Happy Father's Day!!

Ok, so it's only 3:30 p.m. here but this is the first time I've beed able to use the internet and I just wanted to use it shortly to say HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, Dad!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3646484815/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3413253688/in/set-72157616357251436/

It has pretty much been a tradition every Father's Day that my mom, both brothers and I crowd the livingroom with my dad to watch the final round of the U.S. Open. :) Might sound corny to some of you but I've always enjoyed it. This year, not only am I out of the country but my dad is also on a flight...somewhere. Plus, this year's U.S. Open is delayed because of rain so I have an idea...let's try this whole "Father's Day" thing during the British Open next month...ok? ok, good, I'm glad you agree. I just called you, Dad, on skype and left a message but I'll try again later. I did, however, just talk to Dear (my grandma on my mom's side) on skype with video and everything! Awesome. Sometimes, I really love technology, and I love you too Dear!

Can't forget a big Happy Father's Day to my older brother, Mike. Lily is coming up on 2 years old and I can't wait to get back to see her...and see you too of course. :)

Ok, well after an 11 hour stay in Milan's ORIE AIRPORT (not Malpensa) I have finally left and am in Dublin and so far the walk around was great but now I'm off to watch some futbol in some Irish Pub.

Luck of the Irish is definitely on my side today.

Day 19; Milan (again)

After last night's debauchle of missing my flight to Liverpool and having to frantically find a place to sleep and a new flight out of the city that hates me (Milan) I am finally on my way (again) to the airport. It is amazing how much you can plan and prepare for something and no mater what you do...something seems to wrong at somepoint. I guess it's just a lapse of concentration but it sure messed up a couple of days that I really want to have back.

I am a giant Beatles fan. My iPod plays all their albums all the time and I had it scheduled to go to the Beatles' hometown of Liverpool for about 35 hours (2 nights) only to see sights like "Strawberry Field" and "Penny Lane" and love every minute of it...my only downfall was that I took a bus that was 25 feet in front of the bus I needed. Ohhh the glory of hindsight. (Go to the next bus!! Not that one, the one behind it!!!) Why didn't someone scream that to me?

Ok, well if you read yesterday's blog you will find all the details but basically today has become a wash and I no longer got to see Liverpool (on this trip) and will trek ahead to Dublin as originally planned tomorrow at 11 a.m. Because I never successfully met up with my previous Milan couchsurfer I will not suffer the delerium of finding another hostel or hotel and will instead head to the airport on the latest bus tonight, 11:15 p.m. (15 min from now) to make sure I don't mess THIS flight up. I had a great dinner (the absolute highlight of today) eating and drinking with some locals while watching a futbol game.

I got to watch Spain vs. South Africa and I was the only one rooting for Spain to beat South Africa. I didn't care. Spain was winning and some little pathetic part of me felt like that was important at the time being. I rooted them on to victory at a 2-0 win.

Well, short blog because I don't want to be late for the hour long bus awaiting me. I am still in high spirits regardless of the downpoor of bad luck in the past 24 hours and press on towards Dublin and trying my best Irish accent.

Here's to 12 hours at the airport...cheers!

Day 18; Lugano-Milan

Oh, my.

Today was definitely an adventure unexplored by me.

Waking up and lounging around in Lugano for a few hours, saying goodbye to that beautiful place was rough but it had to be done in order to catch my 2:37 p.m. train back to Milan so that I could fly to Liverpool later on at 10:10 p.m. So, ciao and a very big thank you to Margaret, Allie, Lizzie, Jesse and Kevin for such a perfect two days in my upside-down atypical journey across and back again through Europe. Hugs and photos...check. Catch the train...check.

Arriving in Milan at 4:00 p.m. I realized my flight didn't leave for Liverpool for another six hours and decide to go back to the Duomo (Cathedral) and take the stairs to the very top (I would include photos and video but I'm at an internet cafe and not on my laptop so I can't upload anything). The view from the 108 meters (roughly 30 stories) rooftop of the Duomo was breathtaking. From the view across all of Milan to the plaza below, the white marble cathedral had me take in an even higher appreciation for the city.

5:15 p.m. Head back to Milan Centrale (where my bag is resting in a locker and also the location for the shuttle buses that head to the Milan airport(s). I've still got some time to spare so I walk around the plaza and find a pizzeria and grab a smoked ham- gouda cheese sandwich. mmmmmm good. I standup to walk out and realize that it's now only 6:00 p.m. I told my self that I needed to be at the shuttle in time to make the 7:50 leg to the airport. The bus takes 50 min to get to the airport...I know this because I've already taken it 3 times in my life. :)

Ok, so I still have some time to spare so I walk past a chinese restaurant and noticed nobody (not one single person) was eating there and the entire family of owners sat inside and I could tell the kids (teenagers) wished they could be doing ANYTHING else on a Friday night. I decided to eat, again.

