Domesticated Diva

Here's to all the Betty Crockers out there:

I've always dreamed of cooking up exotic meals from all over the world in my kitchen one day. For now, that kitchen doesn't exist, so in the meantime I'm sampling the smorgasbord of food throughout the world to hand pick the best of the best, and hopefully be able to replicate them one day in my own home. I dream of having spices in my cupboard that I've bought while traveling abroad. I have a good start with spices from India and Morocco. I vividly remember the shopkeepers I bought them from. In Morocco, I sipped tea with the spice man after he taught me about his spices and told me all about himself, which even included the showing of a photo album. The business had been in his family for many generations. In India, I chatted for what seemed like forever with the spice man as he slowly prepared the spices I had ordered to use as Christmas presents. These spices have stories behind them. They're not some boring spices I bought from the supermarket. I'm anxious to create yummy recipes with them once I get back to the states!


In Chiang Mai, there are numerous cooking classes to choose from. Apparently, everyone wants to learn how to cook Thai. I don't blame them, Thai food is some of the best in the world. I chose to take a class through "Sammy's Organic". What allured me was the idea of using organic products from his farm.


The cooking class was a full day affair, from 8-4. Sammy's farm was a 1 hour drive outside of polluted Chiang Mai, into the relaxed countryside. 2 sisters from Germany, Marlene and Francisca, were also taking the class with me. I had a wonderful time with these goofy girls and couldn't have chose better people to cook next to.

The German sisters

Sammy was an extremely nice man, as was his sweet wife.

Sammy cooking up a storm

Before we escaped the city for the organic farm, we stopped at a local market. We were given a demonstration on how coconut milk was made. After the coconut is shredded, it's placed in a machine to squeeze out the milk and, wa-la!, you have coconut milk!


Sammy gave us a list and let us choose what we wanted to cook. I opted to cook yellow curry, Thai vegetable soup, stir fried tofu with holy basil, papaya salad and pumpkin custard.


My German comrades made the green curry, jungle curry, prawn soup, chicken in coconut milk soup, stir fried chicken with cashew nut, pad Thai, spring rolls, chicken in pandanus leaves, mango with sticky rice and banana in coconut milk.


Before we dove into the cooking, we each donned a cute maroon apron. I was morphed into a domesticated diva.

First, we slaved away on our curry paste as we chopped up all the fresh ingredients and ground them together by hand with a stone grinder until they were the desired consistency.

We also made the soup and the stir fried items, under the supervision of Sammy's wife. We cooked in an open air kitchen, each of us with our own gas stove. The calming sounds of nature were the only noises humming in the background. It was so nice to get away from the city.


With our stomachs growling, we sat down to enjoy our creations. The curry was by far my favorite. Surprisingly, it tasted as good as it does in India. I was pretty proud of my work. I was so full from the curry, I could only sample a bite from the other 2 dishes.

After we stuffed ourselves silly, we took a couple hours to stroll around Sammy's peaceful farm and traipse along the picturesque rice paddy fields.

We lounged in the hammocks and chit-chatted for a while after. Francisca was a very animated silly character, it's no surprise that she works as an actress. Her sister, Marlene, was a sweetheart that had been bitten by the travel bug, like me.


Soon it was time to make the desert! To make the pumpkin custard, I used coconut milk, brown sugar, egg and flour, as instructed by Sammy's wife.

me and Sammy's wife

Then using a thick green pandanus leaf, tied in a knot, I squeezed it in my hand inside the bowl to produce little bubbles. I was told this is the traditional way to make the custard. Then I poured the liquid over a strainer into the custard dishes that were filled with cubed pumpkin. Just set it in a steamer for 20 minutes and you will have tasty pumpkin custard. I cut out a heart from the leaf as a decoration for the top. Perfection.

We tasted our hard work once again and were all very pleased. Delicious! Sammy gave us each a cookbook with all the recipes so we would be able to duplicate them once we get back home. I'll have to wait a few months until I find out if I'm successful in copying the recipes, but I'm confident they will be just as delicious in my home in Hawaii! Anyone want to come over for supper?

Planes, trains and automobiles

As great as it was to chill out on an island for a week, it was time for me to move along. Without question, I thoroughly explored the entire island. I could have easily drawn a detailed topographic map of Koh Chang.

Bye-bye Koh Chang

For me, there's nothing quite better than the feeling of being on the move..... of GOING! It's my style. I have a restless soul.
 I decided to make Chiang Mai my next stop. Even though it was a long jaunt, I opted to travel overland, rather than fly, for 3 reasons:
1. An overnight train means transportation and accommodation in one pop. Economical, albeit enduring.
2. I'm able to take in the scenery along the way, such as little villages with kids and chickens running around, which I wouldn't see if I chose to fly.

3. I wanted to minimize my carbon footprint. Whenever possible, I always choose a train before a plane. You should do the same.
Al Gore would be happy.
To get to Chiang Mai, I had to take a 2 hour boat ride to Ranong, then an 11 hour bus ride to Bangkok, and lastly a 14 hour train ride to Chiang Mai. I knew it was going to be a looooong haul, but I also knew it would probably be a memorable one.

