I am coming home

Today was a nice day. I went to Stonehenge and this great little English countryside town called Bath. It has some old Roman baths still left behind. They were amazing to see but I was much more excited about this little town. It was so beautiful. The countryside is amazing. We had a great time. Then we walked by Buckingham palace and Big Ben to see it one last time at night. It was very nice. We then came to the Hostel and now I am going to pack and get ready for my flight.

Well, it was a bitter sweet day. I was excited yesterday about going home but today I felt so sad. I got a bit depressed. I did not want my time here to end. I feel so sad because I loved the experiences I had and feel I have so much more I want to experience and see. The world is to big and I feel I am running out of time. However, I am feeling ready to go home. See today I noticed for the first time I am so tired. I have been trying to see so much in such a short amount of time that I have really been pushing myself. I realized I sleep 5-6 hours and walk all day. I eat when I can and fast usually. Of course I do find those stolen moments when I have a good dinner or take time to just be present but most times I am trying to see and do it all. Today I could not stay awake while on the bus. I slept the whole time which made me mad because our Guide was telling us things about the sites we were visiting all I could think of was I wanted to be asleep. I would wake see the sights and enjoy them. AS soon as the bus turned on I was out. I am also so tired of seeing the same clothes. I think I will take my bag striaght to the donation center. I never want to see these clothes again. I am so tired of them. I wear the same things all the time. I want to get a pedicure, manicure, cut my hair and watch movies. After seeing Ewin I realized I really want to watch movies and just not feel rushed. However, the thought of me leaving and going back home also makes me feel worried about the next chapter I am about to enter. This chapter is ending and a new beginning. I am worried, fear but also excited about what the future will hold for me.
I want to end these entries with a huge Thanks to all of you who really read my entries, who wrote me and left me comments. You really don't understand how much those mean to me. I think because of you guys I was able to make this journey and not get so homesick. You guys kept me going. I knew I could be far away but you were still so close to me. There is this quote that says "True friends are never far away." For those who really cared and took the time to support me I know are my truest friends and I appreciate you so much. I can't wait to see you all again.
So I need dates for the movies. If you are interested please call me soon. Well after July 26th since I will be in Mexico by a beautiful beach till then. Movies!!!!!!!I want to see movies!!!!!!!! Any takers :)

"Somethings you just need to do alone." Best quote from my new friend David. I really needed this and I really learned so much about me that I could not do any other way. With certain people like my family and friends I have a roll I created. I feel I need to live up to that role. This gave me the chance to have no role, to be a blank slate and to realize who I want to be as a person. One loses their identity in certain situations and I think this gave me a chance to find out who I wanted to be.
"Dream as if you will live forever, and live as if you will die today." I think everyday since June2nd I have truely lived this quote and I am so proud of myself to be able to say that. I took every moment and tried to live it to the fullest. I tried to experience things not everyone can experience. I tried new things, I tried not to fear anything. I lived every day in the moment. Now I need a vacation :) Mexico here I come :). I hope that I will continue to live this way.
See you all very soon, and once I get back from Mexico I will post pictures :)

