Day 83 - Window shopping

So this morning I woke up, JUST in time for breakfast then went online downstairs.
Matt ended up waking up a bit later, and we decided to go have a smoke and wander to the markets.

So we did just that. We found some AWESOME stuff in the markets! Although neither of us had money, so we will probably go back tomorrow. I did however buy a cool red jumper, I’ll probably chuck it out before I go home though, it’s pretty bulky, but it was cheap.

Then we missioned into town and went to some cool op shops (the stuff here is AMAZING, and SOOOO cheap in op shops! Like legitimately awesome shit) So we will definitely be going back there.

We basically just went window shopping for hours and Matt picked out what he would buy if his bag didn’t show up.

After this we decided to go back to the hostel to check if Matt’s bag had gotten in (if the airport had called) turns out they hadn’t so we made a mission to the airport to check. Was a pretty fun mission, but they didn’t have his bag 

So we went back into town, and found this AWESOME little bar with this really cool English guy bartending (had the best mustache ever, EVER) He told us some stories.

Then we went looking for a piercing shop to get Matt’s nose pierced, but they were all closed.
After that we got a bit of food to eat, and decided to go into the red light district, was funny for a while, but then a girl opened her door to call me fat…? So we left. Lol

After that we got some more food, mostly just frites or hotdogs, we also went into this awesome little lolly shop, one of those ones where you get a bag and fill it yourself, so I got one lol and filled it up. And also some fresh fairy floss. Good snacks.

Was a pretty rad day.

Things that made me happy today; Pretty awesome missions on the train to the airport.

Things that made me sad today; No bag for Matt again :( and creepy guys watching us eat.

Day 82 - I AMsterdam

So today I got up at like 5.30am to get a bus to the airport to go to AMSTERDAM! Yeah!

So everything went SWIMMINGLY, I didn't get lost, or miss the flight, everything went smoothly, and I arrived in Amsterdam and made it to my hostel easily.

Once I was there, I found out I was on the fucking TOP floor again, with ONLY stairs (and these are Amsterdam stairs, not normal stairs)

But nevermind... bit of exercise I guess. So I ended up just having a nap for most of the day. I woke up at like 6pm and went downstairs because Paul was still online (and I can't get wifi upstairs in my room... bah) So while using the net, Matt walks in. Pretty cool to see him. Then he informs me, his whole bag was lost on the flight from Morocco to here :S Poor dude. So we pretty much went STRAIGHT back out to get a smoke.

We wandered into a cool place near our hostel, had a smoke there and a catch up. Then we moved on and went into town.

There's actually a mini fair going on in the main square. So we wandered around there and got some food (pancakes with chocolate, banana maple syrup and cream!) Was DELICIOUS!

Then we sat down to eat that. After we decided to go get another smoke, then go on the Ferris wheel, which is a HUGE ferris wheel by the way.

So we did that, and ended up having a bit of a smoke ON the ferris wheel which was awesome. Lol When in Rome right?

We then had some frites (chips with any kind of sauce) I had a peanut sauce, was amazing. We sat down near a canal to eat it and some guy watched us pretty much the whole time, was weird, think he was on something.

We also went to the sex museum, third time I’ve been, but it’s just SOOOO amusing!

After that excitement we kind of just made our way back to the hostel and had a reasonably early night.

Was a cool day, apart from Matt’s bag situation.

Things that made me happy today; Being back somewhere familiar.

Things that made me sad today; Poor Matt losing his bag, and being on the 4^th floor.

Day 81 - My last busabout bus!

So today was my last busabout travel day. It was a pretty long day, because it stops in Cinque terre and from what i quickly discovered, EVERYOPNE on busabouut goes to Cinque terre... I was the ONLY person on the bus who went through to Nice 9obviously apart from the people who got on at Cinque terre)

I have to say, I am pretty jealous. I thought I would love Florence, so I decided to do Florence for a bit longer, rather than go to Cinque terre, because I would only have been able to go for like 2 nights and pretty much just one day. BUT after having been bored in Florence for like 3 days straight, I wish I went to Cinque terre...

Anyway, I didn't so no dwelling on the past.

Justing and Katie got on from Cinque terre, so I knew a few people.

When we got to Nice, we all checked in, AND!!!! (drumroll please)

I got upgraded to a private room for the same price. So I had my own room, an ensuite, a double bed AND TV!!! Yes! TV! Ahhhh the life of a backpacker...

Anywhoo, Justine, Katie, and Garry (lol another guy I met, and Justine and Katie re-named him) all went out for Vietnamese for dinner (after I went to H&M for some socks I KNOW I will need in Amsterdam)

After dinner I Went back to my room, put on a face mask, lol, and watched the Simpsons in French for a while. It's still really funny even when I don't know what they're talking about lol.

Pretty cruisy day, not much to report though.

Things that made me happy today; Getting a no extra cost upgrade :D

Things that made me sad today; Seeing my last busabout bus :(

Day 80 - Last day of Florence

So this morning I once again woke up really late, I'm putting this down to 'adjusting my body clock' before I get home... lol

I was kind of over Florence by this morning. I felt like I had done everything, and I was getting a bit bored. So i went online and chatted to home for a bit, then decided...

I DESPERATELY needed bacon and eggs!

Now don't get me wrong, i LOVE Italian food. But it's a REALLY heavy type of food, LOTS of carbs, and in Italy, its pretty much all you get. So I was REALLY over Italian food in terms of the pizza and pasta. I've been craving something different for daaaays now.

