Fresh Pizza & Good Drinks in Naples!

Number one priority after checking into the hostel: tracking down the best pizzeria in Naples tosample pizza in its birthplace! Well, who knows if it’s the best, but Pizzeria Sorbillo is highly recommended as one of the oldest, family-run pizzerias in the city .. and it was BON! I had your plain, basic margherita pizza … light tomato sauce, lots of fresh mozzarella, and one delightful little sprig of basil in the middle. The pizzas themselves were huge, thin and doughy at the same time. And of course we took a photo series of our dinner … see below:

Ahh .. that's pristine

Digging in ...

Halfway through ...

Et ... c'est fini ...

After dinner we went to a little outside bar for a drink. I don’t mean to be dramatic, but I had the best gin & tonic I’ve had since leaving the U.S., seriously … heavy pour of gin accompanied by a little bottle of tonic that you can add at your discretion. Now I love me some French nightlife, but I’ve never been impressed with their cocktail abilities (beyond, of course, wine, beer, pastis, or straight alcohol) … so grazia a Naples!! We had a couple of drinks there and then started talking to the two Italians next to us. They were an odd couple of guys but very friendly; one couldn’t speak much English but apparently he’s into the “couch surfing” network and likes to take his tiny dog out with him at night. The other had great English, so we had no problem communicating there … except he turned out to be a bit sketchy. We walked with them to another bar which was on an obscure side street and packed with young locals. Andrea and I could not get over how cheap all of the drinks were – I think it was some sort of black-market bar or something because those were the cheapest drinks I’ve had in Europe! One of my fave beers that costs about 6 euro a bottle in France was 2 euros, so we ended the night there!

Sketchy bar and clandestine photos of the locals ...

Ending the night in our hostel's piazza fountain ...

Hide your Bling - we're going to Naples!

So Naples has a bad rap – I guess no one can deny a few stereotypes, the mafia history, the recent problem with trash build-up, etc. Everyone – my parents, other tourists, Italians – warned me to be careful with my bag/purse while there, so I guess I was a bit more wary than useful. But I was delightfully surprised by how much I enjoyed Naples and really wish I could have spent more time there. Monday night we checked into our hostel in the middle of the city; it was basically an apartment of 4 rooms, owned by an Australian, turned into a hostel. It seriously felt like we were just crashing in someone’s apartment, very homey/casual/comfortable … definitely the most enjoyable hostel I’ve probably stayed in.

Roman Soldiers Galore!

Saturday was an absolutely gorgeous, sunny, hot day in Rome … and I am proud to say that I got my first sunburn of the season! Woohoo, finally, after several dreary months in Bretagne! And what a way to get a sunburn – touring the Coliseum and Palatine Hill! First we checked out a huge morning market; I’ve been to tons of markets in France, but they don’t compare to the chaos & variety found at a Roman market. It seemed like there were miles of vendors selling everything … several with huge piles of clothing, each piece for a euro!

I actually went into the Coliseum a few years ago, but this time we took a guided tour in English from an Italian. I still have mixed reviews on whether or not I’d recommend these guided visits … sure, you learn a bit of history and supposedly get to skip the entrance lines … but for a price that’s double the normal entrance fee, I’m not sure if it’s worth it. It’s strange because, at least to my observation, there are no “official” tours of the Coliseum and Palantine Hill; rather, there are random locals who have organized tours which operate independently of the Coliseum itself. They run around outside the entrance trying to sell their tours to the tourists, who don’t usually know that they can buy separate audio tours inside the Coliseum for a lot less. Would it be that difficult for whatever organization that runs the Coliseum to just create guided visits included in the legit entrance fee and eliminate the confusion that all of these separate, independent hawkers cause? Anyway, we paid for one of these tours, which didn’t end up being too valuable … and it was only offered in English, so I tried to deliver a rough translation into French for my roommate. Needless to say, I probably didn’t do a great job at this – afterwards she actually said that she’ll probably just buy a book to read a bit more about Rome, the Coliseum, etc. So I effectively failed as a translator. Anyway, we had a good time and it was awesome to be outside all day in this weather! Last time I was in Rome it was cold/rainy, and I caught a guy with his hand in my bag in the middle of a crowded subway trying to rob me … so I guess anything had to beat that first experience! But seriously I really did enjoy the city a lot and now have a much more positive image of it. Aww, cultural understanding, now that’s why we travel :)

"Hey Mom, look what I found!!"

Good timing - we happened to be in Rome the day before its annual birthday celebration ... hence the Roman parade around the Coliseum!

A few photos from our tour inside the Coliseum:

Even the ancient Romans appreciated Pop???

Views of the Roman Forum & Coliseum:

Italia Italia!

I think that no matter how many times I go to Italy, to whatever city or region … I will love it. It is seriously just a fabulous country with a culture that is easy to enjoy, regardless of your interests. Saturday we flew to Rome and were lucky enough to find a room at the first hotel we called. We stayed in the area north of Termini station, which ended up being a relatively quiet residential area with gorgeous old buildings which are now either nice apartments or government offices. We were so eager to eat Italian food when we arrived that we went to practically the first pizzeria that we saw, which ended up being a bit touristy. After dinner we found a corner store to stock up on drinks for the night –since we had every intention of going out on a Saturday night in Rome. But after getting back to the hotel we realized that we were pretty tired and had plenty of things to see & do the next day … so my apologies, no fun nightlife story from Rome to share.