Ewin Mcgrergor

Okay I can't spell his name but he is from Star wars and The Island. He is in a lot of movies. Well me and Maria literally ran into his opening premier for his movie. It was exciting. We were walking around Picadilly Circus. It is like Time square in NYC. Well we turned a corner and saw some rails blocking the street then we saw all these people. So we thought okay how do we get around this. We just walked up to the rail and saw why there were so many people. AS soon as we looked back we were crowded in. See the people were running toward where he was getting out of the car and we just happened to be on the opposite side. Well since we were there we hung around and he came to where we were to sign autographs. We had no pen of course and I don't like to ask people for autographs so Maria just took pictures of him. My little cousins may kill me but there was this other kid name Alex or Alec I don't know. He seems pretty famous but was like 16 maybe 18 years old and neither Maria nor I had a clue who he was so we did not take pictures of him. We said WOW this shows are age. We have no clue who that kid was but there were these little teen girls yelling there heads off. They were chanting his name. They were going crazy. Poor Ewin only me, Maria and the older people where like It is Euwin Mcgregor. I know I am killing his name but seriously no clue how to write it. He was primering some movie called Breakers. It looks futuristic. I feel so out of the loop because when I walked by the theatre I saw Pirates came out and the Jeniffer Aniston has 2 movies out. 1 I never heard of. When I saw the posters to the movies suddenly for the firs time in 46 days I actually got home sick. I thought oh I miss going to the movies. I want to sleep in on Sat. , go walk the mall, go to a nice quite dinner somwhere even if it were pizza then a movie and starbucks. I use to do that all the time in Dallas. I know it sounds so mundane but boy I really now realize how much I miss it. Today at about 2pm I got homesick for the first time. I think because London reminds me so much of the states. Well we then walked from the preimer to our real destination Buckingham palace and again I think we saw someone important but don't know who. We were getting to the golden gates. They opened as we were walking by and then told to stop. There was a police escort so many bike cops stopping traffic and we saw a Land Rover go by with some men in suites and sunglasses. We couldn't see to well inside. I told Maria to run after it but she did not want to. I told her it was her only chance to her prince. They turned into the house of Parliment/ Big Ben. I wonder who it was. Well London has proven to be so exciting. I am so excited about tomorrow though because I am jumping on a bus early and heading for Stonehenge. I never believed I would actually go to stonehenge even though I always wanted to. We are planning to stop in the country somewhere and eat at a real PUB. We will see how it goes. Then I will come back to my Hostel, pack and leave for the airport at 5am London time 3 am Dallas time on Wed.
I can not believe my 47 days are up. What a wild, fun and big learning experience it has been for me. I will write my last entry tomorrow. Then when I get back from Mexico I will post the pictures from the trip.
See you guys soon
Martha

Berlin WOW

I have visited so many places in this long trip but I was so shocked by Berlin. I was shocked because I was so excited to be in Berlin more than any other place and I did not expect that reaction. I tried to figure out why and I realized what it was. I knew one day in my life I would go to Paris, Spain and Italy. One place I always said I would like to go but never really expected to go to was Berlin so to be there felt like the greatest accomplishment of my trip so far. Which is why when I walked off the plane I was so excited.

