Sakura of DOOM

Note: This is an entry I am typing up from notes I just found, with a few edits. Aka, I am sadly not in Italy now. Anything in brackets are comments from now.


Gatwick feels like the busiest airport in the world. I'm sure it's not, but there were masses of people all stumbling into each other everywhere. I also spent way too much money trying to buy a charger for my iPod. Stupid me -- the boy asked if I brought it, and I said, "Yup, it's in my suitcase."

Turns out I put in the cable but forgot the adapter! Luckily, they sold some media kit at Gatwick that has an adapter. Yes, I am insane. No, you don't want to know how much it cost.

I sort of miss London now, even though I was only there for a day. I love the little packaged sandwiches everywhere -- reminds me of Taiwan's 7 Eleven. Also, it was nice being somewhere where everyone spoke English.

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Man, it's hard finding the time to stop in internet cafes when one is with one's parents. Only have about ten or so minutes this time...

Anyhow, we've finished the tour of Florence and are currently in Rome. I had thought that Florence had a lot of tourists; now that I'm in Rome, I realize that really, nothing compares to the sheer amount of people here. I think I may have heard more English than Italian in my entire time here.

Today was the Vatican and St. Peter's. Very, very, very cool. It's sort of hard imagining being there after having heard so much about it over the years... I spent a great deal of time ogling at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, and now my neck really hurts. It sounds stupid, but it's just so large. Ditto with St. Peter's. It was also very neat coming across Raphael's painting of the philosophers (I forgot the name already, sigh) in the Vatican, because I had no idea where it was located. Alas, I am entirely uncultured.

Yesterday was the Forum, along with various other sights, and mostly I just felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of people. Being vaguely nauseous from the train ride here probably didn't help much either. But I loved just standing in the Forum and trying to get my mind across the fact that it was two thousand some years old; that all the Romans I've read about have walked there... well, not all, but you know. I also took a picture next to the shrine of the Vestal Virgins because I thought it was rather amusing.

Maybe more later, depending on the parents' schedule. Apparently my dad is already sick of looking at assorted paintings and sculptures (we saw A LOT in Florence as well) and wants to instead enjoy the scenery. Me, I want to see more museums ;).

Aaaand... I'm off to Italy! Probably won't have internet the entire time, although who knows.