Innsbruck, Austria

Innsbruck is the capital of the Tyrol region in Austria, the mountainous western part of the country. This region is famous for its Alpine skiing and Swarovski crystal.

I was originally supposed to hike the beautiful mountains around Innsbruck but alas, it was raining! Thus, I spent my one day exploring this small city. The city is scenically situated in a valley with a river flowing through it. The most famous site is the Golden Roof. Furthermore, the city is adorned with churches with onion-shaped domes.

The most interesting part of the day was encountering a group of people who were participating in their “Amazing Race”. They had to travel around for 1 Euro a day and complete certain tasks. I even donated some hair to their cause! My CS hosts Carina and Jonas got their feet painted. I was asked to join their race, but decided against it due to my scheduling with other CS hosts.

Venice, Italy

I decided to spend a few hours wandering around Venice while en route to Austria. Having visited many years ago, I wanted to see both the main and off-the-beaten paths of this canal city.

Venice certainly has its magic, with its ubiquitous gondolas, canals, bridges and churches. I particularly enjoyed wandering along the alleys and the smaller canals. However, I am getting tired of visiting touristy areas, as it is quite annoying to have to “fight” with people for a view. It is difficult to truly enjoy a view when there are tons of people yapping and shouting. I believe that a place loses its character and charm when too many tourists swarm the area.

Sorrento, Capri and the Amalfi Coast

Having visited Cinque Terre a few years ago, I was keen on visiting another part of Italy’s spectacular coastline--the Amalfi Coast. This area is located south of Naples, which I happily passed through to avoid the chaos.

I decided to use the town of Sorrento as a base to explore the region. My first day was spent on a bus ride down part of the Amalfi Coast, from Sorrento to Amalfi. The drive was gorgeous, along steep cliffs that dropped right into the sea. It’s comparable to California’s Big Sur, if not more dramatic and adrenaline-filled. The road was so curvy and narrow that I was surprised there were no accidents.

My second and final day was spent exploring the famed island of Capri. This posh island is filled with panoramic viewpoints of the sea and its cliffs. Furthermore, there are numerous grottoes underneath these cliffs worth exploring. The architecture, however, was mostly mid-20th century and lacked a certain quaintness to it.

Rome, Italy

Rome, the “eternal city” was originally not on my itinerary. I had visited with my family 13 years ago for 1 day and had remembered it being chaotic and polluted. However, that visit was so long ago that I had forgotten the city’s ambience. Plus, having thrown a coin into the Trevi Fountain then, I was ready to come back!

I found Rome to be surprisingly pleasant. Yes, there are those crazy drivers and hordes of tourists (almost half of the people walking around were), but there are pockets where you can savor alone. For example, plenty of churches can be enjoyed without the maddening crowds. Plus, many parks and hills are available for one to enjoy views and calmness.

Rome is the probably the quintessential “open-air museum”. History in the form of churches, monuments, obelisks and ruins abound in every corner. The must-sees, including the Colosseum, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museum (which is the “zoo” of all “zoos”), Palantine, Forum, Spanish Steps, Pantheon and Trevi Fountain, can be enjoyed relatively crowd-free in the early morning. I found it fascinating that ruins and structures from thousands of years ago could stand right in the heart of the city.

One part of Rome that I personally did not enjoy was walking along the Via Appia Antica, a 2,000-year-old road leading out of the city that is surrounded by catacombs, churches, ruins and villas. This is the road of “all roads lead to Rome”. My disappointment stems from the fact that most of the sites were shielded from the road by walls. Furthermore, the road was so narrow that sometimes, cars whizzed by a few inches from me. I felt like I was fighting for my life the entire trek!

For me though, the positives in Rome far outweigh its negatives. I will definitely be back and spend at least one week for my next visit. Three days was not enough!

Florence and Tuscany, Italy

Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance and as such, half of the city were tourists. Most of these tourists were from the U.S. I have never seen so many American tourists outside of the U.S.! I guess they all head to Italy since some of them perceive the French as being unwelcoming.

While it was nice to be surrounded by Medieval and Renaissance buildings, at times it was overwhelming to be swarmed with tourists. Highlights include Pont Vecchio, the only Renaissance-style bridge remaining; the Duomo, the green, pink and white marbled structure with frescoes; Palazzo Vecchio, with its replica of Michaelangelo’s David and tall tower and the Uffizi Gallery, with its vast collection of art throughout the centuries.

I also visited the Tuscan hill towns of Siena and San Gimignano and understand why so many Americans are in Italy. Italian food and the Tuscan landscape are promoted and idealized in the U.S. The hills and vineyards of the region were indeed stunning. Add city walls, churches, Medieval buildings and you’ve got a fairytale setting!

One food that I discovered and now love is focaccia. This crunchy bread, sprinkled with salt

and topped with olive oil, is simply the best! Just like I had to have my daily baguette and pain au chocolat in France, I have to have a focaccia and gelato everyday in Italy.

Verona and Mantova, Italy

I hadn’t visited Italy in 13 years (except for a brief stop in Cinque Terre a few years ago) and was excited to revisit the tourist sites , sample the food and live la dolce vita. My first stop was in Verona, a city in the north central part.