It started a bit rough because we were delayed in Paris for 2 hours. So we were tired and frustrated. I know Juan can feel my pain. I actually fell asleep sitting which I never use to do. Actually those of you who know my mom well know she can sleep anywhere and at any time. I always believed because she worked so much and never gets enough sleep. Well that has become me as well. 7 weeks of sleeping 5-6 hours a night and all the walking and being out for such long periods have made me a great sleeper anywhere. I lay down and I am out. I sit still for more than a few minutes and I am out.
Then we got off in Berling and Tobias a friend of Maria´s met us at the airport. It was Maria, Guilia (Italian Friend) and Me. It was a bit quite because it was the first time Maria and Tobias had ever really met. He was her sisters good friend and has been talking to Maria via E-mail for more than a year now so they were excited to finally meet but a bit akward at the same time. He is such a sweet guy and I am so glad I met him. He went above and beyond for us. Maria and I have been so blessed to have 2 great new friends go above and beyond for us starting with Guilia and now Tobias. It was also akward but fun a bit because we had Guilia the die hard Italian Fan and Tobias the die hard German fan. Wow, the banter never ended until Guilia left on Saturday. Well Tobias took us to his apartment. He had a blow up mattress and his bed ready for us. He then said we could have his apartment and he would go and stay with his brother since we were girls he wanted to give us our privacy. Isn´t that sweet. He then took us out to eat. It was so late only a Sushi place was open but it was good. I tried to have my first German beer but I still don´t like it Maria had to finish it for me. I thought I need to try Germany has the best beer in the world so they say. Then we went to bed and the next morning Tobias and his brother suprised us by bringing us a German breakfast. We were getting dressed so all of a sudden they called us into his little kitchen area and they had the plates, forks, coffee and everything all set up. It was so nice. Oh, he even had gone to his moms the week before to get us homemade Strawberry jelly made from scratch. He helped his mom make it. He says it takes 3 hours. Oh my god people that is the best Jelly you can ever imagine. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then Tobias took us at about 12p.m. to see the city. We were out till 1 a.m. and we saw every single place in Berlin. It was so much fun. I had the most fun and will have to say Berlin is my favorite city in Europe. It is so full of History and it is so beautiful. There are so many little parks everywhere and fountains. We saw were the wall once stood. Tobias was the best tour guide one could have because he was 10 when the wall came down and he lived in Eastern Berlin. He told us so much about the life he remembers so well in East Berlin. He told us about his families hardships because they were catholic in a non religous society at the time. The prejudice they faced. The prejudiced his grandparents faced for being born German and living in the The chec Repubic after world war 11 and being told they were Nazi´s when he says his parents went to the Chec. so they could get away from Nazi Germany. He has such an interesting past and I loved hearing about it. Poor Tobias I asked him so many questions and some where very hard. At the end Guilia and Tobias agree that I am to weird for them because I ask such hard questions. I told them they have 1 week to research and return all answers to me. We saw where the Nazis burnt books from Tobias´s University that he goes to now. We saw where Hitler use to do his speeches, he took us to the Holocost Memorial they made and told us how many Germans were upset about the memorial not because of what it represents but they feel they want to move past this bad part of their history that they feel so ashamed off and move on. They don´t want to forget he said "How can we." It is a beautiful and such a weird feeling to be in. The memorial I mean. We went to the Holocost Museum. Most of Hitlers and Nazi´s bunkers and areas are not around anymore they were either destroyed by the Allies or the Germans themselves so they could erase such an embarassing past. The one thing they left consciously is this church near downtown. It was a beautiful church that was bombed but you can still go and visit it they lefted it as is so that Germany and the world can remember what hate does to its people and its cities. It tears them apart. We got to go and see check point charlie and were the original wall now stands. The moved it and kept a section of it as a rememberence. There is a very small peice left in it original area though. A very small peice. However, the whole town has this line in the road to show where the wall once stood. We saw the muesuem and saw the pictures of people getting murdered just trying to cross over. Toby was telling me the predjudced he faced because he had family in West Berlin and when they would come to visit they would bring him candy or a soda and other kids would pick on him.
Now, Berlin was not just about History and beauty for us. We came at a perfect time to experience one of the world´s biggest and craziest parties behind Carnaval. It is the LOVE FEST. I am sure you have heard of it. It is always in the news so keep an eye out you may see me somewhere dancing in the crowd. We of course spent all of Saturday litteraly from 2 p.m-12am at the LOVE Fest dancing, drinking and just having a great time.
Now, in just a few hours I will be leaving Berlin to go to my last stop on this trip. I just can not believe how fast the time has gone. My 47 days are just about up. anyway I am ready because I am just so tired. I would love to be able to just sleep for 8 hours one day. I am really ready to wash my clothes again. We have not been able to wash since I left Italy for France. Don´t worry I had lots of clothes but I am down to my last 2 clean shirts, and thanks to Grace I still have a months supply of Undies clean and ready to wear. Grace packed me like a years worth. I am now very appreciative to her. However, I will not have much time to rest. I get into Dallas on Wed. the 19th at 2p.m and I leave for Mexico on Thur. at 12pm.
Don´t get me wrong though if I had to I could still keep going with no complaints and be very happy. I still do not feel I miss home at all. I just feel well if I am going home at least I can rest for a day :). I think my bank account though is ready for me to go home more than I am :)
Mexico was a great and wonderful suprise by the nicest big brother in the world CESAR. He and Krista were going to go without me but a few weeks ago he said he would wait for me and take me to Cancun. I am so excited. I need a relaxing vaction to get over my big vacation. How spoiled am I this summer. Therefore I will not really be back into Dallas till July 26th. Then I need some time to hibernate. Don´t come looking for me until about December :).
Well I am off to london in a few hours. The Hostel we are staying at has internet access for free so I will write before I leave for the USA. Thanks again to those who read the blogs and write to me. I do really appreciate your letters. It makes me feel so loved and missed. Thank you guys!!!!!
Love you all and see you very soon.

