Athens

Athens! Our final destination!
We caught the ferry from Santorini and arrived in Athens late on Saturday night. Got up on Sunday morning and discovered a bakery next to our accomadation. Om num num Greece can do good bakeries. We hoped on the metro and headed to the acropolis area - to be perfectly honest not really having much of an idea of Athens or what to expect. The area was touristy - but completely different to the touristness of Rome. We liked it much more :P
We went to the acropolis and saw all of the ancient ruins! So old! Wow! The partheon is seriously seriously impressive. Athens was too hot for me to deal with though- so we had to head back to accomadation and have a nap midafternoon. In the evening we wondered around the Agora and Roman Forum areas and just took in the vibe.
On Monday we got up nice and early to try and avoid the Athens heat. We went to the Olympian area - where there is the temple of Zeus!! We then headed to the Kerameikos, an area slightly out of the main acropolis area and subsequently less people. The ancient graves with their impressive memorials were particularly cool - as was the small museum there which had a well designed layout of Greek vases. In the evening we went to a resturant recommended to us by the person at the hostel. Yum man what a meal. Greek food has been the surprise of the trip really. Consistently good and leaves you feeling good as well (less carb heavy then French or Italian). I had baby lamb with potatoes, peppers, onions and cheese all cooked in a big bag. My goodness it was incredible. The waters were so friendly as well and bought us desert and let us try the Greek spirits. Was possibly best meal of trip on last night!
Today (though i guess technically yesterday?) We had our last day of the trip. We decided to brave the heat and go for a walk - since we were going to have over 24 hours on a plane. We walked to the top of a hill we saw from the acropolis, it looked like an island in the sea of Athens. Awesome veiws of Athens and surrounding area. We then walked on to the Acropolis museum which has to be one of the coolest museums in the world! It was really incredible seeing so many vases and sculptures, and finally a museum that was a bit more informative without being overwhelming.
We are now en route home. A bit sad to be leaving Greece - definitely a place I would like to come to again, but very ready to come home.

When we were at the airport we lined up behind some kiwis, who were over in Russia playing water polo. We made general complaints about the line, and the woman explained how she went to buy a coke earlier. Multiple people pushed in line in front of her, so she just went to sit and drink a beer somewhere else. At that moment we thought she was very kiwi! I'm looking forward to being around people who are less assertative again. People who say "she'll be right" and dont push you round in a queue.

I'm looking forward to coolness. I'm looking forward to free water. I'm looking forward to public toilets being acessable and free. I'm looking forward to seeing friends and family but that kinda goes without saying.

Most of all I'm looking forward to the air. I'm sick of smokers everywhere, you just can't escape the smell! And the people who, to me, seem so obnoxious and rude and puff smoke in your face. But its not rude here. That's normal. I'm so proud to be from a country where that is rude!

I'm ready to breathe again. Bring on that last flight.

Santorini

I loved Santorini!
Finally a part of our time away where we could relax a bit more. We arrived on late wednesday afternoon, with no real idea how to get to where we were staying, other then catch "the local bus". Turns out the bus system is quite chaotic yet surprisingly efficient. All buses go to Fira, the main town. You don't buy a ticket you hope on bus and the guy collects money. From Fira you can change buses to where ever you want to go by arriving in this terminal which is just people and buses everywhere with noone seeming to really know anything. Also the timetable is literally written out on paper everyday and posted in the Fira terminal. So good luck knowing when a bus will come from any other place..  Anyway Got to Perissa, the beach area where we stayed and had a supermarket dinner instead of going out. Torea bought some traditional Santorini "bread" - said with quotations because it's basically like a cracker in bread form. Yummy peppers and tomatoes and smoked herring and feta!
On Thursday we caught the bus into Oia, the town that is the pretty one overlooking the Caldera. Found a cute book store - exactly what we needed for our holiday and wondered the streets. Went back to Perissa for an evening swim - all in all a relaxed day. Discovered the bakery next door as well and had multiple deserts.
Friday we did a tour out to the centre of the island complex that is Santorini, where there is active volcano crators. Went swimming in thermal hot springs - it was weird because it was as warm as a bath with cold refreshing sea water ocassionally. The volcanic vents were very impressive - one was even releasing steam. Beautiful varying colours of volcanic rocks too, and a great veiw of the main island Thira, and the other 4 islands.
Went back and had the afternoon in Perissa, reading and swimming. Had a lovely dinner out, and decided we needed more swimming so went swimming in the dark to see the stars. Really beautiful water - there was so much phosophdiese! It was awesome.
Yesterday I had a lazy morning while Torea ran up the hill. Went for a final swim and then on the bus to the port to catch the ferry. So Santorini is this island, not all that big, but lots and lots of tourists. So lots of ferries and buses and private transfers. Only the port is really small. And the only road to get is a narrow ski field style road down the steep Caldera cliffs. Fun to go down on in a bus when not enough seats and you have to stand. So thankful we got there in plenty of time too, because at the last narrow bit our bus and a bus going up got stuck. Neither could move traffic jam stuck. For over half an hour noone could get in or out of the port as the buses attempted several maneuvers to get past each other. Finally we got to the ferry - and had a very long (7 and a half hours) trip to Athens where we are now!

