Siena

Florence and Siena are opposites. The history is, they used to be competing towns until Florence rose supreme and Siena was left to stew in their renaissance obscurity. Their loss is our gain. Siena may not have the museums and popularity of Florence, but it has all of the Tuscan charm Florence lacks. A small walled city, Siena is nearly an entire pedestrian zone. Except for some rowdy motorbikes, it was nice to be able to relax. 

Each hostel experience is different from the last. I've been in small hostels with only ten or fifteen beds and a very personable hostel owner. I've stayed at hostels that are so big, they might as well be a Double Tree. This is one of the times where the hostel was big and I was lucky enough to be in a room by myself. I really needed to the space to get organized for Rome. 

Siena was a bit more upscale than I expected. The Via del Banco, the main street that leads into the heart of Siena, the Del Campo, is a bustling street of expensive shops. Many are designer. I have also heard that it is a university town, but I saw mostly high schoolers. It's a nice place to hang out when the weather is nice, so many families and teens will take the bus in and spend the afternoon. I saw a few churches, a few museums, and walked around the whole city, but mostly, I relaxed, ate gelato, and read a book. It was sunny enough that I actually got sunburned! 

In my time in Tuscany, I also did a day trip out to Pisa and Lucca. I got up early and got to Pisa. Two things that surprised me about the leaning tower: how small it was and how cool it was. I've grown up seeing pictures of it all my life, I thought it wouldn't be that special. But it was so weird! It seems so unnatural. You could go in but I think the cool part is probably the outside so I didn't. 

Lucca was pretty cute. There was even less to do than in Siena but a quaint stop none the less. 

Siena was a place to enjoy the renaissance in a less intense city. I would definitely recommend spending at least a day in Siena if you are doing an extended trip through Italy. Some do Florence with a day trip to Siena but I would flip that. Make Siena your home base in Tuscany, and then do day trips to Pisa, Lucca, and Florence. All are short trains away.

Half of my journey from Siena to Rome was in a bus, so I got to enjoy the rolling Tuscan countryside. 

Time to trade the peaceful tuscany for the hectic and culture-drenched Rome!

Firenze

I'll start off by saying that I didn't really know what to expect in Florence. I've never actually felt inclined to visit, which even I find odd, but of course I went because it's Florence for goodness sake! I can't really explain why I wasn't excited and was almost... timid? at the thought of visiting. People can usually tell whether they are going to love a city before they go, which make sense because that's why they choose to go.

Florence men are nothing, if not fabulous. 

I was right and wrong. First of all, I'm big on museums and history. So, on that note, I was in heaven. The Accademia held the David by Michaelango, which turned out to be inexplicably amazing. The Uffizi Gallery is considered to be the greatest collection of Renaissance art anywhere. I got to see some works I've know about for most of my life. Plus, art clung to everything. From a random wall of an old building, to one of the amazing churches I've seen. The Renaissance was a time of amazing art and the birth science, and it all started in Florence.

David in all his nude glory. He has just/or is about to slay Goliath but he's super chill and not really worried about it.

The Birth of Venus, with the Greek goddess looking similarly chill but more modest.

Disclaimer: penis=art, vagina=YOU CANT PAINT/SCULPT THAT! BURN IN HELL, YOU GODLESS HEATHEN! 

The renaissance was amazing, in my eyes. It seems to stand for everything I stand for. One, it promoted questioning previously solid concepts. I absolutely HATE being told to believe something without question. Or do something. I am a generally flexible person, willing to do things I don't like doing if people find it necessary. When I was younger, it probably would have looked like disobedience, but I legitimately wanted to know: why? The renaissance was all about understanding why things are the way they are, and in that, they realized not everything we thought we knew was true. I'm talking about the basics here: like how the body works. Two, it promoted innovation. Why change the way something has been done the same way for hundreds of years? Because you could be saving time, money, or energy, depending on what you are improving. Three, it promoted the arts. Today, studies show that those who participate in the arts (music or otherwise) get better grades, have higher IQs, get in less physical altercations, have better attention spans, and that's just the beginning. It is not seen as a frivolous waste of time anymore (to most, anyway). The renaissance was all about art. Four, knowledge became valuable. Schooling and education were important in a society leading civilization out of darkness and into a bright future. 

