arrivederci Cinque Terre

Buena sera. I enjoyed my time in cinque terre a lot! I liked it a lot more than Roma, but everyone has their own tastes! I guess I must really like small towns. I thought I loved big cities too; when I had gone to Washington D.C., I loved it! But then again it was not flocked with tourists at that time! Roma was beautiful, but overrated in my opinion. Back to Cinque terre, area in north west Italy called Liguria that has 5 small villages on the coastal hills. It was beaitiful beyond words! The ocean, so peaceful during the day, and just as turbulent waves at night hitting the rocks. I am waiting for my train to Milano right now. Heading to Switzerland from Milano! I loved exploring the 5 villages in Ccinque terre (by the way pesto originated in this region, so of course I ate it a lot! :) my fav village was manarola, the one I was staying in! It is the smallest I think, but I loved it the most. The main st. Leading to the harbor/rocks..such a peaceful retreat. Iyesterday, we got up early and headed to hike to riomaggiore. Was fun and better with group of people than myself! Enjoyed breakfast there and took trains to all other villages. Ended the day with dinner in cornegila on oceanview restaurant and back to manarola to pack. Got gelato for last time n headed to hrbor. Now got to go catch my train! :) well while I am waiting at la stazione di la spezia centrale, I will write more. So each village has its own feel to it. All were busy with tourists as this is a very popular area now, but who would not enjoy their beauty and simplicity?! The hike to Riomagiorre from Manarola was much easier than the one from Manarola to Cornegilia! It still had breathraking views of the towns seen from atop hills with the sea perfectly lining their contour while grape vines lining the trails... I am not a natural at hiking and was the slowest of our group but I actually enjoyed this hike! I think if I hike more often, I will be better and I need decent shoes!!!! These shoes probably did not help my cause! For people who are adreneline junkies or love hiking, xinque terre is my reccomendation!  As much as I loved the beach (rocks at the sea), and narrow streets with colorful homes,  I loved people watching! Learning about local culture from observation. One day foe lunch, I got takeaway and sat at a common compound where kids were playing. ...or walking behind elder ladies walking from the markets...or gathering and sitting on the benches in the narrow streeta! Sio nice...the simple life! On the other hand, the regional trains were crowded! Squeezing my way through with a friend I made at the hostel... good times! Well the train should be coming any time now... 

cinque terre day 1 adventures

Hello, what a day! Sigh....so woke up early ..the curch next door to hostel's bell rings 30 times in AM and randomly throughout day... i wandered down manarola main street to the harbor/rocks at the sea area... beautiful!! Just sat there and had some nature therapy! Wrote poems and soaked feet in waves.(water therapy at its best!). i had gone early in the morning before all the tourists and locals joined!! When it got crowded, I took the train to riomaggiore (the vilaage south of manarola) and roamed around ...walked up many hills...finally had lunch-4 cheesepizza slice...and was so tired from all the uphill walking that I took train back to manarola and headed to hostel for mini siesta (nap!)...woke up and decided to go hiking... at 3pm went hiking frm manarola to corngelia...wjat a hike...sigh...it is 2.5hr hike n the route was closed, so detour was manarola to volastra.. so longgg...oh my... I had been warned! But I had constant adreneline...hiking on cliffs by the ocean... I wander how others seem so natural at it...it was my first time hiking...and not too experienced with it.   But I leanred new skills...but as I held my breathe and walked up and down hills..walking along grape fields was nicr but I did not really stop to enjoy scenary as I am afraid of heights...hiking with fear of heights on villages atop mountains next to the sea...part of my personal growth journey... it deinetely pushed me and challenged me..I was holding onto rocks and branches as I walked through some narrow challenging pathways...some had no support.. I make it sound scary because that is how I perceived it. I wish I had more experience previously.  Everyone else seems like a pro . The place I grew up in was not much of a hiking destination. I am a pro at bargaining, crossing heavy traffic streets, changing languages and adapting, but not at hiking or swimming... skills I would like to have learned as a child or teenager. But never too late to learn.. I am waiting for the train to get back to manarola...  update:back at hostel :) finally, some rest! After I got back frm hiking and freshened up, all my hostel roomates were back in the dorm too so we all decided to go out to eat at night, so back to riomaggiore I went! Had great pesto ppizza!! This is the region pesto originated from! Anyway, had gelato for dessert... day is incomplete without gelato here!!  The plan is to go hiking again to another village tomorow and have breakfast, then head to a different village for kayaking... I will c how I feel in the AM.. I really want to visit monterosso, corngelia and verranza still..only 1 day to do all that!! Today was a day of challenges, faith, reflection, and going out of my comfort zone. Thank you God for another great day and opportunities for growth!! 