Rome

Oops I realised I forgot to post this. Written on Wednesday.

On Monday we had our first day in Rome. In the morning we wondered around and went to a couple of the main attractions. We went to the church Saint Maria Maggoire. It was really impressive inside. We walked to the trevi fountain. It truely was one of those it does not even look at all similar to photos moments- It didn't even have water in it! All the people crowding round for photos and it was closed for cleaning. Not even many coins either! It was super hot so we headed for the patch in green on the map and rested for a couple of hours. In the afternoon we went to castle saint Angelo. Super impressive fortress like castle! Also saw Spanish steps, Pantheon and Plazas Navada.

On Tuesday morning, as close as we got to first thing,  we went to St Peter's bascilica church. We had to catch the metro at peak hour and that was an experience. Had to harness our New Zealand assertiveness to get on one. St Peter's itself is so so big. I like how it's so big that there are little bits you can go into and have 10 separate services happening at the same time. We went up to the top of the dome and that was so cool! Stunning mosaics and a great veiw of Rome. A lot of stairs to get to the top though. We then went on to the Vatican museums. The queue was the longest so far (while Torea and I are arguing that point), and so many pushy people trying to sell their tours. We got in eventually and wow what a museum. There is just so so so much. After a while it actually got really overwhelming. There is so many people as well that you just move with the crowd through it. And no seats to stop and contemplate anything. Sistine chapel at the end of museum as well - impressive art but not really the atmosphere I was expecting with being trapped like sardines in it.
In the afternoon (after a too hot and we can't find good food grumpy moment :P) we went to the colleseum. Again with the pushy people. Then we found someone selling us a tour who was nice and non pushy and treated us like humans and we were so thankful to her we bought the tour. Colleseum really was so incredible, even if a bit rushed with doing a tour. So so old and yet so massive and impressive. Finished the day seeing Palatine hill and the Roman forum, again well worthwhile.
This morning we have now gone on to Santorini! Bring on the swimming

Naples

We have just come from a super short trip to Naples.. was a shame we didn't have just a couple of days longer.
Yesterday we took the bus and then train from the place in Tuscany where we were staying. We finally got to Naples in the afternoon and it was hot! We like the metro in Naples, It is really funky. There is lots of mirrors in one of the station's and in the station closest to our accomadation there was one which was just strange sculptures and the like. The coolest one was decorated with lots and lots of blue mosaic tiles, it's theme being water. In Naples we went to the high point-  and visited our first Italian castle. It was more of a fortress then the grand French and Scottish castles. We walked down into the main historic area of Naples. The city was super lively - it was a Saturday night and we think university might have not long gone back so lots of young people. We walked down one street - famous for its pizza and it was mad. Narrow street- full of people, motorbikes going fast and then the odd car that would toot its horn and try to go down. I wanted to go to a place recommended, but the queue for a table was too long so we settled for another and had great pizza.
Today we headed for Pompeii. It was much bigger then I had realised. Lots of very impressive looking ruins. Not sure if it was just the audioguide that we got - but i was surprised that the emphasis was not at all on the burying and subsequent excavation of the city, but rather what all of the ancient buildings and art were. I was even more surprised at how accessible it all was- all without told any rules of marks of respect to follow (aka don't touch the art, don't stand on the ruins.) All together quite interesting. We have this evening caught our last train of the trip to Rome where we will stay for the remainder of our time in Italy.