But of course, we all know what happened next. The Christian church came in, burned the books, spooked the public with threats of eternal damnation, and civilization was once again plunged into the darkness of ignorance and fear. 

There are two events that haunt historians and academics. A) the burning of books and art during the dark ages and B) the loss of the library of Alexandria. Where would we be if those things had never happened? Who knows!

But I got to spend three days in a place that scraped together all of their treasures from that period of enlightenment and displayed it for us to marvel at. 

The Duomo: I've seen a Duomo in every city so far and this has to be by far the coolest exterior.

They removed all of the art from the Duomo so it could be seen for the small fee of €10. It belongs in the Duomo, and without it, the inside was bland and basically was like unwrapping a beautiful Christmas present (note the photo above this one) and finding a few packing peanuts and some crumpled up tape. HOWEVER, they obviously could not find a way (though I'm sure they tried) of putting the dome painting in the museum, so only it remains. And it was incredible.

The inside of the Orsan Michelle church. One of my favorite churches I've ever been to. Yet, nearly empty.

The reason I didn't like it was because it didn't look "Tuscan." It was actually pretty unappealing when not in the museums. Pretty much all tourists, no locals. And I felt creeped on more than once. My reverence and day dreaming on my journey through history was constantly interrupted by the urine smell that many cities suffer from. 

All in all, A for museums, D+ for atmosphere. Luckily, this wasn't my only stop in Tuscany. There is also Siena, Pisa, and Lucca. Would I recommend visiting? You have to, it's Florence for goodness sake!

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre was great. If you imagine Italy on the coast, with the colored houses stacked on cliffs and nestled in valleys, you are probably picturing Cinque Terre. The salt water smell, the warming sun, nothing interrupting the peaceful quiet except for the crashing waves and the small town locals going about their daily business. Each Italian experience has been so different from the last. Milan was upscale, chic, and metropolitan. Venice was a rowdy city on the water. Cinque Terre was a quiet coastal stretch with nothing to do but hike and watch the sunset while eating gelato. 

View from my hostel

Watching the sunset on my first night

For those of you who know nothing about Cinque Terre, I'll set the scene. It translates to "5 lands." And is literally a stretch of five small towns along the coast: Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. They are under the same mayor and have easy transport (a regional train) in between.

I was getting my laundry done in a place in town when I got all the dirt from the establishment owner. 

About 15 years ago, Cinque Terre was known to virtually no one and its economy existed of mostly fishing and some farming in the hills the towns are nestled in. Nowadays, in order to compete with market prices, most farms need government subsidies. With a solely agricultural focus, the town grew poorer until people just couldn't afford to live there. People either sold or rented out their houses and abandoned the fields. Then a new mayor came in with an idea to save Cinque Terre.

He put it on the map. In the colloquial sense, of course. He marketed the town and made it a tourist destination. Nowadays, Cinque Terre gets at least a mention (if not a chapter) in most guide books. As the tourists began to trickle in, business sprouted. That provided the money to fund the new agriculture programs created by the mayor. The residents were able to afford to move back and the fields went back to being productive. 

Then a new mayor came onto the scene. She hates tourists. And wants to return the town to its former quaint glory. Apparently, she's got quite a few cronies working the system from within and has the local newspaper in her pocket. So much drama for a small town, it would be funny if it weren't for the woman telling the story being so worried about losing her business if the corrupt mayor got her way. 

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the towns from a natives perspective. 

Though I only saw elderly people, there must be a secret stash of eligible bachelors because she wasn't the only woman I met who moved to Cinque Terre for a man. 

Because of the hills, Cinque Terre turned out to be one of the more exertive legs of my Italian journey. And the hiking. That was really incredible. It was strenuous and hot but well worth it. It provided breathtaking views. Plus, I met some nice girls on the train that morning and we joined up to hike. Meeting new people is by far one of my favorite parts of traveling.

Cinque Terre was a break from the craziness between Venice and Florence. This is definitely a stop everyone should make on their tour through Italy!

Venezia

The layout of Venice is crazy. If you ever go, make sure you make your plans loose with plenty of time between activities because I got lost more than once. The entire island is covered in buildings crammed together with only alleyways in between them. Most, very small. None of them are straight lines and are broken up and then continued if you go down a different street for a bit. Not all alleys have their names visible and the maps only mark about a quarter of the names. Plus, I think it would be very beneficial to name the canals, which they don't do. My first day, I walked a distance of what would have only been 10 or 15 minutes casually walking... if I had any idea where I was going. I ended up walking in circles for an hour and a half. It was frustrating but not time wasted. Venice is a city best experienced in the streets rather than just going from museum to museum.

