Zombies in Venice (Venice Part 1)

I got in to Venice, around 8, and with a little difficulty and help from a stranger I found my hosted. It was situated about 20 mins via bus from old Venice. I checked in, then dumped my thing in the room, where I met my room mate, an American girl, from Connecticut. We shared a bottle of wine then headed into Venice. Neither of us new that the city goes dead after midnight. We wandered down by some dingy streets, and dodgy back alleys. If I ever write a short horror story, I will base it in Venice, with it's dead end alleys, empty, light flickering on and off, them going out one by one...Zombies in Venice!
We caught the ferry round the city and to Lido. Then back to the top, where we found a cafe open till 2. It was the only place open other than the casino; and I'm not prepared to loose any more money there; especially when I'm still sitting a little over budget. I feel bad that I didn't have a jacket with me I could offer my room mate, because it was startlingly cold. When we headed back she went to bed. I stayed up to watch the pale glow of light come up over the city in grey blue.


I found a few nice cafes the next day, and some really bad ones too. I've found it is very important to check the pricings of places, even for coffee, especially in Venice. I ended up paying 4 euro in one place for a espresso. In the scheme of things, not going to through out my whole budget, but a rip off none the less. When I found a cafe I liked, I wrote about a dozen post cards.
Then as the evening set in I found a bar by the water to keep writing, and enjoy a glass of cognac. There is a different approach to measures over here; none of this 30ml business. A glass half full in my opinion is never a bad thing. Around the corner I found somewhere astonishingly cheap for the location on the water and quality of food. I had cuttlefish and squid ink spaghetti and it was unreal, (plus bread and wine for 20 euro). Wonderfully friendly waiter, helped me with my Italian. Then caught the ferry back home.



Friday I checked out. with the intention of heading to Milan or Verona. Those plans fell through so I ended up with no accommodation for that night, the only place available was 150 euro, not happening. So I thought I might try my luck at the Irish pub, that was open till late, 1am! I had a few beers and watched the game. While I was having a cigarette, I had a very broken conversation (French) with a well drunk Frenchman. I found myself thinking, I need to learn how to swear In foreign languages, for those odd occasions you need to tell someone to fuck off! After going back inside, and watching some more of the football, the same French guy came in and tried to kiss me on the cheak...OK?..when he tried to slip me a toungy I nearly decked the guy.. awkward, but it got me beer and simpatico from the other patrons. When he got kicked out, I had a chat with a couple of Brits, until the doors shut and we were turfed out onto the street. I walked on for a I walk on for a bit, until I found a cafe, under renovation and tarpaulins over the tables. I was comfortable enough to do for a night. It's warm in Venice, to warm for mosquitoes, so I felt surprisingly well rested in the morning.

Zombies in Venice, It could work!

Taking it easy down by the water.

The Chef and the tourist (Florence and Pisa)

I fell in love with the Florinteen markets as soon as I walked in, the smells, variety and vibrancy of the place engulfed me. Fifteen types of mushrooms, countless cheeses, figs by the kilo, fish, meats, no end of exotic verity and quality around each corner. A beautiful bombardment of choices, I was like a kid in a candy shop. I had to really make and effort to try fight myself from buying five times the food I actually needed, like I need to fight myself from trying to depict it all in several paragraphs. I was extremely exited to be cooking again; also to try out a plan, to cut down on the cost of food by taking a small collection from a few others and cooking for three or four.

Pumpkin with identity issues (Florence Markets)

The first day in the kitchen I met a school teacher from Naples, that did not speak English, and I did not have the Italian vocabulary to understand him, but with a hand from google translator we were able to have a conversation. Over the next couple of days I went down to the river to watch the sunset. Three Romanians were drinking beer, and invited me over for a cup. They spoke as much English as I do Italian, slim to none. With a lot of sharaids and help from my phrase book, we had a grand old time. I came back to make a sketch of the sunset the next day.

A few of us met for drinks back at the hostel, then went to find a bar in Florence. Along the way we met two Irish girls, that had just arrived, my liver my liver gave a small cry for help when I heard the accent, before accepting its fate. Everywhere was closing as we got in, fortunately this time my fashion sense did not hinder entry, in another plain white Tee and jeans, I was told I was the most interesting, and least fashionable, which is still pretty good for the ego. After a couple of closing pubs we added a few Americans to our group. The only club we found open from there was the trannie bar. It had a good atmosphere music and beer, though no one was keen for trying there luck any more!

Alex ('Scivs') (Good Mate from Australia) message that he was in Pisa. I caught the bus in through the rolling fields and mountains of Tuscany, I can see why so many people romantacise about the natural beauty here, the whole way I was thinking I need to get myself a Motorbike and come back as soon as I can. We met up, walked to the Leaning tower. I admit, we did take the classic touristy shots of pushing the tower over, but well, something just have to be done. Alex got some classics photos of hoards of tourists taking photos, funny guy. I really enjoyed catching up with him after so long. Alex had to leave for his train, where as I stayed a bit longer to see the city from the top of the tower. The light had left by the time I had finished, I would of liked to of seen the gardens of Pisa, but that I guess I can ad to my long list of why I want to go back to Tuscany.

Sorry, had to be done.

I was talking to my friend later that night who was staying in Prague, and thought it was time that I hit the road again. The next day, Tony and I hired bikes and rode around Florence and back up to Leonardo's look out, to take some photo of the spectacular view. I returned to the hostel to collect my things and boarded my train to Venice.

Leonardo's look out.

