Bilbao, Spain…home to the Guggenheim (along with many other modern art museums), quaint little parks, many modern edify, and, at least temporarily, the Cirque Du Soliel show “Dralion.” It’s an under-rated city that actually has grass…something I haven’t seen ever in Rome and probably didn’t witness for 2 months before going to Spain (other than in Scotland, of course). Seriously, you miss grass and nature when the only type of objects around you are stone buildings and over-crowded paved walk-ways.
But moving on…The Guggenheim is simply amazing. It’s not the original Gug, that is in New York, this is a new Gug, one of five that are located in New York, Venice, Bilbao, Berlin, and finally Las Vegas (constructed/created in that order). They have some amazing stuff there, such as their current exhibit entitled The Matter Of Time (http://www.guggenheim-bilbao.es/ingles/exposiciones/las_exposiciones.htm). It’s a giant exhibit of steel sheets lined up next to each other, tall enough to walk through. Yes, that sounds really lame, but it’s pretty cool when you’re actually there and walking in what is like a maze of rusty steel.
However, there is also the kind of art there where you just go ‘huh? I don’t get it, how is cardboard with lots of stables in it art?’ So there is always that kind of thing to look forward at these types of museums, lol.
Cirque Du Soliel (www.cirquedusoliel.com) is also simply amazing. Every single show I’ve been to of theirs has been fantastic and always makes me want to go again. They do the most amazing things be it juggling, acrobatics, ribbon flying, or just crazy walking around the stage to some funky music by the live band. If you haven’t seen one of their shows, you should make it your mission to do so within the next year. They’re all over the country (and world) so you really have no excuse. I would try to describe some of the stunts/acts they did, but printed text simply cannot do justice to the amazement you witness 50 feet away from your seat. Go see one of their shows; you’ll be hooked, I swear.
Other than a simply amazing weekend, I’ve had the most ridiculous amount of work to do over the past week and will continue to have such a burden basically until I take my finals. I think my marketing teacher may not make it to see next week…something I heard about her falling down some stairs? Not really sure. However, the really condensed time span of work is over with and completed…for now. I still have a twenty page international business plan to construct, a ten page art history paper to write, not to mention the financial analysis I have to which hasn’t been even explained to us yet, but is due in three weeks…which also has to be ten pages. Then there’s finals to take into account and the fact that I will be gone the next two weekends to Norway and Ischgl, respectively. The teachers here should realize that learning is only a by-product of students coming to Roma to “study”…unless you’re Frank & Karen reading this, in which case I only came here for the intensive studies and just happen to have the whole cultural thing of Rome and Europe going for me by accident.
But anyhoo, I do believe the hard part is over simply because there aren’t 4 to 5 things due at the same time anymore. Plus, Norway should be super duper fun this weekend. I’m going with my roommate Lars & his gurlfriend Emily to his place in Oslo for the long weekend to celebrate some thanksgiving Norway style…you know, with some fjords and hills, maybe a few trolls while I’m at it. Also, I basically have the best tour guide since Lars is from Oslo and Norwegian is his native language…which makes communicating on my end a WHOLE lot easier. Multi-linguistic ability is highly under-rated…especially when you’re in a place that primarily speaks another language…like Southern California.
Well, alrighty, I think this should do it for now…two of these in two days is pretty intense for you guys, I know, so I’ll leave it at this…you’ll be hearing from me post Oslo, hopefully with a beautiful blond in my arms to help distract me from writing to everyone.
Ciao Belli,
Jon Boy
P.S. if you guys want to check out some pictures, there are some new ones up...just go here...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/myjonboy/sets/
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Monday, November 21, 2005
∆ΩN’T TPY θI∑ AT HΩME
So the people upstairs are having a party…right now, Wednesday night. It’s about midnight, which is normal time for a party…but I want to go to sleep and, well, they’re loud and shoes resonate through stone floors much more so than carpet. Not to mention they keep playing really crappy music. So, iTunes armed, unloading a nice song I like to call Black Betty by a solid little band by the name of Ram Jam, I’ve got my headphones kickin and actually have time to write since sleeping isn’t an option.
This past weekend was Greek to me…literally. Haha, woah man that was a lame joke. Anyhoo, I Went to Athens, Greece and rocked it out. Athens was actually not as cool as I thought it would be. Everyone keeps saying “Oh man, Greece is so beautiful, you have to go” and “If you don’t go to Greece, you’ve made a mistake.” I think the mistake was made when they neglected to inform me that they were refereeing to the ISLANDS of Greece…not Athens.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Athens was just fine and dandy; got to see the Parthenon, Zeus’s Monument, The Acropolis, and various other ruins. However, I think I had my ruins fix for about the next 2 years after being in Roma for 2 months and having an art history class that’s on site every week at various ruins throughout this city. More ruins weren’t exactly what I signed up for when I decided to wander over the Aegean to birthplace of the Olympics.
With all my bitching and bickering aside, I am glad I went. I mean, I went to freaking Greece and that’s cool. Everything there was in Greek, which, provided it was in upper case, I could actually read…you can thank the Greek system at Michigan and Belmont for that one; though under the greek, everything was translated into English, so that was nice when you figured out that, yes, you could read it, but once you figured out what triangle, squiggly, e, a, squiggly, circle w/a dash said, you had no idea what that translated to in English.
There was also some nice shopping to be had in Grecia, which I can’t complain about. Got some ‘deals’ on a few items in the market section and actually got lost in the blue light district the first night we were there trying to find our hostel, which was nice…”Hey, can we just stop in here and then find our place? Awesome, thanks.”
I took some pictures while I was there, too, which should be up w/a link at the bottom of this page incase you want to check them out.
Tuesday, with the previously mentioned on-site art history class, we went to the Castelo di Saint Angelo…the castle in the higher numbered pages of the book Angels & Demons (sorry if I ruined it for anyone, but you should have read it by now anyways). That was pretty darn cool, I also took some pictures of that. The view on the top of the place is quite stunning; you can see most of Rome and the major monuments along with a great view of The Vatican.
Other than that, the past week or so has been filled with a great deal of paper writing, presentation preparation, and homeworking. Not exactly the most fun stuff, but it’s ok because the weekends have and will make up for it. The upcoming weekend I shall be venturing out eastward to Bilbao, Spain to see Dralion, a euro-only Cirque Du Soliel show with a friend of mine. There, we will also go see the Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art and various other northern coastal Spain type things…you know, the usual. Should be a good time, you can’t ever go wrong with Cirque Du Soliel, so I’m quite excited about that and I doubt you can go wrong with the Guggenheim either, so boo ya.
Lastly, for those of you who don’t know yet, I’m officially going to be in L.A. next semester instead of returning do the southern section of the country known as Nashvegas. So, plan accordingly. If anyone wants to come visit out in L.A. you’re more than welcome, visitors always rock…and apparently the only darts bar in L.A. is right by my apt, so we can go have some beer and throw around sharp metal tipped darts at what we hope is a corked circular board. Good times had by all. Frank, you’ll have to teach me how to properly throw ‘cause I’m clueless.
Anyhoo, that’s enough rambling for now. I’ll catch you guys on the flipside and hopefully will be able to post something at the regularly scheduled time of Monday instead of the unexpectedly, but fashionably late post of this Thursday.
Ciao Belli,
Jon Boy
P.S. ∆ΩN’T TPY θI∑ AT HΩME is simply "DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME" in greek charactors, in case you were wondering
This past weekend was Greek to me…literally. Haha, woah man that was a lame joke. Anyhoo, I Went to Athens, Greece and rocked it out. Athens was actually not as cool as I thought it would be. Everyone keeps saying “Oh man, Greece is so beautiful, you have to go” and “If you don’t go to Greece, you’ve made a mistake.” I think the mistake was made when they neglected to inform me that they were refereeing to the ISLANDS of Greece…not Athens.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Athens was just fine and dandy; got to see the Parthenon, Zeus’s Monument, The Acropolis, and various other ruins. However, I think I had my ruins fix for about the next 2 years after being in Roma for 2 months and having an art history class that’s on site every week at various ruins throughout this city. More ruins weren’t exactly what I signed up for when I decided to wander over the Aegean to birthplace of the Olympics.
With all my bitching and bickering aside, I am glad I went. I mean, I went to freaking Greece and that’s cool. Everything there was in Greek, which, provided it was in upper case, I could actually read…you can thank the Greek system at Michigan and Belmont for that one; though under the greek, everything was translated into English, so that was nice when you figured out that, yes, you could read it, but once you figured out what triangle, squiggly, e, a, squiggly, circle w/a dash said, you had no idea what that translated to in English.
There was also some nice shopping to be had in Grecia, which I can’t complain about. Got some ‘deals’ on a few items in the market section and actually got lost in the blue light district the first night we were there trying to find our hostel, which was nice…”Hey, can we just stop in here and then find our place? Awesome, thanks.”
I took some pictures while I was there, too, which should be up w/a link at the bottom of this page incase you want to check them out.
Tuesday, with the previously mentioned on-site art history class, we went to the Castelo di Saint Angelo…the castle in the higher numbered pages of the book Angels & Demons (sorry if I ruined it for anyone, but you should have read it by now anyways). That was pretty darn cool, I also took some pictures of that. The view on the top of the place is quite stunning; you can see most of Rome and the major monuments along with a great view of The Vatican.
Other than that, the past week or so has been filled with a great deal of paper writing, presentation preparation, and homeworking. Not exactly the most fun stuff, but it’s ok because the weekends have and will make up for it. The upcoming weekend I shall be venturing out eastward to Bilbao, Spain to see Dralion, a euro-only Cirque Du Soliel show with a friend of mine. There, we will also go see the Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art and various other northern coastal Spain type things…you know, the usual. Should be a good time, you can’t ever go wrong with Cirque Du Soliel, so I’m quite excited about that and I doubt you can go wrong with the Guggenheim either, so boo ya.
Lastly, for those of you who don’t know yet, I’m officially going to be in L.A. next semester instead of returning do the southern section of the country known as Nashvegas. So, plan accordingly. If anyone wants to come visit out in L.A. you’re more than welcome, visitors always rock…and apparently the only darts bar in L.A. is right by my apt, so we can go have some beer and throw around sharp metal tipped darts at what we hope is a corked circular board. Good times had by all. Frank, you’ll have to teach me how to properly throw ‘cause I’m clueless.
Anyhoo, that’s enough rambling for now. I’ll catch you guys on the flipside and hopefully will be able to post something at the regularly scheduled time of Monday instead of the unexpectedly, but fashionably late post of this Thursday.
Ciao Belli,
Jon Boy
P.S. ∆ΩN’T TPY θI∑ AT HΩME is simply "DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME" in greek charactors, in case you were wondering
Monday, November 14, 2005
∆ΩN’T TPY θI∑ AT HΩME
So the people upstairs are having a party…right now, Wednesday night. It’s about midnight, which is normal time for a party…but I want to go to sleep and, well, they’re loud and shoes resonate through stone floors much more so than carpet. Not to mention they keep playing really crappy music. So, iTunes armed, unloading a nice song I like to call Black Betty by a solid little band by the name of Ram Jam, I’ve got my headphones kickin and actually have time to write since sleeping isn’t an option.
This past weekend was Greek to me…literally. Haha, woah man that was a lame joke. Anyhoo, I Went to Athens, Greece and rocked it out. Athens was actually not as cool as I thought it would be. Everyone keeps saying “Oh man, Greece is so beautiful, you have to go” and “If you don’t go to Greece, you’ve made a mistake.” I think the mistake was made when they neglected to inform me that they were refereeing to the ISLANDS of Greece…not Athens.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Athens was just fine and dandy; got to see the Parthenon, Zeus’s Monument, The Acropolis, and various other ruins. However, I think I had my ruins fix for about the next 2 years after being in Roma for 2 months and having an art history class that’s on site every week at various ruins throughout this city. More ruins weren’t exactly what I signed up for when I decided to wander over the Aegean to birthplace of the Olympics.
With all my bitching and bickering aside, I am glad I went. I mean, I went to freaking Greece and that’s cool. Everything there was in Greek, which, provided it was in upper case, I could actually read…you can thank the Greek system at Michigan and Belmont for that one; though under the greek, everything was translated into English, so that was nice when you figured out that, yes, you could read it, but once you figured out what triangle, squiggly, e, a, squiggly, circle w/a dash said, you had no idea what that translated to in English.
There was also some nice shopping to be had in Grecia, which I can’t complain about. Got some ‘deals’ on a few items in the market section and actually got lost in the blue light district the first night we were there trying to find our hostel, which was nice…”Hey, can we just stop in here and then find our place? Awesome, thanks.”
I took some pictures while I was there, too, which should be up w/a link at the bottom of this page incase you want to check them out.
Tuesday, with the previously mentioned on-site art history class, we went to the Castelo di Saint Angelo…the castle in the higher numbered pages of the book Angels & Demons (sorry if I ruined it for anyone, but you should have read it by now anyways). That was pretty darn cool, I also took some pictures of that. The view on the top of the place is quite stunning; you can see most of Rome and the major monuments along with a great view of The Vatican.
Other than that, the past week or so has been filled with a great deal of paper writing, presentation preparation, and homeworking. Not exactly the most fun stuff, but it’s ok because the weekends have and will make up for it. The upcoming weekend I shall be venturing out eastward to Bilbao, Spain to see Dralion, a euro-only Cirque Du Soliel show with a friend of mine. There, we will also go see the Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art and various other northern coastal Spain type things…you know, the usual. Should be a good time, you can’t ever go wrong with Cirque Du Soliel, so I’m quite excited about that and I doubt you can go wrong with the Guggenheim either, so boo ya.
