Update & Mount Grappa Trip

Hello everyone! I just took my third law test and thought I would write a short post before my weekend trip to Rome. We have Friday classes off again so we can travel for a longer length of time. I am taking Alberto's bus to Rome (about an 8 hour trip) because it is about half the price of flying or taking trains. Danielle and Maria are my "travel buddies" but we are also splitting a hostel with the two girls from Purdue that I am writing my law paper with.

Because of time and funding, we are not going to the all-day Pompeii trip, but rather doing a 4 hour trip to Hadrian's Villa, which has some ruins and beautiful gardens. The rest of my time in Rome will be spent exploring the ancient ruins and Vatican City.

Yesterday afternoon there was a bus provided that took us to the top of Mount Grappa, the large mountain that can be seen out my window and the namesake for many of the nearby small towns. It took us an hour to get to the top and I don't know how we made it up the winding, skinny, steep "roads". Many of the people on the bus were experiencing motion sickness. Once we got there, the view was amazing but also not too extravagent because we were basically in the clouds... it was cold and breezy with patches of snow on the ground. It was also a war memorial for many WWII soldiers. There was a temple and I lit a candle. We talked with some Italian soldiers and took a picture with them. It was a nice afternoon.

My mom tells me many of you that read can't seem to figure out how to leave a comment. I'll try again to explain, but if you can't figure it out just keep talking to my mom because she forwards all the messages to me. At the bottom of this post, click on "comments" next to the time I posted. From there a new window will pop up where you will elave your comment. Next to where it says "name" type your name. Leave the next line "URL" blank. Then write your comment in the larger box. In the box to the right of "Comment as:" select "Name/URL". Then hit the button that says "Post comment". Hopefully this will work. If not, like I said, keep talking with my mom because she let's me know.

Marostica & Florence pictures are finally up! I hope you enjoy them.

Have a good weekend!

Florence, Day 2

After a busy day at the museums, the four of us were exhausted. We had planned to wake up early Saturday in order to catch a bus to Siena, but decided to sleep in because the amount of time we would have been able to stay in Siena was not worth the amount of travel and rushing we would have to do. So we went back to sleep, got up and ate lunch at Amor di Vino. The little restaurant was perfect, located in the piazza in front of the central market. We sat outside (the weather was perfect all weekend except for Sunday) and two men came and played the accordion and guitar for us.

We had a wine tour scheduled to leave at 2pm, so we finished lunch and walked through the central market on our way to the train station. I found a ring and bargained with a woman so I could pay 2.50 euro for it instead of 5. We made it to the bus for the wine tour in time and settled into our seats. We drove out of Florence, up into the hills towards a small town (I can't remember the name) and stopped there for some views of the vineyards and olive trees. Then we continued on until we came to the Trebbio Castle (click to read more), where our wine tour was held. This castle was built by the Pazzis, a rich family living in Florence during the time of the great Medici family. The Pazzi and Medici were rivals, and after a failed assassination attempt of the Medici by the Pazzis, the Medici had all of the Pazzi wiped out. The word "pazzi" is now used by Italians to mean "crazy". The castle was beautiful, and we got a tour of a few of the private rooms inside. The owners have been there for two generations now, and have started a wine and olive oil business. We got a tour of the wine cellar, which was huge and beautiful. The castle has no central heating, so in the basement especially, it was pretty cold despite the heat outside.

We then got to taste a white wine and two Chianti (red) wines, one more aged than the other. They were all delicious. We had Italian cookies, cheeses, salami, bruschetta, and bread with the owner's extra virgin olive oil on it. It all tasted great! I can't how skinny Italians are because of the amounts of starch they eat all the time. So lucky. After the castle tour was over, we went to the wine shop and I bought a bottle of Chianti and a birthday gift for my mom :) While in line I realized there was a girl with her parents that looked about my age. I learned she was studying art in Florence for the summer, but goes to school at Baylor (a little bit south of Dallas) and is originally from Amarillo (2 hours north of Lubbock, where Tech is located). We laughed and talked for awhile. Such a small world!

