Category: Europe Tour 2015

Love Locks on Ponte Milvio

Revisiting Rome – Hidden History, Vespa Rides & Private Club Dining

Posted on by Keane Li

The shade is halfway down to block the sun, but it’s already burning inside the train. A group of teenage scouts in uniform of some troop brigade chats loudly nearby, in front of me is a young law student, and, to my right, two ragazzi speak in thick dialect. I can barely understand them when they ask if I can close the shade completely. The regionale train takes nearly three hours to reach Rome from Naples, where I had just visited, and I am without water, slowly sweating out what little precious liquid remains in my body. But, hey, at least I don’t have to pee.

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View of Naples from Castel Sant'Elmo

Naples – The Best Pizza, Stunning Views and Vibrant People

Posted on by Keane Li

The previous time I visited Naples, I was given the mission of reviewing 30 hotels across town in just a few days. And while I got to know the place pretty well after, it made the intense city all the more hectic. Immediately after stepping out of Napoli Stazione Centrale this time, however, the apprehension I felt the first time was replaced with excitement. First of all, I knew my way around the city (more or less) and, after experiencing Palermo, I was more than ready to handle all of Naples’ eccentricities.

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Salerno Waterfront and Fisherman

Salerno and Surrounds – Pizza Napoletana Without the Pazza Napoletana

Posted on by Keane Li

When the traffic dies there remains the light scent of jasmine in the air. It’s the weekend and the youth emerge, filling the streets of the Centro Storico, frequenting the city’s hip beer bars, paninerie, enoteche and, of course, pizzerie. The heat of the day is swept away by a fresh chill that crawls through the seaside town. Along the coast, couples and families casually stroll along the lantern-lit path, gelato or granita in hand and, tonight for some reason, the sound of a distant singer recanting something by John Legend or some other American pop artist.

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Train Boarding Ferry to Cross the Strait of Messina from Sicily to Mainland Italy

Going Across the Strait of Messina on a Train in a Boat (Video)

Posted on by Keane Li

Yes, you read that right.

Taking the Italian rail across the Strait of Messina from Sicily to mainland Italy requires what could be one of the coolest experiences in transportation: riding a train that boards a ferry.

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Via Etnea in Catania at Sunset

Beautiful Catania – The Sights and Flavors of Sicily’s Eastern Gem

Posted on by Keane Li

As the SAIS bus from Palermo to Catania drove through the narrow streets of the mountaintop Sicilian town, the bus driver began honking repeatedly to warn others that we were coming through. Elderly Sicilians stood on their balconies, their faces without expression as the bus passed. The driver honked again, a double-tap, yelling, Siamo qua! Buongiorno! (“We’re here! Good morning!”). Several of the passengers share a laugh.

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Cattedrale di Palermo (Palermo Cathedral)

Palermo – Chaos, Spleen Sandwiches & Getting Lost in the Capital of Sicily

Posted on by Keane Li

A bright red panini truck sits at the end of a narrow street, blasting dance music at full volume. A car sits behind it and both make it hard to pass even though I am walking. Soon, a woman will drive down the alley from the other end, finding her way blocked by both the panini truck and the car behind. She’ll raise a single hand in protest at the driver of the car in front of her. He’ll shrug, his mouth full, a large sandwich in his hand. He is having lunch and can’t be bothered. It isn’t until a second car comes barreling down, halting to a stop with the driver bolting out and screaming that things actually start moving. The panini truck, still playing club music, will resign and jet off to another alley. The man behind it will shove the rest of the sandwich into his mouth and clear the path himself.

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Palace of Westminster and Big Ben in London

London – Getting Lost in the Capital of England

Posted on by Keane Li

It’s rush hour on a Monday and the tube is packed. I’m heading back to Oxford Square Station to grab my bags from a friend’s office before heading to Heathrow. The transportation authority promises larger elevators that conserve energy. But for now, the masses collect in front of old lifts waiting to leave. I opt for the stairs. There is a warning sign saying it’s the equivalent of 15 stories and one ought to just wait for the elevators. Like many here, I am impatient and in a hurry for whatever reason. I attempt to climb with several other breathless individuals to the detriment of my thighs. For a brief moment, the handful of us that make the climb connect on our shared pain. For a brief moment, I feel like one of them.

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