After all, it's about the journey, not the destination.

The bus ride was long and drawn out, arriving late in true Thai fashion. It seems like there's always someone who gets sick on those long bus rides. A little boy puking on his moms lap, a girl barfing into a plastic bag as her boyfriend rubs her back. Lucky for me, I don't get motion sickness. Or even sea sickness. This quality makes me a good traveler. I was born to travel! Plus, I don't have a sympathetic boyfriend to rub my back. However, I curse my small bladder and often find myself quite dehydrated after long bus journeys, fearing the worst if I drink any large amounts of water, since bathroom breaks are only about every 2 hours.

On the bus I meet a quirky Russian man who tried to impress me by telling me he makes $50,000 a month from a black magic business he has going back in Moscow. I try not to let him see me rolling my eyes. I didn't ask him why he was staying in a $10/night hotel if he was so rich, or why he was taking the local bus when he could have just flown.... since he has so much money. Anyways, it's none of my business.

The characters you will meet when you're traveling....

I had a few hours to burn in Bangkok before I caught the overnight train. After I had way too much fun in the do-it-yourself passport photo booth, I wandered the lively streets of Bangkok. I pass by a sign advertising a 1 hour foot and back massage for $6. I stopped and contemplated for a whole 3 seconds. Eh, what the heck?

It was lovely. Don't be jealous.
 

Later that evening I'm at the train station, sauntering along the platform towards my assigned train car. I wonder: Who will I meet and what stories will evolve from this adventure? The suspense was killing me. Let's get this show on the road!

The train lurched forward, commencing it's journey exactly on time.

Soon, I discover my bunk mate above me is a lesbian from Scandinavia. Boring.

There is an Australian lady with her 30 year-old son on the other side of me. She takes his picture and they laugh together. They look like they're having so much fun. I chat with them shortly. Seeing them together makes me wish I had my mom here traveling with me, experiencing all these amazing things with me. If only I could convince her to travel overseas. She does plenty of traveling within the U.S, but she doesn't even own a passport. I always tease her that when she gets old and senile I'm going to bring her with me gallivanting around the world. Then she won't be able to refuse. Hehe.

I'm most excited about my monk bunk mates. A group of orange-robed Thai monks have decided to make this journey also. I watch as one of them climbs the ladder barefoot to his upper bunk. He turns to sit on the bed and our eyes meet. He looks at me as quizzically as I look at him. 2 people from 2 very different walks of life. The next morning we brush our teeth next to each other at the sinks. No big thang.
I've been around plenty of monks, but I still find them quite enigmatic. They're just so impressively religious and highly dedicated. How cool is it that I slept only a few feet away from a group of monks? Ha!

Train rides can be loads of fun. I have many fond memories on tracks all over the world. India is my favorite. I preferred to travel second class on the Indian trains, that's where the fun was at. I've shared my compartment with many amicable Indian families. They always kindly offered to share their highly aromatic meals with me, and they wouldn't take "no" for an answer!

I need to tell you this: after Indians eat, it gets really smelly. It's a mix of scents from the curry, belches and farts. It's great. I wish you all to have the pleasure of experiencing this at least once in your lifetime. They don't even try to conceal their burps, that's the funny part. I love it. Have you ever took a 16 hour flight, filled with Indians, from India to Chicago? Wow, that's some crude air in that plane once it lands at O'Hare.

Uff. Da.

Or have you ever tried to use the squat toilet on a jerky Indian train as you're being violently thrown around? That's fun, too.

I remember hanging off the train in India as it slowly passed by the slums of Mumbai and the sadness I felt by seeing these people live in such horrific, unimaginable conditions.
 

through the slums

I remember riding on the train in southern India, through the lush green landscapes of Kerala. The fresh tropical smells and hot humid air blowing on my face.

I remember chugging through Egypt on a train. Images of camels, donkeys and men in long gowns working in the golden fields along the Nile slid past the window.

I remember, not so long ago, my train ride through Tibet. Passing snow covered mountains, yaks and prayer flags on the highest train in the world.

I remember waking up early one morning on an overnight train to Norway. I was the only person in the entire car. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and was introduced to the beauty of Norway. It was so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes.

Norway

 

I remember zig-zagging slowly through the majestic mountains of Switzerland. One of the most breathtaking train rides I've ever took.

So many train memories.....

I first became acquainted with locomotive travel while I was in Europe. Some of the best days of my life. I traveled around with a 3 month Eurail pass, which allowed unlimited train travel. It's a must if you are in Europe for any length of time. I had an absolute blast on those European trains! Sometimes even more than in the countries themselves! I met countless entertaining people and have endless stories just from train travel alone.

On the other hand, when there wasn't anyone interesting to talk to, I did a lot of thinking on those trains and answered many questions to life while gazing out the window as Europe passed before my eyes.

The next time you have a choice between a plane and a train, make sure you chose wisely, my friends.


There are so many memories awaiting you.....