Saturday night we wanted to eat a more fancy dinner and try Florence's famous Florentine steaks. The steaks are a big specialty and are priced high, but we remembered seeing a pretty cheap price at Friday's lunch spot. So we made our way back and split a 20 euro steak, as well as tripe (cow stomach) and a cream pizza with ham and mushrooms (basically an alfredo sauce, the BEST pizza I have ever had hands down!!) It was a lot of food, but by splitting it amongst ourselves we got pretty full and only had to pay about 10 euro. Not bad! We were eating at the restaurant pretty late, and so as we were leaving they were shutting down. The owner insisted on giving us free glasses of limoncello because Katie was wearing a Florentine purple dress, the city's color. He was very nice and we got a picture with him.

Drinks are pretty expensive everywhere, so we decided to stop and buy a cheap bottle of wine for 5 euro. The lady gave us four cups so we could go drinking and walking at the same time. The whole time we felt like we were doing something wrong. Maria is over 21, but the rest of us are still 20 and are not used to buying alcohol, let alone just walking the streets with it. There were many people out (a lot more guys, especially), and as we passed the duomo we practically got begged to go to a bar down the street, so we did. It was fun, the downstairs was a dance club so we made our way there.

Enter Leo : ) :sigh:
He couldn't speak English and I couldn't speak Italian but it all worked out. He lives in Florence and studies architecture. He said I was beautiful (all Italian men say that, though) and insisted that Texas must be beautiful if I was from there. He saw I was wearing rings, thought I had a boyfriend and became pretty distressed, which was funny. Anyway, we spent a few hours together and he gave me his phone number. I think he was more enamored than I was, but it was sweet and I'm glad to say I experienced some romance in Florence!
Exit Leo.

The four of us made our way to Twice, and ran into the guys from Naples that we had spent so much time with Friday night. It was hilarious. Maria and I got tired so we went back to the hostel, and Danielle and Katie stayed out and had some funny stories to tell us in the morning. Sunday morning we woke up and it was raining, but we decided to make our way by bus to Piazza Michelangelo for the view. It was great despite the gray clouds. We could see all of Florence, including the Arno River (which we hadn't seen much of because we stayed north of it for the entire weekend) and the famous Ponte Vecchio and Ponte Santa Trinita bridges. We grabbed a panini from a stand and waited for the bus back to the train station. On the bus we met a guy from California who was traveling all over the country. He said he hadn't paid for a bus or train ticket in a month because nobody checks, but I would rather pay one euro for a ticket and validate it than chance an officer giving me a huge fine on the spot. We made it back in time to catch a train back to Prato Centrale, where Alberto's bus would pick us up at 3pm. We made it back to Paderno around 8 and went to the hotel bar to grab a panini before heading to our rooms and passing out from the amazing but exhausting weekend.

The schoolwork here is starting to catch up with me. I still have 8am classes, plus the 4hour blocks in the afternoons. It's all very tiring but I can't believe it's almost over!!! This weekend I am going to Rome and it is harder to stick to my budget because that is the most expensive city. Danielle found a day trip to Naples and Pompeii for 117 euros, and I want to go SO BAD but it's a lot of money and I don't know if I will be able to see all of Rome on Friday alone...

Pictures are coming soon. I have meetings, group projects, studying, and afternoon classes to take care of first. Can't wait for the 12th to see my parents and start our cruise to Venice, Croatia, Greece, and Turkey!!!

Florence, Day 1

This weekend was perfect. I loved all of the art, culture, and scenery that Florence had to offer. I would definitely put this beautiful city at the number one spot on my list of places to travel. I wish I could live there for part of my life.

Thursday we caught Alberto's bus, which took us directly from campus to the Prato Centrale bus station (4 hours). I traveled this weekend with Danielle (KU), Katie (KU) and Maria (UARK). We got a cheap train ticket to Florence Centrale (about 20 minutes away from Prato) and made it to Florence around 6pm. Danielle had booked us a room in Hotel Veneto for 3 nights. It was SO cheap, 12.37 euros each for 3 nights (total about 37 euro each) and I couldn't believe how we lucked out. There was a double bed and a separate room with two single beds. We also got a private bathroom, which is rare in hostels. The place served a free breakfast of breads, jams, and coffee, which also saved us money. The place wasn't a palace, but all we needed was a place to sleep and keep our stuff.

