Chips and....

Salsa! I've just returned home from my second night of salsaing in Daegu, and I am even more excited than last weekend! The talent in Korea is unreal, and the salsa dancers' skill here far exceeds that of their California counterparts. I am in awe of the magnitude and quantity of the talent I witnessed tonight. Surely everyone at the salsa event must have been dancing for quite some time, because they were astounding! I saw moves I've never seen before, but definitely want to pursue. Even with a mildly embarrassing dip fall, I still had a great night, and I am so pumped up to really improve my salsa skills. I am planning on investing in some real dancing shoes, because my flats just aren't cutting it. And I am hoping to be dancing quite often, so I would love the comfort! Also, I really want to sign up for a salsa club and/or class. The club I went to tonight, Babalu, has lessons on Saturdays taught by foreigners, which is great, because it is in English. But it's all really basic stuff, and I really want a challenge! So language barrier could be problematic with taking a Korean lesson, but dance is all about expressing with your body! Though the basic stuff could be good for a while, because here they do New York style, while I am used to dancing LA style. So I get a little thrown off with the footwork, which is really frustrating, because I basically feel like I am back to square one! Nevertheless, I am looking forward to improving and dancing as much as I can.
Now I need to find a place to go swing dancing and a place that has hip hop dance lessons! I'd love to improve both styles of dance as well, but my focus will certainly be on salsa. And, of course, by salsa I mean salsa, bachata, merengue and (if I have to) cha cha. I am so happy to have such great opportunities in Korea! It's a great way to make the most of my time and get out and meet people. And salsa was a great start to my Chuseok vacation. Though I know the real fun is arriving around 11:30 a.m. tomorrow. I am so very excited that Shanna is coming to visit. It is going to be a blast and absolutely ridiculous!

Learning, Learning!

 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8xxgFpK-NM

One of my favorite things about traveling is meeting new people. Because in turn I am introduced to new foods, culture and activities. Wednesday night I headed to the YMCA in downtown Daegu for a free capoeira class put on by fellow waygooks (Korean for foreigner). I had never heard of the martial art style before, but figured it'd be worth checking out. I'm so glad I did! It was amazing... so much fun and an incredible work out! I wish I was going on my 12th year of capoeira practice so I could be really good! I definitely want to stick with the Wednesday classes and try to develop some skill. Obviously only practicing once a week won't get me flipping and flying like the guys in the video any time soon, but it's a start. Martial arts have always intrigued me, but for whatever reason I never really pursued any. Coming here, I played with the idea of signing up for Taekwondo classes, but now that I have found capoeira, I know the martial art style I want to pursue! It's from Brazil and originated with the slaves. They were not allowed to train to fight, and so had to disguise their fighting style with music and dance elements. It's about community and strength, and it really a gorgeous and graceful art. Words completely and utterly fail to describe the intricate movements capoeira masters perform with seemingly little effort. So check out the link to the video for an idea of this new discovery of mine. It's just incredible!

Settling In

Koreans love their coffee shops, clearly.

 

This delightful place is my favorite coffee joint. About $4 for a coffee, but you get a slice of cake and bread included in the price!

 

Lake near Duryu Park in Daegu.

 

Champion

 

Well hello again! I have been in Korea for a month now if you count the time for the flight over. It has flown by, but at the same time I feel like I have done so much in such a short amount of time. Though I have plenty more to do! Starting with really settling in to my apartment. I still need more hangers, decorations, a table for the kitchen and other odds and ends. But payday isn't for about 10 more days, so that will just have to wait a bit longer. I will certainly be hitting up Costco to get many of my supplies and most of my food.
I am so glad to have a Costco here! I will certainly branch out and shop the local places, but sometimes a girl just needs Costco. Especially because they have cheese... real honest to goodness cheese. Any where else you're going to find different flavors of individually wrapped cheese that is essentially just different colors of American cheese, which is fine and dandy for melting on things. But I like my cheese and a variety of cheese at that, so this homogenous "I'm not really cheese" cheese thing would be nearly too much to bear. Thankfully Costco swooped in to save the day!
But I must say I am glad to get my Korean lunch each day at school. It's nice to ensure that I have at least one Korean style meal five times a week. And I am also looking forward to trying out the many different restaurants in downtown. They have everything you could want, from Italian to Mexican (well I mean obviously it's not like home, but I'll take it!) to Indian to Vietnamese to good old American.
There really is a lot going on in Daegu. I plan to visit the tourist information center soon to get a good idea of what I need to see and do while I am here. Last weekend I went to Busan with Lindsey, my neighbor. I am really glad she lives in my building as well, because it has helped me to settle in having a person I can truly communicate with, and she is a cool lady! We went to Busan for the Oktoberfest at the Nongshim Hotel. Last year I was in Germany at the real shebang, so I was excited to check out another "Oktoberfest." The beer, food and atmosphere were all really great. The weizen and pils were quite tasty and really compared to the beer I had in Germany. I took part in the beer chugging competition and definitely won. I got a 20,000 won certificate to use at the event, so I bought some delicious, overpriced chicken with no qualms! It was a fun weekend, and I was happy to travel outside of Daegu.
I am heading back to Busan soon... in 13 days, but this time I will be with Shanna! I am so excited for her to come and visit. It will be great to see her and get to spend a few days together. It's so fun knowing she is only one country away instead of on the other side of the world! I really hope we can hang out often while we are hanging out in Asia. 