Koh Chang~ my little slice of paradise

Swinging in the hammock of my oceanfront bungalow, I'm overwhelmed with happiness and grateful to have finally found my own slice of paradise. I've been searching for a placid island such as this since I've arrived in Thailand.
The island is called (little) Koh Chang, not to be confused with the big Koh Chang. This Koh Chang is located in western Thailand.

The previous Thai islands I've visited had all lacked the qualities I had pictured in my mind as my perfect little spot to chill. Mostly, they were too crowded with tourists for my taste. Some of the other islands had deafening loud music thumping from the clubs until 4 am. I'm not looking for a wild drinking vacation here. The drunk teeny-bopper party animals hooted and hollered as they rallied through the streets, embarrassing themselves and giving tourists a bad name. Other islands were taken over by weird hippies, the annoying type of hippies. No skanks, please.
Koh Chang fit everything I was looking for. It's laid back, quiet and has a scant amount of tourists. I needed a place to relax and unwind. I found an ideal bungalow, located directly on the beach at Sawasdee resort. The soothing ocean waves are now my bedtime lullaby. All my stress melts away as I stare into the endless ocean.
I easily get lost in the 1500 pages of my "Gone with the wind" book. I think that will keep me busy for awhile. Funny choice for a book you may think? Well, it was the only book in English I could find on the island. The rest are primarily in German or Swedish.
Oddly, Koh Chang has nothing but German tourists. I tend to like Germans. I have a lot of German blood myself and I have a lot of German friends. I find them to be refreshingly straight forward. They do like their beer. I'll get to that later.
As great as it is to laze around on the beach, I'm not one to sit around all day. I get antsy. I gotta move! Plus, I don't need any more of a tan, I'm already as black as I could possibly get. It's safe to say that I have more energy than the average person. There are plenty of activities on this island to help me wear off this energy. There are a number of paths to get lost on throughout the island, I can rent a kayak, do yoga, run on the beach (even without my fancy running shoes!), play with the many dogs here, ogle at the local Thai children, socialize with those crazy Germans for a good laugh, clamber across the rocks along the rugged coast as large crabs scramble out of my way or I could walk the long beach until my legs fell off.

Another plus about this island, it's cheap. I'm renting this nice bungalow on the beach for $25 a night. It's a steal. You can also find one for $7 but it won't be as comfortable. (think large insects, reptiles, and poor bathroom conditions). It's better to just spend a little more in order to have a good experience.


My luxorious bungalow

 The food at the resort is prepared fresh. It's healthy and delicious and costs only $2-3 per meal.
Internet is scarce, and the connection is slower than molasses in January, but who wants to be connected to the outside world when you're in paradise?
Being the dedicated blogger that I am, I want to please my fans, so I spent 1 hour at this computer just to post this. You're welcome :)
If you decide to come here, make sure you bring enough cash because the island has no ATM and very few of the "resorts" accept credit cards.
Walking along the backwoods path to the almost nonexistent town center, I pass by smiling locals on motorbikes, sometimes a whole family of 4. I stroll past the rare hut that could barely be classified as a house.

It's very simple living here. Everyone seems to be cheerful.
Cashew nuts are abundant on the island and create a good income for the locals.
The locals are very polite, giving the respectful palms together greeting of the wái as I come in contact with them. I return the gesture.
We exchange the friendly greeting of "Sa-wat-dee-ka", which means hello. "kop-kum-ka" means thank-you. Pleasantly pleased with the island and the "resort", I've extended my stay from 3 nights to 6 nights.

harvesting coconuts

You might wonder if there is anything bad about this island? Well, yes, there is one thing. As with other tropical environments, you will have a problem with insects and rodents. It comes with the territory. So far, I've seen rats, cockroaches, geckos, lizards, spiders, ants, bees and millipedes. My first night here was miserable. The only accommodation I could find was a beat up shack on the beach. I had no choice. There was about 2 inches in between each wooden slab of the walls and floor, which meant no privacy and fair game for animals to have a free stay. There was a mosquito net, but it had gaping holes in it, so It didn't do me any good. At night, I discovered a large lizard tail sticking out on the wall above the head of the bed. Further investigation revealed a 12 inch long lizard! I gasped. Goodness gracious, what am I going to do with this thing?! I scan the room for an object to shoo him out with. (why am I always shooing things out of my bungalows?)
A hanger! That will do. I stand on the wobbly wooden night stand because I don't know how fast he can move and I don't want him scrambling over my feet. This was all well thought out. I throw the hanger at my unwanted guest. He moves a couple inches. I throw another hanger. Another 2 inches. After roughly 7 hanger tosses with no success, I decide to call in the troops: The drunk Germans. Haha. I knew they'd be drunk enough to grab the pesky reptile, freeing me of my midnight insanity. I tiptoe through the darkness to the restaurant where they have gathered to party and approach the group of obviously drunk Germans and explain my situation. Their English isn't the best and they're hammered so it takes awhile to communicate. Eventually, after repeated refusals by me to drink a beer with them, 1 girl and 2 guys, full of liquid courage, decide they will rid me of this repulsive reptile. Swaggering to my bungalow with the assistance of flashlights, they enter my shack with such drunken abruptness and noise, it scares away the lizard. I see it run into the crack of the roof. Yay! Danke, my German friends! I'm entertained for the next 15 minutes as they argue with each other if it was a gecko or a lizard since only the girl actually saw it. They all use my toilet and then finally leave, after a little encouragement from me, and more refusals from me to have a beer with them. Those Germans sure do like to party. My room wreaks of alcohol. I knew they were good for something. I chuckle at myself for being so resourceful. I really like them Germans.
One other negative aspect about the island is the lack of electricity. We only have power for 3 hours a day, while they run the generator. This is a sufficient amount of time to charge any electronics, so it's not a big deal. You must make sure you are in possession of a flashlight during the night. Otherwise, things could get tricky.
I'm really surprised the island isn't overrun by tourists like the other islands. So shhhh.... don't tell anyone. We want to preserve it's serenity, don't we?

