Rome

I got to the airport in plenty of time, but it ended up not mattering: my flight was delayed for 2 hours! It started snowing in Germany just as I was leaving my hostel, and a thick enough coat fell that the runway had to be plowed and the plane had to be de-iced before we could take off. Finally at 12:30, 20 minutes after I should have arrived in Rome, we took off.

I was supposed to meet the group at the hotel at 4 pm that day, and I slid into the hotel lobby at 4:05. I was still able to hear the orientation lecture and everything. Our Contiki guide is a spunky Italian lady who is originally from Rome, so she has a lot of insight and a list of her top 10 things to do in every city.

The first day in Rome we went out for dinner at an all-you-can-eat pizza restaurant where the owner showed us how he made dough. There was also a pianist and a singer there. The singer was a short older man who kept coming up and singing at me, since I was seated closest to the piano. I was so very uncomfortable the entire time. People took videos and I'm sure I was beet red. But he was a very nice man, and after a while I started going along with him.

Then we went for a walking tour of the city. It would have been nice, but it was pouring rain the entire time! We did see the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain (under construction, unfortunately, so I didn't get to throw my coin in), and the cathedral of Sant'Agnese in Agone with the gorgeous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (fountain of four rivers).

The next day my boots were soaked, so I had to wear my yoga pants and gym shoes around. We started out the morning with a tour of the Colosseum and the Forum. Oh, they were unbelievably gorgeous. They're over 2000 years old, and there's just so much history there. Walking through the Forum was like a dream come true for me. The Colosseum has lived through so much, it's truly staggering when you think about it.

Then we had free time. The Pope was giving a blessing at noon, so I teamed up with some other people and hightailed it over to the Vatican. I can't believe I saw Pope Francis! Of course he was a little speck in a window, but usually I see him on TV, not in person!

Then we took a quick look around the Pantheon and grabbed some lunch from a little restaurant. Then we wandered around the city some more, eating gelato and taking in the sights. We ended up at the crypts of the Cappucini friars, which are unique because the crypts are decorated with the bones of the dead for Cappucini friars. There was an entire room where the center design on the wall was made of pelvis bones. I thought it was gruesome, and didn't much like it.

Then we met back at the Four Rivers fountain to have dinner. Tonight we made our own pasta! From making the dough to rolling it out over and over again to cutting out the ravioli, we made our own dinner. It was a very thorough lesson, and I enjoyed myself immensely. And my goodness, with a little sauce, our pasta was delicious!!

Then we grabbed a drink at the bar. The good thing about a group this size (about 40 people) is that we bring our own party wherever we go.

This morning we has breakfast and left the hotel to go visit the Vatican, with the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. Now that was one amazing experience. I don't want to go into it now, I'll add more later, as well as some pictures (I'm taking some really nice pics).

Afterwards our tour guide told us where some amazing street food pizza was. I had a slice of cheese and prosciutto, and another slice of mushroom alfredo. And she was right, it was really delicious.

Then we left for Florence.

On my way!

I write to you from the first stop on my trip to Italy. I'm in a pretty nice hostel in Cologne. Tomorrow at 10:10 I fly out of the Koln/Bonn airport to Rome Ciampino.

I got a late start this morning due to a laundry mishap. It's always when you have somewhere to be that something goes wrong! But I made it here pretty smoothly by myself, taking public transit the whole way. It kind of boosts my self confidence, being able to navigate Germany like this.

So right now I'm hanging out at the hostel. Thank God for free wifi. What would I do without it?

My roommates tonight are 3 girls from Hong Kong who study in England, so their English is perfect. They're also super nice. Also, when I'm done emailing you, I'm going to update my blog. I'm going to try to do it nightly in Italy, but no promises!

Arrividerci! Ciao! Talk to you in Italy!

Christmas markets!

Merry Christmas everyone! I'm feeling a little melancholy because I'm away from home, but I've been keeping busy preparing for my trip to Italy on Saturday!

Now that it's Christmas, the season for the Weihnachtsmarkten (Christmas markets) is almost over. Here's my collection of mugs!

From left to right: Munster, Dortmund, Soest, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Paderborn, and Bochum. Not pictured: Bonn.

It was my friend Eleanor's idea to do a tour of the Christmas markets in Germany, hitting about two every weekend. The Paderborn one was easy - we were wandering around there all the time. Each city has a unique mug, and I think they're super cool. Gluhwein is surprisingly good, but my favorite Weihnachtsmarkt drink is definitely Lumumba, which is hot chocolate and rum.

I don't know if I can pick a favorite market. I liked all of them, and my experience also depended on things like the weather and crowds. If it was raining or too crowded, I didn't like it. Dortmund sticks out in my mind as being really good. It had a huge Christmas tree and plenty of different stands to shop at and also, fried cheese.

