Well it has been some time. I believe I left off with an afternoon in Tonino. I was shot. There is no other way to say it. Sorta homesick but it was more then that and different. It was just completely out of my element and so everything is a bit stressful. From every little thing. I suppose I was feeling a bit pessimistic as well. But it is all so draining. I go from one town to the next on trains. And trains only really operate in big towns. And if they do go to the little towns it is rarly and not so easy to figure out. So I have been going from city to city and I have found that I am very much a country boy. I very much like to see green. In the city you don’t get so much. Which is fine cause they have other things to offer like tourist spots. Ummm and though it is great to see whatever each spot may offer I cannot help but at times revert to the idea that there is a reason they are called tourist spots. They make them cause that is what brings tourists. Would they build the biggest horse statue in the world if it wasn’t another thing to put in the tourist brochure. Quite possibly not. So in seeing such things I do go in with an open mind but a lot of things are in other languages. So half the time I don’t know what or why I am looking at some big thing in front of me. And that’s the other thing why must it be big to be intresting. Why couldn’t they make more small intricate crafty things that draw people. Anyway yeh so the language is rough. And the I just feel so guilty looking at someone and saying yeh I don’t speak your language could you figure out mine so I can get the info I need. Don’t get me wrong so people make it to be the funniest situation and their generosity is amazing. However to counter that many people give you a response that might as well be rolling their eyes. To be expected of course but just draining on the brain. So then I get into these new towns and each one has a different railway, subway, bus, metro system. And again really frustraiting to have to figure it out sometimes. Tonino was a good example cause I had no clue how to do it and it is sorta a system that only the townspeople seemed to use and so info for tourists was not so much. Not even a map. Frustrating. And learning new ones each time though proving to be an adventure is draining. Cant have so many adventures or else I get overloaded. I was once told that life is not all about fun and that if the fun gets spread out over time it is much better cause each fun experience is that much better. I feel like I have been hit with a million fun experiences and have gotten overloaded. So though these are all great too much is not always a good thing.

So now that I have conveyed some of my thoughts on the mood I decided to keep it a clam afternoon and not to see any sites. Tonino didn’t offer that much anyway so I don’t think I missed out on much. Instead I decided to make my way to Rays contact. Well the street was not on my map so I decided to ask a cabby. They have been helpful before why not chance my luck. Well he was helpful, he knew where the street was and pointed that way but not much more. Think it was prolly to complicated and he didn’t so much feel like giving me such details which was fine. So I headed in the direction and I could only get closer. Well I stop a few more blocks down and the guy at the little café busts out a hardcore map of the city. Excellent. Well we are looking and it is not close. So I have to hit up a bus. Then the women who just bought something chimed in as she had really good English. So they figured out I needed to be on bus 59 to get to the area and I should get off at some street name cause that was the closest stop. Wrote it all down and she even walked me out gave me her old ticket that was still good for 45 minutes (though I had a day pass) and then showed me the stop. So I got on the bus and she even spoke with the driver about giving me a kick or something when it was near my stop. Cool so we are off I thank her she takes off and that is that. About 4 stops down the line my trusty driver departs and I am left clueless on bus 59. Well the drivers seem to be sorta helpful so I ask the new lady about my street at the next stop. Well she and another lady who was getting on converse and decide I need to be on bus 29 not 59. Hum ok cool so I should get out at the next stop and get on 29. I do and again try to ask the bus driver but this one will have nothing of the sort. He makes it clear that is not his job and to ask someone else. I wasn’t so much feeling his bus and the direction just didn’t feel right so I got off. Stopped at a store and they pointed me in the right direction so I began walking it. After a bit of walking and not really know which way to go I see a younger guy walking and so I decided to ask him. He ended up speaking a little bit of English and went well out of his way to find me to my street. We stopped at a private parking garage place and the guard pulled up a map of the area I was going to and explained it to my friend. His name was Alexander and was an electrician. Though he looked a bit young to be one I think his vocab wasn’t big enough to fully communicate his trade. I am thinking he was prolly an apprentice. Anyway so we keep trekking along and hope on a bus and then get off not too far down. He asks some more people and they point us in the right direction and finally we make it there. I find the street. He bid me well as he needed to keep going and I thanked him. A bit down the road there was the house. It said Bazzolo and everything. Rang the bell and nodda. Waited and rang it again and still nothing. So I went down the road for a bit to eat and returned a half hr later or so. Still nothing. Then I thought maybe it was like on seinfeld and you have to say something into the box. Tried that and I prolly looked silly to the people standing around but still nothing. There was defiantly no one home. So I caught a bus back into the center of town. Then did the 40 minute hike to the fine fine campgrounds. Not sure what time I went to bed but it wasn’t very late.

