The following journal entry was written on Saturday, August 1, 1998:

Today, I woke up early to get to the Vatican before any lines formed. Well, there ended up being no wait at the church or the museums. The walk across Rome to the Vatican City only took about 50 minutes. The piazza and colonnade seemed much smaller than I had thought after seeing so many pictures. The longer I walked around it, though, the bigger it seemed. The church didn't seem too impressive from the outside, maybe because the entire front facade was under scaffolding.

Once inside, however, the magnitude of the art and architecture became obvious. The floor designs in marble, the size of the statues and the Baldaccino, and ceiling mosaics were indescribable. I couldn't even take a picture for it would be impossible to capture the experience. The rays of light that came through the glass were very spiritual. Michelangelo's "Pieta" was beautiful, so delicate (behind the bulletproof glass). I paid the money to see the Treasury. I also went to the cupola. The view did not compare to that of the Duomo's in Florence.

I'm sitting along the colonnade right now. Just a few minutes ago, a damn pigeon shit on me. Luckily, there was a toilette ten meters away. The Vatican Museums were most impressive. The walls and ceilings in the Geography room were cool. Raphael's room had scaffolding on one side, covering ⅓ of the "School of Athens." That was disappointing.

The Sistine Chapel was quite crowded. Once again, I didn't think pictures could capture the beauty and color of the newly restored paintings. Plenty of people were taking flash pictures despite the constant warnings not to. I found this renegade attitude careless (then again, I might be coming off as a hypocrite or elitist). Do they know the flashes contribute to the deterioration of frescoes?

I will probably stay in Rome for a second full day, especially since my roomies are friendly and cute. Too bad I chickened out and did not ask to go to the Vatican with the two girls that I knew had the exact same plans as I did (I just had to be anal about getting there early). I'm starting to get concerned about my illness. I've been seeing blood in my mucous, which has remained a dark yellow. I haven't gone to a doctor because I don't seem to have a fever or other threatening symptoms. Rome is tiring and I'll probably stay in again tonight.

I went to the supermarket, where I bought two comfortable pairs of Italian boxers and a 1.5-liter water bottle for about twenty-five cents. Obviously, that is the best deal around. I also went to the Castile de'Saint Angelo. I've got quite a sunburn on my face. I plan to sleep in tomorrow and then go see a few sights. Then, on to Venice Monday morning or maybe Verona. I messed up on paying for my bed tonight and was lucky to retain my bed for the night. This was the first week I was on budget ($50 per day). I think from now on, I'll be under budget.

I've decided to leave Rome after only two nights. My New Zealand girl is going, and I saw most of what I came to visit, plus the city is too big. Back to Venice for two or three nights, then Nice, Barcelona, Ireland, England, Paris, and hopefully Amsterdam and Copenhagen.

I loved the way (Ms. New Zealand, since I never learned her name) she said "Kerouac," Her kiwi-flavored accent must have won me over. She had an incredible lightness about her. I couldn't spend another night in Rome without the promise of her smile.

It turned out that I had dinner with about fifteen new arrivals in the pension. We went to San Paulo Restaurante where someone who had arrived earlier cut a deal: no 15% service charge, 1 pasta dish or pizza (no fish), and one beer, wine, or soda plus bread. As I sat there for two hours listening to two conversations at once, I thought about how much nicer the picnic at the Trevi Fountain would have been that night (with the Aussie and Kiwi). Damnit, that girl was great.

The dinner group went to an Irish pub a few blocks away around 12:30 AM. There, I spent $5 on a pint of Guinness that wasn't poured right (the bartenders didn't let the beer settle). I found this quite ironic (and not as tasty), considering all the Guinness propaganda hanging on the walls.

Before we had all broken up for dinner, we (my angel, the girl from New Zealand, and her sightseeing buddy, a blonde Australian girl) exchanged our feelings/amazement at St. Peter's size and grandeur. There was such excitement in the words during those few minutes. Sharing experiences such as that with someone feels like such a release and special too.

I met a lot of character types that night: the goofy Americans, the vegetarian who didn't eat her dinner cause there was meat in her meal, the frat-like French Canadian dude with all the stories, and the Argentinean girl who barely spoke English. I'm never going to forget my girl from New Zealand, though. I should have gone to Greece with her the next day.

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The following journal entry was written on Friday, July 31, 1998:

I met a whole bunch of friendly people last night from all over the world: Australia, Canada, England, Scotland, and Norway. The 18-year-old Scottish guy was traveling with his skateboard, so I asked him what that was like. One of the Norwegian girls was a nurse. One of the Canadians was an airplane technician/engineer.