After a great chinese meal it is now close to 7:00 p.m. and I decide to just go ahead and be there early to be safe. I grab my bag out of the locker and hop on the 7:30 p.m. bus to Milan-Malpensa (main airport in Milan). Upon arrival, I exit the bus and ask the bus driver if he knows what terminal the RyanAir company flies out of (I was really just trying to speak some more Italian before heading to the UK). He looked at me like he didn't understand...understandable because I really don't speak Italian and my words were probably just not said right...I start to repeat my pathetic Italian phrase again. He stops me mid sentence, "Yes, yes, yes I understand you, but, (I didn't like the "but") RyanAir is at Orie." My brain immediately started searching my abridged Italian vocabulary section trying to recall this word, "Orie."

Now that it's obvious I don't exactly know what he is saying. He tells me, "This is Milan-Malpensa (I nod with a very enthusiastic understanding of such a simple phrase) but RyanAir is at Orie...a different airport."

Many words now were going through my brain but I'm told they are "French" so I figured he wouldn't understand them.

"How far away is that? (I have about an hour to get to the ticket counter)?"

He just shakes his head...we have about a 2-sec staring contest and then he takes me to a taxi driver that speaks even less English than the bus driver but explains to the taxi driver my situation. The taxi driver looks at me and pulls out his calculator and types "180" and says to me as he holds up this pre T-1 calculator, "1-8-0 euros." Now is my cue to start the silly smiling facial expression that implies "I'm stuck in Milan at 8:30 p.m. at least an hour until I can even get back to the city to even start my flight search as well as a bed for the night" The bus driver recognizes that look, "Back to Milan (with a finger gesture to some unknown spot off in the distance)?" I give the most pathetic nod out of reaction of my pathetic situation.

He takes me to another bus driver on his way back to Milan Centrale. He explains my situation and the new bus driver tells me, "No charge, on the bus." It was an order I took immediately. After a "Grazie milo" to the previous bus driver I hop on to the new bus back to Milan...again.

Immediately (10:05 p.m.) after arriving into Milan I head to an internet cafe I saw earlier in the day...get on couchsurfing and tell my host in Liverpool not to pick me up at the airport. Then I messaged my couchsurfing host here in Milan (Claudio) to see if I could stay with him again (I eventually got a response back from him at midnight telling me to come on over...but I didn't receive that til the next morning).

Off to a couple of hostels I saw online. Arrive at the first one, 10:50 p.m.,...no rooms. Second one, 11:10 p.m.,...no rooms. I ask if he can call any in the area and find an open room. He told me he already did that about 20 min previous and there are no more rooms...hooray.

I just start lugging my already heavy bag down some random street, 11:30 p.m., and walk into a hotel...open room!!! Only €50 ($75)!! For summer rates on a Friday night this late in Milan...this was very pleasant news. So, I walked into my "Planes, Trains and Automobile-like hotel" and shoot some video...watch some TV (Jackass was on in Italian...trust me, at this point I needed a chuckle and you don't need to speak Italian to think that show is funny).

Goodnight, Milan...again.

Day 17; Lugano

Lugano was probably the least researched city on my part. I knew it was supposed to be beautiful but this place is off the chart. I didn't know the curreny (Swiss Franc), the language (Italian) or the address to where I was staying the first night but everything has worked out like clockwork.

Last night was great just getting to know the students here at Franklin University. My "roommates" in Lugano are Margaret, Allie, Liz (Allie's twin sister) and Jesse. All are a blast to be around and remind me so much of my University years and it was good to be around that influence again.

After a great sleep I woke up to the sound of birds chirping and the hot sunny sky here in Lugano, Switzerland (http://tinyurl.com/kjg7pj).

My balcony is crazy beautiful and I decided that today I was gonna tackle the downtown setting of Lugano. I didn't know how or what I really looking for but Margaret and others suggested some local spots and I headed on down the road. First stop- lunch.

I kept seeing regular lunch signs for nearly 15 Francs ($14) and all I was looking for was a sandwich/panini of somesort so that I could walk around and eat it at the sametime (plus, eating at a sit-down restaurant for every meal for 29 days doesn't really add up financially or very timely efficient with so much to do).

