Tour De L'Europe

Driving down the Route de Grand Crus

2009-04-02T08:42:00.000-07:00

After our amazing meal at "Le Petit Paradis" which I posted pics of, Nessie and I made our way back to the Maison and crashed for ten straight hours. We woke up to a breakfast at the long formal table in the dining room of the Chateau. We were served fresh baguettes, fig and raspberry jams, coffee, yogurt, croissants, and freshly squeezed orange juice.

From our table, we overlooked the Hospice of Beaune - a medieval hospital for the poor. During the end of the Dukes of Burgundy's reign, one of the kings wanted to end his life on a philanthropic note, so he built this place. Unfortunately, it was just for PR, and the truly poor were served in a separate room where rotten limbs were sawed off and their blood streamed into the river below the hospital. While they laid there getting "taken care of" they viewed artwork of hell-bound pagans at Judgement day.

But the funnest part of the day began when we rented a car and headed south on the Route de Grands Crus. French wine is divided into four categories. Appellation Controlee is the cheapest but still a nice table wine in most cases. Next is Village, which is very nice and still affordable for an everyday wine. Then comes the Premiere Cru, which begins to transforms your understanding of taste. And finally come the Grand Crus, which I haven't even touched. The Route de Grand Crus runs north-south and straight through our home base of Beaune. We headed south and stopped first in the very small Romanesque town of Pommard. We parked at the first sign of "Degustation Gratuit" or free wine tasting. We entered a 300+ year old Cheateau and asked in our best French if we could taste any wine. We were told they were all out for the day. So I asked if there were any vintners they would recommend in town. They suggested one down the road and off we went.

As we walked through the courtyard at around 12:30pm, we heard the sound of forks and knives and smelled good food. A man poked his head out from the top floor balcony and asked if we could return in 30 min to an hour. We said "Pas de problem" and we went out to assemble a picnic. We first stopped at the Charcuterie (Butcher) where we explained our plan. The lady said we should run to the Boulangerie (bakery) first because they close in 10 min. So off we went and found a crunchy baguette, a tarte au citron (lemon tart with meringue) and a Tarte au Framboise (raspberry tart.) Then back to the Charcuterie for some Jambon Cru, Comte cheese and some Dijonaise sauce of mustard, mayo and more.

We ate on the steps of a very old church with the sound of birds and the sun shining overhead. About 45 min later, we stopped back at the Chateau where our friend the vintner was cleaning up from lunch. It turns out that his family has been making wine since 1860. He gave us a private tour of his estate, including the moldy cellar where the wine ages. He also showed us a presentation his son made on a poster for a school assignment. It showed the entire wine-making process in about eight steps. The last one was "Le vin c'est pour les adults." Whenever I asked a clarifying question, the host replied, "that's alright." He showed us the tractor used to till the soil and explained the "ploo - is that how you say it?" Vanessa politely said it is pronounced "plow."

Two college aged girls arrived soon after and told us they were about to meet with a professor on their knowledge of white wine. The professor showed up and asked if we were Ukranian visitors. We all had a laugh, then our vintner asked if Vanessa was Swedish and guessed I was Italian. It was a very fun time and resulted in a purchase of a Red Premiere Cru for one-fourth the cost in the States and a white table wine.

I can't describe the feeling of driving on a 70 degree day down a narrow windy road and only vineyards and old villages for as far as the eye can see. The movie Chocolat was filed in a small village in this area. More than once we had to halt for a tractor pulling out in front.

Our next stop was the Cheateau de la Rochepot. This castle was home to several important kings during the Dukes period in Burgundian history. It features the quintessential Tiles from the area and a beautiful inner courtyard. The tour guide was a towering twin of Cruella Devil and her laugh seemed to get louder and scarier as the tour went on. Especially in the weapons room. When she soon realized that Vanessa was shivering from the cold inside the Chateau, she promptly took off her full length fur coat and put in on Vanessa. Had I been able to take pictures inside, I would have sat her at the queens thrown and put a wine carafe in her hand.

