Pisa and Roma

After my day and night in Lucca I wanted to see San Gimignano for the very old sky scrapers and for what Simon the Aussie (I met at Yag Bar) said was the best Gelato ever. However, when I looked at the map the only way there was by driving. So, instead I took a train to Pisa which was an hour away on the local.

The moment I saw this I thought  "I'm so hungry." I figured that if it hasn't fallen yet it would still be there in 20 minutes. so i walked right back out of the gate and bought a 12 euro pizza and coke.

I could see that they were repairing somethings but then I noticed that people were going inside. It's amazing that they let people climb a building that is famous for its poor structure.
So of course I had to do it too. Inside you can really feel that the building is leaning. Its a little like a fun house. And the marble has formed with the pressure from the footsteps.







I went back to Florence afterwords, but i can't find the pictures of the Hostel there. Anway here are a few of WowRoma, the hostel in Rome. I really like this neighborhood. If I lived there I would like to live on this street Via Manzoni. If you walk a block down and turn the corner you can see part of the Colosseum.

more pictures of Firenze or Florence

I Don't know why we even call this place Florence if it is not its name. No matter what language someone is speaking, if they mention New York you hear them say "New York."
The first think i did in Firenze was find a hotel which turned out to be the Machiavelli because it have only 3 stars and the name caught my eye.(later I stayed in a much cheaper hostel around same corner.the International students hostel-about 20 euro a night)

this is video of from top of the Duomo, the first place I went. i believe i climbed about 500 stairs. and then had to walk down- which really hurt as it was the day after the Roma marathon.


rainy day



the first evening and night i walked pretty much everywhere. i took this pic on the way back to the populated side of town. I got lost after leaving the Internet Pitti. and of course wandered through very dark narrow streets with deep door ways until I reached this bridge and saw the Ponte Vecchio- the bridge I took earlier

From the top of the Duomo in Florence
my hotel window
The Ponte Vecchio
at the Uffizi

Sign in Lucca.

on the wall in Lucca



my hostel room
sign. this sort of make me think of Ark City

Right now I'm in Lucca at the Internet Point. Its a place with a western union, telephone booth and a fax machine. I rented a bike to ride on top of the city's out side wall. I also road in the town a bit. I wish I could have rented the bike all night because I don't feel like being lost in the cold at 11pm again. It's going to happen. That's what I think I'm going to remember about Italy the most...walking down dark streets with deep doorways and no people around. I need a scarf. Ok so I'm about to head back to my boarding school style hostel on the other end of town. first here are some pictures from Rome and one from Florence. I would add more but I have to use internet time to look for places to stay and more places to find internet later.

Sistine Chapel

St Peter's Cathedral



Roma at night

Dell'Accademia, Florence

in YAG Bar

At the moment I'm in Yag bar. the only gay bar in Florence I think. I tried to ask the bartender what type of crowd comes here. But that was a little hard to communicate. Boy and girls come here. So far there are about 6 men and 2 girls (if they haven't left). What's good is they play actual videos of the music they are playing. And I do need my dose of music videos. I just wish they had credits- like who is singing or what is the name of the song.

Ok today I went to the Ufizi and saw my Rome Marathon TNT roommate there. Small world. part of my likes traveling alone like I imagine Amelie would, but part of me is very lonely. notice how often I'm posting?

After about 3 hours in the Ufizi I went to dell' Academia- i don't know if that's right- to see David and the Greek sculptures. There was no line at all. Once
i entered and turned the corned and saw David. I had to draw him of course. but I first made a loop around. It upset me a little that I couldn't see the back of the Pieta.

I spent the next hour and a half studying and drawing, but couldn't make a very good sketch. I don't know what was wrong with me. I know his pose better than any other pose. the weight. the larger proportion of the hands and head to the rest of the body. the strong greek-like nose. the thin tiny mouth. the large eyes that look amazing until you realize they are a little like Elijah Wood. but forgetting the Elijah Wood thing, he is so beautiful. Not more beautiful than the Peita?

