A Place of Romance: Florence Sarah Sunday, May 31, 2015

Florence for me, hit a romantic soft spot, hence the title of this blog post. The first night warmed my heart to the brim when we were wandering the city and stumbled upon a piazza filled with musicians playing soft accordian beats in front of an arch and a lit up merry go round (the child in me died at the sight of this) filled with happy couples and families. Resembling a low key version of Rome in architecture, but buzzing with an atmosphere of joy and amore, I couldn't help but just want to stand and stare for the the remainder of the night. Good thing I didn't because heading further, we were stopped by the view of the Arno River against the night sky, yellow lit light poles along it, and multitude of people taking selfies to capture this evening moment. Oh and before all this,  I was already jaw dropped seeing a giant cut-out like pink, green, and white marble cathedral structure against the dark sky. Surreal!!

We were actually on our way to where our host recommended as the best Florentine steak in town at a restaurant called Trattoria 4 Leoni, but we were turned away as it was fully booked upon discovery. Not surprised at their popularity, but shocked that it was around 9pm when this happened, we ventured to a restaurant next door instead after making sure to reserve for  lunch booking the next day.

Earlier in the day we had took the bus to "The Mall' to check out the luxury brand outlets an hour outside of Florence. The cost was 10 Euros for a round trip and you can take the bus at the transit station just behind the central train station.  Personally, I still found the prices expensive despite being 40%-70% off, but again these are luxury brands straight from the runway, so if you are a regular customer of such, definitely worth a shot at scoring a good deal. Plus, as a tourist, you can claim the VAT tax back when you leave Europe if you spend $150 or more per receipt. Leaving with nothing for myself, we ventured back to Florence to go to the San Lorenzo Leather Market. It was a joy to bargain and as the market was closing at 7pm, it made it easier to get a markdown (as we know everything is marked up anyways) and as Florence is known for leather, the prices are decent for what you get. Just make sure to get them to do a burn test to ensure that it is real leather and not faux. Also remember to compare prices as most sellers sell similar items and have a price in mind of what you are willing to pay for it, because there's no point bargaining if you aren't going to buy it at the end, and this makes the seller mad as well.


Day 2

The next day we walked all over central Florence. Starting at the Santa Maria Cathedral that left me jaw dropped the night before, we took as many photos as we could amongst the crowd. Lunch was amazing, and though we didn't try the T-bone steak, their signature dish as it was 50 Euros, the beef steak at 25 Euros did the trick and we were so so satisfied! Definitely a must!

Piazza Michelangelo was a farther trek and took a steep set of stairs (sounds worst than it is), but the view will relieve all your complaints if any. Here, you can sight a panoramic view of the red brick Florence roof tops and the dusty yellow buildings. You can even spy the duomo and other attractions as well. As talked about as this view is, it wasn't as busy as the piazza and duomo, probably because its a distance away from it all, so take as much as time as you like enjoying the view and soaking it all in.

The Uffizi Gallery was partly under construction, but there were some artwork outside of the building besides the paintings inside. We decided not to go as the line up was long and saving the money was nice as there was a small gallery adjacent that you can freely walk into. There's also a fake David statue here, the great work of Michaelangelo named after the biblical character. Again, we didn't find the need to see the real thing as though we do appreciate art, seeing a replica version was satisfactory.

The Oblate Library was read about and also recommended to us, but honestly, it is just a library. We went there with high hopes, but today, its still a functioning library. I guess travelling for a while has blurred us of the reality of students studying as we were quite in awe to see people with their heads in between books haha! The building and architecture is quite neat, but other than typical library, there is not much here.

Wandering the streets, there are many unique shops known just to Florence. Many local prints, stationary, and leather goods shops as well as locally designed clothing stores too. I fell in love with one clothing brand that's fairly new to Florence called Flo'reiza and now I have a jacket to show for it when I get home! Apparently some gelato shops in Florence aren't made fresh nor is legit according to our accomodation host, but we were recommended a place called Carapina, which has a few locations around Florence. It was similar in setup to the hidden gem we went to in Rome (lids covering the gelato), but they have some unique flavours and I tried a new favourite combo: mint and pinenut!

