Hello Again!

I have been seriously neglecting my blog for the last few months. Life has been so busy lately I really haven't had an time to think about the blog. But here's the basic run down of life since June:
-finished up my teaching contract in Prague
-spent July and the beginning of August traveling around Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and Switzerland
-New York/New Jersey, Kentucky/Ohio and Colorado in August
-got stung by 14 bees (that's another story)
-moved to Austin, TX, started a new job and moved into a great apartment with Jason

Life in a nutshell! Now I'm busy getting settled into my new life back in America, buying up furniture for the new apartment, and traveling around for work (I'm curently in Ohio!).

I'll try to update again soon and post some pics!

Travel is Good for Your Brain.

Story from the UK Telegraph about creativity in relation to life abroad:

Are expats more creative than stay-at-homers?

Living in another country has long been considered a worthwhile learning experience, but new research suggests it might also increase creativity.

The study, published by the American Psychological Association, showed that people who lived abroad tended to be more creative than those who lived in their home country.

The study required a group of students to undergo a variety of standard psychological tests for measuring creativity, such as the Duncker candle task.

In this test, students were asked to work out how to fix a candle to a wall so it did not drip wax onto the floor, using only a box of pins, a book of matches and a candle.

The solution is to attach the empty pin box to the wall and place the candle inside it. This is considered a test of creativity because it requires the test subjects to use an object for an unconventional function – in this case, a box as a candle holder.

The tests showed that 60% of those who had lived abroad solved the problem, whilst out of those who had not lived abroad, the success rate was only 42%.

Professor William Maddux, the lead author of the study, said: “The theory that living abroad somehow opens your mind is an old one, which we know through stories of artists like Hemingway who lived in France. Running tests like this however gives us actual empirical evidence for the first time.”

According to the study, creativity levels were unlikely to be high in people who had travelled abroad for a short period of time, or who had not attempted to adapt to the culture they were living in. But creativity was far more prominent in people who had made efforts to learn the language of their new home.

“Interestingly, high levels in creativity only seemed to show in people who had lived abroad, and not in those who had a superficial exposure to foreign countries through travel, “said Professor Maddux.

“In order to widen their creative abilities, it seems that people have to really try and fit into a different environment, and learn how to do things in a totally different way."

The study also showed a positive correlation between entrepreneurship and creativity.

“There are a lot successful businessmen in the United States who came from abroad, or have worked abroad for some time,” said Professor Maddux. “Whether it’s in solving a corporate dispute, or coming up with a new project, living abroad seems to be able to be to help people approach ideas from different and innovative ways.

“Knowing that experiences abroad are critical for creative output makes study abroad programs and job assignments in other countries that much more important, especially for people and companies that put a premium on creativity and innovation to stay competitive," he added.

Professor Maddux’s research was carried out on groups of students at INSEAD business school in France and at Northwestern University in the United States in collaboration with Professor Adam Galinsky.

Professor Maddux said that his interest in the subject arose from his own experiences as an expat.

The Final Countdown

6 Days.

6 Days until I leave this beautiful city that I have been calling home for the last 10 months. And I'm not ready!! It's going to be hard to leave. But moving on is just a part of life, isn't it? There's not much room for me to progress and do what I want career wise in Prague, so there's just not too much to keep me here for too much longer.

All the friends we have made here this year have been amazing and unforgettable. We have formed the coolest international expat group of weekend trip taking, frisbee playing, wine drinking, BBQ eating, football watching, marshmellow roasting, camp fire story telling group of friends that I will never forget. How I wish that we could all stay here together and continue our lives in this way. But alas, almost everyone is moving on now, too. I know I will see you all again whether it be at a reunion in Colorado, a hiking trip in Nepal or a beach vacation in Thailand.

This is not the end.

It took me a while to get used to life in Prague, as I suppose it does anywhere. But now I truly love this city and the beauty that I see walking around every day. Views of the Vltava and the castle will never, ever get old. Hanging out at one of the many beautiful parks has become a favorite past time here. And how could I possibly forget to mention the cheap, delicious Czech beer? Wonderful.

It's been an amazing year that I will never forget. It's hard to compare life in all of the countries that I have lived in throughout the past 4 years, but Prague may just take the number 1 spot, thanks to the beautiful city and amazing friends. But each one of my homes will always hold a special place in my heart.

