Touring Italy

I have been doing some travelling around Italy. After leaving Rome I headed south to Naples, from where I visited Pompeii. Pompeii was absolutely amazing, spent the whole day there, unfortunately didnt make it to any of the other 4 sights that are in the area, but thoroughly enjoyed what I did see. It is amazing what has survived the eruption, the paintings which they have uncovered, and what they can tell about the plants that used to grow there. They have managed to replant a lot of the grape vines which used to grow there, using the holes from the roots!

I then spent a day exploring Naples-and hated it. I felt unsafe, it was dirty, and I decided that it was much more preferable to spent my last 2 hours sitting at the train station waiting for my train, rather than wandering the city-I wont be going back there unless I am either on a tour, or with at least one guy!

From Naples I headed to Pisa, where I was relieved to feel safe, and have no guys trying to pick me up-what a relief! Pisa was a lovely little city. Went and saw the leaning tower, and went up it. Feels so strange to climb the tower, like you are drunk (or at least what I expect it would feel to be drunk, never having experienced it myself :)) The tower leaned a lot more than I expected it to-really does look like it is falling over! I also explored the Baptisery, Cathedral, Cemetary in the same square, and wandered the lovely streets of the town, before catching a train to Florence.

Florence was again a nice city. I could have spent a lot of money here, there were so many lovely leather goods, bags, gloves, jackets, shoes-but I was good and limited myself to a leather bound notebook and a nice little coin purse-gee I'm restrained! The Cathedral here was amazing, made out of coloured marble, it is one of the most impressive ones I have seen on this trip! I climbed the tower next to it to get some great views over the city, then explored the lovely laneways and streets of tehy city.

Tonigth I am in Venice. I was very surprised to make it to my accomodation without getting lost (it is inevitable that you get lost in Venice, apparently it is one of the top 10 things to do here). After a lovely dinner of gnocci (included in the price of the accomodation), I spent the nigth watching the water rise up and over the pavement in front of the accomodation, and in through the front door (luckily I am on the first floor so it doesnt effect us). It occures fairly regularly when the tide rises. Hopefully it had gone down tomorrow so I can go out and explore without getting wet feet.

Photos soon, when it is not so late, and I am not falling asleep!