01 BRYN’S BUGLE

David Brynjolfson
Journalist and Editor.

Walter (Wally) Brynjolfon

Photographer and Concept Designer.

Featured Inside:
Fully photographed day-to-day documentation
of the Brynjolfson Family’s european adven-
tures and exploits.

EUROPE 2010
Telephone Number:
(604) 530-3208
fax (604) 530-3208

Webpage:
www.brynjolfson.com
Day 1 - Departure
Saturday - December 18th, 2010
The trip began with a
humble parade out the
door. It was Dad, Mom,
Karis, Wally and I; the
entire family together in
what would probably be
our last joint vacation.
It was a trip to Europe,
obviously, but more
specifically, Iceland, Italy
and Spain. We would stop
in Heathrow for a few
hours on the way there,
but nothing else. The idea
was that it was a trip to
visit our ‘’ancestral roots”,
which was undoubtedly
true but it’s not as if this
was our only reason (or
our original reason for
that matter), we were
visiting three incredibly
awesome countries after
all, and such a venture
never needs a valid reason
other than the thrill of
adventure. Three weeks
divided as two days
given to Iceland (we had
never thought of going
to Iceland until we were
given the choice of there,
London or Frankfurt
as our layover choices. since the flights from though, so I was very hap-
Frankfurt being terribly there are so expensive) py. So we arrived at the
dull, and two days not and so we spent an extra airport, boarded the plane
being enough for Lon- three hours driving south, with no problems and
don we chose the land which wasn’t so bad since took off for Iceland. The
of ice and fire. Also, we stopped at the Bellis flight was seven hours,
none of us had ever been Fair shopping mall. We but each person had a TV
there, or ever expected had lots of time, after screen with an abundance
to have another chance), all, and Karis wanted to of movies and shows and
ten days in Italy, seven buy pants, so we looked even a language-learning
days in Spain and two around. Mom, Wally tool. It was very exciting
days in traveling limbo (I and I all ended up buy- to travel to that intrigu-
must have my numbers ing leather jackets from ingly unique island but
wrong). So off we went, the same place since they the flight itself is never
together as an excited, were on sale (they turned that nice, especially when
joyful whole. We woke up out to not be real leather) you fly eastwards for
after 7 AM and spent a which made it clear that seven hours and find that
few minutes making our we were together since it’s already the next day.
last few preparations and they looked so similar. It
then we left. The night solved my jacket problem
before, we had ordered
pizza since we wanted
as little food as possible
left in the house, and for
breakfast Wally and I ate
the remainder. We had
dropped Starbuck off at
our grandparent’s house,
and so it seemed all the
more quiet and strange as
we left the door. Seattle
was our place of depar-
ture (sadly not Vancouver
Day 2 - First Day in Reykjavik
Sunday - December 19th, 2010
I can’t remember exactly
when we boarded the
plane, but it was already
afternoon. Since Iceland
was so far away to the
east, we arrived at 7:30
AM (not even midnight
in Seattle). It was still
fully pitch-black outside,
nothing could be seen.
When we decided to go
to Iceland we forgot to
consider that it was going
to be days away from the
winter solstice in a very
northern country (Reyk-
javik is the northernmost
capital city in the world
after all- some 64 degrees
north, which makes it the
northernmost place we’ve
ever been). The airport
was in a little town a good
distance away from Reyk-
javik called Keflavik, and
they made it very clear
that they had won the
trophy for best airport in
Europe for 2009. Frankly
they deserved it, it was
amazing in all aspects,
but we left quite quickly
and got into a shuttle. The
winds were very fierce
and nippy, much colder
than anticipated, only a
country as bold as Iceland
would have such an intro-
duction. I wanted to con-
gratulate Wally on seeing
his first tree on European
soil but of course there
weren’t any (I later saw a
few purposely planted in
the center of Reykjavik).
Only barren volcanic
rocks stretching out to
the distant mountains
decorated the drive. The
capital city was very emp-
ty, every still slept and
nothing opened until ten
(nothing happening until
so late in the day was one
of the many shocks we
had). It was a very beauti-
ful place in its own way,
the highest building was
seven stories, and the par-
liament was just as regu-
lar as any other building.
After dropping our stuff
off at the hotel, which
was deep in the heart of
the city, we crossed the
square to a bakery (the
one place open) and had
breakfast. Then we admit-
ted that the winds were
ice cold and that we were
freezingly miserable so we
put on some extra layers.
It slowly became dawn
after 10 AM (but the sun
didn’t fully come out
until 11) and we wanted
to see the sunrise from
Hallgrimskirkja so we
went walking through the
streets. We arrived at the
church at about 10 AM (it
was at the opposite end
of the city, which shows
just how small the city
is) and took pictures of
its unworldly good-looks
with the azure of dawn
behind. We climbed up to
the steeple, where a great
view of the surroundings
could be seen. The entire
city, with the mountains
across the bay and every-
thing was visible. It was
so immense and power-
ful, so awe-inspiring; the
raw ferocious wild of
the winds was immense
(Icelandic wind is bad
from the ground but in
the air it’s crazy). They
were having mass at 11,
as the sun rose, and so we
sat in the inside for a little
while. The insides of the
church were so serene and
humble. The walls and the
arching columns weren’t
decorated with elabo-
rate paintings but were
plain white in an almost
eerie way, and when you
turned around you saw
an immense pipe organ
(the second biggest in the
world, I believe). Dur-
ing the mass, the church
welcomed a new member
called Walter Waltersson.
We left soon after, and
split up over what to do.
We went to the Icelandic
National Museum, except
Wally, and there we saw
items from throughout
Iceland’s history (so a
good amount on the
Vikings, which I found
very interesting, but really
there wasn’t that much
in the museum). As we
walked there we passed
a graveyard that had the
name Brynjolfsson on
a few of the tombstones
and throughout our stay
we actually saw the name
often enough. In Canada,
the name is so incredibly
rare, it’s so nice to go to
a place where it’s com-
mon. We also stopped
by the country’s most
popular restaurant- a
hotdog stand. This was
no ordinary hotdog stand
though, they used Ice-
landic mustard, which
is nothing like North
American mustard (I can’t
remember the ingredients
but it was a dark brownish
green colour and tasted
good especially since the
bun itself tasted good
too. We actually bought
some, Wally did, and
took it home with us even
though it disappeared af-
terwards. In Iceland, there
aren’t many things to do
unless it involves nature;
it’s really only a destina-
tion if one’s planning to
go far out of city life. We
experienced everything
about Reykjavik there was
to experience and in only
a matter of hours, less
even, and ran out of stuff
to do not long after we
came. The sun went down
between three thirty and
four. Yes, it’s the shortest
day I’ve ever seen (they
get twenty-four hour
days in summer though).
And we went home and
ended up falling asleep at
around five.
Day 3 - Blue Lagoon
Monday - December 20th, 2010
Still suffering from Jetlag,
Wally woke up at about
1 Am, Mom at 2:00 and I
woke up at about 2:30 (we
had taken naps through-
out the day before and
had gone to bed at like 5
PM (an hour after sunset)
so we were still quite well
rested). Karis woke up for
a little bit and so did Dad
and then everyone went
back to bed eventually. I
fell asleep at like 4:30 Am.
While we were up, I and
Wally checked the news
on the internet and BBC
had this long article from
the day before on how
Heathrow was being de-
layed due to unexpected
amounts of snow, that it
was affecting thousands of
flyers and that it was sug-
gested to not fly through
Heathrow but that it
would end by Monday.
We thought “Well hope-
fully it won’t be a prob-
lem when we’re there
on Tuesday.” Well so no
one set their alarm, and
everyone woke up at 11:
00 AM. We were planning
to catch the 11 o’clock bus
to the Blue Lagoon. So we
quickly ate and tried to
figure something out, and
took the bus that went an
hour later. The voyage to
the Blue Lagoon was nice,
for most of the way, it was
the same highway as to
Keflavik, but we got to see
it in Daytime. The Lagoon
was incredible. It had the
most wonderfully sooth-
ing waters, and was com-
pletely natural, and we
thoroughly enjoyed it. By
the time we left the Blue
Lagoon it was sunset, and
we all fell asleep on the
drive back (it was a half
hour or so drive). Once
we got back to the hotel,
we went to an Icelandic
sports bar, one of the few  
of its kind, and it was
lovely. At the hotel, Dad
found out that our flight
to Madrid from Heathrow
had been cancelled, which
meant that we would have
to figure something out
in London the next day.