We later passed by the barrel makers and stopped for one more tasting with just a little old lady who seemed grumpy enough, but happy when I bought her favorite red wine.

We eventually made our way back to Beaune, but only grudgingly because we felt like we were leaving a secret world of enchanting people, churches and of course, wines.

Beaune!

2009-04-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

We have just arrived in Paris after the most incredible time in the tiny town of Beaune. It is the wine capital of the Burgundy region of France, which is Southeast of Paris towards the Swiss Alps. We spent two nights at a Chateau where the owner is also a vintner (wine maker.) We spent the first day touring the medieval hospital for the poor and stumbled on the absolutely best meal in our entire lives. The owner of the Chateau suggested we cancel our Michelin * lunch at Jardin de Remparts and instead have dinner at L'Petite Paradis. It was down a tiny cobble stone street right across from the hospital in the downtown area of Beaune. I will post some pics of the meal, but I can't tell you enough how amazing it was. I can honestly say I was on the verge of tears and Nessie wasn't far behind.

Monaco and Villefranche

2009-03-28T06:05:00.001-07:00

We're in Villefranche Sur Mer right now and found an internet cafe with an American keyboard, so I thought I'd take advantage and post real quick. We are going to have a picnic with a few things we bought yesterday at the Market in Antibes. We have two fresh baguettes, a goat cheese, a spicy garlic pate and a bottle of Rose. We are going to look for some fresh Ham and of course a nice pastry to finish. We visited Monaco this morning and played tourist while taking pics of the Casino at Monte Carlo. It's the richest country per capita in the World. It was fun to see, but I probably wouldn't want to see it a second time.

We arrived in Nice on Thursday afternoon. Our friend Jeni picked us up at the airport and brought us to her apartment, where we will be staying until tomorrow. She had decorated it very nicely and it has a patio with an art studio that overlooks the apartment's inner courtyard. Our first night was spent with the french doors wide open and a gentle Mediterranean breeze blowing in. I woke up at 4:30am and spent the next 3 hours listening to the city slowly wake up. We spent the next day in Antibes where we experienced our first open air market. I was completely blown away by the awesome olives, cheeses, fruits, pastries and such. We then had crepes at an outdoor cafe and it warmed up to 70+ degrees.

Had a wonderful meal last night in Old Nice. We went with our friends Jeni and Alex. Our meal began before 10pm and didn't end until after midnight. I let Nessie taste my "steak" which was actually Veal. Oops! I also had an amazing Soupe au Possion (Fish Soup) and it came with a very spicy garlic dipping sauce, a clove of garlic and some crusty bread to dip in the soup. Tres Riche! Ness had Soupe au Pistou (Vegetable soup with Pesto) and Raviolis au Pistou aussi. We finished with Mouse au Chocolate and a cafe. The restaurant is in a very Italian section of Old Nice and had a nice mix of Cuisine Nicoise and Italienne.

Nice is Nice

2009-03-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Nice around noon yesterday and have been having a blast since. We had lunch right away with our friend Jeni at her apartment.

The video is of Jeni, her roomate and 2 friends who came to her apartment to meet us. I havent added captios yet to the pics, but they are from Jenis apartment, and the old part of Nice and finqlly in the town of Antibes which we visited today. Click here to see our photos: http://picasaweb.google.fr/Nicholas.Rebo/France?feat=directlink

There are already fun stories but I dont have time to write them yet. I hope to soon.

Where I've Lived

2009-02-16T20:41:00.000-08:00

So after visiting my parents tonight, and talking in general about travel, I started to feel really sentimental and think about the different homes I've lived in. I posted a few pics of these places.

