Nov 062013
 

Have you ever met a person where you just thought “wow, this is amazing; this is something special; this is simply someone that I want to be around.”  You can’t explain it and you don’t know exactly why you feel this way but there is just something, something intangible that exists between you and this person.

Well, I met such a person while in Florence, Italy and it was the best 45 seconds of my trip to Italy.

Continue reading »

Jul 182013
 

Everyone knows that the tower in Pisa leans, a lot.  But, it is really hard to grasp how much it leans by just reading a number.  Below are photos that illustrate what I mean.

Though you only ever see the tower in photos, it is part of a church complex and, even if the tower didn’t lean, this would still be a great attraction to visit due to the ornate work on the church itself and the buildings around it. Continue reading »

Jul 132013
 

Florence is a perfect blend of tourist attraction, romance, entertainment, and general enjoyment.  It has everything that you would want.  The city is beautiful; the sites are world-famous; the clubs and pubs are close together; and the city is generally quite enjoyable.

When I arrived in Florence Continue reading »

Jul 102013
 

I’m in Florence, Italy and the people in the hostel run by Mike Tyson (read “Does a Serial Killer Live Here?” article) decided to go out to the clubs for a few drinks.  First off, they are soooo expensive – have your drinks beforehand.  And second, this one particular club has the craziest urinals I have ever seen.

Urinal with Lips!

Urinal with Lips!

Continue reading »

Jun 252013
 

My first Hostel experience in years was in Florence in 2012.  Money becomes quite a bit scarcer once you pay for things yourself and I was now traveling on my own dime.  The last hostel that I stayed in years before this was a very nice and new hostel.  It was big, clean, SAFE, and full of people that follow rules!  As such, I expected all hostels to be like this.  I was wrong, very wrong… Continue reading »

Nov 262012
 

I get to the meeting point for the Pompeii day-tour at around 7 am and it is quite cold.  In fact, even I, having lived in Boston for years, feel the need to wear a coat.  I am a bit lost, or so I think, and I want to ask someone a question.  As I look at the crowd of people gathering around a fountain, I immediately know who I can speak to – the other American. Continue reading »

Aug 132012
 

Pickpockets are everywhere in Rome; at least, they are everywhere that you will want to visit.  The first time I walked around Rome, I noticed two things (aside from the sites of course): more tour buses than I had seen in any other city and lots and lots of street-people (beggars, shady vendors selling on cardboard boxes, and women with fake babies in their arms ready to throw them at you).  Now, Rome is by no means the only place with lots of street-people but, since you will visit this city some day, let’s talk about some common sense ways to stay safe.

Continue reading »

Aug 112012
 

Rome is big, old, cobblestoney and BIG.  However, it is very doable to cover the city on a walking tour and, to boot, you will get lots of exercise and soak-in all the beauty that Rome has to offer.  You should spend at least a few days there to cover the main sites.  So, let me show you where to start, where to go, and give you some tips for the journey.

Continue reading »