I really slacked there at the end

I can't believe I never finished writing my blog.

After Lisbon I continued on to London. It had met someone from London at my hostel in Lisbon and we were on the same flight. We were able to travel to the airport together, sit next to each other and kill time in the airport together. Plus I got to listen to his lovely accent and get advice about London.

After landing in London I navigated the airport and onto the Gatwick Express and then through the Tube to my hostel. It was very late at this point but I got a little turned around coming out of the tube station. Fortunately my friend Bobby from Venice was staying at the same hostel I was heading to so he helped me out. When I finally got to the hostel they told me the had no hot water but I was too exhausted and just plain happy to be there that I didn't change hostels. Bobby had waited for me to arrive and we headed out to dinner at Greek restaurant down the street.

The next morning Bobby and I got up and went across the street to the British Museum. The hostel was in a fantastic location. Most of the museums in London are free so we were able to pop in and visit a couple rooms. Then we walked to St. Paul's Cathedral where Bobby was supposed to be a family friend. Unfortunately the Cathedral closed just before we go there. From there Bobby and I separated and I continued down to the Tower of London. I spent a good portion of the day at the Tower of London. They have Beefeaters who give free tours of the area. I also took a free tour in the Tower and got to see some of the crown jewels.

From there I continued across the Tower Bridge (which many people mistakenly call the London Bridge) and crossed the Thames. I walked along the Thames to the Westminster Bridge and then back to the hostel were I was pretty much beat.

The next day I walked along Oxford Street which has a lot of nice shopping through Hyde Park and then down to Buckingham Palace where I stumbled upon the Changing of the Guard. I didn't plan to attend the Changing of the Guard I just got lucky. Then I walked through St. James Park and stopped at the Cafe for lunch. I continued down to the Thames and to the London Eye but it was so expensive (about $30USD) so I didn't go on.

Of course there were a lot of other little sights that I saw but I waited way to long to write this blog!

That night I had a hard time sleeping and ended up leaving the hostel ridiculously early. I figured I was awake anyway I might as well get a move on and at least be sitting in the airport where I could have some light as opposed to a 12 person dorm room. I was flying out of the London City Airport which is mostly short flights and lots of business travelers but also the closest airport.

I got to the airport so early they couldn't even check me in. But I enjoyed sitting at the cafe with a latte and a book so it was ok.

click HERE for pictures of London

Finally I landed in Rome and hurried through the airport to meet DADDY! He had landed a while before me so he was waiting at baggage claim. From there we took a very crammed bus into the city (standing room only). We stopped by the hotel my family had stayed at and picked up some paintings they bought in Venice. We also had a nice lunch and then got back on a train and headed to Naples. In a few short hours we were in Naples. Our hotel was close enough that we walked and got to see the wonder that is Naples...and by wonder i mean pit. But i didn't care I was just happy to be in a real hotel room...with hot water! After a dinner near by I was off to sleep.

Early the next morning we headed to Sala Consilina by car. The drive took about 2 to 2 1/2 hours but it was a nice drive and we got to pass Vesuvius and see osme of the countryside. In Sala Consilina we stopped by the equivalent of the Town Hall and requested information of our family. And then we tried to find relatives my dad's cousin (?) Maria has visited about 20 years ago. I think we had to ask about half the town before we found them. But we did! We knocked on the door and this little old couple got up from their chairs in front of their wood burning stove and greeted us. I'm not sure i ever adequately explained exactly who we were or why we were there. But they could not have been more welcoming. They showed us everything! All their pictures, the views out of every window, where they store their tomatoes. They wanted to cook us a full lunch at 11am!

After a while we had to leave and stopped by the Town Hall once more to find that they had found my great grandfathers birth certificate! We also got to get a copy to bring home...

From there we traveled back to Naples...stopped at a rest stop...which usually isn't blog worthy but I feel the need to mention how amazing the food looked in this random rest stop...i've never seen anything like it and I doubt i will...at least not in the States.

Click HERE for pictures of Sala Consilina

Finally we were back in Naples and went right to the Port where we took a hydrofoil to Ischia. Once there we took a taxi to our hotel...which was amazing! Our room was huge and the hotel had a beautiful pool, a breakwater with lounge chairs and umbrellas and an lagoon. That night we mostly walked around. They were celebrating the feast of their patron saint. Everything was lit up, and there were tons of people on the street. Unfortunately I was exhausted and went to sleep very early and somehow managed to sleep through what was supposed to be a very amazing, very expensive fireworks display.

The next day we rented a scooter and drove the scooter around the one road which circumnavigates the island (about 34 km i believe). We took the scooter a high up as we could go and then climbed up Mount Epomeo the rest of the way. At the top was the remnants of a monetary built into the side of the mountain and a great restaurant...not to mention some amazing views. From there we went to the Castle. I had really enjoyed the Castle when I went over spring break but after seeing the views from the top of the island the views I had loved from the Castle now paled in comparison.

That night we were supposed to meet up with Marianna and Franco but somehow managed to miss them. A slight miscommunication with where we were going to meet. And because of some confusion with my cellphone I no longer had their cell phone number, only the house.

Our final day in Ischia consisted of a lot of relaxing. We spent most of the day lying by the lagoon and it was beautiful. That night we did meet up with Marianna and Franco for drinks and watched the sunset and walked around Forio (i think).

Another great trip to Ischia!

Click HERE for pictures of Ischia

From Ischia we took the hydrofoil back to Naples and the bus to the airport. Then we flew to Catania and picked up our car and drove to Taormina. We were actually staying just outside of Taormina but spent the whole day there the next day. It's a very cute little town. On our last day we had a very late flight out of Catania so we had to drive back. We decided to take the scenic route and drove around Mount Etna. It was beautiful! We stopped at a beautiful cemetery and through a number of cute villages. I wish we had stopped at more villages because we ended up getting to the airport so early! We had hours to kill! But i was so mentally and physically drained at this point that I didn't mind sitting.

Click HERE for pictures of Sicily

We flew back to rome and spent the night at a hotel near the airport. I had such a difficult time sleeping that night. I couldn't believe after something like 4 1/2 or 5 months I was going to be returning home. That caused all kind of emotions...excitement to see my family, trepidation about reassimilating, and kind of homesick for Venice.

Finally (after some excitement and bumping into a friend from high school) I was headed home!