It has been almost six months since I blew Italy a final goodbye kiss, making silent promises to return as soon as humanly possible... six months in which so much has happened, so many circumstances changed, yet if I close my eyes and allow my mind to drift for a few moments, I can practically feel the heat radiating off the cobblestones, steering me into the nearest gelateria. I can practically taste the early morning cappuccino kickstarts. I can practically hear the vespas racing around and the "ciao bellas" being thrown about by all the local would-be Casanovas...
In short- I miss it. The other day I was having a conversation with my mother who just returned from an 8 day Italian getaway with my dad, and I was having her describe her favorite moments of the trip. Things like particularly amazing pieces of art, breath-taking sites, etc. When she asked me mine about Florence, I had to say that it was no one thing. It was just being in the city. It is just the feeling that you get walking among the people and sites and sounds and smells. Florence has the most incredibly warm vibrance about it, like the people haven't changed in hundreds of years. Like the sunsets over watched over the Arnot river were just as beautiful when da Vinci and Michelangelo and all of their cohorts of the day were the ones observing them. Like the dish you are enjoying was a hundred years in the making as the recipe was perfected by each generation. Like you may be looking at a piece of art that millions of tourists have seen before you, but when you see it for the first time it feels like you and the artist are having an intimate one-on-one conversation.
I brought a lot home with me. Sure, a lot of physical pieces of the country I had a love affair with, but more importantly were the things I brought back in my heart. A fiery independence I had never known myself to possess. An ability to actually slow down for once and enjoy all the beauty around me. A new perspective- in many ways the world feels both bigger and smaller now.
All I know is that there have been so many times this fall that I have been so thankful for my experiences this summer and the growth that they provided for, especially while I am plotting the next big chapter of my life! Next city to take by storm...
NYC!!! (I guess I will have to start a new blog for that one... perhaps "Cheesecake with Gershwin"). Okay, so the title needs a little work. So sue me! or better yet, fuhgeddabboutit... :)
Sunday, 9 December 2007
Thursday, 28 June 2007
Finals in Florence are not more fun than in America...
I am officially halfway done with finals! It is actually kind of rewarding to see just how much I have learned over the course of the last month and how much my appreciation for Renaissance art has increased from the time I left home. I remember when I saw my very first da Vinci in the National Gallery in London, and while it was incredibly cool, I didn't even really know how cool it was. It really makes me wish I could go back to Paris and London and see everything again! Eh, no worries. I will be back just as soon as I can, no doubt about it.
Tonight I am trying frantically to finish everything that I am needing/wanting to do in Florence before leaving because tomorrow I think I may use that last day on my Eurail pass to go to a beach (maybe back to Cinque Terre?) with Caitlin. I am hoping for just a tan this time, and not a sunburn that insists on still peeling three weeks later, haha.
I still have a last minute memento or two to buy, want to go hear the Gregorian chants by the monks in the monastery overlooking the city, need to climb the steps of the Duomo, want to take about a hundred more pictures of Florence (sometimes you forget to do that when you are living here!), and permanenty etch the feel of the city into my mind. I am a little excited because I just discovered that I have more baggage allowance than I first thought, so I may be bringing home more than I originally thought, but I can't help it! How do you fit a whole country in a suitcase? If anyone has any ideas, let me know.
Meanwhile, I hope everyone who happens to glance at this now and again is thoroughly enjoying their summer. I know we are all spread out at crazy internships, summer camps, soccer tournaments, and travels abroad, but if I have learned anything on this trip it is that no matter how huge and diverse all of these cultures on earth are, it's a small world afterall. :-)
Okay, maybe I have learned a little bit more than that, but really, it is just nice to know that even when you are thousands of miles away from home, oceans are really no contest to love.
I suppose that is quite enough rambling for the time being, but if I don't get the chance to check in one more time from this fabulous city, then I will see you all so soon and of course...
Ciao Bella!
Tonight I am trying frantically to finish everything that I am needing/wanting to do in Florence before leaving because tomorrow I think I may use that last day on my Eurail pass to go to a beach (maybe back to Cinque Terre?) with Caitlin. I am hoping for just a tan this time, and not a sunburn that insists on still peeling three weeks later, haha.
