Napoli - Sorrento - Ischia

First semester of Studying abroad in Italy: finished!

Crazy, right? 

After finals week it was definitely time for some warm weather, beaches, and some good food a.k.a Southern Italy.

Travel crew: Caroline, Lauren, Brittani and Alessandro.

Our first stop was Napoli- verrrry different from Florence. Much dirtier, and kinda falling apart. But once you got over all the garbage and stray dogs running around, it was kind of charming (in the right areas of course!) 

Caroline on the streets of Napoli

In case you haven't already figured out, I have a thing for pizza. So, Napoli being the birthplace of said delicacy, we made it a point to have as much of it as socially acceptable (which in Italy is in my favor since everyone here eats a whole pizza by themselves...)

Pizzeria Gino Sorbillo is by far the BEST pizza I have ever had, and yes, we went there twice.

My new boyfriend. Everyone says that all the gorgeous men are from Southern Italy--clearly, it's true.

The next day was our one whole day in Napoli--we walked along the coast to Castello d'Ovo, explored Napoli, had an amazing lunch, and then went to the top of a mountain to Castello Sant. Elmo to watch the sunset over the beautiful panoramic view of the city.

view from atop Castello Sant. Elmo. HELLO NAPOLI!

That night we went out to dinner with a bunch of kids from the Hostel, and after dinner hung out in a piazza filled with Italians. There we ended up hanging out with an Australian girl named Joy and met two really cool italian guys (Alessio-who could speak perfect English and Gennaro- who only knew 5 english words: spider, ok, hello, flip-flop, and car. hahaha) We had a really great time with them!

Next stop: Sorrento!

the view of Sorrento

We had a little mishap with the booking of hostels--Lauren and Brit thought they booked us for a hostel in Capri, but turned out it was right down the street from our hostel in Napoli. So we had a little change of plans, and decided to go to Sorrento, home of Limoncello :)

When we arrived and dropped off all of our stuff, we headed straight towards the ocean, and stood in awe of God's beautiful creation. I forgot what it was like to smell ocean air, and not the car exhaust and cigarette smoke that clouds my lovely little Firenze.

We just so happened to be in Sorrento when one of its two festivals of the year was going on-- the Festival of their patron saint: St. Antonine. There were street vendors all down the main street, where we enjoyed some corn on the cob and crochettes (a breaded and deep-fried ball of mashed potatoes, mozzarella, ham=glorious and only 1 euro).

gelato will be the end of me

 We finished off the night right with some gelato from a famous gelateria called La Primavera, which was covered in photos of all the famous people who have been there (the POPE, Roberto Benigni, etc.)

Final destination: Ischia, a beautiful island off the coast of Napoli!

We took a ferry boat from the port of Napoli to Ischia, and when we arrived, we instantly wished we had spent our whole trip here! It was Valentine's day, so Lauren Caroline and I had a wonderful lunch in a restaurant overlooking the bay and we ate--yep, you guessed it--pizza :).

I Vecchietti :) our new friends

After lunch, we hopped on the bus to head to our bed&breakfast hotel in Lacco Ameno, one of the towns of Ischia. Like a scene out of a movie, we ended up being on the same bus as a giant tour-group of "vecchietti" (old italian people) and they invited us to tag along on their tour!! It was priceless. We walked all over with them and saw some really beautiful sights and then they pointed us in the direction of our hotel-- absolutely wonderful!




Our next day, which I must say was the highlight of my trip, was spent in Baia di Sorgeto, where there were natural hot springs sitting inside a gorgeous cove. We spent most of our day in bathing suits, in February. I was a happy camper!! We sat in the hot springs which felt like a jacuzzi, and then laid out on our towels and dried/napped/read a book in the warmth of the sun. It was like revival to my soul :)

Baia di Sorgeto-- thermal Hot springs!!

we're pale but we don't care

Caroline and I

SO STOKED

After many hours spent in the sun (and we didn't get sunburnt! wooooo) we walked up the hill a little ways to eat at Ristorante da Gisella which overlooked the ocean. We ordered some white wine, salad, and spaghetti con frutti di mare, which is spaghetti with seafood. Now, I am not the hugest seafood fan, but it would practically be a sin if I didn't eat it on an island where it's the freshest of the fresh. 

 It came out in a HUUUGE dish, filled with clams, shrimp, squid, octopus, and other little friends from the ocean, and we thought--there is NO way we are going to be able to finish that!

We did. Every last bite. And it was gooood :) 

100% reccommend traveling to Ischia--I wish we had spent more time there! It wasn't until I got home when I checked my email, and my mom had forwarded me the "Top 10 Islands you should explore before you die" with Ischia being #4.

Check that off my bucket list!

Betcha didn't know Mickey speaks French

DISNEYLAND. PARIS (wooooooo)

So to end our trip off right, Paul and I decided that it was a MUST to go to Disneyland in Paris. We got  2 day park-hopper tickets (HUGE thank you to Retta and Steve!)  

