italy etc

as promised i have a list of cities with some neat web links for you all to peruse. some are stopovers some are day trips some are just intermediaries bt it has been a fun trip to plan. i highly reccomend rick steves books. they've been a big help and a lot of fun to read!

warning. link intensive post. don't be a chicken. tehy are safe sites i've been perusing them for a while. look for the union jack if you can't read something a lot of the sites have english counterparts or just struggle with it and pretend you're me. (i've been listening to german and italian tapes on my ipod but i think i'm in trouble anyway)

i know it seems strange to include hotel links. but they have some neat photos. and i want to show you that i am being brave. i'm staying in hostels after i ditch mom in milan :)! sometimes i'll be staying in rooms with up to 16 other people. my dad would have a heart attack. he's already talking about renewing his passport so he can come and rescue me! sigh. you'd think i'm old enough to handle this kind of thing. oh well.

rome
first stop the colleseum hell i can't spell its late. but i'm looking forward to the trip. coffee at 10 am when we arrive and its off to explore!
pompei
i don't think i'll get to see the naked stuff since i'm going with mom. it would have been different but i guess i will survive.
sienna
home base for day trips. its supposed to be beautiful here. maybe we'll ge to see a vineyard. and by see i mean get to drink wine :)
florence
i'm not exactly sure why we're going here...but we are so i guess we'll have fun :)
pisa
i did a report on this once it should be interesting to see it finally
cinque terra
blue water long walks on the cliffs. a nice relaxig break from the cities.
venice
murano glass, burano lace, canals, back streets, st marks square(mom asked grandma when i was a baby if they shoud sprinkle bird feed on my and lay me down on the ground so i could feed the pigeons...i wasn't even one...) now its her turn!. i cannot wait! (no she didn't actually do it)
pordenone
this is where i was born and the point of the whole trip. mom and dad always said they'd take me back. well here i go!
como
this is just a pssibility. maybe one of the other lake areas. we have the car so the possibilities are open
milan
mom flies home from here. going solo from here on out :)
lugano
palm trees...in switzerland. my curiosity is piqued
lucerne
an net place to stopover on my way to
interlaken
its gorgeous here. nothing more to say.
gimmelwald
mountains, mountains and more mountains...oh, and cheese.
bern
what sold me here. i kno wi'm a big dork. i'm gonna go see the apartment einstein lived in when he was wrinting all those wonderful things that make my head hurt!
salzburg
a little mozart never hurt anyone right?
munich
this will be a short trip. i was planning to spend a lot of time in germany but decided i'd rather not fight the world cup crowds. oh well i'm getting to see switzerland instead!
nurnberg
i'm really looking forward to meeting my friend ewald here. keep your fingers crossed he can make it :)

in other updates, i've also complted sewing and designing the bags my mom and i will carry for day trips complete with secret compartments (accidental) zippers, pockets padding (to protect shoulders and cameras) etc. i'll take a photo this weeekend to share! i've only made mine so far but hers should be a breeze now that i've made one :)

i'm also getting my travel book ready to go. i've picked up postcards of home to share with peope i meet on the way. ahave pasted in an envelope to hold stamps. another for photo corners that i plan to use to stick in postcards.

i've been spending class time making lists of everything i need to take to do before i go etc...i know bad but i can't help it!

i've spackled my 3 tour books with postits color coordinating various sights so i will be sure ot to miss a thing.

mom has been practicing with her camera we have yet to download photos from it. thats the next lesson.