The Cliffs of Mohrer, Afternoon in Galway, and our Last Night in Dublin

The bus continued through the countryside to the Cliffs of Moher, where we were free to get out and explore for an hour. The cliffs are obviously known for there amazing views, and it was pretty spectacular. As it was super windy and the driver had been pumping us full of fresh tales of recent tourists who’d been blown of to their death, we stayed on the conservative border paths.

We got back in the bus, drove a bit, then stopped at a small pub for lunch, before taking the coastal rode back to Galway. The views along the coast were incredible, and we stopped a couple of times for photo opps … rolling, green hills spotted with stone, small houses, and animals … with the rocky coast in the distance … it was awesome. Here are some picts from one of our stops.

We decided to take a later bus back to Dublin that night, in order to have time to enjoy a drink at a pub in Galway. Proved to be a great choice, as we had Bailey’s & coffee in a traditional pub with a great, local atmosphere.

Downtown street in Galway / Our last pub stop in Galway

We got back to the Dublin hostel on Friday night and went out searching for some live Irish music … but Friday night in the Temple Bar area is pretty much like Friday nihgt in any touristy, slightly raunchy night-life quarter. And somehow we ended up in the actual Temple Bar, probably the most touristy and least authentically Irish place we could have picked. Anyway, we ran into a group of Spanish guys who’d come to Dublin from Madrid as their friend’s bachelor party weekend. I’m not sure what the Spanish custom is, but the bachelor was dressed as a cow and his friends had matching t-shirts with nicknames. They provided most of our entertainment for the evening, needless to say.

Tour of the Burren ... where are we????

On Friday we decided to take a tour through the nearby countryside of the Burren and the Cliffs of Mohrer. In the past I haven’t necessarily been an advocate for organized bus tours like this, but in this case the 20 euro was well worth the 6-hour tour of places that were difficult to get to independently by bus or train. It took about an hour and a half on the bus (MC’d by the lively driver with his bits of Irish history & cheesy jokes) to get into the heart of the Burren countryside. I forgot the exact translation, but I think Burren means “barren, rocky land” or something like that in Irish; but if I’m completely mistaken with this translation, then that’s just my own observation of what I saw J The bus stopped at a local family farm for an hour-long walking tour of their land, led by their son (a pretty cute guy in his late 20’s, always a plus when the guide is attractive!). So we walked through the rolling hillside filled with a strange combination of grass & stones, tons of cows, random wildflowers, and short stone walls everywhere. The history he shared with us was pretty interesting, and the views of the surrounding countryside were amazing.

Great views of the Burren & surrounding countryside (notice the strange combination of stone/grass randomness ... )

No shortage of cows and short stone walls in this area:

Leaving you with this: super awkward photo of me trying out the "Sliding Stone" ... natural playground that's existed for 100's of years

Galway - for a truly authentic Irish experience

Thursday am we took a bus to Galway, about 3 hours from Dublin, on the western coast of Ireland. It’s described as the “cultural center of Ireland” in one of my books, with some of the best live music in the country, so why not?! We stayed at a really cool hostel with a huge, open room where everyone hung out, very welcoming and friendly. It was pretty cold & windy in the city, so we had a typically heavy, Irish lunch of soup, bread, sandwiches, and tea. That night we really wanted to find some great live music, so we followed the recommendation of an acquaintance who plays at the Irish pub in Rennes. We ended up at Crain bar, supposedly one of the most well-known, but down-to-earth, pub for music in Ireland. And its reputation didn’t disappoint. The place was tiny, low-key, and crammed with locals - with a small, seemingly impromptu Irish band in the back corner; definitely provided for a fun night.

Quality music, singing, and dancing at the Crain Bar:

Molly McGuffin does Dublin :)

When I showed my passport at customs, the guy was like, “Molly McGuffin … that’s Irish if I’ve ever heard one.” And I replied, “Nah, not really, my parents were just random/creative.” Haha, anyway I enjoyed that. We took a bus to our hostel on the Liffey River near the Temple Bar area. Unfortunately we had about 4 hours to kill before being able to check-in, so we dumped our bags and walked around the area. I’ve been to Dublin before, so this wasn’t really new to me but was fun to see anyway. Trinity College, St. something’s Cathedral, and the ever-so-touristy party haven of Temple Bar.