Life in Daegu

I have an apartment and a school and students! I am so excited, because orientation is finished, and things are just getting started. So much has happened in just a few days. Orientation was very helpful in preparing me to have an idea of what I will be doing in Korea and what to expect while I am here. I also learned a lot of great tips for the classroom and lesson plans and activities. I think teaching may be in my genes (I mean so many people in my family are in the education field), even though I tried to avoid it for a while. Though I’m not a full-on teacher here (more about that in a bit), I still have the basic responsibilities of a teacher and am happy to say that I seem to have a pretty strong presence in the classroom. I will be teaching 7 classes of fifth grade twice a week and eight classes of sixth grade once a week. I have four co-teachers, and they are all very nice! They seem excited that I am really enthusiastic about teaching and coming up with fun activities for the classroom. I can’t wait to learn more Korean and hopefully be able to have good conversations with them and learn about them.

I have a total of 22 “hours” (really periods of teaching, as they are each 40 minutes, which totally flies by!) and the rest of the time I have for planning. I work from 8:30 to 4:30 everyday, so it is really an excellent schedule... not too early and I don’t get out too late. Though I fear in time after I create lesson plans for the lessons that I might not have enough to do. So my plan is to just try to make the lessons even smoother and more fun for the students. I really want them to enjoy the class so they enjoy the language and really put effort in to learning English not just for the sake of taking some test, but so they can communicate well. This week I have just been introducing myself and getting a feel for how the lessons will go, but next week I will start co-teaching. I really hope I will be able to be really involved with the teaching over time. My principal (who incidentally is also my landlord) is really nice, but is leaving our school to head to another one soon, so hopefully we get a good replacement. All the staff in the school seem nice, so it’s really a great placement. Things have been working out so well. And we also get lunch everyday, which has been really tasty so far. It’s fun to have at least one Korean meal a day. Rice and Kimchi are staples plus some kind of soup, semisweet dessert and side vegetable dish. We finish each meal with some tea. The other teachers are happy that I enjoy the food (seriously, it’s been great!) and are impressed that I can use chopsticks. It’s so fun to get a feel for the culture.

But now to the apartment! It’s a great space in a fairly small building (about 5 stories). Happily I am on the second floor, because there is no elevator but I’m also not on the street level, which would kind of freak me out. Pictures will follow shortly once I get my own Internet. I am lucky enough to have two other GET (guest English teachers) or NET (native English teachers) as they are dubbed in Daegu. One of the girls is on my floor and has been very gracious in allowing me to use her Internet. I have to get my alien registration card, which I applied for today so I should have it within three weeks, before I can get Internet and a phone, so I will be fairly disconnected for a while. Anywho, back to the apartment! One of my favorite things about Korea so far is the lock system. You just have to enter a code to get in to the building, and then another code to get in to the room. It’s so incredibly, awesomely convenient, because I don’t have to lug keys around! How awesome, right?! Ever residence (plus the schools) have a little area to leave your shoes before entering the house. It’s a great way to keep dirt to a minimum. Take a tiny step up and you are in the kitchen! I am so excited to have a pretty good size sink, a really large fridge/freezer, a great cabinet meets pantry and a gas stove! SO glad it’s not electric, because gas is way easier to control the temperature. I have pretty good storage space, but basically no counter space, so I’m planning to buy a table with my first pay check. I have already purchased a toaster oven, because it seemed the most useful item I could add to the kitchen so far. I was incredibly lucky, because the previous NET left cups (so many cups!), a bowl, plate, spoons, butter knives, spatula and wisk. So I really didn’t have to buy my for my apartment to survive.