Now on to the next one....

Jason and I are leaving Prague on Friday to spend a long weekend in Budapest. Beyond that, our plans for the next couple of months have changed a lot from our initial ideas. Jason has decided to stay in Prague and work for one more month. So after Budapest, he will return to Prague and work for July. I will continue on from Budapest (exact location still TBD...) and have my own little adventure for the month. I am going to participate in WWOOF, a program that places volunteers with organic farms for an exchange of work/information. I think it's a really interesting program and I am excited to get my hands a little dirty and learn more about organic food and sustainable living at the same time. I am looking into Greece, Croatia and Slovenia for farms and hope to spend about 2 weeks working. Then I will travel around a little bit and hang out at the beach for a few days wherever I am, before coming back to Prague to meet up with Jason again. From here, we'll probably go to Switzerland for a few days before heading back to the States at the beginning of August.

That's the plan, I'll let you know what really happens after the fact.

Cheers to a wonderful summer and a beautiful city!

The Frugal Traveler

Maybe a little long, but a great story from the New York Times blog 'The Frugal Traveler' about what it means to be a budget traveler and how to do it. Personally, I couldn't agree more.

Three Things I’ve Learned About Frugal Travel (and the Things I Didn’t Do)

By MATT GROSS

1. Frugality is in the Eye of the Beholder

From the very beginning, this column has struggled with the question, what is “frugal”? When I started out, in the pre-Facebook, pre-Twitter era, this column was pretty narrowly defined: it was a print article about a weekend trip on $500, in a place where $500 would not seem to go far. “Frugal Newport, R.I.” was my first, an unstinting but anxiety-filled 48-hour romp through the posh town of yachts and mansions with my wife, Jean. From there, I toured a world of amusing headlines: “Frugal Palm Beach,” “Frugal Jackson Hole.”

By 2006, when I was planning my first summer-long Frugal Traveler trip –Around the World in 90 Days — the budget had to change. If it stayed the same, I’d end up spending close to $20,000! But what counted as frugal for 90 days in 12 vastly different countries? Rather arbitrarily, we settled on $100 a day — as an upper limit, mind you, not as a goal. Of course, my readers had something to say about that. Here’s a typical comment: “How dare you call yourself the Frugal Traveler? In 1983 my best friend from college and I took off with 6 month round the world plane tickets at $1700 apiece.” (In 2009 dollars, that would be $3,660 to $6,860, .)

Very quickly, I realized that every traveler has a different definition of “frugal travel.” To many, it means youth hostels and supermarket meals — and nothing else. To others, it means seeking out coupons, discounts and freebies. To me, frugal travel has come to mean two things. First, it’s about value. In general, I’m reluctant to spend money, but if something is a truly good value, I’ll open my wallet, whether it’s 50-cent roadside kebabs in Beijing or $88 forthe world’s best bed-and-breakfast in Shanghai.

But more important, it’s about realizing that your budget — whether high or low — does not determine the quality of your travel experience. To travel well, you need to pack an open mind, a lot of energy, infinite patience and a willingness to embrace the awkward and unfamiliar. No amount of money in the world can buy those things — because they come free.

2. Anywhere Can Be Frugal

As the Frugal Traveler, I was constantly asked by friends, acquaintances, the news media and strangers to recommend the best frugal destinations. And usually, I’d shrug my shoulders. Sure, countries in the developing world — especially Central America, Southeast Asia and India — are known as the most affordable places to go. But I also found spectacular bargains in places likeVenice, Paris and even Dubai.

The fact is, anywhere can be frugal. The strategies for finding bargains and cutting costs are the same whether you’re in Bangkok or San Francisco.

First, prioritize: What’s most important to you: lodging, food, shopping, museums? O.K., put most of your money aside for that, and don’t worry about skimping on the other things.

Then, since you can't afford five-star treats, think of alternatives that are, at the very least, more interesting. When I visited Rome, the hotels seemed really expensive, and the budget ones looked not so great. Instead, I stayed in a convent I found on MonasteryStays.com; it wasn't perfect, but it was a few and fascinating experience, and I wouldn't be averse to trying it again (though a convent without a curfew).