I had envisioned Verona to be part of the crowded, chaotic Italy I had in mind. I was pleasantly surprised by the relative calmness of this city. Verona is the scene of Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Juliet’s house, site of the famous balcony scene was of course swarmed with tourists. I did not come to Verona to see Juliet’s house; rather, I came to wander the streets of this charming, historic city. The architecture was the typical pastel-colored buildings (yellow, red, orange with green shutters and brown roofs). Most of the churches and palazzos (palaces) were from the Renaissance era, made with brown bricks. These edifices also frequently contain courtyards.

Verona also has two Roman era structures, an arena and an amphitheatre, both of which house performances during the summer. One particular highlight was crossing the bridge to the other side of the river, climbing up to the Castel San Pietro and admiring the views of Verona from above.

Mantova, on the other hand, is a UNESCO world heritage town surrounded by three small lakes. It too, has plenty of Renaissance era churches and palaces that make for a pleasant stroll around town.

Now, for the ultimate highlight--what did I eat? My mission was to eat my way around Italy in order to gain knowledge as to what constitutes Italian food (I am often confused at its authenticity when I eat Italian food in the U.S.). The first item I savored was tiramisu gelato, which literally translates to ice cream but is creamier than American ice cream.

Then I went for an apertivo (pre-dinner drink). Unlike Spain, where one often has to buy tapas in addition to the drink, in Italy, some places have free buffets if one buys a drink. The buffet I ate had finger sandwiches (with salami and prosciutto), finger pieces of pizza, sun-dried tomatoes, zucchini, eggplants, potatoes, puff pastries, cantelope, and strawberries.
To top off my great visit, I also ate a pizza Napolitana. Pizza in Italy is always thin-crusted, which is the style that I prefer. Unlike the U.S. pizzas, the one I ate did not have as much cheese on it.

Au Revoir, France!

I just thought of writing a “tribute” to each country at the end of each visit. Since my visits to Portugal and Spain were weeks ago, let me start with France, where I am leaving as I write.
I have been in France for 3.5 weeks, longer than I have been in any non-residence country. Furthermore, I have visited France more than any other country. I have also traveled to every region in France, minus the center and Corsica. What about France that keeps on drawing me back? I did not realize how much I missed this country until just after I arrived.

I am amazed at the cultural, culinary and geographic diversity in a country the size of Texas. Every region is unique in its own way. Haute Savoie is known for its mountains and lakes whereas Cote d’Azur is known for its beaches. Alsatian culture has a strong German influence whereas Brittany has its own distinct culture.

The food of course is in a class of its own. The gastronomy ranges from haute cuisine dishes such as escargots, boeuf Bourguignon and magret de Canard. The various fruit tarts and chocolate cakes are to die for! And I have come to love the “holy trinity” of French cuisine--bread, cheese and wine. I simply cannot live without them! From baguettes to croissants, chevre to Camembert and Bordeaux to Burgundy, these are some of the finest (and affordable) pleasures in life!

Another aspect of French life I have grown to enjoy is its culture. Someone mentioned to me that France has a culture of culture. Now I understand why. Every level of government--national, regional, departmental, city--has a cultural ministry/department. These institutions are funded by the taxpayers (which I would gladly pay if I could; it is better use of funds rather than for bombs). Thus, there is a huge emphasis on providing cultural events, both fee and free, to its residents. Every city/town I visited had flyers advertising festivals, concerts, theatre, cinema, expositions and dance. One simply cannot get bored in France!

I would also like to comment on what’s on the screen, notably French TV and cinema. I didn’t get a chance to watch much TV (one reason is that most of my hosts did not watch TV, which is great!). However, I can say that public TV broadcasts high-quality documentaries often. Furthermore, there exists a French/German channel, Arte, that showcases cultural happenings. French cinema, in my opinion, is also of a higher quality than Hollywood. The cinematography may be simple, but French films provide more food for thought in its portrayal of daily life.

I was also surprised at the love of reading that the French display. It appears that a substantial portion of the population enjoy reading books for fun (and it is not only the upper classes or college-educated folks). Just observe the number of book fairs and stores (almost all mom-and-pop) there are. This helps to create a very educated and aware population.

Thus, the combination of haute cuisine and haute culture has created a society where it is intriguing and fun to live. This is plenty of room for spontaneity and creativity in French society. Living in France is like being part of a beautiful tapestry. Look no further than the multi-hour, multi-course meals; the endless conversations at a café; tasting and shopping at an outdoor market; admiring the displays at a mom-and-pop florist; the aimless wandering down alleys in search of art; staring in awe at the neo-classical buildings; the sound of the beautiful language; the buttery smell of a croissant as one enters a boulangerie; the taste of Brie as it melts in one’s mouth; the sight of an artistic display of cakes at a patisserie; and of course, the unforgettable first bite into that fresh, crunchy baguette.

Lastly, let me talk about the French people. Yes, there are those rude Parisians who ignore you as a tourist and those who snarl at you when you ask them, parlez vous Anglais? However, I have found the French to be a very polite people in general. One ubiquitous example is saying bonjour and au revoir every time one enters or leaves a store or museum or institution. I have also been blessed with the kindness and generosity of my CouchSurfing hosts. They have taught me many things about France and have shared their culture with me. This trip would not have been possible without them (and I mean ALL of the CouchSurfers), so I thank all of you!

Thus, it is with sadness that I bid farewell to France. I am already feeling nostalgic, especially for the fresh baguettes, croissants and pains au chocolat. I will definitely be back in the future, only this time, hopefully with someone whom I can share my experiences with.