What?! I can't believe it's March already! Where is the time going?! Anyway, can't stop time. This weekend, I decided to take a break from traveling and stay in Florence. Such a good decision. This is a breakdown of my weekend:
Thursday: After class, we took sandwiches and a bottle of wine to the Boboli Gardens. The gardens are so beautiful and we found a secret place to stake out for the afternoon. We did some homework, listened to music, enjoyed the surroundings and took a nap until we were the last people in the gardens (oops haha).
Friday: I went on an individual run to Cascine Park. I didn't realize that green existed in Florence (minus the Boboli Gardens) until my run! It is a huge and lively park on the far west side of the city. There were runners, dog-walkers, old people playing cards and kids playing on the river.
Saturday: Lazy day. I slept in and did homework and walked around the city with Moriah. We watched the sunset over the Ponte Vecchio and took in our home for all its beauty. That night, we found a secret bakery! Secret bakeries are spread throughout the city and work late at night to supply the shops of Florence in the morning. If you can find them and go late at night, they will sell you fresh pastries and food right out of the oven. We literally followed our noses to find one! It is so cool because of how hidden and secretive these places are! We went at midnight and got delicious pizza.
Sunday: FORZA FIORENTINA!! A group of us decided to go the futbol game. After a slight miscue in the ticket line, we got in the stadium just in time to see Florence score its first goal of two in a victory! It was SO COOL to experience soccer here!
Monday: Today, a group of us went to a small Tuscan town called Arezzo. It was beautiful and a nice change of pace from city life in Florence. We saw some Tuscan countryside and enjoyed each other's company beside some Roman ruins.
I'm very glad I stayed in Florence this weekend! I love this place!!
This last weekend in Interlaken...wow. I titled this post "Extreme Interlaken" for a reason. Interlaken, Switzerland, is the extreme sports capital of the world, and my experience definitely proved this to be true.
Before I get into the weekend though, I'd like to catch you all up on my life in Florence. The week before Interlaken was fantastic! On Tuesday, we went to a famous Italian opera called "La Tosca" and it was great, considering I'm not the biggest opera fan. On Wednesday, I had the best day I've had in Florence yet. After my 9:00am class, I went shopping and bought a new sweater for Switzerland. Then after lunch, Robert, Moriah and I went inside the Duomo, went to the San Lorenzo market to buy sunglasses and ate delicious gelato. Robert and I then walked up to Piazza Michelangelo to get a view of the city. Gorgeous. On Thursday after class, I worked to pack my bag for Switzerland and we left at 7:30pm on bus.
On Friday, I woke up to the beautiful sight of the Swiss Alps! It was a loooonnnnggg bus ride, but we got to our hostel around 4:00am and got a few hours of sleep in. Rachel, Brandon, Robert and I went to a little town called Grindelwald and hiked halfway up this huge mountain. I don't know what we were thinking to be honest, but whatever! Rachel, Robert and I went on the gondola lift up the next point and sled down the longest sled trail in the world. Pretty awesome, though every part of me was wet and beat up by the time we got down the mountain. Hey, sledding is harder than it seems! That night, we went to a fondue place and it was amazing (and we made some new friends)!
Don't worry, loyal followers, my weekend gets much more extreme. On Saturday, I woke up in the very extreme mood. Everyone else went snowboarding or skiing and I was trying to choose between paragliding and canyon jumping. I picked the canyon jumping, of course! Canyon jumping is basically bungee jumping off a tiny platform and through a canyon 300 feet below. There is just a harness and two ropes holding you as you free fall jump. You can only do it in three places in the world, Interlaken and two places in New Zealand. I got the itch, paid the deposit and there was no turning back! And it was the most exhilarating and adrenaline pumped moment of my life. I was scared when I got up on the platform, but I just told myself to go for it...and I did! What a great way to start the day. I met up with Reynolds and Matt back and the hostel and we went out for lunch and shopping while we waited for the other to get back.
Sunday was our last day in Interlaken and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. It was very relaxing to not have sightseeing every moment of the day like in the tourist cities we've visited. And there was adventure thrown into the mix too, which made it that much more awesome and special. We loaded the bus around 3:00pm and took the long bus ride back to Florence. What an amazing experience.
After a few days of recovery from Paris, we were off again. This time, Rome. The Eternal City.