Woke up about 830 and hopped into the oh so grand showers. They were scummy and again you have to pay for this hot water. Not even hot either more of a warm shower. Well I decided to splurge and go for 2 tokens giving me 20 liters. Oh the heaven I would be in. Popped the token in and did the rinse, soap, and rinse off but the water never shut off. Well I was in luxery now. I had all the hot water I wanted. So I took a nice long shower and got my moneys worth. But I had already washed off so there wasn’t much to do but stand there and waste their water so I got out. Then it was into town. I had a few things to do. Visit this American book store, internet, and maybe some lunch before the train. Bookstore was easy to find and though I did have some critical comments about he divinci code I still liked it and got another one of his books. So now I had some new reading, though first I am reading the divinci code again and critiquing it and making all sorts of notes. I have the time and it is relaxing so it is kinda like my travelling companion. Especially when I eat out and everyone has someone to talk to what am I gonna do sit there and wait, so I read. And here in Europe eating is huge so the meals out can take forever cause it is this social thing. So I get to socialize with the book. Moving along then found the internet to check on something…I forget what. I grabbed a quick bit to eat and made the train in plenty of time. Well I was all content eating my meala nd then reading and then this girl sits next to me. I am reading and having a grand old time and you know when you can just tell someone is looking at you. Yeh she was so I looked over and she asks what I am reading. I show her and try to go back to reading. She would have none of that though. She wanted to talk. I wasn’t particularly in the mood to talk but it seems I didn’t have much of a choice. Then she started asking me about music and who I liked. People never know any of the bands so it is kinda tough to explain. Well then she describes this band the west side boys or something. They are her favourite. Well she goes on and on about them and cannot believe I havnt heard of them cause they are from the states. I guess it is a boy band kinda thing. By this point some of her gestures and comments lead me to believe maybe I am being hit on so I bust out my pics to make it known of my “status.” She changed her tune a bit after that but still kept wanting to talk and I just wanted to read my book. I think I offended her at one point though cause I mentioned how her English was really good and she had already told me she was from nicarogua. Well apparently they speak English there. Oops. I decided not to say that I did a project in 10th grade on nicarogua and so I prolly shoulda known that. Finally she got off and then my stop was a few stops down. In Milan I headed straight for the hostel as I really wanted to chat with some travellers. Checked in but I was so early no one else was there. So I went back into town to wander. It seemed that the town had little to offer except food and shopping. I had a meal out which I thought would be great but it ended up being just warmed up food. Slightly disappointing. So I headed back to the hostel in hopes of seeing some people. And that in fact there was. A Mexican was sitting on the bed as I entered and we got a talking. His English was suberb and he was really intresting. I think part of what made it so intresting was that he was in business and so I was asking so many questions about his businesses. He was a former bike racer and then went to university for architeture. Well the bike racing was intresting cause we talked about the tour de france and his views on it. The whole drugs and dopping thing came up and it was intresting to see that side of the situation from a former racer. He also just completed a 17 story upper class housing facility in mexico city. That was his first job as an architect. I thought that was amazing but he said it was quite common cause the older architects know how to use the system and so because of corruption they would rather trust a younger one. Well we talked a bit about guadi as he did his thesis on that. Then he also had a coffee machine business. Well a vending machine. He owns just 4 decent machines and makes as much in slaes from them as he does being an architect. And he is in charge of 400 people. Insanity. But he was also kinda ashamed because he was talking with a construction worker in france who makes more them him as a worker. Just the difference in cultures and econmies was so big. And the corruption he gave examples about. One that sticks out which is not that corrupt but still scary was insurance on his project. The owner of the project didn’t carry insurance for the workers as most big projects don’t which though it is illegal is very common. It was much more worth paying a 30000 hospital bill once or twice a year rather then the 100000 insurance policy. Then we chatted about how great mexico city was. It was funny cause as he was ashamed of it he was also quite proud. He talked about the diversity in climates you could find and not going very far. The glacier they had there and so it always had snow on it. The rain forest just a 2 hr driver over the mountains. And then the fact that mexico city is built on top of a lake. The whole city is surrounded by mountains and in the center is lake. When the aztechs first settled the would build floating homes and cities and it has built so much that the city just kinda floats. And so that makes the architects job quite intresting cause it is normal for buildings to sink there. And the city gets 70 percent of its water from down there. I guess there are many guesses as to what will happen after so long when the water runs out as the city is settling all the time cause they are using the water. And a city like that without water would be quite a bad thing. Well after a 3 hr conversation we were both beat and so it was defiantly time for bed. The next morning he had his email address all set for me in case I wanted to ask any more questions about his business which I was thrilled for. I gave him mine and if I ever decide to give mexico city a shot I have somewhere to stay.