I still have a last minute memento or two to buy, want to go hear the Gregorian chants by the monks in the monastery overlooking the city, need to climb the steps of the Duomo, want to take about a hundred more pictures of Florence (sometimes you forget to do that when you are living here!), and permanenty etch the feel of the city into my mind. I am a little excited because I just discovered that I have more baggage allowance than I first thought, so I may be bringing home more than I originally thought, but I can't help it! How do you fit a whole country in a suitcase? If anyone has any ideas, let me know.
Meanwhile, I hope everyone who happens to glance at this now and again is thoroughly enjoying their summer. I know we are all spread out at crazy internships, summer camps, soccer tournaments, and travels abroad, but if I have learned anything on this trip it is that no matter how huge and diverse all of these cultures on earth are, it's a small world afterall. :-)
Okay, maybe I have learned a little bit more than that, but really, it is just nice to know that even when you are thousands of miles away from home, oceans are really no contest to love.
I suppose that is quite enough rambling for the time being, but if I don't get the chance to check in one more time from this fabulous city, then I will see you all so soon and of course...
Ciao Bella!
Tuesday, 26 June 2007
When it Rains it Pours
Well, it is raining in Florence for the second time since I have been here, but it is actually quite welcome. Yesterday was probably the hottest weather we have had so far and it just makes being outside in the afternoons almost unbearable, but this rain is bringing in some lower temperatures and cool breezes with it so I am all for it. Funny story though: last time that it rained I was in their big post office applying for my permit to stay, and their post office is this huge old palazzo with this really high stained glass ceiling in this room lined by all these little windows where they help you with stuff. So over in the corner I notice that the ceiling is leaking a little bit, but no one seems to be too worried about so I just keep sitting there waiting when all of a sudden, all along the wall in front of these little windows where people walk up to when their number is called, a huge waterfall starts coming down! It was a little entertaining to see people in their suits and heels frantically mopping up water while people were rolling up their pants and wading over to the windows to keep taking care of business. Oh Italia...
Last night we went and visited our a&m friends at the study center in Santa Chiara and what a night it was. We rushed to the train station to catch the first train after class and made it there just in time for their family style dinner (luckily for us, we somehow found out at the last minute that we had to change trains to get to our stop or who knows where we would have ended up!). It is in a beautiful small town in Tuscany and has a completely different atmosphere than Florence, but they have a fun set up. The way they live is totally different because everyone lives together in this little "compound" where they sleep, eat and have classes. There are two main hangouts in the town where everybody goes in the evenings and the local delicassies (as far as we were concerned) were the CHIPS AND SALSA and the nutella pizza! delicious. I have seriously been craving chips and salsa for many weeks now so it was one of the highlights of the night.
I have to say, though, as much as everyone their loves their program, and am so so sooo glad that I came with the program that I did. I looove having an apartment in the middle of Florence, I looove having the whole city at my doorstep, I looove getting to see legendary works of art in person everyday, I looove the rich history here, and I looove getting back from these little excursions and thinking, "it feels so good to be back in Florence..." I just love that I get to have all the independence that I want here! I am still perfectly content to be in denial that I have to leave here in a few days.
Finals are on Thursday, one day to play on Friday, leave for Rome on Saturday, then it is back to the states on Tuesday! mamma mia...
I have plenty of mixed emotions about coming back, but here are the things I am most excited about (aside from friends family- of course seeing you guys tops the list... right after mexican food haha)
-Mexican food
-Watching the season finale of The Office
-Getting to use my phone regularly
-Driving
-Sonic drinks
-Getting to wear different clothes than the ones I have been wearing for six weeks
-Getting to play with photoshop with all my (thousands) of pictures
-Barbeque!
-Going to church at home
-The seventh Harry Potter book
-Convenient internet
-Knowing the language
-The American dollar!! (everything will seems so inexpensive!!)
Eh, I could keep going, but for everything that I think of on that list, I think of something about Italy that I am really going to miss. I guess that is a sign that I should quit sitting at this computer and go soak it up while I still can!