Thursday night we found an authentic Italian buffet, Il Pirata, close by. I had read about it in a Rick Steve's travel book and thought it sounded interesting. It was DELICIOUS, and also extremely cheap. It was all you could eat with a water for 7 euro or with a soda for 7.50. This is a great price when compared to pizzas and meals at most places, especially when water and other drinks are charged for a separate amount of at least 2 euro each. The food was a variety of meats, pastas, cheeses, vegitables, and breads. Absolutely delicious and a nice change from the generic pizzas I always get to save money. The place had a really local feel to it, and the owner was very kind.

We planned to hit all the museums on Friday to try and beat the weekend crowds, so we decided to walk around the city Thursday night and just get a feel of the new streets and landmarks. One thing about Florence that really surprised us all was how small it actually is. We could navigate from our hotel (which was more north of the main streets) to the southern landmarks of the city (the Duomo and various piazzas) very quickly. The duomo at night was so beautiful. There are giant piazzas, or plazas/squares everywhere with many statues and fountains. It is a great way to observe the social life of the locals. Florence has many art schools with art students coming from all over the world to study. At any given time you can find a number of them in the piazzas sketching the scenery. Very cool.

Friday morning we ate our free breakfast and set out early to the Uffizi Gallery to beat the crowds. On the way, we passed through the Piazza Signoria, where the David replica and many other statues are located. The Piazza was beutiful in the morning sun, and I got some great pictures. We took pictures with the David replica because we knew we would not be allowed to take pictures of the real thing later. The Uffizi is home to Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera", Caravaggio's "Medusa", and Leonardo da Vinci's unfinished "Adoration of the Magi". We only had to wait in line for about 45 minutes, and the cost for the entire museum was 6.50 euros. It was two levels and HUGE. We spent a good 3 hours there. After the Uffizi, we ate lunch at Osteria de' Peccatori near the Piazza San Firenze, where I got a pineapple and prosciutto pizza. Very delicious.

After lunch, we made our way to the Duomo (Dome). We were allowed into the church for free and of course it was absolutely breautiful. The structure of the entire building is phenominal and I can't imagine having to build, sculpt, or paint it. We decided to pay 8 euro to walk the 463 steps to the top of the dome. We met a man from London on the way up the tiny spiraling staircase and he was very entertaining. It actually surprised me how fast we made it to the top, and the stairs were definitely worth it. We had a 360 degree view of all of Florence and much of the distant hill towns of the region.

After the Duomo, we went to the Accademia Gallery to see Michealangelo's David. This museum was 10 euros, a little more pricey, but we went there late enough (6pm) that there was no line at all so we just walked right in. I was looking at some paintings and found myself in an open hallway, directly opposite the statue. I actually gasped because I was so shocked at the magnificence of the piece. I honestly didn't think it would be so large. The detail is so breathtaking as well... the muscles looked so natural and even the veins were visible in his hands. I just sat on a bench and stared the entire time we were there. I realy didn't look at the rest of the museum (it closed at 6:50) but I didn't mind. I was completely captivated. I hope you will all have the opportunity one day to see the statue for yourself, if you haven't already.

As we made our way back to our hostel, Danielle and Maria saw a serial killer exhibit and wanted to go. Katie and I were definitely not into that, so we all ate some cheap McDonald's and parted ways. Katie and I went back to the hostel to rest and get ready for the night out. When the others got back, they got ready and we went out to the Fish Pub, a place we had received a flyer for earlier in the day. The bar was great, with really cheap shot specials. Three Italian guys asked us to sit with them so we did, but only one of them could speak broken English. It was pretty entertaining trying to communicate. They bought us drinks but then we got up to dance and lost them. Some American guys asked us to go to a dance club called "Twice" and we went outside but ended up talking to a group of Italian guys instead. They were hilarious and from Naples, visiting Florence for the weekend. Katie and I decided to go to Twice with them while Maria and Danielle went back to the hostel. It was a really entertaining night. Italian men are very very very VERY blunt if they like you. I have never gotten so much attention in my life. I had to swat a few hands away but other than that I had a great time meeting people. Katie and I made it back to the hostel around 3:30 and slept very well.

