Naples Napoli

It has been years since I have posted on this blog and a lot has changed. The biggest thing is that I have a job at a prestigious university, that I love and am truly blessed to have. I get to travel for work and that is what has brought me to Naples. We have an alumni trip that starts tomorrow that will travel around the Amalfi Coast. I arrived a day and a half early and was able to explore.

I spent the first day walking, much like I do in every city and ended up shopping, which I hardly do. I found some really reasonable, great fitting and great looking pieces. The problem is that I am carrying around towels, thermoses and notebooks to provide to our tour guides at the end of our trip. So until then, I am stuffed to the brim of clothes. I also bought my new Harry Potter book (I buy one from each country with the countries language and different cover to add to my collection) and gloves for my mom. I'm basically done with my shopping unless there is some souvenir that screams out to me. I have looked already but nothing seemed worthy to pass out.

I arrived, yesterday, June 30th to Napoli. I stayed at a hostel near the old downtown area near Piazza San Gaetano. The streets are small. A little more to let one car pass through. The streets were built small to bottleneck any invaders that might have tried to overtake the town. Scooters honk you out of the way and tend to use the "one way" signs as loose guidelines.

After my shopping, I went to L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele and ordered a Margherita pizza. It's supposedly the oldest pizza place in Italy, maybe the world. Naples is the birth place of pizza so it was a must eat. I felt like the pizza was sweeter than normal. From the last time I was in Italy, I heard that they put sugar in the dough. Maybe this place did as well. What I don't like about getting a pizza in Italy is that it's one size and it's HUGE. But I ate all of it, the dough was thin enough where I didn't feel guilty but thinking about how big it was, it's like ugh, just make different sizes!

From the pizza to my hostel room I went in to crash early. I did not sleep well on the plane due to all the turbulence on the plane so I needed my rest. Due to climate change, scientists are saying that turbulence is only going to get worse. This was the worst turbulence I had ever experienced. So I hope that it doesn't get worse cause I don't know if I can go through that again.

Today, July 1st I woke up after a horrible night's sleep. I stayed in a hostel to keep the cost of this trip small BUT I did get a private room cause....no more shared rooms if I can help it. I slept about 4 hours and was woken up by a bang in the hostel from somewhere. To be fair, it was about 2 o'clock and in hostel life people are just falling asleep so not a big deal but I was unable to go back to sleep at that point. After 2 Sherlock episodes, I was able to go back to sleep for the last 2 hours.

After breakfast, I went to the Underground Napoli tour. It was pretty cool. They took you on a tour of the aqueduct system that was built by the Greeks and expanded by the Romans. Our guide put it this way, the Greeks were a people, but the Romans were an empire. The aqueduct had many stairs leading down that opened into a wide space. The aqueduct hadn't been filled for about 150-200 years after a cholera outbreak forced them to close the wells. During World War II they were able to use the space for a bomb shelter. I did not realize this but the Italians were bombed by the Allies due to Fascism. I never had really thought about Italy being bombed and learned something new.

After my tour of the underground, I got lost in the city. I walked around until lunch looking at artwork and the things they were selling. After lunch, I walked to my hostel to pick up my luggage and started my 1.6 mile walk down to my hotel. I didn't want to get a taxi but even if I wanted to, I did have to walk a ways to a taxi stand because they don't drive to the area I was staying. I learned that there were only 3 main roads and then expanded to about 6. You can drive down the other roads but they don't really do that. And walking with a rollie luggage is not easy on cobblestone or large stoned sidewalks. My luggage must have toppled over 50 times. No joke. But I was able to find shops along the way that let me find leather gloves for my mom so that was a win.

All in all, a very good beginning.

BMX Racing Became an Olympic Sport in 2008 in Beijing....now that I have answered that question, read my post!

This is my post about my observations of the Olympics abroad. Enjoy!

