Short and Sweet

Robin and I in Pompeii in front of Mt Vesuvius. 
On Capri
Casey, Robin, Chloe and I at Positano

My internet is down, I'm at a cafe right now using their free wifi and I have a presentation tomorrow so I have little time for blogging.  Just wanted to write a quick one about this weekend in the Almafi coast.  It was amazing! We went to Positano, Capri and Pompeii.  The weather was beautiful, we went to the blue grotto, saw the ruins of Pompeii, layed on the beach and swam in the ocean. We stayed at a really cool hostel with a rooftop bar.  

The next two weeks are going to be crazy with school.  Lana comes to visit next Wednesday which I'm really looking forward to.  I finally finished booking my trip in May after school is done.  I'm going to Stockholm, Berlin, Prague, Milan and Turin.  I'm really looking forward to being finished with the stress of school for a while, I just have to get through finals!

Blessings

Picture/location of my new apartment compliments of google maps

Ever since getting home from spring break I've been crazy busy with school and also the realization that from this side of break the semester looks quite short.  As I told everyone thats asked I have mixed feelings about going home.  One thing that has made me more excited to get back to New York is that I finally have an apartment!  Due to some amazing friends back in the city I officially have an apartment starting May 1st.  I will have my own bedroom, its two blocks from the subway and close to central park.  I'm so happy about living with friends and not having the rules of the dorms.  Also I'll be saving a bundle.  

The other wonderful blessing of the past week was talking to Betsy.  We got to videochat, she should me the condo shes been staying at in Bahrain.  It was so nice to see her face and catch up on everything.  Its funny because with me being in Italy we are only 1 timezone apart.  

Overall everything is going so well.  I'm just trying to enjoy the rest of my time in Florence while getting all my school work done.  Tomorrow we are going on a Chianti Wine tour with school and then I'm going to Capri, Pompeii and Sorrento for the weekend! 

SB3: Crete

Its hard to say, but Crete was probably my favorite island.  We stayed in Chenia, which is on the western part of the island.  Our hotel was 100 meters from the beach and the first day we just walked around the city and went to the beach.  The water wasn't too cold so I went swimming.  Then we played frisbee on the beach, it was a really fun day.  

The next day we rented a car with the help of our hotel owner Costantine who was great.  You have to be 23 to rent a car but my oldest friend is only 22.  We drove down to Imbros where there is a really cool gorge that we hiked.  After we were done we went to the beach. 

On Sunday we went to the southwestern corner of the island to go to a sandbar beach.  You have to walk out 50 meters to get the sandbar.  It was one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever been to, and the most southern part of Europe.  

It was really fun to have a car, all the roads are in the middle of the mountains. Sadly Sunday night we had to take a ferry back to Athens as the first part of our journey home. Overall it was one of the best trips I've ever been one.  Greece is amazing!

SB3: Santorini

Red Beach


Fira

Santorini is so beautiful.  It was completely different from Mykonos which I was happy about.  You can see how the island was formed from a volcano. We stayed right in the main town of Fira at a really nice hotel that was only 13E a night!  Definitely the best deal I've ever found.  

We rented four wheelers again and rode all around the island.  We went to 3 different beaches, red beach, black beach and this random beach that we stumbled upon that I don't think has a name. The beaches are named for the color of the sand which is from the lava.  I was so happy about the warm weather and to get tan.  

SB2: Mykonos

Alex and I at a deserted beach.

Chloe and our buddy Finn.
The view from my hotel window.

Mykonos was our first island.  The weather was rainy and cloudy the whole time but we made the best of it.  Our hotel was really nice and had cats! One of really friendly, Finn, and we played with him a lot.  The town was really cute, all white buildings and tiny winding streets.  The second day we rented four wheelers and rode all around the island which was so much fun.  It was nice to travel in the low season, I liked seeing the islands empty.  