Well after breakfast which was quite good I must say offering nutella and a variety of toppings for the bread. Well I headed to´the train station where there was some internet to make plans to come up here to munich. As a side note in my wonderings the day before I had tried to find the café listed in the guidebook but when I got to the address it was no longer there. Seems this bank has been there for a few yrs now according to one of the locals. Hummm good to know. Found a café outside of the train station but it was a bit pricy at 4 euros an hr. Made plans and saved the rest of the time for when I needed to check on the status. But at the train station I had found a newspaper that had so many cool things in it. I actually had the same newspaper at the hostel but it was in japoneese so the only useful thing was the map that I tore out for the city. But this English one had everything. There were things to do, places to go out at night, intresting articles, the map in English, subway map and I was delited. The subway map was the best cause the subway had no maps in it. When you are waiting for the sub to come there is a small map on the wall but you have to get to a tunnel first to find it and then it is a pain if your in the wrong direction and such. And they didn’t give out any free maps anywhere else so the paper was a excellent. Well there was a natural history museum so I went to there. Walked in and it ended up being free. Just my price. Good thing too cause it wasn’t in English but there was tons to see anyway. Felt like I was 8 again looking at dinosaurs and and fossels and fun stuff like that. Then I read some of the fine articles in the paper and it had info about the last supper painting by divinci. Well I had head it was here in town but required 3 days notice. So I tried to call anyway but I only got this busy message. I think I don’t speak itallian so who knows. Well I decided to walk there and maybe there would be some no shows as the article suggests. Sure enough there was. Just one spot too cause I went and asked about it and the girl said to come back in fifteen minutes, just before it that next showing. Well I had some lunch and came back and she was just telling this couple how there was no room. But when I got up she checked me in and I was good to go. I figured it was again a sign so I went all out and got the audio tour. I even had time to find a few of the references in the divinci code about the painting as he mentions it many times. So as I hustle to my group reading this book as I walk in I am sure people think I am crazy as they are all ooowing and aughing I am reading th elast bit in the book. So saw that and hitt he gift shop and all was well. Then to the park for some reading. I was also scooping out this restuaran that was supposed to hae this great happy hour foods per the paper. Found it and so decided just to read until 7 when it started. Well I am reading and doing some people watching. Then these two girls who sat in this field near where I was and were sun bathing. Now it was so funny to watch every guy in the park just go bolistic over these two girls. They started making short cuts across the green where the girls were. Some would stop and ask them something prolly a poor attempt at a pickup line. And they really had to go out of the way as they were in the middle of this field so it was so obvious. Then I heard so guitar being played and defiantly needed to relocate. I found the guy playing not far off and went to sit down against a tree that was near him and I could hear but wouldn’t be distracting to him. Well he stops and says something in itallian and I am worried he is telling em to go away. Then he realises I speak English and so he says don’t sit there someone pissed on that tree. Haha I say thanks for the warning and ask if I can sit and listen. He has no problem with it so I sit and listen for a while. He was playing classical music and was all decked out with this little foot stool, and arm band to protect the guitar. Hardcore player. Well after an hr or so I was getting bored of reading so I got up to go and was just gonna chat with him for a minute but that turned into 3 hrs. He and I talked all about music and him a lot about classical which is not exactly my thing so a lot went in and out. So many names and examples he gave me. He showed me the 2 songs he had been transcribing for a year now. A Bach one and some thing else started with a G. Well he was really good and he showed how he was doing it different then most and there was considerable amount of differenece. He was really proud of his work. IN italy it takes 10 yrs to get your degree in music. So it was quite a accomplishment. We talked about lifestyles and balance in life which was intresting cause I am currently working on such as well. So then around 630 I was getting mighty hungry and he was gonna head off and I was kinda hoping we could grab dinner. Well he did seem hesitant though like he wanted to ask me about getting food but didn’t want to but then he invited me to his house as he was not one to eat out. It all made sense then cause he is on this strict diet case he has this really strict exercise schedual and so he must follow it just so, so it all made sense. He offered that we could get me some take out and he could make his food. Sounded great to me. We hopped aboard bus 84 and to his house we went. We stopped for a pizza for me and he insisted he pay for it which was quite nice. I think he wished he could have done more of a proper serve dinner or go out to eat and his hesitancy came from that. Well went back to his apartment and ate up and listened to a ton of classical music. Again not really my thing but I enjoyed it a lot. So much so that I might even get me a cd when I come home. Well then 900 was luming and I was quite beat from the long day and he was an early riser so I took off. He offered that I could use his place for a base camp the next day as I was getting kicked out of my hostel at 930 and so I thought I might just do that. Well then the trip to the hostel was intresting. Found the metro after a while and made it a good chunk of the way home but then the metro broke. Electrical problems so it was closing early tonight. If I was only 10 minutes sooner. Well then there was this guy next to me that was kinda translating cause all the announcements were in itallian. But his English was not that great so it was more gesturing and guessing on my part. Well then they say how we could take the bus that was above so he says to come with him. I was a little sceptical as he looked kinda fishy looking missing one of the front teeth but I follwed anyway cause I ddint see many other options. Well we get on the bus and then off and I have to get on another bus and he was going to walk from there to his house. I think. Well he finds someone who speaks a bit of English and asks them to accompany me. So I get tossed off to this new guy. When we get on he warns me about pickpocks this late at night so I felt secure that in him warning me of this he was prolly a decent character. Then again we have to get off and switch buses and these buses are packed cause the metro is out and everyone si so confused. Well I get transffered to another person this one was actually a nicargua guy. Well I didn’t make the mistake of commenting on his English. He was nice and we chatted a bit. He was gonna try to become a soccer star. Who knows maybe I met this big star and didn’t even know it. Well we waited and I was so close to the hostel according to the bus route and almost wanted to walk but luckily he convinced me it was quite a walk. And it was. So the bus finally came and I made it home. The day had been so long and full that I was still going on the adrenaline and couldn’t go to bed. I stayed up a bit and did some arts and crafts and then fainlly began getting sleepy and was able to go to bed.

