Zack and Kat Make a Trip...: Italy Picture Catch Up by Kat

This past week has been spent falling in love with the Balkans, truly an amazing place to travel, not too many tourists and interesting (but complicated) history. We have been very lucky to meet and spend time with Croatian, Serbian and Bosnian people, who have shared with us stories of growing up (or sometimes fighting) in the war. Amazing to think what happened here on this gorgeous territory.

This morning we took an early morning train from Sarajevo to Mostar. We checked into a brand new family run hostel this morning and are spending the afternoon relaxing, a difficult things to do when you're travelling and spending only a few days in each city. There is always something you feel you "should" be seeing or doing. Zack is nursing a bad cold and a new tattoo. As I type this he is watching (and hating) a Sex and the City marathon. Given our relaxed cable-tv-ed afternoon, I thought I'd take the opportunity to upload some pictures from Naples, Florence and Venice. It feels like ages ago since we were there, but in reality it was only two weeks ago.

When I was 9(ish) years old I watched a Discovery Channel special about Pompei. I remember it very clearly, I watched it at my grandfather's house. I'd like to say I watched it with my grandfather but I doubt that was the case. It was the summer which meant he was likely in the garden. I remember watching it and misunderstanding the facts - I thought the special was comparable to the news (also often on in my grandfather's home) and that a volcano had just recently erupted and covered an entire city and its inhabitants. My 9 year-old self was horrified, amazed and slightly concerned that Manitoulin Island might have a similar fate. Later my father clarified for me that "No, Kathryn that was a really long time ago....like before Jesus and there are no volcanos around here." Thanks Dad.

Now as a 28 year-old, I was happy to visit the Pompei ruins with the facts a bit more organized. I'm not too big into ruins but enjoyed Pompei very much. Zack and I both agreed we liked it more than Machu Picchu, way more intact (thanks volcanic ash) which meant we could get a pretty clear image of what life was like for the people of Pompei.

Here are some pics of Pompei.

These little counter tops were all over the city. They were like a "snack bar" or lunch restaurant.

This was one of the many public baths. These are our two American friends who let us avoid the 8 Euro cost of a ruins map and shared their map with us all day. There is absolutely no information printed in the ruins, so not only would we have learned nothing, we would have gotten terribly lost. Such sweet guys and again the kindness of strangers comes in handy.

Oh Florence, you knocked my socks off again (more realistically my birkenstocks.) Zack seemed to like it too. The downtown core was like swimming in a tourist soup but I guess that's what happens in beautiful places...people visit them.

We turned a corner and arrived a the Duomo....Zack (the first timer)'s mouth dropped open, that does the Duomo justice....these pictures do not.

We drank a bottle of champagne and celebrated a our one month trip anniversary while watching this sunset. We also unfortunately met some really obnoxious American's who barked information at us...let's pretend that didn't happen.

Venice, the first time for both of us. Gorgeous and hot...so so hot.