Cinque Terre rocks, I am rocking the night-trains-only-to-save-on-hostels world right now. I had to kick some guys ass last night in the train compartment, but I was in a killing mood so it was fun. I am in rome again, shortly headed to Venice!

I ended up in Rome rather than CInque Terre because of Train timing. This will be quick because I have to get a train back to Cinque Terre. Yesterday I saw the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palantine Hill, Pantheon, Tivoli Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Del Popolo, at amazing Gelatto and Pizza. It was a very long day but I determined that you can defintely see most of the important Rome sights in a day and a half. TOday I was supposed to complete the rome tour with Vatican Museum and St. Peter’s but it is the free sunday of the month and way too crowded! SO, I will go to Cinque Terre and then have a day’s layover here before Venice in which I will see the Vatican things. It’s also good because since I didn’t know I was coming here in advace, I didn’t book for the Borghese Gallery (required to book several days in advance) so now I get to see that too. It’s a little out of the way, but that’s what the train pass is for.

Montpellier has been a blast! Thank you Sarah and Mattieu for the wonderful place to stay and thank you Mom, Okito and Elizabeth and Cristophe for connecting me with them!!!
The first night I was here we made quinoa and I made a variation on Taylor’s braised fennel recipie. So good…. fennel and onions sauteed in olive oil and butter then added a little white port (divine) and some thyme, black and chili pepper, garlic, salt, oregano, bread crumbs and parmesean. It was so good and had been so long since I had cooked and almost as long since I had eaten a hot meal! We had an amazing pork roast the next night, that I gather mom, Okito and Robin had when they were here, and last night had pasta, ratatouilli, steamed brussels sprouts, salad and an array of amazing cheeses. Mattieu’s mom and friend were visiting and had just come back from spain and brought some amazing stuff called Turron that is one kind almond nougat, one kind chocolate and hazlenut, and another that was almond paste and honey! We pigged out and had a great time. Michael, they also brought a giant tub of GUMMIES!!!!
On Wednesday Sarah and I went to Avignon which was beautiful. It was so fun to have someone to hang out with and show me the sights. We had a really good picnic of fresh walnut bread, cucumber, soft garlic-herb cheese (like Boursin if you know what that is), pear and blood orange. After our picnic we went to the Popes Palace where many popes lived until 16th century becquse they weren’t allowed in Rome at that time. It was huge, with beautiful stained glass, old murals, georgeous tiles and a gold-plated virgin Mary on the roof.
Yesterday I walked around Montpellier with Mattieu and got my second cup of Hot Chocolate at a place by the train station where Sarah had taken me. I am sure Mom and Robin know what I’m talking about. They bring you the thickest drinking chocolate imaginable, it’s not too sweet and they give you a whole little pitcher of cream to pour in. Devine. Orgasmically chocolate.
I am headed to Monaco in a couple hours, just for the day then will arrive in Cinque Terre basically in the middle of the night. SHould be exciting. I am starting to solidify plans about dancing in Berlin and Amsterdam in a couple weeks!!! Yay!!!!!!

I am extremely sleep-deprived right now, and this is a french keyboard, so you are warned of my stupor in advance. The overnight train was hell. Let me summarize; a drunk man who was convinced that if he spoke very rapid spanish at me, while leaning very close and stinking of liquor, I would eventually understand his babble despite my repeated cries of “Lo siento, no hablo espanol. No comprendo.”; also a woman later who got on and proceeded to babble away and sing with the man; people in a very tiny train compartment in whiwh the seats would not fold down; and far too much heat. I ended up sleeping for a couple of hours on the floor underneath the extremely low bench seats, they were low enough to prevent laying on one’s side. Hell but now I am in Montpellier. It was a relief to see signs in Spanish instead of Portugese in the night and an even bigger relief to hear and see français this morning. I can’t even imagine what it will be like to see so much english when I return!
It is additionally cozy here because this part of france reminds me of Oregon especially on a grey day like today. Lots of the trees look the same, lots of the hills remind me of Oregon hills. I quite like it. Montpellier is Making me miss Michael more though since I was here with him just 3 weeks ago, but that means it also hold fond memories.
I met a girl on the train from India, who moved to New Jersey when she was 13, and is now studying in Paris. She has a Eurail pass and long weekends so we might travel together for the next couple weekends which should be fun.
I miss you, whoever you are that is reading this today and I shall see you soon.

