Many people dislike mosquitoes, and I am certainly no exception. However, I do tend to be exceptionally affected by the little critters. Specifically, if I am somewhere with another person, I will always get bitten more – even if I am wearing more bug spray, longer sleeves, and an anti-mosquito bracelet. The other night, mosquitoes bit my hand,…
Today, B and I went to several churches in Rome. They varied in architecture, in denomination, in decoration, and in location, but they all had one thing in common: people disrespecting their primary rule. Some allow photography and some don’t, some ask you not to go into specific portions or chapels, but all have a…
I love trivia. I’m not quite sure why: it’s not the competitive element, and I’m certainly not particularly good at it. But I love it. I’ve gone to bar trivia everywhere from NYC and Columbus to San Francisco and Milwaukee. Sometimes, I won’t go to bed before doing just one more Sporcle quiz (you’re welcome). And for…
There are infinity tourists. They all insist on taking photos on every bridge, though I’m not sure what of. ‘Here’s me with bridge #1 of 409. And here’s me with bridge #14 of 409…’ (Venice is made of 117 islands connected by 409 bridges.) There are no cars, buses, motorbikes, or even regular bikes in Venice.…
La Cantina: When I asked the bartender – at the ungodly hour of 4 pm – when the kitchen would be open, she said my most recently-learned word: “now.” So, we plunked ourselves down and looked around for a menu. Apparently, the menu is primarily oral in nature, though the wines get a written list…
The view from the upper deck of the double decker buses isn’t so amazing. I saw into one restaurant from above, in a cool way, but everything else is pretty much the same as at street level. People seem to primarily sit up there if they are going longer distances, and they seem to stay…
Neighborhood: Shoreditch Also Called: East End (part of it), Spitalfields, Hoxton Pros: Something is always happening; for example, we discovered a free stand-up comedy show inside a barber shop Fairly safe to walk around alone because there are so many other people out, at all hours of the day and night Lots of interesting graffiti/ street art Lots…
We were in London for 12 days. Piccadilly Circus [Square]: This is London’s Times Square, and I liked it only marginally more than the NYC one – and only because it’s smaller. Nothing exciting to see here. (Also, don’t expect animals or tightropes: in British English, a circus is just ‘an open circular place where…
Ancora Capodimonte: On our way to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, we stopped to grab food here. B had a big burger, and I had a tomato pasta. Mine had too much oil on it, but B thought it was one of the better places we had eaten in Italy. The outside seating was nice, and…
We were in Pisa for approximately 3 hours: just long enough to check the ‘Leaning Tower’ box. When I was in high school, my physics teacher had some health issues which required him to miss a day of class a week for a few weeks. Whether on his suggestion or their own initiative, our substitute…