All In A Day

From Naples, I hit a road and ended up in Rome. As I headed north, the trash dissipated as did the other drivers' bloodlust. I saw the ancient capital in a day, hitting typical sites like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and scooter museum. Veni, Vidi, Vespa.

I continued north on bucolic roads, but if there is a Tuscan sun, I didn't see it. Through torrential rain and near freezing temperatures, my gear has performed remarkably well, save that my toes usually feel like they're going to fall off. Seeking warmth, I headed for the Balena Bianca (white whale), a geothermal hot spring which resembles a whale... from the inside, I guess? Arriving well after dark, I hiked down the hill to find myself alone in the piping hot pools. I still didn't have a place to stay, but determined to camp at least one night in Italy, I headed to a ridgeline and found a Finnish couple spending the night there too.

The next day, Christmas Eve, I stopped in Siena en route to Florence. The cathedral façades are some of the most ornate craftsmanship I've ever seen. The renaissance gave birth to some truly stunning artistry - it's amazing what those 4 ninja turtles were able to accomplish.

From Florence I took a ride to the leaning tower of Pisa. I was doing a bit of soul searching that day, so while the tower was really cool, it didn’t exactly change my perspective on anything.