Love you all,
allie
Last night we went and visited our a&m friends at the study center in Santa Chiara and what a night it was. We rushed to the train station to catch the first train after class and made it there just in time for their family style dinner (luckily for us, we somehow found out at the last minute that we had to change trains to get to our stop or who knows where we would have ended up!). It is in a beautiful small town in Tuscany and has a completely different atmosphere than Florence, but they have a fun set up. The way they live is totally different because everyone lives together in this little "compound" where they sleep, eat and have classes. There are two main hangouts in the town where everybody goes in the evenings and the local delicassies (as far as we were concerned) were the CHIPS AND SALSA and the nutella pizza! delicious. I have seriously been craving chips and salsa for many weeks now so it was one of the highlights of the night.
I have to say, though, as much as everyone their loves their program, and am so so sooo glad that I came with the program that I did. I looove having an apartment in the middle of Florence, I looove having the whole city at my doorstep, I looove getting to see legendary works of art in person everyday, I looove the rich history here, and I looove getting back from these little excursions and thinking, "it feels so good to be back in Florence..." I just love that I get to have all the independence that I want here! I am still perfectly content to be in denial that I have to leave here in a few days.
Finals are on Thursday, one day to play on Friday, leave for Rome on Saturday, then it is back to the states on Tuesday! mamma mia...
I have plenty of mixed emotions about coming back, but here are the things I am most excited about (aside from friends family- of course seeing you guys tops the list... right after mexican food haha)
-Mexican food
-Watching the season finale of The Office
-Getting to use my phone regularly
-Driving
-Sonic drinks
-Getting to wear different clothes than the ones I have been wearing for six weeks
-Getting to play with photoshop with all my (thousands) of pictures
-Barbeque!
-Going to church at home
-The seventh Harry Potter book
-Convenient internet
-Knowing the language
-The American dollar!! (everything will seems so inexpensive!!)
Eh, I could keep going, but for everything that I think of on that list, I think of something about Italy that I am really going to miss. I guess that is a sign that I should quit sitting at this computer and go soak it up while I still can!
Love you all,
allie
Monday, 25 June 2007
St. John the Baptist Day
I dont have long to write this because I am meeting the roomies at lunch at our favorite sandwich place, but I just had to make a mention of our awesome night last night! It was St. John the Baptist day and he is their patron saint, so the whole city was kind of going nuts (it is like their fourth of july). Anyway, we set out with our delicious picnic dinner and got a perfect spot on the bridge where we watched the sun go down and then got the watch the incredible fireworks show!! It was perfect. And also, I just wanted to publicly state that God must have handpicked Caitlin and Carly for me to spend every waking moment with for the past month. The two of them are more of a blessing in my life than I can say and I am just so thankful to have gotten to share this with them. I could go on and on, blah blah blah, but seriously, this would not have been the experience that is has been without them.
Okay, my tummy is growling and there arent too many days left where I can just run down the street and grab an amazing turkey, tomato, mozzarella and pesto panini for lunch (with a coke light of course), so I am going to go do it!
As always, I love and miss you all, but I will be home in practically no time! (dont be offended if that thought is still a little sad to me...) haha.
love,
allie
Okay, my tummy is growling and there arent too many days left where I can just run down the street and grab an amazing turkey, tomato, mozzarella and pesto panini for lunch (with a coke light of course), so I am going to go do it!
As always, I love and miss you all, but I will be home in practically no time! (dont be offended if that thought is still a little sad to me...) haha.
love,
allie
Thursday, 21 June 2007
Pictures!!!
just found out that posting pictures is about a million times easier than I thought, so here is my attempt to share some of my favorites!
I
(I may have to come back to add captions, depending on how long it takes to upload them...)
dont get so distracted by the awesome pics that you dont notice that i actually posted a real post below this one!
How to Find the Best Gelato (and other musings)
Its amazing- even after being here for several weeks, the city just keeps cropping up with new surprises! Yesterday was just a fabulous day all the way around. It just felt good to live in Florence and enjoy what she had to offer. Incredible sightseeing is just one of the day-to-day things I get to do (being in art history classes 5-6 hours per day, mainly on site visits), and yesterday was one of my favorites so far.