The first is a map shot of where I lived for nine months as a baby. The little town of Tenakee Springs, population 105. Somewhere, I have a pic of my actual home, but I'll have to dig it out and scan it. A Philipino lady named Rosie still plays favorites at her diner, which is the only one in town. There is also a hot spring (hence the name) which serves as the gossip center for it's citizens.

The second was my childhood home on Rucker Hill in Everett, WA. Built in 1915; it recently won the city's Monte Cristo Award for historic preservation. From our deck, my dad and I would watch the U.S.S. Nimitz return to the Navy Base in Port Gardener (below) after its various duties during Desert Storm. Apparently, the famous Gypsy Rose Hill danced on the hard wood floors in the basement.

The third is where I lived for nine months in Seville, Spain. It is in the very old historic core of the city, and my guess is it was built in the 17th or 18th century. I am emailing my roommate to see if he remembers. My home was on the right and it is actually two homes combined. It was truly mansion-like with a separate wing for my roommate and I. It had three beautiful courtyards inside.

Change in Itinerary

2009-02-09T21:12:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my dear friends on the Rick Steves Travelers Helpline, Vanessa and I decided to omit Prague from our itinerary in order to focus more on everything that France has to offer.

If there's one thing I've learned about planning trips, it's the importance of discipline. There always seems to be an urge to see everything possible, but in the end it's the quality of your experience, not how many cities you see.

So here's our itinerary in a nutshell:

03/26 - Arrive in Nice 12:35pm, tour Chagall Museum, eat dinner in Old Nice (sleep in Nice 3 nights)

03/27 - Day trip to Antibes, Picasso Museum

03/28 - Day trip to Monaco, Eze by Car or Villefranche by train

03/29 - Morning in Nice, afternoon train to Arles

03/30 - Day in Arles, visit Roman Amphitheater, Ancient History Museum

03/31 - Morning train to Beaune, tour Hospital, wine tasting (sleep in Cote de Nuits 2 nights)

04/01 - Tour vineyards of nuits-st-george, eat at Levernois Hotel (michelin *)

04/02 - Morning train to Paris, historic Paris walk, Ile de la Cite, Notre-Dame, Latin Qtr, St-Chapelle, afternoon: Opera Garnier, late in night: Seine river. (sleep in Paris 6 nights)

04/03 - Morning: tour the Louvre, afternoon: Champs-Elysees walk, Tuileries Garden, evening: floodlit Notre-Dame

04/04 - Morning: tour Orsay Museum, Jacquemart-Andre Museum. Afternoon: Rue Cler Markets, evening: Sacre-Coure, Montemarte

04/05 - Day trip to Versailles, morning: tour interior, Hall of Mirrors, afternoon: tour Gardens, Fountain Show

04/06 - Day trip to Reims: morning tour of cathedral. afternoon touring Champagne caves. Dinner back in Paris

04/07 - Morning: Marais walk, Carnavalet museum, Pompidou Center. Late: Tracadero Scene by Eiffel Tower

04/08 - Morning flight to Seattle

The Paris itinerary is set to change quite a bit. This is simply a guide which could change at any minute.

Categories within French Cuisine

2009-01-04T20:39:00.000-08:00

So, as the greatest focus of our trip will be the food, I thought I'd explain what I see as the three main categories of modern french food.

Haute Cuisine. This is the classic french fare of hearty portions, rich sauces, and classic recipes like Foie Gras, Bresse Chicken with Truffles, and Escargots stuffed with garlic butter. Auguste Escoffier is known for bringing this style to the French mainstream around the turn of the century. He published a book called Le Guide Culinaire, which formalized many preparation techniques. He used the highly sophisticated Cuisine of the 17th century as a starting point, and succeeded at making these recipes more accessible to a more modern yet still highly discerning France. The 4th edition of this book was updated around the time of his death and has been translated into English. It's supposed to be a great encyclopedia to both beginners and experts. I am going to pick it up and try out some recipes soon.

