers and one nice Italian woman who led me half the way) to my friends. There was Hannah and Georgina of course. There was also Alex and Katherine, two of my good friends from Santa Barbara studying in Rome along with their housemate, Marissa, also studying in Rome. There was Haley, Katherine's friend from high school (side note: they both went to Redwood in Marin... small world, right?). The rest of the night consisted of more cheap wine (a common theme in Italy, to be honest), real Italian pizza, and an early departure back to the hostel because everyone was exhausted from traveling. When I got back to the hostel at like midnight, Amanda was there so I took her on a quick walk down one of the main streets where she got gelato and I got a nutella crepe, a perfect cap to the night.
Saturday, February 13th
Woke up early to explore Venice. This was definitely the main day for exploration. Amanda and I met up with everyone else and got cheap pizza and pastries, and ate them in the plaza.
The cheap pizza was delicious
Lounging and stuffing our faces in some random plaza
Almost immediately after we finished eating we met up with Loretta, who is currently studying abroad in Florence, and happens to be my roommate from freshman year and one of my best friends from California. We spend the whole day walking through Venice, and I mean the whole day. Venice is absolutely beautiful, instead of roads, they have canals, and instead of cars (there are zero cars in Venice) they have little boats and gondolas. At one point in the day we were sitting on a ledge by a beautiful cathedral looking out across the water where more unreal buildings sat in the distance and I couldn't help thinking how amazing it was to be sitting in one of the most beautiful places in Europe with some of my closest friends from home. I would have never imagined this a couple months ago... you never know where life will take you and I can't express how lucky I am to be where life has taken me.
Being silly... check out the mask.
We were basically twins. Amazing.
Hannah and I
The canals were beautiful
Gondola traffic!
He was so cute... I had to take the classic tourist picture with him
Venezia!
Loretta and I
Most of my best friends and future housemates from Santa Barbara: Me, Hannah, Loretta, Alex, and Amanda
Everyone!
That night we went out and explored the nightlife of Venice Carnivale and eventually ended up in Plaza Santa Margarita amongst a crowd of probably a few thousand and a DJ stage. And of course, the cheap wine. Whilst dancing to many popular 90's songs from the states, it was weird to occasionally realize that I was in Venice. It was great.
Sunday, February 14th
Yes, I was in Venice, Italy (one of the biggest romantic destinations in the world) on Valentine's Day (called St. Valentine's in Italy). Not to mention it was the first Valentine's day I've spent single since like sophomore year of high school. The irony. However, I did get to spend it with some of my best friends in one of the most beautiful places I ever could hope to go, so I can't complain too much. Everyone went to a brunch-type meal at a small cafe with David, a goofy guy that works at the hostel. I had a cappuccino which was really good but I couldn't wait to get back to the UK so I could get my American-sized espresso drinks. The coffee and espresso in most of Europe is miniature-sized. Le sigh. After some more walking around Venice, everyone went back to their hostels to regroup and Amanda wandered aimlessly together around Venice on Valentine's Day... how romantic. It wasn't nearly as crowded as it was on Saturday, surprisingly and most everything closes pretty early on Sunday. A few number of things stayed open and Amanda and managed to eat our weight in pizza and desert once again. Thank god you walk everywhere in Europe. Later that night we regrouped with Hannah, Georgina, and Haley (those that remained in Venice) and sampled hot wine at various spots and drank some dry white wine. We eventually met some guys from Brazil who were pretty hilarious and fun to hang out with and they followed us around as we wandered. The night ended around 1 and I think by that point everyone was ready to go to sleep. Not many pictures from this day, a few from the night.
Haley, me, Hannah: Limoncello tasting. Does not taste as good as it sounds, surprisingly
Hayley, me, Hannah: Hot wine ("vin brule") tasting. Tastes a lot better than it sounds, surprisingly
Hannah, me, and Hayley: Good ol' cheap wine. We already knew what this tasted like, obviously
Monday, February 15th
Ciao Venezia! Had to get up at 6 to catch a 7 am train back to Milan with Georgina and Hannah, where we scheduled our flight to give us some more time to play in Milan. Soooo Milan take #2.
We arrived back at Milano Centrale train station at about 10:30 am, checked our bags so we could be from them while we explore. We find out where the good tourist places are to go and take the train to Duomo station. The second we get out of the station, Milan is already shaping up. The Duomo Cathedral is right there and it is GORGEOUS.
Outside the Duomo
Breath-taking
This tomb for one of the Medici sons was (disputably) designed by Michelangelo: on the left is an allegory for militia, on the right is peace. I was able to explain this to Hannah and Georgina because it was most definitely on my Michelangelo final sophomore year of college.
The stained-glass windows were out of this world
Tomb of St. Bartholomew
After the Duomo we were starving so we hit up a cafe that had the best-looking display of sandwiches (paninis) and pasta I've seen in all of Italy and seemed reasonably well-priced. However, I ended up somehow ordering like two whole meals, all the while the server was really frustrated and everyone in line was laughing at me. It's the worst when the language barrier comes between you and food, but I ended up getting more than enough food although I did walk out having paid around 15 euro. Oh well. After eating, we explored different areas including an ancient castle that had a run-down creepy carnival (yes, a real one) out back behind it.
Milan: Fashion Capitol of the World and we were haggard.
Caviar? So... there was about a dozen of these giant pink plastic snails in this plaza. It was kind of like the hearts all over Union Square in SF, but... they're plastic snails. Weird, Milan. Just weird.
Georgina, me, and Hannah in front of a Fountain outside the ancient Castle
Front of the Castle
Inside the Castle
Behind the Castle... Carnival? Once again, weird, Milan. Very weird.
After a more successful round two in Milan, we made our way back to the Central Station to get our bags then took the hour shuttle back to the airport. At about 10 p.m., Hannah and I boarded our flight back to London and then got on the shuttle back to Central London (another hour). It was about 1:00 a.m. (London time set us back an hour) by the time we got back to Central London, and it took us another good 40 minutes to figure out how to get on the right bus. At about 2:00 a.m. we made it back to Nido. Finally.
I had so much fun in Italy, and was completely exhausted from all the planes, trains, and buses, but surprisingly I was just overwhelmed with joy to be back home. I missed you, London.
I'm sorry if that seemed to go on for forever, and thank you if you read it all, but I want to remember everything. Ciao!