In the morning I visited the San Marco monastery where thousands of people used to come to practice negative mysticism (they isolated themselves in a cell for exactly 38-42 days to meditate until they had a kind of controlled hallucination. the most popular one was to meditate on the crucifixtion of christ until you actually saw yourself there at the scene). Then in the afternoon, it was back to the Uffizzi gallery where we saw a plethora of artists who painted around the same time as Leonardo da Vinci, which provides an incredible contrast. His genius and skill practically flies off the canvas at you, especially when you pair him side by with other artists of the day.
After the Uffizzi, Carly took me to one of just a handful of the really real genuine gelato places here in Florence. Her guest lecturer that day was a native Florentine woman who has lived here all her life and she told them this great wisdom that I am now imparting onto you: if you ever see the gelato piled up in great mounds in the bins, run the other way. It may look fabulous and delicious, especially when they decorate it with the fresh fruit, but that is not real gelato. Instead, search out the little hole-in-the-wall places where they make it fresh and make it right. This gelato will look much flatter in the bins, but it is made with real fruit and no milk or sugar. Also, they will probably have some unorthodox (at least to americans) flavors like rose, green tea, or rice. If your eyes have trouble telling the difference, trust me when I say that your tastebuds will have no trouble at all. I had lemon and strawberry and it might have well been the best thing I have had since I left the states! And there was no sugar!! okay, I suppose I am getting a little overly excited over just a frozen snack, but I am telling you... it was a little cone of heaven.
So after the divinely-inspired gelato, we headed back to the apartment to start cooking dinner. Those of you who know me well know that I am not exactly a whiz in the kitchen, but Carly and Caitlin will plead my case: you would have been proud of me last night. We made the tradition Italian-style meal with all four courses: antipasta, primero, segundo, and dolce! Here was the menu:
Antipasto: little toast squares spread with fresh pesto and topped with fresh raspberries.
Primero: a salad of fresh sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, and strawberries covered in balsalmic vinegar and red wine vinegar. pretty much to die for.
Segundo: spiraly pasta (i dont know the official name) with a tomato sauce that Carly expertly seasoned with thyme and basil.
Dolce: the most exciting part! we recreated the tiramisu that we learned how to make in our cooking class the first week! i think i whipped the creamy part a little too much because it was kind of fluffy, but the flavor... sorry, I just drooled on the keyboard a little bit remembering it.
We thought about taking in a movie (something none of us has done in forever), but the english ones werent playing on Wednesday night, so instead we just walked around the city. It was so nice after dark, because the heat during the day has become a little overwhelming in the past week but last night there was plenty of refreshing breeze and great people watching. We ended up just sitting and talking on some church steps in a fun little piazza for awhile, watching the funny street cleaning trucks, bicycles with way too many passengers, p.d.a. couples, groups of tipsy american students, and other night strollers like ourselves. We did some great window shopping (more like window lusting- there are some wonderful designers here) and happened upon several swanky hangouts that we will be returning to on a night when we are more appropriately dressed. Finally we came back home to our perfect cozy apartment! (actually last night it was a little more stifling than cozy, but after we opened windows all back up it was fine).
I know this was all probably more detail than any of you cared to read, but just in case any one is wanting to live vicariously through me a little bit (and i wouldnt blame you a bit), then hopefully this will help! haha, I know my mother will enjoy it to the last drop at least if no body else does, and that alone makes it worth writing all this.
Class got canceled this morning so I think I am going to go walk around and maybe do a little shopping in the market before the real heat of the day sets in. I will try and send some of this sunshine the way of all you people who seem to be drowning in the Houston rain as of late!
Ciao for now!
Allie
In the morning I visited the San Marco monastery where thousands of people used to come to practice negative mysticism (they isolated themselves in a cell for exactly 38-42 days to meditate until they had a kind of controlled hallucination. the most popular one was to meditate on the crucifixtion of christ until you actually saw yourself there at the scene). Then in the afternoon, it was back to the Uffizzi gallery where we saw a plethora of artists who painted around the same time as Leonardo da Vinci, which provides an incredible contrast. His genius and skill practically flies off the canvas at you, especially when you pair him side by with other artists of the day.