First off let me start that I generally have not been the most avid Olympic sport or world competition watcher before coming to Europe. But being abroad has really made me appreciate not only the competition but the hardwork that people have put into it, the training, and the whole other world that surrounds the Olympics that I never knew. I think the reason that I was never a big watcher of the Olympics was because I found it so egocentric watching it in the States. "Oh there goes America again. Is America in all of these sports? And winning all of them? Boring!" But my friends, that is not the case! They don't win everything, (although at this point in time they have 94 medals and it is day 16 out of 17) to be quite honest, they aren't even in ALL the millions of sports that the Olympics has to offer us, we just think they are!

I started watching the Olympics in Italy. I unfortunately did not get to watch the Opening Ceremony since the kids I was with were watching cartoons.The beauty about being in Europe while the Olympics are on is that....I'm almost in the same time zone as when the actual events are on (although being in London now I am obviously in the same time zone). But being in Italy and watching it live and not have to stay up til 3 in the morning to watch it live has totally made me appreciate the proximity of the games to where I was and am in the world.

In Italy I watched the Olympic sport of Fencing for women although it is not called that. But whatever, it was fencing. Italy took home the gold, silver and bronze. It was pretty awesome to see them kick ass like that. I also watched Fencing for men but did not get to watch as much of that since I was babysitting and Simone, he 8 year old I was watching, didn't seem so in to it. Although when Italy was not in the sport like swimming or running, we would watch anything that had Great Britain or the US in it. But it was really neat to see other sports that the US or GB (that is what everyone is calling Great Britain by the way. Team GB!) I was only in Italy the first two days of the Olympics so I did not get to experience much of the international beauty of watching the Olympics in Italy.

After Italy I went to Ireland. Oh Irelaand! I did not get to watch much in Ireland either because we spent a lot of time in the car driving from once place to another but I did see a lot of boxing. We were watching one of the matches that Ireland won in one of the pubs in Dublin. It was favored that Ireland would win in boxing so it was natural that it was on all the time. It was fun to watch it with the Irish as the boxers advanced into the finals. I would also watch portions of soccer and running in Ireland too but it was more background noise in the pubs. Running seemed to be a common theme that ran (pun intended) throughout all of the countries I watched the Olympics in now that I think about it.

Then from Dublin I went to London. YES! I am in the same city as the Olympics. I was actually there as it was happening right before my eyes. I took a bus from the train station to my hostel and before I arrived we drove by the actual center of the Olympics. There were so many people and it just felt so overwhelming to be so close to the excitement and then fans and spectators. It was just amazing. However that was as close as I got to the O2 arena and other events. Later that night I overheard that there were Olympic events that were free and so I looked them up and had decided that I would go to the sailing one later in the week and just do my touristy things the next day especially since part of the events would be going by the touristy attractions.

So the next day I awoke to go to Buckingham Palace. When I arrived I found out that they weren't going to be doing the Changing of the Guard because....oh I don't know the triathlon would be coming by. Oh well! I guess I'll have to stay and get a good spot to watch the Men's Triathlon. So I watched it live. Only the cycling portion though because to watch it start or end, you had to have tickets for that part of the arena and I unfortunately did not. But what I did get to see was pretty exciting and I got some good video to show my friends and family back home.

During my time in London, I met very few Americans. Wearing my Italian blue jacket around London, I was often mistaken for being Italian which benefited me from people trying to sell me items or get me to try something. However, because I was able to blend in to the not English speaking crowd I was able to meet some rude Americans. As I was waiting for the Changing of the Guard on my second day in London, I was about a foot and a half away from this woman. Granted being an American that is kind of close when you don't know that person but its a popular event and crowds gather so I didn't think I was that close. Since I had my jacket on, the woman I was standing next to starts talking about me to her friends. How I'm too close, what a bitch I am etc. I just completely ignored. So after a while, she starts talking to me like I'm an idiot and telling me I'm in her space and to back up. All I respond with was "ok" because I knew that it would get more crowded. Wouldn't you know it? Two little kids soon come up to her and stand right behind her, so close that their hands are on her back trying to lean in to the bars. All I could do was look at her and the little kids and smile. I wanted to say something but karma was already kicking in and I didn't want to ruin the magic.