The view from up high- how did they even go about building them so close?!

So many beautiful masks in the shops!

For the things they lack helping you get around on foot, they make up for in the convenience of the Vaparettos (water buses). The have stops all around the island and up the grand canal. Plus, you can even take it out to the smaller islands. I've come at a great time of the year. There are enough tourists for everything to be open and running, but still in low season so it isn't overcrowded. The tourists don't overwhelm the locals so I still think I have gotten the authentic Venetian feel.

On the grand canal

 The feel is relaxed. People at Ohio State walk pretty fast (except for those annoying groups of people who hog the sidewalk at a glacial pace) and Londoners walk even faster. When I got off the train at Heathrow, I was nearly trampled. There was no way to stop and look at signs so I just let myself be rushed along. Advice for London: if you need to look at a map or stop to take a picture, PLEASE don't just stop where you are, find a spot to the side out of the flow of traffic.

In Venice, be prepared to be surrounded by a city of amblers. 

We've got nowhere to be because we're already here!!

So you know the phrase, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," well I think that's what makes Venice so unique. The buildings are peeling and dilapidated but obviously original old Venetian structures. It makes it feel real. It makes the history feel almost tangible. 

"Repainting your house is for suckers" -Venitians 

So far the Italian food experience has been just... delicious. I've been trying to get something new every time. I think that's a good strategy but one that will be difficult to follow (there are a lot of foreign fish dishes that I'm nervous about trying but when in Rome! (Well I guess not yet). Plus, the price difference. Some places you can get a decent size pizza or pasta dish for under €9 ($12), but add fish or something like that and you are looking at upwards of €15 ($20).

Sometimes, you have to go classic

Seriously the best lasagna I've ever had (second place going to the home cooked lasanga the girls and I made for family dinner night)

One of my favorite things I did was take the vaparetto out to the smaller islands of Murano and Burano. Both were very picturesque. Murano is known for its glass blowing and glass creations. Burano is known for making lace. There were a lot of beautiful things to buy, if only I had the money and the space in my backpack. 

I got in trouble taking this picture so ENJOY IT

On a real note, Venice is very expensive and I'm blowing through my money like nobody's business. Luckily, Cinque Terre is my next stop and my main planned activities include hikes and wandering. No expensive tourist traps or expensive museums!

That is quite a shock after London, the price of museums. Most museums in London are completely free! And the ones that aren't have a serious student discount. Not here. You drop €16 here and €12 there and next thing you know you're out of money! It's also easier to feel your money going down because most places (including hostels) only take cash. My new trick is to just keep walking until you find a place that doesn't make me cry from the prices. 

One of the most underrated places I went (and affordable) was the Frari Church. It's very old and was the church of the renaissance artist Titian. He was considered the most famous artist of his time (even more than Michaelangelo!). It was cool because it had painted artwork and sculptures in the church. And, they were designed for that church specifically so it all melds together rather than in a museum where art looks displaced from their natural habitat. 

Entrance to the church

🎶If I die young, bury me like Titian. Lay me down in a carved stone masterpiece.

My other favorite thing I saw was the San Marco Bascilica, what many would consider the main attraction of Venice. It was magnificent. It was a combination of influences of the east and west. I've seen a lot of western architecture lately (living in London and all) and the main aspect is the seriousness. Most churches/abbeys/bascilicas are solemn and dark (but not all). There is a heaviness to the air that empties you out. This may sound like a bad thing but it totally isn't. It makes the experience feel weighty and profound. I'm sure that is the desired affect and I like that kind of experience. Eastern art uses a lot more color and light. I saw plenty of that in Jerusalem. Arab art uses a lot of gold and colored tiles. Mosaics are very intricate. This gives you the feeling of being filled up.

So that's why San Marco was so cool. It had the gold tiles and color of eastern art while maintaining the heavy profoundness of western churches. 

Cool, right?

Overall, Venice felt like visiting a place I always knew I'd visit one someday. I'm so glad I opted for the third night because an in an out stop just won't do it justice. I think I'm leaving with an experience I'll always be happy to have had.

