Did we April fool you?

We got Soph. A few of Michs co workers, and I had Craig for a few seconds. Mich changed her Facebook to say she was married, and now a member of the EU, which many of her previous co workers believed. Sophie (until she reads this) was told that we ran in to Mr. Clark, our high school Civics teacher in our hostel. I called Craig and asked if he was in lab and if he could look up something for me. He said *Sure, what?* I said *Annulments in Italy* to which he replied, "Interesting, do I dare ask?" (I just found the question mark, which I am quite excited about!) Then I said "April fools!" He didn't think it was that funny, of course if someone called me from Europe while I was at work, I think I would be ticked too.

SO, where we've been- We got in to La Spezia and there was a regional train strike. So, we had to sit there for three hours. The first hour not knowing why they kept cancling our train. Then we met some people from Seattle who explained it to us. So, the strike ended at 9pm. While waiting for that to roll around, we had to eat at McDonalds *again* I have eaten more Micky D's in the past week than I have in the past three months, it's cheap, and fast. I have also drank more water than I usually do. Back to the train story. So, we get on the train at 9. Get to Riomaggori at 9:30. We get to our hostel at 10ish. They closed at 4:30, mind you it is Sunday night. So, we call both numbers, no one answers. So here we stand on the street in Riomaggori (not scary, would be like standing on the street in Topsail Beach, but with a mountain). At which point this woman from Sascatchawan (sp?) comes out of a restaurant and tells ut that they're staying in this great hotel up the mountain, for cheap. Funny thing is, she miss understood 80 and 18, but it's fine. This is what travel insurance is for. So we get to the top of this mountain, with Nola, her husband (I believe he was Bob), her son, and his friend Tim. Tim speaks Italian. They call the hotel keeper, and someone comes to check us in. Well, instead of servng breakfast in the AM, they have everything you could ever want in your room for breakfast, and it is included! Michelle and I went crazy eating cookies in Nutella, drinking milk, eating apple sauce and yogurt. Then we had nice showers, watched some CNN and went to bed.

The next day, we took the train to the highest point in Cinque de Terre so we could hike the trail. When we got home that night, we found out we hiked the hardest trail from the toughest direction. Yesterday, we hiked two more (very flat ones compared to this first one, the first one is one of those trails that the wrong move could have been tragic). Then we got on the train to Florence. Arrived at our hostel, went to dinner, then went to The Fish Pub for drinks. Had a ball. The music was all 1999-2007. I laughed so hard.

We have a computer in our room here, so hopefully I will write more later, and upload some pictures. Google Cinque De Terre. It was BEAUTIFUL!

I am Medditeranian burned now

but unlike the old women, thankfully I did not take off my top, so part of me is unburned.

Nice is as Michelle says ''Nice''

I went grocery shopping today and to the ,all to buy another shirt or two and some more undies.

We ate at the cutest restaurant last night. It was quite reasonable.

When we returned, there was lots of police tape one block down. Come to find out a girl jumped out the window of her university, she was 20. Glad we missed it.

Taking the train to Italy tomorrow!!

Avignon, Arles, Marsaille, and a real Chich Kabob

No idea if I spelled any of that right.

Last night, we ate at one of the down town places in Marsaille, I had a real Chich kabob. That means, a baguette with a ton of meat and fries, all on the baguette. I am going to turn in to a baguette. They're so good though. Cheap!

Avignon was beautiful, a huge church and castle over looking the Rhone.

Arles is the home of Vincent Van Gough, and I saw the cafe from "Cafe in the Night"

My brain is now thinking in French and English, so it makes it hard to write and speak either.

I dislike this paying to go to the bathroom thing. I had to pay ,50 at the train station earlier just to potty. It's not like that in the hostel. It is one thing that America gets right, free use of toilets.

This morning before going on our train trips, Mich and I went to the fresh market. Most of our trips go like this. Michelle misreads the maps, she is leading, we get lost, I have to ask for directions. Yes, it thrills me. At the market we got lots of fruit, and bread at the Patesserie (bakery basically). We've muched on that most of the day. While in Arles we ate Crepes.

On the train to Arles, we met these guys from there, who were trying their english and asked if we listened to "funk" but, they said it like "fuuuneek" I said you mean "funk." He said "NO NOT THAT!" Which, is what he meant. He thought I said the other f word, it was very funny. Then a guy asked us Obama or Hillary, of course Michelle had to tell them I voted for Bush. Thanks Mich. Thanks. Then when they were talking, it was half French and half english, but I kept forgetting to translate for Mich. Then I wondered why she would look at me so funny.

I must head out to switch rooms. It's a long story that involves and Asian and a phone call to America.

Well, I must get off the computer from 1998. I type faster than it thinks!

In three minutes flat I will tell you about my day..

My internet time is about to expire!

We took a train from Barcelona to Marsaille, google map it, it is quite a long way!

I think it was my first serious train ride, other than Tweetsie, but how serious is that. I was told in Montpillier that I spoke better French than he did english. Which, felt good seeing as I haven't used my French in years. Michelle is going to strangle me before the week is over.

The hostel here is hot. Soph compared Marsaille to Durham, which, as far as I can tell is close. I'll let you know more on that later.

Michelle is napping...

We went to Gaudi Park today.

I am pretty sure it is where we get the word "gaudi"

He was an artist that used lots of mosaic.

I have pictures, none of which I am going to upload here!

We leave for Marsaille tomorrow morning at 8.30.

I wish you could see this keyboard, I am struggling, note the period in 8.30. The at symbol is so bad I'm not even going to prove I can't use it.

I had a baguette with a pepperonish meat on it earlier, it was very thin. I'm hungry again, which is good, because it is time for Tapas.

Funny story from earlier, I was looking at these girls and how rediculous they were dressed. Then I heard one of them say "We're from Chicago." I wanted to shoot them.

This money belt is for the birds too. It is always stuck to you, and when it isn't, it is in your pillow case! I had a dream last night that I called Maurice and Zac and told them that they needed to send me a new bed. The ones in the hostel are just very firm cheap foam. I slept though!

I'm going to go drink some more coffee!! Adios!

I´m here!

After not sleeping for 30 hours, I slept for 14.

On my last flight, they took out the exit door in front of me to repair it. That makes you feel really good.

When I get a chance I will write about the cluster that was the Madrid airport (moral of the story, get all your boarding passes at first).

I had great wine last night. Great coffee this morning, and we´re about to go do whatever Michelle has planned.

The weather is beautiful today, about 60 and sunny.

There is a girl staying here from ECU and a guy from NCSU. Small world. We leave tomorrow to go to Marsaille.

So, I leave tomorrow...

I've sent my out of office e-mail.

All my clothes are laid out.

I just need to put some medications in some bags, and I think I'll have it all together.

The nerves have been getting to me in the past few days. I've been eating less, and having a hard time going to sleep at night because I'm excited!

I got my e-mail from Michelle earlier, if something happens with my flight, we'll meet in Madrid instead of Barcelona. Actually, she and I are supposed to be leaving Madrid at about the same time!

I'm very excited, but this is so far outside my box it isn't even funny. That's good. You learn more about yourself that way. I think it all sunk in when I stepped off the boat earlier. The idea that I will not be on or near a boat for quite sometime is different to me. (Except Monaco, that is the boat country).

So, remember me in your prayers, and hold it down here in the States. Sign up for my feed so when I update you'll know!