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I’m going to stop pretending that I’m going to update more frequently. That way, it will be a pleasant surprise when I do, instead of a disappointment when I don’t.

So where was I again? Right. On a train to Milan. ll I have to say about that town is that it felt like stepping into New York. Sure, there were some nice stores, but it was grey and industrial, with too many McDonalds, and too few rays of sunshine. Everyone was bustling about. The next day, we left for Nice and ended up at the Nice police station. Nothing major, don’t worry. (Since the last police station fingerprinted me, I couldn’t pull a Foxy Knoxy…too soon? Oh well.) Katherine had her bag of clothes stolen, but because she’s a smart cookie, she had her passport and Kindle and such in a smaller bag with her, which wasn’t taken. We were helped out by this kindly youngish French man, and reported the theft. Never can say that random strangers aren’t nice ever again. Plus, I’ve now officially been in more foreign police stations than U.S. ones.

Otherwise, the French Riviera was nice (pun totally intended); our dinner was fantastic. But I don’t recommend drinking the free wine several restaurants use as bait to get you to sit down. Ours was a rosé, and it tasted and smelled like Smarties instead. Yuck.

The next day, we moved onward, to Paris. Alex’s friend Josh met us at the station and taught us how to use the metro system, thank God. Having to pay to use the bathroom (.50 €, thank you, now please go through the turnstile) was bewildering enough–if I’d had to figure out how to get on the train, I would have lost it. Instead, I lost it the next day (briefly). After an excellent dinner of canard aux framboises, or duck with raspberries, and a good night’s sleep in our hostel, we headed to the Louvre. Their current temporary exhibition? Alexander and Macedonia, of course. Two hours in, I was totally overwhelmed by the horde of school children shrieking and old ladies jabbing me with their elbows to get a better look. I understand that  you’re dying and all, but really? RUDE. Our group separated for a while (read: for our sanity), and met up again just in time to see the code of Hammurabi. Pretty exciting stuff.

We hit all the other big sites (Champs d’Elysee, Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, San Chappelle, San Denis, Rue di Rivoli) except for the Musee d’Orsay, which was closed due to a strike. See: Strike at Revamped Musée d’Orsay Blocks Grand Reopening. Anyway, after three days of drooling over 300 € Hermes scarves (which I did not buy) and croque madames (which I did eat), we got back on a night train for Rome, on which I studied and slept for about fifteen hours total. And then that cycle continued for the next week and a half, with the occasional break for a meal.

Which pretty much catches you up on my life. I played a little Tour Guide Barbie for my mom and aunt for the past ten days, and said goodbye to them last night. I’m looking forward to some real fall weather starting up in the next week or so, as it still is in the 70s for the high most days here, and to going to Campania in seven days. Ciao til next time!