catching up

After Florence, I caught a train to Pisa. Not nearly as exciting as I thought it was going to be. Took some photographs and headed to Rome. Rome is like a museum with a little city amidst it, everything is ancient, and right out there. Of course, if they can, they'll charge you an arm and a leg to look at it. I did the tourist circuit.

Rome was especially awesome because I wasn't in a hotel, I was staying with Karenina's friend, Maurizio. He was a super chill economist who lived in a neat neighborhood with great access to the metro. I could almost land on it if I stepped out from our doorstep and leaped three times.

Rome was Rome, it's a wonderful city, I posted some pictures, you should visit. I saw lots and lots and lots of art. I ate amazing Gelato, and I was treated to lunch by the guide from the Synogogue.

Back to Maurizio.

Unfortunately, our schedules didn't line up that well, so we didn't spend much time together. I was coming in earlier than he was, and leaving before. The last night, however, after dinner in the Jewish Quarter, which was excellent, I stumbled back to the apartment carrying the weight of an entire 750ml + 1 Glass of wine in my veins. I probably would have been fine at that point. Do you want some vodka (no, unfortunately, he did not offer Vode-ka). At first I was hesitant, and then I decided, it was my last night in Rome, I should sit and talk. We stayed up for hours, and being an excellent host, Maurizio kept my glass always full. I guess I wasn't really noticing. Went to bed at three, woke up still drunk. I know because I was talking to myself in German, something I tend to excel at - my german gets better when I have a glass of something strong, and because I felt like I was run over multiple times by a tractor and it's trailor. I had only slept a few hours. The walk to the train station was murder, each step painful. The train was excruciating. The flight was really the end, I think I held my breath most of the way from Rome to Athens. Landed alright in the end, I guess it wore off. No hangover, I was just still a little innebriated in the morning. Still didn't touch anything alcoholic through Milos, until I had a Mythos on Santorini this evening. One was enough as I was flooded by my recent memories.

Milos was pretty boring, not many young people. A nice family, well, parents were nice, took me out for lunch at the beach. I snorkeled a bunch, but saw a few pretty fish. It seems like carribean is the place you need to go for the colorful fish.

The room was gross, water from the faucet was yellow and there were hairs in the bed. Although, comparatively, the place I am writing this from, the mini bar has someone's half eaten cheese in it, not sure if we are going up or down. I wanted to take it out and throw it away, but it might start to smell. I do know all about smelly cheeses and heat after Milan this past winter.

I arrived on time in Santorini around noon.

The bus did not. I bought a calling card to inquire (I had made reservations the night before), and was told 45 minutes. 2 hours later, it arrived. I was already annoyed. Waiting is fine, it's free transportation, provided by the Hotel, but if she was honest, and told me 2 hours, i could have found a place for lunch, or made a decision, and shared a cab with people up to the town.

I arrived, and apparently, my reservation never came to their side. It arrived fine on my side, I had the confirmation number, and everything. Even my card has been charged by the company. I emailed them to ask. The woman insisted that if I wanted the room, I had to pay the full price - my deposit with the company I reserved through I would have to deal with on my own. I didn't feel like arguing anymore. Then she gave me the worst room. This hotel, which I chose for location and views, sells itself on breathtaking vistas. I have a wall. Another hotel's wall. I will have to find her tomorrow and straighten this out immediately.

Santorini is the epitome of touristy. I was reading some things, and it looks like this is pretty much what things have become. It's the same in East Hampton, the tourists used to come for the peace and quiet, the beaches, but they want their starbucks, can't live without that. And so, piece by piece, everything they came to escape slowly follows them here. And eventually, we just recreate our everyday world everywhere. Some vacation.

I have plans for the beaches tomorrow, and then a tour probably the following day. I decided to book a flight back, same price as ferry, but 45 minutes instead of 10 hours on regular or 5 on high speed. I hear that seeing the island from the water is incredible, and so I want to do that since I am flying out, no more boats.

Lunch in Algeciras

Arrived via ferry in algeciras from tangiers. I met a family from ohio who was traveling as well. They are visiting spain for the day. Very nice, they bought me coffee and offered me to stay with them next time I am in ohio, or their place in casablanca.

Lunch at restaurantes montes, a sidewalk cafe.

So far from what's come out, my glass of red wine, sparkling water, cheese and bread, its been a success. And they take credit card. I think I am going to love spain.

I have a 3pm train to Madrid, and will post more upon arrival.
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Tangiers! or Morocco Lite

From a distance, Tangiers is quite beautiful with white washed houses, and french architecture. Up close, the beast comes out, and it's a lot less exciting. I checked lonely planet for some suggestions. It listed a restaurant, but it turned out to be a cafe with only coffee, tea, and alcohol. I had walked maybe an hour to get there, and was pretty annoyed. I decided to try the next place on the list, Palace Maharab.

What a scam.

It was the worst couscous, our camping couscous from the white mountains blew this stuff out of the water. Very overpriced, poor service. some music players who just mumbled most of the words to songs. The only nice part was the setting. Unfortunately, my camera was safe in my hotel room.

The medina is small, and much easier to navigate. Not much more to say there.

At least the hotel has wifi.

I went to purchase a ticket for the ferry, I walked all the way down the hill to find out that you need the physical passport, numbers are not enough. So I walked back up the hill, got the passport, came back.

Oh, we can't sell you a ticket until the day of.

That sealed tangiers fate for me. I don't like to write things off, but I still have not encountered anything redeeming in this city. It is more helpful that people speak spanish, but that is about it. English fluency is also higher than the southern parts of Morocco that I visited. All in all, my best experiences in North Africa, Morocco specifically, were outside of the entry cities - casablanca and tangiers.

The cool part is that I while I was told my room has a sea view, which it does just barely, I have to open the window, lean all the way out, and inhale the smoke from a truck parking lot below me, I can see spain across the strait of gibralter. That is pretty exciting, it's almost like looking into the future. Of course it's rather hazy, so I can't read anything.

Money worked out perfectly.

I will leave with three Dirhams after paying for my hotel, and ferry ticket. No need to carry around a currency not widely excepted in Europe during my travels. Maybe 1 dirham for souvineer, but that is the maximum.

I was calling it funny money, but considering our new money in the U.S., and taking into consideration all the various currencies I have used around the world, there isn't much out there that isn't funny money any more - in fact, monopoly money may be the last traditional form of money remaining, just the number and a small graphic, like older stuff from the Mint.

Time for skype.

Goodnight friends, and goodbye Africa.