Nouvelle Cuisine. This is a somewhat controversial movement that came about in the 1970s, and it represented a stark contrast to the haute cuisine because of its smaller portions, fewer calories, and quicker preparation. The Troisgros brothers may have been the first to move this direction, but it was their apprentices - Paul Bocuse, Bernard Louiseau, Henry Gault, Guy Savoy, etc - who ran with it. The food was "of the moment" and this is appropriate because many feel it's losing relevance in the 21st century. Recipes include small, artistically arranged dishes that are void of heavy sauces, which were such a staple of Escoffier's style.

Cuisine de Terroir. Here we find that very French attribute of regional pride. One of the great aspects of french food is its variety. There are so many different regional styles of french cooking and cuisine de terroir reflects the uniqueness of each. Whether it's Salade Nicoise in Nice, or Beef Bourguignon in Burgundy, the names often reflect the city or region which they're from. Often you find this in smaller towns, which rely on the availability of local produce, dairy and meat to determine their recipes. But it has become increasingly popular in the big cities like Paris and Lyon as well. May also be referred to as regional or bistro fare. Examples would be Steak-Frites, Patés, or Croque Monsieur - a grilled cheese sandwich made with Brioche, Gruyere and Dijon Mustard. This is also served with French fries.

This is not a detailed description of the ever diverse French Cuisine, but it hopefully serves as a starting point. A couple of great authentic French restaurants in the Northwest are Le Pichet in downtown Seattle, Café Presse in Capitol Hill, and Carafe in Portland. Bon Appetit!

Great reading on the subject: The Perfectionist: Life and Death in Haute Cuisine, A Meal Observed.

Pre-Travel Musings

2009-01-04T16:20:00.000-08:00

Vanessa and I will be traveling to Europe in 3 months (March 25-april 8). I will use this blog to post journal entries, photos and videos of our time there.

So far, our itinerary will go like this:

Arrive in Nice, Fr and spend 3-4 days with friends who live there. Maybe take a day trip to St. tropez or Villefrance Sur Mer. Our main focus will be to spend time with friends, see the city from their perspective, relax and eat well. We will probably visit the Chagall Museum in Nice and the parfumerie where you can see how french perfume is made.

Next, we will take a train up to Burgundy and spend about 4 days touring the Cote D'Or region. This area is not only a rival to Bordeaux as the best wine department in France, but it also has an amazing culinary tradition. not to mention the great history of the dukes of Burgundy.

The next 3 days or so will be in Paris. Although this is the city of cliches, it also has been home to many of the greatest figures in history: Marie Antionette, Joan of Arc, Louis XIV, Napoleon, and that's just to name a few. Paris also houses more Michelin 3* restaurants than any other city in the world. Our final stop in France will be a tour of the 17th century Baroque palace of Versailles.

Then we will catch a flight to Prague, Czech Republic where we will complete our last 3 days in Europe. Prague lays claim to one of the largest castles in Europe, some of the best and cheapest beer, and an economy that has been booming since the fall of communism 20 years ago.

I will probably post a few entries before we go about things i'm discovering through research.

Travels in Morocco's Mid-Atlas Mountains

2003-04-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

April 28, 2003

During the first week of April, I spent five unforgettable and life changing days in Morocco. I was accompanied by Carlos, the pastor of Calvary Chapel in Jerez, Spain, his wife Yolanda, Carmen, (a member of the church), her son Ángel, and Andrés a Brazilian teen who now lives in Jerez. We departed Jerez at 5am on Friday morning, scrunched in a small Mitsubishi SUV with our luggage in the back, and clothes and medicine in the bins on the roof.

We arrived in Algeciras just in time to catch the 8am ferry to Morocco. By 10am we were in line to cross the official Moroccan border. My visa expired in December, and I've been waiting for the renewal since then.

While we were waiting, the locals would come to our window to offer advice or help filling out our travel statements for the border patrol. We knew that they only wanted our passports, which they could sell for a premium on the black market. With our windows up, we smiled and looked away.