After the Uffizzi, Carly took me to one of just a handful of the really real genuine gelato places here in Florence. Her guest lecturer that day was a native Florentine woman who has lived here all her life and she told them this great wisdom that I am now imparting onto you: if you ever see the gelato piled up in great mounds in the bins, run the other way. It may look fabulous and delicious, especially when they decorate it with the fresh fruit, but that is not real gelato. Instead, search out the little hole-in-the-wall places where they make it fresh and make it right. This gelato will look much flatter in the bins, but it is made with real fruit and no milk or sugar. Also, they will probably have some unorthodox (at least to americans) flavors like rose, green tea, or rice. If your eyes have trouble telling the difference, trust me when I say that your tastebuds will have no trouble at all. I had lemon and strawberry and it might have well been the best thing I have had since I left the states! And there was no sugar!! okay, I suppose I am getting a little overly excited over just a frozen snack, but I am telling you... it was a little cone of heaven.
So after the divinely-inspired gelato, we headed back to the apartment to start cooking dinner. Those of you who know me well know that I am not exactly a whiz in the kitchen, but Carly and Caitlin will plead my case: you would have been proud of me last night. We made the tradition Italian-style meal with all four courses: antipasta, primero, segundo, and dolce! Here was the menu:
Antipasto: little toast squares spread with fresh pesto and topped with fresh raspberries.
Primero: a salad of fresh sliced tomatoes, mozzarella, and strawberries covered in balsalmic vinegar and red wine vinegar. pretty much to die for.
Segundo: spiraly pasta (i dont know the official name) with a tomato sauce that Carly expertly seasoned with thyme and basil.
Dolce: the most exciting part! we recreated the tiramisu that we learned how to make in our cooking class the first week! i think i whipped the creamy part a little too much because it was kind of fluffy, but the flavor... sorry, I just drooled on the keyboard a little bit remembering it.
We thought about taking in a movie (something none of us has done in forever), but the english ones werent playing on Wednesday night, so instead we just walked around the city. It was so nice after dark, because the heat during the day has become a little overwhelming in the past week but last night there was plenty of refreshing breeze and great people watching. We ended up just sitting and talking on some church steps in a fun little piazza for awhile, watching the funny street cleaning trucks, bicycles with way too many passengers, p.d.a. couples, groups of tipsy american students, and other night strollers like ourselves. We did some great window shopping (more like window lusting- there are some wonderful designers here) and happened upon several swanky hangouts that we will be returning to on a night when we are more appropriately dressed. Finally we came back home to our perfect cozy apartment! (actually last night it was a little more stifling than cozy, but after we opened windows all back up it was fine).
I know this was all probably more detail than any of you cared to read, but just in case any one is wanting to live vicariously through me a little bit (and i wouldnt blame you a bit), then hopefully this will help! haha, I know my mother will enjoy it to the last drop at least if no body else does, and that alone makes it worth writing all this.
Class got canceled this morning so I think I am going to go walk around and maybe do a little shopping in the market before the real heat of the day sets in. I will try and send some of this sunshine the way of all you people who seem to be drowning in the Houston rain as of late!
Ciao for now!
Allie
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Sorry its been awhile...
Hi Everyone,
I realize that you have probably all quit checking to see if I have updated seeing as how the last time I updated was ridiculously long ago and that I havent delivered on the pictures I promised, but in my defense, Im in Italy! It is hard to sit still in an internet cafe when you can be out in the city, but at the same time, I really do want to keep everyone updated on what is going on in my life.
Sadly, I havent yet figured out how to add pictures on here (which may be good considering that there are lots of cyber-stalkers out there who could happen upon them), but if I do figure it out, I will definitely be showing them off. I firmly believe that a picture is worth a thousand words, probably more, and they are definitely a lot more fun to look at than reading my ramblings! But if you are truly interested, I am afraid that ramblings is what you will have to settle for for now.