arrivo a cinque terre

Buena notte (good night!) I am finally here in one of the five villages of cinque terre. Tired and ready for bed! But I will write a little for memory's sake on how my journey was from Zagarolo(near Roma) to here. I made the most of my last day at the hostel.in Zagarolo, the free breakfast, garden, etc... I loved my morning routine of milk and cereal and fresh bread (Italiano of course!). There is no free breakfast at this new hostel! Its five euros for same things I had for free at zagarolo's hostel...anyway, thats besides the point. I took morning train to roma termini, and then had 2 hrs or so until train to la spezia... la spezia is the southern station to the cinque terre villages.  The train ride to la spezia was amazing! It is coastal so there were great views of the ocean and there were beautiful farms along the way too! I listened to music and took in the scenary. . Finally arrived in la spezia and the train to levanto (northern town of cinque terre) ( italian trains go by their last station of arrival..well most trains do in the world at the ones I've been on so far!) ...so the train had arrived on another platform soon as I got there and was trying to buy ticket from the self service kiosk machine. So the next one was 610pm, and as I waited at the platform, an anouncement came on that it was cancelles. So waited another hr for the hext train...meanwhile I was so hungry, gave in and had chocolate croussiant. I wanted to avoid American fast food places abroad, but mcdonalds was the only thing at the station for food I like...I'm glad I had at least a croussiant becayse cinque terre is so expensive! More so than Roma! Its a tourist hub afterall... I will try to find good deals tomorow, and eventually hike the 5 villages... I will see.. excited to be here! The ocean view is splendid! photos will b uploaded when I have faster speed internet! :) buena notte

Going to Vatican

     Quick update: went to Vatican museum and waited in line for 1.5 hrs but that is okay. I do not mind waiting, but I was so tired and sleepy that I could not fully appreciate all that the museum had to offer! I was looking to just get into the chapel but the museum felt like a maize having to go through one room to narrow hallways to follow arrows. Then, I just wanted to go to the Bascillica. I walked outside and headed there. St. Peters Bascillica was beautiful! I loved it! I felt very protected there. Everyone was taking pictures, but I was just taking it all in! Then, I left as I needed to catch the metro to the termini, and train to the hostel... I am exhausted, and just need some good rest. Tomorow, I need to check out early and have to catch train to the infamous area of 5 towns. I will mention details later, but that is it for now. I am actually happy to be leaving Roma. I do not know why it did not grow on me. London grew on me, and Athens I loved from the moment I stepped out of the airport.
     Roma, I liked few things here and there, and I loved the small town I am staying in and the hostel is absolutely amazing! but besides that, I do not feel the need to stay here longer. It is still a beautiful city and has tons of attractions.  It has a lot of diversity, which I like. I think it might be the high tourist areas that have overwhelmed me. The Vatican museum was packed, and I had gone on a Monday afternoon! Plus, when I finally found an exhibit I was interested in, Indonesia exhibit, a guard came up to me and said they were closing. I was just getting into the museum, and reading this very interesting description about an artifact, leaves with ancient religious and cultural scriptures from Indonesia. Anyway, it was not a special visit by any means at the museum in totality. I only really enjoyed St. Peters bascillica and the mini exhibit on Indonesia! I enjoyed my hostel stay a lot though, and am glad I stayed outside of the city. There is a peace of mind and tranquility here. I met wonderful people, backpackers and families. I will miss trying to communicate and have conversations with my Italian dorm mate. Her 5% English and my 2% Italian with gestures and guessing have been successful so far and we understood each other! I will say that having a guide of some sort at the museum would have made a difference, and energy too! It would have been a whole different experience, but oh well. I wish everyone else a great ezperience when they visit there, or whereever! :)

Roma day 2-small town simplicity

I need to Thank God for this journey first and foremost... it is Janamastmi afterall. Cannot go to a temple, but happy to pray from my heart! Any place we practice greatefulness is a temple. I have been blessed to visit different places of worship so far!
I just got back from exploring Zagarolo, the town I'm staying in. As I am unwinding lostening to music (mix of Italiano, English, and occssional Bethoven or Mozart tunes!), I thought I would post some pics from the town I ventured into and walked 1 hr to get to centro storico (historical center of the town) uphill, and back downhill while taking in the beauty of small town feel and locals. I walked into several shops to practice my Italian :) trying to use new vocabulary. My main phrase today has been: buongiorno, dove centro storoco? (Good morning/afternoon, where is historical center?) Baby steps....