Life's a beach

For the last 10 days, I've been living island style as I explore the islands in the Andaman sea of Thailand. Small green hilly islands encompassed by majestic blue ocean water.

The slacking on my blog is reflective of my languid ways. Life passes slowly these days. I'm often unaware of what the date or day is. Or even the time, for that matter. I rarely wear shoes and I'm constantly sporting a head of beach hair, which smells of dreamy coconut from coconut oil. My makeup bag has remained at the bottom of my backpack the entire time. My attire consists solely of a bikini and a sundress.
My skin has turned from ghostly pasty white to a warm golden brown, kissed gently by the Thai sun.
I'm content with just strolling on the beach, taking a dip in the ocean or lazing in a hammock.

This peaceful lifestyle conjures up memories of my past island life in Hawaii and the Virgin Islands.
Falling asleep to the soothing waves of the ocean. Walking barefoot in the soft sand. The humid heat. The relaxed vibe and friendly moods. The straw feel of salt in my hair. The abundant supply of yummy exotic fruits. All your worries melt away.....

At night, I feel like a princess as I sleep inside a mosquito net. The geckos sharing my room chirp all night long with their buddies. Last night, I had an unwanted visitor that woke me up at 4 am. A small mouse. It took me 30 minutes to shoo him out the door :(
When I become bored of one island, I move on to the next. Ferries operate daily. Some islands I visit are so primitive they were connected to electricity only last year. Some innocent locals on these islands don't even know what a credit card is. Bless their hearts.

The salty ocean air carries Bob Marley tunes through the islands at all hours as local Thai wanna-be Bobs dope around with heavy dread locks. Bob Marley is as highly idolized on these islands as he is on every other island in the world.


♫One love, one heart, let's get together and feel alright......♫

One day I enjoyed an island tour on a long tail boat tour with my new Australian friend, Cassandra. We cruised around Phi Phi island, stopping to swim and snorkel in little secluded bays.
The first idyllic spot was nothing short of a little slice of heaven. Sparkling clear blue water welcomed us.

It was the perfect depth at just below my chin. The sun had warmed the shallow bay to the temperature of bath water and the striking tall rock cliffs spotted with green vegetation embraced the entire area, creating a cozy feel. If I could come here everyday to swim, I would, and probably be the happiest girl in the world. As I was swimming in this tranquil bay so happily, I felt something brush against my hand. Frightened, I peer through the water and see a school of brightly colored black and yellow striped fish. They surrounded me like kids begging for candy.

Floating on my back, I listened to the sea talk to me. There is nothing more beautiful than nature.
You can have your city life....
Another day, we kayaked around the island, in awe of the landscape of rocks with dramatic vertical drop-offs.

Monkeys on the beach

The islands are inhabited by friendly locals. Most of them even trust tourists with their precious children.

I also held the sweetest gibbon, who melted my heart when he made little cooing noises.

As lovely as it is here, I'm not blown away by it all. I see nothing particularly special about the Thai islands. After visiting/living in Hawaii, the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, the Maldives, Fiji and the Greek Islands, Thailand has big shoes to fill. I won't be nominating them for the most beautiful beach award, but I'm thoroughly enjoying my time here and have nothing to complain about.
Something deep inside is telling me this is the type of environment I belong in. Is this what I've had to travel around the world to realize?
This is the life for me..... at least for the moment  :)