We just went to Venice this weekend and it was one of the most picturesque places I have been thus far. I guess the water is what makes it so unique, but the city just has this incredible charm that is impossible to resist (very romantic...). You know that you have been to disney world one too many times when places start reminding you of Its a Small World and Epcot, haha. One of my favorite moments of the whole weekend was taking the ferry back from Lido, the island just beyond Venice, at sunset. Actually, that was probably one of my favorite moments of the whole trip. There are no words for how pretty it was so I will have to post the pictures...
Other favorite moments of the weekend: feeding the pigeons in San Marco square (Ive got a lot of funny pictures of that too- good news, no one got pooped on), an adventurous bus ride to Lido through the non-touristy part of Venice (aka the corn fields), antique shopping at the market (if I had more packing room- or money- I would have bought some pretty cool stuff), just walking around the city, laying on the beach, sipping a morning latte at the cafe next to the gondola-filled canal, the amazing church completely decorated in brilliant mosaics... okay, you get the idea right? It was awesome.
It is hard to believe that our time here in Florence is dwindling, but it is, so we are trying to soak up every possible moment. Caitlin and I are attempting an excursion to Elba Island on Friday, but there is a train strike planned for that day, so who knows if that will happen. We also planned a trip to Chianti on Thursday to go wine tasting and on Saturday I will be going to Pisa, Lucca, and Torre del Lago. Yay for beautiful Tuscan country side and leaning towers! Then on Sunday it is St. John the Baptist day here in Florence so we are making a point to be here to celebrate. He is the patron saint of Florence so it is like their fourth of july and there is a huge fireworks show planned along the river, and we plan to be camped out with a picnic for a great spot.
In other news, I miss you all so much and as sad as I will be to leave this beautiful country, I cant wait to see you all again. I love you so much!!
Love,
allie
I realize that you have probably all quit checking to see if I have updated seeing as how the last time I updated was ridiculously long ago and that I havent delivered on the pictures I promised, but in my defense, Im in Italy! It is hard to sit still in an internet cafe when you can be out in the city, but at the same time, I really do want to keep everyone updated on what is going on in my life.
Sadly, I havent yet figured out how to add pictures on here (which may be good considering that there are lots of cyber-stalkers out there who could happen upon them), but if I do figure it out, I will definitely be showing them off. I firmly believe that a picture is worth a thousand words, probably more, and they are definitely a lot more fun to look at than reading my ramblings! But if you are truly interested, I am afraid that ramblings is what you will have to settle for for now.
We just went to Venice this weekend and it was one of the most picturesque places I have been thus far. I guess the water is what makes it so unique, but the city just has this incredible charm that is impossible to resist (very romantic...). You know that you have been to disney world one too many times when places start reminding you of Its a Small World and Epcot, haha. One of my favorite moments of the whole weekend was taking the ferry back from Lido, the island just beyond Venice, at sunset. Actually, that was probably one of my favorite moments of the whole trip. There are no words for how pretty it was so I will have to post the pictures...
Other favorite moments of the weekend: feeding the pigeons in San Marco square (Ive got a lot of funny pictures of that too- good news, no one got pooped on), an adventurous bus ride to Lido through the non-touristy part of Venice (aka the corn fields), antique shopping at the market (if I had more packing room- or money- I would have bought some pretty cool stuff), just walking around the city, laying on the beach, sipping a morning latte at the cafe next to the gondola-filled canal, the amazing church completely decorated in brilliant mosaics... okay, you get the idea right? It was awesome.
It is hard to believe that our time here in Florence is dwindling, but it is, so we are trying to soak up every possible moment. Caitlin and I are attempting an excursion to Elba Island on Friday, but there is a train strike planned for that day, so who knows if that will happen. We also planned a trip to Chianti on Thursday to go wine tasting and on Saturday I will be going to Pisa, Lucca, and Torre del Lago. Yay for beautiful Tuscan country side and leaning towers! Then on Sunday it is St. John the Baptist day here in Florence so we are making a point to be here to celebrate. He is the patron saint of Florence so it is like their fourth of july and there is a huge fireworks show planned along the river, and we plan to be camped out with a picnic for a great spot.
In other news, I miss you all so much and as sad as I will be to leave this beautiful country, I cant wait to see you all again. I love you so much!!
Love,
allie
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