Lastly, for those of you who don’t know yet, I’m officially going to be in L.A. next semester instead of returning do the southern section of the country known as Nashvegas. So, plan accordingly. If anyone wants to come visit out in L.A. you’re more than welcome, visitors always rock…and apparently the only darts bar in L.A. is right by my apt, so we can go have some beer and throw around sharp metal tipped darts at what we hope is a corked circular board. Good times had by all. Frank, you’ll have to teach me how to properly throw ‘cause I’m clueless.
Anyhoo, that’s enough rambling for now. I’ll catch you guys on the flipside and hopefully will be able to post something at the regularly scheduled time of Monday instead of the unexpectedly, but fashionably late post of this Thursday.
Ciao Belli,
Jon Boy
P.S. ∆ΩN’T TPY θI∑ AT HΩME is simply "DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME" in greek charactors, in case you were wondering
This past weekend was Greek to me…literally. Haha, woah man that was a lame joke. Anyhoo, I Went to Athens, Greece and rocked it out. Athens was actually not as cool as I thought it would be. Everyone keeps saying “Oh man, Greece is so beautiful, you have to go” and “If you don’t go to Greece, you’ve made a mistake.” I think the mistake was made when they neglected to inform me that they were refereeing to the ISLANDS of Greece…not Athens.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Athens was just fine and dandy; got to see the Parthenon, Zeus’s Monument, The Acropolis, and various other ruins. However, I think I had my ruins fix for about the next 2 years after being in Roma for 2 months and having an art history class that’s on site every week at various ruins throughout this city. More ruins weren’t exactly what I signed up for when I decided to wander over the Aegean to birthplace of the Olympics.
With all my bitching and bickering aside, I am glad I went. I mean, I went to freaking Greece and that’s cool. Everything there was in Greek, which, provided it was in upper case, I could actually read…you can thank the Greek system at Michigan and Belmont for that one; though under the greek, everything was translated into English, so that was nice when you figured out that, yes, you could read it, but once you figured out what triangle, squiggly, e, a, squiggly, circle w/a dash said, you had no idea what that translated to in English.
There was also some nice shopping to be had in Grecia, which I can’t complain about. Got some ‘deals’ on a few items in the market section and actually got lost in the blue light district the first night we were there trying to find our hostel, which was nice…”Hey, can we just stop in here and then find our place? Awesome, thanks.”
I took some pictures while I was there, too, which should be up w/a link at the bottom of this page incase you want to check them out.
Tuesday, with the previously mentioned on-site art history class, we went to the Castelo di Saint Angelo…the castle in the higher numbered pages of the book Angels & Demons (sorry if I ruined it for anyone, but you should have read it by now anyways). That was pretty darn cool, I also took some pictures of that. The view on the top of the place is quite stunning; you can see most of Rome and the major monuments along with a great view of The Vatican.
Other than that, the past week or so has been filled with a great deal of paper writing, presentation preparation, and homeworking. Not exactly the most fun stuff, but it’s ok because the weekends have and will make up for it. The upcoming weekend I shall be venturing out eastward to Bilbao, Spain to see Dralion, a euro-only Cirque Du Soliel show with a friend of mine. There, we will also go see the Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art and various other northern coastal Spain type things…you know, the usual. Should be a good time, you can’t ever go wrong with Cirque Du Soliel, so I’m quite excited about that and I doubt you can go wrong with the Guggenheim either, so boo ya.
Lastly, for those of you who don’t know yet, I’m officially going to be in L.A. next semester instead of returning do the southern section of the country known as Nashvegas. So, plan accordingly. If anyone wants to come visit out in L.A. you’re more than welcome, visitors always rock…and apparently the only darts bar in L.A. is right by my apt, so we can go have some beer and throw around sharp metal tipped darts at what we hope is a corked circular board. Good times had by all. Frank, you’ll have to teach me how to properly throw ‘cause I’m clueless.
Anyhoo, that’s enough rambling for now. I’ll catch you guys on the flipside and hopefully will be able to post something at the regularly scheduled time of Monday instead of the unexpectedly, but fashionably late post of this Thursday.
Ciao Belli,
Jon Boy
P.S. ∆ΩN’T TPY θI∑ AT HΩME is simply "DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME" in greek charactors, in case you were wondering
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Wash Your Face & Drive Me To Firenze...
I think I’ve figured out why Italians, along with most other Europeans, are so melancholy with their pace of walking, working, and life all together. It’s not because life here is “slower” or “more relaxed” or anything like that, it’s because every damn person here smokes. So What, you may say, well, because they all smoke, they’re out of shape and can’t really move super fast w/o getting out of breath and having to sit down. Hence, they always move slowly and appear to be ‘relaxed’ when in reality they’re simply trying to maintain the physical capability to work while not exerting themselves too much so that they’re not out of breath and can’t do anything. The best part about it is that it’s illegal to smoke indoors in Italy in public buildings, highly ironic considering I haven’t met a single Italian who doesn’t smoke. That legislation must have just sneaked up in there covered with a giant pile of money to go un-noticed by a cancer stick addicted society like Italy’s. Just a funny thought.
Anyhoo, this week I had another Finance exam, that rocked…except not because it was A) and exam, B) a finance exam, and C) I was fairly sick when I took it and studied for it. So hurray that it’s over, I guess we’ll see how that went Monday when I get the test back in class.
Also worth mentioning was the fact that Tony’s, the restaurant that we eat at at least 1-4 times a week had it’s last day of operation on Wednesday until December. This is not good news, now I have no clue as to where to eat. I feel like a lost puppy w/no one to feed me, and Lord knows that I can’t cook for myself, so that’s out of the question. I’ll have to find some place to temporarily replace my addiction to what is the best restaurant ever. You know, should be pretty easy, eh?
Friday, I went to Firenze (Florence) w/a few friends who had an on-site class there for the weekend. I didn’t go to the classes or anything, but tagged along w/two other people who also went w/o having class. Got to see the Duomo of Florence(http://www.mega.it/eng/egui/monu/buq.htm), fairly impressive, though I was a little taken aback by the simplicity of the interior compared with all the churches in Rome that I’ve been in. The ceiling wasn’t completely covered in gold along with the walls and statues everywhere. Regardless, the dome that towers over the rest of the city was pretty cool, and was decorated much more ornately than the rest of the place.
We also went to the Accademia(http://www.mega.it/eng/egui/monu/buq.htm) that evening and saw The David, which is huge. 15 meters tall, much larger than the pictures you see depict it. It’s also pretty cool to be able to actually see statues like that in person because the amount of detail you can pick up that photos don’t necessarily capture, including the muscle detail such as the veins on the arms and stomach, tension in the neck and what not. There were some other cool paintings and statues there such as the Ratto Delle Sabine, by Giambologna, which pleasantly translates to The Rape of the Sabine Woman, which was one of the first statues to make you view it from all around the base instead of having a specific point of view, which was accustom then so that elites could get the best view of all statues.
After the Academia, we ventured over to Ponte Vecchio(http://www.mega.it/eng/egui/monu/buq.htm), which unfortunately was closing by then, but we still checked it out. Quick history lesson, Ponte Vechio was the only bridge in Florence that wasn’t destroyed by Ze Germans in WWII because the general thought it too beautiful to destroy...which it is (you can thank my aunt&uncle for that one). Lot’s of shops and what no on the bridge and just a cool little place.
Friday we woke up real early and went to the Uffizi(http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/english/musei/uffizi/Default.asp) to check out some more paintings such as The Birth Of Venus and The Primavera, pretty famous stuff. It was also really nice, except for the stupid audio tour we rented…it sucked, don’t do it. Get a real tour guide instead so they can actually tell you things other than who commissioned a painting, when it was commissioned, and when it was placed in the Uffizi.
Following the Uffizi, it was time to get lost in the immensity that is the Gardens of the Pitti Palace. They’re freaking huge. There are many statues in said garden, so, of course we had to take pictures mocking the statues. When I get them from whomever took said pictures, I’ll put them online…eventually.
And I think that’s pretty much all that’s ‘important’ that I’ve done in the past week or so. Keep on rockin it out across the pond.
Ciao,
Jon Boy
P.S. here are some recent photos... http://www.flickr.com/photos/myjonboy/sets/1305438/
Anyhoo, this week I had another Finance exam, that rocked…except not because it was A) and exam, B) a finance exam, and C) I was fairly sick when I took it and studied for it. So hurray that it’s over, I guess we’ll see how that went Monday when I get the test back in class.
Also worth mentioning was the fact that Tony’s, the restaurant that we eat at at least 1-4 times a week had it’s last day of operation on Wednesday until December. This is not good news, now I have no clue as to where to eat. I feel like a lost puppy w/no one to feed me, and Lord knows that I can’t cook for myself, so that’s out of the question. I’ll have to find some place to temporarily replace my addiction to what is the best restaurant ever. You know, should be pretty easy, eh?
Friday, I went to Firenze (Florence) w/a few friends who had an on-site class there for the weekend. I didn’t go to the classes or anything, but tagged along w/two other people who also went w/o having class. Got to see the Duomo of Florence(http://www.mega.it/eng/egui/monu/buq.htm), fairly impressive, though I was a little taken aback by the simplicity of the interior compared with all the churches in Rome that I’ve been in. The ceiling wasn’t completely covered in gold along with the walls and statues everywhere. Regardless, the dome that towers over the rest of the city was pretty cool, and was decorated much more ornately than the rest of the place.
We also went to the Accademia(http://www.mega.it/eng/egui/monu/buq.htm) that evening and saw The David, which is huge. 15 meters tall, much larger than the pictures you see depict it. It’s also pretty cool to be able to actually see statues like that in person because the amount of detail you can pick up that photos don’t necessarily capture, including the muscle detail such as the veins on the arms and stomach, tension in the neck and what not. There were some other cool paintings and statues there such as the Ratto Delle Sabine, by Giambologna, which pleasantly translates to The Rape of the Sabine Woman, which was one of the first statues to make you view it from all around the base instead of having a specific point of view, which was accustom then so that elites could get the best view of all statues.
After the Academia, we ventured over to Ponte Vecchio(http://www.mega.it/eng/egui/monu/buq.htm), which unfortunately was closing by then, but we still checked it out. Quick history lesson, Ponte Vechio was the only bridge in Florence that wasn’t destroyed by Ze Germans in WWII because the general thought it too beautiful to destroy...which it is (you can thank my aunt&uncle for that one). Lot’s of shops and what no on the bridge and just a cool little place.
Friday we woke up real early and went to the Uffizi(http://www.polomuseale.firenze.it/english/musei/uffizi/Default.asp) to check out some more paintings such as The Birth Of Venus and The Primavera, pretty famous stuff. It was also really nice, except for the stupid audio tour we rented…it sucked, don’t do it. Get a real tour guide instead so they can actually tell you things other than who commissioned a painting, when it was commissioned, and when it was placed in the Uffizi.
Following the Uffizi, it was time to get lost in the immensity that is the Gardens of the Pitti Palace. They’re freaking huge. There are many statues in said garden, so, of course we had to take pictures mocking the statues. When I get them from whomever took said pictures, I’ll put them online…eventually.
And I think that’s pretty much all that’s ‘important’ that I’ve done in the past week or so. Keep on rockin it out across the pond.
Ciao,
Jon Boy
P.S. here are some recent photos... http://www.flickr.com/photos/myjonboy/sets/1305438/
Monday, October 31, 2005
Castles and Lochs and Links, oh my!
I drove this weekend. That’s right, me behind the wheel of a car. This may not seem like a big deal to any of you, however, I’ve only been in a car once in the past 2ish months. Not to mention that it was in Scotland, so everything was backwards…steering wheels on the right side, cars on the left, craziness in the form driving on the wrong side of the road. However, everything was in miles per hour and miles instead of Kilometers, which I wasn’t prepared for, but was a nice comfort.
If you ever can drive in this sort of manner, I suggest you take a stab at it, but would also suggest not immediately starting with hard core city driving…like I did. Some back country roads might work a little better than congested streets ten times more complicated than any driving in Ann Arbor ever was or will be. Edinburgh (pronounced Edinbro/Edinburo) has so many one-way streets it’s like being a mouse trapped in a giant labyrinth constructed by God to punish those who dared sit behind the wheel. Though one-way streets do make city driving pretty interesting, we found that the three way intersections with a sign saying you can’t turn left and another on the other side saying you can’t turn right to be quite amusing. I’m fairly confident that this is some money making scheme created by the police there because any option you choose is illegal. You can’t turn left, you can’t turn right, there’s a building ending the road, so going straight is out of the question, and stopping in the middle of the street and giving up will most likely get some drunken Scotsman ready to kill you, along with some sort of a ticket I’m sure. A conundrum of pictures I’ll post as soon as I can steal some pictures from the people we were with.
Driving aside, Scotland was amazing, the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to, that’s for sure. The closest thing I could compare it to is up north Michigan, specifically Arcadia Bluffs. All rolling hills with lots of fields and sheep in amounts that have to outnumber people at least five to one. Amazing golf courses everywhere with lots of heather and few people taking advantage of the picturesque surroundings. Castle’s are about as prevalent there as pizza and gelato stores are here, every where you turn you see some sort of giant, elaborate castle towering over everything on some hilltop, or overlooking the water. Simply amazing.
We were fortunate enough to be able to take the care we rented and drive it along the east coast near Edinburgh on Friday afternoone and got to see some of the back country and non-tourist places. We tried to take a tour of the oldest brewery in Scotland, The Bellhaven brewery established in 16xx, but unfortunately they were done with tours for the day, so we went to the local pub and just had a pint or two of some of the delicious brews they concoct. It was pretty fun, hangin with the locals and havin some brewskies…good times. Edinburgh also seemed like a much nicer town thaa Glasgow, the other city we stayed in. Seemed a little more ‘ritzy’ and clean.
