Travel Journal: Day #11 (Orvieto, Italy)

inside the duomo

my phone took this quality picture while I was running

view from the clocktower!

gelato with Emily :) 

Orvieto streets at night

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

We woke up at different times during the night – no one slept well at all! Dad was looking out the window and said “Meg! Is that it?” Orvieto was in the distance. I smiled and nodded, “Yes, that’s it.” It was so surreal – the whole day was. We took the funicular up from lower Orvieto to upper Orvieto, walked up Corso Cavour, immediately ran into Professor Skillen, his wife, and Nathaniel. We dropped our bags off at the hotel and went to Montanucci’s for cappuccini and pastries. We then bought carta unicas (“Keys to the City”) and walked to Federico’s shop. Federico did a double take when I walked in and then said, “OH! Ciao bella!” He had my bag all ready for me (I had emailed his wife, Hannah, a few weeks ago and ordered another leather bag). We chatted for a bit and he told us to come back later for a gelato run. We went to the palazzo, did some shopping, went to the duomo, and then ate pizza in Sunset Park. We went up the clock tower, went back to Federico’s shop for a gelato break, and he took us to the new gelato place. We got to go in the back of the shop and watch Zora make the gelato! Federico and Nathaniel had to go but we stayed for a few minutes and got to eat a cup of the fresh strawberry gelato. It was soooo good. Normally I love the chocolate/coffee gelato flavors and I don’t like the fruit ones as much (I mean, there’s still delicious but not really my go-to flavors).

We went back to Federico’s to ask for a few dinner recommendations before returning to the hotel. Mom, Emily, and Michael took naps while Dad and I sat outside and talked with an older couple. Soon it was time for dinner and we went to the place next to the duomo. It was kind of awkward because we were the only ones in there but the food was good. Dad and I unintentionally split a bottle of wine, Emily and I had cacio e pepe (MY FAVORITE!). Dad, Emily, and I then went to the cat park – just a grassy area with ten cats just hanging out. It was a little chilly by that time of night but still comfortable. We then sat on the hotel balcony for a while before watching a little of the Germany/Brazil game (7-1) before going to bed. Seriously, the whole day was a sort of surreal dream! 

Travel Journal: Day #10 (Germany) aka the “what happens on the night train, stays on the night train” day

sending out SOS snapchats

Monday, July 7, 2014

I’m currently in the PITS OF HELL: the night train. I don’t know why we were imagining a more luxurious suite but this is literally a closet with six beds stacked in threes on the two walls. There’s a large, sweaty Italian man on the bottom bunk and he’s snoring. At five minute intervals, he will roll himself up, complain about the mini vent/fan that is directly pointed at him, and then he’ll roll himself back onto his bottom bunk and immediately start snoring again. Ugh. This is proof that I will doing anything for Orvieto. ANYTHING!!!!! Not that I even have a choice though. Although I think it’s fitting that my family’s first trip to Italy includes this large, snoring Italian. It’s an introduction to the culture of sorts.

I had a meltdown when we first got on the train (surprise – I’m like three years old again) and then Mom said we can’t check into the hotel until 3pm. So naturally I threw a fit - as 22 year olds do, right? 

Michael’s trying to lift my spirits by being funny (he’s sleeping in the bed/shelf across from me) and I can’t help but smile because he’s being hilarious. Doesn’t he know I can’t smile right now? I’m focusing all my energy on glaring at Mom in her bunk. Anyways, Michael’s cracking me up and I’m not sure how this situation has suddenly spurred him into being so jolly and full of high spirits.

But how lucky I am to return to Orvieto! I’ve been dreaming about this since the moment I left and I’m literally HOURS away from returning to this home of mine. Just thinking about getting off this train, riding the funicular, stepping out onto cobblestone streets that became so familiar to me. HOW I’VE MISSED THIS PLACE! I can’t wait! I just can’t wait!

**Our morning: packed up the apartment, left Austria, 2.5 hour drive to Munich, returned rental car, found the Sawyer’s (they left after us) ate pizza in the square, went to Hofbrauhaus to try famous beer, found our way to the train station, wandered around for four hours, then got on the hell train (where I’m currently writing from). 

Travel Journal: Day #9 (Austria)

walking up to the ice caves

Sunday, July 6, 2014

I considered going for a run this morning but we left the farm at 10am and there was NO way I was getting up that early (not sure when 10am because “early” but whatever…). It’s a good thing I didn’t run though, because we walked for two hours and 45 min today (with only a few short breaks). We drove to the ice caves, which I thought would be similar to the flat Polar Caves in NH, but it was probably one of the more strenuous hikes I’ve ever done. Well, I’m sure the air and elevation affected the difficulty too. Such a victory when we all made it out of the caves and then again when we reached the gift shop. Dad and I liked the caves (I was slightly freezing though because I was unprepared and was wearing shorts). It was just so cold. SO COLD. We ate snacks at the bottoms and then it was the afternoon so we headed out to explore another town. We went to the longest alpine slide in Austria. I think the ice caves were also the largest in Austria, too (maybe…).

We took a 15-20 minute chairlift to the top, waited in line for twenty minutes, and then it look like five minutes to actually slide down the mountain. The man behind Monica was complaining in German about how the Americans would be so slow on the slide (this was me – I was the slowest one FYI) but then Monica made it known that she could speak German too and understood every word he was saying. Anyways, this guy probably hated me because I was so slow on the slide… I would’ve gone at that leisurely pace ALL DAY but if there weren’t people behind me.

We went back to the farm to freshen up before going out to dinner at a hotel in Radstadt. It was the best salad/dinner I’ve had so far! Chicken with pumpkin seeds, balsamic dressing, potatoes, tomatoes – SO GOOD.

After dinner, we sat outside and talked, fed the cats again, and then began to pack for Orvieto (!!!!!!!!!). I can’t even think of returning to Orvieto without crying. I’ve missed that place so much and I can’t believe I’ll fall asleep (hopefully) on the train on Monday night, wake up on Tuesday morning, and we will be in ITALY! There are o many things I want to make sure we do in the two days that we’ll be there...

• Clocktower, duomo, necropolis (maybe), St. Patrick’s well
• Gelato by the duomo, gelato at La Musa
• Cappuccini in the morning!
•  Chocolate at Montanucci’s
• Charlie’s Pizza, Locanca, La Palomba
• Walk/run around Orvieto
• Sunset Park, the palazzo, monastery, turf field, Via del Popolo, Villa Mercede
• Federico’s shop, kitchen stores, olive wood stores, etc

Travel Journal: Day #8 (Austria)

Saturday, July 5, 2014

We went to the medieval festival today, which was in the next town over. There was a sword fight happening when we arrived, but that was the extent of the excitement. We traveled through different rooms in the castle to look at all the medieval stuff. Thank God we don’t live in medieval times. It didn’t look enjoyable at all. We sat at the rooftop restaurant for a while, drinking and eating pretzels while listening to a band prepare for a wedding reception that was about to happen in the castle. After that, we eventually got kicked out of the festival because Sammy went to do summersaults on the front lawn. We then made our way to the grocery store for lunch (more pretzels, chocolates, ham sandwiches, you know).

After lunch, we went for a hike and I pees in the woods like a true La Vida alum. There were 5-6 horses just chilling in the woods. Dad, Emily and I ventured into the woods and pet the foal – it was huuuuugeee. Like seriously, some sort of Clydesdale foal. 

For diner we ate at the farm. Chicken pesto pasta, bruschetta, etc. WE fed the leftovers to the barn cats again. The owners definitely think we are crazy Americans, feeding their barn animals.