Day 189 - Bologna to Florence (Firenze)

I took a short, afternoon, hour-long train ride to get from Bologna to Florence, one of the bigger cities of the Tuscan region of Italy. Upon arrival, I headed to my hostel, where I stayed there for a good couple of hours, sort of exhausted from traveling through Italy thus far. I'm enjoying reading a book that has picked up a lot of hype due to the release of the movie trailer for it - The Hunger Games. It's definitely a light read, fast-paced, and plot driven, but very entertaining. I can hardly put the book down, but I'm trying to balance it out by reading Jane Austin's Persuasion at the same time.

I set out for town after the sunset to take in a small dose of the city. You could definitely tell this was a popular tourist destination by the number of souvenir stalls lined around the streets. I also heard a greater amount of English here than in some of the other cities in Italy that I visited. The city was packed and lively, and this could possibly be due to the Firenze Marathon that is being held tomorrow.

Wandering through the streets, I made my way to the city center, where I came across Piazza del Duomo, where the Duomo and the Campanile were situated. Most of the churchs and other sites close early during the colder months, maybe around 5pm, so I wasn't able to enter any of them. I followed street signs that led to various other tourist sights and found the Chisea Santa Maria de Ricci, where there was an organ concert open to the public and a nativity scene right in the middle of the church. It's Christmas time!

At the end of the night, I met up with a Couchsurfer, Alessando, who grabbed a beer with me at an Irish Pub. He told me of a good place to grab dinner, called Baldovino, where I decided to dine on my first night here. It's always great to get advice from locals.

Duomo

Chisea Santa Maria de Ricci

Day 185 - Day Trip to Torino (Turin)

Torino was one of the "highlights" of Italy according to Loney Planet, so I decided to make a day trip out of it since it was close to Milan. Also, I had to rearrange my entire Italian leg of the trip since I would be meeting one of my friends from back home in early December in Rome. Initially, I wanted to tour all of Italy from the north in Venice all the way down to Sicily, but I decided I would spend more time focusing on the Northern Half of Italy over the next couple of weeks.

Torino is known for its Fiat car factories, along with its baroque and renaissance architecture. I arrived before noon from a train from Milan and took a tourist map from the tourist office along with me to explore whatever there was to see here. The main Plazas were called Piazza Castello and Piazza San Carlo, both easily reached by heading directly north from the train station. It'd be hard to miss. There were palaces and museums and churches around both plazas, with huge open space for people to congregate.

Visiting the two most popular plazas only took about 15 minutes, and I headed further north to see what else I could run into. The next stop was the Duomo di San Giovanni Battista, which is considered to be Torino's main catherdral. Here, they say that the church houses the linen cloth that was used to wrap Christ when he was crucified. Adjacent to it was the Royal Palace along with the palace park grounds which were open to the public. It still looked like autumn in Torino where the leaves were still slowly falling to the ground, and turning from green to brown.

The last stop on my Torino tour was the Mole Antonelliana, which houses the Museo Nazionale del Cinema. The Mole Antonelliana is a huge architectural masterpiece that towers over the city at 167m, and is on the 2 cent Italian Euro piece. I took a lift to the top where I saw some views of an overcast city.

The Cinema museum was the highlight I must say. It was an interactive museum that first showed the initial development of the uses of light to create different scenes (shadow puppets) to the development of illusions with light and lenses, to the creation of early film and animation (Zoetropes), and all the way to what we have now with all the technological advancements in movie-making magic. You could easily spend hours just going through each of the rooms and learning about the evolution of cinema. I would highly recommend it to anyone going to this city.

By the time I got back to Milano, Giulio was ready to cook us some dinner! I decided I would help make some dessert - an Argentinian Pancake dessert that I tried when I was in Istanbul. The dinner was excellent, some chicken breasts with a wine and mushroom sauce and bread. The dessert....was burnt and almost inedible...I really have to learn how to cook better. One word of advice for anyone who is going to start couchsurfing....LEARN TO COOK! At least learn one simple recipe from your own culture so you have something to share with others around the world!

View from the top of the Mole Antonelliana

Piazza San Carlo

Cathedral di San Giovanni Battista

Royal Palace Parkgrounds

Mole Antonelliana

Museo Nazionale del Cinema

Scrumptious Dinner

Destroyed Dessert

Day 184 - Duomo, Museums, and Window Shopping

Today Giulio took me on a brief tour of Milano, stopping by some of the most famous sights and shopping areas.  There are easy-to-use metros around the city, but we decided to walk the entire way since most of the main sites were situated in the center and easily walkable.