Saturday, my roommate Chalan and I went to St. Andrews. Yup, that’s right, the birthplace of golf (don’t be TOO jealous Frank). A quaint little town on the coast about 20 miles north of Edinburgh with an amazing church, a nice friendly atmosphere and a few old goat trails known as The Links of St. Andrews. I was pretty stoaked to get my picture taken on the bridge at the links, too. Pretty nuts. I’m definitely going back with my clubs one day and playing there, somehow, some-way…though I’ve heard they have some absurd waiting list for non-members along the lines of two years, however I’m not sure how true that is.
Unfortunately we were unable to take any official castle tours or go see Nessey at the good ol’ Loch Ness. Maybe next time. It’s a great place and makes me really want to go visit Dublin, which, according to the irish dancing gurls we met at the bar, is much cooler and way better than Glasgow or Edinburgh…and they were pretty attractive, so I trust them.
It also happened to be my friend Carla’s birthday on Saturday and we had the delight of being able to meet up with her, her roommates, and the nice gal she knows over in Glasgow with whom she was staying. It was pretty neat ‘cause their host was able to show us the fun local places for the evening and get us a little out of the touristy places in Glasgow. The one place I especially liked was Jinty McGinty’s, a little hole in the wall, though well furnished with cherry wood everywhere, lots of cool local Scots who spoke English (it was so nice to be in an English speaking country…being able to walk into a book store and actually have products you can read is super). We also went to an old church turned club, though if all Scotish DJ’s are that bad, I’m boycotting all discos in that region forever.
All in all, a great weekend, minus the fact that I now have a wicked cold and a finance exam Wednesday for which I’ve been studying all day. I think my head is about to explode and implode all at the same time.
Other than this past weekend, I actually did things during the week. We had a field trip to Tivoli and got to see the Villa D’Estra (go check out the website). It’s an amazing place with tons of fountains and lovely shrubbery. Also we saw Hadrian’s Villa in the same town, a 300 acre ‘luxury resort’ constructed by Hadrian (you know, the buy who built the Pantheon) for him, his family, and his closest friends to get away from it all. A pretty cool place which would have been much cooler if any of the buildings were actually still standing.
Also, a few of the gurls we know made us and some other friends a feast to end all American feasts…at least those cooked by students in Rome. They made us roasted chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy, steamed vegetables, home made cookies, ice cream, and cherry pie. It was simply amazing…the first real amarican food I’d had (besides hard rock) since I left for Europe. Super duper good, props to the gurls.
I suppose that’s about it, I shant bore you any longer with my adventures, it’s time for all of you to go back to work and make that money. I’ll write sonly, no plans yet for this weekend, but I’m workin on it…might just go to Paris, by myself ‘cause I can’t seem to find anyone who wants to go. Whatev, they’re loss.
Ciao,
Jon Boy
If you ever can drive in this sort of manner, I suggest you take a stab at it, but would also suggest not immediately starting with hard core city driving…like I did. Some back country roads might work a little better than congested streets ten times more complicated than any driving in Ann Arbor ever was or will be. Edinburgh (pronounced Edinbro/Edinburo) has so many one-way streets it’s like being a mouse trapped in a giant labyrinth constructed by God to punish those who dared sit behind the wheel. Though one-way streets do make city driving pretty interesting, we found that the three way intersections with a sign saying you can’t turn left and another on the other side saying you can’t turn right to be quite amusing. I’m fairly confident that this is some money making scheme created by the police there because any option you choose is illegal. You can’t turn left, you can’t turn right, there’s a building ending the road, so going straight is out of the question, and stopping in the middle of the street and giving up will most likely get some drunken Scotsman ready to kill you, along with some sort of a ticket I’m sure. A conundrum of pictures I’ll post as soon as I can steal some pictures from the people we were with.
Driving aside, Scotland was amazing, the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to, that’s for sure. The closest thing I could compare it to is up north Michigan, specifically Arcadia Bluffs. All rolling hills with lots of fields and sheep in amounts that have to outnumber people at least five to one. Amazing golf courses everywhere with lots of heather and few people taking advantage of the picturesque surroundings. Castle’s are about as prevalent there as pizza and gelato stores are here, every where you turn you see some sort of giant, elaborate castle towering over everything on some hilltop, or overlooking the water. Simply amazing.
We were fortunate enough to be able to take the care we rented and drive it along the east coast near Edinburgh on Friday afternoone and got to see some of the back country and non-tourist places. We tried to take a tour of the oldest brewery in Scotland, The Bellhaven brewery established in 16xx, but unfortunately they were done with tours for the day, so we went to the local pub and just had a pint or two of some of the delicious brews they concoct. It was pretty fun, hangin with the locals and havin some brewskies…good times. Edinburgh also seemed like a much nicer town thaa Glasgow, the other city we stayed in. Seemed a little more ‘ritzy’ and clean.
Saturday, my roommate Chalan and I went to St. Andrews. Yup, that’s right, the birthplace of golf (don’t be TOO jealous Frank). A quaint little town on the coast about 20 miles north of Edinburgh with an amazing church, a nice friendly atmosphere and a few old goat trails known as The Links of St. Andrews. I was pretty stoaked to get my picture taken on the bridge at the links, too. Pretty nuts. I’m definitely going back with my clubs one day and playing there, somehow, some-way…though I’ve heard they have some absurd waiting list for non-members along the lines of two years, however I’m not sure how true that is.
Unfortunately we were unable to take any official castle tours or go see Nessey at the good ol’ Loch Ness. Maybe next time. It’s a great place and makes me really want to go visit Dublin, which, according to the irish dancing gurls we met at the bar, is much cooler and way better than Glasgow or Edinburgh…and they were pretty attractive, so I trust them.
It also happened to be my friend Carla’s birthday on Saturday and we had the delight of being able to meet up with her, her roommates, and the nice gal she knows over in Glasgow with whom she was staying. It was pretty neat ‘cause their host was able to show us the fun local places for the evening and get us a little out of the touristy places in Glasgow. The one place I especially liked was Jinty McGinty’s, a little hole in the wall, though well furnished with cherry wood everywhere, lots of cool local Scots who spoke English (it was so nice to be in an English speaking country…being able to walk into a book store and actually have products you can read is super). We also went to an old church turned club, though if all Scotish DJ’s are that bad, I’m boycotting all discos in that region forever.
All in all, a great weekend, minus the fact that I now have a wicked cold and a finance exam Wednesday for which I’ve been studying all day. I think my head is about to explode and implode all at the same time.
Other than this past weekend, I actually did things during the week. We had a field trip to Tivoli and got to see the Villa D’Estra (go check out the website). It’s an amazing place with tons of fountains and lovely shrubbery. Also we saw Hadrian’s Villa in the same town, a 300 acre ‘luxury resort’ constructed by Hadrian (you know, the buy who built the Pantheon) for him, his family, and his closest friends to get away from it all. A pretty cool place which would have been much cooler if any of the buildings were actually still standing.
Also, a few of the gurls we know made us and some other friends a feast to end all American feasts…at least those cooked by students in Rome. They made us roasted chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy, steamed vegetables, home made cookies, ice cream, and cherry pie. It was simply amazing…the first real amarican food I’d had (besides hard rock) since I left for Europe. Super duper good, props to the gurls.
I suppose that’s about it, I shant bore you any longer with my adventures, it’s time for all of you to go back to work and make that money. I’ll write sonly, no plans yet for this weekend, but I’m workin on it…might just go to Paris, by myself ‘cause I can’t seem to find anyone who wants to go. Whatev, they’re loss.
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Monday, October 24, 2005
Sorry MSU, your couch burning has been One Up-ed...
Howdy ya’ll. Commin in with your weekly fix of ignorant American ranting about ‘stupid’ Europeans. This past week was a little more eventful than the previous one, with the weekend standing out with things actually done instead of those not accomplished.
This Saturday, I went to Perusia for the yearly chocolate festival. Deemed THE chocolate festival throughout all of Italy, I decided, as one who would marry chocolate if it were legal, that I should probably check this thing out. However, it wasn’t as I had expected when I arrived. Personally, I had envisioned something along the lines of Willie Wonka taking over Perusia for a week and flooding the streets with chocolate, fountiants made of chocolate spewing more chocolate everywhere, perhaps a waterfall somewhere and maybe even an Umpa Loompa in the mix. To my dismay, none of these things became a reality as I was left to wander the small, over-crowded streets from over-priced tent to another, spending way too much money on chocolate that I don’t particularly “need” but figured that I should probably get anyway. Despite my chocolate hopes and dreams lasting as long as a buckeye’s hopes ever being cool, it was still a pretty good time and I’m glad I went. Got to experience popcorn smothered in chocolate syrup and the most delicious hot chocolate ever conceived by beast, man, or God…more of a melted chocolate in a cup than your conventional swiss mix; truly the most delectable beverage that I will most likely experience here, followed closely by Wieksee Witte and Guinness.
So the chocolate festival was cool and I would show you pictures of it…but on the way back, while switching busses, it somehow managed to be pilfered from my being, hence, no pictures yet (I’ll try and take some other peoples pictures form their cameras and post them). So, this now means that all that awesome birthday money you guys supplied me with will now be going toward a brand new, over-priced, shiny digital camera. Hopefully I can try to get a deal somewhere, though it appears that all electronic devices in Italy are much more expensive than in the states, sometimes being more euros than dollars. So that sucks, but, as usual, we’ll play through.
To help to ease the “man, you’re a dumb-ass” syndrome I felt all Saturday night afterwards I decided to go to an event at which I could have possibly been killed on Sunday…the Roma v. Lazio soccer (which will here-on-out be referred to as ‘futboll’ with a U instead of two O’s so as not to be confused with American Football.). The Roma/Lazio rivalry can be compared to that of a Michigan/Ohio State rivalry with a twist of Michigan/Michigan State rivalry thrown in since Lazio is the region in which Rome resides…kind of like the state system back in the U.S. So, it’s basically like putting two caged bulls into a stadium on opposite sides and saying “ok, now play nicely.”
Riot police padded us down as we entered the stadium, making sure we didn’t have any sharp objects with which to kill our opponents fans (literally) and to make sure our names on the IDs handed matched those, along w/the birthdates, printed on our tickets…a new policy implemented two months ago to help prevent ticket scalping. After being thoroughly groped, we made our way to our seats…in the Lazio section, who are deemed the most violent and aggressive fans in all of Italy. I made sure to not wear anything with the Roma colors. After entering the stadium, I noticed about 40-60 riot geared police manning just our section, making their shields and night sticks clearly visible, along with the +5 German Sheppard attack dogs that escorted the fine police officers.
I fortunately didn’t have the pleasure of a chance encounter with these dogs or their wooden beating sticks, however, I was witness to a little stick usage on a fight that broke out in a section next to ours near the field…it was pretty crazy how responsive and aggressive the police were…they take zero shit from anyone. The other comforting factor of the stadium was how each individual seating area is sectioned off on the terrace level outside of the seating with huge steal walls, so that fans can’t go attack other fans.
Despite all these “safety precautions,” the game was amazing, ending sadly in a 1-1 tie. Goal scoring was possibly the most interesting thing that happened concerning the fans. It was as if each fan in the section of the scoring team had won the world lottery of 2 billion dollars or something similar. They went absolutely bizzerk, jumping up and down, hugging, singing, and I think I even saw a few of them shed some tears of joy. Absolute madness ensued for about 3 minutes until the team on the field, who did basically the same as the fans, collected itself and decided it was time to continue the game. I’ve never seen any fans so excited about basically anything as they were about a goal. Something that everyone should experience along with the amazing art…a European futboll game.
Those are the two main events of the past week and, fortunately for your reading pleasure, my roommate Chalan and I just booked a trip to Scotland for this upcoming weekend, so there will be much to be told. We fly into Glasgow Thursday night, then Friday night we’re going to go to some other town for the night (since we have no place to stay in Glasgow), then back to Glasgow Saturday night and home Sunday afternoon. Our main goal is to find some immortal highlander and behead him, hence taking his immortality and being left to battle the few other immortals and adversaries until the end of time…just like the books, movies, and syndicated TV series based on the books and movies. However, if that doesn’t work out, I think going to see Nessey at Loch Ness would be in order along with seeing some super old castles and various other cool, Scottish country-side type deals. If anyone knows anything about Scotland and or places we should see/visit, please lemme know.
As for now, I have to go watch an Italian movie in place of one of our classes this week. It’s about a radio host who had a non-biased political radio program during the 70’s in Italy while there were large communist and democratic movements being held. I believe the host was ultimately killed by the communist party (The Reds) for entertaining the democrats. So, Frank, remember not to befriend any of these communists ‘cause apparently the moral of the story is that they’ll kill any radio hosts who they don’t like. With that, I’m out to be bored by a movie I don’t understand about a history I know nothing about by a ‘famed’ Italian director, which probably makes it some indie thing, making it most likely somewhat bizarre in its story line and style of shooting and production.
Ciao,
Jon boy
This Saturday, I went to Perusia for the yearly chocolate festival. Deemed THE chocolate festival throughout all of Italy, I decided, as one who would marry chocolate if it were legal, that I should probably check this thing out. However, it wasn’t as I had expected when I arrived. Personally, I had envisioned something along the lines of Willie Wonka taking over Perusia for a week and flooding the streets with chocolate, fountiants made of chocolate spewing more chocolate everywhere, perhaps a waterfall somewhere and maybe even an Umpa Loompa in the mix. To my dismay, none of these things became a reality as I was left to wander the small, over-crowded streets from over-priced tent to another, spending way too much money on chocolate that I don’t particularly “need” but figured that I should probably get anyway. Despite my chocolate hopes and dreams lasting as long as a buckeye’s hopes ever being cool, it was still a pretty good time and I’m glad I went. Got to experience popcorn smothered in chocolate syrup and the most delicious hot chocolate ever conceived by beast, man, or God…more of a melted chocolate in a cup than your conventional swiss mix; truly the most delectable beverage that I will most likely experience here, followed closely by Wieksee Witte and Guinness.
