Journal Entry: More Hostel Shenanigans

I returned to my room to find my pajamas on top of someone else’s luggage and my blanket had been moved around. I don’t know what the fuck was up with that. It’s also quite damp in here. I have opened the door to hopefully air it out a bit. I do like the bathroom here. The ensuite is very nice. That’s the only thing I like about this room. The hostel itself is good. The bar and kitchen are amazing. 

 

Remains of Roman Amphitheatre in Nice outside Archaeology Museum

So anyway, I was going to go to Cap Ferrat today, but I think the time trials for the Grand Prix in Monaco started today because it was absolute bedlam at the train station. So I scratched that idea. Instead I went to the Matisse museum and the Archaeology museum. They were both free today but I’m not sure why. They usually cost money. 

After the incredibly long walk, I went to the old town and ate lunch at the same kebab place as yesterday. I then was going to take a stroll on the “Promenade des Anglais” but it looked like rain, so I went to the Contemporary Art museum. It was free too. 

I walked very far today, and my feet are sore. 

I leave for Marseille at 10:57a tomorrow morning. I hope the hostel in Marseille is nice or I’m going to the Hilton. I’m kidding. Or am I?

Journal Entry: Nice People Everywhere & the Vatican Museums

I had the most amazing day today. I got up at 6am to my alarm going off. I had been awoken at 3a by some screaming party girls. I couldn’t tell where it was coming from though, maybe the street?

I went down to a place that said they had “English Breakfast” but they didn’t speak enough English to tell me what was in it. The guy just kept saying “orange juice.” I ordered an espresso instead.

Then I went and got two bananas from the fruit seller. I then took the metro to Ottavian stop for the Vatican. I saw a sign that said “Vaticani Musei à” but decided I wanted to see St. Peter’s square in the early morning light, before there were too many people. 

I was disappointed, in that there was a lot of scaffolding, restoring the statues. But more than that there were all these barriers everywhere. It really ruined the flow of the place. I thought I could get to the entrance to the museums by going to the other side of the square and walking up that street, but it is a dead end.  

Just as Bernini Intended it to Be - Covered up with barricades

I had to walk all the way back the way I came. My legs were killing me! When I got to the entrance, I asked a man standing there if the line I saw was for the individual without reservations. He said yes and offered me a tour that got admission early for €50. Otherwise I’d have to wait an hour. I thanked him, but said I was on a budget. I walked over to wait in line. I almost considered going on the tour, but I’m glad I didn’t! About the time I might have made up my mind to do it, a girl walked up behind me and asked if that was the line. I said yes, I had asked one of the tour guides and was sure of it. We started talking and it helped pass the hour. 

We then went through the museums together and also ate lunch, went back to St. Peter’s and walked to a couple other sites together. Her name was Halley (not her real name as she was from S. Korea)

 

Anubis

Raphael's School of Athens

We had a lot of fun together and I gave her my business card and told her to look me up on facebook. 

Halley and I in St. Peter's Square

Jan I think, had told me she hadn’t seen the “purse sellers” in Venice lately. Well they’re all in Rome, selling knock off Prada purses [in front of Castel Sant'Angelo]. That is until they suddenly started packing up. I looked behind us and it was the police!

We ate Burger King. I had a double whopper and feel so much better now. I need more protein, as I’m sure my leg muscles need all they can get.

I’ve taken 459 pictures and it’s only the second day.

Journal Entry: Last Day London

I arrived at the hostel about 10:30am. They let me store my bags since check-in wasn’t until 2pm. I went to the British Museum and looked at North American stuff and Aztec. Also medieval European artifacts too.

 

Babylonian Art Too

I have to say I question my memory. I remember the hostel being slightly different and I can still see how I thought it was in my head but it isn’t. It’s not been remodeled so I don’t know what’s up with my silly brain. So weird.

I went back to the hostel to check-in about 2pm. I talked to a long term resident, a girl who was from Canada. Then I checked in and my room was on the ground floor which was nice. Last time it had been on the top floor, when I came here in 2002. It’s not fun to carry your bags up four flights of steps.

After that I went back to the British Museum to see about high tea in their restaurant. It was £18.50 and I decided that was too much. I stopped to use the bathroom and this girl, two or three spots in line in front of me collapsed. I don’t know what was wrong with her. I left when the museum people arrived to help her. She was talking a bit. Perhaps she was diabetic or something. 

Then I wandered around and went in a few bookshops. Finally I found a book that sounded half interesting to me. So many are not appealing at all. It’s called “The Last Gospel” and is supposed to be “Indiana Jones” meets Dan Brown. We’ll see. [It sucked!]

Then I found a sushi place for dinner, called Sushi Hiroba. It was good. It was £13.20 for three small kabobs of Yakidori, a glazed chicken on stick-type thing, and for some rice, a spicy tuna roll and green tea ice cream. It had a nice atmosphere too.

Now I’m going to lay down and start reading my book. It’s 8:44pm now. I got sidetracked by a brother and sister who are backpacking together. They are staying in this four bed room with me. The other girl in here I came across earlier. She’s from Germany, speaks with a slight Scottish accent funnily enough, and was going to a play with Gillian Anderson in it and was hoping to meet her. V. would be so jealous. She’s always loved X-Files.

Then I’m going to sleep as soon as it gets dark because I have to be up about 6am for my flight, which leaves at 10:25am. I need some good sleep because I have to drive four hours home tomorrow.