To answer your questions:

YES it was awesome.

YES it was raining so we wore ponchos. 

OUI it was kind of the same as California, but in FRENCH 

NO we didn't eat any mickey-shaped pretzels.

But really, 

there were two parks: the Main Disneyland and Walt Disney's Studio (which is like California Adventure). 

They had pretty much all the same rides but they were different, for example: The Haunted Mansion is called Phantom Manor and is waaaay creepier, Space Mountain was better, our Indiana Jones blows theirs out of the water, they have an Alice in Wonderland Labyrinth which was my favorite thing there!

It was most definitely worth it, Paul and I had such a great time being little kids.

I think the pictures explain the rest.

WEARING PONCHOS AND PROUD OF IT.

Main Street! Looked the same as home :)

We finished off the night ALL AMERICAN style by having milkshakes before eating our hamburgers and fries at Annette's Diner. STANDARD.

Train entertainment

I wasn't kidding when I said we loved pretzels and gummy bears.

yes, we bit off the heads and switched the bodies. 

do-re-mi!

Salzburg, Austria

It was a slightly sad day to leave Munich where we had spent five glorious days, but it was time for us to move on to Salzburg, that little magical town where Mozart was born and the SOUND OF MUSIC was filmed! 

We caught a train in the morning, and the scenery along the way was the beautiful countryside and little picture-perfect towns all covered in a layer of snow. Our hostel here was much nicer than the last one in Munich and had a little added bonus: they played The Sound of Music on repeat in the hang-out room! I'm pretty sure that every time Paul and I walked in the same section of the movie was playing. 

Paul in front of the gates in the scene where they sang Do-re-mi!

One of Paul's best friends from high school, Bud, is studying abroad in Germany and he decided to meet up with us! He brought along his german girlfriend Annika, and we spent the next two days together exploring Salzburg. We walked up to the Hohensalzburg Fortress on the top of a hill, which gave us the most beautiful view!

Hohensalzburg Fortress at the top of the hill

View from the top

It was snowing. I was eating it. I promise

Now here is a bit of information that just about blew my mind: 

are you familiar with the fast-food hotdog chain in America called "Wienershnitzel"?

 Ya, now how many of you thought a Wiener schnitzel was a hotdog?? 

WRONG!

 It is actually a thin slice of veal coated in breadcrumbs and then fried, and served with fruit jam and potatoes! How's that for 20 years of your life thinking it was a hotdog flushed down the drain? I will tell you how it is: a delicious revelation.

Anyways, as beautiful and wonderful as Salzburg is, it's pretty small so we spent a bit of time at the hostel playing cards, drinking beers, and eating Haribo gummy bears, french fries and pretzels. 

The following night One night we went to the Augustiner Brauhaus for beer and hot-dogs.

Bud and Paul

Bud and Annika

Next stop, DISNEYLAND PARIS!

LEGAL i am.

It happened everyone. I'm 21. And not much has changed over here in the land where wine flows from the faucets.


However...

all of the love you sent my way :)

I had the most amazing birthday--thank you to all who made it such a special day!

 HUGGGE shout out to the Birthday card brigade--there was a party going on in my mailbox!! I can't express how much it meant to me get your cards. Thank you all very very much.

did I mention he was playing a mexican birthday song as well?

During the day, I went over to Brittani's house where she made me a delicious lunch, and my friend Danny serenaded me from his bedroom window which overlooks the kitchen haha.

my lovely Lauren and her decorated house

As for the festivities that night, my absolutely WONDERFUL friends made me breakfast for dinner and we had a party at Lauren's house. She decorated and everything--it was so sweet!

my Banana pancake :)

I wanted to keep it classy, so we dined on the following:

• Banana pancakes
• French toast 
• Egg & veggie frittata
• Fruit salad
• Homemade lemon and raspberry cake by Maleesa (AMAZING)
• maple syrup (it's like gold over here!! Rarity-wise and price-wise)
• Mimosas 

peanut butter in a shot glass. totally normal, right?

Now I must say- for only knowing these friends for 5 months, they know me so well that when I got my plate of Banana pancakes, Lauren brought me a shot glass full of PEANUT BUTTER! A girl after my own heart... :)

YUM.

In the package I recieved from my parents was included a secretive pack of stuff labeled "for Ilaria, Maleesa, Caroline and Valentina. Do NOT let Rebecca see".

Well, my roommates followed the detailed/typed out instructions to the "T". I came home to my desk beautifully adorned with a plate full of brownies and cupcakes (from the american bakery down the street), a box full of chocolates, and a gorgeous bouquet of flowers.

Caroline and I (and Maleesa being the paparazzi)

My ladies! Alyssa, Brittani, me and Lauren!

