The Downlow.

Today went by in a blur. We spent our morning sleeping in, which was both delightful and refreshing. Then it was on to Vatican City, a 45 minute walk through downtown Rome.

The Vatican is an interesting place. Considered a city-state, it lies in the heart of Rome and is encompassed by massive walls. When we got there we really had no idea what was going on. Hundreds of people were standing around taking pictures of St. Peters Basilica, a huge church that is the focal point of the Vatican. Our lucky streak picked up again, as the Pope made an appearance 25 minutes after we got there. But I guess considering I have (and still dont) no idea who the Pope is or where he is from, perhaps it isn't a very big deal? Anyway, he had a pretty tricked out golf cart that he drove around in.

We went to the Vatican museums, which is home to many famous artistic works including the Sistine Chapel. When looked at in a picture, the Sistine Chapel looks pretty impressive; when seen in first person, it is almost unbelievable. Its detail and the amount of time that must have gone into it is ridiculous. The rest of the museum was also fun, but the Sistine Chapel was definitely the best thing I've seen in awhile...

After we hitched a train to a small Mediterranean town north of Rome to catch some rays and enjoy the beach. The sunset was brilliant and the salty air very pleasant. After a few hours we headed back to our hostel.

Anyway, I have yet to give a true rundown of how things are played out here in Europe with the trains and how we travel everywhere. For the most part, we have a very rough itinerary that is constantly changing, a nice aspect of train travel. We can decide the night before if we want to go somewhere, or even the day of if the destination is close enough. If you remember, we planned on taking a ferry from Barcelona to Rome, but because of date issues with hosts, things we'd heard from travelers and locals, we decided to skip that part and reroute to Northern Italy.

Trains are very easy to catch here in Europe. Every city has a train station that is continually sending trains all over the place. Unlike the US, it is rare that someone will drive to the next town, let alone drive for even an hour. Trains are much more efficient, cheaper and the system Europe has is very well done. Because we have a Eurail Pass, we can ride any train we want for free. The only hitch is if the train requires a reservation (a night train or a "speed" train), we have to pay an extra fee of 3-15 Euros. So far we've made it with only several fees, riding the smaller trains that go through more country.

Once we decide where to go, we check a computer or ticket officer to see when the next train leaves. On trains we mostly read, chat or nap (it is easy to sleep on trains when you are tired). Most trains have groups of 4 chairs facing each other, some in compartments, but mostly they are exactly like any tour bus. Usually they have room, but during peak hours can be cramped. I usually enjoy train rides, especially when going through the countryside, which is often very beautiful.

Once we get to the town we are going, we find a map and locate a tourist office to find hostels (if needed). Tourist offices have been extremely helpful (since we didn't book any hotels before we left) and always find us good deals and nice places. We've been lost, but have not yet been lost for good...

So anyway, hope that gives you a better idea of how and when we end up where we do. Tomorrow we take an early train to Florence to spend the day and night doing what may well be our last "touristy" type stuff. Then back up to Trento to pick up our bags (we left our large packs there and took only small packs to Rome - much easier) and on to our Northern journey - Switzerlan, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. We have about 26 days left in Europe, so it should be quite the ride!