(Venice, 08/21/11)

(Venice, 08/21/11)

The first day we arrived in Venice, we walked by a hole in the wall pizzeria that proclaimed it made the best pizza in the city (see the black sign to the right). We pointed it out, laughed, and continued on our way. Two days later, we wanted an easy dinner, so we bought pizza there. Plain, because we didn't understand any of the other italian words. While we waited for our food, we drank coke (made with actual sugar) and watched the sun go down over the city. When our pizzas were ready, we sat at the edge of the water and feasted on...

...the best pizza in Venice. The best pizza I've ever had. The best pizza in the world, for all I know.

(Salamanca, 09/11)

For a week every september, Salamanca hosts a huge festival. There's lots of cultural events, but my favorite part was the casetas. Every bar moves into the streets, offering cheap drinks/tapas. This picture was taken in the morning, but from the late afternoon until the close at 12:30, I could hardly move in the crowd. Everybody was happy, the weather was nice, and the tapas were delicious. 

The second picture is from a tapas restaurant after the ferias were over, but that would have been available for 1.80 euros--about 2.20 dollars. 

(Porto, 11/12/11)

If I were an architect, I would include as much color as possible in my buildings. Why stick with earth tones when your city can look like this?

(Cinque Terre, 08/28/11)

Via Dell'Amore, the Love Walk. The inside of the walk is graffitied with amorous messages, some more serious than others.

(Europe, 2011)

I take stalker pics of dogs. 

Italians let their dogs go everywhere--trains, restaurants, the vatican.

Probably not actually the vatican.

(Roma, 08/26/11)

Swiss Guards used to be all over Europe, but nowadays they just protect the Vatican. The uniform is similar to the one worn when they were created, over 500 years ago.

I took a picture of this guy because he's cheating--I'm pretty sure hipsters didn't exist back then. Or maybe they were underground so I probably wouldn't have heard of them.