And since I had just left Ireland, I was noticing a lot of Irish things and people. The Irish people at the Olympics dressed in their Ireland gear did not represent well. They literally all dressed like leprechauns. I'm not joking nor was it an exaggeration. Come on people, you are coming to a place where you can represent your country and that is the message you want to leave behind? We are a bunch of stereotypes? No Ireland. No. Stop it.
Irish people in London not representing well

In England though, I watched the sports that I never thought to watch in the US as an Olympic sport. I watched the equestrian games. I mean it makes sense. You always think of them riding arond in their riding gear in movies and on TV but I never thought of it as an Olympic sport NOR ever have seen it in the US. But yes, it exists! I also watched a lot of sailing, kayaking and canoeing. I don't recall ever watching that in my life as a precursor to the Olympic games or during the Olympics ever. And I think its because the US is just involved. Although I was glad to watch it because Ecuador (whoop whoop) was represented. Although they did not advance to the finals, it was nice to cheer for them. The sailing and the equestrian games all seemed very British and very White upper class and so it was exciting to cheer for the underdogs like Ecuador or like Mexico who weren't known for those types of sports. I also watched a lot of boxing in the evening because that's all I remember being on when I was at the pubs.

I watched the closing ceremony at the pub I liked O'Neils. There were hardly any Americans there. There were a lot of Irish, Dutch, Brazilians and few English now that I think of it because they could stay home and watch it. But it was cool first of all to see it before all my friends and family but to be in the culture and the area that the Olympics were representing. It was just an awesome experience that I won't ever forget. So awesome I want to go to Rio. I want to make it happen! I don't even need tickets but just being there with the people made this trip to London totally worth it. And if I can't go to Rio, I would like to watch it while traveling through different countries because it was just fun to be with people from all over and get a different experience from them.

But Rio 2016! Let's make it happen.

"The Road to Memphis and Thebes Passes Through Turin"-Jean-Francois Champollion

I had a very busy day today. I woke up at about 8:30 and took my time getting ready and caught the bus right outside my hostel at about 9:30 to go to the downtown area. Because it is Sunday, many places were closed so at the first cafe I came upon I decided to have a cappuccino and a chocolate croissant. Yum!

After my breakfast I had planned to go to the Egyptian Museum which is supposed to be the largest collection of Egyptian items outside of Cairo. On my way there, this building that I discovered the day before (and fell in love with) had its doors open so of course I went inside. It was Palazzo Carignano which was once a private residence for the Princes of Carignano. The outside of the building though looks like something out of a Harry Potter movie. The inside though was so elegant and regal I could have seen myself moving in. The tour was free and only an hour so that postponed my trip to see the Egyptian museum. And a free short tour of a building that I fell in love with...not going to pass it up. The staircases (one on each side of course) were so elaborately decorated with the different Caesars and carvings leading up to this like parliamentary room of just beauty and class. There were living spaces for the Princes too but I didn't feel the beauty as much as I did with the parliamentary space of that first room we saw. Everything else was beautiful yes, but over the top with ornate gold and trimmings. Too much if you ask me. And it didn't help that the tour was only either in Italian or French so I struggled along listening and kept getting confused by the years and the princes they kept mentioning. But I still enjoyed it and thought it was very beautiful.

After the Palazzo Carignano I went to the Egyptian Museum which was literally maybe less than 100 feet away. Can I just say wow! I would highly recommend this museum if you like history in any way. The sarcophagi that they had in this museum is enough to make me want to go back. I have pictures but the pictures do not do it justice. I couldn't decide what was more impressive to me, the sarcophagi or the parchments of linen/paper from like 1800 B.C. Yeah, you read that right, B.C. First of all, to have written language from that time period, to have a way to decipher it (the Rosetta Stone) and to be able to pretty much understand that lifestyle and traditions just amazes me. And how well some of the things are preserved like some of those mummies and the artifacts. Damn! That museum is pretty cool. That is also where I got the quote for my blog from.

