Entries about sight seeing

Pat- Tuesday we are in Naples and there is not much on our list to see in Naples. We see there is a sign in the hostel to take day tours to Pompeii so we decided that we would to that Tom and that today would be a relaxing day. So we woke up late and went to lunch. Then in the common room some people were watching The Man In The Iron Mask so we sat down and watched it as well. We met some nice young ladies and we asked them to go to the pizza place the workers at the hostel recommend which was very good! Then when we returned home from dinner and booking our next train ride to Pisa for the next day we went back to the hostel. Some other guests were watching the Aviator so we thought why not, lets make it a Leonardo Day.

Wednseday- We woke up had some breakfast then went to Pompeii for the tour with about 8 others from the hostel. It was awesome to see all the history and learn about their culture and understand why they built everything the way they did. It was very educational and well worth it. Then we got back to the hostel and had to pick up our bags and leave right away to make our train. The train ride was like 7 or 8 hrs but we got 1st class seats! I don't know why they were the same price as the regular seats but we took full advantage. We made it to Pisa and checked in. Overall Naples great experience and Pompeii was awesome.

Thursday-Saturday- It was nice to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa and try some good Pisa shops as well as experience Italy beating Germany in the semi-final for the European Cup! The city was so alive and almost a riot after the game it was a good experience I wish I would have been intoxicated for it but none the less very interesting. Moe and I were pretty bored here and there was no air contitioning in the hostel. Recommendation, don't stay in hostels with no air conditioning and if you go to Pisa only stay a max of two nights. We did have a very good 1 on 1 table tennis tournament you can ask Moe who won later. Pisa overall a pretty good experience good pizza and the European football match!!
Saturday- we arrived in Florence at 12 noon and we couldn't check in till 2 so we were lucky and stumbled upon a wonderful pizza place named Bondi half way between the train station and our hostel. We were so happy that this hostel had air conditioning!! Later that night we decided to walk around to find a place to eat and find a good place to watch the European football game the next night. We decided to go to Michelangelo's Piazza which is up on a mountain overlooking the whole city. We had dinner at Michelangelo's restraunt right next to it and it was a nice view, but awful food, don't eat there. You definently have to see the Piazza though! It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen! This view and the Vatican are the two coolest things that I have experienced on this trip so far. There was a musician there as well playing the guitar and singing it was just a very amazing atmosphere.

Sunday- We had breakfast then went and saw Duomo which is a very big church in Florence very detailed. Then we went to the pizza place that the Jersey shore was based out of when they were in Italy. It was pretty good pizza but it was a cool atmosphere. Later that day we just walked around the river and I saw a piece of art that I wanted to get, but I didn't have enough money on me so I asked him if he would be there the next day and he said of course. That night we asked some young men where the best place to watch the game at so we followed them to like a park right by the river where they set up a projector and like half the town was there watching. There had to be close to 800 people just watching this one screen! Even though they lost to Spain it was still an experience it was really cool.
Monday- We got up and went through the flea market and then went to lunch at the restraunt we went to the first day Bondi. Its really good I have the address if anyone wants to know. Then we went back to the square where the artist was and I bought the painting it was done by Marcello a very nice guy I got a picture with him you will see it soon. We decided to take a nap and then go back up to Michelangelo's Piazza again which was breathtaking, again!
That's it for Florence it was a great time! It is a must see if you are in Italy!!

Moe: Okay, we're going to try this post again. We did one yesterday (we apologize for slacking, but we're not really sorry) but when we tried posting it, only one sentence showed up.

Day 7- If any of you choose to go backpacking, here's a tip. Schedule relaxation days. Today was definitely a solid relaxation day. We slept in, mozied around, and watched a movie in the common room. We met some other travelers watching a Leo movie and we went to dinner with them. We got to eat the best pizza in the world (yeah, that's not true). It was really good (Florence had better pizza) and I highly recommend it (writing as if we just left Napoli). Pat and I went to the train station after dinner and we booked our tickets for Pisa. We got hit on fairly aggressively by two guys, which was awkward, but an experience no less. No means no, they eventually got the hint. Back at the hostel, we watched another Leo movie. As Pat said, it was a Leo kind of day.

Day 8- We went to Pompeii and wow, amazing to see and learn about a culture that was ahead of its time. We went back to the hostel and said our goodbyes. Up to this point (we're in Florence right now) we have stayed in three (now five) hostels. The one in Napoli was the friendliest and my personal favorite so far (still true). Hostel On The Sun or H.O.T.S, which led to some funny signs posted around the hostel, was a sketchy looking hostel from the outside at first. But hands down, best one so far. The rooms weren't bad, the facilities were great, the staff was as friendly as can be. Highly recommend booking here if you choose to stay in a hostel and choose to visit Napoli, home of the best pizza in the world (Florence).
So we're off to Pisa. We got here late, ate a small snack before bed and this place has no air conditioning. Prepared to sweat, not really.