So the chocolate festival was cool and I would show you pictures of it…but on the way back, while switching busses, it somehow managed to be pilfered from my being, hence, no pictures yet (I’ll try and take some other peoples pictures form their cameras and post them). So, this now means that all that awesome birthday money you guys supplied me with will now be going toward a brand new, over-priced, shiny digital camera. Hopefully I can try to get a deal somewhere, though it appears that all electronic devices in Italy are much more expensive than in the states, sometimes being more euros than dollars. So that sucks, but, as usual, we’ll play through.
To help to ease the “man, you’re a dumb-ass” syndrome I felt all Saturday night afterwards I decided to go to an event at which I could have possibly been killed on Sunday…the Roma v. Lazio soccer (which will here-on-out be referred to as ‘futboll’ with a U instead of two O’s so as not to be confused with American Football.). The Roma/Lazio rivalry can be compared to that of a Michigan/Ohio State rivalry with a twist of Michigan/Michigan State rivalry thrown in since Lazio is the region in which Rome resides…kind of like the state system back in the U.S. So, it’s basically like putting two caged bulls into a stadium on opposite sides and saying “ok, now play nicely.”
Riot police padded us down as we entered the stadium, making sure we didn’t have any sharp objects with which to kill our opponents fans (literally) and to make sure our names on the IDs handed matched those, along w/the birthdates, printed on our tickets…a new policy implemented two months ago to help prevent ticket scalping. After being thoroughly groped, we made our way to our seats…in the Lazio section, who are deemed the most violent and aggressive fans in all of Italy. I made sure to not wear anything with the Roma colors. After entering the stadium, I noticed about 40-60 riot geared police manning just our section, making their shields and night sticks clearly visible, along with the +5 German Sheppard attack dogs that escorted the fine police officers.
I fortunately didn’t have the pleasure of a chance encounter with these dogs or their wooden beating sticks, however, I was witness to a little stick usage on a fight that broke out in a section next to ours near the field…it was pretty crazy how responsive and aggressive the police were…they take zero shit from anyone. The other comforting factor of the stadium was how each individual seating area is sectioned off on the terrace level outside of the seating with huge steal walls, so that fans can’t go attack other fans.
Despite all these “safety precautions,” the game was amazing, ending sadly in a 1-1 tie. Goal scoring was possibly the most interesting thing that happened concerning the fans. It was as if each fan in the section of the scoring team had won the world lottery of 2 billion dollars or something similar. They went absolutely bizzerk, jumping up and down, hugging, singing, and I think I even saw a few of them shed some tears of joy. Absolute madness ensued for about 3 minutes until the team on the field, who did basically the same as the fans, collected itself and decided it was time to continue the game. I’ve never seen any fans so excited about basically anything as they were about a goal. Something that everyone should experience along with the amazing art…a European futboll game.
Those are the two main events of the past week and, fortunately for your reading pleasure, my roommate Chalan and I just booked a trip to Scotland for this upcoming weekend, so there will be much to be told. We fly into Glasgow Thursday night, then Friday night we’re going to go to some other town for the night (since we have no place to stay in Glasgow), then back to Glasgow Saturday night and home Sunday afternoon. Our main goal is to find some immortal highlander and behead him, hence taking his immortality and being left to battle the few other immortals and adversaries until the end of time…just like the books, movies, and syndicated TV series based on the books and movies. However, if that doesn’t work out, I think going to see Nessey at Loch Ness would be in order along with seeing some super old castles and various other cool, Scottish country-side type deals. If anyone knows anything about Scotland and or places we should see/visit, please lemme know.
As for now, I have to go watch an Italian movie in place of one of our classes this week. It’s about a radio host who had a non-biased political radio program during the 70’s in Italy while there were large communist and democratic movements being held. I believe the host was ultimately killed by the communist party (The Reds) for entertaining the democrats. So, Frank, remember not to befriend any of these communists ‘cause apparently the moral of the story is that they’ll kill any radio hosts who they don’t like. With that, I’m out to be bored by a movie I don’t understand about a history I know nothing about by a ‘famed’ Italian director, which probably makes it some indie thing, making it most likely somewhat bizarre in its story line and style of shooting and production.
Ciao,
Jon boy
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Pimp My...old delapitated vespa?
Well, I’ve just finished taking an exam in Marketing, Art History, and Italian, along with working on a marketing project, or at least the part that is due Thursday. I now have time available to inform anyone still left reading this what’s goin on.
Christine Folley came and visited here from Wednesday until early Sunday morning…so for all practical purposes Wednesday to Saturday. It was pretty cool to actually prove to my roommate that I do indeed know other people and am privileged enough to call them friends. She saw sights while I was in class and I also took her around the Vatican Museums, trying to regurgitate as much jumbled, random information as I could remember from my visit there the previous week. It wasn’t much, but it was almost enough to feel somewhat cool. I had a good time and was thankful for the visitor to help me not think about the exams I had to take today…which I then regretted not studying for before Sunday (don’t worry parents, I did fine).
If anyone else wants to come visit…too bad, I plan on not having time for you unless you come between Monday-Thursday because hopefully I will be traveling places…hopefully. But yea, sorry…unless you’re somehow related to me, then I can make an exception…and if you’re really hot and can’t wait to date me, then you can come too.
On a lighter note, things here are pretty much the same, though I’m started to get a little upset at how ‘real’ this school is. I didn’t sign up to study, I signed up for a four month vacation in Europe (don’t tell my parents that). Oh well, I suppose I have to learn this stuff eventually eh? No worries, it’s still ok here, I suppose. Just joshin, it’s pretty freakin sweet, though I don’t think I’d ever want to permanently go to school here…too small. Also, apparently my family is going to win the lottery on the Tuesday night drawing (tonight) according to my mother…so, when I get back home, I’ll be rich, just an FYI. So, that’ll be nice.
As usual, I’m still single…incase anyone had the freaky idea I wasn’t. It’s very upsetting that there are so many cool, hot gurls here (about a 75/25 ratio) and they all freakin have boyfriends back home. Ugh, it disgusts me. All I can do is take in the eye candy, like the creepy guy w/the shades on in the corner. So anyone in Hollywood reading this, I’ve got the creepy-guy-in-the-corner roll down solid. Oh well, I suppose I’ll just have to wait until I get back to the “fine” selection of Belmont gurls (non-existent) .
Oh, funny side note I just remembered. Sorry, this entry is definitely super random ‘cause I can’t think of anything else to write. Anyhoo, Europeans seem to fancy American television shows, either by dubbing them, leaving them in English, or (the best one) coming up with their own version of a show. The best and most awesome example of all for this is called “Pimp My Wheels.” Yes, it’s pretty much what you think, a blatant copy of MTV’s “Pimp My Ride”…and if you thought that, you’d be right. It’s a show on MTV Italia that has a 5 person boy band hosting the show instead of X-Zibit. But that’s not the best part. Because Italy is so small, everyone rides around in freaking Smart Cars and Mopeds…so those are the kind of ‘wheels’ these heterosexually questionable gentlemen ever so kindly ‘pimp.’ It’s pretty hilarious, the guys will walk up to crappy little moped, make fun of it, have it taken to some West Coast Customs imitator, and then when it’s done, it’ll have gold rims and flame graphics and all this stupid ass stuff on it which just makes it look ridiculous. Apparently they have an American Idol knock off too, but I haven’t had the fortune of seeing such a spectacle seeing as we don’t have a TV and I have to mooch that kind of thing off other people.
Ok, I’ve babbled about nothing for long enough, back to your lives. I’ll talk to you soonly, hopefully with something to actually say next time.
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Christine Folley came and visited here from Wednesday until early Sunday morning…so for all practical purposes Wednesday to Saturday. It was pretty cool to actually prove to my roommate that I do indeed know other people and am privileged enough to call them friends. She saw sights while I was in class and I also took her around the Vatican Museums, trying to regurgitate as much jumbled, random information as I could remember from my visit there the previous week. It wasn’t much, but it was almost enough to feel somewhat cool. I had a good time and was thankful for the visitor to help me not think about the exams I had to take today…which I then regretted not studying for before Sunday (don’t worry parents, I did fine).
If anyone else wants to come visit…too bad, I plan on not having time for you unless you come between Monday-Thursday because hopefully I will be traveling places…hopefully. But yea, sorry…unless you’re somehow related to me, then I can make an exception…and if you’re really hot and can’t wait to date me, then you can come too.
On a lighter note, things here are pretty much the same, though I’m started to get a little upset at how ‘real’ this school is. I didn’t sign up to study, I signed up for a four month vacation in Europe (don’t tell my parents that). Oh well, I suppose I have to learn this stuff eventually eh? No worries, it’s still ok here, I suppose. Just joshin, it’s pretty freakin sweet, though I don’t think I’d ever want to permanently go to school here…too small. Also, apparently my family is going to win the lottery on the Tuesday night drawing (tonight) according to my mother…so, when I get back home, I’ll be rich, just an FYI. So, that’ll be nice.
As usual, I’m still single…incase anyone had the freaky idea I wasn’t. It’s very upsetting that there are so many cool, hot gurls here (about a 75/25 ratio) and they all freakin have boyfriends back home. Ugh, it disgusts me. All I can do is take in the eye candy, like the creepy guy w/the shades on in the corner. So anyone in Hollywood reading this, I’ve got the creepy-guy-in-the-corner roll down solid. Oh well, I suppose I’ll just have to wait until I get back to the “fine” selection of Belmont gurls
Oh, funny side note I just remembered. Sorry, this entry is definitely super random ‘cause I can’t think of anything else to write. Anyhoo, Europeans seem to fancy American television shows, either by dubbing them, leaving them in English, or (the best one) coming up with their own version of a show. The best and most awesome example of all for this is called “Pimp My Wheels.” Yes, it’s pretty much what you think, a blatant copy of MTV’s “Pimp My Ride”…and if you thought that, you’d be right. It’s a show on MTV Italia that has a 5 person boy band hosting the show instead of X-Zibit. But that’s not the best part. Because Italy is so small, everyone rides around in freaking Smart Cars and Mopeds…so those are the kind of ‘wheels’ these heterosexually questionable gentlemen ever so kindly ‘pimp.’ It’s pretty hilarious, the guys will walk up to crappy little moped, make fun of it, have it taken to some West Coast Customs imitator, and then when it’s done, it’ll have gold rims and flame graphics and all this stupid ass stuff on it which just makes it look ridiculous. Apparently they have an American Idol knock off too, but I haven’t had the fortune of seeing such a spectacle seeing as we don’t have a TV and I have to mooch that kind of thing off other people.
Ok, I’ve babbled about nothing for long enough, back to your lives. I’ll talk to you soonly, hopefully with something to actually say next time.
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Eating up all those paint chips, Vatican style
To leave the Vatican Museums after really taking in some of the art, historical artifacts, architecture, and sculptures engulfing the giant edifice without being completely humbled would cause one to suspect that you just might to be beaten, or shipped home ‘cause you’re a loud obnoxious American tourist. Fortunately, I can stay because the feeling and amazement that complexly engulfs you when you stare at something such as La Stanza e Loggia di Raffaello(http://www.christusrex.org/www1/stanzas/0-Raphael.html), The Last Judgment(http://www.abcgallery.com/M/michelangelo/michelangelo54.html), Raphael's Transfiguration(http://www.eyeconart.net/history/Renaissance/transfiguration.htm), or The Sistine Chapel(http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/CSN/CSN_Main.html) (yes, I know the last judgment is part of the chapel, but it’s good enough to get it’s own link) was incredibly captivating and indescribable through my poor English skills. If you don’t plan on ever going to The Vatican in your lifetime, shame on you. It’s too amazing to never see in person. Details not able to be captured by photograph are clearly visible and you can’t get the exuberance, the pure adrenaline rush that runs through you when here by looking at a picture in a book or magazine. I took some pictures that I’ll put online later in the week, though I’m not sure how well they turned out considering my camera is meant for outdoor, nothing fancey pictures. I’ll do my best to edit them so they’re good to look at, though.
On a lighter note, it’s been raining all day yesterday and today so far, which has been pretty crappy, though I was in the museums most of the day yesterday and inside today mostly, so it could have been worse. It does kind of stink for those who went on trips to Cinque Terra or Florence or wherever ‘cause it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop any time soon. Glad I stayed back to go to the Vatican instead.
Hell week one is officially over, only to make way for Hell week number two, coming up in the middle of October. Multiple tests, a quiz, and a presentation all completed in due fashion. Fortunatly, we have our party coming up and Miss Foley is coming to visit this week, should be a good time. Always nice to hang out w/part of the U of M crew…especially in Rome. Should be a good windown week before it’s time to gear it back up again.
Another nice thing is that our apt. is currently being cleaned thoroughly by the landlord for free…boo ya. It desperately needs it since we don’t have a vacume and have to rely solely on a tiny, inadequate Swiffer to clean our floors. Hurray for their bleach mops and electronic sucking machines. And new, clean sheats on our beds, yusss.