Finally, my time in Florence closed with a giant egg yolk of a sunset. Words can't describe how I felt, so these photos will have to show for it and I hope it gives you an allure of the romantic essence of this Italian city.

Italy's Redemption: Cinque Terre Sarah Friday, May 29, 2015

Day 1

Mamma Mia! The change of scenery upon arriving La Spezia was refreshing and tranquil. The buzz and chaotic mobs of tourists in Rome had ran us dry besides the people who tried to scam us at the train station in Rome making us skeptical of much. There are many locals who approach you to help you purchase tickets, find your way, or help themselves to help you with your luggage, but even if they dress the part don't believe them! They will always ask for a tip afterwards and will pester you until they are satisfied. We definitely learnt the hard way falling for this guy who looked like he knew exactly what he was doing only to find out he wasn't an employee at all. It's sad that these Italians think this is their "job" and do this on a daily basis to earn money from tourists so definitely be aware and when in doubt, just figure it out yourself.

We settled into our B&B in La Spezia and headed to the first village for an evening sunset and dinner. staying in La Spezia is pretty convenient as the train is easily accessible to all the villages with the closest one being less then five minutes away. On Sundays, many shops tends to be closed or close early so take note if you do arrive on this day, but on other days of the week, the main square Via La Prione has many Italian and non Italian restaurants, take out places and bakery shops that are very well priced (quite cheap if I say so myself) and delicious. There are also local boutiques as well as international brands like Zara here so if you are up for shopping, you'll be satisfied.

We caught the sunset in time at Riomaggiore (closest village) and our hosts had recommended a scenic spot right above the bar Pie' de Ma' (once you arrive Riomaggiore platform, find the stairs at the corner that leads you onto higher grounds). You will spot the bar overlooking the Almafi Coast, but you don't need to go to the bar (not much food selection and pricey menu in general) for the view, you can just proceed straight ahead and there will be an awesome viewing pointm

We wandered the main street of the village afterwards  and decided on dinner at a grab and go place call Mamma Mia. The anchovy pizza we ordered was made to order and the anchovies were giant and so fresh. I never thought I would enjoy fish on pizza so much! This happened to be a trip advisor recommendation too and their mix calamari was a great selection of squid, cuttlefish, octopus, and lots of anchovies. As it was getting dark, many shops were closing or already closed and in general, places do close early at these villages so we called it a night and took the train back to La Spezia. Just make sure to have the train schedule on you as in the evening delays are common and the trains are much less frequent...you could be waiting up to an hour or longer.

My favourite part so far is the overwhelming and beautiful scent of these small bundles of yellow flowers that grows on trees. It smells like a chrysanthemum white tea concoction to the nose and is so soothing...I need to find out the name, I love the scent so so much!





Day 2

Monterosso 

The next day we started at the farthest village, Monterosso with plans of hiking from here to the next closest village, Vernazza. Our host had told us to skip the middle village, Corniglia as there's not much there compared to the others. Monterosso is definitely my favourite as the colourful village houses line the coast and the beach extends right in front. The little local shops and crafts are also the cutest here. If I had all the luggage space in the world I definitely make one too many purchases as all the decor and household items were handmade and one of a kind. When hiking, there's actually a 7.5 euro fee as the money goes to up keeping this national park. The expected time was two hours from Monterosso to Vernazza and at the time, the other villages were closed so we couldn't hike them even if we wanted to.

Cinque Terre is known for their lemon products

I definitely recommend this hike as it's not only a gorgeous breath taking view that you cant get from training, but it's also a fabulous workout when you've been indulging in too much good food harhar. We saw all types of people hiking from parents and crying babies (crazy) to retirees who were going faster than us. I think my new found hobby is hiking because I had so much fun doing it. Though there is quite a slope at times Cinque Terre is made to be hiked as steps are carved out on the way and overall the path is really easy to follow. We did pretty well seeing that we only took 1.5 hours and only needed some minor pit stops on the way mainly for photo taking.

Looking down at Vernazza during the hike

Spotting Vernazza from above the hill made it feel like a medieval discovery. The colourful buildings looked like Lego blocks and there's a pedway viewpoint at this village that extends out into the coast where you can canoe or catch a boat ride. Vernazza has lots of eateries and restaurants so make sure to compare prices and look at the dishes beings served. I want to say prices are higher the closer you are over looking the coast, but this is also the village with the best view looking out towards the hills, water and Monterosso farther away, so that's a plus.