To the left of my kitchen is my bathroom, which is decently sized. It has good storage area for all the things I need and a nice Western style toilet! The showerhead is attached directly to the sink faucet, so I just leave it selected as the showerhead and brush my teeth/wash my hand in the kitchen. There is no separation for the shower, but it works out well. My toilet paper stays dry and there is a holder to keep the showerhead aloft hands free, so things are quite good! Next to the bathroom (though you enter from the kitchen) is the small room with my washer and drying rack, which hangs from the ceiling, though I may get another for the ground to have more drying space. It took some trial and error, but I can wash my clothes and get the water to drain and the machine to spin to shake off the water. There are a bunch more options that I will have to decode once I get Internet, but the basics work for now! The washing machine plays an excellent jingle to let me know it’s finished, which I thoroughly enjoy.

My bedroom is to the right of the kitchen and is the biggest room in my apartment. It is really quite large and has a table, bed night stand, shelves and a dresser/closet. Again, there is pretty good storage space, though I may get a TV stand for the room to have a little more shelf space (it’s currently living on the shelf tucked in to the back corner of my room, which is hidden by the door when it is ajar). I was also incredibly lucky to have (clean) sheets, a pillow and comforter left behind! So glad I didn’t have to buy any, because apparently they are really expensive and hard to find. I also have a convenient little bedside lamp. I do have a list of some things I want to buy for the apartment, but it is actually pretty small and nothing is urgently necessary. I am really surprised at how quickly I have settled in to my space. I am looking forward to having a little money to spend on some decorations so I can make it a little bit homier. But all in all things have really fallen in to place quite well. I am so blessed. It’s just crazy. I don’t know why I’m able to do these things (both opportunity and desire) but I am so beyond grateful and I absolutely want to make the best of it. Sure I’m still in the honeymoon stage and things are new, but I am very happy so far. Of course, I’ll have to update my status a few months in once things are less shiny and start getting covered with a dusting of snow. Though I have already survived a typhoon! The first day I went to school (Tuesday), the typhoon was at it’s peak, so I actually didn’t have to go to work until 10 a.m. It really wasn’t so bad, lots of rain and high winds, but it was a bit uncomfortable during the walk to work. My apartment is about twenty minutes from the school on foot, so I was pretty soaked once I arrived. But it is actually a pretty nice walk, and I go through the Wolgok History Museum, which has a great display of artifacts. Plus I get at least 40 minutes of exercise every weekday, so that’s a benefit! I am certainly planning to join a gym soon, and want to take advantage of the nearby mountain and awesome outdoor activities that Daegu offers. From what I’ve read so far it seems to be a pretty active city with lots to do. And it’s in the middle of the country and is the main transportation hub, connecting the north and the south. I am very glad that I was placed here. It’s a big city with lots to do, but it’s not overwhelmingly huge. It’s a wonderful balance in every aspect, and I can do lots of traveling from here! Now I need to read up on Korea and my city and what to do!

South Korea

Well hello again blogging world! As tends to be the case, I have neglected this blog during my time at home. Not because noteworthy things weren't happening, but because the events I wanted to share with people were actually happening with them, so a virtual recap of my life wasn't necessary. But now I am back to traveling the world, and so this blog will see more action as I dish about the happenings of my time in my new destination... South Korea.
I am in Korea to work for the EPIK (English Program in Korea) as a GET (Guest English Teacher). It's day three, and there still hasn't been a whole lot going on. Half of the GETs are at Jeonju University for our orientation. Today we have the opening ceremonies and our welcome dinner. Tomorrow we get to do a health check (let's get real, it's a drug test) and then we start in to our classes. I'm looking forward to having a little more to do and to getting a better grasp for what this program and the year I've signed up for will entail. Hopefully I love it enough to do two years, because I certainly packed enough stuff to be here that long! But it is certainly too soon to tell, and I definitely have a lot of greatness to return to at home. So more on that later as I get settled in and get a feel for my life in Korea.
I think I am finally getting over my jet lag, which is nice, because I certainly don't want to be tired all day. I have met a lot of neat people here. It is nice to feel like I have a group of people to rely on who are going through the same thing, so I can settle in nicely. But I am really anxious to find out what school I will be at and what my apartment will be like. I just want to get things going to get a feel for what my life will really be like here. And then of course I really want to get out and travel around. I want to see Korea and neighboring countries and really sink my teeth into the different cultures. Hopefully I can get a pretty good feel for Korean while I am here and learn important phrases. Not much else to report for now.

