Figjam's Epic Adventure 'The Second Coming': Italy

3/7/12

2034 (local time)

Venice

Written in Lake Worthersee @ Nicole & Max’s beautiful flat!

I’m not gonna lie guys! It is great getting out of the city. Currently I’m sitting on a balcony in Worthersee, Austria looking at beautiful Austrian houses whilst looking into a very green backyard! Things are looking good for the Fig again!

So I left Venice yesterday, after being there for 3 nights! And, it wasn’t all that bad to be honest! The nice thing about Venice is that you can escape the hustle and bustle of the tourists and sneak down a little side ally, that may or may not lead to a dead end! But that’s the exciting thing about travelling… getting lost!

Yeah I did see the main tourist attraction of Venice, St Mark’s Square. It was nice, in fact I think it’s one of the biggest square in Europe?

Most of my time was spent getting lost though, and it was great! In Venice it was averaging in the low to mid 30’s. So getting in some shade was great. I presume that the streets are built so close together so that people can also escape the heat of the summer.

Anyway, I arrived at night on the 29^th of June, and stayed for 3 nights in the cool out of the way camp site, I was living in a tent, waking up at 8am every morning because it was 28 degrees in my tent!

My first proper day was spent exploring the city with a very young American tourist. Ah, it was ok, like I said I spent the day getting lost.

The next day I planned on doing absolutely nothing! I met a 30y.o American guy that lives in Texas named Sean, and we just chilled out all day in the pool and having ‘a holiday from my holiday’ and it was great! That night was going to be a big party because Italy was playing Spain in the European soccer ‘grand final’.

My money was on Spain to win it, and of course they did… they were thrashed Italy 4-0.

What was really nice, is that we got some beers at 6pm, and just started playing some cards and drinking together outside of my tent, with my little speaker listening to Creedance Clearwater, Pearl Jam and Sublime! Eventually more and more people started arriving, and by about 8pm there were at least 10 other travellers playing cards! It was fantastic! By the time the soccer came around, I didn’t really care, but was happy just meeting like minded people.

The next day was again, very relaxing. I had booked what I thought was a train to Austria, Lake Worthersee, but infact I found out 30 minutes before, that I instead had booked a BUS! A quick dash from the train station to the bus station was needed for me to make it! Luckily I did, and 6 hours later I arrived in Worthersee, Austria to meet Nancy!

And that will bring me to my next post… the kid from the suburbs goes hiking!!!

Adios Amigos’

Steve

The Canals in Venice!

Not cars... boats!

Beautiful reflection of the bridge!

I just loved the vines tracing their way up the building!

The main canal!

At the St Marks Square!

St Marks Square!

All the many boats!

THE END!

25/6/12

1924 (local time)

Milan, Italy (written in Florence)

It’s been go, go go for the past week! The weather in Italy is HOT! Super hot, we are talking 28 – 33 degrees! Feels pretty good compared to Melbourne which has 10 degrees at the moment…

Ok, so I arrive to Milan via Bus from Zurich! The bus as a whole was a bit of a nightmare! It arrived late, and it wasn’t the most comfortable journey, but that’s buses for you I suppose.

I eventually arrived and I met Silvia at the bus station on the 18^th of June in her little VW Golf GTI. She then showed me the way that Italians drive… In a word, Sketchy!

I’m not one that drives all that dangerously, I find no real need for it. Well, the Italians don’t think like this. Everyone on the road, speeds, changes lanes about a dozen times in the space of a kilometre! Its pretty mental, not as bad as the Egyptians though!

I met Silva out in Dahab, Egypt herself and her friends came out on holiday to work on their windsurfing skills, and since they love a drink and I do also, we got along quite well.

So I kept in touch with her, and when I let her know that I was coming to Milan she was more than happy to let me stay for a few nights as I explored her city, and maybe even do some windsurfing if there was some wind.

As soon as we got in, I freshened up had a shower and then we went to Irene’s lovely flat which is just outside of Milan. Irene was one of the girls that was windsurfing, and now has her own windsurfing equipment! We had an amazing dinner, the girls certainly know how to cook! and then headed out for some beers, what a perfect way to start my trip in Italy.

The next day involved A LOT of walking. I explored the city, I went to a pretty cheesy natural history museum which had dinosaurs bones and dodgy looking stuffed animals behind glass. It was a bit of laugh. After chuckling through the museum, I wandered on down to check out the Duomo, which is Milan’s landmark and the WORLDS biggest Gothic Cathedral.

Its pretty amazing with its 3400 statues, 135 Spires and 155 Gargoyles, I payed my 7 Euros, and headed up to the top. It was an amazing view, even though I was sweating profusely it was beautiful.

Afterwards I walked through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele and saw a pair of Bull’s Nuts (Balls, Testical’s) that are part of the beautiful tiled floor, where tourists spin on it 3 times for good luck. I didn’t bother.

I then wandered through the city to visit the old castle, and then a beautiful Arch that’s looks similar to the Arc De Triomphe in France.

After this mammoth day of walking, I headed back to Silvia’s where I had to get dressed looking ‘nice’ as we were going to a going away party for one of Silva’s friends.

All though I felt completely underdressed, it was fantastic meeting all these peoples and laughing at the ones that looked completely ridiculous with Kashmir scarfs tied around their neck in 30 degrees heat!

I’m normally not one that feels self conscious, and I will generally wear anything, but some of the Italian guys have this attitude that you don’t feel all that welcome. Obviously there are some absolute legends, that are completely the opposite… Just my views… don’t have a go!

I woke to a sore head, but managed to get out of the flat at a reasonable time, Day 3 was going to be about checking out Museums. I went down to the ‘Science and Technology’ Which was similar to Science Works in Melbourne, I wasn’t such a huge fan.

Afterwards, I checked out a museum talking about the walls that surrounded Milan…

I’m pretty over museums now.

The plan for Thursday was to hit the lake and maybe even get some windsurfing in with Irene! Unfortunately the wind never prevailed, but I did manage to get out and do some light wind freestyle! The only thing that sucked, is that I got a text off Irene the next day, saying that it was absolutely howling… bugger, we only missed the wind by 1 day! Welcome to windsurfing!

That night, we hung out with more of Silvia’s friends! We were fortunate to see Francesca, who was another one of the girls we met out in Dahab. We had probably the greatest BBQ in her beautiful flat, with great music and great company! It was a great night.

My last day (which was a Friday) I found out Tim (the turbo) Williams was in Milan. Tim is one of my hockey mates from back in Melbourne and to catch up with him after not seeing him for like 3 years was awesome! We picked things up where we left off!

I quickly showed Tim around the city, had some proper Italian Pizza with Silvia which was potentially the greatest (and biggest) pizza I ever had.

That night was spent at a Chicken and Chips restaurant, where they only served you Chicken and Chips, weird I know… I spose you had to be there…

After the Chicken and Chips, we all engaged in some Karoke… I think we were the only ones that spoke English. I’m not to sure if the Italians were that impressed that we were rockin’ out to Bohemian Rhapsody!

PHEW! And that finally concludes my amazing trip in Milan!

A massive thankyou goes to Silvia for taking care of me in Milan! And of course I cant forget Irene and Francesca for everything! You were all fantastic!

Next up is Florence! BE PREPARED!

Ciao!... 'thats what they say'

Note- We dont actually call Tim, Tim The Turbo Williams... but it sounds amusing!