Then we went to bed and
this is really all we did. Of
course, it was much nicer
to actually be there and a
few interesting things did
happen at the lagoon such
as Wally getting the silica
mud in his contacts and it
burning, and dad making
a daring joke about the
Austrian who was taking
our picture (he was hav-
ing trouble with taking
a picture and wondering
what the problem was and
guessing that it was prob-
ably due to humidity).
Austrian: I think the
camera is humiliated.
Dad: Maybe it’s not the
camera that is humiliated.
But all the little events
can’t be recorded; only
memories can fill in the
rest.
Day 4 - Heathrow Fiasco
Tuesday - December 21st, 2010
We said goodbye to Ice-
land. We woke up for a
flight at seven but we later
found out the flight wasn’t
until nine. The drive there
wasn’t interesting, but we
said goodbye to Iceland
and had some interest-
ing conversations with
the same driver we had
last time. Iceland Air, the
airport and I think some
advertisements in the city
too probably, all told us
that Keflavik Airport was
the best in Europe (it was
rated so for 2009) and re-
ally it was a nice place. It
was modern, in great con-
dition, well decorated and
incredibly easy to navi-
gate. The flight took a few
hours but was very nice
and didn’t feel very long at
all, especially since I spent
it watching a documen-
tary on the cod wars and
staring out at the clouds
over Ireland (we saw a
little bit of Irish farmland
but not very much). We
arrived at Heathrow in
London between 11:15
and 11:45 AM, and as
soon as we got our bag-
gage we went to Brit-
ish Airway’s Customer
Services booth-which
was a long and com-
plex walk because, quite
simply, the airport was
huge. All that we knew
at this point was that our
flight out of Heathrow
(which was originally
supposed to take off two
and a half hours after we
landed) was cancelled
due to the heavy snowfall
on Saturday. When we
were planning the trip we
were considering either
spending our lay-over
in Iceland or in London,
and if we went to Lon-
don we would have had
to endure it right from
the start. Heathrow is the
busiest airport in europe,
second or third busiest
in the world (after either
Atlanta or Chicago, or
both, I can’t quite remem-
ber), and it became utter
chaos merely over a few
inches of snow (I heard
that it snowed six inches
in two hours and then I
also heard that it snowed
five inches in one hour, so
I’m not exactly sure how
much there was). Most
of the flights on Satur-
day had been cancelled,
and that made the flights
on Sunday get cancelled
so the passengers from
Saturday could leave and
the same thing happened
day by day, and it was
taking them a ridiculously
long time to clean up the
runways and the whole
thing just dragged on for
a ridiculously long time.
Thousands of people were
stranded for days and the
airways didn’t seem to be
doing very much to help.
Well anyways, so when we
got to the Customer Ser-
vices Booth, there was a
huge line of people trying
to deal with their flight
Heathrow Fiasco Cont...
problems as well. We got
into this line at about
twelve, and it moved in-
credibly slowly while just
getting longer and longer
behind us. We sat in this
line for six hours (prob-
ably more like 5 hours
and 45 minutes) which
was awfully dreadful and
most certainly the lon-
gest of its type that I have
ever had the privilege to
experience. We did, how-
ever, become friends with
those ahead and behind
us in the line (mostly
behind). It’s funny that in
types of trouble people
unite. When two people
suffer together they bond
(well, honestly it wasn’t
me that was doing the
bonding) and so it was
in this case as well. The
outgoing Cuban man
(you can always trust a
Latino to be outgoing),
who was accompanied by
his Lithuanian wife made
everything incredibly in-
teresting and helped a lot.
He served in the Ameri-
can Military, lived in
Italy for six years and had
been living in Seville for
24 years, and they were
probably very wealthy
(probably working for the
CIA) and had been vaca-
tioning in Cape town for
two weeks. Their situation
was very sad since, well
first of all his father had
flown in to see them and
their kids for Christmas,
and if I remember right,
he hadn’t been at their
house in Spain for a very
long time, and they were
supposed to be there with
him on the 18th. More
importantly, they were at
the airport for four days
(since the very start of the
whole “six inches of snow
crisis”) and had been
sleeping in the airport
and were just incredibly
stressed out. Between
them and us was an Irish-
woman (who worked as
human resources person)
and her father, and they
were travelling to Sydney.
In front of us was a Chris-
tian guy who I can’t re-
member very much about
except for being a bit
quiet and having a con-
versation with Dad about
theology. In front of him
was a Spaniard with a Ha-
waiian shirt and his wife,
and in front of them was
a Portuguese lady who
supposedly didn’t speak
English (note we never
talked to these people
except for the Cuban, his
wife, the Irishwoman, and
the guy in front of us).
Well, it was actually very
fun and interesting, and
things heated up when
people started skipping
in line. The Portuguese
lady (short, in her early
fifties, fat like a little ball)
had somehow acquired a
bunch of people who were
going to help her in case
she needed translating at
the desk, and in return
they would get to go to
the desk right after her.
Originally it was just one
man and then it was his
friend and another friend
after that. There was also
an old Italian couple who
were trying to skip the
line altogether (not a bad
idea in theory except it’s
extremely obvious) (the
wife, a typical old Ital-
ian grandmother with
a strange sense of style,
would run up to the desk
every time someone was
finished and no one did
anything about it. It was
so chaotic and disorga-
nized that this could eas-
ily just happen and it was
ridiculous). Keep in mind
that the line only moved a
few feet in an hour. Well,
things heated up, Mom
got fed up with them
cheating, and she yelled
at them, and showed the
anger of the people. The
Cuban then stepped in
and used diplomacy and
got them to leave (this is
for the Portuguese) except
for the one guy who
would help the lady with
her transactions and then
leave to join his friends.
The entire line stared,
and the British Airways
people saw it and woke up
to the chaos and it ended
up being very great. The
Portuguese guys left (so
did the Italians until they
came back) and the rest
of us were very happy and
smiled about it between
ourselves. Finally, after
so many long hours we
got our turn at the desk
and figured out our flight
issues. Dad dealt with it
while I and Karis stood
at the bags talking to this
other man who was trying
to get to Rio de Janeiro.
The Italians crossed back
right at the desk (with the
attendant doing nothing
about it) right before the
Cuban’s turn (the Irish-
woman and her father
had left the line before
they had even gotten to
the desk) and walked
away. Well, we finally
figured everything out.
We were going to spend
the night in London with
free dinner and breakfast
at a fancy Hotel and then
board a plane to Amster-
dam as a layover to Rome
(all of this not being our
schedule whatsoever).
So there we went, finally
away from Heathrow after
over 7 hours (we were
only meant to be there
for two) and we took the
train to Paddington sta-
tion (on the train we had
a nice conversation with
an Englishman). From
Paddington station we
found the hotel, a very
fancy place with a deli-
cious dinner and then we
went to an English pub
(where they showed darts
on the TV) and then
finally went to sleep.
Day 5 - London to Rome
Wednesday - December 22nd, 2010
We woke up in London
and went down to have
a lovely breakfast in the
fancy four star hotel. Then
we went down to the
metro station half a block
from the hotel (Edger’s
Road- or something like
that. It was right beside
Paddington on the circle
line in the tube). Dad
didn’t come with us, he
was figuring out all the
itinerary details and our
plans and stuff for his
work. We had until about
10:30 to see the main
sights of London, so we
went straight to Westmin-
ster and saw the palace,
the abbey, the London
Eye and all the old British
buildings around them.
We walked around and
took pictures, loving it
thoroughly all the way
through, and then walked
up to Trafalgar square.
We passed the house of
the Prime Minister, and
other buildings that were
probably very impor-
tant and then walked up
the fat forested street on
which parades happened
that went straight out of
Buckingham Palace. We
walked up to the gates of
the palace and then had
to rush back because we
were already quite late. It
took a bit of time to find
a station, but we made
our way back to the hotel
and then got all our bags
and rushed to the airport.
We never expected to be
able to go in and explore
London. It was fantas-
tic, and helped complete
the whole circle of ‘’go-
ing back to our roots”
(all we needed left in the
trip was Scotland and
Ireland). That being said,
it was more than worth
it to delay everything
by spending the night
there (especially since
the airlines gave us the
reservations as comple-
mentary). Well luckily for
us, our exit from Heath-
row wasn’t as tumultu-
ous as the entry, we had
to wait in line for a half
hour but it felt like noth-
ing compared to the day
before, and we got on our so really just two), and
plane soon enough (man saw both the Big Ben
it was incredibly packed and the Coliseum in one
though). The flight was day. It was quite a day,
the shortest international a lot of disliked airport-
flight I’ve ever done. It lounging, and the airplane
was to Amsterdam, which descents were never nice,
was another big surprise, but we got out of the
I never expected us to great ‘Six Inches of Snow
be going to the Nether- Crisis’ smoothly and
lands. It’s just a pity that were blessed with seeing
the entire stay was in an central London, so it was
airport. Our stay at the good but certainly not the
Amsterdam airport was best.
longer than expected,
however, so we were there
for a few hours. Eventu-
ally, we got on the plane
and arrived in Rome, but
by then it was dark. On
our drive from the airport
to our hotel, which was
just a street away from
the Coliseum, we saw
the Coliseum which was
great and mighty. Dad
had reserved our hotel
a longtime beforehand,
which was very nice, and
it was an ok place. So we
saw three major European
cities in one day (well, we
can’t count our stay in the
Netherlands for anything
Day 6 - The Roman Ruins
Thursday - December 23rd, 2010
We woke up in our
hotel room in central
Rome and went down
to eat breakfast, and
then quickly went to the
Coliseum. Our Hotel was
only a few blocks away
from the Coliseum; we
could see it as soon as we
got out of the hotel room.
