9 JUNE 2006

10h
Today:
go to:
Bled, Slovenia? -- don't know how to get there
Bologna, Italy?
Toulouse, France? -- expensive? dull? probably not ..
Vevey, Switz.? -- too close
I don't have any info on any of these places. It's Friday and I don't want to end up in a city where I can't find a place to sleep.
I thin I might go to Bologna.

12h15
Spiez, Switz. looks really pretty - on the western lake of Interlaken's lakes. The towns between Interlaken and Spiez look nice too. Mostly the blue water, the hills, and the mountains look good.
Heading to Milano, then Bologna I think? I was tempted to stay in Spiez but I don't know anything about it... plus I only had 2 minutes to switch trains.
Now headed to Brig, where I'll transfer to Milan. ok. Will arrive there at 15h35 I think. No one checked my rail pass on the Regio train from Interlaken to Spiez.

Should look at that Walks in Croatia book I spent 20 euro on in Paris. Maybe I'll stop back there on my way east. I want to see Prague and some other more obscure cities. Also, Bratislava, and that town - Cesky Krumlov - that Leandro told me about. I like Leandro a lot, it was fun hanging out with him yesterday on our hike (and the break between climbing up & down). He's crazy and fun and uninhibited. I should have gotten his email address -- there were some photos I took of him that he might like; and he took some of me that I might like. oh well. Maybe I'll see him somewhere sometime.


12h40
I scored a David Foster Wallace book - Oblivion - from the hostel in Gimmelwald. I left Of Love and other demons there in exchange. Hopefully no one will have me for taking Oblivion.
Also, left warm patagonia socks and black dickies and purple long-sleeve old navy shirt there. Hopefully nothing else, because that wouldn't have been intentional. I think I left my camera cable in Interlaken, which sucks. A guy in Gimmelwald with a similar camera lent me his cord today, though, so I emptied out my camera into my computer. It was great, though not as great as knowing where my own damn cord is.

13h20
Train from Brig to Milano. I head German, French, Spanish, Italian.. no english right now, actually. wow it's been a long time. Amsterdam, Interlaken, and Gimmelwald were full of English speakers. Americans. etc.
I bought something mysterious from the vending machine in at the station in Brig. The french on the back says biscuits fourrés (stuffed biscuits/cookies, I think). Ingredients include apricots and almonds.

13h40
I don't know where I am, but it's beautiful! steep and green, greener than where I was last, not as high, but steeper, and so green!
just passed a ruined old village! of houses made completely from stone, even the roofs were covered in slate shingles. It was all overgrown and some of the little houses were falling down. It was amazing. There were maybe 10 or 12 little rectangular buildings, clustered together... wow.
I think that was Italy. We're definitely in Italy now. These mountain/hills are amazing! so green, so many contours!
I see what I think are granite quarries, too. wow.
I wonder how much time I'll have in Milano before going to Bologna? (how do Italians pronounce that?) Maybe I'll look.
If I could, maybe I should stay a few minutes to find some info (online) about Bologna. or maybe I should just go straight there. It's always neat to look at a new city though, even if just for a few minutes.

14h25
I wonder what Bologna will be like. If it seems like it's any good, maybe I'll stay several nights. Though I guess my rail pass expires, what, the 18th I think? yeah, I can travel more by then, even staying for almost a week or a while week, even, I suppose. that NY Times guy rented a room from some students. I will look for ads about that.
I will arrive in Milano at 15h35 I think; then trains to Bologna are every hour on the hour, taking 1h45 to arrive.

(IN VERBANIA: 14h25) - next to some beautiful water, with sandy shores...

14h30 - yeah, wow, really beautiful. beaches, green mountains... wow. looks like a lot of resorts/big hotels too, though


14h34
in Stresa

14h40
Belgirate: looks kind of forgotten. but interesting, pretty. Also on the water. what is this? it's on the left.

traveling through: Lesa, Meina, Arona, Dormolletto (?), Sesto Calende, Vergiate, Gallarate (15h05), Busto Arsizo (Arsizio?), Parabiaco, Vanzago-P, Rho

15h20
it is flat out here, and dull. Nothing like how Italy started today.
Buildings are dark green, dark salmon, dark orangey yellow, beigey yellow... I saw one apartment building clad in deep blue ceramic tiles

(INDIGENOUS TO NOW. -aesop rock)

17h50
there's some really great graffiti alongside the tracks, pulling into Bologna (or, starting to pull in..)

23h30
Living it up at the Hotel Paradise in Bologna...... I don't know, maybe it will end up being worth the 55 euro..... will stay in the hotel tomorrow night: it's outside of town, apparently wih an 11:30pm curfew.. must go out tonight and enjoy my time in this expensive city...

02h30 (10 june)
this city is beautiful..... it smells like flowers