One night in Bangkok

As I prepare to transform into a bikini clad beach bum for the next couple of months, I realize that the last time I wore a bikini on a beach was in the Maldives way back in December '10. 14 months ago. Uffda. 
I knew this would all change once I got to Thailand, and I'm itching to get into that bikini again. The first 3 months of my trip has been cold, sometimes miserably cold. Now it's time for the warm weather portion!!!
All that pizza, nutella and gelato in Italy did a number on my body, not to mention the rest of the 3 months of abuse from all those third world countries. I had to do something about this.
This had to change.....
As a backpacker, your health often involuntarily falls by the wayside. It's difficult to be healthy when you're constantly moving around.
Your sleep is often out of wack and of poor quality because of various factors such as: the other guests at the hostel are loud while coming home at 2 am, because it's hard to sleep on a bus or plane or train, because you're perpetually in a strange environment, or because your time zones change so frequently. Traveling has a funny way of aging you quickly. Yet, I still do it.
All for the love of travel.....
You're forced to eat at odd hours, sometimes even when you're not hungry. You're forced to eat the unhealthy breakfast options at the hotel, only because it's included in your stay and you're trying to save money. There are numerous factors working against you.
I was a vegan for 3 years, until I started traveling like it was going out of style, then it all fell apart. Although, I've remained a strict vegetarian through it all. However, this can sometimes severely limit my meal options overseas.
Anyone that knows me well knows that I'm a huge health nut.
When I travel, I'm not able to maintain my regular workout routine or healthy diet. But my life still entails lots of walking, some hiking, and not to mention carrying around a 40 pound backpack when moving from place to place. Sometimes I walk for miles with it on in order to reach a hotel from the train station. But still, this isn't good enough for me.
I'm extremely grateful that I'm living my dream, and I love my exotic traveling life, but I don't like the fact that I sacrifice my health for it. I mean, there's a reason why people from third world countries don't have the same life expectancy as Westerners. Today, I decided things were going to change. Time to stop the insanity!
I'm not trying to complain and I'm not saying these things to make you feel pity for me, I'm just trying to give you an accurate feel for what it's like to travel Rachel-style.

Once I arrived in Bangkok, I found my way to a local mall, which was surprisingly outragously expensive. The Nike running shoes were $130-200, on sale! I swallowed hard when I gave the Thai man a pile of Bahts in exchange for my new running shoes. I thought of it as a form of health insurance. My health is extremely important to me. As a nurse, I know all too well the importance of exercise and living a healthy life. I see the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle firsthand. It seems like nearly every patient I take care of has abused his/her body in some way or another. This is evident as they struggle to roll over in bed because they are too obese or they huff and puff after walking  only a few feet, struggling for air because they've smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a day for the last 50 years, or they swing a fist at me while going through DT's after they've pickled their puny brains with alcohol. Well, folks, I have a confession. At times like these, a little voice in my head says to these patients, "you wouldn't be in this situation if you would have taken care of your body, dummy." Please don't take that in the wrong way. I'm passionate about my work, but this is the sad truth. My job is to educate them on leading a healthier lifestyle, and take care of their ailing body in the meantime. Frustratingly, most of them are unwilling to change their toxic ways.
I don't ever want to be that kind of patient. Ever.
Here's to new beginnings!
Thailand is a perfect place to gain back my healthy lifestyle, with the warm weather and abundance of healthy food options.
After watching "The hangover 2", I was midly frightened of Bangkok. But I've found it's really not that bad. It's a lot cleaner than I imagined it to be. More importantly, the people are so sweet. Their smiles are genuine and make you feel so special. They are GOOD people. Right away I had a good feeling about Thailand. This has the potential of being my favorite country.

The weather is hot and humid. Coming from freezing Rome, this was a shock to my system, but I'm a beach/island girl at heart, so I'm loving this weather. I've come to terms with the reality of my cold intolerance. I know you're going to say, "But you grew up in Minnesota!", and "You lived in Alaska!" I'm aware of these facts, but I really hate the cold. I feel like it gets worse with each passing year. Maybe I'm becoming an old irritable bitty. Whatever the reason, I need heat! The sun and warmth makes me feel happy, and not having to wear shoes makes me feel even happier!
Lacing up my brand spanking new grey and neon pink Nike shoes, I stuff my earbuds in my ears and hit the dark nighttime streets of Bangkok. I feel light as a feather as I bounce through the avenues. Could this be from my shoes, or my mood?
I choose "One night in Bangkok" from the music selection on my iPhone.
Seems fitting.
                                     
                 ♫ ♪Bangkok, Oriental setting
        And the city don't know that the city is getting.....♫ ♪

I run past little Thai people pushing carts of freshly sliced fruit for sale. Mangoes, watermelon, papaya, pineapple, star fruit, jack fruit, mangosteen, and cantaloupe galore. I'm in fruit heaven.

I run past steaming food stalls cooking up meals of green vegetables and fish in woks. I run past a man selling fried bugs..... to eat. (Hmmm, I'll have to try those) I run past locals sitting outside the food stalls, slurping their soup at the plastic tables. Sluuurrrrrrp! Some of them are washing it down with a beer from a sweaty glass bottle.

I run past the endless shops set up along the sidewalks, selling knock-off purses, dresses and everything else under the sun. I run past elaborate temples with bright flowers and incense burning.

I run past homeless Thai people, stretching their arm out for money as they sit on top of their deformed legs. I run past tourists from several different countries, thoroughly enjoying their vacation time. I run past hot pink taxis, rickshaws and beat up local buses as they spit out wretched clouds of black smoke.

I wince as I breath this pollution into my healthy lungs. See what I mean about traveling being unhealthy?
                       
                ♫ ♪Whaddya mean? Ya seen one crowded,
                              polluted, stinking town....♫ ♪

I run past the skinny "lady boys" with fake boobs, short skirts and caked-on makeup, trying so hard to be something they will never be. I run past the nasty prostitutes..... and the old skeezer tourists negotiating a risky night of fun with them.
                    