The place was great, it was
right beside an awesome
salami shop that had
been around since the
30’s and beside a gelateria
and a shop of Calabrese
delights (Cheese, Salami,
Fungi). The Coliseum
was amazing, and we saw
Constantine’s Arch and
then walked through the
Forum (which was very
big, we saw the Circus
Maximus and went into
a museum of Roman
statues) and all over the
ancient Roman quarter.
Once we were beyond
the Ancient marketplace
and the monument to
Vitoria Emmanuel II
(which I had never heard
about and was incredibly
impressive) we stopped
at a spectacular little
restaurant a street away
where they had great Ital-
ian foccacia sandwiches
(our first Italian meal
on Italian soil and it was
delicious) and then we
had gelato which tasted
fantastic. Then we went
out all over Rome. The
weather outside was
delightful (the forecast
had said that it would be
raining) and very sunny-
in fact it didn’t seem like
winter at all (not to us but
the Italians sure thought it
was cold). We saw Tra-
jan’s Column (beside his
market). We went into the
Basilica di Santa Maria
di Arcoeli, the view was
amazing, and the insides
were grand, and we then
walked through the Cam-
pidoglio. From that point,
we walked to the Fontana
di Trevi, and sat there for
a little while. It was grand;
we got to know so much
of Rome, so many of its
streets. We walked all
the way up to the Piazza
di Poppolo and sat there
and by then the sun had
gone down. Afterwards
we walked down the Via
Narrone, which was the
main shopping street of
Rome. It was very busy,
and at nighttime (it was
nighttime by then) the
cars weren’t allowed to
go through so it was only
the pedestrians walking
around and there was an
incredible amount. So
we walked around some
more (at one point there
was a little band playing
on the street and a ran-
dom guy starting dancing
right behind them in a
ridiculous way without
them noticing and we
laughed) and then came
back to the hotel.
The Roman Ruins Cont...
Day 7 - The Vatican
Friday - December 24th, 2010
Everyone but Wally had
to still buy their Christ-
mas gifts for everyone else
(he bought his in Reyk-
javik). The plan was to
follow the plan we did in
Cusco five years ago. Back
then we picked names
from a hat and just had to
buy one gift for whoever
they pulled from the hat
(we had done this as we
went to Iceland, while
we were on our way to
Seattle actually) and so it
was going to be this year.
We also wanted to see the
Pope do Christmas mass
in the Vatican (which
started at 10:30) and we
found out that we needed
dous, amazingly beautiful
and grand, we had heard
to buy tickets at the that the Vatican Museum
Vatican a few days before took more than a whole
and so we needed to go day to see and it was true.
to the Vatican as soon as We certainly couldn’t
possible to buy them (the have seen everything, and
tickets were free) and so ended up leaving close to
we decided we would go when the day was ending
there first. Well, we took (it was raining too. The
the bus (the first time entire time it was raining
in Italy, before we had or cloudy in Rome except
walked everywhere) and for the day before this one
arrived in the Vatican which was wonderful).
soon enough. We went In the Sistine chapel we
into the Basilica and ex- saw the famous paint-
plored its museum. Then ing on the roof of God
we went to the museum touching life into Adam
that was basically not a and it was actually very
museum at all but rather small and surrounded by
the Sistine Chapel (and other brilliant paintings
surrounding rooms). The just like it, and the guards
entire place was tremen- kept yelling “No Photo”
constantly, it was great.
We couldn’t get photos for
Catholic Mass though so
we were sad. That day we
did walk through the rain
to an expensive Italian
restaurant where we ate
another delicious Italian
meal (that was incredibly
small and overpriced)
and then we walked to the
Pantheon and the Plaza di
Navone (the last famous
places that we hadn’t
seen and been close to
(we didn’t go inside the
Pantheon though) except
for Castle San Angelo)
while it was dark. We
never ended up spreading
out to buy our Christmas
gifts so we decided to
postpone Christmas until
the Dia de Reyes in Spain
(January 6) so we went to
the Hotel and spent a few
more hours than usual
(just like one and a half-
most of which we spent
taking pictures of the
Coliseum at night) and
then went to sleep.
Day 8 - Monte Cassino
Saturday - December 25th, 2010
We woke up on Christmas had told us they would be jor cities so close togeth- and the entire place was
day and ate our breakfast open on Christmas day er. We stopped at Monte just incredibly awesome.
in the hotel (where we but now they weren’t. Cassino on our way down Perhaps one of the best
talked with some Aus- So we had to go to the to Napoli. We saw the things was the weather,
tralians) and then Dad, Airport (Again!).. We mountain and drove up we couldn’t believe that
Wally and David went went to the airport and and it was incredible. The it was Christmas day
out to get the car that we after some arguing with sight was amazing from because the weather was
were going to rent. The the woman at the counter the top, the whole valley just so great (the Italians
actual Christmas tradition we got a ‘small minivan’ could be seen with all the thought it was cold but
was ignored of course, and so we went and it mountains behind, and the Icelanders would’ve
and it was hardly notice- was great. We got back to we walked around the laughed at them because
able that it was Christmas the hotel in the minivan Abbey. It was the sight Italian weather was noth-
at all really. It was our and we loaded it up with of a major world war two ing compared to Iceland
last day in Rome, and we all our stuff. And then battle. We saw a Sherman (or most of Canada for
were going to start driv- we left and drove out of tank in the town that had that matter)). Well, once
ing down to Firmo. We Rome. It didn’t take us been left behind, and we we left Monte Cassino
took the metro to a very long to drive out through saw a graveyard for the we kept on driving and
rough part of town to get the countryside. The dead Polish soldiers in the drove past Napoli while
the car but found the car country is so small; it’s so distance. The sight from it was dark and stopped
place to be closed. They odd for us to see two ma- the Abbey was incredible at Pompeii., It turned out
that around the ruins of
Pompei the modern town
was built and the hotel we
stopped at was just down
the street from the back
entrance to the ruins.
Once we were well es-
tablished in our hotel we
walked to the main plaza,
meandered for a bit then
went back to the hotel for
some well deserved sleep.
Day 9 - Pompeiiiii and...
Sunday - December 26th, 2010
We woke up and went out
into the ruins of Pompeii
quite early in the day. We
got there long before the
tours coming out from
Napoli, and it was rain-
ing a little bit but it was
so empty and that made
it incredibly wonderful.
No tourist attraction is the
same when it’s inundated
with tourists, they’re
much better when they’re
empty. Still, though, it
was great and much big-
ger than I had imagined,
and very worthwhile. The
arena was great because
it was so well preserved,
and so were the many
houses, and the bodies
we saw too.There was so
much to it actually, and
there were other ruins
in the area but we didn’t
have enough time to see
them all, not to mention
everything started to look
the same after a while.
Due to the overcast, we
weren’t able to see the
frightening and impos-
ing mount vesuvius very
well. But at one point
we were able to get some
fun photos with it in the
background, imagining
an erruption. We left the
old ruined city at noonish
and started down the road
again. Pompeii was just
south of Napoli, and we
decided to go from Pom-
peii down the coastline to
Salerno. It wasn’t a very Napoli, with Vesuvius money a few days before it looked like at night. It
far journey to make in a in the background and (alongside bread), and we was incredibly congested,
day but it was incredibly then saw the beauty of had it as we drove, which and no hotels were avail-
beautiful and famously the Mediterranean. It was was fun. Doing that able (that were cheap).
amazing. Mom was the such a beautiful place, meant that Dad hardly got So we ended up stop-
one that suggested it, and got better and bet- a chance to eat though ping in Pontecegnano (a
she had always wanted ter as we drove through (he was the chauffeur for little town just south of
to go. It was the Amalfi the little towns nestled the entirety of the trip). Salerno. We had quite
Coast and really just a over the turquoise waters. The road was very tight the adventure looking for
peninsula on the southern Positano, Praiano, Amalfi, and winding, it took a a hotel, and we found a
side of the bay of Napoli they were all so beautiful surprising while, and in pizza-place with terribly
but it was an amazing up against the water with all the days we drove we cold pizza (perhaps the
peninsula. The coastline the hills jutting out like covered the least amount worst meal in our entire
was incredible and cer- teeth all around them. For of miles on this day. We stay in Italy). So we never
tainly worth spending lunch we ate the salami, drove straight through went into Napoli but saw
a day to drive through. cheese and olives Wally the city of Salerno and it from the other side of
We had a great view of had bought with his own got a good view of what its gulf.