Paris the city of lights

WOW,

Paris was beautiful. The ngative feelings toward France felt when in the south of France was changed completely by Paris. Paris is so beatiful and so romantic. It is all one imagines and more. The Effiel tower was so magical by night. We waited in lines for an hour to go up the tower and to tell you the truth only the first floor was worth seeing so if you go just take the stairs there was really no line for that and pay just for the first floor only. We went all the way to the top and the view was okay but it was about the same as the first floor. The sencond level was exactly the same as the first level and so if I were you I would just pay the first and save so much money and time. Now, the Effiel is open till midnight in the summer so I would suggest for a romantic viewing sunset or the evening when it is lit up it is beautiful. We also went to all the big monuments like Arco de triumph, the Louvre. We saw the Mona Lisa. You need a complete full day for the Louvre. I did one room in 2 hours. There are like a millon rooms. It was beautiful though. We did a night cruise which was so romantic to bad I didn´t share it with my prince charming but I did share it with Maria. We hugged each other but it was not the same so we gave up. Then we took a night bus tour afterward and that was fun. Our bus driver thought he had a small little car like in Italy or something because he was speeding through the streets, cutting cars off it was funny. There was a point where all of us on top just lifted our arms and yelled like we were on a rollercoaster, of course Maria and I started it. Then everyone else joined in. We walked the streets of Paris, ate great French food like Crepes and wine. It was a great time. My companions say the French were still rude to them. In the 2 days we were in Paris I thought they were all very nice. They were nice to me. I would try to speak in French and they were nice and very helpful toward me. I think because after my last experience I though I am going to be very positive toward them and not let my companions negative ideas of them influence me. It worked for me. We toured the church of Notre Dame it was beautiful. After visting Italy though it looked so small to me. Others were amazed. I expected it to be bigger :)
We only had 1 full day in paris and 2 half days which was a huge mistake. You need at least 3 full days in paris. We had no sleep and were always on the go. It was so tiring. Please learn from my mistake if you are to ever back pack. :) Now to discuss Berlin.

I am in Barcelona what an adventure

I will sleep when I die, I guess!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe I will get lucky and sleep in August some time. I would say though it has been well worth it. I still don't miss home, should I worry. I know my parents would.

Well I have to leave soon so I will need to be short.

When I last wrote we took a train to Neice south of France and got our rental car. We drove to the beaches in the south of France. It was nice. It was fun but not as much fun as Barcelona. The drive was long and I didn't really like the French to much. They were very rude but they seem to be that way with each other as well. Not all of them. We did meet a few who were not to bad. France though is beautiful. We went through Manto Carlo but didn't stop. My future rich husband will need to take me back. We did stop in St. Tropez, Cannes and boy is that the play spot for the rich and famous. The stores are so upscale. The prices are too. The cars are super nice. The people look so fake though. I guess because I never seen people in real life who have such clothes, money and beauty. Some you could tell was so fake. However, the beaches were beautiful. We laid out on a beach near St. Tropez called St. Maxiem it was absolutely beautiful. The water was perfect. Cancun- Cozymel is still prettier but this was right after it. We stayed in little quaint motels in the hills of France. They were so nice because they were little French towns. However, we never got hit on by such aggressive men in our lives as we did in France. One in particular was a bit scarey. When we were not responding to him he started to kick sand and water on us and trying to grab us. Thankfully we saw this English guy with his girlfriend and he helped us out. The place was beautiful and I got some great memories but I am good with never going back.

