Anyway, in this last post, I don't want to recap and get too sentimental for you guys. Lord knows I can get emotional, especially with goodbyes to people and a place that I love. So, I'm gonna try and leave on a lighter note with a list of some of my "favorites." It's nearly impossible to just pick one thing and say this way the ultimate best part of my trip, so I broke it down into subcategories for some of the highlights...Enjoy!
Best Sunset: Positano, Italy
Favorite Market: St. Ouen Market, Paris, France
Favorite Street Performer: Jet'Zik, Sacre Coeur, Paris France
Favorite Coffee: Italy! Specifically, I loved Sant' Eustachio in Rome
Favorite Gelato: Old Bridge, Rome, Italy
Favorite Pasta: Italy! Anywhere and everything
My favorite dish is called "amatriciana"
Favorite Pizza: Italy!
Naples' style pizza is best if you can find it, but enjoy it like this....
Favorite Church: Notre Dame, Paris, France
Favorite Stained Glass: Saint Chapelle, Paris, France
Favorite Breakfast: B&B in Sorrento - bacon, eggs, fresh OJ, cheese, and endless croissants
Favorite Pastries: Paris, France
Favorite Nightwalk: Rome!
Favorite Waiter: Ben in Brussels near the Grand Place. This guy knew 8 languages fluently and could "defend himself" in like 14 total!
Favorite Hot Chocolate: Dark Hot Chocolate at the Happy Pear, Greystones, Ireland
Favorite Bread: Paris, France. Tough to beat full sized baguette for 1 euro :)
Favorite Chocolate: All of Belgium! Creamy, rich and delicious
Favorite Museum: Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Super user friendly, clean layout and flow, and great information
So that is what were some of my favorites that I'll always remember, but what I'll miss most about my trip is the relationships that I've formed and the roots that began to take place while I was here. Our group has grown super close I think. We were 21 people who may never have hung out together at Geneva. Now, we've grown to be close friends and nothing will be the same when we come back. I mean that in more than one way. Our relationships with others will never be the same and our relationships with each other will never be the same. In a very "PoMo" mindset, our perspectives will be forever colored by our time together in Rome. You all will only be able to understand my experience through your own limited lens, and we will only be able to tell and recreate our stories through our own personal perspective...
I'm expecting a tough adjustment, but I'm looking forward to seeing my family and friends back home. It's weird to say that I know Rome better than my hometown city of Baltimore. Kinda weird to think about...
Before this Ship officially sails for home, I'll leave you with some of my advice for future travelers:
-Places are not only defined by the monument sand sites; the people make the experience great.
-Your eye is your best camera. Don't worry about snapping so many pictures, but focus on treasuring the moments and memories.
-Pick a winner and go with it! (applies to almost anything in life)
-If you're buying specialty food as souvenirs, go to a small shop or grocery store - it's much cheaper and support local businesses :)
-Guidebooks are great to get started on your trips, but no offense to Rick Steves, he doesn't know everything. You gotta explore and make your own trip.
-Be flexible. Plans rarely always go according to plan, so leave some buffer room :)
-Be aware of opening and closing times of public transportation (see Orvieto post)
-If you're on a budget, eat a big breakfast, little snack at lunch, and save your money for dinner and sightseeing...
-Don't let jealousy or competition creep into your trip. I know this sounds weird, but it's true. Everyone wants to have the best trip, and if they feel like other people are having more fun or excluding them, it could turn sour. So, your trip is what you make it. No one will have the same two experiences, and everyone connects with a place in a different way, so find yours and make it awesome!
It may seem like I'm so educated and cultured after this trip, but the more I travel and learn about the world, the less I know and the smaller and more insignificant I feel. I'm a peon in this world and this blog has just my limited slice of how I've experienced Europe. Take from it what you will or leave it all on the side of the street for the trash men to pick up in the morning.
As far as I'm concerned, I don't know when I'll be back in Europe, so on this trip, I've tried to "abbuffata", which is Romano for "getting as much of something as you can." In short, I want to come back to Europe soon, especially since there are a lot of discounts for travelers under 26 :) But until next time, I'll say, "Ci vediamo presto Roma!"
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