... the Gulf of Naples
Day 10 - The Motherland
Monday - December 27th, 2010
The next day we woke up the ancestors we knew of
in Pontecegnano (I’m not from the town, and took
even positive if that was photocopies. The records
the exact place we stayed) they had went all the way
and started driving south to back to the 1850’s.
to Firmo. Firmo was Every day we had done
where Abuelita’s par- something different and
ents were from. It was a fantastically awesome (I
little town in the Cosenza was worried that this day
province of Calabria that was going to be different
spoke Albaresh (a dialect but it certainly wasn’t).
of Albanian which is due Once we left, we drove
to the Albanians immi- around the countryside a
grating hundreds of years little bit (and picked Ol-
ago). It was a longer ives straight from the tree
drive than the others we which was an atrocious
had done (yet still un- idea, now we know why
like any drive in Canada) they’re not eaten off the
and it was very beautiful tree (I still ate the whole
drive through the Italian thing though and so did
mountains. At one point Mom)). We drove straight
we passed a 7000 foot back up the coastline and
mountain isolated on its drove for a long time (we
own, but the entire time hadn’t driven as much as
we were driving through we had this day than any
beautiful countryside. other or for a long time
We got to Firmo at like for that matter) and. It
2:00 Pm, and went into was nighttime when we
the Civil office. There the arrived back at Cassino
people were incredibly and stayed at a hotel
friendly and helped us there. (It was still only
find the birth records of like ^or 7 PM when we
our ancestors, and then got there-before we had
we went with Teresa (who been stopping as soon as
turned out to be a distant the sun went down but
relative) and met her this day we had decided
parents who were second not to since we had al-
in the tiny little village in ing and one of the best
cousins to Abuelita or so ready seen all the coun-
the middle of nowhere. It parts of the trip so far
we thought. It ended up tryside anyways)). The
was the real Italy, being (alongside Monte Cassino
that we weren’t related hotel we stayed at was
with them and their Ital- and the Amalfi Coast).
but that we were related the worst we had had all
ian culture (which was We believed that because
to people they knew. It through the entire trip but
really a mix of Italian and of the Albanian link
was incredible to stay in it was the cheapest so we
Albanian culture as they we probably had some
the house of a super old certainly didn’t mind.
showed in pictures he old Albanian history, but this
purely untouched Ital-
Albanian traditions). The proved it. We found all
ian family with their old
entire place was outstand- the birth records of all
ways and run down house
Day 11 - To Tuscany
Tuesday - December 28th, 2010
We left Casino at our sumed). Once we left the
usual time and drove up old fort (which did look
north to Firenze. The plan very cool and it was a
was to see Siena, and then pity that we couldn’t go
Monterrigioni and stop at in) we headed towards
Firenze by nighttime. It the center of town. The
would have been possible first streets looked aban-
but by the time we had doned except for cars
driven up north (we were parked around, and all
on the highway east of the buildings were sup-
Rome) we had decided ported by scaffolding-like
to go to L’Aquila instead. beams. Walking through
It was mom’s Idea, and the streets, we found that
all her ideas beforehand many turned out to not be
had been great. It didn’t as old as the middle ages,
take us very much con- but rather only a few
vincing to go, and it was hundred years old (which
only like an hour off the is not a complaint- even
road (which would mean Baroque buildings would
an hour spent there and have been worthwhile to
another hour to get back). see, because they were
We drove through the old.) We had already seen
mountains and it was very so many buildings of
beautiful, and a pleas- their type that it wasn’t
ant drive. Aquila was anything new like I had
supposed to be an old hoped though. The only
medieval town nestled difference was that every
between mountains that building had metal poles
looked really awesome supporting its structure,
but that had been struck which did actually make
by an earthquake only a it interesting. I mean the
year or two ago and so place must have been
we would see both the so gorgeous before the
town and the damage. earthquake, it’s so terribly
Once we arrived in the sad that it had to happen.
city center we saw a 16th It could have been much
century star fort which worse though, there were
we immediately headed so many buildings still
towards and began en- standing after all. We ar-
circling with interest. We rived at streets that were
weren’t allowed much livelier (but the walls
further than a quarter were still held up with
around its circumference, support. Every single
because it was blocked building had wooden or
off by the military (who metal beams that made
were there to help with sure they didn’t crumble
repairing the city, we as- apart). There was still
rubble on the roads from
the earthquake, little
pieces of marble that had
fallen off the buildings
and whatnot, but they
were disappearing fast
because people, such as
us, were cleaning them
off the streets. We took
something with us; it was
a cut out piece of marble
no bigger than a mandarin
and shaped like a penta-
gon with two sides longer
than the rest (this is what
I meant by cleaning the
streets- we did our part).
Then we ate a delight-
ful meal with delicious
artichokes that was more
than filling but had seem-
ingly ripped us off. To our
understanding, we had
paid the same price as all
the rough, lower-class
Italian workmen who
were having their lunch-
breaks but had gotten two
dishes while they had
three. We didn’t finish
what we had anyways,
so it wasn’t a big deal
and soon we were off on
the road again. We took
another route through the
mountains, from Aquila,
and it was very beautiful
but had taken a bit longer
than we had expected. It
stopped at Siena a few
hours later. Siena was an
incredibly beautiful place,
and was completely me-
dieval and romantically
awesome. The streets
were tightly squeezed
between the rows of tall
stone buildings that all
conjoined as if the houses
were just different slices
of the same winding
roundworm. Wally and I
climbed to the top of one
of the buildings (I’m not
sure what it was, it may
have been the bell-tower,
but it was right across
the street from the town
cathedral), and the view
was amazing. Viewing it
from above, always gives
you such a wonderfully
new perspective, especial-
ly when it’s over a serene
red-tiled labyrinth such
as Siena. By the time we
left, it was nighttime (we
had only gotten in right
before the sun started to
set), and we hoped to stop
at a hotel on the outskirts
or in a smaller town on
the way to Firenze be-
cause the hotels in the
downtown area weren’t
cheap. Before the trip had
started, Wally and I had
said that we wanted to
go to Monteriggioni. It
was an epic 12th century
walled village on the way
from Siena to Firenze
(and very close to Siena
so it really fit both desires
quite nicely) (and we had
come to know it from
Assassins Creed II). Since
it was very dark, we had
to arrive in Florence by
the end of the day (Karis
especially wanted to)
but it was already very
dark and we had to stop
beforehand (because after
all, the distance between
Firenze and Siena isn’t
very much but still too
much). We went into
Monterrigioni but the
only hotel was a four star,
and we didn’t want to good pizza nonetheless with many villas along matter where we went
spend so much money so (none of the pizzas here the roads. We crossed though, the land was
we went around search- have pepperoni on them through many different beautiful in some way or
ing the area. We finally but they have salami). ecological terrains actual- another, because there
found a place in Colle di When we got the bill, ly. It was very interesting were so many towns high
Val D’Elsa which wasn’t we found we had to pay going from Calabria, to up in the mountains or
far from Monteriggioni for cutlery (two Euros a Abruzzo (where L’Aquila castles here and there that
but really in the middle person) which was ridicu- was) to Frosinone (where I would say the country-
of nowhere (which was lous and we (Mom) got Cassino was) to Tuscany side over all of Italy is
awesome. The hotel was a bit upset but paid and because the landscape fantastic.
an old villa from the 19th left anyways. We got to changed so much. No
century (that least) and see Tuscany for the first
was a very comfortable time, and it was incred-
place except incredibly ibly beautiful but at the
cold. For dinner we went same time, all of Italy has
to a somewhat nearby been beautiful so far. It
pizzeria where the pizza didn’t seem like anything
was delicious. Dad asked too different from the rest
for a pepperoni pizza and except that it was flatter,
got a pizza with noth- with roving hills instead
ing but bell peppers on of mountains, and cov-
it (pepperonccini). We ered in either grapevines
laughed, but it was very or lovely light scrubland
Day 12 - Florence
Wednesday - December 29th, 2010
We woke up in our hotel
in Colle di Val D’Esa and
went out to Monterrigioni
to have breakfast. Wally
still wanted to see more
of the little town, and we
needed to eat breakfast
somewhere (this was the
first hotel that didn’t of-
fer breakfast) and so we
went to Monterrigioni
(which was, after all, just
ten minutes away). We
had seen a little café in
the center of town the
night before and so we
decided to go in and have
a look and then Wally
(and i) would have time
to go and explore the
city a little bit more. We
went, and it was closed
but someone saw us and
came out to open the café
up for us. We went in, had
our coffees (my cappuc-
cino, Karis’ cappuccino,
and the espressos for
everyone else) and then
walked around a little
bit. It was a wonderful
little medieval town and
it really didn’t take long
at all to get to know all of
it (although we weren’t
allowed up on the walls
sadly). We left and went
straight to Firenze (Flor-
ence) because we wanted
to spend the entire day
there after all. It was only
like 11 AM when we
arrived, and we parked
our car far away near the
town walls and walked
a long ways through the
streets until we arrived at
Ponte Vecchio. It was an
intriguing sight to be-
hold, and very beautiful
in its own way, and we
walked over it and over
onto the other side where
most of everything lay.