Brutal and beautiful (Arrival in Florence)

Before I let myself sleep, and the sun lit the green fields of Tuscany, I wrote. With my sleep deprived state I gave insult to the common comer until my thoughts were all down. Though I had been in Italy for a week, it felt as no time had passed, and wondering weather or not I should of got on this train. Rome I feel will always have a special place in my heart, dynamic with excitement around every corner and pleasant with memories of association. For better or worse I found myself in Florence.
Around the corner from the train station was my hostel. Over the next few day I became quite great friends with my room mate Tony, a Brit who had organised to work at the hostel for two weeks as a cheep way of seeing Tuscany.
We strode into town that night, it wasn't long before we saw the dome of the cathedral raise from the city center. The level of detail in the construction and decoration of the Duomo is fantastically imminence; there must be over a thousand cravings just on the outside, and no inconsistency of quality, no matter the heights reached, and has been one of my personal architectural favorites so far!
Close by the statue of David by Michelangelo stands, carved with such superb definition you can see, the veins that rise slightly from the back of his hands, the nearby area hosts a further array of statues, bronze and marble, depicting many scene, brutal and beautiful.
We then continued to Leonardo's lookout, that winds up the side of one of the nearby mountains. It is a remarkable view across the red orange roofs of Florence, whether by day or lit up by the city lights. There is also a club next to the look out, that looked like a lot of fun, but unfortunately a white Tee and jeans was not going to cut it for entry. However, we did check out a recommended a pub, on tap they had a British beer called Dragoon, sharing the colour and taste of molasses. After the flavour shock of the first sip, it was quite delicious, and dangerously alcoholic. A couple of drinks later, you get hit with the alcoholic metaphorical form of a sledgehammer, great fun; but the hangover the next day had hit Tony for six.

The next night, I stayed up quite late again, this time the only beverage that I drank way to much of was tea, and wrote a different kind of journal entry.

And the truth just seems so fresh
I'm just being me no need to impress
I digress I still fiend for respect
I guess I got to do my best to keep
myself a little in check
When you got what you need
just some food and a bed
You see your pockets aren’t as deep as it gets
I'm overseas, my apologies if
this seems arrogant, please believe
that is not my intent
A few epiphanies change my perspec-
tive, one life so I'll give it my best
The achievement is in love not the sex
That line between the song and the text
Still doing things for the the fuck of it
Never the less I feel a little

More mature in a sense.

What I have learnt, seen and the people I've met (Last days in Rome)

Part one – What I've learnt and seen.

I have no intent to wright this blog as a factual history of ancient Rome, Wikipedia does a much better job of that. However I was completely griped by the facts of the construction and culture, during my tour of these building. The most accurate thing that I can document about my feelings of this stage of my visit is the sense of wonderment. Without going to the Colosseum its hard to get a grip on the scale that the Romans build on. It is an enormously big building, really big! Standing 50m tall above ground, 189m wide, and hosting up to 80,000 spectators. It is an incredible architectural feat, that highlights a powerful and bloody history of violence, not just accepted but promoted. Blood for sport, the games were held for 300 years, of gladiators pitted against vicious animals, and each other. Plays were also held in the amphitheater of ancient Greek tails, where when characters died, criminals were brought to perform and actually killed. Constructed of slaves of conquered lands over only 8 year (72-80 A.D.)


After the Colosseum we went to the forum, the economic center of ancient Rome. It is an massive sight, but far from the complete. When the Romans new created builds they would quarry from old sights, only a fragment of the original buildings remain. It is a shame to see sketches of how it might of been, and how little is left now.

I had been a little behind in my photo capturing so I started to over compensate for a few days, until I went to the Pantheon an old pagan temple (constructed for the third time in 126 AD) which is still the largest unsupported concrete dome in the world. Where I took some time to put the camera away and appreciate where I actually was, It is a soulful experience without being religious, awe inspiring; for the extent of the effort that were made to create a place of prayer.


After that I caught the metro train to the Vatican to clime to the top of St. Peters dome, half way up the 521 stairs you can look down from just under the dome to the basilica below, it is a magnificent view, but, nothing on the view from the top, overlooking the city of Rome out to the horizon in 360 degrees.

Part two – The people I've Met.


I have me many amazing people so far on my travels, that I cannot recount all the stories, everyone is so warm open, and friendly travelers and locals alike. Shout outs to all the lovely people I met, and for the stories we have shared; sometimes talking to the early hours of the morning, the inspiration you have given me and the hospitality to offer to show me your home cities and towns.


I had just booked my hostel in Florence, when we started chatting, in the kitchen. Where we were from, what we are doing in life, and our dreams for the future. We wandered through the city, joking and telling each other stories. We got lost a couple of times, or more than a couple, neither of us minding, enjoying each other company. Stopped at the for a moment for gelato, then pasted a bar with many people with painted faces we. We joked about getting ours done as we walked past, grabbing your hand we ran back. Bought the necessary glass of wine, and sat down to get ours done. I love that sense of spontaneity, and attitude finding happiness in the little things. We made our wishes at the Trevi fountain, and through coins over our left shoulders. Very romantic, under the full moon, it takes on a whole new feeling of serene beauty at night. We were fortunate enough to see a man propose to his girlfriend, it was a little tasteless of one of the street vendors to try sell them the Polaroid; not surprising but all part of the experiences we see.

It is a marvelous journey I am on, made only more special by everyone I've met. Some I may see again, some I won't, either way, it has been wonderful experience cross paths.

 A night out on town, with new found friends.

 Fontana di Trevi.