We woke up early on Friday to be at the train by 8:45 to catch the fast train to Rome. We met our guide for the weekend, Freya, at the train station and she is amazing. She is from Australia and moved to Italy 8 years ago, met her husband here and has been married for two years now. We boarded the train and I must say, the fast train is much nicer than the slow regional ones. We had a table to work at/sleep on and everything. The train only took 1.5 hours and we were in ROME! We first took the bus to our hotel area and walked to the Hotel Navona. The hotel was really nice and the boys go the new suites! We went to get lunch in Campo dei Fiori (really cool square) and then met Freya for our walking tour. She is a tank of knowledge; I was really impressed. We went to the Piazza Novana, back to Campo dei Fiori (where all the specialty shops used to be in ancient Rome, I learned), the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain. The Trevi Fountain proved to be quite the photo shoot and coin-throwing marathon. We had the evening free and decided to first eat dinner at the Dal Paino, a local Roman pizzeria that Sarah Crutchfield suggested us go. It was AMAZING. After dinner, we went out to an Irish Pub and called it a night.
On Saturday, we met outside the hotel for our day at the Vatican. It is so cool that Vatican city is it's own country inside the city of Rome. Kind of trippy, actually. We walked there and started with the Vatican Museums. We saw some amazing and historical sculptures and art, also learning about papal history and politics. The Medici family of Florence even had a few Popes! We then ate lunch and went to St. Peter's Basilica. St. Peter's is HUGE and so beautiful. I saw Pope John Paul II's crypt and beautiful frescos and sculptures. It was definitely worth the long and winding line! Again, we had the afternoon and evening free. After a much-needed nap, Moriah, Brandon and I went to dinner at Dal Paino again (haha). This time, we got calzones. It was the best calzone I've ever had--ham, cheese, egg and mushrooms. It was a risky order, but SO GOOD! After that, Brandon had a secret place he wanted to show us. We met up with Robert and Parker and started walking toward the Coliseum. It was even more amazing than I thought it would be, especially at night. We then decided randomly to go to the top of this hill to see if we could get a good look at the city from above. This decision changed everything. I won't go into detail because a majority of the night was quite spiritual. But I'll just say this: our night included a Franciscan Monastery, the "Friar's Pub," a private reflection garden and the most moving testimony I've ever heard. It was one of those nights that you wake up the next morning and wonder if it really happened. That kind of stuff doesn't happen to me...and it did. We did end up going to Brandon's spot much later that night. It was a tiny keyhole in a random place in Rome with a perfect alignment to St. Peter's Basilica (thank you, Dr. Pitcock). I couldn't think of a more perfect ending to our night in Rome.
On Sunday, we got up, checked out of the hotel and went on our last guided tour with Freya. We went tot he Coliseum and it was so interesting! It was kind of weird to imagine people fighting to the detah there, right were you are standing. Then we went to the Roman Forum and Capitoline Hill, where they organized government, law and political speech in ancient Rome. For a political junkie like me, this was a definite highlight. On our free time for lunch, a few of us went to Giolitti, with the most amazing gelato I've ever had! Shout out to Dr. Pitcock and Amberle for that one! After that, we made our way to the train station for the quick trip back home to Florence.
It has been a little bit since I last posted, but I've been busy...namely visiting Paris. Yes, you heard right. I had the most magnificent long weekend in Paris. The following is a chronicle of my time in the City of Lights (and the city that stole my heart):
Thursday started off as usual, walking to Italian and then Conflict Resolution. But this particular Thursday, I was carrying a heavier burden on my back. My backpack, stuffed with clothes and essentials for my weekend in Paris, had to come with me to class because we were leaving straight from class to the Firenze S.M.N train station to catch our train to Pisa. We flew RyanAir and heard all about its ridiculous regulations on baggage and such. I was admittedly a little apprehensive about it. When we arrived in Pisa, we walked to the airport, checked in to our flight and off we were to France! When we landed in Paris, we had to take an hour bus ride to the city center, then a 30 minute metro ride to our hostel, St. Christopher's. So let me recap our transportation for the day: walk to Firenze S.M.N., train to Pisa, walk to Pisa airport, fly to Paris, bus to city, metro to hostel. We hit almost every mode of transportation all in one day, the only thing missing seems to be a boat. So needless to say, we were all VERY exhausted when we arrived at our hostel around 11:00pm on Thursday night. Goodnight Paris, see ya in the morning.