We briefly stopped by the Castello Sfortesco, a castle that was once the Renaissance residence of the Sfortza family in the 15th century. I read in wikitravel about some of the tactics some of the souvenir sellers use to sell their merchandise. There are usually people with small bracelets that come up to you and either hand one to you, tie one around your wrist, or lay it on your shoulder. You assume it is free, but then they insist that you pay after they have tied one around your wrist. I stealthily avoided their tactics as they hovered around the entrance to the castle.

Afterwards, we headed to the Duomo Cathedral so I could see what it looks like in daylight and also catch a glimpse inside the gigantic church. Along the way, I saw banners advertising the next World Expo in 2015, which will be held in Milano. I remember going to the one in Japan in 2007. It will bring many changes in the development of Milan. Giulio says Italy in general is reluctant to make too many changes to the country since there is so much history and ancient architecture that they wish to leave unchanged.

The church was so large inside and bare, since there weren't any services at the time we arrived. We looked at some of the stained glass artwork and some of the statues of  some of the saints. One of the statues was particularly interesting, because it was of a saint who had all of his skin peeled off his body, and he wore the skin over his shoulders, his bare muscles and bones shown freely. It was very creepy.

We headed towards the shopping area surround the Duomo where you could find some of the same shops you'd find in the USA. We stopped by a couple shops that had a bunch of creative design merchandise. I wanted to buy EVERYTHING there... I know by the end of my trip in Italy, I want to get something made of Italian leather or a pair of eyeglasses...I've been eyeing some simple wallets and wooden eyeglass frames, but nothing has been perfect, or the right price..

There was the luxury block of stores just a short walk away from the Duomo, where we managed to walk by 5 Dolce and Gabbana stores within a 1/4 km radius. It was pretty ridiculous, but I guess big name brands all have their stores in Milano to showcase the merchandise. Giorgio Armani is particular big here, where people refer to him as "King George."

The last stop of the day was the Museo del Novocento, which is a modern art museum showcasing some of Italy's most prominent artists. There was an exhibit that showcased Umberto Boccioni's Futurist and Cubist artwork, along with some of Picasso's abstract art. There were also some more interactive exhibits, including labyrinths for visitors to go through. One of them similated the feelings of disorientation a person would feel if he was in something relating to an insane asylum, where intense lights flashed intermittently. I definitely had a hard time walking through as my brain tried to reorient me to the surrounds each time the light shown once more.

Definitely an action packed day here in Milano!

Galleria Vittorio Emanuale II

Bike Share in Milan

Inside Duomo Cathedral - Notice the Skin Wrapped Around his Body

Umberto Boccioni - States of Mind

Museo del Novocento

Day 183 - Venice to Milan

Today my cousin would fly back to the USA, finishing her vacation with me in Prague, Rome, and Venice. It's always great to see someone like family or close friends who you have known for a while. It's a different experience than meeting someone and traveling with them for a short trip since you know them more on a personal level, and have history with them. I would be on my own again for the remainder of my trip, meeting new people again until I fly back to the USA.

I took the train in the afternoon from Venice to Milan - the famous city of Italy known for its luxury shopping and fashion, but also for the arts, design, and architecture. I think it's the lesser traveled city of all the main Italian cities, but one that people have recommended to me to visit for a short trip.

I arrived at night, since the ride was about 4 hours and headed directly to the Duomo Cathedral, which is one of the main tourist attractions in Milan (along with seeing the art piece, the Last Supper). It is the largest Gothic Cathedral, and 4th largest church in the world. Since it was dark already, seeing it out in the open square gave it a sort of eerie feel, as it towered over the city.

I met up with my CS host, Giulio (pronounced "Julio") for dinner at a great pizza and seafood restaurant, where it was recommended that I try the basic Napoli pizza, so I ordered the most basic of pizzas with cheese, tomato sauce, and basil. Never had I had a fresher tasting pizza. The cheese and tomato sauce tasted so fresh and natural, it actually felt like I was eating something healthy, unlike any other pizza you try in the USA. We spent the night chatting a little, where I got a little insight on the current economic situation in Italy, with the ouster of Burlesconi, who was replaced by Mario Monti, and the general feel of unemployment all over the country. I also had a brief language and pronunciation lesson in Italian so that I could be understood here more easily. (NOTE: the pronunciation of "CH" in an italian word, if followed by either an "E" or "I" is pronounced with a hard "C", the opposite of what you would traditional say in an english word. Bruschetta is pronounced with a HARD C!) If I'm not good at learning to speak another foreign language fluently, at least I could learn to pronounce things better!