We crossed the border and were on our way. Ten hours later, we arrived at an orphanage that Carlos has visited several times before. Mohammed, who was going to be our translator during our stay in Morocco, worked there. Not 5 min. after our arrival, we were back on the road with an armed Moroccan government official behind us. Mohammed told us to leave immediately because the Orphanage was now being held under surveillance to monitor Christian evangelists. We didn't want to give our names, so we left in a hurry.

The orphanage lies on the outskirts of the Mid-Atlas Mountains - the heart of which would be our final destination. During a visit to the orphanage, Carlos was introduced to Omar, the chief of a Berber tribe. Omar invited Carlos to visit the tribe several months ago, and since then Carlos has stayed with Omar several times. So, that's where we went. The ascent up the mountain was slow going even with a 4wd. Two hours from the orphanage, the paved road ended. We traversed the switchbacks of dirt and rocks for another hour and a half.

The scenery was beautiful-we passed by a forest of cedar and pine trees where the wild monkeys are said to jump and scream. Past the timberland, we began to approach Omar's home. Omar lives just like any other Berber; a rudimentary home made of stones and mud, with a living room/bedroom and a kitchen. They have no electricity, running water, or
bathroom (our bathroom was the open field surrounding the home). Omar has a wife (Ajeeba) a daughter (Azhor, 22) , and a son (Mohammed, 13).

We greeted the family, and were welcomed with what sounded like an adolescent boys choir rehearsal - the Berbers have their own language. Through the odd barks and hacks I somehow recognized the word tea. A childlike giddiness suddenly overcame me - I'm going to drink tea with a Berber tribe...

We soon unburdened galloper (our vehicle) and prepared for our first night underneath an African moon. By the time we had unloaded all our luggage and supplies, the twilight had begun to cast shadows on the green fields leaving an eery Kincade-like tableau.

That evening we communicated with Omar and his family via grunts, animal noises and impersonations, smiles and laughter. We ate dinner and soon when to sleep.

The next day, Saturday, was spent visiting some of Omar's neighbors and drinking tea. Other than playing soccer on a dirt and rock field with a volleyball, the day was fairly uneventful. After dinner at Omar's, Ajeeba asked if we could take her to the hospital because she had hurt her thumb several months ago, and it had yet to heal. We agreed to take her in the morning, concerned that she might have had gangrene.

On Saturday night, the clouds rolled in and started to cry like a baby on an airplane. The dirt highway soon turned into a river of mud. So, on Sunday morning we woke up to even more rain and near-freezing temperatures. In order for Carlos to drive in the mud, I had to install the tire chains. I spent no less than 2 hrs. rolling around in the mud with numb and bleeding hands struggling to install the chains, which were tangled and missing crucial connecting pieces. Had the weather cooperated and Galloper not been bathed in mud, I would have been able to put them on without much trouble. But, with the combination of disastrous weather and poor circulation in my hands, I was left with little strength to install chains.

One had great difficulty walking in the mud without falling, and driving proved to be even more difficult. The 3hr. descent to the paved highway was a death wish. We would move forward about five feet, then Galloper would start to trot to the right, toward the edge of the highway-a mortal drop. Carlos and I were both praying out loud, and I even felt a tear roll down my cheek. Our seat belts were left unfastened because they would've done no good if Galloper had jumped. Once we reached the paved highway, Carlos and I took off the chains and cleaned them in the river.

An hour and a half later, we were en route for the nearest hospital in Meknés. From there we were directed to another hospital in another city that had an X-ray machine available. At the latter, whose name I don´t know, we dropped Omar and Ajeeba off at the gate of the high security hospital. Carlos and I took a walk around the city and recalled our unnerving trek down from the mountain.

The highway was as dangerous on the way up, only this time we lost achain. Once we arrived at Omar's home, we partially undressed and got warm near the stove in the kitchen.