Likewise, in Barcelona in 2006, I knew I couldn’t afford to eat at El Bulli, often hailed as the greatest restaurant in the world, but I’d heard El Bulli’s chef, Ferran Adria, had a brother who’d opened a tapas bar, Inopia, that turned out to be an affordable gem. (Mario Batali, Gwyneth Paltrow and Mark Bittman, who visited long after me, seemed to like it, anyway.)

Finally, don’t try to do too much. Enjoy the moment, wander aimlessly and save that third, expensive museum visit for the next day — or the next trip. Let yourself breathe. After all, you’re on vacation.

3. Friends Are Worth More Than Dollars

As valuable as the Internet is, nothing will save you more money — or make travel as meaningful — as actual people. From the start, I’ve relied on an ever-expanding network of friends of friends (of friends) for tips, advice and, most important, companionship. In Galicia, in northwestern Spain, a guy named Miguel — a friend’s co-worker’s cousin — showed me around his hometown of Boiro, took me out for amazing pulpo a la gallega (octopus with olive oil and pimentón) and brought me home to share a homemade Spanish tortilla with his wife and watch Barcelona trounce Arsenal in the Champions League tournament. All this without knowing beforehand that I was a New York Times columnist preparing to write about him.

Seeking out people like Miguel became standard practice for me. Before any trip, I’d e-mail everyone in my address book to ask, “Do you know anyone inPunta del Este (or Mumbai or Istanbul)?” And most of the time, I’d get a response, often from a third- or fourth-degree contact, hooking me up with an Uruguayan currency trader or Indian steel magnate’s son. These days, I useFacebook to make contact — it’s much easier. Twitter, however, isn’t great for this sort of thing. Although an inspiring 45,000 of you have decided to follow@frugaltraveler, I’ve rarely reached out to you on a personal level, worrying that you’ll be swayed by my, um, illustrious status rather than by my simply being a nice traveler looking for friends.

But even without the aid of CouchSurfing, Facebook and friends-of-friends, I’ve managed to connect with people in far-flung locales. While driving across America, I stopped in Decorah, Iowa, where — five minutes after I met them — Joanie Sheahan and her husband, Mark Smeby, the owners of La Rana Bistro, offered me a place to stay for three nights. Why? Because, Joanie told me later, they liked what I was doing and I seemed nice. For them, that was enough.Most useful, however, has beenCouchSurfing.org, which has helped me make some of the best friendships of my travels. In Romania, for example, where I had no previous contacts, I befriended Horia Diaconescu, with whom I wandered the oddly beautiful streets of the capital, Bucharest. Together we tracked down memorable examples of Secessionist architecture, ate zucchini-and-feta salads and explored strange, half-empty reservoirs on the edge of town. And since I left Romania two years ago, we’ve stayed in touch, mostly via IM, and last year Horia even put me in touch with a friend of his in Paris. Will we see each other in Bucharest again? I don’t know about that, but it might happen in Indonesia — Horia’s going there to study for a year, and I’ve never been.

Meeting these people, hearing their stories and participating, if only for a few hours, in their lives have been the high points of my travels, and the prospect of encountering more fascinating individuals is what has kept me continually excited about being on the road. The wondrous sights, mind-blowing mealsand crazy challenges — I can do without them all, as long as there’s a possibility of human connection down at the end of the road.

The Things I Regret

Still, after all those trips, I do have a few regrets — not about things I did incorrectly, but about things I never had the chance to do. Like relax. Often, I’d wind up on a beach somewhere (France, Greece, Malta) and want nothing more than to lie on the sand all day, with occasional forays into the cooling surf. But then I’d think: Where’s the drama there? If I didn’t go do something — anything— I’d have nothing to write about! And so off I’d go, anxiety-ridden and not nearly tan enough, in search of more prose-worthy excitement.

But more than anything, I regret the huge swathes of the planet that I never visited. Yes, I went all over Europe, a large part of Asia, almost all of North America and the Caribbean, but that’s about it. In South America, I made it only to Argentina and Uruguay. Apart from the former Soviet republics of Kyrgyzstan and Georgia, I didn’t touch the Russian sphere of influence.That excitement, alas, did not include budget scuba diving, affordable hang-gliding or cheap marlin fishing. I never found the right, inexpensive way to cross the West on horseback. And apart from a week at theFringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, I didn’t spend much time at the theater, the opera or the circus.

