TSA Approved

In New York now and I'll have to say that the flight went better than I could have expected. The entertainment was much better than the first flight and it is because we could choose out own individual movies. It was more than bearable. We now have a short layover in JFK which is made better that they have row upon row of iPad kiosks for free public use. Hence I am able to blog for a bit. I am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight let me tell you. I am also glad to be back on eastearn time. It's good to be back in the USA. This is unbelievably hard to type on, so my next post will come from m home computer upon my arrival tonight. -Z

The Evening of the Last Night

It is a shame to say that it is my last night in Rome but I honestly can say that I had the best eveing possible.  My roommate and I went to the same pizza place that I had already been to while everyone else went for a sit down dinner and a revisit of the Pantheon.  We had a lot more fun and walked down Natzionale till we got to the Colosseo and then sat there for about two or three hours and watched the sun set over the Colleseo, the Arch of Constantine, and the Basilica of Constantine.  It was really fantastic.  I ended up giving tour advice to a couple of older people and they told me some stories as well.  I now know that Nixon's favortie beer was Heiniken and that he enjoied watching the Flintstones.  We then walked back to the convent but made sure to pick up gelato (large size, of course) on our way.  The nun at the desk wouldn't let me take mine to the computer--which was wise, you all know what a sloppy eater I am--and it is upstairs now so I had better go get it before it melts!  All in all I can say that I loved the trip despite the problems that some people caused and are still trying to cause, but doing my own thing these past two days has really paid off and I have enjoied myself much more because of it.  I think it should be a bit of an early bedtime as I am dreading the plane ride home.....I think I will get a Taco Bell burrito on the way home from the airport.  Very American of me.  I think that my stomach will know that I am home then!  As I can feel that my gelato is turning to liquid, I think it is fitting and proper to go eat it.  For the last time, Arrividerci, Roma, e buena notte! -Z

I'm Basically Rick Steves

Today I did my own thing while everyone else decided to be lazy and do nothing.  It was--first and foermost--a very long walk but in my mind it was well worth it.  I started the day at ten with a pear from the fruitstand near the convent and then proceeded to walk down the road twoard the Ara Pacis Agustae.  I figured that if I headed in the direction of the Spanish Steps that I would be fine, and lo and behold, I was.  The Alter was brilliantly preserved and the frieze on the side was especially exciting for me!  After spending about an hour there (not to mention the 9€ to get in!) I moved outside to walk around the Mausoleum of Augustus.  No one was allowed in, but that does not detract from the fact that it is an impressive building.  Then I decided to walk over the Pont Cavour and go to Castel Sant'Angelo.  This is a mevieval castle that was previously the imposing tomb of the emporer Hadrian, you know, the guy with the wall.  I spent an hour or so in there and then took a stroll down the Tiber river to cross at Tiber Island so I could see the Theatre of Marcellus.  It was probably the only ruin I've seen on the trip that didn't cost me anything to view.  Thank goodness too because I am running a little low on Euro, but I refuse to take out anymore seeing as I am leaving tomorrow.  I spent some money on a T-shirt for my brother and currently have only 3€ left!  I know the perfect place for dinner where I can get a calzone for 3.5€.  I'm sure I can get a half euro from someone!  I don't want to nap but I'll tell you after walking around a vast majority of Rome I feel that I deserve it!  I have a feeling that I will post something later today so I won't ramble.  Between now and then?  A good shower and shave, sitting and observing the people, maybe a sit on the roof, and I think I will pack my suitcase a little better than it is packed already.  Ah well, can't have everything in perfect order!  -Z

Dinner Alone and Loving It

As described in the title, I went my own way tonight.  Everyone else was excited to go to a place that we had already gone to before and that I had thought was overrated.  So I did my own thing and went down to Via Napoli and ate at a little pizzareia that I had found a couple nights ago.  They make you your own pizza and you get a coke too, all for 5€.  What a deal!  It was rather tasty and I was able to eat at my own pace.  You'd think that a big city like this would be intimiadating at night, but it is actually really safe.  The beggars are only out in the daytime and the nightlife here is rather impressive.  There always seems to be a play going on or something of the sort.  So my evening was relaxing and I was able to chill away from everyone else.  I'd chalk that up as a win.  There was nothing eventful that happened between my last post and now, but you all know how much I like to talk!  Tomorrow is a free day so I intend to use it for historical stuff, preferably Hadrian's tomb and the Ara Pacis.  So perhaps I will get up early and get on a bus or something....but until then, buena notte! -Z