Had small cup of chocolate cappichino from a cappichino vending machine at the hostel. Gave me energy to walk uphill for hours!

on my way up the hill in the town to get to the historical center

beautiful homes

I love the random flowers adorning the streets! so welcoming!

I love random water fountains everywhere! This is drinkable water!! 

The view from uphill of the countryside outside of Roma.

Flowers galore :)

Maggie products even in a town of Italy?! sneakily took this picture from outside a supermarket

Of course I stop by anything medical...this poster was on the wall on the street...I could barely read it, but it was fun trying! I would like to translate it and really learn more about what it says soon! 

The story goes: I was at the Colloseum, major cramps,  needed Ibuprofen, searched my bag, found an open bottle of ibuprofen will pills scattered in my bag, left without pain relief and whole day in front of me, I practiced mind over matter. Then later in the day , I encountered a farmacia that had Ibuprofen, but very overpriced. I did not buy it. Today, I went into the farmacia at the top of the town just to compare prices, it was cheaper than from the city farmacia, but still very overpriced. I figured it is only going to get more expensive elsewhere, so I baught it for emergency purposes. Those who know me know me or hang out with me a lot know that I must have cough drops and Ibuprofen with me at all times! Anyway, I figured Switzerland would only be far more expensive than Italy, so just get the medicine here! The pharmacists were really nice and with my broken Italian, and their patience, I was able to buy this! I really wish I had learned Italian in high school or college. I had always wanted to! I will try to learn more, and someday, I will come back to Italy and be more proficient in Italiano!(although I did not toss a coin in Trevi fountain-come on! Euro coins are worth a lot more than pennies and dimes! was not going to throw away money in a fountain without water!) I need a nap...I think I am giving myself a relaxing Sunday before I go to Vatican city tomorow...the tickets are sold out online, so I might have to wait for hours in the que, but oh well, it is part of the experience. Patience is a virtue :) Overall, although I had planned to go to Pompeii today on a day trip, I am glad I decided to stay in the town instead :) May be some other time...who knows, may be there is another trip to Italy en mi futuro...(ok this is Spanish, but I cannot help it! My Italian turns into Spanish sometimes)... update: just got back from the city an hr ago...i went to this neighborhood called san lorenzo...one of the hostel staff members recommended i go there because i wanted to avoid tourist area (i know i know i am going to Vatican tomorow!) But going to san lorenzo area was very eyee opening for me. I expected grafitti on the walls, and lack of tourists, but i saw something i wasnt really expecting. It felt like any neighborhood in a minority diverse part of town of any large City...the type of neighborhood im used to growing up in. I was a little apprehensive walking alongside the termini station down the rd to get to the st. Leading there, but i made it safe and sound. Apparently it is a college neighborhood too, but it was Sunday and all shops were closed but a couple so hard to tell... what i saw were families from sifferent backgrounds and a small park. I saw people who move to a new country and work any job they can find to make a living and shpport their families. As long as i had to walk from the termini to get there, i am glad i went. It gave me a new appreciation for Roma. It is more than what meets the eye. Another great memory, as I was catching the train back to the hostel, on the train I sat with this family. They must have been returning from a weekend out it seemed like. Anyway, i felt like a local just catching a train back home, my hostel feels like home after a long day out! As the station i needed to get off at arrived, the gentleman next to me politely asked me if i need to get off and got up for me. He was the dad of the family sitting with me...i still remember his kindness and cinsideration. It was a small gesture, but really touched my heart! I also pondered into another chapel. I love randomness like that. GOD will take me where I am meant to be. I ended the day with meeting fellow traveller and had a deep insightful conversation about comparing health care, education, societal systems between various countries as we both were so pasionate about certain things! I love meeting new people, and there is so much to learn. I never realized how diverse Europe is until I came here, each country, region, city, neighborhood and people are all so different. And more than sight seeing, people watching and taking in the local cultures has really moved me. Especially the san lorenzo area... (side note: I walked into this shop that was playing sajanji ghar aaye-a bollywood hindi song..it was owned by aan from Bangladesh! I felt like dancing!) So much diversity!  I reay need to pack and organize... I am planning on Vatican tomorow but I am not too into it. I will go without any expectations. I think after seeing the small town of the hostel, and seeing the san lorenzo neighborhood, i feel indifferent to anything too glamarous, but i am only going for the religious amd cultural significance of it. I dont care.much for statues or paintings currently... I do respect the faith and would love to worship there though! buena notte