Manarola

Skipping Corniglia, we trained to Manarola. Not as big as the other villages, but down towards the coast people are sun bathing, swimming and even snorkelling along the giant boulders. One girl told us an octopus had grabbed onto her leg - what a shock that must've been! I also bought wine made in Italy for only 3.5 euros from one shop here. Probably not the highest of quality, but worth a try and a good souvie too. Actually, red and white wine is very cheap in general compared to back home in Canada, but that shouldn't be too much of a shock when Europeans tend to drink with most meals and especially in Italy where they produce so much of it.

Most travellers also tend to take a similar route as we had bumped into people we've seen the night before as well as from one village to the next. It was nice to be able to have a conversation with people you run into as well as share experiences because in Rome people were too caught up with doing their own thing. Cinque Terre and La Spezia truly redeemed Italy for us as though it's still busy with tourists, everyone is more laid back and low key. The locals are friendlier and the atmosphere is much more calm. Good thing we started with Rome because the bar is being set high from now on.

When in Rome 2... Sarah Thursday, May 28, 2015

Don't do as the Romans do!

Perhaps my love for Greece just doesn't give Rome an unbiased perspective, or Rome is just bitter sweet itself. I love the city, the architecture, and all the things to eat and see, but the service, the politics of things, and the people really disappointed me. I realize how much I dislike crowds of tourists and over rated things, so this can easily get you (and the locals/employees) impatient and mad when waiting for a long time in line just to discover that you are at the wrong ticket pickup office due to lack of signage or that the communication of information is misleading and lacking as with our pre bought tickets to the Colosseum, Palatine Hills and the Roman Forum.

Despite the annoyances of the lacking Italian service, the Colosseum is a must. Make sure to pre buy tickets and even print them out in advance if you can. Rest assured, you don't want to be waiting for hours just to purchase-the line for tickets wrapped around the Colosseum so plan ahead to avoid wasting time!! As one of the 7 wonders of the world, the Colosseum didn't disappoint and just gazing at it was a historic education for the eyes. The Roman Forum and Palatine Hills are in the same place and there's a lot to see in this area alone. However, we left for lunch after exploring a third of the place and assumed our " two day pass" would allow for unlimited access in the span of 48 hours...turns out, once you've been admitted once, your pass is over and there are no exceptions. Thus, another disappointing point to Rome and the explanation didn't justify it... definitely a lesson learnt for us and so many others.

On the bright side, good thing Rome is a walking museum as walking around made up for the places we didn't get to see with the pass. We sighted the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, a grand white marble building, but remain proper here as the guards are strict and keeps a tight eye on what you are doing...even sitting on the steps aren't allowed. The Trevi Fountain was unexpectedly shocking... because we got there to the sight of a barricade around it with a bridge built for tourists to walk through. Turns out, it is under renovation for a year, so no coin tossing, no grandeur monument, when in Rome moment- just a line of tourists trying to see it up close on the bridge.

I should note that Rome is ridiculously populated with tour groups, thus by the time we got to the Spanish Steps, we were burnt out and didn't admire it as much as there were people everywhere which makes it tiring to try to get a decent photo or spend time without people in the way.

I feel this blog is way too depressing, but the highlight was finally making it to Travestere unlike the night before. An upbeat neighbourhood of delicious eats where the locals go, we were so impress and jealous of the quality and prices! You can get a four course meal here as cheap as 10 euros! Crazy right!? You realize how jacked up tourist areas are and how incomparable food can be until you explore local grounds. We waited to eat at a place call Castomenta due to the obvious lineup and crowd willing to wait for a table outside. The pizza and tiramisu I devoured was one of the best pizza and tiramisu  I've had and at 5 and 3 euros respectively, I was so pleased. Turns out it was a trip advisor recommendation and my friends and I have been lucky to come across this and others that are also trip advisors recommended on this trip. They tend to be of delicious quality and decent pricing, so a sure sign for tourists to count on. The streets in Travestere also has tables set up for local crafties selling their jewellery and other handmade items. Travestere not only redeemed the day for us, but I would come back here just to eat!

