"What do you want to be when you grow up?" the question of my nightmares for as long as I can remember, because it sucks when you're the only person you know who can't decide on a career.
I've discovered plans fall apart and no matter how much you plan, sometimes it's just not meant to be and things won't turn out the way you want, and sometimes you'll fall on your ass in the middle of historical ruins - it happened, yes! - and you'll have to get up and laugh about it.
I've climbed a tree to steal oranges, and I've been kicked out of my seat on the train because I was travelling first class (my ticket was for 2nd) and I didn't know. I've been told "miss, no pictures" as I thought "yes sir, pictures!" and even after being caught I keep taking them - I was in the Sistine Chapel so of course I was going to take pictures!
I've talked to strangers and every single time they were kind and helped me even if they didn't understand much of what I said. There are good people everywhere in the world. Don't be scared or fooled by what you see in the news. The world is field with good and kind people that will help you on your way, just have a little faith!
I've discovered that chinese people are everywhere and they walk the streets in packs of dozens with their selfie sticks all over the place, and I found out that most Italians only know one phrase in English and it's their favorite: "I don't know", because when you work at the train station ticket office and you don't know what train goes to the next town, I believe there's a problem there gentleman!
I've got tricked, TWICE, by buying very expensive pizza that ended up being microwave pizza. And I think I might be having a relationship with pizza (happy Valentine's Day?), because I eat it all the time - I've eaten pizza at 10am three times! I am in pizza heaven so give me a break.
You cannot say no to pizza when you see a pizzeria every four steps of your way, it's impossible.
To sum it up, I've been having fun playing Elizabeth Gilbert on the eat part of her journey.
Rome
Rome had been my love for over a year, right after my first visit to the city, and this time I feel I didn't give it the time it desserves.
I went back to Rome again, this time to meet family for three days and it was a pretty cool thing. I did a very diferente life than my alone days. We've eaten well, tasted the best cappuccino and the best gelato in Rome and ate fresh AMAZING pasta on the Spanish Steps, and I stole oranges after climbing a tree of some garden on our way. Life's pretty awesome right now!
Campania: naples, Pompeii & Sorrento
Umbria: Perugia, Assisi & Spello
Umbria's small towns were pure perfection. I don't think I was ever as happy wandering narrow streets as I was here. It was like time travelling into a Ken Follett novel but with much nicer flowers in the picture. I cannot even explain to you the colors of this places, so much better than gold! I'm telling you I lived a short fairytale right here, and these places are in my heart. I could have stayed there much, much longer and still be blowned away by Umbria over and over again. I know I am coming back, I just know, because I have to.
tuscany: Siena, San Gimignano & Florence
San Gimignano was the place that took me forever to get there, but it was worth it, still the 8€ microwave pizza and the 2€ coffee was totally unnecessary, but you live and you learn, and I am never asking for a coffee again without asking the price first!
And then there's Florence, THE PLACE! I wasn't expecting such a big city and so many people everywhere, but this place is incredible and I cannot even start talking about The Duomo, because there're no words or pictures than can make justice to it. It is the most amazing monument I've ever seen, I can't even understand how can someone build something like that, honestly it's impossible, it's like they built the impossible to the human hand! And Ponte Vecchio of course is amazing as well, but it's kinda hard to enjoy with all the selfie sticks all over the place (seriously, people are nuts with their selfie sticks!)
The next few days include going back to Rome and up to Florence again, Lucca (maybe Pisa if I feel like it), Venice, Verona and Bologna - and some smaller towns along the way, because apparently I've also discovered on this trip that I am a bigger fan of smaller places than packed cities.