Firenze, Florence

Florence is actually named after a flower and home to some amazing artists and influential people, such as Michaelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinchi, Makaveli, and Donatello.

We arrived to our campsite.....
Yes, second campsite and not the last of my tour, can't wait for a hotel! Just putting it out there... Lol Anyway our first day in Florence we headed to the city for a leather tour. Here we learnt about the process of making leather products and how to tell a fake! So excited because I bought my first leather handbag made here in Italy!

The lane ways in Italy are covered in people selling fake leather and imitations of famous paintings. If you get caught wearing any fake designer brands you get a fine on the spot from the police!

After the leather tour we went and viewed all the statues which stand in a square to represent the Roman history in Florence. We also got to see the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge. I've decided not to do anymore walking tours because I like doing them alone because it's not as overcrowded and I love roaming around the lane ways and finding hidden stores and markets. And most of all its free. So all my photos I can't explain this time what they're about!

While wandering around we came across a caricature artist and got a picture drawn. He was selling watercolour paintings and being Italian as you'd all know they're very vocal on what they think of you! I asked to buy a painting and he said "No, you are so beautiful and sweet to me I want to show you my personal collection." so he went and grabbed a folder of paintings he sells to art galleries. I purchased two and was so rapped cause no one else will have the same original hand painted art that I do. Not going to lie I've gone a bit overboard with paintings and old pictures to frame for my house.

That night we tried a Tuscan dinner at a restaurant in the city. For €35 we got three pastas, meatballs, chicken & polenta, cured meats, dessert, and two glasses of red wine. Seriously delicious food and pretty sweet value!

Afterwards I forced myself to follow the group to a club. (this is for you Kayla)when we got there, not kidding it was like Chasers nightclub Melbourne. So definitely not my scene! The weirdest thing was there were literally children in the club, these kids were all like 13, 14 year olds. They weren't allowed to buy alcohol, but who was stopping them drinking it. It was pretty weird felt like a school disco..... Probs won't be going out again.

Gotta run, cause I'm standing outside the coloseum in Rome ready to go look around!

Missing home and everyone big time!!

Xx

French Riviera

French Riviera has to be my favorite part of France for sure! Next time I feel like a beach getaway, ill sure be back!

This place is just to good. The banks and cliff faces are covered with French provincial holiday homes painted yellow or pale pink, covered in shutters and wrought iron balconies. Where the view of the ocean is so clear it almost looks like part of the sky in the distance. All the homes are luxury real estate with massive yachts, and flashy cars. The views while driving down cliff face roads, is pretty gobsmacking, I've never seen a coast so pretty!

French Riviera is the capital of french perfumes so our first stop was to a perfumery to see how perfume was made and to purchase some scents. And of course I bought more than a couple!

Afterwards we headed in to the main town of Nice. Again the landscape was just as amazing up close as from the top of the cliffs driving down. All old corner buildings, lane ways and the best beach. My friend and I decided to hit the old town streets to weave around all the tiny lane ways and found a whole lot of markets. Filled with local designers, unlimited patisseries, souvenirs, street performers, restaurants for a mile, and beautiful homewares.
We spent all day there and wandered up to the beach to catch some sun.

That night we took the bus to Monaco, the second smallest country in the world. It is still run by a monarchy and a Prince called Prince Albert. Monaco wasn't  famous for much around the 1940s, so the current Prince decided to marry a celebrity to bring publicity. He had his eye set on Marilyn Monroe but after denial he married Grace Kelly. Grace Kelly attracted a lot of fame and celebrities. Hence today it to be a "rich and famous" city. To become a citizen you have to ask the Prince himself, and people such as Elton John have been denied! So pretty sure I can't move there anytime soon. Lol

We headed to the famous Monte Carlo Casino!! It was the most fanciest casino ever! Walking in the door we passed Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche, and Rolls Royce cars. The decor was laced in gold trimmings, columns, marble floors and grand rooms with a couple of betting tables. We only had an hour so I decided not to go in because I was pretty sure minimum bet wasn't going to be cheap! So I headed to Buddha Bar and just the same decor, the ambience although was pretty stuck up I thought. Old wealthy men with the most stunning woman on their arms hardly smiling or conversating. The music was even a bit echoey and sombre as if something you'd see in a movie when someone walks into a club and the gangsters are lounging down the back with beautiful women and champagne around them. So we stayed for one €20 cocktail (approx $30-40AUD) but I assure you it was entertaining to people watch and to have mixed with a whole different genre of people. After our cocktail we left and headed back for the contiki bus.

Today up bright an early, off to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and then Florence Italy to visit a leather making factory.

The weather has been perfect here but I'm getting pretty homesick for my own room and sharing a bus and everything is taking a toll. So lucky there is beautiful scenery to enjoy and zone out to. Did I mention also our first entree in Antibes, where we were staying was Frog legs!! Taste and texture was exactly like chicken wings, except very bland. It kinder left a grisly taste afterwards though. (bet ya cringing Aunty!?) hahaha. I attached a picture of a whole tray of them, pretty sure they'd breed them because there were hundreds at dinner time.

Wifi is more limited so doing my best to get back to you all!!

xoxo

Ola! Barcelona!

Hey friends and family, having the best time in Spain!

Loving this city! We drove ten hours from France to get here and after a quick dinner and shower we figured out we were here at the same time the San Juan festival was on the beach. So we walked to the metro and caught the train. On our way, I'm not kidding I thought people were getting shot or bombed, it literally sounded like we were in a war. But it was people throwing around fireworks - or throwing them at us!

The closer to the city it started to get even more intense and here is our group jumping and screaming and the local kids setting fireworks off in the middle of the street not scared at all.

Not to mention on the metro I nearly got pick pocketed from a man. I caught him with his hand half in my bag under his jacket to hide it..... Looked up at him, and he goes "oh sorry!!"

Obviously I've been paranoid ever since that! Anyway.....this festival was crazy fun! Djs everywhere set up on the beach, open bars with free pour alcohol, dancing, bonfires and fireworks everywhere! I only stayed for a bit and headed back for some early sight seeing and shopping today.

Some of the awesome monuments we seen here in Barcelona are all abstract surreal buildings or artwork.

The main attraction was the Sagrada Familia basilica which was designed by Antoni Gaudi in 1883. He died in 1920 and it's STILL being constructed! They say Spanish people are very laid back and don't rush and things, it's also said it will take another 80 years to complete.

The architecture is amazing and is a mixture of nature and Gothic style sculptures and carvings. One of my favorite sights so far!

After that we went to try traditional Spanish tapas for lunch and check out the shopping! Safe to say I have eaten so much while on tour it's pretty hard to taste a whole cuisine in two lunches so you can imagine there's been some serious sampling going on.

Already on to Day 6, and heading to French Riviera tomorrow!
Hope you enjoying my travels

Love you all xx