Pompei e Firenze

So yesterday we went to Pompei, early in the morning and walked around for longer than you might have expected.  If you were to put a younger child in a candy store that would be a proper analogue for me and Pompei.  It is east to see why people devote their lives to the study of the classics, I have to admit it is a tempting route to take.  The plaster casts of the bodies were not as spectacular as the buildings and the sheer amount of things that were preserved.  As it would be easy to predict, I was all over it.  I love this country and can't seem to get enough of it.  In the late afternoon and evening we made a sport of waiting around for the train to come.  I got on and decided to go to the WC (somehow the British termenology, Water Closet, has made it to Italy and stuck) and when I came back some Gypsy woman had seatjacked me.  I figured she needed it more than I did so I adjusted and found another place to sit by a complete stranger.  All worked out, as it always does.  It's not that I am homesick so much as I would prefer to have better communication back home.  As I write I am sitting in an internet cafe off the streets of Florence.  I coldn't write anything yesterday because the internet at the convent is down, or as the nun and I were telling people, "no internet oggi."  I wanted to write but there was no way, and now I have forgotten some of the things that I wanted to mention about Pompei.  Here in Florence the shopping is crazy, but I can't seem to find any jewelry that I like enough to buy.  I found a couple good things including a cape that someone had asked for (it is more of a poncho and is very red but I hope she will like it--it does fold square--) and I got an etching for myself.  It seems to be fun here, but a lot of the people that are selling stuff are not Italian or even close to Italian.  There are a lot of Indians and Chineese here.  It surprised me, that's for sure.  I decided to take the time out of my day now to write because I honestly don't know when I will be able to get back on later.  Here in Florence I saw the Dome on the Cathedral.  Along with designing it, Fillipo Brunelleschi is buried under it.  Some other notable sights were the Rape of the Sabine Women, and Vinny and Pauly D from Jersey Shore.  I knew that if I wasn't looking for them, I would be the one to find them.  Funny how things work out.  Alas I didn't really care that much but I kid you not I was standing a foot in front of them, turn around and realize that they are sitting on the step behind me.  It's funnier because a lot of the people who were causing me mental pain would have killed to see them.  And then there's me, wandering around looking for lunch.  All I have to say is ha.  I win again!  I hope that I am able to get on later tonight, but I am not too sure that that is going to be possible. You never know what is going to happen here in Italy, wether it is a bus running late or a treni (a train) running early, you just have to roll with the punches.  Apart from everyone else still being annoying and immature as ever I am having a great time and doing my best to take in as much culture as I can.  As my internet is about to expire I leave you.  It will only be a few days till I am back home, back where I know what is going on and can sleep in my own bed.  Until then.  -Z

Another dollar?

The word of the day is impressive.  I saw the Greek temples at Paestum and was thoroughly pleased.  I have to say that they, the best preserved one really, was one of the best things I have seen on the trip and perhaps in my life.  Needless to say I am in a great mood.  Tomorrow should be the stuff of dreams though.  There was a museum at Paestum as well with a whole lot of Greek material from the scavi (excavation site) and it was all well preserved.  Without question I am enjoying each archaeological site more than the last.  I live for this stuff.  Hopefully I will be able to travel a lot in my lifetime because I seem to be loving it.  Later we (and by we I mean myself and the adults) went to Sorrento.  If you picture the ideal Italian town with flowered streets and alleys with loads of shopping, you'd be thinking of Sorrento.  I think everyone missed out because not only was there a fantastic view of the M
edeterrainian, but also of the coastline.  I made my second stop at the ATM today to pick up some cash for Florence.  I think I know what I will be getting as gifts......but I'm not telling!  It has been a lot of fun though I feel that a lot of people don't like me.  I have heard people talking behind my back and it's really annoying.  Just because I actually want to be here to see the historical sites and not drink all the time they don't like me.  I get excited about history, I'm a dork I admit that freely.  This is a trip of a lifetime for me and I refuse to be bogged down and slowed by idiots.  Sorry for my language but this has been brewing for a while and I have tried to keep personal feelings out of this but it has just gotten to be too much.  In many respects I would have rather come on my own.  I think I am going to go to bed early tonight, and I intend to keep to myself tomorrow too.  I have been and I have a much better time.  I miss my real friends.  I miss having real conversations with people I care about.  Hell I even miss bumming around on the couch.  These people are a plague.  Give me locusts, give me boils, anything but this.  Ignoring things just hasn't been working out.  But tomorrow is Pompeii and that I am excited for.  I will have a great time and I know that.  Stebbs said that I will freak out and go nuts because the ruins are so well preserved.  I guess it's hard being mature, and that's something that I will have to deal with.  I'm really sorry that I am rambling now but I must be a little starved of social interaction. I'm done playing nice, I swear.  I appreciate all of you and will make an effort to tell you why when I get back.  I have to find a stopping place somewhere, so here it is.  Till tomorrow.  -Z

La Cena e Whatever the Word For Bed is

After dinner, which might I add was quite good, I just sat around like a lazy bum.  I'll admit I am starting to get accustomed to this Bella vita over here.  Swimming in the pool was nice but since I am a little sunburned it seemed to aggravate it, which I should have expected.  I did enjoy myself.  That seems to be a theme developing here.  I sat in front of the television in the lobby and surfed through about two hundred channels until I found soccer--the one thing that I could watch and understand--and I even considered getting another coke.  I figure that can wait till tomorrow.  I have had a lot of time to myself today to think and I realized how very far from home I actually am.  The people here make me miss talking to the people that I care about.   I hate to get sappy this far in but I suppose I didn't realize how much I socialize when I'm back home.  It will be nice to have my phone back but in many respects I am glad that I do not have it.  I don't think that it has hit me that I am on the complete opposite side of the globe yet.....I fell asleep and woke up in Italy.  It will and I know it will, but I have a feeling that it will not be until I get back.  Tomorrow is going to be a busy day I hear, we are going via tour bus to Paestum to see some well-preserved Greek temples which date to 600 BC.  Sound to me that if I had an alley, Paestum would be up it!  Because of this I think it is fitting and proper to call it an early night, I am pretty sure that I need it anyway. Miss you all.  -Z