It’s interesting that such a
famous bridge is exactly
where a dozen different
high quality diamond
stores laid their shop. It
was very busy, and not as
antique as Siena, nor as
serene, but it was great
just because of all the his-
tory that it did hold within
its streets. It didn’t take
long to get to the Plazza
in front of the Palazzi di
Vecchio (which was a
museum that we didn’t
go into) and it didn’t take
long after that for Karis
to buy a tourist book on
Florence. We had seen
a giant statue of David
with a striking resem-
blance to the original by
Michelangelo (this was
the reason we had bought
the book in the end, to
see where exactly the real
one was and whether or
not it was this one) out
in the Plaza, and it was
surrounded by other large
impressive marble stat-
ues. Some were originals,
others weren’t, but one
of the ones that were was
the Rape of the Sabine
Women (the only famous
work of art placed in
Florence that we would
end up seeing). We then
sat at a café right there
in the plaza not far from
the ancient arched hut
that held such works of
art, and it was nice place
whose only reason for
being so expensive was
purely location. I had or-
dered a hot chocolate (the
only time in the entire trip
that I haven’t accepted
Coffee when offered) and
it ended up being incred-
ibly dense and pure,
not like the thin, watery
powder-born stuff one
usually gets (and certainly
not like the diarrhea we
had tried in Cusco five
years before). Well, after
that we walked over to
the Duomo di Firenze
(the cathedral) and the
outsides were pleasantly
unique and the insides
surprisingly humble. Me
and Wally climbed up to
the very top of the bell-
tower (414 steps, which
was half that that Wally
climbed when he took
the stairs (which hap-
pened because we rudely
abandoned him and saved
ourselves 200 steps) at
the Vatican Basilica) and
the sight was amazing.
You could see everything
in Florence, just like in
Rome and in Siena. Not
long after, we went into
the Duomo, and then
we decided to go back
to the hotel and see the
Fortress that was nearby
to it (to this day, I’m not
even sure which fortress
it was, it was just on the
map), but half way there
we stopped and decided
to go back. We had made
it as far as the palace of
the powerful family that
competed with the Medi-
cis, and it was a very
 Mary, traipsed our way
to another town. The city
we stayed at was Prato. It
was a big city, not as big
or important as Firenze
(or as cool), but with
enough people for the
rows and rows of five-sto-
ry apartment buildings to
exist. They had a skating
rink in the town square;
it was the third or fourth
we had seen. They also
had a good Italian fast-
food place that handed
out salted sandwiches of
David by Michelangelo truck, and then kept Panini, and many good
was held). This star-fort walking and walking. shopping stores that the
appeared much bigger After arriving back at the locals stormed by the
on the map, but was far car, at perhaps 4 PM, we masses. That’s all we did
majestic place, I thought, away. We trekked the drove around and found that night except for walk
and worth seeing. Once distance there, and found that there were utterly around and sit around
we were back on the that it certainly wasn’t no worthwhile hotels to at the hotel and watch a
other side of the river worth it at all. On our sleep at for the night, movie with George Cloo-
once more, we went to way back, we took an- and, unlike Joseph and ney called the American.
the Uffizi gallery, which other route, as usual, and
is where they held many came across an archaic
famous works such as the basilica with that com-
Birth of Venus and other mon glamour of Catholic
masterpieces. The line churches yet with a grand
ups were terribly long courtyard filled with the
for entering, so we ended green lush of nature, but
up walking all the way we didn’t go in. On our
to another fortress on the way out, actually, we saw
other side of town (I had a very modern, high-
wanted to see the Royal tech system of dumping
Academy, which is where garbage into a garbage-
Day 13 - Pisa
Thursday - December 30th, 2010
We woke up in Prato and
quickly left for Pisa. The
plan was to drive to Pisa
and then drive down to
Rome from there along
the highway that followed
the coastline. We had
gotten to Pisa, the town
itself was really just typi-
cal and nothing different
from Salerno, Cassino,
Prato and all the little
towns that we had driven
through, except it seemed
a bit dirtier perhaps. Of
course, the only worth-
while thing was the tower
of Pisa and the surround-
ing buildings. The lean-
ing tower was certainly
quite something, but cost
15 Euros to go in so we
didn’t bother, and instead
walked into the Cathe-
dral right beside it. As it
turned out, it was a bell
tower to the nearby cathe-
dral (these two buildings
and the baptistery on the
other side of the Cathe-
dral were what I referred
to when I said surround-
ing buildings). Once we
had enough of looking at
the leaning tower of Pisa,
we went into the cathe-
dral, which looked fantas-
tic and incredibly grand
on the outside and the
inside looked no differ-
ent. The great thing here
was that there weren’t so
many relics and statues
as in the Vatican, it was
just beautiful paintings
on the walls, and it didn’t
look as overwhelming
as the lavishly overdone
Vatican, but rather, was
simply wonderful. Once
we left, we had to go
back to Prato because I
had forgotten my wallet
in the hotel, and it wasted
a solid hour (or more),
but we were quickly on
the road again and drove
for a solid five hours from
Pisa to Fiumicino. The
drive there wasn’t that
special. More castles, and
a tiny glimpse of the Tyr-
rhenian sea (hardly worth
it) was all. In Fiumicino,
we had trouble finding a
hotel for that night and
for the following night,
New Year’s Eve, (one
of the issues was find-
ing a room for three) but
found one eventually and
stayed there. We went out
walking to the peer in the
darkness of the night, and
we ate at a pizzeria (we
were terribly sick of pizza
by this time in the trip).
Day 14 - New Year’s Eve
Friday - December 31st, 2010
We were supposed to go
into Rome from Fiumi-
cino and spend the rest of
the day there until New
Year’s Eve (A full twelve
hours or more) but we
hadn’t really planned out
exactly what we were go-
ing to do. We just figured
that we would go up to
the Plaza di Popollo,
where the big party was
supposed to be, and then
meet up at the Monument
to Vittorio Emmanuel.
We went in and parked
our Car near the Coli-
seum (on the same street
as our hotel) and walked
up and took a bus to the
Vatican so that we could
see Castel San Angelo
(which was the last major
attraction that we hadn’t
been in or seen up close
for that matter(except for
the underground sewer
systems which of course
wasn’t really consid-
ered)). We couldn’t go in,
or it was a terribly huge
line or something like that
(Dad didn’t want to go
into any museums be-
cause of all the walking,
and Mom wasn’t interest-
ed due to, more or less, a
short attention span which
caused us to miss going
into many places), and
instead ended up walking
all the way around the
waterfront, northwards on
the west side of the Tiber
River. We passed many
stands and street vendors
selling random junk,
and some of it was a bit
interesting, but the best
was the food that was of-
fered beyond the Court of
Justice at the very end of
the long line of merchan-
dise-sellers. They had
apple cider made right in
front of us in a giant pot
with the apples and long
cinnamon sticks float-
ing in the fragrant murky
liquid, and boiled wine
right beside it. It was very
tasty and enjoyable, and
so were the candied fruits
at the stand nearby. It
was great to have the old
pre-Columbus food just
how the Romans and the
Medieval Italians ate it.
When something is sweet
and delicious without
any of the New World
ingredients, then it’s very
special and fun in its own
way and so was the case
with the dried and can-
died fruits that we ate.
They were right beside
these tremendously long
ropes of licorice (licorice
being of course hugely
popular in Europe) that
were priced by how
much they weighed in
kilograms. Mine was the
longest, and the fattest,
and it cost 2 euros and
eighty-five cents, and it
was an incredible amount
of licorice. I had to keep
on chewing and keep on
chewing, and it took a
solid five hours to finish,
but finally all of it was
conquered. We walked to
the Plaza di Popolo and
then down the main shop-
ping street, and then back
up, and then down again.
