When in Rome… Don’t Look American

Saying goodbye to Barcelona was especially difficult because of how amazing it was there. We were completely spoiled by our experience there, and we both agreed that if we hadn’t already booked a flight to Rome, we would have stayed there a bit longer (if not the rest of the month!). Before we flew out, we had to go and see one more Gaudi building. We woke up at the crack of dawn to pack up and check out of Kabul hostel, and took our backpacks with us to Casa Mila (or La Pedrera which means stone quarry). We had seen it before from the outside, and had not been inside any of the houses yet, so we figured it was then or never. The inside of these buildings are just as impressive, if not more, as the outside. Casa Mila’s inspiration was either waves and kelp, or a sandy desert, however you wanted to interpret it (I swear I’m going to give you visual learners some pictures as soon as I am able to access internet for more than 15 minutes a day. In the meantime, look it up, okay? Thanks!). We said goodbye to Gaudi and Barcelona, and had a pretty uneventful Ryan Air flight to Roma (yes, I said uneventful, and I actually mean it for once!).

We arrived in Rome at around 5:30 and took a bus to our hostel, or should I say, to the ghetto. Kimmy and I were both silent as we walked through a dark alley way with greasy Italian men staring at us and actually meowing at us. Yes, meowing. Clearly we look like cats so when a man gave us a cat call from across the street we were ready to run over and go home with them. If only I didn’t have that bloody heavy backpack Daddy could have a new son-in-law. We dropped our bags off, and quickly decided to meet up with some friends we made in Spain who happened to be in Rome as well. I was starting to feel a bit sick and my throat was so scratchy I could barely swallow, but as they say, “when in Rome, do as the Roman’s do”, so I went with Kimmy and our friends on a pub crawl. I think everyone in the first pub could tell how cranky and miserable I was so they offered to give me a discount so I would shut my mouth and just walk around with all of them. I painted on my million dollar smile and imagined swallowing whole ice cubes to appear as if I were having a good time. Despite the fact that I felt awful, it was a fun way to see Rome on our first night. We walked all over the city and even though the other 49 people on the pub crawl won’t remember this, I saw some awesome sites late at night which was pretty spectacular. I took the next morning off because I woke up feeling awful. Rome was not getting off to a good start for me. However, I wasn’t about to let this fantastic city go to waste just because of a little sore throat. We went to the Colosseo for the afternoon and after walking inside, I forgot why I was so miserable. After that we took out a map and decided to see everything that we could possibly see before our legs collapsed. And so the check list begins:

- Area Sacrata
- Piazza Navona (had my 6 euro coffee for you Dad, Merry Christmas)
- Ara Pacis
- Trinita dei Monti (where I went to mass at the top of the steps like a good little Catholic)
- Fontana di Trevi (I threw in my 3 coins, made my wish, and will have to have a word with the fountain operators if I don’t marry Prince William)

We saw so much more, but the day quickly turned into a whirlwind blur of cough drops and ancient architecture. I got a good night’s sleep and woke up very early to make up for lost time the day before. First stop was the Vatican. My handy-dandy RDubs student ID card got me into the museum for 5 euro (if I hear one wise crack about graduating and being old I’m staying in Europe and not coming home. That is a serious threat so DON’T do it). We wandered around inside for a few hours and ended up in the Sistine Chapel where we were strictly forbidden to take pictures. Man, you won’t believe some of the amazing photos I took of the ceiling! Taking some advice from friends at home who have been to Roma before, I decided that taking a trip up to the top of the Basilica San Pietro was something I wanted to do. We stood in line for maybe a full 2 and a half minutes (contrary to what every tour guide on the street was telling us in hopes that we would pay them 50 euro so we could skip the line. H-A-H, two dumb American tourists? Try two street savy international beauties. – well, the New Yorker might be, but I can’t say the same for my small town Massachusetts friend who has been known to stop and chat with anyone who says Ciao Bella!). We decided to skip the elevator to the top, and took the stairs. As we took our first steps, we were wished good luck by a group of middle-aged women who really wanted us know they were too old to climb a few hundred stairs. I dropped a few pounds (weight, not currency) and got to the top to see the most incredible view of all of Roma. Honestly, I was speechless, and still am. There is nothing I can say about that view, and none of the 75 pictures I took from the top will allow you to see what I saw. After spending the day at the Vatican, we slowly wandered home and stopped at the Fontana di Trevi again because I decided I needed to make a more realistic wish (Prince William, I’m sorry, but I think I’m just too good for you).
Early tomorrow morning we are leaving to take a train down to Naples for a night or two. Everyone we have talked to about Naples so far says that we are going to be mugged and robbed and smacked around by big scary men, so I’m looking forward to it! Mom and Mrs. Spencer… WE ARE GOING TO BE FINE! *crosses fingers and sulks out of the Roma ghetto….*

Donde Esta... umm, food?

The past few days have been a complete whirlwind. I’m sleep deprived, shower deprived, internet deprived, and text deprived, but you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way. Barcelona has taken every concept of time and date I had so I am living in a world where people only exist for the moment they are in. It’s an amazing feeling.