Duomo Cathedral

Regional Trains at the Venezia Train Station

Napoli Pizza!

Duomo Cathedral

Day 167 - The Spice Bazaar and Istanbul Modern (bienniel)

My last full day in Istanbul would be relaxed since I didn't have much else I deemed necessary to see or do. It would be more of an errand day as I prepared to leave to Prague the next morning.

I headed to the Spice Market after breakfast to look for some Salep, which is a type of sweet Turkish drink typically served in the Winter. It is made of ground Orchids, milk, water, and cinnamon. Once prepared, the drink is warm and thick, sort of like a dessert. My sister wanted me to bring some home for her, so I found some authentic Salep to bring home for her. Hopefully it passes through customs without any problems since it could easily resemble drugs to an ordinary officer.

Afterwards, I headed to Modern Istanbul, which is a modern art museum in the city. Kerim recommended I visit since they currently had their biennial exhibition of art. This time around, the exhibits focused on and were inspired by the work of Felix Gonzalez-Torres, and there were major themes including history, identity, gun violence, the AIDS movement, and passports, among other things. The artists who were showcased included both local and international artists. Much of it was a little difficult to understand, and there were tour guides who spoke in Turkish, so I couldn't listen in to get a better understanding.

I spent the rest of the night walking around Taksim Square, before heading back to Kerim's place, where I met some of his friends and we drank wine and gin and tonics until midnight. Turkey has been incredible. Definitely another favorite country. There is so much history here, along with unbelievable natural sites to visit. I recommend it to anyone and everyone!

Modern Istanbul - A Turkish military health report diagnosing a soldier with "homosexuality" and discharging him due to his "disease." It's sad to see the Turkish government's position and beliefs on what homosexuality is.

Modern Istanbul - "Lesbian Beds"

Day 166 - Ayasofya, Bosphorus Tour, and the Grand Bazaar

I arrived in Istanbul around 7am and headed directly to Taksim Square to meet up with my couchsurfing host, Kerim. He had work as an architect around 8, so I had to quickly take my belongings to his place, brush my teeth, and set out to explore the city again for the last 2 days.

I had two things I wanted to do before leaving - check out the Ayasofya, which was one of the contenders for the 7 New Wonders of the World, and take a boat ride along the Bosphorus and up to the Black Sea. The weather was overcast and drizzling intermittently, so I decided that I would probably do the boat tour tomorrow in hopes that it would be clearer. For some reason, every time I arrive in Istanbul, the weather isn't all that suitable for the typical tourist.

The Ayasofya (or Hagia Sophia) was a church built for the third time from the year 532 to 537, after the two previously built churches in the same area were destroyed by public rebellion. It was the biggest Byzantine church in Istanbul, and was later converted to a mosque in 1453, but is now used as a museum.

It is one of the main tourist draws in the city, where long lines formed outside the gates to the museum. The insides were beautiful though, with access for tourists on the first and second floors. You could see both the Islamic and Christian elements of the church/mosque/museum with Christian mosaics on the ceilings, some of which are originals from the 6th century, along with minarets and the mihrab at the front, indicating the direction of Mecca.

Afterwards, I headed to the Eminonu district to catch a boat along the Bosphorus since the sun crept its way past the clouds and cleared the skies more than in the morning. It ended up being a waste of money since I wanted to take a boat all the way north to the Black Sea, but the boat only went about 45 minutes up, and then 45 minutes back. I was dead tired by the afternoon as well, so I ended up falling asleep on the boat, and to top it all off, the tour guide announcements on the intercom that explained what we were seeing was so muffled, I couldn't really understand anything. Oh well, at least I got to take a nap..

The last stop for me was the Grand Bazaar, which was a huge shopping area selling everything from gold and jewelry to designer knockoffs to cashmere scarves to spices and candy. There were so many different entrances and corridors to walk through that I easily got lost in the maze full of merchants and shops. It's interesting to think that this was once the main shopping center in ancient times, and is still used today to sell merchandise, although more aimed to tourists than the locals.