Lisbon is an awesome city and very inexpensive as European cities go. I ended up staying 3 nights and am on my way to Montpellier this afternoon which should take about 26 hours (arruugh) but should be my longest train trip in my whole 10 weeks of travel. The best part about Lisbon and it’s various palaces, montasteries etc. is all of the Moorish architecture and tiling. I was in a palace yesterday in a little village called Sintra not far from here that had all sort of tiles from the 15th century. Stars, corn, vines, celtic-looking knot wrok, flowers, M.C. Escheresque patterns, ornate floor “rug” tiles. You name it, they have it in a tile. It’s really quite beautiful. There was also a really cool kitchen about half the size of a football field with two huge dual chimneys, coral colored tiling halfway up to the chimneys, many copper kettle and ovens, and work-worn granite countertops. It was so beautiful. Unfortunately the weather here has been rather uncooperative and has been rainey, stormy and blustery off and on for the three days I’ve spent here. I shall come back to Portugal someday. I love it here, but damn Portugese is a tough language!

I arrived in Lisboa last night. It is a beautiful city and I am about to go out and see the sites and eat the famed pastelde Belem, a famous and allegedly very tasty cream tart that originated here.
So, the transitions of travel are getting easier. Reading maps, finding hostels, not feeling freaked out each time I arrive somewhere new but feeling excited about it. Last night I had a very smoothe transition from the train station to a nice little place where I am staying. The room has a very big and comfy double bed, and has nice mirrors on the wall and a big window with beautiful curtains. All for a mere 15 E per night (about 18 american dollars). So I was thrilled and went and asked the desk if there was a supermarket open. He said that yes, there was one that would be open until about 8:30, so I had an hour to get dinner groceries. I went out and saw the supermarket accross the street of which he spoke, and also saw that there was a little natural foods place right next door. I went there first. i had decided that I wanted fresh veggies as that has been something that I have not had very much of lately aside from the stray carrot or cucumber. In the natural foods store I got organic celery, a can of corn and some goat kefir. Then I hiked accross the street and got tomato, cucumber, some kind of mache-looking green that I still don´t recognize (but it´s good!), powdered garlic, a lemon, red chilis, grated carrot, some red grapes, and a beer. I wanted to make salad. As I was checking out, I thought “hmmm….making salad. I have now bowl or fork. At least I have my beloved leatherman for cutting the veggies. (thanks to Layne and Chelsea!) I have plastic bags and hands yes that sahll do.” So I went back, cracked open the beer and quite happily made a salad. I sliced and combined the veggies and then made a dressing of kefir, lemon, and powdered garlic. I added to the salad some really tasty semi-hard and crumbly goat chees I had acquired in Lagos, some sunflower seeds and cashews I still had from home, pored some corn into the bag with sliced up veggies, poured the dressing on, closed the bag adn shook it and had myself a little salad feast. It was so good and I felt good as gold when I went to sleep last night. I took a picture of my bag o´salad and my only regret was that Michael wasn´t there to be that clever with me. It´s the kind of thing that would really float our collective boat. So michael, sometime when we travel together again, we shall have to make such a salad. All regrets aside though, it was one of my finer moments yet. I was triumphant.

Sisso, wigwam and a few days before my depature.

Michael and I arrive to stay very briefly in Frankfurt.

Our little Hotel In Colmar, France. it was snowing our first morning!

Colamr, France

The Pont Du Gard in South of France

Michael and I under an 800 year old Olive tree.

One cool picture looking up in the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, barcelona. One of my favorite sights so far.

Stained glass in Sagrada Familia

The Cathedralin Palma, Mallorca

Deia, Mallorca

The hill-top village of Deia

The Cala de Deia

More Cala de Deia

The top of the Biggest church inthe world, Sevilla, Spain.

Sevilla, Spain

These are pictures from my birthdaystartingwith a beer from the vending macine at 1pm, the next 3 are inthe restaurant 4 cats, and then the last two are from the badass birthday girl photo shoot.

i am in a very awesome hostle in Lagos, portugal. This will be short as I just arrived here, but there will be more to come the next couple of days because the internet is free!!!! Yay free net. It is a family running the hostle that has free soup, whole house which is very cozy and many nice people on what I am told is a georgeous beach and has hikes rivaling Cinque Terre. Seville was wonderful too, there will be more updates on the flamenco shortly.