Down by the monument
to Vittorio Emmanuel II,
a big rock concert was be-
ing prepared for that night
(New Year’s Eve), and
the rock-star was playing
as if to practice. The Ital-
ians were all excited that
they got to see him, and
it was a big deal but we
had never heard of him.
It was Claudio Baglioni,
a huge deal in Italy ap-
parently. We were quite
close when we saw him,
and we figured we would
come back for the con-
cert. We looked through
some shops, but I don’t
think we bought anything,
and ate at the pizzeria
down the street from our
old hotel in Rome. With
nothing to do, and like
eight hours to waste, we
just wandered around up
and down the shopping
street, and sat around at a
café where we had some
coffee. We had dinner in
the same pizza place too.
It was decided that this
place had the best pizza
we had tried so far. There
we chatted with a Spanish
couple for a little while.
At another time in the
day, we sat at the Spanish
Steps and watched Wally
stick his head into the
background of the pic-
tures that tourists around
us were taking. It was fun
to sit there and watch, and
see the annoying street
vendors not make any
sales, but time went by
terribly slow. We decided
to go home if we weren’t
allowed into the Rock
Concert, and we would
watch the party from the
TV in our hotel bedroom.
Sure enough, the area
around the monument
was closed off, and so we
headed back, and by that
point it was like nine or
ten PM. We got to the ho-
tel and tried the Icelandic
Schnapps we had bought
in the Keflavik airport,
and that stuff was aw-
ful, and then we watched
the Italian television. We
had never really found
anything worthwhile on
TV in Italy before this
(except for Who Wants
to be A Millionaire in
Italian and a few silly
commercials), and this
honestly wasn’t that much
different. The Celebra-
tion we saw on TV was
from a place called
Rimini, and not Rome,
and we stopped watch-
ing about a half hour to
an hour before the clock
struck. There were lots of
firecrackers going off in
the neighborhood and it
was loud, but we stayed
in bed lamely. That’s
how our New Year’s
was spent. Although we
weren’t there when the
clock struck, we were
there at night-time when
the streets were very
crowded, and a few were
already getting rowdy,
and so it could have been
duller.
Day 15 - Flight to Madrid
Saturday - January 1st, 2011
This was the day we
left for Spain. We got
up and ate breakfast in
the hotel as we had been
doing everyday and then
packed and headed out.
We left for the airport
and dropped off the car
and then realized that
our flight wasn’t on the
schedule. Dad had gotten
the departure and the ar-
rival times mixed up and
so we didn’t have a flight
anymore, we missed it.
We planned out some
new flights for later in the
day and to help squeeze
in we split up. Dad and
Wally took a flight that
left from Rome to Madrid
at 4 PM and I, Karis and
Mom took a flight that
left at 8 PM. We weren’t
supposed to wait around
at the airport at all, but
we ended up spending
the entire day there. We
read, and sat at Mac-
Donald’s and then in the
seats between the shops,
and so the hours went
by. After a full day at the
airport, we finally got on
our planes. Both flights
were very cheap, and so
everything about them
was poor quality. Com-
pared to Icelandic Air
and the other flights that
we had been on, these
were awfully atrocious.
We arrived in Madrid.
Dad and Wally explored
a little bit while waiting
for us. When we arrived,
we went to the apartment
and then walked around
downtown Madrid a little
bit. Since we were going
to be in the same city the
entire time, we rented an
apartment for the week.
It was a nice place, and
much more relaxing than
changing hotel every time
(not to mention that it
was better than the hotels
usually). From the very
start, we loved Madrid
and thought it was awe-
some, and that’s about all
that happened this day.
Day 16 - Madrid and Street Performers
Sunday - January 2, 2011 it out later). It was very
enjoyable though, and we
promised to go back the
next day. Before we left,
they gave Karis her old
baby clothes from when
she lived there with them,
and she gave me and
Wally Spanish coins from
before the Euro and a rare
Euro of Don Quixote on
the tail. That’s about all
we did this day.

Day 17 - Separations
Monday - January 3, 2011
We went through the house. We used up the
same morning routine time very well, and saw
and then me, Wally and much in the museum (but
We woke up a bit later olives, and Dad bought Karis decided to go to El only half of it). We saw
than all the other days, jamon, and then we ate Museo Del Reina Sofia Guernica and many other
which was wonderful, authentic Spanish chur- (after much deliberation). paintings by Picasso, and
and we stayed around the ros, and it was wonderful. The entrance into the we saw many great works
house a little bit out of Then we walked through museum was great (not by Salvador Dali, includ-
tiredness and relaxation. the gypsy market and just because the museum ing the Enigma of Hitler,
First, we walked around looked at all the little was only a few blocks and a ton of other intrigu-
all the sights of Madrid, knickknacks and useless away from the house) but ing modern art. It was
such as the Entrada Del merchandise and by this because it was free for wonderful, and on the trip
Sol and the Plaza de time it was about 3 PM. students and those under to Nandi’s, we encoun-
Espana and El Palacio Straight after, we went to 18. We believe it’s like tered Mom on the metro
Real (we didn’t go inside, the house of an old friend this all over Europe, but (she had been shopping)
we just saw the outside) of Dad and Mom’s. Her it’s fantastic, and too bad and headed there together.
We saw many cool street name was Nandi, and the we didn’t know because When we arrived, Dad
performers and incred- husband was Roberto, only Karis had brought was already there (he had
ibly fewer annoying street and they were friends the necessary proof. This been in the apartment,
vendors (throughout the from the old missionary Museum was purely fo- working on his work and
entirety of Spain we only in Spain days. We went cusing on 20th century art trying to rent a car), and
saw one or two yet hun- and talked, and ate some such as the Abstractism then everyone had din-
dreds in Italy), and the snacks. I found the prize and Cubism and newer ner. It was a real Spanish
sights were outstanding) that was hidden in the weirder stuff. We only meal- at 2 PM like usual
and then we stopped at cake, as per tradition, had a few hours before we but it’s not like the Jamon
one of the Spanish mar- and it was just a little car had to go back to Nandi’s Curado and the Chorizo
kets. There Wally bought thing of no value (I threw
that we had been eating ment, Karis went with will one see olive pits on
beforehand wasn’t Span- him, and then we headed the floors of bars. Mom
ish. It was all incredibly back to the Museum de found us on her way back
delicious, and the people Reina Sofia and spent and joined us too. Even-
were amazing, and we a couple more hours. tually we all went home
had a tremendous blast. When we went back to and had our meal at 10
Soon more of Mom’s old the Apartment, we found PM just like the Span-
friends came in, and we both of them sitting in iards do, and then went
were introduced to them, a Tapas Bar, and joined to bed. It was a great day
and then a couple hours them and had a merry old of looking at the cubist
were spent socializing time. Only in Spain can and modernist art and of
and whatnot. We left one get free food along- enjoying the rich culture
mom behind to talk with side any drink, and with of that awesome country
her friends, Dad went the food changing every of Spain.
back to work at the apart- time, and only in Spain
Day 18 - Museo del Prado and Museo de Jamon
Tuesday - January 4th, 2011
We woke up and had
breakfast together like we
usually did in the apart-
ment with the homemade
stuff. It was so much bet-
ter than the hotels, and we
had so much more time to
relax. Me and Wally de-
cided to go to the Museo
Del Prado. We knew we
had no other day because
we were going out of
Madrid for the next two
days (and the day after
that is when we leave),
and the others wanted to
come too but they were
only interested in spend-
ing a couple hours there.
Me and Wally wanted
to spend the whole day,
so we left at 11 Am, or
around there, and Mom
and Karis went out shop-
ping together. We were
going to meet together
at 2 back at the hotel
and then we would walk
back to the Prado. We
walked there, and right
by the Museum, across
the street when you go
out the main entrance and
take a left, was an awe-
some arms store that we
saw as we moved towards
the crosswalk. Going
in, we saw an incredible
amount of swords and
armor lining all the walls
as elaborate decorations
that one could buy. There
were helmets and what-
not of Conquistadores, of
Templars, of Gladiators,
of Spartans, of Vikings
and so much that I never
imagined seeing. So we
went into the Prado and
got it for half off for be-
ing students (Two Euros).
There is so much to see
in there, it’s amazing.
