Sevilla, Florence, Rome

Although I've picked up a fair amount of basic Spanish, I've found it interesting how much you can communicate without language. Gestures and body language go a long way, although trying to order Sevilla's local special, bull's tail, was precarious. I still don't know if I ate bull's tail or something else that comes out of that end. Same gesture.

Yesterday, I stood before Michelangelo's David at the Academia. It was the first time that I stared at a naked man for 30 minutes. It was special. The magnitude, details, and proportions of the David is breathtaking. Did you know that David is not circumcised? Me neither!

Despite the art, romance, and food, Florence fell short of my expectations. Italian people are beautiful, but they're not the friendliest folk. I also wasn't thrilled that it cost 0.70 Euros to use some restrooms. I tried to pee as much as I could per visit, and felt wasteful when I couldn't pee for over a minute. In short, Florence was a little too sold out to tourists for my tastes. Next time around, I'd like to roam around the Tuscan countryside.

This morning, I took a train to Rome. Rome is overwhelming. There's so much of antiquity, and if you consider the historical implications of Rome and its sites, it's mind blowing. The Coliseum was more sobering than fun. At first, I was thinking Russell Crowe. Soon, it dawned on me that the same venue was were hundreds of Christians were martyred. Heavy stuff. Let's talk about gelato instead.

Gelato is great, although a local I met told me that Milan has the best gelato. I've been eating and drinking non-stop. Brunello, Montalcino, and Montepulciano. If you like wine, those are worth trying. If you like espresso, don't order a double shot. Only stupid Americans do that, according my local Italian friend.

Tomorrow afternoon, I'm off to Brussels. I'm currently at a laundry mat/internet cafe that's run by these Indian folks. They're washing and drying my underwear, and they're providing me internet access for 7 Euros. Lucky me!

Here's some pictures of Florence.