There was a beautiful girl from Canada reading Kafka's "The Basic," and I couldn't take my eyes off her. I ended up getting a little too drunk by midnight. Instead of staying up and talking some more, I had to lie down and pass out. But you definitely meet more people traveling alone, and so far the freedom has been enjoyable.

I still have to work out some things like finding and sitting with people who speak English on the trains. This means I should be waiting a little before I get on the trains. I talked with a girl from New Hampshire who was traveling alone. She seemed to endorse hitchhiking and sleeping out (train station, beach, park). She recommended seeing "Rent" in London. I just hope "Jesus Christ Superstar" is playing. After meeting so many people at the Ostello, I was kind of disappointed that I had to leave.

I started reading "On the Road" during the train ride to Rome. I love Kerouac's language, and the subject matter is a fine accompaniment to my trip. I've been thinking about how odd it was to travel with four other people. It definitely cannot compare to being alone. Even two people that get along are a completely different experience.

On the road, alone, forces a person to write, read, survive, think, observe, and meet people. Without conversation, a person can get very lonely (like the girl from Mexico City had said about a friend of hers, two nights ago). I don't even bother with names during casual conversation.

I'm getting annoyed with my cold; my ears get clogged in every train tunnel. I arrived in Rome on time, to the minute. I am definitely amazed at the promptness of the European trains. I went straight to my number one pension choice and got a bed for 30,000 lire. I'll probably stay there the whole time I'm in Rome. It's a big city, and I'll be happy to get to quiet Venice in a few days.

I'm at the Coliseum now. It must have been cool to watch man fight beast thousands of years ago. I can't even imagine how beautiful all the white marble that covered everything must have been. My first impression of the inside is how small it looked. Still an amazing engineering feat.

After the Coliseum, I wandered past the Roman Forum and ended up in the Campidoglio, which I recognized from one of my art classes. I also went into one of the two museums. The trapezoidal piazza was great to see from a balcony standpoint.

From there, I wandered around the Pantheon. The inside was filled with complex marble designs, which reminded me of the Medici chapel. I also saw Raphael's tomb there. The dome, with its nine-meter circular skylight at the acme, was an amazing visual effect. The coffers were designed to do just that. I snapped a picture of a white bird encircling the inside of the dome.

On the way back to the hostel, I got lost. By then, I was tired and hot. Next time, I'm going to avoid the scenic (don't know where I am) route. I ate two triangular ham and cheese sandwiches. The white bread appeared to have had the crust (edges) pulled off.

Tomorrow I'm going to hit the Vatican, and then I'll probably leave Sunday morning for Venice. The traffic patterns and rules here are scary. There are very few traffic lights. Mostly, you have to cross the street at the painted crosswalks. To avoid destruction at some of the big crossings, I began to wait and cross with other people. But the mopeds are still crazy, numerous, and annoying.

My toothache came back today. I hope it is nothing serious. Also, I think the lack of underwear is starting to cause itchy/irritation around my upper thigh area. The only bad part about pensions and hotels is the lack of a common room. This makes meeting other people a little more difficult. Plus, there is no alcohol allowed.

My room ended up being filled by nightfall. I continued to read "On the Road" while everyone returned to the room. Above me was a beautiful brunette from NYC. To my right was a beautiful blonde from New Zealand, and there was a girl from Australia.

The other four beds were filled by two couples. One didn't speak English, and the other seemed to have a strained and boring relationship. The boring couple went to bed kind of early (10 PM). I slept by the window, periodically turning to see the crescent moon over Rome.

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The following journal excerpt is from July 29, 1998:

This morning we woke up early to avoid any lines at the Duomo. We ended up getting there around 10:30 AM, and waiting in line anyway. Eric, Sam, and Dave had to wait at the train station to reserve a spot on the train to Barcelona which ended up being full or too expensive anyway. So they're going to Nice at midnight. Meanwhile, I booked two nights at the Ostello Archi Rossi for 70,000 lire. The inside of the Duomo is not as spectacular as the outside. Dave and I went into the crypt, but it wasn't that interesting. We also climbed up 463 steps to Brunelleschi's cupola. The climb wasn't nearly as dark and tedious as the one in Prague. The view was beautiful, as was the architecture of the cupola itself. The view was definitely worth the cost. I don't know why Sam and Eric weren't willing to pay the 10,000 lire ($4).

I bought an erasable pen today. Hopefully, I'll be able to extend each Eurorail day by two to three times. Since I decided to skip Greece, I should be in good Eurorail shape. After Florence, it is on to Rome for three nights, then Venice for two to three nights. That will put me in Italy for two weeks. I think it will be a lot easier for me to do things by myself. And, once I get into a comfortable groove, the trip will go much smoother. The downfall, however will be a lack of company, and increased security concerns. I am planning/hoping to meet more people though. And if I can do that at hostels, I might pick up someone to travel with and/or go out with at night. Either way, I'm looking forward to sitting outside in the afternoons, watching/listening to the city around me. That is what I'm doing right now at the Duomo.

