Finding my way around London ...

The last few days I've been enjoying the amazingly huge galleries here, and exploiting the time I have to enjoy them. It's really liberating having a whole day to explore just one gallery. Yesterday I checked out the National Gallery and was once again (like at the Met) blown away by being so close to the actual paintings that I have seen hundreds of reproductions of, but this time for real. The National Gallery had a whole wall of van Gogh's including my favourite: Sunflowers. There was also a whole wing of old, religious art, which I usually don't appreciate, but since visiting the Vatican Museum and also attending a small tour which spoke specifically of one piece, I now can understand where its coming from and really enjoy it a lot more.
Yesterday was also Kathryn's birthday, and we (her, her boyf Julian and brother Robert and myself) went to the Savoy Theatre to see the Ratpack show from Las Vegas. It was really great. There were 3 impersonators of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jnr. They performed for over 2 hours all my favourite songs in the style of one of their original caberet shows, with a full band on stage, back up singing/dancing girls, lots of jokes and on-stage banter between songs. I loved it! It must be great having so many shows on offer all the time, it was such a big thing for me, but fairly normal by now for Kathy and Robert!
Today I explored the Tate Modern. Its on the banks of the Thames and is a new gallery of modern art, opened in 2000 in an old power station. I think the building has caused some controversy, but I think its great! They had a doco showing in one of the rooms about its design/construction etc which gave me much more background info. Kathy, Robert and I saw the Frida Kahlo exhibition there on the weekend, but there are 2 or 3 more huge floors of art that I looked thru today. Its probably getting old, but the whole: 'wow! I can't believe I'm standing infront of this real Matisse/Picasso/Warhol/Pollock etc etc' again. At some points they also have these Audio Points where you can listen to different sound clips of info about a particular artist or work, very useful. And the view of the Thames and London from the huge windows is also amazing.
That's about it for now, I've been kinda playing it by ear, so not sure what I'll be doing over the next week. I've found a few walking tours which would be good, since I really appreciated the one I did in Munich; at the moment the Beatles ones are interesting me most! Miss you, and I'll see you soon! luv E x

Post it

Ok. So somehow I seem to be touching some sore points with some Americans out there. I don't know how or why you've started reading this, but I'ld like to remind you of what appears at the beginning of my blog: "I've created this blog so my family and friends can keep up with my first ever (!) round-the-world adventure!"
This is my first time ever outside of Australia and I'm loving it. However, I am also realising how much I love Australia. I know its not for everyone. These are my thoughts based on my limited but growing knowledge of the rest of the world, its history, and my little place in it.
So keep reading if you want, but try not to take everything so damn personally. While you've been picking up each negative comment, you seem to be ignoring all my other, even little compliments. These are my overall views, where is your overall sense of proportion?

London's calling ...

I arrived in London Saturday morning after two short flights from Rome. Now feeling like a seasoned traveller (it'll be 8 flights in 6 weeks all up) I don't even listen to the safety thingo, just check for my exits.
On the Rome-Frankfurt flight, I had my first proper single-serve-friend, 'Fight Club' style. (for those who don't know, 'Fight Club' is a v v good movie with Brad Pitt and Edward Norton. Ed's character describes the people you sit next to on short flights as 'singe-serving-friends' as everything you get on the aeroplane is single-served). I don't even know what this guy's name was, but he and his wife were travelling home on separate flights from a week's work/holiday in Rome. He'ld travelled a lot and although American, actually knew of areas of our great continent apart from Melbourne and Sydney. He was also aware that Australia is made up of states, that we do not ride kangaroos, and that it is not usually necessary to collect water in tarps during the night as we have running water now (sorry, long story based on strange conversations with two Americans in Sorrento. If Bill O'Reilly and George W Bush are still reading, I'll sorry guys, but I just seem to be meeting mainly 'those kinds' of Americans, and I feel like I'm teaching 'Australia 1.01' every time ... I do realise you are not all like that and that America has done some good stuff ...)
My newfound complacency in flying was tested tho as I managed to get myself lost, not once, but twice folks! in Frankfurt airport, and got to do the whole running madly with my hand luggage to my boarding gate, only to be kept waiting for 20 minutes longer on the plane while they waited for someone even later than myself.
Kathy met me at Heathrow and got me quickly adjusted to the London lifestyle and Underground etc. I've spent the last 4 or 5 days with her and her brother Robert at their flat in St John's Wood, just around the corner from Abbey Road. They've been doing a great job of showing me London, and especially the damn good food, restaurants, bars, cafes etc.
As they both work during the week, I've been spending the daytimes doing the tourist thing. I finally gave in and did one of those bus tours, but being in London, the red double decker open top bus doesn't stand out so much. It was also a great way to see a lot in a day (there is so much stuff!) and learn a few interesting facts. I know kinda know where everything is ...
Today I wandered thru the National Gallery, part of which was closed as the Queen was there having a look! She's lent a number of her paintings for a current equine-themed exhibition.
Today is Kathy's birthday (Happy 23rd Kathy!) and we're off the the theatre! It'll be my first West End show (and only for a while ...) its a Ratpack themed one and should be great.
Tomorrow night I finally get to catch up with Nikki! Yay! Love to all, sorry about morning-talk style of entries, but have fallen behind and need to catch up. Will try again to log onto email ... take care of yourselves, and each other ... E x

Ok, so I'm a retard ...

