Pompeii and Vesuvius

9:39 AM July 31, 2011 on the train back to Rome

Pompeii is huge. You need the entire day. Too bad by past noon, we got tired and hungry and left.

Ok, Pompeii. We met up with Yolanda and Sebastian. Spent about half the day there getting lost. Even with the map, the place is confusing. Obviously, I didn't get to see everything, but I did get to see majority of the things I wanted to see: the theater, the forum, dead bodies and the brothel. Seeing the dead bodies was just part of my morbidness...it was interesting and I felt indifferent because I've read up and seen these bodies so many times prior to going that they didn't feel like people, just museum pieces. It also doesn't help that they are not in their original location, but on a pedestal behind a glass box.
The brothel. That place small! Hahaha Ancient erotic images are fascinating. Also, it's funny to see these things that are taboo now that were not (we think) in ancient times. Also, that shit is kinky! Hahahaha

At lunch, I told them about the round trip bus trip to Vesuvius for €10. I mean, why not, we've never gone up a volcano before and it's there and it's round trip! And that's how I convinced them to go :) I thought they would drive us up almost to the crater. Nope, that did not happen. We got dropped off NEAR the crater, but had to hike up the rest. Not expected. So we hike up, in flip flops and sandals. No joke, my calves were on FIRE. Made it up...slowly. It was pretty awesome.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Last Days in New York

After our last day session of the Open, my brother took us to a Malaysian restaurant at Hoboken. It was pretty good. The soft shell crab was goooooooood :]

The next day, my friend Paula [we've been friends since elementary school in the Philippines] took us shopping at some malls in NJ. I found a nice black clutch from Juicy Couture for $40 :] I also bought a silver starter charm bracelet. Alas, no charms yet hahaha. I really want a tennis charm!
After that, we had sushi. Then, drama went down with Paula's ex. Quy left them to sort whatever out, and listened to some old school RnB...Quyonce and Annaynay HEEEEY! hahahaha

Friday, we just went shopping in SoHo. I lost my shit at Top Shop. Well, I didnt end up spending too much money, but I wanted to! Yay for 10% year-round student discount! We also went to Columbia to take a tour, but they were not offering tours. We went to the Architecture dept., but they told me the same things I found online :/

Saturday, Quy and I spend the afternoon at Central Park. Frollicking in the meadows! hahahaha
My brother's girlfriend's cousins came to town, so we went out to dinner with her and her fam at Cheesecacke Factory. Seating for 10 takes FOREVVVEEERRRR! Food was good, especially when you're really hungry.

Came back yesterday. Still tired.

Thoughts: I had fun, but I wanted to do more! Didn't get to go to Morimoto's, do other architecture-y crap, more broadway, more tennis! hahaha