Monday and Tuesday were both cold and wet, so we passed most our time visiting with the family in the living room. I now have a Berber vocabulary of about 15 words. Eat, drink, tea, I'm stuffed, , I'm full, thank you, how are you, etc.

Wednesday we said our goodbye's, some shed a couple tears, Omar suggested I become his son-in-law, everyone laughed, and we drove off.

We spent Wednesday night at Mohammed's parents home in the city where the orphanage is. Mohommads dad took us to a public shower in the city. We tied up Galloper, and walked through an alleyway where a rabid dog on a leash tried to attack us, and someone had set a small doll on fire.

When we got to the shower facility, we asked Mohammads dad if he was going to take a shower also. He shook his head and counted to four with his fingers, indicating that he had four days left before he takes another shower.

The guys and girls split up. We were given buckets and bowls in the dressing room, and once we undressed, we brought them into the shower room (oops, forgot to bring flip-flops). The temperature of the showerroom was very hot, much like a sauna. There were hot and cold waternozzles, which we used to fill our buckets. There were naked bodies all around me-some scrubbing others. A man to my right, who I assumed was a veteran of the public showers, had brought a small carpet to lay down on while his buddy scrubbed him.

After a week without a shower, I was delighted to bath in dirty Moroccan water. We spent about 45 min. sweating and scrubbing, before we returned to the home of Mohammed's dad, where we spent our last night in Morocco. Before sunrise the next morning, we were headed back to Spain.

I have a heart for Omar and his family. I even hope to return for ten days during winter break, Lord willing. It wasn't easy to go back to the civilized world where we take so much for granted. My time in Morocco broadened my perspective on life. I can no longer ignore the fact that so many people live their entire lives with that way, and shrug my shoulders.

I only have three weeks left in Spain! I have mixed feeling about returning home to cold rain, but I miss everyone a lot.

God bless, Nick

European Perspective on Iraq War - April, 2003

2003-04-02T15:56:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone.

I felt it was time to update you on my current status in Europe. Anti-war protesters have been very aggressive lately. There's hasn't been any violence yet in Sevilla, but lots of strikes and protests. Banners of American flags with Swastikas in place of stars are hung around the Universities. Thousands of students gather around the city
chanting "Asasino" in reference to G.W.B. Many of my classes have been canceled directly as a result of the student assembly. In Sevilla, the student body has legal power to suspend classes of Spanish students. consequently, if us American students continued with our classes during the strikes, we could be singled out as resisting the flow. There's a lot more going on in regards to the protests, but they don't affect my everyday life as much.

The media in Europe is much more liberal in its footage of the war; casualties and injured civilians are shown on TV without any real discretion. As is true with all mass media, the networks in Spain have an agenda. The majority of war coverage is spent on accessing civilian casualties (whom may or may not have been shielding government officials), rather than Saddams dirty war games. It's hard to seek out opposing viewpoints for this reason. For example, the local news in Spain doesn't discuss France's collaboration with Iraq (Intelligence for oil), nor does it cover Frances most recent internal change in policy. It's speculated that France would like to fully support the US right now for economic reasons, but in order to do so, they'd have to swallow their pride. So instead, news leaks out about how France would side with the US in case of Iraq's use of either biological or chemical weapons.

Many political analysts believe that the current Spanish/Moroccan dispute over recently discovered oil in the straight of Gibraltar could be one reason why Aznar, the Spanish president, is siding with the US. Morocco has been selling their portion of the oil (they have more than Spain) to the US, and Spain is trying to get their share.

Whether any of this speculation is true or not, the fact is we're in war. No one likes it, but we can only trust the Lord that his will be done. It's important to remain sober minded and remember that he's in control. I find myself constantly frustrated with the hegemonic American mentality, but equally so with the ignorance of European students. Rather than take sides on human grounds, I have to side with the Lord.