Doner Kebabs!

 

Germany- Doner Kebab

 

Albania- Doner Kebab

 

Slovenia- Doner Kebab

 

Portugal- Doner Kebab

 

Greece- Gyro

During my travels I have been able to try so many delicious kinds of food, and I have had some excellent meals. One of the main foods I had was the doner kebab, which can be found all over Europe. They are delicious, cheap and fast--a fabulous combination. Originally from Turkey, the doner kebab became a hit throughout the continent. And each country and restaurant makes every doner kebab with its own variation. The basic form of the doner is stuffing bread with shaved meat (lamb and beef or chicken and turkey) from a roasting pit. Then condiments and toppings can be added it, like lettuce, tomatoes, fries and the delicious and crucial yogurt sauce. During my travels I sampled doner kebabs from many different countries, and I have decided to compare them. My favorite doner kebabs came from Germany. They are absolutely scrumptious, and can't be beat. Though the doners from Slovenia and Albania came quite close. Doners from Italy were decent. Portugal definitely had the worst doner kebab! But although I thoroughly enjoyed doner kebabs, they had nothing on the gyros from Greece. The traditional gyro is the same basic form as the doner kebab, but it is stuffed with pork. And that makes perfect sense, because I love pork! The pita bread was also so tasty and really made the gyro surpass the wonderful doner kebab. So, moral of the story is: one of the best parts of traveling is the food you're introduced to. So get out there and eat!

Santorini 04/05/12-04/08/12

Oh Santorini. It was quite the roller coaster ride. I took a 9-hour ferry from Athens to get to the island. I went on Blue Star Ferries, and was quite impressed with the ship. It was a big boat and had a few cafes and restaurants. I lucked out and found a seat on a nice, cushioned bench. So most of the ride I napped. It felt so nice to nap lying down on a mode of transportation. I can only sleep so well sitting up! When I got to the port, I was so relieved to have a shuttle provided by my hotel. It is a steep, curving road that would have taken hours to climb up and to the city center, especially with all of my luggage. So if you ever visit Santorini and take a ferry in, definitely go for accommodations that include transportation from the port. That evening I walked around Fira and enjoyed the sunset. It was a bit cloudy, but still nice. I was so excited to see all the colorful and white buildings built up in to the hillside. It was surreal. The majority of those buildings are restaurants or shops. Santorini gets its lifeblood from tourists, which is so evident with how the whole island is equipped for tourists. When I was there it was clear the season was just starting. A few early birds had their shops and restaurants open, but many of the businesses were gearing up. Every path I walked in the cities either smelled like wet paint or had the hum from some power tool. Everywhere people were renovating their shops.