After the Egyptian Museum I sat near a statue listening to a trumpeter play music in the piazza as I ate and texted my friend Janet since everyone else I knew was sleeping. After lunch, I went to the Cinema Museum. Yes, I know I'm from LA and I kind of know people in the business and been around enough to know the point. But that museum also was pretty cool. It opens up with the history and the development of movies such as Edison, the moving picture, the optical illusions, how the eyes work while watching movies etc. Not the most exciting thing but interesting. Oh and some of those first movies....uh don't take your kids because they are a little x-rated. Pre-Playboy status folks. Anyway, after the history part of it, you go upstairs to this giant room of couches to watch clips of unique dance scenes and something else (I fell asleep, ooops). But off to the side of this giant room are themed doorways of Westerns, Fantasy, Animation, Horror, etc. and inside its like you are walking into a set of one of those themed type of movies. The whole layout is well done and pretty cool to walk through. On the third floor you kind of get shown step by step on how movies are made like story boarding, editing, sound, CGI, etc. and they show you using famous movies like Psycho, Citizen Kane, etc. The 4th floor has movie posters from back in the day but in Italian so it was kind of cool to see an Italian movie poster for "Singing in the Rain" or "Casablanca". After all of that, and if you paid in advance, you can go up the building into a tower where there is an observation deck. Oh apparently the Cinema museum is the tallest museum in the world. Don't quote, I'm just telling you what I read. Anyway, I got some cool shots from the deck of the heart of Torino.

I had dinner on the street and then came back to my empty hostel room. I am paying for a 4 person room but luckily, no one is here and I get to enjoy it all to myself! With that said, I have a busy day tomorrow too as I catch a train to Florence so I am off to bed!

Insert something witty or something about Italy here

I am sitting outside my host family's apartment complex waiting for my ride. Another tutor's host family is taking the tutor's out to look at the bigger town near us. This is also the same tutor that called my kids the dream team of dysfunctional and not functional dysfunctional as my brain remembered.

I went into Padua/Padova depending on where you are from. One of the other tutor's host mom's dropped us off. Before she did that she showed us a couple of the Piazza's there. The third one was awesome. It had one of the oldest clocks in the world. We ate in the piazza totally enjoying our evening. Because I'm a nerd, I wanted to check out the university. Oh, and people were making fun of me for that. I didn't get to go but I really want to because you know who taught there? Oh a little known astronomer, scientist, man of science by the name of Galileo. Maybe you heard of him. Now is that nerdy? NO! That is freaking amazing! Oh and apparently the city is also the main setting for the Taming of the Shrew. And this church that I saw that I thought was pretty average was built after a design created by Michaelangelo....pfh....don't worry, I have the church in the background of some pictures I am in.

I also forgot to mention that all families are really the same. During the birthday party for my host mother, I met both sides of the family. They of course asked me my age and then if I had a boyfriend, married, what kind of men I liked, etc. Also, you have th fun aunts, th fun uncles, the people you are just related to, and the favorite grandparents, the people that are dragged there and just want to watch whatever is on, and the little cousins that are just there.

I haven't watched a lot of Italian tv but after the news there is a show called Veline for an hour. The point of the show is to have pretty girls dress as slutty as they can without showing it all, dance and sing and the judges mostly men vote for the hottest. That is at least how I understand the show. I look up the words that are posted on the TV to try and understand more of what is going on but I just keep thinking, they could never have that type of show in The US. Too many people would complain caue it's just scandalous. But as a person that enjoys watching stupid people, I love it. Oh reality trash TV...how I have missed you.

Italy!

So I'm currently on the train. I left this morning from San Remo and am on the way to Padua with a layover in Milan. I will be in Padua for 2 weeks, living with a jost family and working at a camp 8:30 to 4:30. I am traveling on the train with 8 other people but I will be in Padua with 2 other people from orientation. The houses along this train route are more modern as if you would see in the country side or what I imagined the houses to look life.