As an American student, I feel an increasingly negative attitude from Europeans as a result of the US's change towards an Imperial policy. Just like Americans, many Europeans simply lack understanding and perspective of the big picture. Having said that, on a personal level, I feel respect towards and respected by Europeans as a whole. I consider myself lucky to be in Europe during the war. I feel like I understand America from the eyes of an outsider better.

Summer is rapidly approaching and the holy week and the April fair are only weeks away. Each last one week, and they're separated by a week of school. During holy week, I'm going on a mission trip to the mid-atlas mountains of Morocco with Calvary Chapel of Jerez. We'll stay with a Berber tribe whose chief has taken a liking to Carlos Casco, the pastor of Calvary Jerez. I feel so blessed to have this opportunity, and owe much gratefulness to my mother who suggested that her and I visit Calvary of Jerez while we were in town several weeks ago. I did, and had I not listened to her, I would've never had this wonderful opportunity. Thanks mom.

Please let me know what everything's like back home, and know my prayers are with you,

In Him, Nick

An Adventure in Amalfi, Italy

2003-01-29T15:51:00.000-08:00

January 29, 2003 - Midway through a 3-week backpacking trip through Europe

Well, my days have been spent in harmony with nature - God's wonderful creation.

After dabbling through the junk pile in Rome (where to begin? The Colosseum, Roman Forum, Pantheon, Palatine Hill, Arch of Constantine, Fountain of Treve, Spanish steps, National Museum of Rome, Capitol Hill, etc...), Bryce and I went south. Upon arrival at the bus station in Sorrento, we found out that a landslide had buried the ever euphoric switchbackin' highway from Sorrento to Amalfi through the coastal mountains of the Riviera. So, we took a detour through the mainland, which was still impressive, as we got occasional glimpses of the sparkling green Mediterranean hundreds of feet below.

After an afternoon in Amalfi, a town that lies in hibernation during
the cooler winter months, Bryce and I went to the bus station to buy
tickets back to our southern base Sorrento. We were told the next bus
to Sorrento was set to leave around 6pm, so we found an internet cafe,
and sipped some caffé latté. After over a week of clear blue skies in
France, Switzerland and Italy, the droopy black clouds looming above
began to leak drops the size of crocodile tears. We sat in the pouring
rain waiting for a bus that never came, and finally after several
hours, we seeked shelter in a local bar/cafe. We were talking to an
elderly Italian man about the weather and New York when Willie came
billowing in. He chanted "It's raining" and the dozen or so men
gathered at the card table next to us all repeated in unison
(apparently Willie was no stranger). Our elderly friend muttered
"English" under his breath with a grin.

Willie (from Manchester) asked Bryce and I where we're from, and were we're
going. After some small talk, we told him we were hoping to catch the
next bus to Sorrento. He casually mentioned that the last bus of the
day left 10 minutes ago, and sat down to play cards. Bryce and I just
stared at each other for a moment, then burst out in laughter. We sat
down and contemplated our next move, when Willie scooted his chair
towards us and handed us his business card. It read: BUDGET
ACCOMMODATION FOR BUDGET TRAVELERS. We asked what he charges, and he
said 15€ per person. So, we borrowed the Brits cell and called our
hostel in Sorrento to say that we'd come to pick up our luggage
tomorrow. At this point the entire town was closed (8pm), except for
one grocery store. The rain continued to come down hard as if to
punish us for missing our bus. Willie said to follow him, so he took
us to the grocery store where he bought carrots, potatoes, and celery.
He then took us to the bus stop where we waited with him for our ride
to the hostel. Before long an economy size Fiat zoomed by and the two
Italian girls inside waved and smiled. Willie held up his hand and
they stopped. He turned toward us with a smirk and said "get in". We
went straight up the mountain that looks down on the village, and
eventually in an attempt to get comfortable in the back seat, Bryce
stretched out in the back seat. The car responded with a thud.
Something had broken, but no one knew what, so all five of us laughed
for about 30 seconds. After several miles of windy narrow switchbacks,
the girls spit us out on the side of the road. Willie gave us a tour
of the neighborhood--the fam--and showed us where we'll catch the bus to
Sorrento in the morning.