Barcelona though is the completely opposite. I had the time of my life and to tell you the truth I could live here. It is the most absolute beautiful and great place to live. We had a great first night. We got here in time to see the last match for Italy. I was so sad we were not in Italy. I saw every other game in Italy. However, thanks to such a big Italian population in Barcelona it was like we never left Italy. I went for a walk around spain and saw a bull fight (Fun in aways but horrofic the killing of the bulls). At least we asked and they said they eat the meat so it is not for nothing but still next time I will be outside with the protesters. We just thought this is like one of the oldest Bull rings in Spain it was worth seeing once I had never been. Then we walked through the best park I had ever seen. We saw people dancing Tango in a Gazeebo on oneside and capoera on the other. It was great. Then we went to see the game. We were suppose to meet our Italian friends we are traveling with in the Hard Rock to watch but we were there to late they were to full so Maria and I saw all these people watching it outside of a TV store. They TV store had all there TV's on to the game it was perfect. We sat on the side walk and watched. However, we were crowded with French people. I had my Italian Jersey on anyway. I was apprehensive at first to put it on buth then I said who cares and supported proudly. Well when we won it was absoulte Mayhem. We were literally dancing in the streets. We ran to the hard rock found our friends celebrated inside for a bit then everyone spilled into the streets. It was so much fun. By the end of the night we started out as like 100 people then grew to such a large crowd the police just closed the streets. Only in Europe. They didn't chase us away they just closed the streets. I was carried by so many guys, hugged by so many strange people, drenched in water, beer and champagne it looked like I had bathed in it. People were hanging of flag poles and it was great. We were out till 5 a.m. Now at about 4 though we were at the hospital because one of our friends stepped on a peice of glass when entering a fountain to celebrate. The sad part is she is so reserved and we were going so crazy we were telling her come on let loose get in. She didn't want to then we said just get in for a second for a picture. Upon entering she cut her foot. Poor thing. There were people swiming in the underwear in there. People were kissing complete strangers in the street. It was the most when it comes to partying I have ever had. I have so many pictures. It felt like everyone knew everyone. We would take pictures and guys would jump in our picture, hug us or carry us. After we awoke the next day we had to press on and we saw the beauty and History of Barcelona. It was so geourgeous. I am now on my way to Paris in just a few hours. Write back soon, keep checking.

Martha
P.s. The insurance in Europe is so much better here. My friend got 4 stiches, 5 doctors attended to her because she fainted from the sight of the blood, she got a prescriton to prevent infection and paid a grand total of......................... 5 Euros like 7 US dollars. Can you believe it. If you live in the European Union and have an accident in another country not your own it is free to tend to you. However, if she would have had the accident in her country she would have had to pay so much more. Guess how much 10-15 EURO. Oh my, any doctors appointments are 10 Euro. Why aren't we the same way. I will never know.

I am writing from Milan

Hi guys,
I have not seen an internet place in so long. We got off the subway a bit ago and boom there was one so we stopped in. Thanks to those who wrote me it is always so nice to read your e-mails. Especially the funny ones about people who think they look just like Michelangelo's David and others who say have lots of fun just don't land in a foreign jail. These are so great as long with everyones good luck, have fun and well wishes. Thanks you guys.

Well just to quickly cath you up because I need to leave soon.
I was in Rome on Sat. night and stayed at the ugliest run down hotel I have ever stayed at. It was very cheap. I think I was just not use to it because it was clean and pretty safe. I got the best coffee ever from this hotel. The little old Italian lady was so funny. She would yell at everyone. It was like in an Apartment building on the 5th floor. Of course when me and Maria got there the elevator was not working so we had to climb up with all our bags. As soon as we left our bags the elevator was working. Well we saw almost all of Rome in 23 days. There was little sleep, little time to eat and lots of walking but we did it. We saw the colosseum, all of acient Rome like Palatine Hill we even saw huts from the first Eutruscans that setteled Rome. We went to the Trevi Fountain and made our wishes. I was told so many time becareful in Rome because there is a lot of pick pocketing. We were being super careful so we did not get pick pocketed but I did almost get my camera stolen. It was the weirdest experience. We were walking in Piazza Navona and I had just taken a picture and had just put my hand down. The string from the camera was in between my fingers and my camera was hanging down. It was my fault for a second I did not tie the camera to my hand by the string like I always do. Just then I felt like someone called me or for some reason just decided to turn around when I did I felt some guys figer tips touch my hand so quickly I jerked my hand up and turned around thinking I ran into someone which you do all the time here. Then I saw this man looking at me and he just disappeared in the crowd. I never believed someone could just quickly disappear like that. Literally the guy disappeared while I was watching him. His hands were touching my camera. After that I kept my camera tied and that was the only bad experience I have had. Other than that it has been a blast and even that lasted 10 seconds. I went to the Vatican and saw the Sisten Chapel and St. Peters. I talked to a swiss gaurd guy. It was funny.