                   ♫ ♪One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble,
                         Not much between despair and ecstasy,
                   One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble,
                       Can't be too careful with your company,
                     I can feel the devil walking next to me.....♫ ♪

I run and run and run. I'm like Forest Gump. Gosh, I love that guy. I shock myself at how far I'm able to run after not exercising for so many months. I have more energy than a 3 year old that's just eaten a pound of Skittles. All these sights distract me and make the time fly.
                                    
                      ♫ ♪Time flies, doesn't seem a minute,
                   since the Tirolean spa had the chess boys in it.
        All change, don't you know that when you play at this level
                              there's no ordinary venue♫ ♪

An hour later, I slip back to my hotel, feeling like a million bucks. On cloud nine, I strut to my room for a shower. A grotesquely large cockroach scurries across my path, a sign of the warm weather. I snarl at it and keep walking. Sorry Mr. Cockroach, it's going to take more than that to gross me out. Did I mention I spent 3 months in India?
                      
                ♫ ♪Get Thai'd! You're talking to a tourist,
                    whose every move's among the purest.
           I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine♫ ♪

I'm pretty satisfied with my sneaker investment. Just think about how much more ground I've covered and how many more things I could see from running instead of walking! This could become addicting!
                            
           ♫ ♪ One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster,
                     The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free
                      You'll find a god in every golden cloister,
                        and if you're lucky then the god's a she,
                          I can feel an angel sliding up to me♫ ♪

The Dolce Vita

Arriving in Italy felt like a huge weight off my shoulders. I could instantly feel the change in the air and was comforted by the warmth shown by the Italians. I had a thick layer of scummy evilness coating my skin from Morocco after 2 challenging weeks. There are some major bad vibes radiating from that country. Once in Italy, my stress level returned to zero. In my relaxed state, I was ready to enjoy Italy. After 3 long months, I'd had enough of third world countries for a while. Finally, civilization!
Though I sincerely believe the world is too big to return to the same place 3 times within 3 years, this is exactly what I've done with Italy. I've never understood how some people choose the same vacation destination every year. There's so much more world to explore! But Italy is an exception. Maybe it's the friendly locals or the classy atmosphere. Maybe it's the food, or maybe it's all three that make me beg for more. For whatever reason, something keeps me coming back like a boomerang. Mi piace moltissimo l'Italia! It's my safe haven. I feel welcome and comfortable here. There is a unique vibe here that has made each and every trip enjoyable. These days, it feels almost like an old friend to me. I fell in love with it the first time I came here, and my love grows stronger with each visit. From the charming Tuscany countryside to the romantic canals and bridges of Venice, my love runs deep.
If you have ever been to Italy, you may realize quickly that Italians are very proud of their heritage. Italians are peculiar people. The general concept among the locals is that there is no better place to live than Italy, and they aren't afraid to tell you that. They say it with a matter-of-fact tone of voice. If you happen to laugh at this absurd perception, they will look at you and blink in disbelief. To them, it's a well known fact that their country is superior, from the fashion to the food. It is true, they do have an impressive array of foods and the people do dress very fashionably. I'll tell you a secret: if I was from Italy, I would be just as proud :)
Walking around Rome, I felt sorely out of place as everyone around me was dressed to the nines and I was wearing my usual backpacker rags paired with a fleece coat. I bet they shook their heads at me behind my back. I screamed American with no fashion sense. But in reality, I do have fashion sense. Give me a break, I've just come from a string of third world countries and I didn't have room in my backpack for all my Versace and Dolce and Gabbana clothes :)

Tossing my coin into the Trevi fountain

We all like to make jokes about the cliche "Mama boy" Italian living with his parents long after he starts to bald. This is not entirely inaccurate. It is a very prevalent situation in present day Italy. In their defense, Italians have very strong family bonds and see nothing wrong with this. Which is just another reason why I love Italy. Living with your parents after the age of 18 in America is looked at as such a taboo, but in many other countries, it's really the thing to do. There's more of an emphasis placed on the importance of family. Maybe we should all take note.....
Italians exude an air of confidence, but aren't overly cocky. They're smooth characters, these Italians. They are honest and kind, without being artificial.
I love listening to them speak. They do it with such passion. Stress is placed on exactly the right syllable at exactly the right time. The words seem to blend together so well with all the ch, s, r and g sounds. It rolls off the tongue like warm butter spreading over fresh bread.
I dream of living in Italy one day and being able to fluently speak their lovely language. But as I stumble over my American-accented Italian, trying to communicate with shop owners and cute little old Italian ladies while wearing my unfashionable backpacker attire, I think, "Who am I kidding? I'll never be Italian!"
Oh, but a girl can dream.