We saw the Garden of
Earthly Delights, and the
Seven Deadly Sins, all of
Goya’s great masterpieces
and so much more. The
amount of beauty and
brilliance that radiated
through the walls was in-
sane in itself. So we met
up back at the apartment,
spent another hour there
and then headed back as
a joint group. Mom didn’t
join us, but everyone else
came. We spent a whole
day and really only saw
half (there was the entire
third floor, and the tempo-
rary exhibits, and we sped
through the entire second
floor so most of the stuff I
did see I didn’t have time
to properly analyze) or
at least it felt like it for
myself but it was better
for everyone else. Well,
we left the Prado quite
late and met back at the
apartment after another
short walk between them.
The entire family then
went to eat at the Museo
Del Jamon, which sounds
like a museum but is
really just a wonderful
café like place covered
completely with Jamon
Serrano that one can just
buy at incredibly cheap
prices alongside man-
chego cheese, chorizo
and a beer. It’s so incred-
ibly delicious, and it’s so
common too, it’s not a
rare delicacy but what the
people eat on a daily ba-
sis, it’s just another great
reason to love Spain.
Sure Italy has its Pastas
and Pizzas, but Spain has
such a unique and heav-
enly cuisine too, and even
more so since it’s not so
over-repeated and bor-
ingly mass-produced to
the point where it’s been
established as a staple
food of our cuisine too
but in such a form that it’s
lacking in quality. Span-
ish culture is so grand
and fantastic; no wonder
we loved it so much.
This was, of course, the
night that we went to see
Flamenco. No tour of
Spain is complete without
a bullfight, which sadly
couldn’t have happened-
which led to us choosing
the next classic icon of
Spain. We went to a bar
deep in the labyrinth of
the Madrid streets where
they were offering a good
show at 32 Euros for
adults and 25 Euros for
kids (even though we’re
not kids-so I don’t the
exact reason for why we
got it cheaper). A free
drink came with it, a
cheap stunt to make the
price look more worth-
while, like when a shirt
and sunglasses are thrown
into the sale of car, but
it was certainly more
than worth it. I mean, we
didn’t regret it one bit.
The Flamenco dancing,
with the wooden shoes
thudding along with the
rhythm, and the rapid
guitar stroking alongside
the aging man singing in-
comprehensibly at the top
of his voice was nothing
like anything I had ever
seen before. Well, I could
go on describing it, but
you already get the point.
We ended the day fantas-
tically, but it wasn’t as if
the rest of the day wasn’t
any worse.
Day 19 - Touring Spain
Wednesday - January 5th, 2011
This was the day before
El Dia de Los Reyes,
the day of the Kings,
and we had it planned
that we would open our
gifts to each other on this
night. January 6 is the
12th day after Christmas
and traditionally the day
when the Magi came to
see Jesus which appar-
ently is more important
to the Spaniards than the
birth of Jesus itself. It’s
the day when the kids
wake up in the morn-
ing and see gifts waiting
for them, and then open
them gleefully which
means, more or less, that
it’s really just Christ-
mas postponed twelve
days (or for us, a second
Christmas). Well, as you
remember, we decided to
postpone our gift open-
ing to the 6th since we
had so little time before;
early in the morning on
that day we were going to
Seville and so we had no
time to do such a thing.
Our only choice was to
open gifts on the eve of
El Dia de Los Reyes,
in other words tonight,
which is a funny circum-
stance because most of us
still hadn’t really bought
our gift yet. Anyways,
we woke up and waited
around as Dad got a car.
He came back with a grey
Peugeot, same size but
a bit roomier with more
visibility in the front and
two trunk doors opening
to the sides instead of one
that opened vertically. It
was nice and comfortable,
and quickly utilized as we
drove away to Toledo. It
wasn’t such a far distance
to that old magnificent
castle-town, and the drive
there was quite enjoyable,
it of course being my
first view of the Spanish
countryside; we arrived at
noon. Toledo is a beauti-
ful city, a fine medieval
place that is more than
worth a visit, especially
when one has the whole
day and speaks the lan-
guage like us. Parking the
car, we walked up to the
gate that one controlled
access, which was now
just a relic of times past,
and took a look from its
top. Then we continued
walking and made it up
to the old fortified castle
itself, which was now an
army museum that looked
very intriguing. We de-
cided to split ways, with
me and Wally going into
the museum and Karis,
Mom and Dad wander-
ing through the streets,
and the plan was the meet
at the major plaza in an
hour. The museum was
very interesting, and once
again, we wished we had
more time, and we nearly
forgot that we were in a
castle at the same time.
We met back together,
and had more tapas at
one of the bars there (we
had tapas nearly every-
where we went), and then
walked around for a long
while longer. There was
no boredom in looking
through the streets, they
looked so medieval and
there was a nearly-ridic-
ulous amount of shops
selling swords and 16th
century replica firearms
(Toledo was known for
its steel after all). We
walked by the cathedral,
by the synagogue that
had been turned into a
church, by El Greco’s
old house and all about
(don’t misunderstand;
we had done more walk-
ing in some of the previ-
ous days). While at the
Tapas bar (that had a ton
of tables outside in the
sun, so it was more like a
restaurant but wasn’t one)
mom had gotten into a
friendly conversation (yet
again) that led to us hear-
ing about a town nearby
that was situated near the
famous mills of La Man-
cha (on which much of
Don Quixote was based
around) that we had to go
see (as if we didn’t have
an option, but I’m say-
ing this merely for effect
because we earnestly
desired to discover). So
we drove around Toledo,
down its hill, and along-
side the other side of its
winding river and out
through the surprisingly-
flat Spanish countryside
until we reached a place
known as Consuegra. The
town was in the middle
of nowhere and highly
adorable, the people were
having their annual Dia road so it was worth it in Viking-ship model in the
de Los Reyes Parade the end, especially be- Keflavik airport, and then
as we drove around the cause of our adventure on a painting of a tall-ship
streets (including a giant this one incredibly bumpy replicated as a poster
Shrek figure, and dozens road with more pot-holes while we walked the
of little kids dressed as than a water-permeable street beyond Castel Sant
Santas) but we didn’t care flower shop. We came Angelo. Karis bought
so much as we did about home and had a meal but me a sweater from one
the mills. Near the mills, I can’t quite remember of the shops in Toledo.
right on the mountain- what meal it was. Well, in Mom bought Karis some
top with a perfect view any case, we sat together mittens from Iceland. Dad
of the scenery, was an at the sofa and opened our bought mom a ceramic
old castle actually (the presents that night. I gave olive oil dispenser, a
castle of Toledo wasn’t Wally a wooden Don salt shaker and a pepper
quite a castle like this, I Quixote figure (he had shaker. We were all very
had just said so because been reading Don Quix- happy and pleased, and I
I couldn’t remember it’s ote all through the trip believe that this may have
correct word, but this and had become obsessed been one of the best days
was a real castle erected with it) that I had bought of the trip, although it
with stones over the dirt at the arms shop while would certainly be hard to
of the countryside). We everyone was at the Prado choose which one was the
walked through the castle, (which helps explain best of them all.
in it, out onto its ramparts why I didn’t get enough
and everywhere. I des- time with the paintings).
perately wanted to see a Wally had bought Dad a
castle during our trip but
never thought we actu-
ally would, and so it was
a near-ecstatically joy-
ful experience. Then, we
walked over to the wind-
mills and walked around
them, looking out over
the vast landscape at sun-
set, and down at the town
nestled there like a single
man-made boat on a vast
lake, so naked and small
against the never-ending
dunes of nature. On our
way back to Madrid, we
decided to stop by a sub-
urban city called Aran-
juez. It was nighttime
already, but we hoped to
see the old palace of dead
Queen Isabella amidst the
darkness. We only saw
the outside, but it was
only ten minutes off the
Day 20 - Touring Spain Round 2
Thursday - January 6th, 2011

We woke up a bit early time lounging about, but was closed, so all we got seen this before). We
than we had been in the got there about an hour to do was walk around it walked around it, and
days previous, but not and a half later. Sego- and study its walls from went all the way to the
as early as desired (you via was quite similar to across the moat (but man cathedral in the center.