The Milan train station is beautiful. I wanted to take pictures but I know I'll be passing through again.

Now to talk about my time in San Remo. It was beautiful. So quaint and just chill and beachy. Wednesday, I had the most stereotypical day in Italy. I had pizza and went to a coffee shop and tried to update my blog but alas I did not but just caught up on emails. Historical stuff-San Remo, well old town is built in the shape of a pine cone circling from the outside moving in. The streets are so small to bottleneck potential invaders back in the day. I don't know how the little old ladies walked up and down the streets. They are so steep. The doors that align the streets were used for horses and mules as stables. The whole history was very interesting but seeing it in person was so much putting history together with modern day.

Training-training was a blast. It was so much like being at camp. There were a lot of theater people that made the experience so awesome. Hilarious, talented people. There was girl, Amanda who reminded me of a young Carol Brunett. So funny. Literally people from all over but for some reason, I'm one of the darkest. Especially with all the sun now, I really am one of the darkest. It was hard fitting in with the group considering I give off the worst first impressions. After a while though, I found a few people who I fell into a rhythm with and plan to hang out and travel with and visit. I learned a lot on how to articulate (thinking of buddins and budder and remembering to emphasize the t's to be buttons or butter) better and slow down. (I'll add more as I remember). Disney- they are huge on Disney here. Scrooge McDuck is huge here. Too bad for my purse strings. I haven't bought anything but food because I know I'll be here for 3 months I don't want to carry things and not able to have things to buy later. I also wanted to wait to see what the families would suggest in terms of buying things. I'm very grateful for this experience to see Italy and travel and see Europe! Stay tuned!

Mambo Italiano

Day 1: San Remo. So I look Italian. At least that is my interpretation of walking around Italy. I never got hassled, cat called or approached by people wanting to rip off touristS (well not yet anyway) until I started walking around with blondes or people who look less like they belong. Exploring by myself, I blended in. Kiah if you are reading this I thought of you and how I should go exploring alone. Best decision ever. Before I met my roommates for this week, I ventured out and got a fresh taste of Italy....now they barely let me out of their sights. They got "worried about me" and I think it's because when they go out, they are noticed, they stand out while I, the brunette with the olive skin blend in with the crowd. My first meal in Italy was...anyone want to guess? It was Indian food. I arrived on a Sunday and the only thing open was the Indian place or the Chinese food place. Sunday...things are closed! Oh those crazy Italians. Day 2: My first day of training. Walking back from training it dawns on me that San Remo reminds me of a less university filled version of Isla Vista, the little university town next to UCSB. I don't know how else to describe it. I totally feel safe walking around up and down the streets, (ok maybe that part is not like IV) and getting lost, going down alleys and checking out all the shops. You get the vibe that it is a very tourist town since half the stores are Disney themed merchandise but it's stuff I've never seen in the United States. It's rather odd. The Smurfs seem to be making a come back. Who would have known? I have met Irish, Americans, British, Kiwis, Scots and Canadians. I share a room with 3 other girls that range from 20 to 22. Nice, but being older than them sometimes I like the separation of working and living with them. I try to be ice to them but sometimes I use the short tone because I don't want to be best friends all day. I sleep in the top bunk of a bunk bed. My center of gravity and balance are tested morning and night. I haven't taken a nap cause I don't want to climb up and down. I have a camp Bestie. He name is Kevin. He's Irish and more Chandler to my Liz Lemon but we make it work. Although, I call him Jack being Lemon. However, he made a point that I make too many media references to TV especially. So in true TV fashion I used Neil Patrick Harris's phrase in How I Met Your Mother "challenge accepted" (which only one person got) and tried. It didn't not work well and 2 days later failed miserably and had to admit defeat as I caved and used a Seinfeld reference today.

I have more but haven't had time or energy to write more so check back later.