Then we left Rome and went to Venice. We got to Venice late about 11:30 and left our bags and went walking. It is so magical there. It has a magic to it. It is georgeous. And unlike our last hotel this one was beautiful and had a great breakfast. I wanted to grab onto it and never let go for fear of what my other hotels may be like. This one had AC. The first time to have AC when I went to bed in over a month. I got ice in my drink. It was great. Alot of American turists though probably why. All back packers. It was like a Hostel. We had a private bath and room it was great. I didn't mention the Rome Hotel you share the bathroom. Weird at first but we never had a problem. I later learned these are very commone Hotel situations sharing bathrooms in Europe. Then we left Venice and went to Milan. In a 24 hour period from 9p.m. Monday - 9pm. Tuesday I was in Rome, Venice then Milan. I left Rome at 9pm then went to Venice and left Venice at 6:30pm. We were in Milan by 9:30 on Tuesday night. Tuesday we slept till noon. I told Maria maybe we were just a bit tired. In Milan I saw the original Di Vinci Last Supper paiting in this monastary. It was really great to see. It is so well guarded. There are 3 chambers you must go through and each one has a timed door. To leave it is the same way. You get 15 mintues for 8 EURO to see it. It is painted on a huge wall. It was amazing to see. They say they are so secure because of the paint Leondardo used the time and weahter can damage it so they time the doors to not allow the weather to destroy it. Milan is the fashion capital of the world. This is where Aramani, Gucci and the other big designers live. You can so tell. All by the DUOMO the big church which is very beautiful to see. Especially the outside it is amazing what they did to this church. Well outside the DUOMO is like the worlds biggest out door mall. With all the big brand names. People are dressed so fashionable. There are a lot of trend setting going on here. In Milan all we have done is do as the Milan people do. We have been sleeping late, shopping in the big stores, and partying. We went out last night with a big group of Italian people all our friend Guilia who leaves in Milan's friends and co workers. I am actually on my way home to get dressed to go out to a club. They dress so nicely and are very nice. I thought when I saw the stores this would be heaven for Juan. He loves fashion. The guys here are so fashionable and well dressed. I saw an old man with hot pink glasses (Regular glasses), shaved head and a cool flashy suit. It was weird but looked very expensive. The guys we went out with last night where they same way.
Well I need to go now so tomorrow Friday I will leave Italy. I am so sad to actually leave it. I love it here. I love the people and the things one can do here. I will not miss the hot nights with no AC and no ice but I will miss everyone I met here. Especially in Milan. I will be on my way to France. Our train arrives in Neice tomorrow. We will pick up our rental car and drive the French southern coast into Barcellona Spain. We are stopping at some beaches on the way like San Tropez and Canne. We will be in Barcellona by the 9th. I will hopefully be able to write again before I leave Barcellona. You guys take care and write I love to read your e-mails.
Ciao
Martha

My agenda

I don't know how easy it will be to access the internet while back packing so I may not write for awhile but please keep checking because I will when I get the chance.

Itinerary for Italy.

Rome today through Monday night.
Venice Monday and Tuesday
Milan Wed. and Thur.

Then on to France.

I hope to write before I head for France. Please keep writing me it always feels great to read your e-mails.
Thanks
Love you all
Martha

THIS one will shock those who know me best.

I had to write this short comment seperately:

Okay well in the next section you will read about what I did the last week but yesterday Friday June 31 needs it own quick side note. Yesterday I went to pick up Maria from the train station. It was so great to have someone from back home with me again. I was so excited to see her. I knew I would be but didn't know how much it would mean to me to see a face from home. It was great. We then did a walking tour of the city to show Maria what I saw in a month in 3 hours. We walked so much. Then we did 1 thing I wanted to do since I got here and that is go to the top of Piazza Michelangelo and watch the sun set. IT was amaznig. We also went there because they were going to show the Italy game on Jumbotrons around the Piazza. I was meeting the last few friends who stayed in Flornce there for our last goodbye. We saw the game with it seemed like every Italian in Florence. Oh, when they won it was amazing. They whole place went crazy. Maria and I were laughing because people were honking and screaming and this big guy on a little bike was beeping his bike bell. It was so funny. Well, then it was so great because there were these Arab- Italian guys who were playing congo drums and dancing. Then a little bit away there were these Brazilian-italians who were dancing "Capoera." If you don't know what this is it is that dance where it looks like they are fighting. It is amazing I got it on video no worries. Well everyone was celebrating me and Maria and Zara had bought a bottle of wine. When we were watching the Brazilian people the Arab people came over and helped on Drums it was so cool to see the 2 cultures embrace each other you never see that in Dallas. Well we had finished our bottle and these Italian guys next to us heard me say "I ran out and there is no more how sad." He said Italy won how can you stop celebrating here. He gave got out some bottle of something called GRAPA. It is an Italian drink you can only get here and it is 40% they say. Well he gave each of us a shot in celebration. Then he gave us one more to toast our last night. At this point it is just me, Maria and Zara I had to say goodbye to my other friends. I did cry a few tears when I had to say bye. I remembered this comment about one chapter ending and one new one beginning. I was glad Maria was there to help me see my new chapter is just about to start so I was able to cope well and quickly. Then people were starting to leave the area to drive around and scream and honk. It is like the city went into a party mode. It was amazing. But the big thing that will shock you all happened next. As we were waking back the guys tell us there is this place in front of Santo Spiritu where all the Italian people hang out we said sure. By this time another friend Luis had joined us. Well, when I saw all the mopeds and bikes driving around I was telling Maria since the day I arrived in Florence I always wanted to get on a moped and drive around the city. I am so sad I was never able to. Well one of the guys over heard me and offered to take me. I was so excited. Maria and my other friends were going to walk to the church with all his friends so I felt it was okay. I finally got on a bike. I was so excited. I had never been on one before. I have always been to scared. I said though one day before I die I would. I am excited I did it. I was expecting a little moped. No the guy had this Kawasaki Ninja bike. It was amaznig. I had a helmet it is law here so don't worry. He took me through the whole city. Everytime I didn't recognize where I was I always asked where the river was. If you see the river or duomo you are good. You can find anything. I was being safe. I figured I could jump off and run if I need to. He did seem like a real nice guy though. Anyway I am just so shocked I did it. With no apprehension or fear. It was the right time I guess. Well it may not seem like a big deal to some but to me it was huge. I use to tell Juan all the time he should never get a bike it was to dangerous. There I was traveling with a true Italian "meaning Italian driving" and going throughout Florence at midnight. It was so amazing. We were going so fast and weaving in and out of the crazyiest places. Then we went to the church and met the rest. On the way home I was so extatic about the ride we were walking in front of the Duomo and I told Maria you know what else I have always wanted to do. I always wanted to dance in front of the Duomo at night. I thought it would be with some guy I cared about, or met in Italy but screw guys who needs them let us dance. So we did. It was great. We danced the waltz and we spinned in cirlces in front of the 4th largest church in the world. It was great. Then we went on a little more. We started to dance the Brazilan dance and Sumo wrestle in front of the Duomo as well just for kicks. Yes there were people around just a few by this time it is 3 in the morning. It was the most fun I ever had in Flornece and it is on the top most fun things I have ever done in my life. It may have been the Grapa or the freedom I felt on the bike but I was not scared or embarassed I felt so free and who cares about what anyone else thinks. It was amazing. This was the best way to say bye to Florence. It also leaves me in suspense as to what will happen in ROME. I will see Rome in just a few hours.
I am just excited that I did everything I wanted to here even things that I thought I would never do. I thought they would just be a fantasy. I made even the fantasy a reality. It was great. Bye, Florence and Hello the rest of the world.
Ciao
Ps. I don't know if I will be able to write as often but I will try

It has been a month OH MY

Wow I am so shocked that I have been in Florence a whole month already. I can't believe it. I start my backpacking part of my trip today. I am just in shock at how the time has passed so quickly.