Sorry, I thought I was outta time ... woops! I can't seem to log onto my email tho, which is annoying ...
... anyway ... so where were we? After 3 days in Sorrento, and now at least 6 shades darker (yes folks, it is possible) Nat and I made out way back up to Rome where we would stay with some more family of mine. This family didn't really speak English either, but on the up side, I had met some of them last year when they visited Australia! Nat's Italian is really good tho after her 2 months in Latina, so we got by ok.
My cousins etc were really great and made us feel very welcome, we also had a quick 1 and a half days to do as much more of Rome as we could. Friday was our main day, with Nat and I exploring the Vatican city etc. We actually go to see the Pope! as we where passing thru la Piazza di San Pietro, just before he was off to see someone important about something important, so we waited for half an hour for our half a minute glimpse of him. The Museo Vaticano was really hot, stuffy and busy, so we saw as much as we could, making our way to the Capello Sistino at the end. It was amazing! We spent the rest of the day relooking at somethings I had already seen so Nat could get photos (or rather, I could take photos of her standing in front of them). It was really good to just get to wander and people watch etc.
Nat left that night for Latina, so I was forced to speak Italian for myself with the fam. I did ok tho. I was actually a bit disappointed that I had to leave the next day, as I reckon another week or so and I'ld be pretty fluent! Oh well. Both my uncles have said I am welcome to stay with them whenever for however long, so I'll keep that in mind ...

Sorrento!

The family friend, Liliana, who I was staying with in Latina, also had her niece from Canberra staying with her, Natalie. Nat decided to come with me on my trip to Sorrento, and I will admit, it was nice to have some company! The trip there was an adventure enough, with a bus and two trains, taking about 5 hours all up. When we finally arrived and found our room (two stories up, no airconditioning and facing onto a busy street) we spent the afternoon exploring the 'beaches' and the town. Its definately a tourist town, but still all oldy and cobbledy streets etc etc that we'd seen all over Italy and loved. Sorrento is famous for its Limoncello so there were lots of lemon related stuff.
Our three days here were all very hot (mid to high 30's) but perfect for the holiday part of my holiday. Our full day there fell on my birthday (all cleverly planned of course!) And while I chose to not acknowledge the birthday thing at all, it was perfect. We just wandered around, found a bit of 'beach' to ourselves (and 12 other slightly less-obnoxious-than-usual tourists), sunbaked, swam and had a great time. I'll explain: most of the 'beaches' in Sorrento are private and connected with the hotels. So us plebs either have to pay 15 euro to use the beach, or find the few areas still available, and the beaches themselves are tiny and have black/grey 'sand' not at all like Aussie beaches, but suit the area the rest of the town is beautiful! (sorry but gonna have to wrap this up!) That night we had a beautiful Napoletana pizza followed by attending the local Sorrento 'musical' at Teatro Tasso, a song and dance affair depicting the history and different aspects of the culture and lifestyle of the region. Buon compleano!

Recapping ...

As you now know from my quick last post, I'm in London and all's well.
My last week-ish in Italy was wonderful, and very hot! After leaving Rome I spent a few days in Latina with some family friends. Latina is just a regular town, and it was nice to escape the insane tourism of Rome, and as I was to discover, most of Italy. While Latina itself is a relatively young town (started by Mussolini after the second world war) it is surrounded by many old villages, either fishing villages along the coast, or farming villages along the mountains. So we took many walks around, admiring the teeny-tiny old cobbled streets, with their tall old buildings, monuments etc. These were little places like Anzio, Nettuno, Monticchio and Sermoneata (sorry bout the spelling!) I spent an evening with some family of mine in Monticchio, my Nonna's brother, Zio Toni (Zio just means 'uncle') and his wife, kids and their kids etc. We had warned them that my Italian wasn't very good (ie, very bad) but they either ignored this advice or forgot, as none of them spoke any English! We managed to get by, but it was kinda frustrating. I also felt a bit like an animal in a zoo! They were wonderful tho and showed me the house that my Nonna lived in, where my Nonna and Nonno lived and where my Dad was born, and also a lemon tree that my Dad planted when he was five years old! They were the ones who took me to Sermonaeta as well, it is a beautiful old (700 years!) village, which is literally clinging to the edge of a mountain! It also comes with its very own castle! It is becoming a bit more tourist-y now, but mainly among the Italians. The castle was about to close, but Zio Toni told the guy I was from Australia only for the one day and they kept it open for another 45 minutes while we looked around. My cousin managed to find a book which had both English and Italian explanations so I could follow better what was going on. (I have more photos and stories about the day, but will leave for my fam and anyone else whose interested another time).

Quickie!

Sorry for silence, have been having great time and fun in Italy. Now in London, arrived yesterday. Will email more soon.
Thanx to all for birthday messages, was really nice quiet day. First birthday I've ever managed to spend sunbaking on the beach and swimming the in the Gulf of Naples!
Take care, will be more in touch soon, luv E x