For this Frugal Traveler, the Middle East was confined to Dubai (unless you count Turkey). With the exception of a single day I spent in Fez, Morocco, I skipped the entire African continent. And I never got anywhere near Australia and New Zealand.

Luckily, I’ve got several more decades of wanderlust to fulfill. And though I may no longer be the Frugal Traveler, I will remain forever an eager, untiring traveler — and, depending on your point of view, a frugal one.

Sopris in the Supermarket.

Spotted: Mount Sopris* plastered across the walls of the fish section of the German superstore grocer, Kaufland, right here in Prague.

*one of the most beautiful mountains ever, which happens to be located in Roaring Fork Valley in Colorado, the valley I am from.

Busy Busy.

With friends in Znojmo

Beautiful town of Znojmo

GREEN in Moravia

How am I supposed to keep up with a blog when I can't even keep up with my own thoughts? Things here have been busy (but great!) lately. Over the past month or so, this is what has been going on:

-Weekend trip to Berlin

-Visit to Konopiste Castle (hour from Prague)

-Day trip to Plsen

-Parents come to visit

-Jason's mom comes to visit

-We all go to Cesky Krumlov

-Everyone leaves

-Off to Znojmo (a town in Czech wine country) for a wine tasting weekend with friends

-My birthday!

-Jason's aunt and uncle, cousins and their 3 little girls come to visit (fun but exhausting!)

Finally, this weekend, is our first weekend with no plans and it feels GOOD. Next weekend our

last visitor will arrive for a few days, and beyond that it's only a few more weeks before we pack up and leave at the beginning of July. Time flies, doesn't it? Can't decide how I feel about leaving yet. Prague is so much more enjoyable now that it's warmer out. Of course it's always a beautiful city, but especially now that it's filled with green trees, flowers and the occasional bit of sunshine. We've developed a great group of friends over the last 3 or 4 months, and now just as I'm feeling really settled it's time to leave. Exactly how I felt in Korea. And exactly why I'm ready to live somewhere I plan on staying for a long time.

It's not like we have to leave now, but the timing just seems to make sense. We came here imagining that we would stay for 10 months till the end of June, and that's what we're doing. from what I hear, in the summer, things slow down. Most people take vacation, so there isn't that much work available teaching English. Plus, all of our friends are leaving at the same time as us. So it just makes sense.

So for the next month before we leave, we will be trying to enjoy our time in Prague to the fullest. Relaxing at beer gardens in the sun, Friday afternoon frisbee days, wandering around the old town and marveling at the beauty of it all. After all, it won't be too much longer that I get to look at the beautiful scene like the one pictured above and think: I live here.

The Backpacking Kitty Cat

The coolest cat ever!

I wonder if I could get Miko to do this.... :)

Volcano, Schmalcano

Seriously, Iceland. A volcanic eruption can be pretty inconvenient when it screws up thousands of international flights and strands passengers for days upon days.

Of course my parents planned to fly to Europe on the first day that flights were canceled because of the ash cloud. I woke up Thursday morning and saw the news about the eruption and that airports in Ireland and England were closed. I immediately emailed my parents the story and said 'I hope this won't be a problem for your flight' in a mostly joking kind of way. My dad wrote back that German airports were still open and he didn't think it would be a problem.

That afternoon, I was getting so excited for their arrival and came home from my classes and packed all of my stuff to meet them in Berlin.

Jason and I went out to drinks with some friends in the evening, preparing to take our bus early the next AM to Berlin. Heading home from drinks, excited for the weekend, I got a phone call from my mom.

Flight's canceled.

What a let down. Add to that, my parents were in the middle of their 3 hour drive to Denver. It's not like they can quickly turn around and go home and wait for news about flights. So they continued to Denver, hoping they might be able to get on a flight the next day.

Jason and I woke up early the next morning to catch our bus to Berlin, hoping the same thing. Unfortunately, as we all know by now, that was not the case. So Jason and I had a weekend in Berlin and my parents headed back home and changed their travel plans.