I must tell one scary story though.  Mykonos is known for its party scene so despite the rain we went out one night.  We actually found a cool bar and had a great time dancing.  However when we started to walk home a stray dog started following us.  It was huge and black, not unlike the grim!  Normally I wouldn't have minded much but my friend Chloe had the same thing happen to her in Athens and was shaken up by it so she was basically ripping my arm off in fear of the dog.  The dog that followed her in Athens started attacking people so we were all afraid that that would happen again.  The dog followed us the whole way to our hotel.  It was freaky, but the dog didn't hurt anyone and we went inside and eventually he left.  The experience did give us an idea, CSI: Mykonos (its always the stray dog.)

I really liked Mykonos overall. I was really annoyed with the weather at the time but since the rest of the trip was really warm it turned out to be ok.  Santorini is next.

Spring Break Part 1: Athens

Greek is a crazy language
The statue at the Olympic stadium
The Parthenon
A view of Athens from the Acropolis.

The ancient agora

Getting to and from Greece was one of the longest and most trying travel experiences I've ever had.  That being said, It was beyond worth it.  

Greece is one of the most amazing countries I've ever been to.  I am so glad that I had 10 days to really see the country.  

The 3rd was spent most in transit - train to Milan, bus to Milan airport, flight to Athens, bus to Athens center.  I left my house at 5:45am and got to our hostel in Athens around 11pm.  Don't forget though that Athens is 1 hour ahead of Italy.  

On the 4th we did a tour of Athens with our hostel and literally saw the entire city.  Our guide was really great and I learned a lot.  I was weary going into Athens because I had heard lots of negatives ranging from its a dusty city to it smells like barbeque.  (I actually love BBQ).  Personally I loved Athens.  Yes its dusty and there are a million stray dogs but all the ruins and the history behind the city are amazing.  I do agree that there isn't much to do and that one or two days in Athens is sufficient.  

After spending a long day seeing all the sights the rest of our group met up with us in Athens.  We left for Mykonos the next morning.  

Stop saying "finicular"

Abby and I on the finicular (cable car)
Little kid at the Aquarium

A harp player on Sagrada Familia
Inside of Sagrada Familia
A statue of Christopher Columbus pointing to the new world.

Barcelona was amazing! I loved the city, I'm so glad I got to spend five days there.  It is one of my favorite places I've visited this semester.  It felt like a European version of San Diego.  Our hostel was great, the owners were so cute and helpful and their two dogs were there a lot which made me really happy.  

Friday we walked all day, down to the harbor, to La Pedrera, Sagrada Familia and then to Park Guell.  Sagrada Familia is the coolest church I've ever been to and its not even finished yet.  I can't wait to go back to Barcelona when it is finished (2030).  

Saturday it was raining so it the morning we went to the Aquarium which is one the best in Europe.  It was really fun and nice to do something different.  After we went to the mall located right next to it.  All of the shopping in Barcelona was great and I bought two sundresses, a scarf and a pair of sandals.  Then we went to Casa Batllo which is another piece of Gaudi Architecture.  That night we went out to a restaurant that had food from the Canary Islands.  I shared lamb and a pork/garbonzo beans concoction that was delicious!  

Sunday I went to the Picasso Museum, had a wonderful lunch at a noodle bar and then took the finicular to the top of Montjuic park where there is a castle.  It has amazing views of the ocean and the entire city.  For dinner Abby and I had Sangria, stuffed peppers, patatas bravas and chicken.  

Monday we went to Montserrat which is a monastery in the mountains.  It was so beautiful and peaceful and we hiked up for a bit.  It would be a really great day trip on a sunny day when you are prepared for hiking because there are a ton of trails. That night we went to one of the best tapas bars in Barcelona and had bread, cheese, salmon, and liver pate which Abby made me eat.  I'm trying to be more adventurous in my eating but I didn't like the liver.  

Tuesday we had to leave.  I'm glad to be home but it isn't for long, I leave for Greece on Friday.  I'll be there for my whole spring break which is 10 days.  I'm so unbelievable excited!