We split up for a couple of hours, and I went back to the Ostello Archi Rossi for an hour. There I met an Italian student who I talked to for awhile (later I find out that he had probably been high during our conversation which explains his craziness). The language barrier was there, but he knew English well, and I nodded a lot. It was cool that he mentioned Pennywise, NOFX, Bad Religion and Fugazi when I said I liked punk music. He reminded me (physically) of a friend of mine from college. I also went to the Palazzo Vecchio. It was a bit expensive for what I saw. Once again, there were a few giant rooms with amazing ceiling paintings and gilded frames. There was a sculpture by Donatello in bronze, "Judith and Holofernes." There was also a cute sculpture of a "Putti with Dolphin." I've grown to love the putti (angels). Therefore, I've begun photographing the ones I like.

We got back together and ate a bad dinner at a self serve place. Then I returned to the hostel where I met two more of my roomies, and started a load of laundry. My aim is to resurrect my stinky socks. I said good bye to Sam, Eric, and Dave. I'll survive, and have fun, but I'll miss them (double-edged sword). I am looking forward to the freedom.

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Monday, July 27, 1998

So we're on a train to Florence right now (minus Bill). I finally tended to my feet today. I only have one blister, and it isn't bothering me. What is bothersome are my two sandal friction cuts which I bandaged. I'm also on my last role of toilet paper. This problem is due to my cold, which hasn't improved much since Venezia. We arrived in Florence around 9:30 PM. We immediately left the station and went to a hotel that had approached us at the station. The guy and his dog were nice, but his wife (I assume) was talking to herself while she made up the extra beds. She seemed kind of scary.

Since we had found lodging early, we walked around the city for awhile. We stopped for a late dinner at a Chinese restaurant in the Piazza de Santa Maria Novella. My seat at the table (on the sidewalk) provided a perfect view of the church facade on a cool, clear night. It really was beautiful. After our inexpensive dinner, we went down to the Duomo. The ornate and colorful Baptistery, Church, and Campanile surprised me. The buildings were so rich in colored marble (green, pink, white) patterns, and sculpture. I was also shocked to see a whole lot of people sitting on the front stairs of the church. On the way back to our hotel, I stopped at a gelateria, and ended up paying 15,000 lire ($7) for a four scoop cone. This was definitely one of the bigger mistakes (money wise) I've made. Then, we went to bed to the loud, LOUD sounds of scooters and trucks. We have a shower in one corner of the room. The room itself is the nicest we've been in: colorful tile floor, large open window, and high ceiling. The hotel we are in (like most of the buildings in Florence) is a former palazzo.

Tuesday, July 28, 1998

This morning I woke everyone up to go to the Uffizi (museum). When we got there, the wait in line was about one hour. (which wasn't bad at all since it was in the shade). Outside the museum were several copies of important sculptures (as well as originals like the Neptune Fountain), the most famous being Michelangelo's "David." I didn't spend much time looking at it, probably because it was a copy, and a detailed look would be inaccurate. It was the same way with the "Gates of Paradise" on the Baptistery. Inside the museum, I recognized many of the artists, but few of the paintings from my (art history) classes. "The Madonna of the Goldfinch" by Raphael was noteworthy, as several by Leonardo da Vinci. There were also several portraits that I recognized, including that of Bia Medici. She was portrayed beautifully against a blue background. "The Venus of Urbino" was there too. The museum itself was also decorated with ceiling frescoes. The two main hallways were lined with sculptures and busts.

From there, Eric and Sam went back to the hotel to sleep and read. I can't seem to figure out why they aren't interested in seeing more sights, or at least hanging out in the city. The way I see it, I paid and went through a lot to get here, and I'm not going to spend the afternoons sitting around in a hotel room. Me and Dave went to the Palazzo Medici next. There we saw one of the main rooms, gilded with frescoes. We also sat in the courtyard for ½ hour. From there, we went to the Baptistery. Then, we went to a music store where Dave bought the new Rancid album, and I got the new Beastie Boys (Hello Nasty). We also went to the Medici family church, San Lorenzo. The apse was being renovated, but there was still plenty to see. We walked around the cloister courtyard. The second level was closed, as were the Medici chapels. We also went to Santa Maria Novella. There, I saw Masaccio's "Trinity" which is one of my favorite works. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure where to stand to get the true sense of (illusionary) perspective.