On the bright side, Berlin was wonderful. We had perfect weather and had an amazing time walking and cycling around the city, enjoying beers at sidewalk cafes and lounging in the Tiergarten park. Just lovely. Only thing that could have made it better is if my parents were able to join us.

So for the new plans, Mom and Dad will fly to Berlin this Thursday (keep your fingers crossed!!) and spend the weekend there before heading to Prague on Monday. Also on Thursday, Jason's mom will arrive to Frankfurt, where Jason will join her. They will travel to visit Jason's cousins on an Air Force base in Germany, then head to Munich and Salzburg before heading back to Prague next Wednesday. I had plans to join them, but alas, things have changed. And I'm not too keen on the idea of hoping back on a 5 hour bus to Berlin for the 2nd time in 3 weeks, so I think I'll have a relaxing weekend here by myself.

Now the big news is that our parents will all be here in Prague at the same time and will finally get to meet each other for the first time! Next weekend we will all head down to the famous Czech town of Cesky Krumlov for a little countryside fun and 'bonding time' I suppose.

So, changes are ok. All around a little disappointing that things haven't worked out how we planned, but I'm confident that this time around things will be better and it will be a fantastic trip!

4 Hamburgers a Day?

Since I have been here in the Czech Republic, I have met several people who want to tell me about what the United States is like. They are an expert, know all about the culture, the habits, people, etc. How do they know all of this? From TV of course. No, no, they've never been there, but maybe know a guy who was there one time 10 years ago.

Experts.

Today, one of my students informed me that for lunch in America, everyone eats 4 hamburgers and drinks a couple liters of soda. Everyday. (Mind you, while he was telling me this I was drinking water and he was drinking out of a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi.)

I asked him where he possibly go this information from.

"Have you seen the show 'Man XXL'?"

He says it's some documentary about a really fat American man who eats McDonalds all the time and even feeds his one-year-old baby hamburgers.

Wait... that's where you get your information from?? You are stereotyping and making judgments about all of America based on one horrible reality TV show about a disgusting, obese man? Please. That's insulting.

I also believe that when I first met this same student and told him I was American, he looked at me up and down and said, "But you're slim!?" as if he really didn't know it was possible to be American and not be overweight.

Did I mention he always drinks out of 2 liter bottles of Pepsi?

Also today, in trying to prove to me how much he knows about how awful America is, he told me about a visit by one of his colleagues to somewhere in the United States. I don't know when or where his colleague went, but apparently he didn't enjoy his visit so much. Supposedly his colleague is a really 'healthy' guy and goes to the gym regularly, likes to eat well, blah, blah, blah. His colleague told him that eating well in America was very difficult and he wasn't able to find a salad anywhere.

Have I told you about Czech food before? It goes like this: pork, sausage, potatoes, bread, dumplings (basically the same thing as bread) and cheese. Mmm... healthy. The few times I have been to a Czech restaurant I have a really hard time finding something that I can order (as I don't eat beef or pork and try to eat minimal dairy). I usually end up with something deep fried and smothered in cheese. Horrible.

Under the vegetarian sections of Czech menus (if they have one) all I am able to find is fried cheese, broccoli with cheese, or cheese with ham. Yes, ham, in the veg menu. If there is a salad on the menu, it is an overpriced ice burg lettuce salad with a couple of little tomatoes thrown in and covered with something worse than Ranch dressing.

So it is really hard for me to imagine how someone could go to the States and think that it is difficult to eat healthy there. You can find good salads at practically any restaurant you visit. Hell even McDonalds has decent salads if you're desperate!

Someone we met in Austria told me that she heard a rumor that it was impossible to buy fresh vegetables in America. Wrong! I think America has more and better quality than Austria and Czech combined.

Ok, I know I'm ranting a little bit. I really just don't understand how people can possibly pretend to know so much about my country when they have never even set foot in it. I have been in the Czech Republic for 8 months now and I don't pretend to have any idea about their culture. Yes, I'm learning about it and I know a whole lot more than I did before I arrived, but I still could never make all of these gross assumptions about the Czech way of life. I can tell you about my experiences with my students, Czech friends, and dealing with people in the streets and shops, and about some of their traditions and customs, but I refuse to act like I know what it's all about. I don't. (okay, maybe that comment about vegetables sounds like it contradicts what I am saying, but that is just based off of my experiences and what I find available in the grocery stores...)

