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We are now in Florence, after coasting through over a week in Spain. Spanish food, and its lack of variety, was definitely wearing on me by the end of our time there, but the way they eat there- specifically the concept of tapas, is something America can learn from. Madrid and Barcelona were both great, but I can't pick favorites, both had their unique charm. For Barcelona in particular, we definitely benefited from traveling in the off season- crowds were smaller, lines shorter, and everything had less of a "touristy" vibe.

Bottom line- if you aren't too concerned with sun and hot weather, I've found fall can be a perfectly acceptable time to visit.

We had a short stopover in Milan before heading to Florence today. Milan has very little to do other than shopping, its definitely not a tourist stop. Yesterday was one of our best and most unique meals- thanksgiving dinner at an authentic Italian restaurant my Dad had visited years ago (Bagutta).

Though I've been to Florence briefly before, the city has always been one of my favorites, so I am glad to visit again. Our hotel may have the best location ever- directly beside the Ponte Vecchio, the city's famous bridge. I have a few days here before heading to Rome on Sunday night, and flying home Monday morning.

Sorry about the lack of pictures, ill probably have most up once the others get back and we get a chance to compile everything.

Ciao!

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We are now in Florence, after coasting through over a week in Spain. Spanish food, and its lack of variety, was definitely wearing on me by the end of our time there, but the way they eat there- specifically the concept of tapas, is something America can learn from. Madrid and Barcelona were both great, but I can't pick favorites, both had their unique charm. For Barcelona in particular, we definitely benefited from traveling in the off season- crowds were smaller, lines shorter, and everything had less of a "touristy" vibe.

Bottom line- if you aren't too concerned with sun and hot weather, I've found fall can be a perfectly acceptable time to visit.

We had a short stopover in Milan before heading to Florence today. Milan has very little to do other than shopping, its definitely not a tourist stop. Yesterday was one of our best and most unique meals- thanksgiving dinner at an authentic Italian restaurant my Dad had visited years ago (Bagutta).

Though I've been to Florence briefly before, the city has always been one of my favorites, so I am glad to visit again. Our hotel may have the best location ever- directly beside the Ponte Vecchio, the city's famous bridge. I have a few days here before heading to Rome on Sunday night, and flying home Monday morning.

Sorry about the lack of pictures, ill probably have most up once the others get back and we get a chance to compile everything.

Ciao!

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Surprisingly good, even more surprisingly, chianti

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I understand you want people to eat at your restaurants. I get it. But I gotta tell ya, taking disgusting looking, low resolution photos of your dishes and plastering them on the outside of your restuarants isn't exactly appetizing, nor is it a great way to get customers. Also please take note, asian food restaurants in america.

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Madrid is a big, busy city. Even so, the city is segmented into smaller villages, or barrios, meaning that walking a few blocks in Madrid can change your experience entirely. Madrid has its sights, but I do not believe has the tourist appeal of other euroean cities. We spent three full days in the city, and I feel like I have thoroughly experienced all the city has to offer.  We saw two major museums ( The Prado and the Reina Sofia), the royal palace, and spent hours wandering back alleys, finding tapas bars and tabernas. We werent bored, but we didnt feel rushed. This certainly is not a bad thing, but its just a different experience than other european cities I have visited.  On the subject of Tapas, I believe the concept is fantastic- small, inexpensive dishes ordered with drinks, allowing you to bar hop without a big investment at any one location. That said, I do not think Spanish food is all that great. Its focused on meat and starch, and while I am certainly no foe to these food groups, it does not allow for a ton of diversity in a meal. The most common dishes seemed to be fried or made primarily of pork.

We move on to Barcelona tomorrow, and I for one am optimistic about what it will bring. Being a big fan of architecture, I believe Gaudi and his influence on the city will be a big draw for me.  After Barcelona, we fly to Italy for the final leg of our (my) trip. Our hotel here in Madrid conveniently has internet access in the room, but its unlikely we will have the same kind of coverage during the rest of the trip. Apologies if my posts are intermittent or nonexistant in the next few days.

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Just in case you were wondering, yes they've got them in Spain. Such as this one on the Gran Via in Madrid.

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Marathon first day in Madrid. Got in at 7:30 this morning, and we have been exploring literally all day. Not bad, considering I havent really had any sleep so far. Went to the Prado Museum today, Royal Palace tomorrow. More soon.

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One short layover, then next stop- España!

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By this time tomorrow, I'll be well on my way to Madrid, and the start of my second trip to Europe. To say I'm excited would certainly be an understatement, but I can't help feel this trip will be a profoundly different experience than the last. On my 2007 trip, I was younger, on a more limited budget, and traveling with a large guided group. This was great at the time- I was able to see a ton without much of the stress associated with travel in foreign countries. That said, I definitely didn't get as much freedom as I'd have liked. 

This time around, while I'll be traveling with others (Ali and Patrick), we will have much more control over what we see and do each day. With only a few days in each city, it will still be a rush to see it all, but its my hope that this trip will allow for a bit more "immersion". 

I'll do my best to keep this blog updated with my travels, though its unclear what my internet access will be like in some of the cities. So long for now- I've got a long flight ahead of me. 

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View Larger Map

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View Larger Map

So I decided I will be joining my sister on her first trip to Europe this November. I am planning to spend around a week and three quarters over there to see Madrid, Barcelona, Rome and Florence. It will be my first time to Spain, and my second time to Italy. I've set up this blog to chronicle my travels both on this upcoming trip, and past adventures. Hope you enjoy!

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