EuroTrip Part II: Italy and Munich

Ahh…yes…so here goes the rest of my blog entry. We arrived in Rome at about 11pm at night. We were immediately bombarded by Italian women begging us to stay at their hostel. They just pointed to a piece of paper and couldn’t speak a word of English. Thinking I was doing us a favor, I had booked a hotel just a few miles from the airport. Unfortunately, the hostel these women were trying to get us to stay at wasn’t the hostel we had booked. However, I thought we could use them to find out how to get to ours. Since the women couldn’t speak any English, Nat somehow ended up on the phone with their boss. He kept repeating “NO! We have a hostel already! We just don’t know where it is!” Finally, he got off the phone. We stepped outside into the Italian night to find buses for 4 Euro that went straight to the heart of Rome. But our hostel, of course, was smack in the middle of nowheresland. We asked multiple bus drivers, taxi drivers, random people, and yes, even policemen how to get to our hostel. They all said it was only a few miles down the road (if they knew where it was at all) but that “You can’t walk! It is dangerous!” Of course, Nat wanted to walk. But Aunt Arlene, you will be happy to know that I refused. Hitchhiking however, seemed a MUCH safer option. So we came up with a plan…we would go up to people and ask if they knew how to get to our hostel and then hope that the directions were so confusing that they would say, “Oh, just hop in and we’ll give you a ride” (but in Italian, of course!). Our plan was not working out too well. I told Nat we should just take the taxi…it’s almost midnight and we need a decent sleep. Then I looked over and spotted some young backpackers and pointed them out to Nat. He took off. And to make a long story short, they gave us a ride to our hostel. I woke up the next morning with some “bug bites” on my face and some on my shoulder. I was pissed but I knew my Mom was always right when she told me I had “sweet blood”…

Our hostel was literally in the middle of nowhere. We started walking past fields and came upon a public pool. We went inside to get some water and asked how to get to the train station. We were told to go “destra, sinistra” but lucky for body language, we understood that to be right, then left. But soon, we seemed to have gone a little too far and assumed we were lost. We yelled behind some gate into some guy’s yard “Hey! Where’s the train station?!?!” He responded, “right there.” Oh. 25 feet further, there it was. We were lucky to find an English speaking nurse waiting there at the station who explained that it’s Sunday so you don’t have to pay for the train because “where could you buy the ticket?”. We didn’t argue with that. Once we arrived in Rome I had to go to the bathroom and had planned to meet Nat right where I left him. Of course every magazine stand looks the same so 30 minutes later, when Nat still wasn’t there, I went to the police (which were right next to another magazine stand…the one I was SUPPOSED to meet at…oops...my bad…). And I STILL hadn’t gone to the bathroom because it cost money and Nat had my purse and…long story…anyway we found a McDonald’s right outside the station and got on line for the bathroom. In front of me was an Israeli girl named Karen who basically became our best friend. After finding the conditions of the McDonald’s bathroom unsatisfactory, we went off together in search of a bathroom suitable for us to pee in. We soon found one. Having Karen around was great! She spoke English AND Italian and she was super cool! She showed us her map and her little guide book and asked if we wanted to go with her to some museum. We told her we only had one day so we had to see the most important stuff. She then went on to tell us how much she loved her little guidebook and had bought it for 4 Euro. Then she looked up at us with these big puppy dog eyes and as if someone had forced her, she reluctantly held out her guidebook and said, “Do you want it?”. Of course not, Karen! We couldn’t possibly take your most prized Roman possession! And that was the last we ever saw of her. Some people just come into your life and leave footprints….or something like that…

Anyway, so we saw the Colosseum, Vatican City, some other crumbled down old things, fountains, ate pizza and gelato and just had a great Italian day. In the Vatican City, I couldn’t get into the church because my shoulders weren’t covered. So I waited outside for Nat and when he came out he thought I just had to see it so he took off his shirt and gave it to me but then I couldn’t get in because my shorts were too short…so we just gave up. You would think I was dressed like some kind of prostitute or something but no, just a tank top and work out shorts…who would’ve thought?!

On our way home that night we saw the Italian sunset and got to bed early. After all, we had a 6am flight to catch (you see why I got us a hostel close to the airport?! :-) to Venice!

Rome:













Look, Danielle!:

We arrived in Venice around 8:30am. By 9:15am, we were done. Venice, it’s true, is a beautiful city. It’s unique, it’s exquisite, it’s lovely…but it’s not FUN. After getting over the cool factor that there are no streets here, only rivers, and no cars, only boats, there’s just nothing else to do but eat and go into little shops where they sell glass things and masks. Just shopping and eating which two poor Jewish kids can’t afford to do…so we did what anyone in our position would do…we slept on a park bench…for 4 hours. We did have some delicious pasta for dinner and then sat by a river. There were two girls sitting near us…they looked about 18 or 19 and were obviously American…and they looked…a little bit…bored. We looked around and realized that everyone looked bored. We looked at each other and had the same thought. No one here is having fun! So, again, we did what anyone in our position would do, we went around interviewing people on “The Truth About Venice”. I’m sure Nat will post some videos since they are all on his camera. We then were so pissed we didn’t think of doing this earlier because it was really fun! So we went to the train station to wait for our night train to Munich. At the station were 2 hippy guys strumming their guitar and singing horrible songs with a sign that said “1 Euro for us to stop singing”. I told Nat to go offer them a “business proposition”; tell them you will join their band but they have to give you half the profits (which were a hefty…none.). So he did and they agreed and Nat broke into “Hit me Baby one more time” or at least what he knew of it which was basically “Andd I….”. But in any case, he got a loud applause and it was quite funny!

Finally, we hopped on the night train. We found out we had really cool neighbours (a girl and a guy who were cousins too!). But our suitemates…not so cool. They thought it was “cold” in our bunk when I was basically dying of heat pouring water on myself. So I just turned into a total bitch and said, “Well I’m gonna pass out so I’m leaving”, stormed out, and sat outside. HAHA. Luckily they got off soon and I could lay in the air conditioning for a bit. Ahhhh. I showed Nat all the new bug bites I had…on my hands…arms…legs. He said, “Marissa…there are no bugs in here.” And then I realized…these weren’t bug bites! I had the plague! I’m a leper! Ughhh. But once we got back to Nat’s place and I googled a bit, I realized I had hives! Whewww. I treated my hives, took a shower, and slept. My time in Munich was very relaxing. I slept in everyday. I watched episodes of Desperate Housewives. I went to Dachau concentration camp which was a quite hectic, though. Just to stand in the crematorium where the ovens are and see the pictures, it’s just so weird. No matter how many times I learn about the Holocaust or see a picture or see a movie, it still shocks me and gives me chills. Munich, on the other hand, although it has a bit of a dark past, is a beautiful city! I definitely want to go back there someday!


If a woman has her bow tied to the right, she is taken. If it's tied to the left, she might have a boyfriend...she might not...you might get lucky...you just don't know. If it's tied in the middle, sorry...she's taken (or she's 5)! (PS. Look at Nat in the corner!):

"Work Sets You Free" (gates at Dachau):



Ovens at Dachau:






Someone put beer cans in his hand:


After I had my fill of pretzels and German people, I hopped on a plane back to Heathrow. But once I got to customs, I was interrogated. I was so nervous. The customs agent asked me so many questions but I finally got through and home to Donovan. I don’t think I can leave the UK again because I definitely won’t get in! I am still recovering from my “mini” Euro-trip but had a great time. On Monday, Martha and Graham come! I’m so excited! More stories to come! Cheers everyone!