So how can someone who has just watched a couple of American TV shows and maybe reads the news every once in a while possibly think they know enough to teach me about my own country?

Sorry, I'm done now. :)

Roadtrippin' Europe

I know I've said this before, but you know what's great about living in Europe? Easy weekend trips to other countries. If I drove 6 hours from Denver, I would be in Oklahoma, New Mexico, Wyoming, or maybe still Colorado, depending on which direction I went. But if I drove 6 hours from Prague, I would be in the beautiful and amazing Austrian Alps!

Two weeks ago, Jason and I along with our wonderful friends, Brandon & Sarah, took a little drive to Innsbruck, Austria. We rented a tiny little "Thalia" car that was just big enough to fit the 4 of us and our bags, as long as we didn't move once we sat down. The drive to Innsbruck was easy, the only hard part was finding our way out of Prague! Our rental came with a GPS (TomTom), but unfortunately Mr. TomTom hadn't been updated in probably a couple of years. So there were several times along the way when TomTom thought we were driving through trees, when really we were on a major highway. But, we made it work. We drove out of Prague, through Pilsn, past Munich and down to Innsbruck. Pretty easy, really.

We arrived about 6pm on Friday to the small town of Hall, which is

pretty much connected to Innsbruck, but still holds that small town charm and appeal. Hall has several beautiful cathedrals, a little castle, narrow cobblestone roads, and is pushed right up against the soaring, snow covered, shiningly beautiful Alps. It's amazing. I have to say that before moving to Prague I didn't hold too much of an interest in Austria, but now I would count it as one of my favorite countries I've ever visited.

In Hall, we Couch Surfed with a wonderful woman named Barbara, and her boyfriend, Hans.

SIDE NOTE: Couch Surfing is a program that connects travelers with local hosts who graciously open their homes to strangers and let them crash on their couch, or spare bedroom, or whatever they have available. It's a genius idea, all based of trust and honesty, and a great way to meet locals and save some money while you're at it. This is only our second time using it- first was in Bratislava- but it's a great program and I look forward to getting more involved with it in the future. Check it out here.

So anyway, Barbara was an amazing host. She has a beautiful, spacious flat in the heart of the old town of Hall. In fact, her flat is so big that Jason and I had our own bedroom and so did Brandon & Sarah. Perfect! Barbara helped us with advice on the best places to ski, and without her great suggestions we probably would have wound up on a little bunny hill or something. That evening Barbara made us a delicious dinner and broke out bottles of wine and beer along with some great conversation. It was even better than if we were to stay at a hotel.

After a good night's rest (minus the church bells which woke us up every hour, on the

hour), we got up early Saturday morning and headed for the slopes. Barbara advised us to go to a nearby mountain called "Schlick 2000", which really just sounded like the name of a razor to us. But anyway, it was the 50th anniversary of the mountain on that day, so we were able to get full day passes for only 19 euros! Sweet deal! The ski area was up so high and over a hill that you couldn't actually see any of the slopes from the parking lot. We took a gondola for what seemed like forever, until we finally reached the top of the mountain. The area wasn't too big, but it had stunning views of rock cliffs and white blankets of snow on the surrounding mountains. The weather was pretty nice, we got a little bit of good sun throughout the day, and we had a great day boarding.

By the time the end of the day rolled around, we were all pretty exhausted, but headed back to Barbara's for some showers and to get ready to head out for dinner. Barbara took us up to a really great, authentic little restaurant on a big hill overlooking all of Innsbruck. And from wonderful Facebook, I had learned that someone I grew up with and haven't seen since we graduated high school (Steve) just happened to be in Innsbruck at the same time as us. Coincidence! So Steve and his friend, also named Steve, came to join us for dinner on Saturday night. It was fun to catch up since we haven't seen each other in oh so long.

The restaurant was great, even though the only non-pork options on the menu were: fried cheese, spinach dumplings, or apricot sugar dumplings. The spinach dumplings I got were tasty, but they sat in my stomach like a rock. I don't know how these people eat this heavy food all the time!

Sunday we had another great day of boarding on a different mountain with clear blue beautiful skies. We went all the way to the top (they had a single chair lift... I've never seen a chair for just one person!) and got stunning views of the surrounding Alps. Absolutely beautiful.