We went to get our last dinner together after sitting in the Piazza Santa Maria Novella for a bit. The night was cool and comfortable. Sam brought up his interest in leaving Europe on August 9th (3 weeks early). It didn't take long for Dave to decide to follow suit. I can safely attribute part of their ditch effort to their girlfriends (Eric had other reasons). Since I'm not homesick at all, the decision for me to stay and continue the trip alone was easy. We went to dinner at a pizzeria that had a garden terrace in the back. I ordered a big blonde Heineken which turned out to be a one litre (glass). Everyone else got water. After that, we went to the Dublin Pub where we drank pints of Guinness, Dark and Tan, and Strongbow (cider). The music included Bob Marley's "Legend" and a Tom Petty live album. It would be the last time we'd drink together in Europe.

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Saturday, July 25, 1998

I rushed back to the hotel, and we checked out around 12:15 PM. The people there screwed us, but I really didn't care about that. The fact was, everyone wanted to leave after three days and two nights, and I wasn't going to be able to prolong our stay. For this reason, I decided to take an optimistic view, and savor the time I had there, and of course vow to come back again. The reason people in our group started to get on my nerves was simple. We often found ourselves walking around for longs periods, due to indecisiveness. I don't know, I was madder the past two days than I am now. I guess being sick has made me that more on edge regarding certain things. But, hopefully we are getting into the travel groove.

I'm going to miss Eric when he leaves in a week, due to a lack of money. I on the other hand, was $10 under budget per day by the end of Prague. However, I've spent a lot of money since I've been sick, and in Venice. Luckily, we're on our way to some Northern Italian lake retreat where expenses will be much cheaper. From there we'll probably go to Florence, Rome, and Greece. I'm really enjoying Italy, especially the architecture. I'm the only one so far who hasn't spoken to my parents. I tried in Prague, but realized they were on vacation in North Carolina. I also remembered that they are going to take a week in August to visit friends and family in New York.

We reached Como after a mad dash at the train station in Milan. As it turns out, we didn't even have to leave the train we were on originally. Since we didn't know this, we got off the train at Milan, went to the Information/ticket booth, waited in line, and then found out. This resulted in us running around the train station with our packs bouncing back and forth. When we got to Como, it was a twenty minute walk to our hostel. Once there, I found out that I was the only one with a Hostel Card, thereby getting the cheaper rate (15,000 lire instead of 21,000 lire, or $2).

This hostel was my first experience with the "hole" style of toilet. My aim was true, and I managed not to make a mess. I took a photograph to document the insanity of these toilets. After walking around the town, and not finding much, we went back to the hostel. Actually, we walked around the lake (seeing no place to swim), and I admired the palazzos (palaces) that lined its shore. I think one of them even belonged to the late designer, Versace. Somehow, I managed to get really drunk that night. All I had was a small bottle of white wine I had bought in Venice, and two pints of Devil's Kiss beer. The beer tasted great and it was 7% alcohol. Also, this hostel had a nice backyard with grass, trees, tables, and benches. Most of our fellow travelers were European.

Sunday, July 26, 1998

This morning we had an ok breakfast, I was slightly hung over. It rained during the night, and I found the close I had left out to dry were soaked and dirty (the gutter practically emptied onto the clothesline). We left to find a more rural location around the lake (the thing turned out to be huge). We waited around for two hours for about two hours for the blue bus to Menaggio. When we finally got on the bus, it was a beautiful one hour drive to our stop. The scenery/architecture seemed Mediterranean. All the towns and buildings were pastel colors, with tile and slate roofs. The mountains surrounded the lake. Though I still think Venice is the most beautiful thing I've seen, this seemed to come in a close second. The road that wound around the perimeter of the lake was only two lanes, and weaved through very small towns. The bus would normally glide past wall a mere inch or two away. It was quite scary.

We arrived in Menaggio, and immediately went to the hostel that was nearby. Unfortunately, it was booked for the night. We wandered past 4 star hotels and even a cinema and mini golf place, before finding a place to stay at a campground (Campaggio Europe). All except Bill waited till a bungalow was free (30 minutes), and then we moved in for the night at 75,000 lire for four people. Bill had decided earlier to go his own way (till 6:30 PM). Meanwhile, we went swimming in the lake, and hung out at our bungalow.

I did some laundry since my socks and underwear had managed to stink up my whole backpack (including all my other clothes)! I don't think my washing them helped either. Though I can't abandon the socks, I might get rid of the underwear. I really like this campground, lost of Italians taking their summer vacations. My sickness is starting to get better. We went to dinner, and I got a pizza with tuna fish on it. It smelled a little funny, but tasted fine. We came back to the bungalow and played some cards. Eric saw a mouse right before we went to sleep. We also took a dip in the lake after dinner, which was nice. The beach area is all rocks.

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