I also finished Angels & Demons yesterday…pretty sweet book. Now it’s time to go take a look at all the places in the book in a little more detail than just passing by them when walking somewhere. I already got to go check out the Dove at the top of the Fontana Dei Fiumi in Piazza Navona. Can say that I never actually saw the dove there before reading the book. My next visit will be to the Pantheon, which, saying disappointed in myself, I have yet to go inside. I’d talk a lot more about it, but I’d rather not ruin the book for anyone who has yet to delve into it’s cleverly written tale. I suppose it’s back to the Chronicles of Narnia for now, though after yesterday, I’ve added a few large books to the ever growing list of books I’d like to read but appear to never have time in which to partake, including Dante’s Inferno/Divine Comedies, along with a few tales by Homer and Virgil. I’ll just pile those on the stack of books in my room back home, lol.
That’s about it from this side of the pond, I’ll catch you cats on da flip side,
Ciao,
Jon Boy
On a lighter note, it’s been raining all day yesterday and today so far, which has been pretty crappy, though I was in the museums most of the day yesterday and inside today mostly, so it could have been worse. It does kind of stink for those who went on trips to Cinque Terra or Florence or wherever ‘cause it doesn’t look like it’s going to stop any time soon. Glad I stayed back to go to the Vatican instead.
Hell week one is officially over, only to make way for Hell week number two, coming up in the middle of October. Multiple tests, a quiz, and a presentation all completed in due fashion. Fortunatly, we have our party coming up and Miss Foley is coming to visit this week, should be a good time. Always nice to hang out w/part of the U of M crew…especially in Rome. Should be a good windown week before it’s time to gear it back up again.
Another nice thing is that our apt. is currently being cleaned thoroughly by the landlord for free…boo ya. It desperately needs it since we don’t have a vacume and have to rely solely on a tiny, inadequate Swiffer to clean our floors. Hurray for their bleach mops and electronic sucking machines. And new, clean sheats on our beds, yusss.
I also finished Angels & Demons yesterday…pretty sweet book. Now it’s time to go take a look at all the places in the book in a little more detail than just passing by them when walking somewhere. I already got to go check out the Dove at the top of the Fontana Dei Fiumi in Piazza Navona. Can say that I never actually saw the dove there before reading the book. My next visit will be to the Pantheon, which, saying disappointed in myself, I have yet to go inside. I’d talk a lot more about it, but I’d rather not ruin the book for anyone who has yet to delve into it’s cleverly written tale. I suppose it’s back to the Chronicles of Narnia for now, though after yesterday, I’ve added a few large books to the ever growing list of books I’d like to read but appear to never have time in which to partake, including Dante’s Inferno/Divine Comedies, along with a few tales by Homer and Virgil. I’ll just pile those on the stack of books in my room back home, lol.
That’s about it from this side of the pond, I’ll catch you cats on da flip side,
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Sleepless in Seatle...I mean...Boring In Rome
Well, it’s October. I’ve been here officially a month. I haven’t traveled as much as I would like to have said by now, but I think I might be making up for it in the near future. I keep saying that, but it’s really going to happen, though I’ll refrain from mentioning places so as not to arise false hopes from anyone else.
Exam’s are starting to kick in, starting this week off with a massive Finance cram session yesterday and today (hence why I didn’t write yesterday). That one is tomorrow, and then can relax Thursday w/our weekly party. Which also needs mentioning that we’ve decided to have a Black Tie & Champagne party on the 13th for a duo birthday bash at our place for myself and Chalan’s belated celebration. Should be fun. Dressing up and Campaigning…kinda like Tacos & Champagne, except there’s no Mexican food here unfortunately. So I have that to look forward to.
I’ve also interrupted my Chronicles of Narnia with Angels & Demons, which I figured I should read while I’m in the city it’s located in…which rocks ‘cause I actually know what they’re talking about. I can be like “yea, I was there yesterday for class” and it’s true. It’s a pretty good book too.
Hhhhmmmm. Other than that, nothing has happened here other than class and the usual schedule I unfortunately find myself in now. However, I intend to change that this weekend by doing something fun. I don’t know what, but something. Sorry this is so boring, all I’ve been doing is studying, reading Dan Brown, eating, sleeping, and trying to relax after studying, so I don’t have much to say. Maybe I’ll think of a rant later and post one, who knows. Anyhoo, thanks everyone who’s e-mailed, I appreciate them all…I’ll write everyone back eventually, I swear. I’ll talk to “ya’ll” later,
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Exam’s are starting to kick in, starting this week off with a massive Finance cram session yesterday and today (hence why I didn’t write yesterday). That one is tomorrow, and then can relax Thursday w/our weekly party. Which also needs mentioning that we’ve decided to have a Black Tie & Champagne party on the 13th for a duo birthday bash at our place for myself and Chalan’s belated celebration. Should be fun. Dressing up and Campaigning…kinda like Tacos & Champagne, except there’s no Mexican food here unfortunately. So I have that to look forward to.
I’ve also interrupted my Chronicles of Narnia with Angels & Demons, which I figured I should read while I’m in the city it’s located in…which rocks ‘cause I actually know what they’re talking about. I can be like “yea, I was there yesterday for class” and it’s true. It’s a pretty good book too.
Hhhhmmmm. Other than that, nothing has happened here other than class and the usual schedule I unfortunately find myself in now. However, I intend to change that this weekend by doing something fun. I don’t know what, but something. Sorry this is so boring, all I’ve been doing is studying, reading Dan Brown, eating, sleeping, and trying to relax after studying, so I don’t have much to say. Maybe I’ll think of a rant later and post one, who knows. Anyhoo, thanks everyone who’s e-mailed, I appreciate them all…I’ll write everyone back eventually, I swear. I’ll talk to “ya’ll” later,
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Sunday, September 25, 2005
Keep on Rockin...Hard
It will probably please a few of the women and upset many of the men who read this when I say that, with the persuasion of roommates and building-mates, I’ve started watching Sex and The City…and it’s pretty good. I’m one episode shy of finishing Season 1 and apparently Maria (lives above me) has every season on DVD. So, I’ll probably see all the episodes before I leave Rome, come home a professional SATC know-it-all…and lose all credibility as a guy. But, as they say, when in Rome…
Other than that, the most exciting thing that has actually happened since the trip to Capri would be going to, and actually eating at, Hard Rock Café. It’s been almost a month since I got here (which is, in itself, just ridiculous, feels like it’s been about a week or two) and since then, I haven’t had any “American” food, though I’ve attempted by getting the Italian equivalent to a burger which is nothing really of the sort. However, Hard Rock does the American food world justice by serving up a little slice of heaven in the form of chicken wings, french fries, hamburgers, and various other delectable all found and your favorite place just down the street in America. This was a lovely treat since I’ve had pizza every day at least once (yes, I’ve kept track) since I’ve been here…which I’m not complaining about, but having a real burger was a good break.
The other nice thing about Hard Rock, other than the rockin’ jams, was the fact that it was the first time since being here that I didn’t feel like a foreigner. Everyone spoke English, and not broken English either, real ‘I-grew-up-speaking-English’ English. It kind of felt like a home away from home type place, which was pretty nice.
In other news, I’m fairly sure that this weekend a few of us (not sure who exactly yet) will be going to Cinque Terre. This is an area comprised of five very small cities that are connected via roads and hiking trails which is ,from the pictures I’ve seen, very picturesque. Following this, it appears as though I’ll be going to Paris for my birthday weekend (not a bad way to spend it, eh?). I have no idea what to really expect from either of these excursions, but I think they’ll be a good time. I don’t think we’ll run into as many stupid, drunken American tourists traveling around islands topless on boats, which is a good thing. The less stupid drunken Americans I can find, the better.
Which brings me to another thing I’ve found to be true, and that is that, in general, stereotypes, though a shunned thing in modern society, are usually pretty accurate. Case in Point…Stupid American Tourists, specifically of the college/younger age. Before I came to Europe, I’d heard things to the likes of people outside North America basically don’t like Americans because they’re loud, obnoxious, cocky, arrogant, rude, and just plain not nice. Well, since coming here, I’ve come to the conclusion that this is entirely true. A large proportion of the Americans I encounter here are just that. This doesn’t mean that they aren’t that way back home, they probably are, but here, the culture make these type of loud and obnoxious people stand out like a soar thumb for which you have no band-aid and can’t stop the bleeding…and then it gets infected and you have to go to the hospital only to find out that you’ve, in fact, gotten Gang Green and now that thumb must be amputated. Fortunatly for me, I don’t hang out w/those kind of Americans. We try to be as unobtrusively loud as possible (even when having parties) and attempt to blend is as much as possible, my new goal from now on is to not be noticeable that I’m an American just from my appearance and ‘attitude’ when I go out in public, just to see if it’s possible. It happened once already when I was walking around and a lady asked me in Italian for directions to some store. When I gave her the patented “Deer In Headlights” look signifying I had no idea what the heck she had just said and then added the “uuhhhh” with it, she then realized I wasn’t an Italian speaking person. However, this was on accident, though if I can do I on accident, hopefully I can do it on purpose too. So, basically, if you come to Europe, just don’t get completely shit-faced, become loud, yell at people, stumble around drunk, and have the “I’m better than all of you” mentality, please, ‘cause you’re making the rest of us look like complete jack-asses.
This transitions me nicely into another thing, visiting me and Rome. www.studentunivers.com is a pretty super duper place to go for cheap plane tickets…which is something I wish I had known before I bought my ticket to come here on British Airways. Since you can stay in my place for free, that’s your only expense other than food and whatever you buy here, so if anyone wants to come visit, just holla back youngin. There are also some nice hostels and hotels in the area if you want to do that too.
Finally, tonight, while a few of us were walking around looking for some good pizza, I stumbled across a band I had seen two days ago playing on Ponte Sisto, the bridge right by my place. Tonight, they were right in front of the bridge, jamming out. They’re actually really good and I bought their CD. Their called Funkallisto and you can check them out at www.funkallisto.net and I’ll put their music online so you can download it for free. It’s pretty fun, just basically instrumental jam music. Good stuff, you should check them out.
Ok, I’m pretty darn tired, so I’m going to go to bed and post this thing tomorrow. I’ll catch you guys lata,
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Other than that, the most exciting thing that has actually happened since the trip to Capri would be going to, and actually eating at, Hard Rock Café. It’s been almost a month since I got here (which is, in itself, just ridiculous, feels like it’s been about a week or two) and since then, I haven’t had any “American” food, though I’ve attempted by getting the Italian equivalent to a burger which is nothing really of the sort. However, Hard Rock does the American food world justice by serving up a little slice of heaven in the form of chicken wings, french fries, hamburgers, and various other delectable all found and your favorite place just down the street in America. This was a lovely treat since I’ve had pizza every day at least once (yes, I’ve kept track) since I’ve been here…which I’m not complaining about, but having a real burger was a good break.
The other nice thing about Hard Rock, other than the rockin’ jams, was the fact that it was the first time since being here that I didn’t feel like a foreigner. Everyone spoke English, and not broken English either, real ‘I-grew-up-speaking-English’ English. It kind of felt like a home away from home type place, which was pretty nice.
In other news, I’m fairly sure that this weekend a few of us (not sure who exactly yet) will be going to Cinque Terre. This is an area comprised of five very small cities that are connected via roads and hiking trails which is ,from the pictures I’ve seen, very picturesque. Following this, it appears as though I’ll be going to Paris for my birthday weekend (not a bad way to spend it, eh?). I have no idea what to really expect from either of these excursions, but I think they’ll be a good time. I don’t think we’ll run into as many stupid, drunken American tourists traveling around islands topless on boats, which is a good thing. The less stupid drunken Americans I can find, the better.
Which brings me to another thing I’ve found to be true, and that is that, in general, stereotypes, though a shunned thing in modern society, are usually pretty accurate. Case in Point…Stupid American Tourists, specifically of the college/younger age. Before I came to Europe, I’d heard things to the likes of people outside North America basically don’t like Americans because they’re loud, obnoxious, cocky, arrogant, rude, and just plain not nice. Well, since coming here, I’ve come to the conclusion that this is entirely true. A large proportion of the Americans I encounter here are just that. This doesn’t mean that they aren’t that way back home, they probably are, but here, the culture make these type of loud and obnoxious people stand out like a soar thumb for which you have no band-aid and can’t stop the bleeding…and then it gets infected and you have to go to the hospital only to find out that you’ve, in fact, gotten Gang Green and now that thumb must be amputated. Fortunatly for me, I don’t hang out w/those kind of Americans. We try to be as unobtrusively loud as possible (even when having parties) and attempt to blend is as much as possible, my new goal from now on is to not be noticeable that I’m an American just from my appearance and ‘attitude’ when I go out in public, just to see if it’s possible. It happened once already when I was walking around and a lady asked me in Italian for directions to some store. When I gave her the patented “Deer In Headlights” look signifying I had no idea what the heck she had just said and then added the “uuhhhh” with it, she then realized I wasn’t an Italian speaking person. However, this was on accident, though if I can do I on accident, hopefully I can do it on purpose too. So, basically, if you come to Europe, just don’t get completely shit-faced, become loud, yell at people, stumble around drunk, and have the “I’m better than all of you” mentality, please, ‘cause you’re making the rest of us look like complete jack-asses.
This transitions me nicely into another thing, visiting me and Rome. www.studentunivers.com is a pretty super duper place to go for cheap plane tickets…which is something I wish I had known before I bought my ticket to come here on British Airways. Since you can stay in my place for free, that’s your only expense other than food and whatever you buy here, so if anyone wants to come visit, just holla back youngin. There are also some nice hostels and hotels in the area if you want to do that too.
Finally, tonight, while a few of us were walking around looking for some good pizza, I stumbled across a band I had seen two days ago playing on Ponte Sisto, the bridge right by my place. Tonight, they were right in front of the bridge, jamming out. They’re actually really good and I bought their CD. Their called Funkallisto and you can check them out at www.funkallisto.net and I’ll put their music online so you can download it for free. It’s pretty fun, just basically instrumental jam music. Good stuff, you should check them out.