We arrived at our hostel, Kabul, on Thursday night at around 12:30am. The hostel is located in Placia Reial on Las Ramblas which is THE place to be in Barcelona. The hostel was one huge pre-game party before everyone left to go to the bars and clubs at around 1:30am. I was not prepared to be nocturnal! Kimmy and I were exhausted from our journey, so we just got a good nights sleep before the city drained us of all our energy. On Friday morning the hostel provided a walking tour of the city and we decided to sign up for it. We made friends with some people on the tour with us who happened to be our roommates as well. These five people made Barcelona what it has been to me. They are each doing their masters at LSE in London and we all hit it off immediately. Each personality brought something to the group (I was dubbed as the cartoon character stuck in a real world with an abundance of energy and giggles… Sorry everyone from America, but this trip will never take the inner Disney kid out of me) and we ended up roaming through Barcelona attached to each other and having an amazing time touring the sites. We went to see many of the Gaudi buildings, my favorite being the Sagrada Familia which is a huge temple in the middle of the city. We went right up the inside of it and had a breathtaking view of all of Barcelona. Me and my stupid fear of heights made me the annoying Mama Jo (per usual) and I was flipping out on everyone who tried to sit the balcony a few hundred feet away from sure death had a crazed bird swooped down and pushed them with it’s beak (hey, it could happen!). Later that afternoon we went to Park Guell and climbed to the top of a hill to have yet another amazing view of the city. We all hung out at the top and had a siesta in the burning hot sun (I am TOTALLY bringing siestas back to the states with me… who said nap time had to end after kindergarten?!) Later that night we went out into the streets to get ourselves lost which was my idea of how to find the best local Spanish food. An hour later and my mouth was in cuisine heaven. After dinner we decided to check out the night life so at 2am we went out to a shot bar which had well over 100 different types of shots. I had one called a Willy Wonka, and another one which I have no idea what was in it, but they lit it on fire and handed me a marshmallow on a stick and I got to roast it on the flame before drinking it. Yeah, it was seriously cool and seriously tasty! Before I bore you with my hourly itinerary, the past few days consisted of a day trip to Sitges, a cable car ride over the water, a flamenco show, a long hike up Tibidabo, and a walk through the Barcelona ghetto (it’s okay mom, it was daylight.. kinda..).
I’m learning so much about so much. Not only cultural information and the history of the city, but a lot about myself. My newest thing which I learned I love is getting lost. I purposely take the wrong way so I can end up in a place that I didn’t expect to find. I’m also learning of a deeper inner-happiness within myself. Little things in live have always made me happy (like sippy-cups, and the cap of a Snapple bottle that clicks), but I’m realizing that the big things in life make me happy too. Meeting a group of the most amazing people and forming friendships that after 48 hours will last me a lifetime, is a huge happiness that I am now much more appreciative of.



Tonight is my last night in Barcelona and tomorrow afternoon we fly to Rome. I can only hope that the next stop on our journey is as amazing as the first two have been.

Bon Voyage Barcelona!

Tootles England, Hola Barcelona!

It’s hard to believe that a month has gone by already. I started and lived a different life in London. It was sad leaving a place I have called home for a month. Saying goodbye to people who have taken care of me and walked in and out of my daily life in London will be sorely missed. On my second to last night in London I decided to take one last walk down the millennium mile with nothing but my ipod and my thoughts. I walked to the London eye because I hadn’t seen it at night before and I thought there was something appealing about having my last London night mirror my first London day. While Third Eye Blind sang Motorcycle Drive By to me I stood completely alone in an empty street underneath the icy blue lights. There are very few times in my life where I can say that I was happier than I was in that moment. “I’ve never been so alone, and I’ve never been so alive” (perfect song choice if I do say so myself).

My last day in London I took my ipod with me again (I should name him Frank or Bob, any suggestions?) and decided I wanted to get myself lost so I could see something that only I would find. I got on the tube and got off at a stop called Tower Hill because I thought that maybe, just maybe, the name was hinting to the fact that I would find the Tower of London there. Imagine the irony of me walking out of Tower Hill tube station to find… The Tower of London (okay, MAYBE I was hoping I would end up there)! I took a guided tour of the Tower of London from a Beefeater (yes they really do exist, and yes they do wear the same ridiculous outfits you see on the bottle of gin. Apparently to become one you have to serve in the army for 20 years – that number could be wrong, but I was too distracted by his big red hat to remember the specifics). He told us stories of kings and queens losing their heads by guillotine and kept the whole crowd entertained by bringing us back to that time and having us yell and scream as an angry riot preparing for a beheading. Great fun! After the tour I walked around for a bit longer and saw the crown jewels. Let’s just say that after being in a room with the biggest diamond in the world, I gained an unrealistic expectation of what my engagement ring will look like (or maybe a tiara?!). After the Tower, I walked over to the Tower Bridge and walked along it twice because once wasn’t enough to experience it. I went home that evening and played tennis with Rob and his neighbor George and had a fabulous time. I was told that if I stayed there longer I could have played on the women’s team, oh well!

This morning I packed up my little London room (thanks Joshy!) and Kimmy and I headed to Luton airport to catch our plane to Barcelona! Got to the airport, got on the plane, safe flight, landed in Barcelona. Pretty dull trip. *starts to giggle* Alright I couldn’t keep a straight face with that one. Of course our adventures are never dull. We got to the airport and stood waiting in line to board our plane for over an hour. After that hour and change we realized they changed our gate number without any notice what-so-ever. We went from being the first in line at gate 24 to the last in line at gate 22. After standing there for another 15 minutes, an announcement came on and said that our gate had been changed yet again to gate 20. Well, I don’t need to see the running of the bulls while I’m in Spain because I was literally caught in the middle of a stampede of people sprinting to the new gate as if a herd of angry bulls were chasing us. As for the flight; WORST turbulence I have ever experienced in my entire life.

Right, well, I made it to the first hostel in our first country with a backpack; Barcelona! Everything is more incredible than I imagined. Our Hostel is on Las Ramblas and we have an incredible view of a gorgeous square. I have met some AMAZING people that have already had a huge impact on my life and after only 48 hours with them, I know they are people I can and will never forget. More stories to come I am sure, so stay tuned!