Ciao Ciao Italia

In a few hours we'll be leaving Rome to catch our ferry to Barcelona, España. Our last stop in Italy was hectic and overwhelming at times because there is so much to see and we only had a few days...plus we have grown a bit fatigued from all the travelling and are ready to be in one place for a while. That said, it is still hard to believe our trip is coming to an end. Living and travelling so independently these last few weeks has really opened up my eyes to how much there is to see and experience in the world. Kaela and I can't help but imagine where our next destination should be...

During our first evening in Rome we visited the Pantheon, the most intact Roman building in existence. The next day we tackled Vatican City, where we toured the Vatican museums, saw a lot of incredible art by Raphael and Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. Then we visted St. Peter's Plaza and Basilica and acted like we were on a true pilgrimmage by rubbing St. Peter's foot...the basilica was so overwhelming and lavishly decorated inside. Then we made our way to the Colosseum and it was way sweeter than any picture or movie clip I've ever seen. We also wandered around some Roman ruins but we had no idea what we were looking at and we were tired so we headed back to the campsite. Yesterday was amazing...we decided to take a well deserved break so our day consisted of laying by the pool all morning, heading to the city center around 5, getting Kaela's haircut, shopping for candy and souveniers, trying on gigantic sunglasses at the streetside vendor's tables and going out for dinner...mmm, spaghetti. It was a great way to end our tour of Italy.

Okay, it's time to shower, pack and head to the station and then settle in for our 21 hour boat ride across the Mediterranian! See you soon, ciao ciao!

Rome, Italy

We have made our way through the Czech Republic, Germany, and three stops in Italy: Venice, Florence and Cinque Terre. After three days in Rome we are taking a ferry back to Barcelona to finish up our trip...I cannot believe how fast the time has gone, yet it feels like more than just a few weeks since we left Madrid.

Prague was a beautiful city and even though it rained on and off all day, we enjoyed walking around the 1,000 year old castle grounds and taking in all the baroque architecture. Munich was incredible. Clean, great public transportation and beautiful public parks everywhere...not to mention the delicious wursts, giant pretzels and beer! We also enjoyed our tour of Venice and exploring all the canals. Sadly, we did not have time nor money to ride in any gondolas. Florence consisted of waiting in many lines for many hours...but I must say the wait to see Michelangelo's David was well worth it. What a magnificent piece of art! Yesterday we were hiking throughout the five villages that make up Cinque Terre which are situated along the Mediterranian coastline and the views were breathtaking.

I have to run but I'm counting down the days until I'm back home. Until then, ciao ciao!

Prague, Czech Republic

We arrived in Prague after a 9 hour train ride from Frankfurt this morning. Somehow Kaela and I failed to take into account time for traveling across entire countries during our trip which has definitely cut into our sightseeing time. We don't mind too much though because it has been an incredible experience to see the countryside from these trains...although this attitude may begin to fade as our journey continues :) We've been able to pass the long hours on the trains by making lists of all the things we miss from home and reading ahead about the cities we have yet to explore.

Yesterday we were in Heidelberg, Germany and we were amazed as to how similar the people and the scenery in the country is to Wisconsin...we felt a bit closer to home, despite the fact that we stayed in a smelly hostel where we were expected to pay 5 euro for a pillow and blanket-yeah right! The 5 euros were better spent that evening on my first liter of authentic German beer...and I am proud to say I finished every drop, in the plaza that once held the haunting witch trials of the city.

The view of the famous Heidelberg castle was amazing during the day when we arrived and even more stunning at night. On our way out of the city we grabbed a few delicious (and cheap) apple streudels to give us a little boost for our daytrip by train to the Czech Republic. Now here we are at the eastern-most point of our journey, ready for a full day of touring tomorrow. The exchange rate is incredible here...we should be able to have a full course meal and a beer for less than 3 euros! Plus our hostel is sweet...free breakfast, free internet (hence the long entry) and a free welcome beer from the tap that is located at the reception desk! Sadly we are only spending one night in this lovely city. Okay, better get some sleep for our day tomorrow.

Next stop: Munich

Paris, France

So we survived the 13.5 hour train ride from Madrid to Paris and have been soaking up as much French culture as we can before heading to Heidelburg, Germany on Thursday. Today we saw the Eiffel tower up close (which believe me, looks much more romantic in the movies) as well as the Hotel de Invalides where Napoleon is buried. Yesterday we saw Notre Dame and walked along the Seine River. Tomorrow is the big one: we're taking on the Louvre! Hopefully it won't be too draining because we still have to make our way to the Arc de Triumphe and hunt down some crepes and cafe au laite after the museum! Gotta run-more to come later.

Has it been four months already? I can´t believe classes are over and I´m packing to leave Granada! Tonight is the farewell dinner with all the students in the program and tomorrow I have to be really creative and pack for my three week excursion...which seems a bit impossible at this point. I´ll be spending the weekend in Madrid to visit the Reina Sofia and Prado museums and then to meet Kaela to catch our train-first stop: Paris!

Well, today is Day of the Cross in Spain and in every plaza there are large crosses constructed with beautiful flowers. Today many women wear flamenco dresses, dance in the streets and almost everyone has the afternoon off from work. That said, I´m going to la calle to enjoy the rest of the day. I hope to while I´m traveling...until then, hasta luego!