Okay, so just like the title may have told you, we went and saw Michelangelo's David today for art class. When I first saw the David, my initial reaction was: "Wow! It's so big!" I didn't expect the David to be so large. It is not a My-Sized-David like I'd imagined. No, it's like three, maybe four times my size. I mean, David is huge! Very tall. Definitely not what I expected. His hands are also out of proportion with the rest of his body. We were told that before he was moved to the Academia, his left hand was cracked during the 3rd republic of the Medici's but was restored and then moved. Also, in 1991, a crazy man with a hammer attacked the feet of David. That too was restored and resulted in increased security in the Academia.
The rest of the Academia was interesting to see as well. There was a wing that held musical instruments. Violin, pianos, and cellos were displayed, some really old. Another part of the museum showed plaster models of marble sculptures. It was interesting to see the rough work that comes before the original masterpiece. There was also an assortment of different paintings that were from the "School of" different artists. We saw the original crucifixes, etc. of Cimabue and Giotto and here were the artists that studied from these masters.
Before going to the Academia, we went and got our tickets for Cinque Terre. We're leaving on the 11:57 train to La Spezia were we will have to get on another train to Monterosso al Mare, where our hotel is. I cannot wait to get away from Florence for a while. It's great being here, don't get me wrong, but I need to see other things.
Ania got confirmation today about our apartment in Krakow. It is an Art Apartment, kind of like a studio apartment. Here is the description from the site: Filled with contemporary art by two of Krakow's brightest young talents, this classic Krakow apartment is located on an attractive square that's right next door to the palace which houses the Wyspianski Museum, making it an ideal location for artists and art lovers. The flat comes with shower and coffee/tea facilities, rounded off by a wonderful view over the Old Theatre. The two main rooms would be ideal for a couple or a young family. (http://www.krakow-apartments.com/Krakow-flats/apartment-info/30-Art)
It is located just around the corner from the main Market Square. We are being offered this apartment for 2400 PLN total, including bills. The price also includes linens, towels and cleaning once a week.
Ania is getting back to them about a few things and with the change in the dates she originally told them but it looks like we have a place to stay when we get to Poland. Still looking for a way from Prague to Krakow but we're on top of that as well. I must go now because I have to pack for this weekend and call home. Ciao!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Oh Wednesday
Wednesdays I have history class. Today for class, we met downtown by the Palazzo de Medici. But, because it was a Wednesday, the Palazzo is closed to the general public. School groups can come in the afternoon, but Lucianna tried and was told no for us. So, with the Palazzo being closed we moved onto the next option. That's what I love about Lucianna and history class; if one thing goes not quite right, well, move onto the next.
Lucianna took as down the street to the San Lorenzo church which we had already been too. She was going to show us the 'step' (I don't know if this is the right word or not) of Michelangelo. I don't know if this is the right thing because where Lucianna was going to take us was under renovation and thus unable to be seen. Strike two.
So, we moved onto option number three. We went to see the Princes Chapel and the new sacristy designed by Michelangelo in the San Lorenzo church. We purchased our tickets, 6 euro, and went into the crypt of the chapel. All over the floor are markers designating which Medici is buried there. There is also the statue of Maria Louisa Medici who is responsible for the public being able to view the Medici collection. After looking at all the dead people and relics in the crypt, we went upstairs to see the chapel.
My jaw literally dropped when we entered the chapel. The thing was huge. It made me feel about this small (holds thumb and index finger about a centimeter apart). Everything was huge int he church. The statues depicting Cosimo and Ferdinando were gigantic. The six sarcophagi were also giant sized. It was just amazing to see everything. The marble, precious stones, and semi precious stones that were everywhere were overwhelming. Everything was just beautiful to behold, I didn't want to leave.
After viewing the chapel we went onto the new sacristy designed by Michelangelo. Everything in the new sacristy was done by Michelangelo. He designed it and sculpted all the sculptures. It was pretty cool to see everything but I liked the chapel better.
As that only took up about an hour of class, we walked to our next destination, a little museum dedicated to those who work on marble inlay. That museum was a sight to behold. The process of inlaying marble is very time consuming. The artist must first draw the design. Then a painting needs to be done of the design; watercolor or oil, it didn't matter. After the painting was done, the marble pieces were chosen and then cut to size. The whole process is fascinating and is still done today. We were able, as a group, to attach ourselves to another English group touring the museum. It was interesting to hear what their guide had to say about everything. All I know is that it was beautiful to see and I would love a table top like those in my house; too bad they're really expensive.
After history class, Betsy, Allyson, and I walked over to the FlorenceForFun office. Betsy and I booked our Amalfi Coast weekend for March 19th. Here's a little info about the trip taken from the website:
Spend a weekend on the Amalfi Coast in the region of Campania in the south of Italy.
