Being in Italy during the World Cup has been exciting. Small cafés have unveiled brand new TVs for futbol fans to enjoy the games. We have seen many proud business owners hang new TVs.

When Italy was still a contender there was a cafe in Florence where more TVs were facing the crowds sitting on a bridge high above the Arno River, then for their actual seated customers. Many people purchased a spritz or birra (beer), crossed the street, perched themselves on the river’s edge then watched the game amongst friends. The roadway and sidewalk were filled with futbol fans.

In Cinque Terre people would crowd around teeny tiny TVs and block the streets as well. Then Italy lost. It’s like the pope died. There was a lot of mourning. The news coverage is thorough and intense. We just hope that no one asks us any questions about the games.

In the steep Cinque Terre any flat spot is fare game for a little futbol regardless of how many people are occupying it.

We have arrived in Cinque Terre! We couldn’t be happier. Cinque Terre are five small towns on a rugged portion of coast on the Italian Riviera. It’s comprised of five small fishing villages connected by paths, trains or boats. No cars here! A pleasant refuge within our travels.

Our laundry hanging outside our room in town.

On our evening walk.

We are caffeinated! Another favorite part of Italy is cruising into a cafe, standing at the bar and enjoying a cappuccino. We have them often. They’re cheaper than water! If you stand at the bar and don’t sit it’s even cheaper. Cappuccinos in the morning, espressos all other times.

We fit the tourist persona in Florence. In a over traveled, under slept stupor we stumbled into our hotel. Within a minute Brian broke an antique sconce from God knows when and we washed some dirty clothes. After sleeping for 14 or so hours we hurried out for our morning tour. We were surprisingly met by our angry hotelier when we arrived back. They were not happy with the broken sconce that in our stupor we forgot to report and that we hung our laundry out on a street that was forbidden to have laundry on. All which the sign on our room clearly stated was prohibited. Our smugness left us immediately and we will remain the humble, dumb, American tourist until we leave Florence.

More than anything Brian and I have enjoyed sitting on piazzas and enjoying a lovely meal, wine and people watching. We have done our fair share since arriving in Italy.

Yesterday Brian and I visited the ancient city of Rome. We visited with a small tour group that was amazing. The guide was very educated, an anthropologist and he brought Ancient Rome alive. It’s overwhelming and humbling to be around so much history.

We were fortunate to make our way into the Capitoline Museums during a rain storm and to eat lunch on a quaint Piazza before the weather broke loose for the second time.

The meals have been amazing so far. Lunch yesterday was gnocchi with fresh sea bass. Dinner was equally delicious.

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So far I have run out into a restaurant with soapy suds on my hands because I couldn’t turn on the water. Fortunately an annoyed server, carrying plates, ran into the bathroom to show me how to pump the water with a foot pedal. Doh! Then Brian and I got terribly lost last night. We missed our dinner reservation but somehow ended up in an amazing, lively neighborhood. We walked around with the locals on their passeggiata or evening stroll. It was magical. We stayed out until 1 am and the streets were still filled with young and old when we left for bed.

We arrived in Rome very excited to see the city. However my backpack took an unexpected trip to Copenhagen. Therefore we sat in the airport for 4 hours waiting for it to finally arrive. Not quite the welcome we had envisioned.

We then trained and bussed our way to our home in Rome. Our host is amazing. We are situated right across from the entrance to the Vatican. The attention to detail and craftsmanship of the wood is amazing. Currently I am listening to singing from the service that is about to begin with Pope Francis I.

Olso is a beautiful and an amazing city. The weather was perfect in the low 70’s with sunshine. The city was super clean and full of green. Green for money and trees. Oslo is the most expensive place I’ve visited. Thankfully it was a brief visit for us.

I’ve posted a picture from the Holmenkollen Ski Jump which towers over Oslo. In the summer it’s used for a zip-line. The views of Oslo are quite spectacular from there.

For dinner we sat at an outside cafe and enjoyed people watching. My shrimp had too many eyeballs looking at me, so I hardly touched the plate.

Hi, welcome to Tampering with Monotony.  I picked this as a venue for those of you that would like to follow my travels.  Follow along and enjoy the journey.

Brian and I are packed and ready to go.  Tomorrow starts our long journey to Norway.  It’s been a grueling, yet exciting night getting packed up and ready to go.  Brian has already warned me that there is not enough time for coffee in the morning since we have to leave the house by 5 am.  Wish me luck!

Heidi