know how Wally is in get- Toledo in age, it seemed, what a moat). When we We didn’t go in, but in-
ting out of bed). Quickly, but the castle itself was left, we decided to drive stead continued on to the
we went away, once we separated from the rest of around to have a good church that was started
were ready, to Segovia; the town just enough to look at it from all angles, by Saint Teresa-because
we wouldn’t have had appear to be leaning on so we drove on the roads she was from Avila- and
time to open the presents a cliff of its own (com- just at the bottom of the explored that area. Not
as we expected. The plan pared to Toledo which cliff and had quite a view. far was a statue of a bull
was to go to Segovia, then was one walled town on a After we were done we from Celtic times thou-
Avila and then Escorial. hill). We didn’t spend that went to Avila, as planned, sands of years ago that
The streets were incred- much time in the city of and it didn’t take long. It was probably used as an
ibly empty all throughout Segovia itself, and to our was another really cool idol. We bought some
the morning, since it was disappointment, not much Spanish medieval town, bread, chorizo, jamon,
essentially Christmas day, time at the castle either. It but was well known for manchego and olives for
which made for easier was closed due to El Dia being fully walled which a picnic that we were
driving and a faster trip. de Los Reyes, perhaps made it even better (but going to do (we had been
We didn’t spend so much the one day of the year it it’s not like we hadn’t meaning to do picnics
throughout the entire trip university, and looked was very great, we got a but food that’s good,
and the closest thing that at its outsides, and then great idea of what it was and it’s exciting to do
had come to it was when went into the cathedral like in that part of Spain because you never know
we ate Wally’s salami and walked around there through all the driving we what you’re going to get
and cheese-ball thing as some more. We stopped did. When we got back as your tapas. To sum it
we drove on the Amalfi and had another round to Madrid, we walked up, it was great to get to
coast) and we drove out of Tapas and then left. It around the downtown know four different cities
of town to a place called was another beautiful old area once again. This time in one day, and we did an
the four columns. The Spanish town with a ton we walked down what incredible amount as our
entire city could be seen of history (much more was perhaps the busiest last full day (and night) in
and it was a magnificent, than Madrid certainly). street at a busy hour at Spain. We certainly didn’t
beautiful view (too bad On the way back, we night, which we hadn’t end the trip badly-on the
there were a few modern drove on the same road quite done before, and contrary, our adventures
buildings); the place we that we had come on and it made the night more where at one of their
stopped was a stopping so we stopped at a old exciting, more interesting. highest levels since the
ground for pilgrimages ruin that Wally wanted to Once again, we stopped beginning.
because apparently it was take another look at (there at a Museo de Jamon,
where Saint Teresa had were many ruins we and bought a beer (from
stopped when she fled to passed on a daily basis, the tap, a small-medium
the lands of the Moors. many of them very cool, size) and Tapas (this time,
We drove on, and went so the only special thing it was just plain ham or
to Salamanca –Escorial was that it was near the olives) for only one euro.
having been abandoned. highway really). Seeing It was utterly fantastic
There we walked to the the Spanish landscape to get such cheap food
Day 21 - Spain to Italy
Friday - January 7th, 2011
Originally we thought
we were supposed to
catch a 7 AM flight, but
we double checked and
it turned out to be a 1700
flight so we suddenly had
a ton of time in Spain that
we didn’t expect (well
it wasn’t that much but
enough to sleep in- which
is wonderful). So for our
last few hours in Spain,
we decided to split up
a little bit just because
everyone wanted to do
different things. Once
we had breakfast, Wally
went to the Reina Sofia
to look at the bookstore
that he didn’t get a chance
to when we where there
a few days before; it
didn’t take long for him
to leave. I went to get a
haircut, which I desper-
ately needed (it wasn’t so
noticeable when I spiked
it up but I never really
bothered to do that while
on Vacation so it always
looked bad, but I didn’t
quite mind because I
was on vacation after all)
and I suppose it could be
considered an adventure
but not really since all
that happened was my
hair getting bathed (they
washed it at a sink as I
lay reposed on a chair,
and they massaged the
shampoo in a little bit
too), and then cut. Dad
worked at the computer
as he had been doing on
and off (but mostly off),
and Karis watched TV.
Well, we gathered back
together at about 1 PM
and then headed off to
the airport together. We
took the bus, which is a
great way to say goodbye
to a city. The plan was to
arrive in Rome at about
8 PM and sleep at some
cheap hotel nearby for the
night, and then wake up
at 4 AM to go back to the
airport and take a plane to
Heathrow. So originally,
we thought we would
be spending most of our
afternoon in Rome but
instead we spent it sitting
around in Madrid, which
was nice. Once again, we
flew with EasyJet- which
is an abominably cheap
airline, and we spent a
good while just sitting in
line waiting for the gate
to open (which wouldn’t
happen if they called
us up by sections of the
plane and not the chaos
of not having specific
seats) but its better than
having to suddenly grab
everything and run to a
different gate like what
happened to us last time
(we saw it happen to the
people at the gate nearby
who had the same air-
lines). Well, we made it to
Rome well enough, with
nothing lost, but missed
our shuttle to the hotel
(they wouldn’t wait ten
minutes) which wasn’t
that bad because another
one came some twenty
minutes later. We slept
in a Best Western, which
sounds like it would’ve
been better than the hotels
we had been sleeping
in before but it’s a well-
established fact that Best
Western isn’t that great,
neither by reputation nor
by physical evidence.
That night we ate pizza
at another pizzeria. This
place was more like a
restaurant than a pizzeria
but the pizza was deli-
cious and the people kind
and generous in allowing
us to stay until well past
10 PM. It was a great
final taste of Italy as we
spent our last quick stop
there and it was delicious,
certainly one of the best
pizzas we had had so far.
Mom ordered gnocchi,
and it was very good,
and the rest of us all
ordered our own pizzas
(when you order a pizza
in Italy you can never be
too sure what size it is).
The pizzas turned out to
be huge, and only dad
was able to finish (with
the time provided) so we
took the rest in a pizza
box and brought it back
to the hotel with us (the
plan was to eat the pizza
the next day). Well then
we went to sleep on last
time for our little trip here
Day 22 - Italy to Home
Saturday - January 8 th, 2011
Not only is this the last
day of the trip it is quite
certainly the longest day
of the entire trip as well.
The plan was to board a
flight from Rome to Lon-
don, and from London
board a flight to Reykja-
vik (five hours later) and
from Reykjavik board a
flight to Seattle (a seven
hour flight) and from Se-
attle drive three hours- all
in one day. We woke up
at 4 AM in Italy (which
is about 7 PM in Vancou-
ver) and then snoozed a
little bit and got up at 4:
50, and then we got down
and hade breakfast. Then
we got on the shuttle van
and arrived at the airport
not long after. After rush-
ing through (an act that
was hindered by the se-
curity check being closed
until 7) we arrived at our
gate and boarded our
flight without incident.
We arrived in London at
about 9:25, sat around for
a good long while and ate
the pizza from yesterday
(yes, we brought it across
security-twice in fact
because we had to re-
enter to switch terminals
in Heathrow). Eventually
we boarded the plane
going to Iceland, and
eventually the plane left
(it spent a good twenty
in Europe (this is really
everything that happened
this day- except for Wally
minutes at the gate sitting
around), it was about 2
Pm when we boarded.
We arrived at Iceland and
boarded the plane to Se-
attle not long after (only
some ten to fifteen min-
utes in Keflavik). While
we waited, we talked with
a Punjabi couple from
Surrey, and I had a lost
a part of my ticket but
that wasn’t a problem at
all. On the plane, we had
the emergency exit seats
(we did when we went to
Rome too, but it wasn’t
the same, they were half
way through the plane),
otherwise known as the
first seats one sees when
they board the plane, the
ones with an incredible
amount of leg room and
right by the doors. That
was exciting and new, and
the TV screens showed a
whole new list of movies,
so we watched a movie
called Wall Street: Money
Never Sleeps (with Shia
LaBeouf) which was
good (except I person-
ally never got to finish
it). Seven hours after we
left, we arrived in Seattle
and it was about 5 PM.
As we left the airport,
and were on the escala-
tor, the fifth luggage bag
completely broke (the
extendable handle had
being disappointed at not to buy at the store of the
finding any worthwhile Reina Sofia).
Spanish Civil-War posters
been hit half way through goings could be silently
the trip, so it got bent and left alone. It was quite a
was difficult to maneu- long trip, and it had a big
ver up and down. On the impact on us. I’m quite
second last day, it got hit positive that we’ll never
again and was bent so forget.
bad it couldn’t be pushed
down at all. The airport
staff broke the handle off
after they took it from us,
and so we had to lug it
around on a trolley or by
hand for the rest of the
way. Now it fell over and
the zipper to the out-
side pocket snapped and
everything fell out (this
also happened earlier at
some point too) on the
escalator. It wasn’t a big
deal, it was just funny.
We saw your stereotypi-
cal American on the drive
to the car park, and it
was such a huge culture
difference from the fine-
ness of Europe. We drove
up north, and stopped at
Wendy’s and at the gro-
cery store, and got home
not long after nine. It was
so wonderful to be home,
especially after such an
adventurously long trip
as that, and we were all
very tired. It didn’t take
long for us to collapse on
our beds. That’s how the
trip ended. Slowly, and
with no sort of bang, and
in the quiet of the night
where our comings and