I am in Venice now. Love it. The canals and streets are beautiful.

Problem -- I did something to my right knee or hamstring. I can't tell which. I think it's the joint. All I know is that I can barely walk with my backpack. Forget about stairs. Thus, today has been a real pain in the ass as I've been hobbling around this very touristy city.

Everytime I try these canal bridge stairs my knee is like "FUCK YOU!" and I get a sweet shot of instantaneous pain. Lovely. So I'm leaving tomorrow to try and score a hostel at Lake Como where I can just sit back and enjoy the sun and view. Internet, like everything else here, is very expensive so I'm off for now. Painkillers, here I come.

Florence has been great. I like this city a lot for a few reasons:

1. It's easy to navigate.
2. Tuscany is beautiful.
3. A lot of people speak English here because this is a popular study abroad destination (Read: Gonzaga brats). English seems to be the universal language.
4. The city is very clean. There are far fewer cigarette butts littering the streets compared to other cities like Roma and Napoli.
5. There are a lot of good looking girls here from the States (Read: Gonzaga brats).

Yesterday I went on a full day wine tour through Tuscany. This was one of my "Must-do" activities.

Did I knock over and shatter my wine glass at our first stop, stirring a roaring applause to which I stood, took a bow and blew kisses to my nearly 50 drinking colleagues? Maybe...

On our way back from dinner, did an Aussie and I lead a crowd of mostly retirees into singing the Bloodhound Gang lyrics "You and me baby ain't nothin' but mammals, so let's do it like they do on the Discovery Channel" over the bus intercom system? Maybe...

Am I off to Venice today? Yep.

Alas, pictures! Here I am yesterday in Capri...

Here's me in Pisa...

And Roma...

Napoli has been amazing, but I need to keep up my travel pace. I am going to have a little breakfast and then I'm off to Firenze. Ciao!

Buongiorno a tutti,

I am in Napoli at a nice little hostel called "Six Small Rooms." I highly recommend it -- lively common room, the "small rooms" are quite large, nice staff and free Internet! Woo hoo! I am a little tired from traveling all day, so I think I'll turn to watch "Little Miss Sunshine" and grab a bite to eat before finding a spot to drink and watch Italy vs. France in a EURO 2008 qualifier match. Forza Italia!!!

If I could drink cappuccinos and eat sfogliatelle every day for the rest of my life, I would certainly die a happy man...

I spent most of my day today at the Vatican. I took a lot of pictures. What a beautiful place. I definitely had a spiritual moment at the tomb of Pope John Paul II. You cannot help but be wrapped in emotion when surrounded by people on their knees sobbing and praying with such intensity.

Tonight I feast. Tomorrow I travel to Napoli.