Ok, I’m pretty darn tired, so I’m going to go to bed and post this thing tomorrow. I’ll catch you guys lata,
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Monday, September 19, 2005
Copulation in Capri?...not if the Romans can help it...
Well, I’ve survived my first “road trip” in Europe. Pretty cool that it was to the Isle of Capri (cApri, not caprI…the A is stressed instead of the I the way most people pronounce it). To change it up a little bit, I have decided to describe the major portions of the trip in a Does/Don’ts type outline in chronological order.
DO have a party the night before you go to Capri. Have people over, have a good time, go out to the bar afterwards and just make a night of it. DO NOT let sketchy Italians sneak into your party who lie and say they’re from New Jersey (when they’re clearly not). Also, DO NOT stay out until 5am at some underground club in Campo De Fiori, drinking your friends drinks which sketchy Italian men buy her for free and be completely hung over for the entire train and boat ride. I didn’t go to this club, but was still hung-over….wouldn’t recommend being hung-over on ferry boats.
When you get to Napoli (or Naples, as it shows on English maps), if you’re feeling adventurous, DO walk from the train station to the port where you can catch the ferry to Capri. It’s only about a mile long walk total and it isn’t too hard to find…just go to the water. However, DO NOT pick up the bloody syringes you find on the way to the port. Most likely they’re no longer sanitary and, well, you could very well die if you decide to shoot up someone else’s cocaine/blood cocktail. After seeing a few of these, I decided that Napoli isn’t the safest city ever and I have no desire to go down there ever again…unless it’s to purchase some hot phones or electronic equipment from the maphia for super cheap. I would have already done so but I figured the phone guy would be there on the way back…too bad he wasn’t, the new Motorola Razor camera phone for 50 Euros sounded like a deal to me.
Once you get to the Island, DO take a taxi to your hostel in Anacapri, DO NOT wait the hour plus it takes for the bus to arrive at the port to pick you up…unless you have time to spare, in which case it’s way cheaper (1.30/person compared to about 6/person).
Now, you’ve gotten to the hostel, checked out the quaint town of Anacapri a bit and am beat from the trip, so you sleep. When you wake, DO go to the best “beach” on the island at Marina Picola. I quote beach because, personally, I didn’t find it to be very beach-ey other than the fact that water washed ashore. A beach to me has sand…this was all small rocks/stones/pebbles. However, it was still amazingly beautiful, so go, and just ignore the rocky bottom. When you go, I suggest jumping off the rocks they have in the harbor, there are ropes attached to them so you can climb them and what not. But when you swim back to the shore or the launch dock, DO NOT get stung by the jelly fish in the small bay. Lars’ chest was red for a few hours after that one.
Once you eat afterwards and you skin starts to look more like a hide than a tomato, DO take the private boat trip around the island. You guide will speak enough English to tell you all about what is going on with all the history and who owns all the super large mansions. He’ll be able to get you real close and drop you off at all four of the major Grottos (white, coral, green, and finally blue). The Blue Grotto is absolutely amazing. Apparently it used to be a huge place on the island at which giant orgies would take place, but the Roman government wasn’t too fond of this (though they don’t care of you wear clothes and encourage public co-ed bathing…go figured) so they banned it and claimed the grotto to be cursed. Now, however, we don’t care that it’s cursed and we go anyways, and hey, why not ‘cause if that’s what cursed looks and feels like, then find me the nearest which doctor and let him do his worst.
When you do take this boat ride, if you happen to stumble upon another boat (of which your driver knows the other driver) comprised of 6 drunk American gurls from The American University who just happen to not be wearing their tops (apparently if you drink 4 bottles of wine between 6 gurls on a boat off the coast of Capri, this is what happens), befriend them. My only word of advice is when they request that you get naked like they are, that you don’t listen. DO NOT go skinny dipping in attempts to please naked women…because they’re bluffing and will simply stop yelling and hooting, get a drunk and stupid look on their face, and command that their boat operator take them to the Blue Grotto. This will probably leave you somewhat confused, possibly a little upset and maybe slightly bitter. You may soon forget about it, but when you get back home and find out that the two gurls on your boat who didn’t partake in the suit-less swimming (one did, she’s way cooler than the other two…unless mom is reading this, in which case this never happened…I swear…) took pictures of the whole fiasco, you’ll remember that those gurls in the boat sucked and thought that they definitely had had enough booze to get into the water with you. Oh well, at least the driver of the American University student’s boat had a good time.
After you finish your boat ride and Grotto swimming, you’ll get hungry, go eat, stumble across an art gallery and buy an un-finished painting that you pick up the next day. Don’t worry, this is perfectly normal, especially considering it’s a cool painting. When you make it back to the hostel, DO become addicted to a crazy Japanese form of crossword puzzle called Su Doku (http://www.sudoku.com). It uses numbers instead of words (hurray!) and is very fun and a good mental workout. But don’t bust out your jogging clothes just yet, because you DO NOT want to give your newly purchased Su Doku book to one of the gurls on the trip who doesn not yet know what it is. It may be difficult to get it back for the train ride, and when you have to sit by yourself, you’ll really want that Su Doku book. You’ll get it back, but with pages missing where said gurl took a few puzzles to work on herself.
Also, that night while you’re eating, DO continue to take pictures and keep track of the memories (‘cause we all know it’s all about the memories). However, I would not recommend that you DO NOT fiddle with your camera trying to remember where the option for Black & White pictures is, have a complete brain fart/mental breakdown, and accidentally format your camera which has every picture you’ve taken since you left for Rome on the memory card. You’ll almost start crying and will hardly believe you did such a thing. The next day, though, you’ll look on the bright side and say that at least your camera isn’t full any more and you are now free to again snap away at all the beautiful scenery.
That night, it may or may not storm incredibly hard with crazy lighting and flood like rains. If it does do this, DO go exploring in the rain and have a jolly good time. Let me make a recommendation here, though; DO NOT take a metal umbrella with you. It generally isn’t a very good idea to go out in crazy lightning with metal rods jettisoning into the sky…you may get electrocuted…or so I’m told. Once Lars and I realized the whole metal rod thing, we promptly went back to our room and simply watched the rain.
Finally, DO your homework before you go on your trip to the Isle of Capri (or any trip, for that matter). DO NOT wait until Monday morning to get up early before class and do it. You’ll get it done and get a 100 on your homework, but then you’re tired while you so dutifully write your blog.
It was a fantastic first trip which will hopefully lead to many many more. I finally got my camera cord, so I’m currently uploading pictures from mine and the other 6’s cameras. Those should be up by Wednesday. I’ll inform all of you when they do make their way onto the double-u double-u double-u so you can get the website and check them out.
SO, I’m going to go get something to eat now ‘cause I’m supa dupa hungry. Keep it going strong back in the States or wherever you may be at the moment. I’ll talk to you guys later,
Ciao,
Jon Boy
DO have a party the night before you go to Capri. Have people over, have a good time, go out to the bar afterwards and just make a night of it. DO NOT let sketchy Italians sneak into your party who lie and say they’re from New Jersey (when they’re clearly not). Also, DO NOT stay out until 5am at some underground club in Campo De Fiori, drinking your friends drinks which sketchy Italian men buy her for free and be completely hung over for the entire train and boat ride. I didn’t go to this club, but was still hung-over….wouldn’t recommend being hung-over on ferry boats.
When you get to Napoli (or Naples, as it shows on English maps), if you’re feeling adventurous, DO walk from the train station to the port where you can catch the ferry to Capri. It’s only about a mile long walk total and it isn’t too hard to find…just go to the water. However, DO NOT pick up the bloody syringes you find on the way to the port. Most likely they’re no longer sanitary and, well, you could very well die if you decide to shoot up someone else’s cocaine/blood cocktail. After seeing a few of these, I decided that Napoli isn’t the safest city ever and I have no desire to go down there ever again…unless it’s to purchase some hot phones or electronic equipment from the maphia for super cheap. I would have already done so but I figured the phone guy would be there on the way back…too bad he wasn’t, the new Motorola Razor camera phone for 50 Euros sounded like a deal to me.
Once you get to the Island, DO take a taxi to your hostel in Anacapri, DO NOT wait the hour plus it takes for the bus to arrive at the port to pick you up…unless you have time to spare, in which case it’s way cheaper (1.30/person compared to about 6/person).
Now, you’ve gotten to the hostel, checked out the quaint town of Anacapri a bit and am beat from the trip, so you sleep. When you wake, DO go to the best “beach” on the island at Marina Picola. I quote beach because, personally, I didn’t find it to be very beach-ey other than the fact that water washed ashore. A beach to me has sand…this was all small rocks/stones/pebbles. However, it was still amazingly beautiful, so go, and just ignore the rocky bottom. When you go, I suggest jumping off the rocks they have in the harbor, there are ropes attached to them so you can climb them and what not. But when you swim back to the shore or the launch dock, DO NOT get stung by the jelly fish in the small bay. Lars’ chest was red for a few hours after that one.
Once you eat afterwards and you skin starts to look more like a hide than a tomato, DO take the private boat trip around the island. You guide will speak enough English to tell you all about what is going on with all the history and who owns all the super large mansions. He’ll be able to get you real close and drop you off at all four of the major Grottos (white, coral, green, and finally blue). The Blue Grotto is absolutely amazing. Apparently it used to be a huge place on the island at which giant orgies would take place, but the Roman government wasn’t too fond of this (though they don’t care of you wear clothes and encourage public co-ed bathing…go figured) so they banned it and claimed the grotto to be cursed. Now, however, we don’t care that it’s cursed and we go anyways, and hey, why not ‘cause if that’s what cursed looks and feels like, then find me the nearest which doctor and let him do his worst.
When you do take this boat ride, if you happen to stumble upon another boat (of which your driver knows the other driver) comprised of 6 drunk American gurls from The American University who just happen to not be wearing their tops (apparently if you drink 4 bottles of wine between 6 gurls on a boat off the coast of Capri, this is what happens), befriend them. My only word of advice is when they request that you get naked like they are, that you don’t listen. DO NOT go skinny dipping in attempts to please naked women…because they’re bluffing and will simply stop yelling and hooting, get a drunk and stupid look on their face, and command that their boat operator take them to the Blue Grotto. This will probably leave you somewhat confused, possibly a little upset and maybe slightly bitter. You may soon forget about it, but when you get back home and find out that the two gurls on your boat who didn’t partake in the suit-less swimming (one did, she’s way cooler than the other two…unless mom is reading this, in which case this never happened…I swear…) took pictures of the whole fiasco, you’ll remember that those gurls in the boat sucked and thought that they definitely had had enough booze to get into the water with you. Oh well, at least the driver of the American University student’s boat had a good time.
After you finish your boat ride and Grotto swimming, you’ll get hungry, go eat, stumble across an art gallery and buy an un-finished painting that you pick up the next day. Don’t worry, this is perfectly normal, especially considering it’s a cool painting. When you make it back to the hostel, DO become addicted to a crazy Japanese form of crossword puzzle called Su Doku (http://www.sudoku.com). It uses numbers instead of words (hurray!) and is very fun and a good mental workout. But don’t bust out your jogging clothes just yet, because you DO NOT want to give your newly purchased Su Doku book to one of the gurls on the trip who doesn not yet know what it is. It may be difficult to get it back for the train ride, and when you have to sit by yourself, you’ll really want that Su Doku book. You’ll get it back, but with pages missing where said gurl took a few puzzles to work on herself.
Also, that night while you’re eating, DO continue to take pictures and keep track of the memories (‘cause we all know it’s all about the memories). However, I would not recommend that you DO NOT fiddle with your camera trying to remember where the option for Black & White pictures is, have a complete brain fart/mental breakdown, and accidentally format your camera which has every picture you’ve taken since you left for Rome on the memory card. You’ll almost start crying and will hardly believe you did such a thing. The next day, though, you’ll look on the bright side and say that at least your camera isn’t full any more and you are now free to again snap away at all the beautiful scenery.
That night, it may or may not storm incredibly hard with crazy lighting and flood like rains. If it does do this, DO go exploring in the rain and have a jolly good time. Let me make a recommendation here, though; DO NOT take a metal umbrella with you. It generally isn’t a very good idea to go out in crazy lightning with metal rods jettisoning into the sky…you may get electrocuted…or so I’m told. Once Lars and I realized the whole metal rod thing, we promptly went back to our room and simply watched the rain.
Finally, DO your homework before you go on your trip to the Isle of Capri (or any trip, for that matter). DO NOT wait until Monday morning to get up early before class and do it. You’ll get it done and get a 100 on your homework, but then you’re tired while you so dutifully write your blog.
It was a fantastic first trip which will hopefully lead to many many more. I finally got my camera cord, so I’m currently uploading pictures from mine and the other 6’s cameras. Those should be up by Wednesday. I’ll inform all of you when they do make their way onto the double-u double-u double-u so you can get the website and check them out.
SO, I’m going to go get something to eat now ‘cause I’m supa dupa hungry. Keep it going strong back in the States or wherever you may be at the moment. I’ll talk to you guys later,
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Smart car, or Smart Go-Kart...you be the judge...
