May Day!

Happy May Day, a holiday nobody I know celebrates. My mother would tell me stories, growing up as a little girl in the north of England, about celebrating this day. They'd twine banners as they danced and bobbed around the Maypole. Another tradition that has slipped away, replaced by media. So it goes.

Bookings so far.

Yesterday I decided to snap up Athens and Rome. So I'm set for a week with Alkistis on the beach and five days with Paoloa and her two dogs near the heart of Rome. Vatican City? An hour stroll away. Shorter walks include the Borghese Museum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Colosseum. With some research, I think I'm going to buy the Rome City Pass, think it's called OMNIA. Unlike Paris, which offers free admission to a bunch of museums and attractions I'll never make it to (and for too much money), the OMNIA pass includes your price of admission to the spots you actually want to see (as a tourist for the first time in Rome): the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's, the Colosseum, a few others; and free usage of the transit system is included. Save a few bucks and have some impetus to see at least three or four of the options.

My first night in Amsterdam is also booked. Went with the Hans Brinker Hostel, a mere ten minute walk from the Bastards at the Van Gogh Museum. In better planning my route from Schipol Airport to the city, it looks like Frank the bike guy might be first on my to-do list. I'll text him when I've landed. So the hostel looks like way too much fun. They have a bar and restaurant, with inexpensive meals for about 6 euros. They also have a club in the basement that doesn't close until 3 or 4 in the morning. Need to watch I don't try to party like it's 1999. I do not recover as quickly. Of course, 5 hours on the bike to Otterlo the next day can sweat out a lot of... impurities.

I've spent a quarter of my budget so far booking rooms, travel and a new suitcase (it's also a backpack and small enough to act as carry-on luggage for Europe's strict budget airlines) and a few other items. I will spend the next quarter of my budget filling out the accommodations, travel and as many museum, sightseeing tickets as possible. I understand it's necessary to book well in advance if I want to see Leonardo's Last Supper in Milan. I'll skip long queues at many museums by having my ticket already in hand.

I was going to blog about my second pilgrimage today, but I think I'll save that for later. Today, I'm making my sister and family a full English breakfast, because, why the hell not? This afternoon, I'll be attending a local political event: the Clark County Democratic Convention. I'm an alternate for Bernie Sanders. I'm going with my son, Sam, I'm looking forward to his speech. I'll be sure to post it tomorrow.

Auf Wiedersehen for now,
Jared