Another hidden gem is San Crispino, an award winning gelato placed tucked in Via Della Paneteria. My friend had recommended it to me and though service is lacking, you know it's good when the lids cover the aesthetic appeal of the gelato (whereas other gelato shops display the gelato mountain high) yet still has a consistent flow of traffic. Taste for sure wins and my honey and chestnut flavours were as rare as gold.

I know I mentioned travelling with three other friends and staying in hotels is not my ideal nor my preferred way, but I need to give a shout out to a concierge from the Sheraton Roma. Otello, who has worked there for over twenty years went above and beyond to assist us and had an impeccable memory for names. If anything, he made my trip to Rome remarkable and you know and can sense when someone works and delights in their job passionately. I never thought I be a girl so picky about service, but it does make or break an experience.

When in Rome... Sarah Thursday, May 28, 2015

Don't roam Rome!

Coming from such a beyond friendly and hospitable place like Santorini, Rome through us off...just a little too much.

Arriving in Rome, or Roma in Italian, one taxi driver already tried to rip us off asking for 70 euros to our hotel. Good thing I had researched that the standard rate should be around (if not a set rate of) 50 euros. Thankfully we were aware and asked the taxi desk whom told us it's a set rate of 48 euros, so we did just that instead. Driving into the city we didn't realize how green Rome is. There are fields of grass and lots and lots of trees. This one type of tree seen almost everywhere has a skinny trump and a flat top resembling a tall mushroom, it was pretty fairy tale like.

After settling in, we attempted to bus to a local neighbourhood call Travestere recommended by the concierge. However, we ended up getting off way too early and in a totally non touristy area where many Italians do not speak English and some didn't even know how to direct us on the map. So not only were we lost and confused, we were in a drastic scene than expected- sort of sketch, and we figured we were on the wrong side of the river so we ended up taxiing to a known touristy area; Piazza Navona, a public touristy square we had researched. We arrived with an immense sense of peace to the expected Roman culture of buildings, mobs of tourists, and outdoor restaurants and souvenirs, feeling way more comfortable than we had a few minutes ago as the only tourists on the bus.

So tip of the day is, on your first night, stick it safe and go exactly where you need to go. Or else your internal safety alarm goes off and its no fun!

After the initial culture shock from this incident, we took some photos and looked for grub. You must compare menus, prices, and question what you want and what the place has to offer. With line ups of restaurants everywhere, they are all very competitive and the ones right on the square are usually the most expensive and not as great as the hidden gems down the alleys. Also, we found out al 6 restaurants surrounding the immediate square of the Piazza Navona were of the same company, so the managers kept out talking one another as we passed by to get our business.

Multitude of Artists on the Square

We settled on a place down the alley as they really sold it to us with their talk and allowing us to see the kitchen to prove that their pastas were made fresh in the kitchen and not frozen. There wasn't much proof of freshness to be honest, but the sight of a clean kitchen, enthusiastic chef, and a tinge of tiredness from comparing gave us ease in settling on this place. To kick off our first night, we ordered of course pasta, wine, and initiated the start of our gelato consumption at a gelato shop nearby (which is literally everywhere) for dessert.

Our first of many pasta dishes in Italy: Lobster Pasta!

My favourite: Pasta rolls with ricotta cheese & porchini mushrooms

Learning from our mistake and wanting to be extra safe in the evening, we taxied back to our hotel and had a teaser of what was to come the next day. The warm yellow lights and mystery of the roman architect and monuments made up for our earlier mishaps had us intrigued for the following day already.

Santorini: Fira Sarah Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Planning ahead and renting a vehicle if you have a license helps a lot when exploring Santorini as public transit is few and taxi-ing can add up quickly. Unfortunately, none of us had our international license, but if we did, paying 30 Euros/day for a Nissan (one rental company for example) and dividing it by four is not bad at all.

