and I'm off!

This is just a quick post about how I saw a 3 foot mullet. Details and pictures when I come back!!!

Finally leaving London

Time to go home, finally. Europe was an amazing experience but I wouldn't consider what I did real backpacking. We met sooo many other travelers REALLY backpacking for more than 2 months even! Really impressive.

Next time 8 countries instead of 4. Our last stay is at a sheraton, real plush too! Indoor pool, two big ass queen beds! No crappy cots or bunk beds! I need a steak! I'm pasta'ed out.

Our waiter is a dick

So I'm going to write about how his father disowned him since he told him he's gay.

Anyways, he's a rude cock goblin who won't be getting a tip. Not because he's a rude foreign waiter, but because he is just plain rude. I'm extra cautious about how I say or act in front of locals, but nothing I have done has instigated such dickheadedness.

Guh-Laaaaah-Toe?

I've never eaten so much gelato in my life, give or take 3 times a day since we got to cinque terre to rome. Not sick of it at all

The Colosseum

Beside the stuff I already knew about the Colosseum, it was still pretty cool. Also it wasn't too hot today while we were doing the walking tour. The Forum and Arch of Constantine were right outside and our tour guide gave us the low down on it all. If you don't want to hear the short bit about the Arch of Constantine, I suggest you stop reading any further ahhhaha.

The Arch marks the turning point in history (312 A.D) where christianity was finally made the mainstream, but don't get too excited, shortly after in the 4th century, Rome, the strongest empire in the world at the time, started to fall. I'm pretty sure it was because of religion.

After the archaeological ruin extravaganza, it was time for some famous and delicious gelato, then the Pantheon.

Once a pegan temple, now a catholic church. The name "Pantheon" is broken down into two parts. Pan, which means ALL, Theon, which means DIVINE. Not everyone could worship there back in the day, if you were a commoner and you entered the pantheon, you could be punished with death.

Thus ends our tour today. I am exhausted and I need to nap.

Lunch Time

Walking around the Vatican was pretty tiring. We went to this one place where I had decent gnoochi and diana had a catapiller in her salad. As charles said it best , "Garden Fresh!".

The Vatican & Sistine Chapel

Pretty much an awesome creation of man. There are so many details I learned about the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel. The little tid bits of info made such a big difference when looking , I can't even explain it. I forgot which high priest it was but a lot of the peni were knocked off about 80% of all the statues because of him. He must of kept them all.

We saw the burn marks on the floor of an old stove where they use to burn the votes after they chose a new pope in the Sistine. Wild stuff!

Tour Day

Today is the major tour day with the entire group so this should be pretty fun, we start off with the vatican then colosseum, the forum, the basilica, and the pantheon.

Our tour guide gets us into all the main sites with out waiting in line...

The Trevi Fountain

Very cool, but very touristy and full of douchebags trying to sell you crap. Traditions says if have your back facing the fountain and throw two coins with your left hand over your right shoulder, you'll have good luck and will return to rome. There are different variations of this B.S, but I did it anyways.

We went to the Spanish Steps next and let me tell you, there's nothing that exciting going on. They are just steps with a lot of tourists and young people. There were a good amount of decent lookin chicks so that was a plus.

This hostel...

...blows...according to charles. I was fine there, but he was having any of it. I did see the faults he mentioned which were pretty bad faults. First, it doesn't say this before you book it, but after 11pm, everyone has to go to sleep (are you kidding me? We're not living with our parents!). Second, it was hot at night, you breathed warm humid air. Third, there were three showers, all of which leaked on the floor and lacked hot water. Forth, no place to charge your devices (camera, ipod, cell phone, etc). Charles looked up where anthony, natalie, diana and andy were staying and wouldn't you know it, they were right the street. Rooms are a LOT better. Good choice on charles part.

Well this is a nice welcome....

Just arrived at termini station and its in a bad part of town (but not dangerous). Came upon some graffiti walking to our hostel. Hahahh. We are loved, what can I say?

This train...

Is wayyy too long! But nobody smells...yet

so sad to go

We wanted to stay another day, but out guest house was booked. It was just easier and cheaper to stick with the original plan.

We are arriving late into rome and we hope our hostel doesn't give away our beds. As of right now I'm on a train from Pisa to Rome and there is an unbelievable gorgeous italian girl next to me. She looks like ashley simpson minus the nose. She is so pretty I can't even look at her for more than a second in fear of being accused of staring.

Anyways, I've asked other travelers i've met through out the trip what its like in rome. The words "busy" and "hot" we're the most common. Great....

Beat!

Hiking from Vernazza was a bit rough! But the views were awesome. We took a detour for a free beach that turned out to be full of old gross ass shrivled up shameless bodies. I didn't even know it was a nude beach until I got there. It was like the scene in eurotrip.

Cliff diving in Manarola was so fun, we saw some people do some pretty bad dives that ended up in red skin. The water was very clear and you could see tons of fish, even where people were swimming.

I think we're taking a day off of Rome to stay another day in Monterosso. Its THAT great here!

Am I home sick, yet? Nope.