After being here in Rome for a little over two weeks, I’ve noticed something. A lack of ‘compensation’…or in Leman’s terms, everything here is small. Prime example is what most of the people drive here. It’s called a Smart Car. Created by the head of Swatch who teamed up with Mercedes to creat the smallest legal road vehicle I’ve ever seen. It’s approximately the size of a Golf Cart. No joke. And Italians tool around in them everywhere. I had the pleasure of visiting a small in-city Smart Car dealership while out and about on Villa De Corso, the hip and trendy fashion street (well, one of the many). The car is somewhat ridiculous and ingenious at the same time. It has a crazy amount of leg room, considering it’s size (it is only a two-seater), however, as my golf-crazed roommate pointed out “there’s no way you could easily fit two golf bags in here, so I’d never buy it.” Though, after careful inspection, I think it might be possible if all the woods and old man long putters are taken out and laid lengthwise w/the car instead of sideways. I’m sure it also get’s some absurd amount of liters per kilometer (similar to the mile per gallon) ‘cause the engine is tiny. It also weighs about as much as an NFL lineman. I’ve seen people pick them up and move them when they are jammed into a spot by two other cars…it’s hilarious. (www.smart.com)
Also, a great deal of people here have dogs, and a great deal of those dogs are nasty little ankle bitters. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like the small dog, but they’re all freaking Chowawas and things of that yappy, ankle-bitting nature. The funniest part is that half of them (basically all the women who own these creatures) carry them around, instead of walking them. It’s as though it were a child that required no breast feeding (which we’ve seen several times out our winder) and cries all the time. It’s something that I’m apparently not Italianized enough to understand yet, maybe by the time I leave.
I will conclude my ranting with apartment doors and blankets. Granted, they’re almost normal size, it’s as though a 4 year old constructed them…probably the same 4 year old who drew the pornographic art that came with our apartment. None of them close correctly, forcing you to jam them closed. This wouldn’t really be an issue if people weren’t getting up at 8.30 to go to 9am classes while others are trying to sleep. Not to mention that they squeak so horribly I though I was in Frankenstein’s layer opening a giant steel hinged door. And the blankets that came with our “supplied bedding” would almost cover up my sister who despite valiant efforts and growth spurts, is still much shorter than I. I think I shall go into student services later today and ask for a real blanket or if I can guy buy one and be reimbursed ‘cause it’s fairly absurd how inadequate the blanket the area of coverage all these blankets provide.
Now that I have that off my chest, I swear I really enjoy it here. I just figured that I should throw some sort of a rant in every-once-and-a-while so that these things don’t get too boring. Sunday was the weekly flee market…let’s just say that the flea market and I got along just lovely this week. I ended up buying a Luis Vitton travel bag (the world print, not the LV print), a horribly fake motorcycle jacket (but people in the state’s will think it’s cool), and a Breitling watch. It was all in all a good day, though I was unable to locate the purse(s) I’ve been requested to find. Hopefully next time.
Monday, there were an unusually large amount of “entertainers” outside of our window. One of them happened to be an Italian named Ben sporting a Stratocaster, loop station, wah pedal, and mini powered amp. He was pretty good and I eventually got my guitar, yelled form the window, and went down and jammed with him for about a half hour. It was pretty cool. Didn’t really make any money (I think a few people may have dropped some coins, but I didn’t take any of them). So, I unofficially played my first “show” over-seas…boo ya.
On Monday, I also booked our trip to the Isle of Capri for the weekend. We’ll be staying at the Bussola di Hermes in Anacapri. I believe it’s on the top of a large hill on the island and is w/in walking distance to the beach. It’s supposed to be very pretty and half in some forest…or something. I’m not really sure exactly, but the pictures looked pretty nice. (http://www.capri.net/salsa/lang/en/card1_id/57/page/card.html)...that's a website of the hostile...
Oh, we also went to the outlets Sunday with our Italian friend Fabrizio. They we’re pretty much the same as the outlets in the states in their layout, however it was Dolce & Gabana and Versace instead of Gap and Rebok. I ended up getting a solid deal on some Pumas and a David Mayer shirt. Boo Ya for Italian outlets.
Tonight, I have decided to make dinner and to change things up from the usual Mussels, Pasta, or Pizza, I’ve gone out and purchased some ground beef, French bread, and various vegetables and cheeses to make some of what you may like to call imitation Tubby’s burger subs. Basically, slice the bread open like a sub, and shove lots of meat, veggies, cheese, and ketchup in it. Hopefully it turns out, but if not we can probably just go around the corner and get some pizza.
Thanks to everyone who has responded to any of my e-mails/postings, it’s good to be informed of what’s happening outside of my little roman bubble. Without the TV and limited internet time, it’s hard to keep up w/everything that’s going on in the world. I’ll write soonly, talk to ya’ll later.
Ciao,
Jon boy
Also, a great deal of people here have dogs, and a great deal of those dogs are nasty little ankle bitters. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like the small dog, but they’re all freaking Chowawas and things of that yappy, ankle-bitting nature. The funniest part is that half of them (basically all the women who own these creatures) carry them around, instead of walking them. It’s as though it were a child that required no breast feeding (which we’ve seen several times out our winder) and cries all the time. It’s something that I’m apparently not Italianized enough to understand yet, maybe by the time I leave.
I will conclude my ranting with apartment doors and blankets. Granted, they’re almost normal size, it’s as though a 4 year old constructed them…probably the same 4 year old who drew the pornographic art that came with our apartment. None of them close correctly, forcing you to jam them closed. This wouldn’t really be an issue if people weren’t getting up at 8.30 to go to 9am classes while others are trying to sleep. Not to mention that they squeak so horribly I though I was in Frankenstein’s layer opening a giant steel hinged door. And the blankets that came with our “supplied bedding” would almost cover up my sister who despite valiant efforts and growth spurts, is still much shorter than I. I think I shall go into student services later today and ask for a real blanket or if I can guy buy one and be reimbursed ‘cause it’s fairly absurd how inadequate the blanket the area of coverage all these blankets provide.
Now that I have that off my chest, I swear I really enjoy it here. I just figured that I should throw some sort of a rant in every-once-and-a-while so that these things don’t get too boring. Sunday was the weekly flee market…let’s just say that the flea market and I got along just lovely this week. I ended up buying a Luis Vitton travel bag (the world print, not the LV print), a horribly fake motorcycle jacket (but people in the state’s will think it’s cool), and a Breitling watch. It was all in all a good day, though I was unable to locate the purse(s) I’ve been requested to find. Hopefully next time.
Monday, there were an unusually large amount of “entertainers” outside of our window. One of them happened to be an Italian named Ben sporting a Stratocaster, loop station, wah pedal, and mini powered amp. He was pretty good and I eventually got my guitar, yelled form the window, and went down and jammed with him for about a half hour. It was pretty cool. Didn’t really make any money (I think a few people may have dropped some coins, but I didn’t take any of them). So, I unofficially played my first “show” over-seas…boo ya.
On Monday, I also booked our trip to the Isle of Capri for the weekend. We’ll be staying at the Bussola di Hermes in Anacapri. I believe it’s on the top of a large hill on the island and is w/in walking distance to the beach. It’s supposed to be very pretty and half in some forest…or something. I’m not really sure exactly, but the pictures looked pretty nice. (http://www.capri.net/salsa/lang/en/card1_id/57/page/card.html)...that's a website of the hostile...
Oh, we also went to the outlets Sunday with our Italian friend Fabrizio. They we’re pretty much the same as the outlets in the states in their layout, however it was Dolce & Gabana and Versace instead of Gap and Rebok. I ended up getting a solid deal on some Pumas and a David Mayer shirt. Boo Ya for Italian outlets.
Tonight, I have decided to make dinner and to change things up from the usual Mussels, Pasta, or Pizza, I’ve gone out and purchased some ground beef, French bread, and various vegetables and cheeses to make some of what you may like to call imitation Tubby’s burger subs. Basically, slice the bread open like a sub, and shove lots of meat, veggies, cheese, and ketchup in it. Hopefully it turns out, but if not we can probably just go around the corner and get some pizza.
Thanks to everyone who has responded to any of my e-mails/postings, it’s good to be informed of what’s happening outside of my little roman bubble. Without the TV and limited internet time, it’s hard to keep up w/everything that’s going on in the world. I’ll write soonly, talk to ya’ll later.
Ciao,
Jon boy
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Schools in session...crap
Hey everyone. It’s official, I’ve survived the first week of classes…boo ya. They seem ok, nothing too difficult, although my brain feels like mush every time I leave my Italian class. So hopefully nothing starts getting hard. We don’t have classes on Friday except for “makeup” days…which in my opinion is a bunch of crap. We don’t have freakin make-up days back home when there’s some sort of holiday, so why the hell should we here? Oh well, that’s my only complaint now, sine I finally got all my class schedule woes settled.
On a lighter note, the food still rocks. Tony rocks, and Fabricio, the itialian guy we met here rocks too. He’s told us all the hot spots and said he’d show us where the outlets are, so we’re anxiously awaiting for that to happen. We also might be going to the Isle of Capri this up-coming weekend, however, nothing is final yet. So many options and so little time to do them all. Also, I’d really like to go to a place called Ibiza…apparently it’s the newly hailed party capitol of the world. It’s an island that’s basically south of France and west of Spain located in the Mediterranean Sea…part of the Balearic Islands. Looks like it could be a good time, eh?
So far, everything here has gone well, nothing really exciting to report right now, just that things are well, I’ve bought my books, done a little window shopping at all the ridiculous designers and countless number of shops everywhere, and generally just having a good time. Lemme know how you guys back home are doing. I don’t’ have a TV or the internet in my apt, so I’m pretty disconnected from the rest of the world, so I only know what’s going on through you guys, lol. Anyhoo, have a good one…as soon as I get my camera cords, I’ll start putting up ridiculous amounts of pictures…
Ciao, Jon boy
On a lighter note, the food still rocks. Tony rocks, and Fabricio, the itialian guy we met here rocks too. He’s told us all the hot spots and said he’d show us where the outlets are, so we’re anxiously awaiting for that to happen. We also might be going to the Isle of Capri this up-coming weekend, however, nothing is final yet. So many options and so little time to do them all. Also, I’d really like to go to a place called Ibiza…apparently it’s the newly hailed party capitol of the world. It’s an island that’s basically south of France and west of Spain located in the Mediterranean Sea…part of the Balearic Islands. Looks like it could be a good time, eh?
So far, everything here has gone well, nothing really exciting to report right now, just that things are well, I’ve bought my books, done a little window shopping at all the ridiculous designers and countless number of shops everywhere, and generally just having a good time. Lemme know how you guys back home are doing. I don’t’ have a TV or the internet in my apt, so I’m pretty disconnected from the rest of the world, so I only know what’s going on through you guys, lol. Anyhoo, have a good one…as soon as I get my camera cords, I’ll start putting up ridiculous amounts of pictures…
Ciao, Jon boy
Monday, September 05, 2005
Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting...
Ciao,
Well, things are sailing somewhat smoothly now. Kind of figuring out how things work, where I live, how to get around. We’ve (my roommates & I) befriended Tony, the owner of a local restaurant called Hostaria Del Moro, who rocks and treats now treats us well. He gave us a free bottle of wine yesterday after eating dinner at his place, boo ya.
Saturday, Elton John put on a free concert in front of the Coliseum. It was quite the concert, over 100,000 people showed up from what I could make of things. Very crowded but very fun, even though he didn’t play Tiny Dancer or Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Oh well, it was free.
Sunday, we all went to this huge flee market in town. It is the biggest flee market I’ve ever seen or hear of…it took us about two hours to walk from one end to the other…and then we got lost trying to find the entrance from which we came. Only two purchases were made…a euro-plug extender for the wall socket for two Euro…and a totally rad 80’s skateboard for five Euro. Almost got a fake watch, but I couldn’t haggle the guy down to the price I wanted, need to work on my haggling skills….probably doesn’t help that I don’t speak Italian, eh?
Classes started today along with the most un-organized, overly complicated, and pathetic Drop-Add session in the history of mankind. They have a ticket dispenser that you would find in your local deli or grocer when waiting in line for your favorite choice meat from which you care to take a number and get in line. You wait for your number by looking at the digital number display at the end of the very narrow and tiney hallway in which the registrar’s office is located. It’s hot, not air-conditioned, and packed w/people. I took my number this morning at 10am (they opened at 9am) and found that I had B22…they were on A28. At noon they were at about A48, when they (and by they, I mean the single, bitchy lady who is running this whole fiasco) promptly left for their two hour siesta. I’m currently writing this back in the apt. with little to no hope of being helped today w/my scheduling needs. Why John Cabot doesn’t use electronic registration like the rest of the civilized world I haven’t the foggiest, but it would make the lives of everyone here incredibly easier…except for maybe the tech guys, but hey, that’s their job.
I’m beginning to find that this University, like most places I’ve ever worked for, been at, or attended has the organizational skills of a two day old chimp. They metaphorically fling fecal matter around in an effort to say “Hey, look at us, we’re awesome” when really, it’s just a big mess, smelly, and a bitch to clean up. Granted, it’s been like that at every school I’ve ever attended, so I’m not terribly surprised. We’ll see how things go once classes really get underway in a few weeks. For now, we’ll just hold our breath and hope all the teachers speak English well.
To try and get over this sorrow of shameful disorganization, I’ve decided to treat myself to a new pair of ridiculous European sunglasses. You know, the kind that you get beat up for wearing in the states. They’ll be my first purchase in my fight to de-tourist myself among the Italians; and though I will still blatantly be an American with my horrible accent and inability to say more than about 10 phrases, it’s a start to camouflaging myself. I also hope to find another fake watch dealer soon because my $8 Wall-mart watch isn’t exactly helping to make me look familiar with the Italian lifestyle. Next update, I’ll try to insert a picture of the shades I end up with.
