Its been awhile

So Here at long last I am.

After the Italy trip my internet seems to have mysteriously died and I've been spending my little internet time writing emails, and similar things, trying not to fall behind on that. So, here I am, I apologize for my prolonged absence, and promise that I will try to return to you all more frequently.

So what have I been up to. Well I guess I'll tell you a little story of Italy, and see where we go from there. I went to Rome last thursday night, for 2 days, then on to Venice for 2. I love long weekends. Anyways, we arrived in Rome to stay at our 8 Euro a night hostel... $12 for a bed a night, we can't really complain. The Hostel is run by a man from Morocco and the hostel seems to have a faint odor of Marrakesh, as well as some disturbing 40 year old seemingly permanent residents. Its a bit sketchy, and the best part is that I think it might have been colder inside the Hostel than out. I think I slept in 50 degree weather, wearing all of my clothes (t shirt, long sleeve t shirt, sweater, cords, under a blanket, still shivering. I was cold for literally 4 days straight on this trip I think. Anyways first day, go out and see EVERY piece of ancient Rome in the city. It was really magnificient to see all of these amazing buildings that were all nearly 2000 years old, or older!!! Now, I'm sure you're going to want me to insert one of the 100 pictures I took that day right here...well I would if it hadn't been for some kind Roman's need to relieve me of my camera, so some guy has a very nice picture of me at the Palatine to show his kids.

The second day we did the Vatican, where you can't take pictures anyways...so no big loss. Just kidding. The Vatican is really an amazing building. Its just so amazingly large with these windows letting in enough beams of light to give this massive stone place a rather ethereal feel. Its really beyond words. But I think Italy's bigger gem in terms of Cathedrals is St. Marks. When I went to Venice in high school we did not get to go in, but imagine a basilica, completely covered in mosaics, all of a gold background. I walked in and my jaw just dropped. It was simply amazing, and it just gives such a sense of power and is so awe inspiring I don't have enough words to describe it (I clearly need to improve my vocabulary if I am to continue this blog).

A Venice highlight is Carnival. We showed up for the second day of it, and honestly there were more people in St. Mark's square than there are in the middle of the summer. It was kind of suffocating and impressive. But we saw the arrival of the Angel, the modern interpretation of a traditional Carnival event. So, there were letters spelling 'ANGELO' descending a wire from a bell tower to a stage on the ground, and a man clad in white with spiked cornrows, waving to the crowd. And as he descended to the stage to the tune of Gangsta's Paradise, it was clear...we were watching COOLIO!!! Ah to live the life of an american rap icon past his prime, now celebrating ancient European festivals!

So anyways, thats a snapshot of my trip to Italy. I hope you liked it. We did a day trip to El Valle de los Caidos yesterday, a tomb for Franco, and 40,000 soldiers who died in the Spanish civil war, but it was sort of a dissapointing experience. I did get to eat ox though, although I think they had just finished pulling a cart with it 5 minutes before it appeared on my plate, because it was rose red in color, and smelled like a cow farm. Oh well. This week will fly by and I am off to Nottingham to visit Heather on Friday for the weekend!!! A new camera is on the way, and if I can steal some of my roommate's pictures, I'll try to give you a glimpse of Italy.

Best,
Owen