So got up had the nice breakfast again and then headed to the train station to check out if I would be heading to munich and booking a train. Got the info from helga and booked a night train. Made use of the second day of the eurorail as it woulda been 130 or something. So I had to stash my bags for the day and francois had given his number and address to me. I tried to call but it didn’t work. I double checked with a policeman and he said it wass right but no go. Well then I went upstairs to the phone center which they have all over the place. You call wherever and then pay when you leave. Kinda like a pay phone but you get to use a normal phone and a bit cleanlier and more privacy. Well I tried to call rays contact. The girl just looked at me when I asked about how to do. First she said I couldn’t call from there and I think she was hoping I would leave. I made it clear I knew I could call from here and if she could look up the exchange. She did and I tried it and it didn’t work. Well I decided to make her confirm my actions and she was a bit more willing to and she did but it ddi not work. She even treid a few tricks to get ti to work and we ended up calling someone but not the right house. Well I had her lok it up again as we may have had the worng city but I couldn’t find the right one in her book so I gave up. Wasn’t having much success with the phone. I stashed my bags at the train station check which was insane to wait for. They were searching every bag and this worried me as I had the stove fuel and didn’t know how that would go over. That and it woulda been a huge pain to take it all out and have to repack it. And the frustrating thing was as I was giving directions to this girl to get to the hostel this guy cuts me. And he tried to be slick about it but I notice. And the whole time he will not make eye contact with me. Every so often he would say something in digust on how long it was taking as if to qualify his reason for cutting. Anoying but I stashed the bags and went to the tuomo this huge church. Well it is supposed to be the thing to see in the city but it was just another church. Though large and little in English it was a church. And there was only a little open to the public and all the intresting looking stuff was at the front but there was a sign that only worshippers could go to that point. As many were not respecting the sign and clearly not doing much worship as they took pics up front I decided to obey and head for landmark number 2. Leonardo’s horse. Guess he designed this horse statue way back when but it got destroyed in the making of it. Well they recreated it in this fine town. Biggest horse statue in the world. It was free and off the beaten path so both concepts interested me. Well I follow the directions and get off where I should and it should be only a 1 km walk but I was following signs that say Leonardo thinking I will get to the horse. Well no such luck. I end up somewhere and lots of miles under my feet. Asked a few times but no one was proving very helpful. So I gave up and was frustrated with the touristy things and went to the internet. Bought a pass and killed some time surfing the web about coffee houses and such. As I have been wondering I have had lots of time to think and so it has been on the mind more so latly. Then I got on the train with a few things for dinner and found my cabin and bed. I felt bad as there were these other two guys who were easily 6’3” and they werer assigned the top two of the six bunks with little headroom and I the stinky traveller got the easily assessable bottom bunk. Locked up my things and ate dinner. There was this guy who was doing the same and we chatted for a bit. He was a pretty atypical male and so the conversation was ehhh. He had this issue with looking at girls and so I would be talking and was completely not paying attention and then would comment and say did you see that. Yeh and he was married and was just coming home from vacation with his wife and son who were staying a bit longer as he had to get back to work. Nice guy yeh just get off from vacation with your wife and all he can do is look at women. So I went and hibernated in my cabin to avoid further discussions with such an wonderful gentleman. Read for an hr and flet the eyes getting tired. Went to bed and had a decent night sleep. The cabin checker girl woke me and the other up a bunch of times checking on I don’t know what but I got a pretty decent night sleep anyway. And at 9am I rolled into munich.