Well to catch you up a bit I have been so busy the last week. It is like oh crap I have 1 week left see all I haven't yet and quick. I went out a lot with my friends at night it has been very tiring. Well what I have done since I last wrote was go to this great little town last Friday called San Giovanna. They had like the streets full of acrobats, mimes, clowns, and circus type people. It was so neat. It was in celebration for San Giovanna patron saint of Florence. This town is just outside of Florence like 30 min. by trian. It was so much fun. Then Sat. I went to Sienna which is a great old old Medivel town. It has this old castle/bell tower thing. It was so beautiful. It was amazing to visit. They were preparing for their Festival which should be held today actually Sat. July 1st. They have horse races in the town square and flag throwing competitions. It is the same festival you see in the movie under the Tuscan Sun. The town they shot the movie at is near there. I wanted to go but didn't have enough time. We got to see the town transformed to its medivel time. Flags and people dressed in Renisance attire practicing for the festival. It was nice. Then Sunda I went to Pisa to see the leaning tower. Should you see if you ever come to Italy YES. But, have someone runnnig the car while you run and take a quick picture. It is nice to see but there is nothing else to see in the town. You could walk in take your cool picture of it looking like you holding up the tower and then leave. Afterward, we went to Lucca another great old Tuscan town. I think I am already tired though of churches and so forth so I was kind of regretting going. Then we are walking and we see a bike rental place. I convience my 2 guy friends to rent bikes with me and then it was cool. We rode on top of the old fort that surronds the city. It was amazing. I had not been on a bike in years. It was so much fun. We found these old passage ways that were very curvy and steep heading down. We don't think you were suppose to go there because we were told they are the passages they used when the town was locked in because of the enemy they used these old tunnels to get in and out if they needed to. Most were locked but leave it to boys they found a tunnel that was open someone broke the lock probably teen boys. Well they just head straight down and not wanting to be left alone on a fort at the very top gosh knows where I went to. Cobble stones little ones were lining the floor. It was so steep going down and very curvy it is hard to explain. It is like the winding stairs but when straight down. I was so scared. I kept applying the brake and the guys were like don't use the break. They were crazy I thought for sure I am hitting a wall. But no and by the time we were out of the dark scary tunnel I wanted to do it again. We had a blast. However, since we had to go down we had to find a way back up. That is another story but not as exciting. I had so much fun it was a blast.

During the week I attended classes however I skipped one day I know it is horrible but I was invited to the beach with my Italian friend and roommate. She is studying at the University in Florence. She came in on Friday and was staying in my room. It is great because I paid for a room sharing accomadation but the girl who I was suppose to share with never came. Problems with her Visa so I had the biggest room in the house with a Balcony to myself for 3 weeks. Then Cinzea came on Friday and she is wonderful. I get so luck with room mates. Erica and now her it has been great. She speaks perfect Italian and refuses to let me talk to her in English so I get some practice. Except when we are having a great conversation we use English. I went to Medici's Villa after class one day well I again skipped the 2nd half of the day to go. Those were the only times I missed in a month.
I can't believe my time in Florence is over. I am quite ready to say goodbye and move on to the new part of my Journey but at the same time it was so hard to say goodbye to those great new friends.
Have you guys ever looked at your life and saw how it is so much like a book. Grace helped me see it that way and I can't get it out of my mind. I had years when I was with Juan and it is over. One chapter done. Then I have Grace coming to live in Dallas with me and my working with her for 2 years and then she moves away and it was like that chapter is over. My stay in Florence was its own chapter and now it is over. I will start on a new chapter today. Florence and Backpacking are those little chapters you find but full of great detail. It is hard to see those chapters of my life end but I try to see it in the good light that you can look forward to what will happen in the next chapter. It is also very good because it does not mean the people who were apart of Chapter one will not reappear in chapter 10. Grace really helped me see that and I had a better time coping with the goodbyes. I am still in shock me Martha who has the hardest time opening myself up to people and completely trusting anyone did so here so quickly. Yesterday when I had to say goodbye it was so hard and I thought how silly I have only known them for a few weeks. I am ready to start my new chapter today. Stay tuned to see what will happen.