Europe trip 2008

I planed the 3 week trip and prepared for graduate entrance exams at the same time. I was lucky to accomplish both!

total expenses $108000 (KLM flight $42710, visa $2857)
France Rail, Switzerland Rail, Italia Rail

Aug.6 Marseille Hotel Hôtel HM
It's midnight when we arrived at the train station from the Marseille airport. The airport bus was €8.5. We asked several strangers the direction to the hotel (10 min walking), but they didn't know the street and one said it's very dangerous to walk there. In the end, we asked a police for help and he took us to the police office in the station. The policemen checked on the map and the net and finally one decided to drive us to the hotel. How nice of him! It's my first time to take a police car. What a great experience!
Aug.7 Aix-en-Provence Hotel Hôtel HM

Aug.8 Marseille HOSTEL MARSEILLE-BONNEVEINE

Aug.9 Avignon→Arles Danieli Hotel Avignon

Aug.10 Apt→Avignon Danieli Hotel Avignon

Aug.11-12 Chamonix MyFrenchChalet

Too bad we couldn't get up to Aiguille du Midi because of bad weather.

Aug.13 Annecy Hotel des Alpes

Aug.14 Geneva City Hostel Geneva

Aug.15 Bern Hostel Bern

Aug.16 Milan Milano-Piero Rotta

We attended the Mass in Milan Cathedral. The sound of organ music and gorgeous cathedral made me peaceful.

Aug.17 Vicenza→Verona Ostello Olimpico di Vicenza

Verona Arena is a Roman amphitheatre, which is famous for the open-air opera performances given there. The operas usually begin at 21:00 and don't end till midnight during the summer, so staying at a hotel in Verona is more convenient. Just remember to reserve a room earlier. Too bad I couldn't get a cheap room there, so I missed going to the opera.

Aug.18-19 Venice Hostel Venice
I loved Venice sooo much! colorful, glittery, ancient, and elegant.

Aug.20 Ferrara Student's Hostel Estense

Aug.21 Pisa Hostel Florence-Villa Camerata

Aug.22 Firenze Naples-Mergellina

Aug.23 Pompei→Capri Naples-Mergellina

I saw a guy eating a bunch of green grapes. They looked so juicy and yum. And, I thought this fruit in Italy must be cheaper than in Taiwan. So we bought some. Oh, I loved these small jade jems!

Aug.24-25 Rome Roma-Foro Italico-AF Pessina YH

Aug.26 depart at Fiumicino Arpt at 10:20