Rome nightlife with some funky shades

I had various reasons why I wanted to return to Italy this time.
-In the grand scheme of things, I honestly would like to live here one day, so I wanted to see more of the country to make an educated decision.
-I needed to eat that pizza in Naples! My life is now complete.
-I wanted to improve my struggling Italian. I began learning it while living in Alaska, but I needed someone to practice with, and who speaks Italian in Alaska?! However, I've found it very easy to pick up the language and have increased my vocabulary significantly even after spending only 10 days here.
-I have friends in Italy that I wanted to see. Meeting locals is always a major determinate in liking a country.
One of these friends is Angelo from Venice. I met him 3 years ago while I was in Venice. At the time, I was on a short 2 week European vacation to escape the Alaskan cold. I traveled via train between Paris, Rome and Venice. The crème de la crème of Europe. It was a magical time. Being my first taste of Europe, I absolutely loved it.
Since I was on a short holiday, I could afford to stay in swanky hotels, rather than the cheap hostels I'm forced to stay in during my prolonged adventures. I splurged when I chose an elegant Venetian hotel that was the former house of Marco Polo. I stayed in a luxurious room with a small canal directly outside my window. After I grew tired of roaming around the maze of streets in Venice, I could retire to my posh pad. There was a bay window in my room, perfect for sitting and reading as I watched the gondolas float past. Lovey-dovey couples, snuggled closely together inside the boats, would pass by my window as their gondoliers called out "Ciao bella!" to me. It felt like a dream. I was in a fantasy land. This vacation played a major role in my travel addiction. I nourished myself with pizza, wine and gelato, eating as irresponsibly as a freshman in college. But remember, there are no such thing as calories while you're on vacation.
One lazy afternoon, I was lounging in my window reading a book when suddenly a gondola passed significantly closer than the other gondolas. I could have reached out and touched it. I was a little surprised, and so was the gondolier. We both jumped when we met face to face.

Angelo on his gondola

The man with the black and white stripped gondolier shirt exclaims, "Hello!"
"Hi!", I reply.
"Where are you from?" he inquires.
Casually, I say "The US", as he slowly floats by. He leans back on his gondola so he won't lose sight of me as he clears my window. His last question as he coasts away is, "Are you married?!" I laugh to myself and shake my head. I had heard this from hundreds of Italian men already. I stick my head out the window and yell back "No!" I go back to reading my book, then quickly peak back out and notice he is rowing his gondola backwards!
I didn't even know this was possible.
What is this crazy Italian doing?! I thought. These Italian lover boys are such hopeless romantics.
He had a middle aged couple in his boat, hugging each other closely. Though later he admits this was unprofessional to do with customers in his boat, they seemed to be loving the entire situation. It was like a fairy tale meeting. A handsome Italian gondolier rowing his boat, comes upon an American girl reading in the window of her ritzy hotel. Love at first sight. Perhaps. He rests his arm on my window sill and tries to act smooth. After a short conversation, he asks if I'd like to meet him later that night after he finished working. I was intrigued by the gondoliers and had several questions to ask him about his lifestyle. I said yes.
We planned to meet at 7 pm on one of the little bridges. If I leaned out my window far enough, I could see this bridge.
Later that evening, I returned to my hotel after wandering around enchanting Venice and quickly got ready. I wasn't sure if Angelo would show, so I didn't get my hopes up.
At 10 minutes before 7, I leaned out my window to visualize the bridge. I see Angelo standing there! He waves at me boyishly. I wave back. I laugh at myself for even thinking he wouldn't show up. Of course he was going to show up.
He introduced me to the Venetian night life, which is much more sophisticated and calm compared to America. I was able to see Venice from a local point of view. I could live here, I thought.
Me and Angelo fell hopelessly in love with each other and lived happily ever after.
Just kidding. Don't you wish? Sorry. It's not that easy to tame this restless soul. This could have been a perfect, romantic, happily-ever-after story, but I have placed Angelo in my friends category, much to his dislike. I had a blast with Angelo and I knew this was the beginning of a great friendship. He's a bit of a dork and has a unique way of making me laugh without even trying. I know he'll be reading this. Yes, Angelo, I just called you a dork again. He didn't know the meaning of this word until a few days ago when I called him one. His English is good, even though he doesn't think so. However, they don't teach you "dork" in English class. He's also a jokester along with being a good actor, which has made me fall for several of his tricks. Darn you, Angelo. I really believed you on that last one! I'll get you back....
Not only is Angelo a gondolier, he is also an architect and a successful author with 2 books published already.
The summer before last, during my 3 months of backpacking through Europe, I visited Angelo again.
This winter, I also met up with him. Since Venice was frigid and snowy this time of year, we explored Rome together instead. It was my second time in this astonishing city and it never ceases to amaze me.
We roamed around Rome for 4 days and had a smashing good time, as usual. Having a local accompany me is very convenient, as well as comforting to be around someone I know. We mingled through the ancient Roman ruins as we imagined what they looked like thousands of years ago.
We walked all over the ancient city, stopping periodically to sip on espressos. And when I went to pour water in my potent espresso, Angelo acted like it was a crime. He pleaded with me, "Rachel, no, please don't, not in Italy." He couldn't bear the sight of it and walked away embarrassed. Alone, I nearly choked on my diluted coffee as I thought about how serious he took this matter. See what I mean about Italians being peculiar?
One night, we celebrated the release of his second book. I'm so proud of him. I met 2 of his cousins and their wives as they joined us for dinner. It was an Italian style meal of biscotti, pasta, wine and desert.