Next stop, Cinque Terre (chink-way tay-ray)

 

Milan

Milan was an amazing city. I was actually surprised by how much I liked it. I kind of thought it would be like Paris (rich, fashionable, and rude) but it wasn't. Rich? Yes, everything was so nice. Fashionable? Yes, probably the most chic city I've ever been to. Rude? NO! Everyone was so nice! Even when they barely spoke a word of english, they were willing to try and help me. You'd actually be surprised by how much you can say (or understand) with only a few choice words and a lot of gesturing.

I really like Milan. As in, I would definitely live there. It is a pretty modern city, which is why I could live there rather than just visit. 

However there are tourists, and with that, come some problems. One, the creeps at the train stations trying to steal from you. And not just pick pocket. They say they will "help" you get a day pass for €10, then they buy a single ticket (for €1.50), and quickly nab the change. Most people don't realize what's happening. It was normal to be tricked in the metro station. You are in a group of people who don't speak Italian and some Italian guy just comes up behind and starts pressing buttons to save the day! Its stressful when you first get there. But at the train station, there were dozens of shady looking men loitering about asking you if you are planning to buy a train ticket. I bet less people fall for that.

 In Paris I was pick pocketed and where I would have politely brushed the Milanese con artists off before, I find my self being very firm. I don't like them. I also no longer trust the guys selling trinkets on the street on those blankets or whatever. I saw one guy selling iPhones and I wanted to stamp all over his crappy blanket. It was probably stolen from some tourist like me. Anyway, needless to say I'm still pissed. I hope he has a girlfriend who's really moral and finds out what he does and leaves him and he is sad forever because he lost the love of his life but in the end he gets married to someone he thinks is alright and has a son and teaches that son to be a very good person because he'll never forget the price he paid for being a thief: the love of his life. That little fantasy helps a little.

The coolest thing to see in Milan is by far the Duomo and the piazza it is attached to. Inside, they have the tombs of past Cardinals that came from Milan. Tombs with a nice glass window so you can enjoy the decomposing process. They do have some technique for semi-preserving them so they aren't vomit-inducing. I felt like a kid with my mouth gaping and I think I said something under my breath like, "uuuuugh, gnarly!" I couldn't believe people were going about solemnly. There was this Chinese lady though and we shared a look like "WTF?!" Apparently they don't do that kind of thing in China either so I wasn't alone in my incredulity. 

The Duomo

In side the Duomo

"Zombie Cardinal: the Holy War of the Undead" coming summer 2014

While I was doing my self designed walking tour, I think I accidentally initiated something with a smile and then this guy started talking to me and wanted to walk with me, which we did for a bit before I ditched him. He was nice but like I said, TRUST NO ONE. Plus, I'm a woman traveling alone so I made an excuse that I had to meet friends at my hostel. I think many American female tourists are just so excited to be hit on by a hot Italian guy they forget the existence of the word no. Easy prey.

Entrance to the Galleria on the Piazza del Duomo

Food wise, Milan is known for their pizza and it was damn good! Italians eat a LOT of pizza. There are pizza places that face out to the street on ever block. It's cheap too. There are gelato places everywhere also and those are cheap as well. 

Dat pizza doe

It was a great place to start. Not as many people spoke English as I thought they would but then again, not as many spoke Italian as I thought! I was asking a question from an Italian guy and he didn't know so he stopped an Italian couple but they only spoke Spanish! So I ended up getting the gist of the directions in Spanish! I thought that was pretty funny.

Random street

 It was also pretty easy to navigate. Apart from the terrifying train stations full of thieves and sketchy characters, getting around was easy enough. And the hostel was pretty nice too! Always a relief. Most good rated hotels have a few raving reviews, a few "it's good for the price" reviews, and then a total horror story (usually involving bed bugs, mice, and an awful staff). But this place was good and I ended up talking for a few hours with this girl from Brazil and this girl from the Philipines about different cultural differences. I always love doing that. I find that the more I learn about other cultures, the more I understand my own. And I've come to appreciate some of the great things about us. Apparently we smile too much and are excessively cheery. I'll gladly take that stereotype!

Livin' la vida ostello (I realize that's three languages)

All in all, it was a great but stressful time. My introduction to the traveling solo lifestyle.

Milan is underrated and should always be a stop in an Italian itinerary (one day was enough to get done what I wanted). Next stop: Venezia.

View from the train window