Friday I spent the morning in Fira and took the cable car down to the old port. The water is so clear and such a gorgeous turquoise. But the port was pretty dead, again most shops weren't yet open, so I hopped on a donkey to head back up the hill. It just had to be done... I mean it's Santorini! It was a pretty lengthy ride, and the scenery was very beautiful. A donkey ride is definitely a must-do. In the afternoon I caught a bus to Perissa, a beach town, to check in to my next hotel. Perissa is a beautiful area. The beaches have a fine, black sand that is really a sight to behold. Again it wasn't very busy and many of the businesses were closed. But it was actually nice to have the area be deserted rather than teeming with tourists milling around. And it had a lot of bakeries, which made me oh so happy! One of the bakeries (only a dangerously close walk of 2 minutes from my hotel) had the most disgustingly delicious, sickly sweetest pastries I have tried. It was a croissant sliced in half and smothered with Nutella, and then the whole thing is saturated in honey, which is huge in Greece. Oh my goodness! It was so good. I also enjoyed a lot of baklava from the bakeries and a tasty spanakopita. I spent most of my time in Perissa either laying on the beach or napping in the hotel. It was a very relaxing time.
On Sunday, I rented an ATV and drove around the whole island in the morning. I watched the sun rise at the Red Beach, then I went to the light house. After a brief snack at a bakery, I headed up to Oia, which is the picturesque city of Santorini. It was so beautiful! There were a lot more tourist shops and restaurants with terrace views of the ocean. I didn't spend a whole lot of time in Oia, because there wasn't much to do. So I headed back to Fira and had lunch at Mama's House, a restaurant several people recommended. I tried moussaka, which reminded me a lot of shepherd's pie. It was good, but I think I liked the house wine and butter spread and bread even more! I have to say, Greece does food so well. I think it was one of my favorite places to eat. The gyros, the bread, the traditional dishes, and baklava! Greece does food right. I finished the afternoon by cruising near Perissa beach and checking out ancient Thira, which was basically just remnants of old walls.
Then I got a ride from my hotel down to the port to catch my 17:55 ferry to Crete. Or so I thought. The whole day had been crazy windy. Clouds were zipping through the air, and a few times I felt like I was going to blow over. The wind was so bad that it made huge waves in the water, creating too dangerous of an environment for my ferry to dock or sail in. Ok, so when is the next ferry to Crete available? Oh, not until Tuesday. Well great, because my flight from Crete to Milan left Monday night, so there was really no way to make it. Thank God that there was a 17:00 ferry from Santorini to Piraeus available. And I'm so happy I chose the best place possible to stay at in Santorini, because the manager there, Rich, was incredibly helpful! He figured that my ship would likely be canceled, so he gave me his number to call him if I needed a ride back to the hostel. I was going to stay another night in Santorini, but then decided my best option was to go to Athens. I talked it over with Rich and he gave me some websites to check out. So I hopped on the ferry to Athens, and we sailed through the rough seas for six long hours. Several people got sick, and a few times I was convinced another big wave would come in and flip the boat in its side. But we made it through! I was so happy that I had already stayed in Athens, because I knew where I could get a bed (mind you it was 11 p.m. by the time we arrived). When I got to the hostel I got on to the Internet to try to figure out my game plan for making it to Italy. I was so grateful when I checked my email and saw that Rich had already done the research for me. He showed me a few options for taking ferries to Italy, but none would have made it in time. So I ended up taking a morning flight from Athens to Milan. I only got about two hours of sleep that night, but I figured it would be best to just get to Italy as soon as possible, because I fly from Italy back to the U.S. I was able to get on the flight and made it to Milan. Then I hopped on two different trains to get to Venice. Everything worked out really well. I spent more money than I wanted to, and it was not how i planned it, but it all turned out to be fine. I think this whole experience has shown me that God is always there for me and has bigger (better) plans in mind. So I need to just stop worrying, and start enjoying the wonderful experiences He has blessed me with. I am so happy to be traveling and so happy to see as much of the world as I can. Overall I enjoyed Greece. The food was exceptional, the people were kind and the island was gorgeous. But will I be back anytime soon? Probably not.

Athens 04/04/12

I didn't have a whole lot of time in Athens. But I saw what I wanted to see, so it worked out well. I arrived around 8:30 a.m. local time (1 hour ahead of Albania) and was happy to be able to check in to my hostel right away. I dropped my things off, showered (I needed it after that 14 hour bus ride!) and ventured out. My first stop was an outdoor market a street over and two streets up from my hostel, Athens International Youth Hostel- Victor Hugo. Can I just say, I absolutely love markets! The food is so fresh and so cheap. I should have just been shopping at them the whole time I've been traveling. It's a cheaper, healthier way to eat than constantly dining at restaurants (although I do enjoy a nice sit-down meal as well). I bought eggs, bell peppers, zucchini, onion and mushrooms to make a fabulous omelet, as well as strawberries and bananas. After taking the food back to my room, I ventured back out to the Acropolis. I went to the Acropolis Museum first, which was a good idea, because I was able to see what the area looked like before it was ruins. Then I headed up to the Acropolis. I was able to see it as it stands now and visualize what it might have looked like in ancient times. The Parthenon was so excellent, and the hill was a great vantage point for terrific views of the city. After a short break at a cafe for a snack and drink, I headed to the Olympic grounds. The area had a neglected feel, and wasn't all that impressive. But a huge tunnel of arching metal was quite nice. After that I headed back to the hostel to relax. I was so exhausted from the epic bus journey! After crafting my delicious, fresh omelet, I headed back to the Acropolis to check it out at night. It was nothing special, but still glad I saw it. On the way back to my hostel, I picked up some baklava. Wow! It was delicious.