Angelo, on right, with his cousins

me with the cousin's wives

I enjoyed listening to them speak so eloquently to each other as I waited for the translation, which was often unneeded. Soaking in this ambiance, I thought, I totally get you Italians. You're a little goofy, but I'm totally digging you guys.
With a 4th visit to Italy already on the horizon, I say arrivederci as I trade it in for Thailand!
Ciao bello!

A Napoli love story

This may sound silly, but the only reason why I wanted to go to Naples (Napoli) was to eat the pizza. And I'm not even ashamed to tell you that. Naples is notorious for it's savory pizza pies. Being the curious cat that I am, I had to see for myself how scrumptious they really are.
Wearing my best stretchy pants (just kidding), I sought out the best of the best pizza joints in town.

First up was "Da Michele", made famous from the book/movie "Eat, Pray, Love". The author raved so much about their pizzas, she made my mouth water.

Navigating through the rain with map in hand, I was on a mission. Nothing could stop me from getting this pizza in my belly. Arriving at the restaurant, I was not impressed by it's decor. Green and white tile walls. It was very plain and a little cold looking. I'll give it a chance.

As I make my way to a small table, I walk past about 7 clearly Italian workers with t-shirts and aprons on. The pizza creators made me blush as they yelled out "ciao bella!" to me. I watch them stuff pizzas into a wood burning oven and carefully sprinkle cheese on the top of another, like Michelangelo perfecting his masterpiece. They smelled irresistibly delicious.
The waiter follows closely and says to me "margherita pizza?" before I even sit down.
"Si", I say as I take my coat off and rest it on the back of my chair.
How did he know??
He disappears through the swinging doors into the back.
I'm so excited to eat this pizza, it's not even funny.
As I patiently wait for my pizza, I watch Italian families eating and talking so passionately to each other. A family of 8 to my left, a cute elderly couple straight ahead. These are the thoughts in my head; I love Italy so much. What a great lifestyle. I could live here happily. I felt extremely relieved to be here after coming from depressingly cruel Morocco. The laid back atmosphere of Italy makes me drunk with happiness. Italy makes me feel sexy.
Soon, my waiter magically appears from the back, carrying a huge saucer of pizza goodness. It's thin, but large. The aroma fills my nostrils and brings back every pizza memory I've ever had. "Buon appetito", he says while smiling. His eyes twinkle.
"Grazie", I respond, staring at this mixture of bread, red tomato sauce, white mozzarella and green basil before me.
I grab my camera and snap a picture quick. My waiter snatches my camera from me and takes a pic with me and my pie of perfection. The Italian family of 8 to my left look back and smile adoringly at me. It's obvious at this point that I am a tourist. They see my vulnerability and, throughout my meal, keep looking back at me and smiling warmly as if I'm a cute puppy. Italians are very welcoming people. I love them.
Holding a fork in one hand and a knife in the other, I tear into my pizza.

The first bite I take makes my eyes roll into the back of my head. Indescribable flavors explode on my taste buds. I close my eyes as I try to comprehend the level of goodness this pizza has achieved. The ingredients are the freshest of the fresh. I can taste the influence of the wood burning oven. The crust is almost the consistency of a crepe and it melts in my mouth. The mozzarella is gooey and pairs well with the fresh tomato sauce mixed with mystery spices. The basil is a perfect accent to this wheel of wonder. This is possibly the best thing I've ever eaten in my 31 years on this earth.
Italian phrases fly through my head.
"Bellisimo!"
"Perfetto!"
"Bella!"
I resist the urge to yell these phrases out while holding my hand up, pinching my fingers together Italian style.

Soon, I lose all touch with reality and forget I'm even eating in a restaurant. I catch myself staring lovingly at my magnificent pizza pie. I'm in heaven. It's so good, it should be illegal. This has ruined Domino's, Pizza Hut and every other sub par pizza chain for me. There is no comparison. Da Michele puts them ALL to shame.
Da Michele is Da bomb.
As I chew the last bite, I think, "I don't want this to be over." It was like parting ways with a new lover.
When can we see each other again? Tomorrow?
But that's so far away.....
I love you!
It takes me over 30 minutes to eat this humongous heavenly creation. Mangio lenta. (I eat slow)
I put my fork down, lick my lips and lean back in my chair. Unbelievable. I'm honored to have this pizza in my stomach.
My bill was a measly 4 euros, but I would have easily forked out €20 for this near out-of-body experience.
The next night, I eat another large pie with 2 travelers, an Australian and a Korean girl, at another restaurant that was supposed to be the undisputed best pizza in Naples. It was also wildly delicious, but Da Michele was still a hair better. It was my first love, what can I say. It will always be special.
I skip back to the hotel with my new Korean friend, both of us are eating 2 scoops of gelato in a dish. I wonder when my body shape will begin to reflect my indulgences, the same way it did for the Eat, Pray, Love lady. Then I remember, there is no such thing as calories when you're on vacation!
Mama mia! I will never forget my love affair with that pizza pie.
Until we meet again, my Italian lover :)