Willie's great grandparents were Italian and when they died he
inherited their home in the hills of Amalfi. The home lies on a 20º
pitch, and a long windy stairway is the only way to get there. He
maintains the vineyard, and rents out several rooms in the home, plus
accepts campers during the summer. As soon as we walked in the door,
Willie had me peeling carrots and potatoes. He made an incredible
stew, and after we were full, we watched a movie, and went to sleep.
We arose from bed at 5:30, packed our belongings, set 40€ on the table,
and took a final peak from the balcony at the humble fishing
boats setting out to sea on the beautiful riviera.

Letter from Barcelona, Spain

2003-01-27T16:10:00.000-08:00

Bryce and I arrived in Barcelona several hours ago, and we'll be here

until Wed. 29 before we return to Sevilla. Bryce ran out of money, so

I've been loaning him some until his dad puts cash in his account.

It's become quite a problem because his dad wrote a check to his

account, but it hasn't transfered yet. He owes me at least $200...

Barcelona's great so far. We found a wonderful hostal, and we'll be

living off bread and water for the next couple of days :D Yesterday we

ate breakfast, lunch and dinner for $11 per person...

SORRENTO AND POMPEII, ITALY

2003-01-22T16:09:00.000-08:00

Bryce and I left Rome for Sorrento today via Naples. Our hostel is a

hole in the wall where the cash register is a tin can, and we had to

wait for the owner to return from dinner in order to check in. There's

a sign taped to the wall that reads:

To our clients:

is possible eat your food in the hall, but you should buy your drink to

our bar next door. Thank you

Our dinner was pizza across the street ($2 per person), which we

brought to our hostel, and now we're headed to bed with a blend of

sexes clustered together in a small room.

I'm loving everything about this place so far. I've had free dinner

the last two nights. Last night, a girl from Sevilla cooked Tortilla

Espanola (Egg, potato...), and the night before that, a local

restaurant had a free spaghetti feed (mmm). When I first arrived in

Italy, I would pay upwards of $15!

Tomorrow Bryce and I will visit Pompeii (the ancient city preserved by

the eruption of mt. Vesuvius in 79ad, then head to Amalfi (southern

Italian coast town).

I hope all is well in the great northwest!

Nick

Letter from Rome, Italy

2003-01-19T16:07:00.000-08:00

January 19, 2003

It's monday morning and I've been sick for several days. I was up all

last night with a horrible soar throat... I haven't been this sick in

quite a while. My throat feels a little better, but my entire body

aches in one way or another, and I have a bad cough :D

I'm gonna take it easy today, then see how I feel this afternoon--maybe

I can do something if I take it easy.

Yesterday Fede from Spain was on the same train to Rome (even though

there was a strike), and he led us to his hostel ($51 per person for 3

nights), and gave us a whirlwind tour of the city at night: Spanish

Steps, Fountain of Treve, the Forum of Constantine, the Colosseum,

and more.

We then went to the grocery store and bought bread, meat, cheese,

yougurt, and orange juice to bring back to the hostel. The hostel is

wonderful; small, personal, and it comes with a kitchen, and

silverware, etc...

Rome is huge, but very interesting.

I'll keep you posted on everything going on,

Love, Nick

Grenoble, France - Alps in January

2003-01-10T16:03:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,

I arrived in Grenoble, France this evening. I flew into Paris where I

hopped the train to Grenoble and checked into my hotel. France is

cold. Paris was 17deg and snowing when I arrived, and Grenoble is much

higher ^.

I'm here with Tara Smith, a friend who's studying in Grenoble, until

Sunday when I meet my roommate Bryce in Zermatt, Switzerland to

ski/Snowboard (8 miles from top to bottom).

I hope all is well back home...

~N~