Tuscany

I have been kissed by the Tuscan Sun. No really - my skin is so much better in Tuscan Sun then NZ sun, I have had no allergy!
It is so hot though.
We left Venice for La Spezia on Monday. Torea and I had a lovely dinner at a restaurant so popular we had to queue to get a seat. So worth the wait though. I even liked the wine. On Tuesday we went to the Cinque Terre area, a part of the coast or Italian rivera with spectacular cliffs and beautiful water and 5 cute colourful villages. We walked up the hill and then along the coastal track. The coastal part was reeeaaaallly hot and lots of people. When we finally got to the water we just jumped in, never minding the fact there were so many people and it wasn't the best beach for swimming. So nice to be cooler :) by this stage, Beth and I were tired and it was getting dark so took train to the final village - But Torea ran and managed to get there similar time!
Wednesday we said goodbye to beth and headed for Florence, But we stopped in Pisa on the way. I really liked Pisa as a city, It seemed really relaxed and walker friendly. We finally found the leaning tower of pisa and talk about a tourist attraction.. I decided to brave the crowds and prices to go up to the top. It really is leaning. I loved that like many monuments the steps were worn out in some places. But in Pisa they were worn out in different places depending on the lean.
That night we stayed in Florence, and decided to spend the next day exploring some art and Florence life. Seeing the art and buildings themselves was cool, but there was something about all the tourists there, the heat and all the pushy people trying to sell us stuff that made us exausted. So we left Florence and went somewhere quiet. Ended up in a town somewhere in Tuscany and have spent the last two nights there doing not a heck of a lot. Eating food, reading, walking a little, sitting and watching the veiw, drinking wine, seistaing. It was a much needed break. Of course it rained and it was the coolest it has been so we couldn't actually enjoy the sun quite so much.
Today we are going south for Naples!

Venice

We have been to Venice!
We stayed in the industrial unpretty but non expensive part of Venice, near the train station - which meant it was really easy to catch the train in to pretty Venice and meant we could afford to stay two nights.
On Saturday we arrived in the afternoon and spent time wondering our way through the streets. Venice has lots of masks and I like masks! It is also a bit like South East Asia in terms of the number of people selling things. Particularly in the main streets there are people selling masks like the ones I bought online from China. We made an effort to only buy from shops which had people who were making things or who knew a lot about products. There are so many tourists that I felt like we werent in Italy at all and everyone spoke English. We went for pasta for dinner, and then began walking to the train station when the sky's opened. It was absolutely torrential with very impressive thunder and lightning. We took shelter in a fish market. And this is where one of the highlights happened! A Italian man came up and offered us wine. We decided to go drink with these people and accidently joined a fiesta. All these Italian people sung a whole bunch of songs and smiles and winked at us, all with minimal English. Other tourists came and went and took photos and left. We spent all evening there. At one stage a man turns to me and says spaghetti? I was like uh we had spaghetti for dinner yes and next minute they are inviting us to eat with them. Second spaghetti dinner :) We sung country roads with them at one stage too!
On Sunday we again spent most of the day wandering. Highlight was going into a church and seeing some really old instruments, made by famous Venition instrument makers. In the afternoon we took a gondola ride in the canal. Some Americans asked to join us to keep costs down, and let's just say the gondola man had to put in a wee bit more effort to keep us upright.. There was a rowing race on, and I think he had friends in It, so our gondola ride was a wee bit longer as we stayed in the big grand canal to watch it. In the evening we went to a concert, with the musicians in period costumes. Vivaldi's four seasons - was really good.
Today we have caught a train to La Spezia, to go walking tomorrow but we spent the morning investigating Venice's streets one more time. The part that makes Venice so special has to be the people. It is the most touristy thing in the world, and so I was expecting something like Queenstown where a lot of people haven't always lived there. But there were so many people we met, who were born raised and lived their whole lives in Venice, and had real genuine talent and kindness.

Como

Very late Wednesday we arrived in Como and met up with Torea's friend Beth (different Beth!).
Thursday we wanted to go for a decent walk. We were up late however and it was super hot, so we decided to do a smaller walk near the lake. We took a bus round, and were dropped off in a village. We only found the walk we were going to do on occasion, but wandered down the streets of the villages by the lake and went swimming which was really pleasant anyway!
Yesterday we actually went for a decent walk. When we woke up it was torrential rain and thunderstorms. We had to start out walk a little later and caught the cable car to the start of it. We walked up two neighbouring mountains, Monte Boletto and Monte Bolettone. It was super quiet, we only saw a hand full of people (including a kiwi sounding woman) and we were quite high up which was cool. It was great that it had rained because it made it so much cooler, but the clouds meant we couldnt see all the way to the Swiss mountains. Great misty dramatic veiw anyway. My feet were a bit sore from the desent down the road.
I loooove gelato. Como had some great stuff! We have now left Como and onto Venice..