I will write about Day 2 in my next post! Pictures should be up soon!

Padova & Marostica

Week two classes are over, I can't believe it! This weekend I am heading to Tuscany to visit Florence and Siena. We have Friday off of school for extended travel, so it will be nice to not have to rush around the entire time.

This past Monday I went to Padova (Padua) for the afternoon. It was extremely hot, especially in the city. Padova is a university city, with many scholars and historical sites. We saw what is thought to be Galileo's house and walked around to many of the Piazzas, or town squares. There were a lot of other university students, so it felt like how a college town would in the states. I've come to the conclusion that Italian women are the luckiest in the world, because all the men here could be models...

My favorite part of Padova was visiting the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padova. Some of my friends were not allowed inside because of their shorts and sleeveless shirts. Maria and I went in together and I had no idea that the church would be so beautiful. The inside of the church reminded me so much of my Byzantine church in Irving, Texas. The layout of the church is hard to explain, but basically there is the main altar in the middle with smaller altars facing away from the main surrounding the rest of the perimiter. One of the altars was dedicated to St. Anthony, with his tomb located in the middle and flowers, pictures of the sick, and icons surrounding it. I was unaware how big of a pilgrimage location this is for Christians. IT was beautiful and very spiritual. We were not supposed to take pictures inside, but I snapped a few. You can see them at my picture site, in the Padova Album. There were nuns, monks, and priests walking around everywhere, and I was so overwhelmed by the holiness of the church that I sat down and said some prayers.

The rest of our time in Padova was spent walking around and just enjoying the atmosphere. We stopped at a pizzeria and ate dinner. One thing I don't think I've mentioned before is the concept of a cover charge in Italian restaurants. If you go anywhere and sit down, whether it be inside or outside, there is usually a cover charge of about 2 euro. It took me awhile to come to terms with this, but when I considered the fact that we do not pay taxes on food, it worked out to be about the same as in the states.

It rained yesterday morning and cooled everything off. I was afraid it would get humid but it stayed cool and was absolutely wonderful. I had to wear a jacket, but I didn't mind because of the extreme heat from the past week. After the storm clouds left, it was a beautiful, clear blue sky.

Yesterday afternoon I went to Marostica with some people. I'm really glad I didn't stay on campus to study (as bad as that sounds). Marostica is a cute little town with a square and surrounding shops. There is a giant chess board painted on the square where they hold human chess games at specific times of the year. Danielle and I found a grappa shop, and as much as I hated trying the plain grappa in Monterosso, here they had flavored grappa. A woman spoke English well enough that we could communicate, and she let us try cherry, lemon, green apple, and chocolate flavored grappa. They were all FANTASTIC! I bought a bottle of the green apple, and the woman told me about an appetizer drink made with four parts wine, one part green apple grappa. I can't wait to try it.

While at the shop I also asked the woman about Italian cherries. Last weekend on the way home from La Spezia, the bus driver pulled over very suddenly and said he was going to get cherries. There are cherry stands set up all over the place on Sundays, and the woman was telling me that it is the beginning of cherry season in Italy. She explained that Marostica was having a huge cherry festival this Sunday, where everyone brings their cherries and fills the streets and square. I hope I will be able to find some fresh ones this weekend. I'm sure they are delicious!

Marostica also has a very steep, tall hill with cobblestone pathways to the top for amazing views. A group of us went and it was definitely a great work out after the Cinque Terre hike. After only two weeks I have much stronger leg muscles. The views from the hill were wonderful. It was a clear day because of the earlier rain - perfect for taking pictures.

A big group of us went to the pizzeria last night for dinner. Courtney, Danielle and I split a liter of white wine with our pizza... so studying was easier when I got back to my room. The three of us took a study break around 11 and got some gelato, cappuccino, and a "coke light" as they call it, at the hotel bar. I had my first finance assignment due today along with a quiz, and I have my second law test. They weren't too bad considering the amount of studying I didn't do...

I am all packed and ready for Tuscany! The bus leaves in 15 minutes, so I will end my post now. Watch my picture site for Marostica and Tuscany pictures on Sunday!

Ciao!