So I order (in my best Italian) the panini that looks the best. The sandwich as a whole was good but I guess I missed a small ingredient...olives. Yuck! (mom like them) I think they are disgusting and were actually located IN the bread. I am sure that sounds great to some olive lovers out there but it was a gross part of the trip for me. I coped by picking the olives out of the bread and sat on this bench (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3639137635/) and ate the panini and drank my Coke Zero and smiled.

I proceded to find a shady tree to lie under and listened to Coldplay's Viva la Vida album and doze off. Yes, birds woke me up again except this time because they were about 4 feet from my head...almost as if they were asking me to scoot over so that they could get a certain worm under me.

I got up, silenced the iPod and immediately made a new friend with a swan (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3639952812/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3639954258/). I don't know if I've ever seen a legit swan up close but it sure was captivating. It looked at me for quite a long time and cleaned its feathers right in front of me almost as if to show me how its done (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3639150355/). I snapped a large amount of photos; so much that the battery light started flashing...photo session over.

After a stroll through the park I eventually came back to the apartment to absolutely just sit around in this fairytale-like town. It was pretty hot and a shower was calling for me loud enough that ignoring it was no longer an option.

Shower accomplished and all electronics charged and ready to go for the next city (Liverpool, http://tinyurl.com/ongnw). I have been told by my Liverpool couchsurfer that he will pick me up at the airport (instead of taking the tram which is 45 min trip into Liverpool). Actually, I recognized that my flight doesn't arrive into Liverpool until 11:20 p.m. and when I expressed my thoughts on getting a hostel instead of having anyone wait til 1 a.m. for me to arrive his repy was,

" Dude, I am a night owl. Don't bother with a hostel. You're trying to couch surf your way around Europe (I read your blog) so there's no way you're doing a hostel.

Let me know your flight number. I'll be there to get you at Liverpool Airport no worries."

Yes, I love couchsurfing.com.

Day 16; Milan/Lugano,

I had an early wake up call (8:00) for two reasons:Claudio had class (he is in law school) and because I had tickets to the Last Supper for what I thought was an hour long window of 9:30a.m.-10:30 a.m.

Once Claudio left for the metro and we spilt ways I headed for the main train station, Centrale http://tinyurl.com/mux3xj, to put my enormous bag in a locker. After getting lost in the century old train station and actually having someone from the information desk physically show me where it was (because I was already too lost from some ill-advised info from the ticket couter lady). So, bag checked and headed for the Santa Maria Delle Grazie church http://tinyurl.com/kujxmf to see THE mural, Da Vinci's "The Last Supper."

I get there and quickly realize my ticket is in my bag that I searched so hard to find a locker for. Since I am 20 min away by metro I decided I would try and just show the ticket counter my ID in hopes that Im not the only tourist to forget the ticket and they would be able to look up my name.

After pleading with the lady to excuse my carelessness of now being late as it was now 10:00 a.m. (it wasn't a 1 -hour ticket yet merely an appointment strictly adhered to, but also that I didn't have my ticket) and to just search for my name instead...she said she would and she looked (HOORAY!) but she did not see my reservation...(cue a sad song ♫ http://blip.fm/~8fphj).

She said come back with the ticket that I had left in my backpack and it would all be ok. Sounds great.

For the time being (and because Claudio suggested it) I headed over to Milan's enormous park (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3637462935/in/set-72157619819599017/) to walk through and at the end of the park would be this phenomenal castle (http://tinyurl.com/kjc5e4). Gorgeous park, great walk and an even better than dreamed castle.

The castle was first started in the 14th Century and was reconstructed/added on in about every century since with some help from Leonardo Da Vinci as he lived in Milan more than any other city (so I'm told).

The castle was amazing. Exactly like you dream of when you think of a 14th Century castle. It was enormous with a great "standing" moat with guard towers and archers's windows. I bought an audio guide for the first time today to hear more about the castle (it helped very little).

I also went into all the many museums that are located inside the castle and was actually so very fortunate as to see Michelangelo's last "Pieta" (it was unfinished at his old 90 yr age). Being an enormous Michelangelo fan (I've seen the Sistine Chapel http://tinyurl.com/dahwc6, Statue of David http://tinyurl.com/54gzu, the "Pieta" in the Vatican etc. http://tinyurl.com/nmtucm) I was thrilled to see this work of art http://tinyurl.com/m7bs8u. Video and photography...check.

Ok, back to the Last Supper debauchle. After the few hours spent at the castle, I scurried over to my lockered bag at Milan's Centralle Station and grabbed my bag and my ticket. With an hour and 45 min remaining until my train to Lugano I knew I had to hurry to the church and hope they still accepted my (now more than 5 hours late) ticket to see the cherished painting.

