full of love and pizza

5 countries later, 20 new friends, and a lifetime of memories I am now in Rome. Budapest captured me in for 8 days and I was induced with good company, a river of alcohol and a city of history to stay much longer than I had anticipated. I arrived to Budapest as one and left as three with my two friends 'oi oi oi' and 'Dutchy'. We spent the next week traveling down the coast of Croatia and dealing a hand of 13 along the way. A card game that I was once foreign to, I soon started dreaming about having a 4 of a kind and a 9 card straight to win the game. We played it everywhere, the bus, the street, the restaurant, and on the stoned ground in the middle of a monastery garden in Dubrovnik. The time came when we had to part ways and continue our solo journeys that we each had been destined for.

I was one again and in Florence. After only hours upon my arrival, my belly was filled with pizza and gelato. From that point on I would never again know what hungry pains feel like because for the entire time I have been in Italy, I have been indulging on the Italian cuisines. Each night, my new friend and inspiring chef have been eating and drinking to our hearts content. (as I'm writing this now, she is reading off a review to the place we are going to go to tonight..."all you can eat and drink for 30 Euros and it has an honorable 4star review from food critics"...I'll be wearing something that stretches tonight)

To save time because I need to get ready for my feast tonight I will copy the email that I wrote to my friend on how my day was today...

"Today I fell in love. His name is Giulio Aristide Sartorio, born in 1860. He is virtual unknown and even the most educated art historians may be foreign to his work. As I walked through the Galleria Nazionale di Arte Moderna I was admiring the works of Van Gogh, and Monet- which of course were brilliant. However, nothing compared to the emotion that I felt when I saw these two massive extraordinary paintings, "Diana of Ephesus and the Slaves" and "Gorgon and the Heroes". I immediately took down his name in my itouch and googled him. The internet gives little attention to him and I am still left to wonder the symbolism behind these pieces. If I had to describe them I would say- " Erotic angels flirt with the drug of death"- I should copyright that. Anyways, I loved them and even went back for one last lustful glance before I left the museum."

Cultural Shock with Dumplings

After spending 3 days in Prague walking around the Old Town and viewing all of the architecture, I arrived in Cesky Krumlov last night. It's a small historic city in the South Bohemia Region of Czech Republic. This morning, I took a run around the castle and went further up into a field where old men where playing fetch with their large husky dogs. The town is undeniable beautiful and breaths peaceful air. After coming from Seoul, I am still getting use to the quiet and the smaller population. My first day in Prague, I was in a bit of culture shock and I think even know I'm still adjusting. I saw two men taking photographs and heard them speaking Korean, I got excited and went over and said hello then took a picture with them as well. I find comfort in seeing Koreans and in some ways more understood. I still hand money over with two hands, I give a head bow when saying hello on the street, and still slip up and say thank you in Korean. I'm an American girl that is relearning the Western ways.

I took a walk along the narrow streets and found a small pub/restaurant. My plan was to enjoy a cup of coffee and head out. I ended up having feast. Eating the traditional Bohemian meal of pork, dumplings , and a light beer that's brewed just minutes away. I didn't stop there. My mouth was having such a wonderful time, I then ordered a blueberry dumpling, sprinkled with cinnamon and coconut. Cheers to dumpling Gods.

Tomorrow I leave for Linz, Austria then continue to Vienna.

Prague and my stride

Got into Prague around 9pm last night. Passed a joint and drank some wine with some people I met in the hostel. Woke up this morning and went for a run around Old Prague. The people are all so diverse, the buildings stand proudly reminding everyone of Prague's history. I was made for traveling. I caught my stride and ran past The Astronomical Clock, the Oriel Chapel, and all of King John establishments from 1338. This is life.