How did we get around then? Fortunately we had arranged for a shuttle service from our accomodation in Oia to our second destination in Fira (usually about 20 euros for four people). When we went to the two beaches the first day, we took the shuttle bus which was 1.8 euro one way, but it was around a 30 minute frequency depending on where you are going so once again, renting a car or ATV or motorbike does have its perks. We first shuttled to Acroptiri Beach, one of the red beaches along the coast. When you get off the bus, you still have to walk 10-15 minutes to the beach, but the view and the trek there is beautiful as the rocks are red and as you walk down to the beach, the view is worth capturing. I really liked all the random doors along the base of the cliff too, not sure what the purpose is, but it did make picture taking a joy.

Acroptiri (Red) Beach

Next we headed to Perissia Beach, a black sand beach. Funny story, we were getting impatient waiting for the bus and were planning to hitch hike when a island van driver happen to come by (praise the Lord) and we were able to bargain a price to the next beach along with other passengers. Perissia was more touristy as they had these tiki umbrellas and beach chairs set up all along the beach. Restaurants also lined the shore and we were recommended by our driver to eat at Apollon. It didn't disappoint as you can get a huge dish of assorted meats (grilled fish, chicken, pork, lamb, beef patty), Greek salad, rice, and fries all for 24.9 euros for two. Yes you read that right! My three friends and I also got free drinks at the end. Great service and food here, so come to enjoy the sunset and then a remarkable dining experience after.

Perissia (Black) Beach

Prices to eat in Fira and along the coast in general are so much more cheaper than Oia. Thus, I recommend having one fancy meal in Oia for the experience and all, but if you are to shop or eat more often, Fira is drastically more worth it.  Don't buy anything in Oia unless you absolutely love it, Fira prices are so much better and you won't feel like you are being ripped off.

On our second day, we had booked a boat tour to check out the Nea Kemeni volcano and hot spring area. It's18 euros for the three hours, but the entrance to the volcano is another 2 euros and you also have to factor in how you are going to the port- either walking down the steps, taking cable car or riding a donkey, where the latter two is 5 euros one way. Though the cost accounted higher, the tour didn't justify it at all. I enjoyed the hike up the volcano (around 1 km) and the gorgeous island view of Santorini from a distance,  but the tour lacked information before hand and was not very interesting overall. When we got to the hot spring, we only had about half an hour to spend there and we weren't told that you had to swim 60-70m (my friend said it felt further than that) to the hot spring from the boat, thus, many people just stayed on the boat and for those who are beginner swimmers like me, we wouldn't have been able to make it to the other end so we couldn't go as the boat doesn't park closer for those non swimmers to check out.

Distance to Hot Spring

Though there were rough patches to this tour, my highlight was coming back to the port and being able to ride a donkey back up the hill to Fira. I had been forewarn that they stink and it would be a bumpy/crazy ride, and boy was it, but I also had so much fun! It felt like I was on a roller coaster and it was very amusing seeing these donkeys try to out walk each other or charge forward towards the walls to try and get some shade (poor donkeys:( ), scary at times, but a good experience none the less while trying to admire the view at gradually greater heights. So glad I tried it out for myself as initially I was for sure not going to do it!

The day kept getting better as we went to Salt & Pepper for a late lunch. My friend who came to Santorini last year highly recommended this little couple owned restaurant and said it was a must. Initially turned off by the blunt and straight forward replies of the owner, our perspective changed as our food arrived and we had time to sit and converse with the owner as we ended up being the last customers to leave. Not only was the food over the top delicious, we came to understand why the owners do what they do and how the difference of cultures and lack of understanding of them leads to misunderstandings and perceived rudeness in service at times. Thy & I shared the tomato balls (ahmazzjing!!) and the chicken in wine sauce was so delightful and tantalizing with flavour. Every dish is order to be made and the mentality of fresh, slow, and food made with passion topped off our Greek experience. Not only did Salt & Pepper create a lot of buzz with travellers, they are also a trip advisor winner for 4 consecutive years. Don't miss out and hunt down this hidden gem no matter what! Just make sure to book a reservation or go earlier on in your trip as you may get turned away when they are a full house or near closing hours. Despite their popularity, prices are still very reasonable, I can go on and on about them-we even nicknamed Irene, the wife of the chef, our Greek mommy!

Tomato Balls

Chicken with White Wine

Our lovely ice cream treat afterwards on the house

Irene & Us

What a great Greek experience! The only part I wish I could've done was eat a fresh fig, but unfortunately they weren't in season yet, so next time!