At first it didn't seem like I would still be able to see it because the lady who told me to come back was no longer there and I had to hope the counter people would trust my true story and let me in...they did! I was soooo extactic! I almost jumped across the counter and kissed the ticket lady (she was cute too, but my grandma won't allow me to have an international girlfriend...love you Grandma!).

So I fell in line and at 3:15 and saw it http://tinyurl.com/3y8vek. Oh my goodness. I have seen many cool things (Collesium, Eiffel Tower, Sistine Chapel, Parthenon, Statue of David, Mona Lisa etc..) but this was pretty empowering. The size of the painting is what took me away as I pictured a slightly larger than normal size painting...but this was a wall mural probably 15 feet high and near 30 feet long. I stood there for 15 minutes until they kicked me out for the next group. Da Vinci is so great. So was Milan. Off to Lugano!!

I am staying with a group of Fankin University students in Lugano Switzerland. I show up without the address (it was in an e-mail I forgot to write it down), no clue on where to get internet and only 2.50 euros...I also didn't know if they even took the euro (they don't) or what language they speak (Italian). It's all good though because Margaret was there at the train station!! Hooray! No more worries. :)

After dropping my bag off I head to the school's BBQ, play a little footaball (both American and European), volleyball in the gym and beer/salsa on the most beautiful apartment balcony I've ever been on (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3637483383/). More photos and videos to come. :)

Sleep in and stay in Lugano all day tomorrow. Let you know more then. Ciao.

Day 15; Milan

9 hours of sleep...that's how it should be. Woke up feeling great and had 4 hours to kill. First objective: shave.

I have shaved only twice during my 16 days so far and decided today was going to be the third. We picked up a few razors and knew that bringing them on the plane would raise a few flags So I decided to use a couple of razors out of the cheap package of 5 we bought previous. I also learned something...cheap little razors hate my face and my neck. I never knew that. After the constant bleeding on numerous parts of the neck and face I was raring to go! Bring on Prague (again)!

So, Doug and I headed out of the hotel with no real objective other than to head to a plaza and big building we saw on a poster (http://www.incoczech.com/wenceslas-square-prague-museum-bigimage363.jpeg). It was a real pretty street and sure beat the inside of a hotel room but it wasn't much more than a time filler. Eventually we found a vendor on the side of the street to sell us a "chicken hamburger" and "the longest hot dog I've seen" all for the bargain price of just under 200 crowns ($10) and they came with a Coca Cola Light and a fanta. Scrumptous lunch.

Cruising down this fabled street with small rose bushes everywhere, I began to notice that I was entering the shopping district. Seeing my favorite store, H&M (please come to OKC), I quickly took inventory of what I "needed." I actually just bought some necessary items back in Berlin (t-shirts, and a few pairs of some style of underwear which at the moment are kinda uncomfortable) but realized that since I haven't done laundry yet because I've primarily been throwing away socks and white-t's, I only have about one-day's worth of wardrobe left. Ok, so I bought a pair of shorts and some socks. It was a good idea because it also bought me a few days until I have to do laundry...probably wait til Lugano.

With full bellies, new socks and a new pair of shorts which I will ultimately wear for at least four more days, I am set for Milan. Doug and I goof off in a few more stores taking note of the pragueish surroundings and head for the metro. On to the airport!

After I arriving at the airport and parting ways I was *fortunate* enough to catch the end of the Chile vs. France futbol game before my flight (yipee) then boarded my easyjet plane to Milan to begin my voyage alone.

My first stop upon arriving in Milan was to go back to the coveted Duomo that I love and actually have a poster of it in my apartment. Amazing. All marble and gothic as can be.

From there I set off to get some grubb and settled on a pizza place (how Italian of me) and had a 4 formaggio and Heinekin.

Now to meet my couchsurfer, Claudio. Technically I haven't met him yet as I am writing at the "Birrificio Lambrato" which is a local brewery in Milan.

_______________________________________________

OK UPDATE: I wrote all of the previous text in a corner by myself at the "Berrificio Lambrate" (local brewery/pub in Milan) while awaiting Claudio, my next couchsurfing host. While waiting, the table next to me (3 Milan locals, 2 actually from Japan and one from Germany but have been living in Milan for years and spoke Italian fluently and plenty of English) asked me to sit with them since I was by myself. I sat with them (of course I did)...and if any one of you three are reading this, e-mail me!