Day 9- I woke up smelling like a smell I never want to smell again.Thankfully deodorant is a very handy invention because I really didn't want to take a shower in the morning. I also had a major Harry Potter withdrawal moment when I woke up. Had a dream about the Triwizard Tournament (Book 4, Goblet of Fire for the amateurs out there who aren't familiar with the books, in which case you should consider reading them, you will enjoy them). We went to go see the Leaning Tower of Pisa and we took the infamous leaning-on-the-tower/pushing-the-tower-back-up/pushing-the-tower-further-down/squatting-the-tower/anything-involving-using-the-angle-of-the-tower-to-create-a-funny-photo photo. Pat took one and I figured that was already well past our cheesiness limit and I refused to take one. Although there were probably about 70 others that we saw. I "accidentally" got into about 40% of those pictures. So I'm in roughly 28 pictures (I used a calculator) so I should be mildly famous by the time I get home. We ate food and watched the game and had fun with the locals on our way home. So glad Italy won the semi final game! Back to the hostel with no air conditioning...Got to play guitar and had a conversation with some friendly folks and a drunk guy.

Day 10- Why did we book three nights here?! We're bored. I bought Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix today! Increased my mood almost instantaneously. That boy be doing some crazy stuff in those books! I won the first game of Ping Pong which is really all that matters. Pat then wanted to make a series out of it. Normally a series should be best of 3, but seeing as I won 2 of our first three games, Pat decided to make it "first to be up two wins in the series." Naturally, I agreed so Pat wouldn't get salty about losing and of course Pat won due to this new way of making a series (Usually we both proofread before posting but I'm not gonna let him proofread before posting this, so don't comment to him on me commenting about his sore-loserness and yes I realize this comment also makes me a sore loser but sometimes you gotta fight fire with fire, but really you shouldn't but I'm not deleting this so, that's settled) (and if you comment on me commenting, well you're rude). So "Pat won" and then Oliver played. He kicked both of our butts and he said he "wasn't good".....What a chach, he clearly played in an organized league. Just come out and say it don't let us get our hopes up that we're playing a fellow novice, very much like ourselves. Dude had a crazy serve and was too intense for me to enjoy the game at all. He was the drunk guy I had a conversation last night! Ate food, had better pizza here then in Napoli (Florence still better) so, best pizza in the world, new location, Pisa (but really Florence).

Day 11- We finally get to leave Pisa! It wasn't that bad. Just a fricken hot room made me feel that much worse. Short train ride to Florence. We wandered around and made it to this pizza place. Best pizza we have eaten so far (yeah). Florence, home of the best pizza in Italy, from what we experienced. We went to the Central market and then we were able to check in our hostel. We walked around and ended up in the Michaelangelo Piazza. Great overview of the city, it was gorgeous. We ate dinner there, great view, crappy food. I tried some Italian wine. Yeah, I don't like wine. I know it was better than any wine I've had before because I didn't gag on the first sip. So, use that as a reference. Wine previously tried by Moe, gagged, wine in Italy tried by Moe, able to fight the urge to gag. We stayed in the Piazza for a little bit and when nightfall hit, wow. Took some pictures of the night scene but it won't do it complete justice. This was beautiful.

I'm tired so I'm going to wrap these two days up quickly.

Day 12- Saw the Duomo, met a cool artist that we talked to. Pat wanted one of his paintings, told him be back tomorrow. Got some food from the Jersey Shore pizza place. It was okay we beat the rush. I couldn't get a picture of the undies that they hung up because no pictures allowed but I secretly snapped some, rebel. Went back took a nap. Met some locals, led us to a sweet spot to watch the game. Lot of people, Italy lost, lot of sad people. Went back fell asleep.

Day 13- Woke up late, found the artist bought the painting. Moe met an artist but dang he charged too much so Moe's looking for another artist. Ate lunch at the best pizza place, took a long nap, read some Harry Potter (I need to slow down already near the end, at this rate I will probably end up buying more than half the series over here). Ate some dinner, stole a cup, no we borrowed the cup with the intentions of not knowing how to return it, went back to Michaelangelo Piazza, shocked and awed, it was great again. Ate some gelato, I'm sad because I haven't eaten gelato everyday. Sorry for the delay in posting but not really. We'll try to do the other one after only a couple days and not a week.

Ciao!
Moe and Pat