Tirana 04/03/12

Tirana was just a stop over on my way to Athens, but it was nice to explore it for a few hours. Any longer would have been too much time for me, but I'm still happy I got a taste of Albania. Things there were so cheap! I only exchanged 5 euro, but was able to buy a lot and save some currency as a souvenir. Also, I tried a doner kebab there, and it was really good. I also had baklava, but that wasn't so great. It was a really long day of traveling on buses. I woke up at 4:45 a.m. to catch a 6 a.m. bus to Shkodra (duration: 2 1/2 hours) then another one to Tirana (duration: 2 hours) and then I had to wait about 7 hours to catch my 5:30 p.m. bus to Athens. The last bus took 14 hours. So it was a very exhausting day of traveling, but I got my passport stamped three times! Twice for entering and leaving Albania and once for entering Greece. So that made it worthwhile. It's ironic, because I figured I would only get my passport stamped from doing flights and not from traveling by bus. But it's turned out to be quite the opposite with the exception of flying in to Zadar, Croatia. But back to Tirana. Overall I'm happy I saw it, but not a place that has to be visited.

Ulcinj 04/02/12

I didn't even get to see Ulcinj, Montenegro during the day, but I still loved it. Perhaps because I only saw it at night it gave the city a more magical feeling. My room was in an apartment in the Old Town, which is on a hill right next to the beach. I was in a room right on the edge of the hill and had a stunning view from my window and private terrace. The ocean stretched out to the horizon, and lights from buildings across the bay twinkled in the night. The moon was nearly full, so it cast everything in a romantic glow. It was one of the most breath-taking things I have seen. My favorite part of my room was that it was on the roof was right outside the window. I have always wanted a room set up like that so I could clamber out of my window and sit on my roof any time I felt like it. But it was worth waiting for this rooftop, because it was a ridiculous view. A cool breeze caressed my face while I sat on the roof absorbing the gorgeous view. It was such a serene moment. And the bet part is that it only cost 10 Euro, because everything in Ulcinj is so cheap! I didn't have much time in the city, so i just walked around the Old Town and in the newer part nearby. The city was filled with Internet shops (and patrons) and men getting late-night hair cuts. I also hung out on the beach for a little while. The sand was so fine. It was like real sand again; not pebbles! Also, I got my passport stamped when entering Montenegro. I love collecting stamps and wish every country I have seen would have stamped it!

Dubrovnik 04/01/12

Well the day started out with gale force winds and blown about debris lodging into my eyes, but I still very much enjoyed my time in Dubrovnik. I started the day off by walking around the city walls in the Old Town. Happily I got a student discount and paid less than half of the adult fair! It was a very beautiful walk around the city walls. On one side the ocean stretched out to the horizon, and within the walls the city streets and buildings dotted the area. Walking the walls is definitely a must do, and a great way to start out seeing the old city, because you get to view it all at once. After the walls I strolled around within the city. I saw a good majority of the area, but it soon began to rain. The polished streets became very slick, especially because I was wearing my Toms. So I decided to head back to my room at the Villa Micika and wait out the rain and wind. Eventually I ventured back out, this time to the beach. It was another pebble beach, but they were pretty large pebbles. The beach was nice, and I was able to enjoy another beautiful sunset. And even though the weather wasn't ideal, Dubrovnik was such a lovely city and definitely worth a visit.

Zadar 03/30/12-03/31/12

 

I didn't really know what to expect from Zadar, but I really loved it. It was such a beautiful, relaxing place. The old town was definitely seeable in a day, which was perfect, because that was all the time I had. But I would have loved to have stayed in the area longer, because Zadar is very close to several gorgeous national parks. But the city itself was nice. The old town is a small area, but it is filled with so many treasures. There were several churches and interesting buildings. And a lot of random ruins. It was so great, because the ruins were in huge plazas where people just sat and relaxed. I also stumbled across an In & Out and met a girl, Carmen, from Sacramento. My California roots followed me all the way to Croatia! I had a burger at In & Out, and obviously it wasn't the real deal (I mean it's a & not an N' after all). But it was still very tasty. The bun was so good! Carmen and I also shared a good meal at a restaurant called Konoba Stomorica. An accordion player and guitar player serenaded us with song as we dined in the nautical-themed restaurant. We decided to share our meals, so we had veal with gnocchi and squid ink risotto. Both dishes were very tasty. We also enjoyed two desserts and the local brew. It was a nice meal, and I really enjoyed having someone to spend the evening with. It's been great setting my own pace and going everywhere I want to go, but traveling alone does get lonely from time to time. But I probably wouldn't have met so many people, so it's not too bad! My favorite part of my time in Zadar was most certainly watching the sunset at the salutation to the sun and sea organ. The salutation to the sun was a huge circle of lights that lit up right as the sun set. There were also other smaller circles that did the same. All were dedicated to astronomical aspects, such as the planets. It was so gorgeous to see the pink and orange of the sky paired with the shifting of colors all over the visible spectrum in the circle. It was located at the corner of the huge concrete pier/beach. Sadly, the sandy beach of the city was destroyed by bombs during WWII. But the people of the city changed the tragedy into something beautiful. They built a giant sea organ. As the waves (more like wakes from boats, because it is in a bay) hit the sea organ and push air through it, different notes are created. The melody is always changing with the ocean and is just such a cool thing! Overall, it was probably the most beautiful sunset I have ever experienced.