They were so much fun to talk to and when Claudio showed up we all just sat around and talked for an hour or so. What a great night. I took video of them but not as much as I should have. I really wished it was earlier in the evening and could have talked for a few more hours because we were having great discussions on Milan and America...absolutely everything that is supposed to happen on trips. None of this strictly hotel stuff...get down in the pubs...speak to locals...learn the people for crying out loud!! One of the best nights I've had on this trip.

After Claudio and I left the pub we had a great discussion on American/European government. Mainly just about the pros and cons and the differences between the two. I love those discussions, especially with people who actually know what they're talking about instead of from people in America telling me second or third hand stories. One very important thing I am further learning on this trip is the utmost importance of conversations from people from the local area...it just doesn't get more influential than that.

I'm now on Claudio's pull-out IKEA couch. A wonderful four-fold white soft cushion chair/couch waiting for my unconsciousness...time to give in.

Tomorrow, Lugano, Switzerland.

Day 14; Prague

Day 14 is pretty much my halfway point because I'm not really counting June 1 because all I did was sit on a plane to Dallas and then the same to Madrid...nothing exciting happened unless you count the last minute trek to Wal-Mart to get a plug converter and a last second goodbye to my darling neice, Lily (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=twbjC4rG3Ek).

Today was the last day Doug and I would be traveling together before I head to Milan and continue another grueling two weeks seeing 7 more planes and 3 more trains and he heads to London before a night of heading back home.

This trip originally started when Doug and I had another crazy idea of Europe traveling (last year we went up Italy; Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan) and knew we had 10 days for his schedule and planned out a June 7-17 trip...I just extended mine by going to Spain beforehand and adding all the crazy stuff afterwards. The trip thus far has been great and he is a blast to travel with. Aimee also joined me for June 3-13 and left for OKC on the second day of Berlin...her addition was sorta last minute which added some already strong fuel to the weeks leading up to this enormous trip. Thanks go out to both of you, Aimee Freyman (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3630646330/) and Doug Vrooman (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3630647036/), for making the first half of the trip a very memorable one.

Ok, the day in Prague started out with another long train ride (just over four hours) but ended up being ok because I spent most of that time labeling photos and videos...to date I have over 170 videos of this trip ranging from 7 sec to 3 min. Arriving in Prague felt like second nature to us because this was the 8th different city I've visited so far and the 6th different language...so by second nature I mean that it was a completely new environment, new map, new streets, new language, new food and new landmarks.

Prague was actually the only hotel booked for the entire trip. We only have 24 hours in Prague and we didn't want to spend many hours out searching for our couchsurfers house and chatting it up with so little time to be in the city.

So, checked into hotel and off through the "old" city, Prague -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague. In Prague's city center is one of their most treasured attractions, a 700 year old astronomical clock. Pretty intriguing to see in person and something I definitely want to look up more info on later.

From there we trekked on through the biggest tourist area with shops I've ever been to. Every shop had the same souveniors and took forever to get through...because of the constant bobbing and weaving we had to do to avoid all the lost and bedazzled tourists (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3630543516/in/set-72157619793719922/).

We finally got through the swamp of tour buses and loads of people to reach the Charles Bridge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_bridge) that leads over the Vitus River on up to the Prague Castle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prague_Castle).

We got lost. We first realized it whenever we looked around and realized that the only people around were ourselves and a Czech man that had to be 7' tall. Ok, re-group and grab a Coca Cola Light and find a sign to the castle. Coca Cola Light...accomplished (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30796964@N02/3629716235/in/set-72157619793719922/). Find a sign...accomplished. Only thing missing? We don't speak Czech and there are seven signs pointing in 3 different directions in a language so undecipherable that we try to narrow it down to two signs we believe it could be and go with option one...should have gone with option two.

30 min later...hooray the castle!! How we missed the enormous structure is incomprehensible but nonetheless we had arrived.

The most miraculous thing about the castle grounds was the St. Vitus Cathedral (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Vitus_Cathedral). Wow, it was pretty miraculous (nearly 700 years old). I took my video camera inside and filmed around a little then we left and walked around the castle grounds. The castle has a huge "Royal Garden" that goes all around the cathedral in a big valley with concrete old walls up on both sides...felt like being in a forrest in the middle of nowhere.

There was a stream and small bridges with ducks and birds all over the place. Pretty cool just to have something that beautiful just up a hill and free of charge to walk around whenever any Prague citizen feels.

That was pretty much the extent of our adventures in Prague (besides jumping on a random bus that led around the city and then jumping off at a random metro spot to head for some dinner and much needed rest.

Time to change my Crowns into Euros and head on down to Italy. See you tomorrow OKC.