The Roman Holiday

I can't even begin to explain how great it is to be able to decide you want to go to Rome the following weekend. And then just go. Ahh, the advantages of living in Europe.

So we began talking sometime in January about what we would do for Jason’s upcoming birthday (Feb 12). We came up with a few ideas and were leaning towards a giant, indoor water park/spa/beach called “Tropical Paradise” in Germany, thanks to a recommendation by one of my students. Going to a place where we could literally camp on the beach in the middle of a snowstorm did sound pretty appealing, but then we remembered that we’re in Europe and there are a lot of amazing destinations only an hour away. So we looked into flights and settled on Rome. I had been there about 10 years ago and Jason 9 years ago, so we were both excited to go back and see it again after so long.

We left Friday morning and arrived at our little B&B next to the Vatican by about 3:00 pm. When the owner of the B&B saw in Jason’s passport that it was his birthday, he gifted us a bottle of champagne. Nice! We couldn’t think of a better way to start our sight seeing around Rome. We poured ourselves (and the owner) a couple glasses plus one for the road and headed out on the town.

First stop was the Spanish Steps, which looked beautiful in the late afternoon sun. I tried to recreate a picture of me from 10 years ago on the Spanish Steps (in which I was trying to recreate the famous scene of Audrey Hepburn in the same spot). We headed on to the Pantheon and were amazed by the perfect semi-circle ceiling.

After some wandering around and looking for some recommended restaurants and gelato places from friends, we visited the Trevi Fountain, along with every other visitor in Rome, to throw a coin over our shoulder and take a cute couple pic. By that point it was getting late and we were starting to get cold in the night air, so we made our way to a little tratoria that looked appealing and ordered some wine and pasta. Great food, great wine, and great atmosphere. Perfect for a birthday dinner. Later, we wandered back to our neighborhood and found a (disappointing) gelato place for dessert.

Saturday morning we woke up early and headed over to the Vatican, where we spent most of the day. We heard horror stories about the 2+ hour wait to get into the Vatican Museums, so we were pleasantly surprised when we only had to wait about 5 minutes. We meandered through all of the museums and sat in awe gazing at the Sistine Chapel. It’s just as beautiful as I remember it! We walked around St. Peter’s Cathedral and visited in the catacombs, including the tomb of the late Pope John Paul.

That evening was Jason’s special birthday present. Being the big soccer fan that he is, he of course decided to check the schedule for AS Roma as soon as we started to plan our trip. He was very pleased to find that they had a game scheduled for Saturday evening against Palermo, a team from Sicily. We headed to the old Olympic Stadium and sat with the fans and cheered on Roma to their 4-1 win over Palermo. It was a great game, but I was absolutely frozen by the end. Our goal (haha.) for that night was to find a very local restaurant for dinner, where we would hopefully be the only tourists around and have a chance to eat the ‘real’ Italian food. We decided that the area around the stadium was sufficiently un-touristy, and found a really great little restaurant where we were indeed, the only foreigners. More great food, great wine, great atmosphere.

We spent Sunday (Valentine’s Day) walking all around the entire city and saw an incredible amount of famous sites: from the St. Angelo Castle, Vittorio Emanuelle Monument, Colusseum, Roman Forum, famous piazzas, etc. Jason gave me a beautiful rose on the Spanish Steps for Valentine’s Day, which I carried around all day long. We ate a tasty lunch, wine included, sitting outside in the beautiful weather of the Piazza Navona. For dinner we found an even less touristy, more delicious restaurant, just around the corner from our hotel. I got exactly what I had been craving our whole time in Italy: frutti del mar pasta and an artichoke (in CZ, artichokes only exist on pizzas). Bellisimo!

Monday, our final morning in Rome, before heading right back to Prague and back to work, we returned to the Vatican one last time. Before this trip, we didn’t even know that it was possible to go up on the roof on St. Peter’s and all the way up to the top of the Cupola. We went up at about 8:30 AM and were fortunate to be virtually alone atop the giant cathedral. The views were incredible, although a little smoggy, and looking out across the city from on high was the perfect way to end the beautiful mini vacation. I can think of nothing better…

Rome pictures posted here.