On Friday, we got up and went on a really awesome walking tour of the city. The tour is free, but you pay what you think it was worth in the end. This was one of the two best decisions of the trip because it literally helped us throughout the weekend with things to do and tips (like getting into the museums for free with our student Visa). We started at St. Michel's plaza and walked along the river, seeing the Notre Dame and the top of the Sainte-Chapelle. We kept walking down the river until we stopped at this bridge with locks. Our tour guide told us that this bridge was called Lover's Bridge and couples lock their love on the bridge and throw the key into the river to seal their love. Then the words "Sex and the City" came out of his mouth and I instantly knew where we were. I proceeded to freak out (anyone from TCU and home knows my obsession). This was the bridge on the series finale of Sex and the City where Big and Carrie come back together and she asks him to take her home to NYC. I had a moment. After that, we walked by the Louvre and had a small break. What did I do with my break? I had to go to McDonald's and get french fries in France, of course! The tour was over shortly and we went to the Eiffel Tower! Beautiful is all I can really say. It was mesmerizing. I couldn't look away. AHHHH. After taking some pictures there and walking around a bit more, we went to the Louvre. That place is HUGE. There is no way to see it all in even a week. We did stop by the Mona Lisa, a few Monet's and various others though. It was so cool to be among so many famous pieces of art.
It was a beautiful Saturday in Paris. We started off the day by seeing the Sainte-Chapelle cathedral. This was the second best decision made on the trip, by Brandon. We had to pay to get in and Brandon made a group decision to go for it. This is the coolest chapel/cathedral I’ve ever been to. It has the story of the Bible all around it in stained glass (the building is 75% stained glass). It is so beautiful and spiritual. The Notre Dame was next before lunch. We then took a river walk and sat down on the river for about 30-45 minutes. This was one of my favorite moments of the trip, our little group silent and enjoying the company and the city. After that, we made our way to the Musee de l’Orangerie, where the Monet Water Lilies are housed. These paintings are my all-time favorite paintings, so seeing them in person was surreal. And seeing them in person helped me realize their immense beauty even more, the best art I saw on the trip (and in my lifetime) for sure. Later that evening, we went to a mini-map museum to kill time and came up with a hilarious Miniland, tailored just to our liking. I, of course, imagined a Chick-fil-A (or the "C" word, as we say here to not give ourselves cravings) on my street with home delivery service. :) They also had a huge Google Earth display, and Rachel and I found TCU! After that, we searched for a restaurant and found a gem with amazing beef stew (perfect for the cold weather)! We decided to go see the Eiffel Tower from a tower across town and on the way, we had a great moment where Lyndsey shouted out for us to look back at the beautiful Eiffel Tower lit up at night. We all collectively looked back, sighed and immediately turned back around to walk because it was so cold! When we finally got to the tower, it was pretty expensive and outside, so we decided to pass (ha)! On the way back to the hostel, I got a Coke, the perfect end to a perfect day.
On Sunday, Brandon and I decided to sleep in a bit while one group of girls went to church and the other Versailles. When we got up and going, we went around the city to other landmarks, including the Sacre Coeur (basilica) for an awesome view of the city, Moulin Rouge, Arc de Triompe and a walk down the famous Champs Elysees shopping street. After a stint in the super long Musee d’Orsay line, we decided to go to the coffee shop where Picasso and Hemingway hung out. It was super great atmosphere with outside seating and a jazz street band playing across the street. After Brandon left to catch his flight, I had about 2.5 hours alone and absolutely LOVED it. I went to the Musee d’Orsay and saw some more Monet. Then I walked to the military museum and saw Napoleon’s Tomb. On my way to meet up with the girls, I intentionally got lost in a neighborhood and it was another highlight of the weekend.
The girls and I slept in again on Monday and then just went strolling on the river for our last few hours in Paris. Rachel, Moriah and I walked around the street vendors and I bought a painting that I think wrapped up my experience: the Eiffel Tower at sunset over the river, impressionist/Monet-style painting and people sitting and enjoying the scenery on the river. We then made our various legs of travel and finally got back to Florence around 9:30pm. Though I had a total blast in Paris, it felt so good to be back in Florence. And for the first time, I really felt like I was coming home. Ah, Florence...
I may be in Italy and experiencing Italian culture, but I wasn't going to miss what is arguably one of the most American events of the year...the Super Bowl. Even if it started here at 12:30am and I didn't get to bed until 5:00am. That's dedication, folks.
A group of us bought tickets to watch the game. Where, you ask? Of course, our go-to Irish Pub, the Lion's Fountain. Our ticket included entry and one drink voucher. We got there about 1 hour before kickoff to get seats and we met some other Americans studying abroad. The national anthem (Kelly Clarkson, you rocked it!) brought us so much pride. I've found that your national identity can be both a good and bad thing while abroad, but this was our moment and we didn't care.