Porto 03/28/12-03/29/12

I fell in love with Porto almost instantly. It was such a beautiful city with so many excellent aspects. Porto reminded me a lot of San Francisco, but with more history, cooler buildings, nicer people and a much better beach. My love for the city may also have been related to it being the first destination of my solo adventure, but it really is a gem of a place. I stayed at the Andarilho Hostel. It was so funky and fun, and the staff was so laid back and welcoming. I would certainly live there for a long time if I could. The hostel had maps available, so I grabbed one that was put together by locals and pointed out the secret spots that make Porto so great. I saw many of the destinations. I was so impressed by the beautiful tile work all over the city, but the mosaic in the Sao Bento train station was by far the most magnificent. I was also amazed with one of the bookstores in the city. It was the most gorgeous bookshop I have ever seen. The map also pointed out a sushi restaurant, so I headed to it for lunch, but it was outdated, because the restaurant had closed down. So I went to another restaurant on the map. Luckily this one was still open. There I tried the Francesinha, a heart attack of a sandwich. It is two pieces of bread stacked with linguica, ham, sausage and steak, smothered with cheese and a beer and tomato sauce, topped with an egg and served on a bed of fries. It was so disgustingly delicious. An experience that just has to be had when in Porto.
I also very much enjoyed Porto's beach. It was quite a way outside of the center of town, so I hoped on a bus out there. The beach was very pebbly, but I loved the texture of the "sand." It felt so good to walk around on. There was a nearby park that I spent a lot of time in just relaxing and enjoying the beautiful day. I walked all the way back in to town at a nice stroll (it was at least two miles). I ended my time in Porto relaxing at the hostel with the staff and other guests. One of the staff had family visiting, so they made a big meal for everyone. We had a tasty soup and a really great fish/potato/egg/carrot/greens dish that was somewhat like a casserole. I don't remember the name, but it was very good. And the company was excellent. I really enjoyed just relaxing at the hostel with everyone. I was so sad to leave Porto.

Barcelona 03/25/12-03/27/12

Barcelona was so clean and such a huge city. It was really nice and rich with history. We stayed at the Rambla Catalunya Hostel, also known as Hostel Windsor. It was incredibly confusing to find the reception desk, but luckily a group of patrons were walking in and directed us where we needed to go. The hostel was pretty nice, and the staff was super chill. Some of my favorite places in Barcelona were the magnificent Sagrada Familia and Park Guell. Both were striking and so unique. The Boqueria Market was also a wonderful part of Barcelona. It was so full of life and excitement, and I got so much fresh, cut up fruit for so cheap. It was delicious! And of course I really loved lounging at the beach (especially because that's where I reunited with my girls, Melissa and Kristen)... until I got a really bad sunburn. My poor white legs were cooped up for so long they didn't know how to absorb the glorious rays. My favorite meal of the trip was definitely the set menu we did at the restaurant La Fonda. We got an appetizer, main course, dessert, 1/4 liter of wine and bread plus a pitcher of sangria all for only 20 euro each. And the portions were all huge! I was pretty much full after the appetizers, but that didn't stop me from continuing on. The three of us girls shared different plates so we were able to try a lot of the menu. It was an excellent find and a highlight to a wonderful trip.