Last night I went to Christmas Eve service at an evangelical church. It was very nice. I didn't understand very much of it (I was in the back and they had run out of programs, so I couldn't read the words), but it was nice to just be there. Tonight I'm going to Kate's German buddy's apartment for a traditional German Christmas dinner, so I'd better go get ready. Frohe Weihnachten!

Munich

Skipping right over Berlin then...

MUNICH!!!!!!

Eurobiz planned a weekend trip to Germany. I knew a few of the people going on the trip, kind of, but everyone at this point is kind of clique-y and keep together based on country of origin. Unfortunately, none of my close friends could make it, so I ended up going to Munich pretty much solo. I resolved to make this a fun, all-about-what-I-want-to-do trip.

The bus ride was about 7 hours long, with breaks for food and bathroom. When we arrived in Munich we went straight to the Deutsches Museum. I had as good of a time as one can have at a museum. There were a ton of exhibits, but they were all pretty... generic. Like what you'd find at any other museum. I would have preferred to go to the Bayern Museum to learn more about the region. My favorite part of the museum was probably the sundial display on the outdoor terrace. Unfortunately it was cloudy that day, but the top floor offered a great view of the city.

That night we ate at a Brauhaus. The restaurant was loud and happy and bright, the food was good, and the beer was delicious! There's something I never thought I'd say! But yes, Munich beer might be the best in the world (maybe I'll have to test this hypothesis by drinking my way through Europe?)

I'm not sure what I ended up with... but it was really delicious!

The next day we had a city tour in our bus, followed by free time. We stopped at Schloss Nymphenburg, which is this massive complex of gorgeous building. It served as the summer residence for the royals back when Bavaria had its own rulers. One of the kings built it for his wife when she finally gave him a boy baby. Are then men who would still do this? Because I could go for my own palace. To be fair, he only built the main part shown below. Over time his grandchildren and great-grandchildren built it up into the massive complex it is now.

The original part, from the front

At an angle on the side. This is only about half - the buildings also wrap around behind me

These pictures are only part of the whole. There were more buildings behind me, and that's not to mention the acres of gardens behind the main part, in both traditional and English styles.

 

We also stopped by BMW World, which is open for people to look around at the newest models of sports cars. It was fine, but underwhelming for me. I kept thinking of how much my dad would love it. As I walked around I could see him standing and regarding the cars, arms crossed, and telling me the minute differences between performance and how he personally felt about each car. I probably missed him more then than I have since coming to Germany.

This one's for you, Dad.

After the tour we had an afternoon of free time, which is a little daunting when you're by yourself. I grouped myself with an Australian named Matt and a Chinese girl named Titi. We started in Marienplatz, the center of Munich, full of bustling shops and gorgeous architecture.

The New Town Hall  at Marienplatz at dusk. During summer months the figures in the Glockenspiel (the center part) play

First we decided to get some lunch. Matt and Titi decided that they both wanted sushi, which to me is a travesty. We're in Munich, the capital of beer and brats, and you want to eat raw fish? I wanted classic Munich food, so we parted ways. I got a bratwurst in a bun and the most delicious potato salad I've ever had that I ate standing up. When I was done I headed over to the Biergarten for a Bavarian beer (the best in the world - how could I pass that up?). I didn't think I could handle a whole Maẞ (what the Bavarians call a liter of beer), so I got a half liter, which is still a pretty decent mug.

I grabbed a seat at a table and chatted with an Austrian couple in mixed Denglisch. It's true what they say about beer gardens and brauhauses in Munich - you'll become best friends with the people at your table. An illusionist came by and did some sleight-of-hand tricks for us. I really had an amazing, authentically Bavarian good time.
 Then I went shopping at the Viktuelienmarkt, which was really all sorts of food stands. I went to the honey hut for some gifts (and honey wine for myself to try), the seasonings kiosk for more gifts, the fruit stand for some dried fruit, and a gift shop for some postcards. I bought a cup of coffee and fresh-pressed juice from a stand. I wandered around a lot, and I really had a good time with myself.

Just a cool sign at the Viktuelienmarkt.

Another thing I saw? A Käsehaus. A house entirely dedicated to cheeses. Munich is truly my spirit city.

Fast-forward to the next morning: when I walked outside, the street was covered in a thick fog. I was disappointed because  I would guess that Schloss Neuschwanstein is less beautiful when you can't see it. But my sadness was short-lived: within half an hour the sun came out and burned off the fog in a matter of minutes.

We drove through some truly stunning countryside. Some people were napping, but I don't know how they could close their eyes. I could barely turn my head fast enough!

I couldn't get any good pictures because of the glare, but it was exactly as beautiful as rolling countryside and small German towns are in your mind. I can see snow on the tops of mountains in the distance. It's truly magical. The trip to Munich was worth it just for this. I'll post pictures soon, I promise! I got some really amazing ones.

The villages (Dorfs) were picturesque German cottages nestled into the rolling hills. Do you think they just get used to the breathtaking view?