Experience everything that the Amalfi Coast has to offer - gorgeous colorful towns, great food, day trips to Positano and the Island of Capri and on the way back to Florence visit Pompeii.
Experience all that a classic Italian sea-side resort has to offer - colorful small towns cascading down the cliff-side towards the sea, fresh seafood, local produce and food traditions such as Neapolitan Pizza and Limoncello. Gorgeous beaches and the clear blue Mediterranean Sea. The exclusive island of Capri with its elegant towns, expensive shops and the rich and famous who arrive on their private luxury boats for vacation. Visit the Blue Grotto renown for its glistening aquamarine waters and head up to AnaCapri for some of the most spectacular views over the Gulf of Naples.
Contrast that with a glimpse into ancient life at the Pompeii archaeological site. Easily one of the most important excavations, see what life was like before 79AD when Mt Vesuvius erupted covering the town of Pompeii in 6 meters of volcanic lava and ash.
I cannot wait for this trip because I really want to see Pompeii. I've always had a fascination for volcanoes and I've always wanted to see the ruins of Pompeii, and now I will be going there. Yeah!!!!
I also found out today, during language, that the two finals I thought were going to be next week are no longer going to be next week. So I have no finals until we head to Rome.
I'm headed off to bed now after a relaxing shower. I was hit with this major headache during dinner, which was amazing as usual. My wrist is also hurting, kind of feels like carpel tunnel but hopefully not. I'm going to pay more attention to how my hands are when I'm on my laptop for the rest of this trip. Oh, I also just booked my flight from Rome to Prague! Now all I need to do is find a way to Krakow where I'll be staying for the majority of my after time. Then, of course, I'll need to find a way back to Florence for my flight home. I cannot believe that the time has gone by sooooo quickly. I'm ready for it to be over though; I'm missing everyone back home.
Lucianna took as down the street to the San Lorenzo church which we had already been too. She was going to show us the 'step' (I don't know if this is the right word or not) of Michelangelo. I don't know if this is the right thing because where Lucianna was going to take us was under renovation and thus unable to be seen. Strike two.
So, we moved onto option number three. We went to see the Princes Chapel and the new sacristy designed by Michelangelo in the San Lorenzo church. We purchased our tickets, 6 euro, and went into the crypt of the chapel. All over the floor are markers designating which Medici is buried there. There is also the statue of Maria Louisa Medici who is responsible for the public being able to view the Medici collection. After looking at all the dead people and relics in the crypt, we went upstairs to see the chapel.
My jaw literally dropped when we entered the chapel. The thing was huge. It made me feel about this small (holds thumb and index finger about a centimeter apart). Everything was huge int he church. The statues depicting Cosimo and Ferdinando were gigantic. The six sarcophagi were also giant sized. It was just amazing to see everything. The marble, precious stones, and semi precious stones that were everywhere were overwhelming. Everything was just beautiful to behold, I didn't want to leave.
After viewing the chapel we went onto the new sacristy designed by Michelangelo. Everything in the new sacristy was done by Michelangelo. He designed it and sculpted all the sculptures. It was pretty cool to see everything but I liked the chapel better.
As that only took up about an hour of class, we walked to our next destination, a little museum dedicated to those who work on marble inlay. That museum was a sight to behold. The process of inlaying marble is very time consuming. The artist must first draw the design. Then a painting needs to be done of the design; watercolor or oil, it didn't matter. After the painting was done, the marble pieces were chosen and then cut to size. The whole process is fascinating and is still done today. We were able, as a group, to attach ourselves to another English group touring the museum. It was interesting to hear what their guide had to say about everything. All I know is that it was beautiful to see and I would love a table top like those in my house; too bad they're really expensive.
After history class, Betsy, Allyson, and I walked over to the FlorenceForFun office. Betsy and I booked our Amalfi Coast weekend for March 19th. Here's a little info about the trip taken from the website:
Spend a weekend on the Amalfi Coast in the region of Campania in the south of Italy.
Experience everything that the Amalfi Coast has to offer - gorgeous colorful towns, great food, day trips to Positano and the Island of Capri and on the way back to Florence visit Pompeii.
Experience all that a classic Italian sea-side resort has to offer - colorful small towns cascading down the cliff-side towards the sea, fresh seafood, local produce and food traditions such as Neapolitan Pizza and Limoncello. Gorgeous beaches and the clear blue Mediterranean Sea. The exclusive island of Capri with its elegant towns, expensive shops and the rich and famous who arrive on their private luxury boats for vacation. Visit the Blue Grotto renown for its glistening aquamarine waters and head up to AnaCapri for some of the most spectacular views over the Gulf of Naples.