Roaming In Rome-being my own tour guide

Buongiorno! Como sta? Ok so let me start by sharing yesterday's journey through the city of Roma. Ill provide tips a long the way from my experience or that which I heard and read previously from others (will not provide proper grammar and punctuation once again). All day I went around rome without a map. Luckily each attraction has a nearby metro station, and I had baught a day pass so I can take any train or metro in Rome. On a serious note, US economy needs to strengthen up! The dollar holds little value against the euro. Everything is so expensive! But I love the little things, things money cannot buy. Like walking behind pigeons (they are becoming my new fav birds!), watching families and kids enjoy romaning around Rome; in fact, my best memory of the Colloseum feom yesterday is this little girl who was getting her picture taken on one of the ancient columns that are lying flat in the corridors (people sit on them now! ). The little girl's dad was taking her picture, and she was like, "make sure you get doggie (her stuffed animal toy) in the photo!" Then click, next she said excitingly, "now just a picture of doggie!" :) I love ancient ruins, but I love kids more! Besides that, the colloseum was ok. I liked the ampitheater aspect of it and brilliant architecture. It was designed so people can enter and leave quickly. Good thing I watched a bunch of documentaries before leaving for Europe because I had no guide at the places. My phone was not loading audio guides fast enough! Anyway, it was really cool being able to hear this guide talk in Spanish at the podium while I was all the way on the circular walking area away from her! Magic of amitheaters (I used to want to be an architect so these kind of things fascinate me!). Besides that, I was not too pleased with the notion of gladiator fights and animal fighting. The colloseum felt more like a symbol of violence than peace. But I just like that it is an ancient piece of amazing architecture; do not support some of theactivities that took place there..) I then walked over to the Foro Romano (roman forum). It was nice to see remnants of a city and main gathering area. Walked and walked some more to monte palatino (palatine hill). It was like a maze up there, but very incricate and intereating little monuments, gardens, fountains along the way. After 3+ hours in those 3 a ites combined, my stomach was growling. I was ready for lunch, so spent another half hr orso figuring out my way down the hill and out of the forum area. I finally walked to this street full of pizzarias. Of course they were all expensive, and I am too economical, so I kept walking. I did get gelato though, hmm mango and milk chocolate! That gave me energy until I found a small elegant restaurante tucked into a side street! Got myself a marinara pizza, cheapest dish on the menu! It was good, but had no cheese.In Italy, marinara pizza is just that, crust and marinara sauce!  But i liked it! I did try asking for cheese in Italian, i did not get the cheese, but at least the waiter understood me! That is success! Then just kept walking and walking (the usual, but I love walking!) And came across these steps leading up to another street that had a church or cathedral. It was so serene. I just sat in there for a while! I wasn't following any map, just allowing the streets to take me to lovely places like this! ..and I was reading st. Signs too :) actually, I was looking for the metro station to get to fontana di trevi when I saw the steps. Eventually, I caught the metro to termini to barberini  (the station to get off at for the fountain and pantheon as both r walking distance from there). Just had to get lost some more, but I was determined to follow my insticts, the on and off arrows pointing to the direction, and found it! But that wasn't my main attracttion...I found this other fountain that actually had water in front of the metro that i sat on and soaked my legs in. After all that walking, some water therapeutic messaging was a gift from God! A crowd fu of people were sitting there doing the same thing! .i liked this fountain more than the trevi foundatin.. (the trevi fountain was under construction aka no water). then I went to Pantheon and headed back to hostel.

Beautiful random fountain by metro

water therapy

Marinara pizza with  garlic

mango e milk chocolate gelato..soo good

My wholesome breakfat-free breakfast at hostel!

enjoying the greenery during breakfast! I love this hostel! 

milk in a traditional bottle :) I love milk, so when I saw this, I was ecstatic! what a cute bottle-milk jar!

Colloseo from inside

Temple of Saturn in Roman Forum

This is speculated to be where Romus lived

Encoutered this by chance, and felt so good sitting in there! 

Rome day 1 (full day)

Let me just start off by saying Happy Janamastmi-happy birthday Krishna bhagvan! ...in coiple hours it will be Janamastmi here, but it might already be Janamastmi in India with the time diff. :) I love Janamastmi, no matter where in the world I am, or what I am doing, I feel really happy and thankful on this day and feel very excited for the birthday!

my Balkrishna pendal with Greek eternity symbol... i will post more about my day in Rome tomorow when i have more energy... good night