Rome 03/22/12-03/24/12

 

Rome was a great time! I really loved the city and all of the beautiful sites. We stayed at the Mama Mia Bed and Breakfast. It was in a nice apartment complex in a really cute neighborhood near Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, but breakfast wasn't included. Go figure. There was, however, an excellent little pizza joint up the street, Pizzeria Yok, that served up some very tasty slices. The B&B was also only about a 10 minute walk away from the Colosseum. It was definitely our first stop! It was so epic to see the Colosseum in person. I can't even imagine what it would have been like in its heyday, though I'm sure it would have smelled awful. The nearby Palatine Hill was so gorgeous and green and lush. I also really loved the Trevi Fountain and threw in two coins.  The first to return to Rome, and the second for a wish. It may have been my favorite spot in the whole city. The Spanish Steps were also a great spot. And there was a gelato place right outside of the Metro stop for the steps, which had such good ice cream. Their pistachio gelato was the best pistachio ice cream I have ever had. Of course we also went to Vatican City and saw St. Peter's Basilica. It was HUGE. I mean gigantic. And so ridiculously adorned with paintings and statues and gold. I could spend every hour of the rest of my life there and never see every detail. It is something that has to be experienced to understand how vast it really is.

Also, the nightlife in Rome was a good time. I went on Rome's Ultimate Bar Hop and met some really great people. Basically half of the people there were from California, which was weird, but excellent. The crawl started at the Highlander Pub and headed to another bar and a club. It was a fun experience overall, and I really didn't want to leave Rome.

Capri 03/21/12

 

Wednesday Dad and I took the ferry to Capri for the day. The island is absolutely stunning! It is such a beautiful place, and the water is so clear and gorgeous shades of blue. Right after arriving around 10:30 a.m. we took a boat tour around the island. Our timing was perfect, because the sun was at a good angle to light up the island. We saw many of the famous sights, including the natural arch on the island and the arch rock near the island. We also saw the grotto verde, which was so stunning. The water was just such a beautiful color! Toward the end of the boat tour, we arrived at the blue grotto. The grotto is very small and can only be reached by row boat. We had to pay quite a bit more to go in, but it was worth every cent! The blue grotto is something that has to been seen first hand and experienced to fully understand and appreciate it. Pictures just don't do it justice. I give it my best shot to describe the awe-inspiring beauty. The grotto hangs off the island in to the ocean, so there is a large area below it that is just the ocean floor. The sunlight reflects off of the sand up into and on the white rocks of the grotto. It is about 65 feet deep, so the water is a gorgeous blue color. It was one of the coolest things I have seen.
After the tour we headed to the one beach on the island for a bit. Then we went to Cafe Augusto for lunch. The restaurant staff was very nice, and the food was outstanding! We got caprese salad, and it was just so tasty. I have been wanting fresh basil on something the whole time I've been in Italy, and I finally got it! It was definitely worth the wait, because the caprese salad was so good and fresh. I also had seafood risotto, which had clams, mussels and shrimp. It was so delicious and hit the spot. The house white wine I had paired nicely with my meal. We finished our meal with the dessert of the day, a flaky pastry filled with custard and raspberry sauce.
The rest of the day we hiked up to the city center. It was about 15-minutes uphill, alternating between stairs and an incline. It was quite a work out, but totally worth it, because we got some good views of the city below. We caught the ferry back to Naples and had a late dinner at Sobrillo Pizzeria. Again, Naples pizza is huge! Capri was such a wonderful island and a great place to visit!

Naples 03/20/12

 

Since our bus dropped us off so early, I was worried that we would have to lug our bags around for a few hours until we could check in. But we decided to head straight to the hostel, Hostel Pizza Naples. It turned out really well, because the guy working the desk was really nice and let us check in early. We arrived at the hostel at 7 a.m. and had to buzz to get in, so we woke the poor guy up. But he was really nice about everything and helpful once he got out of his delirious state. He also let us partake in the free breakfast for that morning! The hostel was really cute and tucked away on a small side street in a little neighborhood. I really loved the feeling of being in the city, rather than in a super touristy area.
Naples was a huge city and very dirty. It had a general dankness to it and wasn't very attractive. But it had a real sense of daily life, which I loved. I felt like I was getting a glimpse into real Italy as opposed to a polished tourist attraction. Drying laundry hung from windows, people scurried about, and little shops and restaurants filled the streets. We saw all the major spots within the day, but sadly the castle was closed because it was a Tuesday. That night we got pizza margherita and pizza marinara from De Michele, the only two kinds of pizza the place makes. It's a pretty well known spot, so it was fun to get some of the famous pizza. The food was pretty good, but not the best thing I've ever eaten. But man oh man, Naples pizzas are huge!