Also, I’ve learned a little more about the roomies. Hakan isn’t actually a prince, his name just means Sultan when translated into English. He should have just lied about it, I wouldn’t have known any better and it would have been a cool story. Also, Lars is actually 26 years old. The reason he’s so old and still in school is because before he started college he was a professional skier for Norway for two or three years. He then was basically “drafted” by the University of Denver to ski there, really liked it there, and skied for his first two years until becoming ineligible in the eyes of NCAA due to age. He also is infatuated with golf, so we’re already making plans to hit up some Italian links and the Alps sometime.
Speaking of traveling, my current list of places I want to go/visit/do include the following (how many of these actually get accomplished is a whole other issue): This weekends rival soccer game with Rome and…well…their rival and this Sundays F1 race in northern Italy. Eventually go to Monaco, the Isle of Capri (sp?), the local beach, the southern beaches, Florence, Pizza, the Alps, Oktober fest (which apparently is in September…weird), Holland, Prague, possibly Milan, Paris & the Louve(sp?), and I’m sure there are a few others I can’t think of at the moment. So, estimating how much money and time I have to do such things, I’d say many of them won’t happen; maybe next trip to the EU.
Anyhoo, I’m going to walk to campus now, see how far I have until I can fix my schedule, and post this, since I don’t have the internet at my apartment.
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Well, things are sailing somewhat smoothly now. Kind of figuring out how things work, where I live, how to get around. We’ve (my roommates & I) befriended Tony, the owner of a local restaurant called Hostaria Del Moro, who rocks and treats now treats us well. He gave us a free bottle of wine yesterday after eating dinner at his place, boo ya.
Saturday, Elton John put on a free concert in front of the Coliseum. It was quite the concert, over 100,000 people showed up from what I could make of things. Very crowded but very fun, even though he didn’t play Tiny Dancer or Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Oh well, it was free.
Sunday, we all went to this huge flee market in town. It is the biggest flee market I’ve ever seen or hear of…it took us about two hours to walk from one end to the other…and then we got lost trying to find the entrance from which we came. Only two purchases were made…a euro-plug extender for the wall socket for two Euro…and a totally rad 80’s skateboard for five Euro. Almost got a fake watch, but I couldn’t haggle the guy down to the price I wanted, need to work on my haggling skills….probably doesn’t help that I don’t speak Italian, eh?
Classes started today along with the most un-organized, overly complicated, and pathetic Drop-Add session in the history of mankind. They have a ticket dispenser that you would find in your local deli or grocer when waiting in line for your favorite choice meat from which you care to take a number and get in line. You wait for your number by looking at the digital number display at the end of the very narrow and tiney hallway in which the registrar’s office is located. It’s hot, not air-conditioned, and packed w/people. I took my number this morning at 10am (they opened at 9am) and found that I had B22…they were on A28. At noon they were at about A48, when they (and by they, I mean the single, bitchy lady who is running this whole fiasco) promptly left for their two hour siesta. I’m currently writing this back in the apt. with little to no hope of being helped today w/my scheduling needs. Why John Cabot doesn’t use electronic registration like the rest of the civilized world I haven’t the foggiest, but it would make the lives of everyone here incredibly easier…except for maybe the tech guys, but hey, that’s their job.
I’m beginning to find that this University, like most places I’ve ever worked for, been at, or attended has the organizational skills of a two day old chimp. They metaphorically fling fecal matter around in an effort to say “Hey, look at us, we’re awesome” when really, it’s just a big mess, smelly, and a bitch to clean up. Granted, it’s been like that at every school I’ve ever attended, so I’m not terribly surprised. We’ll see how things go once classes really get underway in a few weeks. For now, we’ll just hold our breath and hope all the teachers speak English well.
To try and get over this sorrow of shameful disorganization, I’ve decided to treat myself to a new pair of ridiculous European sunglasses. You know, the kind that you get beat up for wearing in the states. They’ll be my first purchase in my fight to de-tourist myself among the Italians; and though I will still blatantly be an American with my horrible accent and inability to say more than about 10 phrases, it’s a start to camouflaging myself. I also hope to find another fake watch dealer soon because my $8 Wall-mart watch isn’t exactly helping to make me look familiar with the Italian lifestyle. Next update, I’ll try to insert a picture of the shades I end up with.
Also, I’ve learned a little more about the roomies. Hakan isn’t actually a prince, his name just means Sultan when translated into English. He should have just lied about it, I wouldn’t have known any better and it would have been a cool story. Also, Lars is actually 26 years old. The reason he’s so old and still in school is because before he started college he was a professional skier for Norway for two or three years. He then was basically “drafted” by the University of Denver to ski there, really liked it there, and skied for his first two years until becoming ineligible in the eyes of NCAA due to age. He also is infatuated with golf, so we’re already making plans to hit up some Italian links and the Alps sometime.
Speaking of traveling, my current list of places I want to go/visit/do include the following (how many of these actually get accomplished is a whole other issue): This weekends rival soccer game with Rome and…well…their rival and this Sundays F1 race in northern Italy. Eventually go to Monaco, the Isle of Capri (sp?), the local beach, the southern beaches, Florence, Pizza, the Alps, Oktober fest (which apparently is in September…weird), Holland, Prague, possibly Milan, Paris & the Louve(sp?), and I’m sure there are a few others I can’t think of at the moment. So, estimating how much money and time I have to do such things, I’d say many of them won’t happen; maybe next trip to the EU.
Anyhoo, I’m going to walk to campus now, see how far I have until I can fix my schedule, and post this, since I don’t have the internet at my apartment.
Ciao,
Jon Boy
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Falling in Line
Ciao everyone. It’s been a few days now and my sanity has slowly returned (well, sanity relative to my natural state, which isn’t very sane anyways). I’m finally figuring out how to get places w/o getting lost, and let me tell you, it’s pretty sweet to not have to keep walking in circles to eventually find your place of residence.
I’ve taken a fair amount of pictures so far, however, I failed to remember to bring any sort of connecting device for my camera to transfer pictures onto my computer. Yea, I rock. However, I do have a few pictures from one of the state kids I met, so I will try to find a place to put them online soonly.
Since I last wrote, I’ve done some sight seeing. I’ve figured out where ‘important’ places around my apt. are (i.e. every pizza place)…basically all you have to do if you want pizza or gelato is to walk ten feet and you’ll find somewhere that sells either or both. I’ve also visited the Coliseum twice, once at night and once during the day. I do have to say everything I’ve seen at night is way cooler than during the day…you just can’t go inside at night.
I also saw some other very impressive and cool buildings by the Coliseum, though I haven’t the foggiest as to what they are. One in particular was absolutely amazing, a very old church of the most ordained quality I’ve ever seen. The entire ceilings were covered in gold and everything was hand carved, from the marble to the wood to the statues and tombs of priests and cardinals. We weren’t allowed to take pictures in the building, though I was tempted, but thought better of it seeing as it was a house of God and if I disobeyed a direct church order, I thought I might be struck dead or plagued with leprosy or something.
As soon as I figure out how to transfer pictures, I’ll put them on the web for all to see and marvel in my…I MEAN, the ancient structures glory.
Our 4th roommate moved in the other day, which is an interesting story in itself…not really, but I’m going to pretend and tell anyways. He moved in the first day we arrived…for about an hour, and then figured out how to fandangle a way he could live w/his friends from St. Maries (the school he attends) who live behind us. So we all went out that night, him and his friends (who just happened to be of the female type). Then, the next day, as we awate our roommate, he apparently slipped to John Cabot that he was living with two gurls, they didn’t like that, and put him back here with us. So, it’s pretty nice because we already knew him and he’s a great guy so far, so no worrying about who the next roommate will be and how weird is he going to be.
Anyhoo, his name is Chalan (Shaw-Lann) and he’s from the Island of Maui in Hawaii. Yes, I know, this makes me by far the most boring person in our apartment. Hakan, from turkey (who may actually be of direct royal discent…i.e. he’s a prince…still trying to figure that one out); Lars, from Norway but studying at the University of Denver; Chalan from Maui who is studying at a small school (St. Maries) in southern California; Jon Boy, the loser buble kid who lives in a outside blinded suburb of Detroit in Michigan who’s never been outside North America. How can you compete w/that? You can’t, at all. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to swoon the ladies with my….crap, I’ve got nothing, lol. No worries, I’m having a blast.
Lastly, it’s somewhat creepy how much this place feels like Disney. Reality hasn’t quite sunk in yet due to the fact that we don’t have classes until Monday. I just look outside our window down onto the narrow cobble stone street at the buildings and it’s very surreal. And then at night it’s as though Vegas has taken over and everyone comes out to play. This place bumps every night. We were out until 1am last night and didn’t even realize it ‘cause it seemed (crowd wise) like it would be equivilant to 7pm at The Village or maybe 10/11pm in Ann Arbor or downtown Nashville or something…people just stay out and hang until the wee hours, it’s really sweet.
Anyhoo, enough of my blabbing, I’m going to go attempt to find the market/grocery/food place with the roomies. Talk to you all later…keep me informed on what everyone else is doing.
P.S. my phone number (incase anyone feels really gutsy) is 011.39.335.773.9363. Yes, it’s really long, just like your bill will be when you call.
I’ve taken a fair amount of pictures so far, however, I failed to remember to bring any sort of connecting device for my camera to transfer pictures onto my computer. Yea, I rock. However, I do have a few pictures from one of the state kids I met, so I will try to find a place to put them online soonly.
Since I last wrote, I’ve done some sight seeing. I’ve figured out where ‘important’ places around my apt. are (i.e. every pizza place)…basically all you have to do if you want pizza or gelato is to walk ten feet and you’ll find somewhere that sells either or both. I’ve also visited the Coliseum twice, once at night and once during the day. I do have to say everything I’ve seen at night is way cooler than during the day…you just can’t go inside at night.
I also saw some other very impressive and cool buildings by the Coliseum, though I haven’t the foggiest as to what they are. One in particular was absolutely amazing, a very old church of the most ordained quality I’ve ever seen. The entire ceilings were covered in gold and everything was hand carved, from the marble to the wood to the statues and tombs of priests and cardinals. We weren’t allowed to take pictures in the building, though I was tempted, but thought better of it seeing as it was a house of God and if I disobeyed a direct church order, I thought I might be struck dead or plagued with leprosy or something.
As soon as I figure out how to transfer pictures, I’ll put them on the web for all to see and marvel in my…I MEAN, the ancient structures glory.
Our 4th roommate moved in the other day, which is an interesting story in itself…not really, but I’m going to pretend and tell anyways. He moved in the first day we arrived…for about an hour, and then figured out how to fandangle a way he could live w/his friends from St. Maries (the school he attends) who live behind us. So we all went out that night, him and his friends (who just happened to be of the female type). Then, the next day, as we awate our roommate, he apparently slipped to John Cabot that he was living with two gurls, they didn’t like that, and put him back here with us. So, it’s pretty nice because we already knew him and he’s a great guy so far, so no worrying about who the next roommate will be and how weird is he going to be.
Anyhoo, his name is Chalan (Shaw-Lann) and he’s from the Island of Maui in Hawaii. Yes, I know, this makes me by far the most boring person in our apartment. Hakan, from turkey (who may actually be of direct royal discent…i.e. he’s a prince…still trying to figure that one out); Lars, from Norway but studying at the University of Denver; Chalan from Maui who is studying at a small school (St. Maries) in southern California; Jon Boy, the loser buble kid who lives in a outside blinded suburb of Detroit in Michigan who’s never been outside North America. How can you compete w/that? You can’t, at all. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to swoon the ladies with my….crap, I’ve got nothing, lol. No worries, I’m having a blast.
Lastly, it’s somewhat creepy how much this place feels like Disney. Reality hasn’t quite sunk in yet due to the fact that we don’t have classes until Monday. I just look outside our window down onto the narrow cobble stone street at the buildings and it’s very surreal. And then at night it’s as though Vegas has taken over and everyone comes out to play. This place bumps every night. We were out until 1am last night and didn’t even realize it ‘cause it seemed (crowd wise) like it would be equivilant to 7pm at The Village or maybe 10/11pm in Ann Arbor or downtown Nashville or something…people just stay out and hang until the wee hours, it’s really sweet.
Anyhoo, enough of my blabbing, I’m going to go attempt to find the market/grocery/food place with the roomies. Talk to you all later…keep me informed on what everyone else is doing.
P.S. my phone number (incase anyone feels really gutsy) is 011.39.335.773.9363. Yes, it’s really long, just like your bill will be when you call.
Monday, August 29, 2005
Huh?
I've never been more confused in my life than I am now. I'm running on practically no sleep from the plane, nothing here looks familiar no matter how many times i pass it, the map i have is completely useless, and everyone is speaking Italian. It took me 40 minutes to find a cafe that was about a 2-5 minute walk from my apartment. This is absolutely ridiculous.
In other news, the plane rides weren't that bad and I met a lot of people from State on them, which is nice...now all I have to do is figure out how to get my phone to work so I can call them since they don't live anywhere near me.
So far I have two roommates. Hakahn, who is from Turkey, and Lars, who is originally from the Netherlands but goes to school at the University of Denver. Fortunately they both speak english well. Lots of people here smoke...yuk. It's now getting dark and I can hardly think 'cause I haven't had any sleep in 30 hours or something like that. Next time I'll inform a little more, promise
In other news, the plane rides weren't that bad and I met a lot of people from State on them, which is nice...now all I have to do is figure out how to get my phone to work so I can call them since they don't live anywhere near me.
So far I have two roommates. Hakahn, who is from Turkey, and Lars, who is originally from the Netherlands but goes to school at the University of Denver. Fortunately they both speak english well. Lots of people here smoke...yuk. It's now getting dark and I can hardly think 'cause I haven't had any sleep in 30 hours or something like that. Next time I'll inform a little more, promise
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Get It Started...
Well, the blog is up, picture site is soon to be up....Italia preperations are officially underway
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