Having completed my to-do list for Istanbul, I headed to Taksim Square for dinner and grabbed a beer at a local bar, where there was a live musician playing traditional Turkish music. Afterwards, I met with Kerim and we had some pizza, before heading back and playing an intense game of backgammon. I learned a little more about the strategies since I downloaded the game on my iPod, but I ended up losing in the worst way possible! I lost 4-5, after winning the first 4 points and losing 5 points straight... Still, I think I'm getting better at this traditional Turkish game!

Ayasofya

Grand Bazaar

Yeni Cami (New Mosque)

Day 165 - Last Day in Kapadokya

Today would be my last day in Cappadocia before heading back to Istanbul and flying out of Turkey. It was a lazy day, as I stayed inside my cave house for the very last time before leaving at night. It's too easy to relax inside when it's freezing outside, and I took every opportunity to enjoy living a somewhat archaic life inside a cave, of course with internet, and a heater though.

I had dinner with Zack at a Turkish restaurant owned by Iranians before heading back to Istanbul around 8:30 by bus. The bus was much more crowded than the ride from Antalya to Goreme, probably since most people wanted to get back to Istanbul.

Day 163 - Motorbiking Cappadocia

The nights are cold in Goreme, so it is easy to feel like hibernating through the morning and waking up late. You just feel like curling up inside while the rest of the world continues with their day.

I began my day in the late morning after deciding to stay an additional day in this town, and saving my travels through Eastern Turkey for another trip. I cancelled my flight ticket from Diyarbakir to Istanbul and decided instead, to take another long bus from Goreme back to Istanbul tomorrow night.  I grabbed some lunch with the rest of the couchsurfers before renting motorbikes with Junko, who offered to be my tour guide around some of the cities close to Goreme. She didn't have a drivers license since she is originally from Japan and most of them use the local transportation to get around, so I had to drive for the both of us. It would be the first time I drove with another person behind me, and I must say, it was so much more difficult than driving alone, but I didn't show any fear since I didn't want to scare Junko, who trusted my driving since I had been driving in California since I was 15.

We arrived at the city of Cavusin, and stopped at the Cavusin Church, but decided against paying the entrance fee since there's so much else to explore that was free. The next destination we headed to was Pasabag, which had some unique fairy chimneys scattered throughout. Many of them had huge boulders being balanced on the top. It's interesting to think how these structures have survived over time, but at any moment, they could possibly topple over. I think these caves will all disappear at one point in time because it's easy to chip away at it, and it's continually disintegrating...  These structures definitely wouldn't survive longer than the Grand Canyon, something that Cappadocia reminds me a lot of.

Junko and I stopped by a cashmere store, where we chatted with the store owner. He told us that there was a rock chimney that I could climb in through access in the back, although it would be a little difficult to get to the top because it was steep. I took the challenge and found the structure. It was somewhat difficult to climb through the small holes carved out, but there were steps in the stones that I used to climb directly up from the first and second levels to the second and third levels. Success! Junko took pictures of me from the bottom, and I looked like Rapunzel or some other fairy princess, trapped at the top of a tower with no access to the bottom.

Afterwards, we headed towards Urgrup, and along the way, we stopped by some of the famous rock structures, one of which resembled a camel, and the other called "Three Sisters" because three rocks look very similar to each other. Me not being the sci-fi buff that others are, and not remembering much about the Star Wars series, I learned that George Lucas got inspiration for one of the earlier films in the series from the landscape in this area.

We had doner kebap for lunch before backtracking through Urgrup and heading towards Avanos, a major city known for its pottery. They usually have free pottery-making shows to entice customers to buy things, but we came a little too late, since all the tour buses full of older Japanese people probably arrived earlier in the day. At this time of year, there were droves of Japanese tourists everywhere.

It was getting darker earlier since the they changed times in Turkey a couple weeks before the rest of the world did, and the windchill was strong as we drove on the highway. We decided to head back early to save from freezing as we drove in open air at 50 km/hr. Another fantastic day of sightseeing.

It was Halloween today, and instead of throwing an annual West Hollywood halloween party at my place back home, Zack and I headed to the one restaurant that had signs of Halloween Festivities. The signs said "True Blood tonight" and we assumed they would be showing episodes of the HBO series, but there was American football on the flat screen, a couple of people dressed festively, and a couple black balloons hanging around. I guess that's the extent of Halloween in Turkey!

Camel Rock

Pasabag

Pasabag

Pasabag

Pasabag

Three Sisters

Devrent Valley

Goreme