June 27, 2009 – 1:14pm (Rome, Italy Time)

Well, I finally made it back to Rome after 3 days in Cairo. Although Cairo was an amazing place I have to say that I’m happy to get out of there. After 3 days of 100+ degree weather with dirt and sand in your eyes, 80+ degrees in Rome feels nice and cool. My skin didn’t seem to mind the heat in Egypt though. Before I left people were telling me that I needed to get some kind of sun screen but I didn’t seem to have a problem. Walking around in the desert was a little uncomfortable but I didn’t burn at all. I went out to the local disco here in Italy last night and it was kind of fun. I just wanted to go out, relax and dance with the beautiful Italian women but honestly, their attitudes aren’t much different than American women when it comes to the club scene. I would actually say that they are even worse. I’ve never been to a club where I was so rejected on the dance floor. I think I must have tried to dance with everyone but only 1 or 2 would actually dance with me. LOL. And I wasn’t trying to get any phone numbers or take anyone home, just wanted to dance. But the girls just wanted to dance with each other or the guy friends they came with. Oh well, that whole idea that European women are so much more open and accepting is out the window, I guess. Well, at least when it comes to me.

This morning I went to the train station and made a reservation to Berlin for tomorrow night. I think I will spend 2 days there and 2 days back in Amsterdam. Then I’ll go to London for the weekend before heading home. On the way from the train station I saw a guy selling sunglasses on the sidewalk so I went up to him to inquire about how much he was charging for them. He then says to me, “One minute please” and assists a young woman that walked up 2 minutes AFTER me. He helps her try on the sunglasses and sells her a pair. After helping her he comes back to me and asks me which ones I want. Very annoyed I said to him, “No thanks. I was here first, but you helped her instead. I don’t want your sunglasses!” I then start walking down the street and he’s running after me saying, “Friend! Buddy! Come back!” When he finally is able to catch me he says, “I charged the woman 10 Euro but I’m only charging you 5 Euro…that is why I told you to wait because I didn’t want her to see how much I was charging you. I charge her 10 Euro because she is white. But I was going to give you the non-tourist price.” LOL. Ahhhhh. I said, “Okay, I see now.” Then he says, “I like people like you because you have the same kind of skin as me (I find out he is from Beirut). You are my friends, my brothers.” Hahahah. I then picked out the sunglasses I wanted and paid the 5 Euro. Thinking back on the whole incident, I do remember him charging the girl 10 Euro so it wasn’t like he was trying to get over on me. All I can say is WOW.