So I googled it and found an American diner in Florence LOL.

On my way there though, I found another diner, WAY closer to my hostel, so I went there and got bacon and eggs, AND Pancakes, AND a milkshake. They ended up bringing out the Pancakes first, so it was like the bacon was the desert of the breakfast, which we all know it is!.

Anyway, after that I went back to the room, and wasted quite a few hours just chillin. Then Anne, a girl in my room got back from here day, and we once again chilled out and talked for a while. then I decided I wanted to go and have my last few scoops of Italian gelati (4 scoops to be exact... Go out with a bang right?)

So we walked down to a gelati shop she said she liked, got two scoops, then walked to one I liked and got two desert scoops. Healthy dinner, lol.

Pretty cruisy day, but Florence is getting boring.

Things that made me happy today; Way too much gelati.

Things that made me sad today; Wasting another day sitting around being bored.

Day 79 - Wandering and spending $$$

So today was VERY similar to yesterday, just didn't know what I wanted to do...

So I got up and basically just went wandering.

I walked kind of everywhere and along the way I bought some souvenirs and had lunch (yes once again Italian) had some gelato, and sat by the river for a while.

There isn't much to mention for the day, as I really just did nothing but wander around and take a few pictures.

I got back to the hostel later that day, and the girl in my room was back, so we chatted for a while and watched some funny youtube videos LOL Bouncy ball accidents. Then we hung out for a while, and the had dinner later in the restaurant at the hostel. It wasn't awesome, but it was ok because I had a burger and not Italian food. lol

Things that made me happy today; Picking up some souvenirs that I think will make some people really happy.

Things that made me sad today; Knowing that I have another whole day to fill tomorrow...

Day 78 - Bit bored...

So today I slept in ULTRA late and got up but didn't really do much. I chatted to home for a little while.

I have decided I don't want to go to any of the museums or churches here. They're all either expensive, or you have to wait for ages. So that's given me a lot of free time.

I did end up going out pretty late in the day. I decided to go have a wander and get some things I needed like toiletries and things that I'm just starting to run out of.

So after that I went and got some brunch. Eggs on toast, not very Italian but I'm ok with that!

It was a pretty crappy day so I didn't really feel like going on a huge walk or anything. I sat in a park for a while, then headed back to the hostel.

One of the girls in my room was going to get some Sushi, so I went with her, but they were closed for Siesta. It always ruins everything.... So I came back o the hostel and decided to have a Sauna! Yep, there's a sauna here. It was awesome. very relaxing. I've always liked saunas.

So after that I was meant to meet the couple again to go to dinner. Totes got stood up, but never mind. We decided to go to the sushi place, and met Justine and Katie, the girls I met in Rome. So they came to dinner with me, and we got takeaway sushi, and then we went and sat up on the terrace to eat it.

Was a pretty cool day, even though I didn't do much.

Things that made me happy today; The sauna was probably the best part of the day lol.

Things that made me sad today; Getting stoop up LOL

Day 77 - Foooooood

So today I woke up kind of earlyish and went on yet another tour that I booked.

This one was a food and wine tour = happy Bo.

We started by walking to the markets, and just generally walking around and speaking about Tuscan food, it's origins and what traditional Tuscan dishes are. Basic history of Tuscan cuisine.

THEN! The good part came. We got to taste some cool Tuscan things. First we had garlic (uncooked cloves) that are marinated in a certain type of white wine, and you can totally just eat the whole clove raw, tastes kind of pickled. It's REALLY good. Then we had olives done the same way, it was better than a normal olive, but I'm not a fan of them anyway.

Then REAL Parmigiano Regiano, and we tasted that with first a sweet jam, and then with a spicy jam (the guy called it a mustard? lol) Then we got to taste it with real aged balsamic vinegar. OOOhhhhhhhh it was SOOOOOOOO good. I wass going to buy a bottle but it was really expensive :S

Then we go to try real Chianti wine. It actually wasn't bad, but I'm really not a wine person.

So everything we tasted is procted with a DOP which is basically a stamp of approval authenticating the products as coming from the correct regions.

After this I decided to wander around for a while, and I stumbled into a leather market. I bartered and bought some souvenirs. Then I happened to run into a couple from busabout Jenna and Scott. They are really nice and I ended up hanging out with them for the rest of the day.

We just wandered around, looked at some leather, had some awesome gelato. I had banana and raspberry, and they both tasted like the fruit had just been frozen and mashed, soooo yum.

We wandered down to the river, and had a bit of a look, then we walked back to the hostel.

We decided to meet up in a few hours to go sit on the terrace room of the building. So we met up and watched the sun set over Florence, the view from the roof is AMAZING. They rope it off, so I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to go up there... lol But we did and I have been back every night.

After that we went out to dinner. We TRIED to find somewhere that wasn't Italian, but we struggled... so we found an Italian place that had a trip adviser sticker, so we went it. it was ok... really busy, and the food wasn't AWESOME. i think my chicken wasn't cooked properly. But it was ok, and cheap for what we got.

We all just went back to the hostel after that. Was a pretty good day.

Things that made me happy today; Authentic parmigiano Regiano. Lived out one of Dad's bucket list items there.

Things that made me sad today; Not finding anything that wasn't Italian.... I'm very over Italian food. Lol yes stone me to death for saying that now.