(funny story about the Sunflower--I was recently informed that I had a nickname that a bunch of people call me here: SUNSHINE!)

the delicious cake made by Maleesa! Candles sent from mom and dad

Oh and I can't forget the candles, party decorations and GLOWSTICKS that were included. 

Don't worry Mom & Dad, they were thoroughly enjoyed.

Oh, and today I accidentally farted in yoga class. oops

MUNICH

 And finally, the winter travels blog begins!

MUNICH, GERMANY

Karlsthor city gate

The train ride from Verona to Munich was looong, especially when you are sardined into a tiny cab with 5 other people: three italian guys and two chatty-cathy's who kept the curtains open the whole time. When it was time for them to get off, the rest of us remaining did a celebratory grunt and finally went to sleep. I arrived in Munich by train at 6:30am, and couldn't check into the hostel until 3pm so I went to the hostel to drop off my bag and wandered around the city with sleep-deprived bloodshot eyes.

There was snow on the ground, and it was preeeetty chilly, but none the less, I walked to Karlsplaz, where there is the Karlsthor, a city gate from the 14th century! 

Rathaus-Glockenspiel

I somehow made my way to Marienplatz next and saw the Rathaus Glockenspiel, which is like a giant coo-coo clock on the town hall building. It was made in 1908 and everyday at 11am it chimes and reenacts two stories from the 16th century. It consists of 43 bells and 32 life-sized figures! I didn't see it go off the first day, but the next day when Paul and I were walking around, the whole plaza was filled with people staring and waiting. So, we followed the herd and did the same. Pretty sweet!

Paul finally arrived to the Hostel after some flight delays in London, and we went to our first German dinner at Zum Augustiner. Patiently waiting for us at our table was a basket full of pretzels, and we just about died. I mean really!! Of course Germany would have free pretzels in their bread baskets. (Little did we know but the pretzels were NOT free, and they actually ask you how many you ate and charge you for each one! Tricky tricky.) We had beer, dumpling soup, a sausage platter with sauerkraut and some apple strudel! 

We spent five days in Munich, which allowed us plenty of time to explore and get a feel for the city. Our first day together we visited the Residenz Museum, got some brautwursts and beer for lunch, and then went on a beer tour that night! We went to three different places: Augustiner Brauhaus and tried some Augustiner beer, the Hofbrauhaus to try Dunkl beer, and the third place I don't recall the name but their pretzels were to die for (I apparently came out of the Pretzel-lover closet on this trip and consumed an indecent amount of pretzels in 5 days). On our beer tour we met two really cool guys named Chris and Palmer from the East Coast in the U.S. and ended up going on two different tours with them the next two days!

Marienplaz

Paul inside the Residenz Museum

At the Hofbrauhaus!

(side note: gotta love 8-person rooms in hostels where there is someone who snores every night!)

The next day we went on a tour to the Newschwanstein Castle with our new friends Palmer and Chris. Fun fact: the castle at Disneyland was actually modeled after this one! The castle belonged to Ludwig II of Bavaria and apparently was kind of a nut-job, but really good at building awesome castles.
On the walk down from the castle, we indulged in Bavarian Snow Balls= fresh doughnut covered in powdered sugar=best thing ever.

the part that Disney modeled their castle after!

the definition of winter wonderland

Chris and Palmer, our new buddies

 We went to the Hofbrauhaus for dinner that night, and enjoyed some more delicious food and legit German entertainment!



The next day we went to the Dachau Concentration Camp memorial tour which was absolutely something I will remember for the rest of my life. It was eerie to be there in the winter time with all of the snow and coldness. If you ever go to Germany, I strongly reccommend visiting one of the Concentration camps.

NEW YEARS EVE in MUNICH!

Note to self: everything closes at 2pm on New Years Eve. So we kept walking around and found a restarurant still open behind the Viktualienmarkt. We walk in and the place is packed, but some man sitting at a table points at us, then waves us over to join his table. 

Turns out he is a pretty big deal at this restaurant and has been frequenting it for 30 years! He had his own reserved table, and got to choose who sat with him. There was an older German couple sitting there as well, and were able to speak enough English to chat with us. They ended up inviting us to dinner at their house and we accepted! 

Ecstatic (and trusting that they weren't going to steal our organs or something sketchy) we went to their cute little apartment in the Schwabing district where they served us a FEAST! Fresh pumpkin soup, salad, shank of veal with steamed veggies...LEGIT.

After dinner, they showed us the only dance club they knew of, called Skyline. It was a club on the top floor of a building with glass ceilings where we were able to see the fireworks and dance the night away. 

In conclusion: 

Pretzels, beer, delicious food, new friends, beautiful sights, wonderful time.

i miss pretzels.

So I didn't have time today to fully devote myself to updating my blog about Munich. 

I did however work on my painting some more!

I promise I will fill you all in very soon. Until then, I think this picture sums it up pretty well. 

Pretzels, beer, and an english menu because I didn't speak a lick of German.