So, as some of you may know, Spring break 2009 consisted of what I call a "whirwind eurotrip". 1 backpack, 7 countries, 10 days, countless memories. I had a "Global" Eurail pass which allowed me access to 21 European countries. Because that trip was so successful, I planned on doing something along those lines for Spring Break 2010 as well. I purchased a 4-country railpass, planning on seeing Switzerland, Austria, and Italy with a side trip to France. I ordered it through Eurail.com (a different company from the one I used last time) and two days before I was supposed to leave, I received an email that my order never went through. So... I had two days to figure out plan B.
Thanks, Eurail.
Not all was lost, however, because my roommate's brother is currently living and teaching in Cyprus so we figured hey, why not go see what Cyprus is like. Free place to stay! My airfare actually ended up being $100 less than my railpass, so I decided to use that money for a little excursion to Athens! I had a 6-hour layover in the ancient city, enough time to wander up to the Acropolis and have lunch on a mountain overlooking the city. I knew that 6 hours wasn't going to be nearly enough time to do the city justice, but I know that I will definitely be back at some point in the future.
So I boarded my next flight to Larnaca, Cyprus, having no idea what to really expect. The flight went smoothly. Leah's flight landed about an hour and half after mine, so I found a coffee shop and a comfy chair and read. The time passed quickly. After I found Leah, we went to get a taxi to the her brother's house which we came to find was no small feat. About 20 minutes, 3 cabbies, and a few haphazard maps later, we agreed on a price and set off for the capital of Nicosia.
The country of Cyprus is split into the Northern Turkish Republic and the Southern half which is mainly Greek. In 1974, the Turks decided they wanted Cyprus, so they invaded but only succeeded in securing the northern half. From Leah's brother's apartment, you could see a giant lit Turkish flag which was crafted into the side of a mountain for all Greek Cypriates to see. Talk about a smack in the face.
The next day we headed out for the Turkish half of the capital, which is the only divided capital left in the world. There is a UN buffer zone and a passport check point as well. The Turkish side is considerably poorer and less friendly than the Greek side, but I did see my first mosque, which was cool. And it had great, cheap shopping!
The next day, we headed out for our hotel on the southern coast of Cyprus called Limasol (or Limassol. I've seen it spelled both ways). Cyprus is strange in the fact that is has really beautiful parts...and really ugly parts. Most of the country was random industrial factories, and then there were beautiful beaches and landscapes. Our hotel was gorgeous though!
So for four days, I just basically laid out in the sun in perfect weather. Not too shabby, huh?
And then I came back to Milan and it was raining. Lovely.
The second phase of spring break started the day after Easter. Destination: Monaco.
People often ask me what my favorites cities are in Europe. I never really know how to answer that because I love so many cities for different reasons, but Monte Carlo is definitely in my top five. I absolutely loved Monaco. Small, safe, you could eat off the sidewalks, gardens everywhere, beautiful architectue, sun, sand, gambling, Maseratis... what more could you ask for?
I spent the entire day just absorbing the scenery around me and I ended up falling asleep at the beach. I wandered on over back to the train station and took the next train to Nice, France, where I would spend the night for 50 euro cheaper. I took a long walk along the boardwalk, planning to find some dinner but it got a bit shady so I got some subway and went to eat back at the hostel. I stayed in a 6-bed female dorm being that I was by myself, and the woman with whom I was sharing a room was there named Hayley. She was born in South Africa, but had moved to the UK where she had spent the last decade. Her job consists of working for two weeks, then having two weeks off which she spends traveling. We exchanged travel stories, talked about British and American politics, college, the economy, humanity and the problems with our respective countries. Meeting Hayley was definitely a highlight of my trip because it reminded me that traveling isn't about what you see--it's about the people you meet, what they teach you, and the impact they have on you without even realizing it. It's moments like those when I remember why I love traveling so much: there are people out there just like me and it gives me hope that one day we will understand each other, and ultimately come to respect our differences.
All in all, spring break was wonderful. I would go back to Athens and Monaco in a second. Nice was okay but there are better Riviera towns, in my opinion. Limasol was nice mainly because of the weather and the hotel we stayed at was incredible.
But I loved every minute.