I do get nervous whenI know other people can see me drawing. I don't know. it all makes me want to go back.

  Here is a sketch of the Duomo from the roof of the Uffizi. 

9pm in Florence

I'm directly across the street from the Pitti Palace in the "Internet Pitti" fighting off a mosquito. I've been looking for free wireless for the passed 3 hours. Pubs have free wireless. I knew this 2 days ago. I've been looking for Bars when I should have looked for pubs. All I see are Bar & Cafe or Gelato.

If i had twitter and a blackberry today, my facebook would have read "I'm stuck on top of the Duomo."

I woke up late today and had to take my breakfast at a cafe instead of the complementary one at the hotel. I was disappointed in myself for missing "Free". I had to checkout at noon. I really like Rome but I wasn't sure what to do with my day and where I would now stay. I thought I should see Florence and so I jumped on a train. I really love trains.

My plan-if you can call it a plan-was to go to Florence and find a bar or cafe with wireless and search for hostels. It was late when I arrived and I didn't know where to find the internet so I checked into a hotel near the train station. Then I jumped in a cab for the Duomo which was sort of around the corner. I paid my last 8 euro to climp the dome. It was hell. Once I was up there I knew my quads where going to feel much much worst walking down. So was stay up there for about 2 hours. It was nice. Ok I'm need to google a pub never my hotel and find dinner.

I ran a marathon in about 5:3?:??ish

Sistine Chapel and St Peters

At the moment I'm in a bar called the Bulldog inn. I just tasted the most yummy hot chocolate. Coaches told us last night that we could not drink wine until after the race. so I'm dehydrating with espresso and now hot chocolate.

So today I went to see the Sistine Chapel around 1:30 pm. It's totally true that you can slip in the back entrance. After you wait in the super long line to enter the museum, take the left at the crossroads going toward the Sistine Chapel line into a courtyard. Don't go out there. There are glass doors with a big No Entry sign. Bust through and go straight the opposite direction that everyone is walking. Don't follow down the stairs, that leads to the gift shop. Go down a very long hallway, then go through an series of small stairwells. Again people are still coming out. I cheated a little because I followed in a lady. she spoke to all the guards as if she knew them. I stayed pretty close behind as if i might be with her, but I didn't want to let her know i was following. After a different woman passed us, I felt not so scared.

i remember when I was 16 I had a dream i went to the Sistine Chapel and the ceiling had almost worn away.

Anyway I think i waited in the outside line for a good 30 minutes or more. But once i was inside the actual museum it was like 5 minute walk to the chapel.

So I wish I could have seen the rest of the musei but once I found out that the Pieta was in St. Peter's I had to go find that. Again, worst art history student ever didn't know how to find the entrance to St. Peters.

Once I got inside the Pieta was on the right hand side. there weren't a lot of people and I was able to sketch for a long time. I don't think I have ever felt so humbled and scared to draw anything in my life.

Some Rome drawings

Thursday in Roma

Today I decided to see the Pantheon. That's good because I later found out that the Vatican was closed do to a holiday. Is that true?

Well, i found myself almost everywhere but the Pantheon for most of the day. I even ran into some Marathon caution tape a few times. so here are some pictures. I don't know if i will feel like uploading every night, but since almost no one has seen my Tokyo or Korea photos here are a whole lot. Not all.


This is how they arranged the beds for my roommate and me


those animals are big
I was trying to take a photo of the cool lady on the bike but this guy stepped into shot
his clothes look cool. i thought Jose would like these boots
something used to be here



I came up from behind this one. like almost through it and didn't even know it was a ruin until i was through the scaffolding
I hope this is the bridge Cynthea talked about. i ate my lunch there. an orange from the US

I ate Hazelnut ice cream


smallest truck




this building was very tall
High in nun apparel :)


this one is for Tricia. That's her character Hard Times which I brought to Rome.



i have non blurry ones



Dinner