2006 - First Backpacking Trip - Day 20

Day 20:

- Go up Duomo tower.
- Michaangelo plaza.
- David. - Bridge.
- Busy, street markets.
- Much cleaner, friendlier than Rome.
- Tired.
- Train: advice from two munich ladies.

2006 - First Backpacking Trip - Day 19

Day 19:

- Train to Pisa: old, stations smell like Chinese bathroom.
- sea, hills, oranges, cacti. grapes oranges, lemons.
- Pisa, closed lost. Finally see tower.
- hills in clouds behind.
- cash incident on train.
- station: looks like slums.
- cool stairs, can see slant at top. metal railings, no curb. thin staircase. staircase wear pattern.
- great sunset. colors. many people out and stores open. very busy.
- stamps at smokeshops.
- station fight incident.
- met people from Taiwan on business trip. Piaget.
- Pub with Aus, Can. write (add to) on wall in hotel.
- restaurant with aus. Danish and Aus racist.
- sellers in pub.

2006 - First Backpacking Trip - Day 18

Day 18:

- Vatican. sun warm. met 2. dA
- Rapheal and sistine chapel.
- split up and meet up again.
- st. peters. slanted walls, curved roof. tilework. overlook inside. thinner and thinner stairs. great views.
- food, ice cream. fountain. romantic city.
- men with suitcase. collectors?
split up hostels.
- night: beers and say bye and photo.
- futureme.org.
- running vendors.
- coin toss in Trevi.
- roman fountains
- she was giggly.
- city smells.
- feel like kid. fountain, ice cream (mousse), toys, restaurant.

2006 - First Backpacking Trip - Day 17

Day 17:

- Beautiful Italian countryside.
- hills, shacks, poor.
- rome like 3rd world.
- hectic, busy, italian houses, old, shutters.
- worried about mafia.
- tired, sleep early.
- Planned exit strategy, get reservations, etc while they go to party district.
- cats, vespas, gelatto, pizza.
- colleseum not as big as expected.
- many ruins, histories. amazing.
- accordian godfather in square. Man, fish fountain.
- writing by light from sign outside. window open, smell.

2006 - First Backpacking Trip - Day 16

Day 16:

- Train to Grindelwald.
- lift out of the fog. phone call for weather.
- giant snow mountains.
- hilly swiss villages.
- fog patches everywhere.
- walk then return.
- more relax spa.
- soutrik bring glasses.
- in park see fog clouds around slowly shifting, can see stars and mountains in clearing.
- night train rome. italians in room.
- cramped. strap bag, no barriers in bunk.
- train travels almost all in tunnels so far.
- out tunnel -> station -> tunnel.
- snow outside tunnels
- hang jacket, see shadow on tunnel wall.
- train to Ca... snow.
- sudden change landscape.
- n train: see city light below on one side, rock carved face on other. train banks -> feels like airplane.
- station: Brig. went under swiss alps. next stop: Italy.

2006 - First Backpacking Trip - Day 15

Day 15:

- night train.
- zurich. historic many originals.
- go to interlaken at 1300.
- clouds, hills in clouds, fields, villages, etc.
- taller and taller hills, then clearing with meadows, fields, villages, and Alps in left and front. see snow peaks and glaciers in distance.
- massive vertical wall of snow and rock.
- meadows, villages below. fog clouds rolling off.
- spa, liberal. The two watch girls.
- menthos/eucalyptus in steam room helps cold.
- cold (bronchitis?), toothache, eye infection.
- eat bread, deli meat and apples.
- fog rolls in at night. can see stars and outline of fog clouds and mountains.
- peaceful river and fog.
- hostel room face Junfrau nice view. chimmeys, smoke from houses pool in valleys with mountain backgrounds.

2006 - First Backpacking Trip - Day 14

Day 14:

- Reichstag. Jewish memorial. sony center.
- sony: modern. futuristic.
- memorial: creepy, people can scare. like a videogame especially at night.
- gluwein. pastries.