We took naps that afternoon at the hostel to try to catch up on our sleep before going out. In an attempt to find a more authentic Irish nightlife experience, we went out on the other side of the river (less touristy and cheaper). So we had our first beer at a really old, impressive bar – but lacking a bit of ambiance. So we moved down the street to another which proved to be a good choice – was a bit smaller, more cozy, filled with a few groups of animated, older Irish guys. This is when we started talking to Mick, an Englishman, and his Irish friend Paddy, who owned a rather shady shop across the street. Apparently two years ago while working as a parking attendant, Paddy had the idea of creating natural herbal substances that have the same feel & effects as certain drugs. According to his story, he is now a millionaire with 200+ of these “natural, feel-good” stores throughout the UK and Eastern Europe. Somewhat sketchy. Anyway, Paddy and his friends had been giving Mick a hard time about something that happened last week, joking around a lot, etc – and he’d obviously had a bit to drink. They stayed at the bar but occasionally came over to our table to chat. At one point Paddy told us that one of the guys in their group was in the mafia … and I’d believe it – he was older, short & stout with a long black coat with gray hair pulled back in a ponytail. And he wasn’t friendly at all. Then their joking with Mick took a more sinister turn, with some serious talking, a bit of pushing, and even a “gentle” head butt by the mafia guy! All this going on nonchalantly at the bar, with us little tourists sitting about 10 feet away … it was weird. Then Paddy went down to the bathroom, followed by Mick and later the mafia guy. After about 5 minutes they all came back up separately; seriously it was like a little mafia deal or something. Mick had a bit of a shiner above his eye and had clearly been hit with something. Even after that, he stopped by our table to say goodnight on his way out, but the others encouraged him to stay for a last pint. There was a pretty sketchy vibe so we finished our pints and left. Next we went to a bar on the river where we met the very friendly Carlos Paddy White. I don’t remember how we got on the subject, but both of our moms are named Kathleen White – “Nooo, my mom’s name is Kathleen White.” “Nooo, that’s my mom’s name.” Small world. Apparently he was a bit smitten with my lovely American accent (and a bit drunk) and proposed marriage a couple times, haha. Then after talking for a while, he was suddenly like “Wait … Carrie … you’re freaking Carrie Bradshaw!” Well, that’s quite the stretch, but I’ll take that anyday, even if it’s from a drunk Irish guy. After that we called it a night, satisfied with the Dublin pub scene.

Our buddy Carlos Paddy White ...

Beginning of April Vacation!

On Tuesday afternoon we took the train from Rennes to Paris, got the keys to Andrea’s friends’ apartment in Paris to put our bags down, and then spent the afternoon in the city. We caved and tried the overly touristy Bateaux Mouches river tour on the Seine … a little cheesy but not too bad. We ended up going out for drinks with a few French friends, to their favorite place Le Bateau Ivre. We got back around 2am to sleep for 3 hours before waking up to get our early flight to Dublin. One big drawback from using the cheap airlines – especially RyanAir from “Paris” Beauvais – is that the airports aren’t at all in the city center. It’s even quite a stretch to call Beauvais a Parisian airport; we took a 40 minute bus through what seemed to me Normandy cow fields. Anyway, we got to Dublin without any problems.

Below: "Residence" in Paris and a shot from the boat tour on the Seine

A plus tard, mes amis!

Les vacances de printemps sont arrivees! Wooyeah for spring break in France! I'm leaving the bikini, sunscreen, tequila, and trashy tank-tops at home ... and heading to Ireland for the beginning of break. My roommate Andrea and I are flying from Paris to Dublin on Wednesday, then from Dublin to Rome on Saturday, where we'll spend a few days in southern Italy before coming back to finish up the last 3 days of teaching. We haven't really nailed down any plans yet, but we'll probably spend two nights in Dublin and then maybe go west to Galway for a day trip. Then in Italy we'll of course check out the sights in Rome, and I hope to get to Naples and potentially the Amalfi coast ... this is very optimistic, so we'll see where we actually get to. But I've got quite the hankering to eat a fresh pizza (or two or three) in Naples. All of you other girls out there who've read Eat, Pray, Love ... you know what I'm talking about. Liz Gilbert's description of her divine pizza experience in Naples is insane ... I'll let you know if it really is that good. Roman Coliseum? check. Vatican? check. Pizza in Naples? check. Haha how out of whack are my priorities?!?

And to get in the mood for Ireland, we checked out the local Irish pub in Rennes last night for some live music and dancing. It was great, and it's only going to get better in Ireland :)

A la prochaine, mes amours!

Makings of a Galette ... yuum :)

I spent another Saturday morning/early afternoon at the Marche des Lices in Rennes with a few of my roommates. But our goal this time was to get there early enough to buy fresh sausage galettes to eat. Galettes are THE dish in Bretagne, and if any of you know of my affinity for pancakes ... well, it's a no-brainer that I chose the right French region to come to. A sauteed, dark wheat crepe with cheese, eggs, ham, sausage, etc ... for lunch, dinner, or snack ... no problem! So here's a little picture summary of the galette process (at least at this particular vendor's stand at the market):

Obvi we start with the batter:

Pile on the butter:

Time for the egg:

Fromage et jambon:

The ever-so-critical step of flipping the galette:

The delicate art of folding the galette into its perfect little shape:
Et .... on mange!!

Yes, you can call me a loser for this post ... don't worry, I'm leaving tomorrow to travel so I'll have some legit material soon! Bisous :)