American students mostly filled the pub, but there were some Europeans enjoying the game too! The game was actually really exciting, one of the best I've seen in a while. The halftime show was also a highlight of the night, with practically everyone in the place singing along to Madonna. And the Giants WON!! Woohoo!! It was a late night, but I wouldn't have traded it for anything. Though we didn't have the chips and queso or the burgers, this was our little slice of America. Thank you National Football League.
On Friday (Feb 3), we took a day trip to a Tuscan hilltop town about 1 hour from Florence called Siena. It was gorgeous there, especially with the snowfall! If you ever visit Italy, I think it should definitely be included in your itinerary! The following is a summary of the day:
We woke up super early because we had to be at the SMN train station at 8:00am for our bus to Siena. It was so cold and I was not the most excited person to begin the day. The scenery on the way was beautiful though and that helped!
Though it was extremely cold, I really loved learning about the history of Siena and the Patron Saint Catherine. She convinced the Pope to come back from France and became famous in the Catholic Church. We saw her head and thumb as relics in the The Basilica of San Domenico, also known as Basilica Cateriniana. We then went to the Duomo of Siena, a beautiful cathedral! We continued to walk through the city until we arrived at the Town (City) Hall. This was a BEAUTIFUL building, my favorite building on the tour. It had an ancient fresco of the “Good Government” which was awesome for a political science nerd like me! After that, we had free time and went to a pizzeria for lunch, where I made the best food decision of the week by ordering a ham and pepperoni calzone. And yes, I ate the whole thing! Next, we spontaneously decided to sled in the snow at the main town square by the Town Hall. It was SO MUCH FUN and we got some awesome pictures! We even ran into (literally) some native Italians having family fun too! In my opinion, sledding was one of the coolest things we've done during our study abroad experience so far...who would have thought something so simple could bring that much joy? It really made me realize just how much I’m enjoying the company and my European journey.
Needless to say, when we got back to Florence, we all went straight home and took a very long nap!
I would like to start off this post with a disclaimer: I am a cat AND a dog person. Some people may only know me as a cat person, but I love dogs too. That being said, Florence should be known for its number of walked dogs. Everywhere I turn, an owner is walking his/her dog. I've seen sheep dogs, dogs that look like bears, dogs that should be on the runway and cute little handbag pups. I love it.
The last few days, however, I've seen the number of dogs being walked dramatically decrease. This is no coincidence. We've had snow and Siberian winds since Wednesday and no one wants to venture out (not even bed) unless he/she has to. But we started class this week; so everyday, out of bed and the apartment I went. Layer layer layer, that's the key.
Tuesday was my first day of classes! I met Rachel and Moriah at the Lion’s Fountain to walk to our class together…Italiano Uno. Our professor is so lively; I love her! We talked about a good amount in class today and I learned some new phrases and words. I have a feeling it’s going to be a great semester in this course!Wine Tasting was next. Now I know some of you may be rolling your eyes, but I need one class of culture and why not study what makes Italy so great...its wines! We tasted 4 different wines from the Piemonte Region of Italy (Northwest), known for its red wine. We learned some basic technique in describing wines and some specific qualities of the wines. The crackers were great also! The professor is kind of hard to understand, but I’ll get used to it I’m sure!
On Tuesday night, we went to the Accent-sponsored appertivo (free dinner, basically!). The point to take away from this: I got two GLORIOUS Cokes. I met a few cool people as well! After that, some of us TCU students found a little restaurant. No cover charge, free first glass of wine and the owner brought our table a free dessert! It was great to get out of the cold and enjoy some company. And it started to SNOW!!
On Wednesday, I had International politics in the morning and War and Media in the evening. My professor is great and the class seems like it will be really interesting, though basic. I then took a nap (I've taken one everyday) and that night, Moriah and I attended our War and Media class. It is such and interesting topic and our professor is actually in the Italian Army Reserves, so he has a unique outlook on the subject. Should be awesome!
On Thursday, I started out the day again with Italian, which went really well. We talked about greetings and the alphabet. After Italian, I had the first International Conflict Resolution class. I think I’m going to like this class the most and I can incorporate my work in this class with my thesis! It was officially the weekend after this class! The group went to the Accent Center to pick up our Siena day trip packets and print off our Ryan Air boarding passes for Paris next weekend! We had lunch at Gusta Panino and then went to pick up our textbooks.
Overall, I really enjoy my classes! I'm so blessed to be able to study international politics and international peace studies in a foreign country. My next post will be about our day trip to the beautiful and snowy Siena! Ciao!