Contrast that with a glimpse into ancient life at the Pompeii archaeological site. Easily one of the most important excavations, see what life was like before 79AD when Mt Vesuvius erupted covering the town of Pompeii in 6 meters of volcanic lava and ash.
I cannot wait for this trip because I really want to see Pompeii. I've always had a fascination for volcanoes and I've always wanted to see the ruins of Pompeii, and now I will be going there. Yeah!!!!
I also found out today, during language, that the two finals I thought were going to be next week are no longer going to be next week. So I have no finals until we head to Rome.
I'm headed off to bed now after a relaxing shower. I was hit with this major headache during dinner, which was amazing as usual. My wrist is also hurting, kind of feels like carpel tunnel but hopefully not. I'm going to pay more attention to how my hands are when I'm on my laptop for the rest of this trip. Oh, I also just booked my flight from Rome to Prague! Now all I need to do is find a way to Krakow where I'll be staying for the majority of my after time. Then, of course, I'll need to find a way back to Florence for my flight home. I cannot believe that the time has gone by sooooo quickly. I'm ready for it to be over though; I'm missing everyone back home.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Marzo è pazzo
March is crazy. No really, our Italian professor, Chiara told us that is the saying here in Italy. March is crazy because it can be raining one day and beautiful the next. Not like that's what happened today. No, today was another great day. Not as great as Saturday was when it was warm and sunny out. Today was warm but had a slight chilly wind to it. It was also overcast, but still warm.
I didn't sleep very well again last night. I don't know why I'm not sleeping well but it's probably due to stress. I had my early class today, Literature. We went over what is going to be on the final and what it is that we need to study. My literature final is next Tuesday. AHHHHHHHH!!!!!! It's too much of a reminder that this trip is almost coming to a close.
After Literature we had Language. Our final for this class is also next Tuesday. Chiara was going to have it next Wednesday but next Tuesday is St. Patrick's Day and most of the group wants to go out that night and would thus be in no shape on Wednesday to take a final. It doesn't matter to me either way but I kind of didn't want two finals in a row. We went over more verb conjugation today before moving on to large numbers.
I didn't do to much this afternoon. I was online for a lot of it but then I went and took a walk to the park. I needed to get out of Villa Bonelli for a while. Just needed to be by myself. So I went for a walk. After reaching the park, I took a path that's not really a path but is a path. It's one of those that has warning signs by it but doesn't mean you cannot walk it. I'm halfway down this path before I come upon this dog. The dog looked creepy so when it turned around and when back the way it came from, I did the same. A little bit later I hear it running up to me. I choked on a scream because at that exact moment a jogger rounding the curve. I got a huge scare and the jogger apologized but I still was pretty shock up.
I took a different path but the mood was no longer with me. So I turned around and headed back toward Villa Bonelli.
A lot of the group went out to eat tonight as we don't get a meal on Tuesdays. Betsy and I stayed in and ate leftovers and fruit. I'm calling it another early night on account of not sleeping well the last two nights. Take care all. Ciao.
I didn't sleep very well again last night. I don't know why I'm not sleeping well but it's probably due to stress. I had my early class today, Literature. We went over what is going to be on the final and what it is that we need to study. My literature final is next Tuesday. AHHHHHHHH!!!!!! It's too much of a reminder that this trip is almost coming to a close.
After Literature we had Language. Our final for this class is also next Tuesday. Chiara was going to have it next Wednesday but next Tuesday is St. Patrick's Day and most of the group wants to go out that night and would thus be in no shape on Wednesday to take a final. It doesn't matter to me either way but I kind of didn't want two finals in a row. We went over more verb conjugation today before moving on to large numbers.
I didn't do to much this afternoon. I was online for a lot of it but then I went and took a walk to the park. I needed to get out of Villa Bonelli for a while. Just needed to be by myself. So I went for a walk. After reaching the park, I took a path that's not really a path but is a path. It's one of those that has warning signs by it but doesn't mean you cannot walk it. I'm halfway down this path before I come upon this dog. The dog looked creepy so when it turned around and when back the way it came from, I did the same. A little bit later I hear it running up to me. I choked on a scream because at that exact moment a jogger rounding the curve. I got a huge scare and the jogger apologized but I still was pretty shock up.
I took a different path but the mood was no longer with me. So I turned around and headed back toward Villa Bonelli.
A lot of the group went out to eat tonight as we don't get a meal on Tuesdays. Betsy and I stayed in and ate leftovers and fruit. I'm calling it another early night on account of not sleeping well the last two nights. Take care all. Ciao.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Oh what a day!!!
Okay, Monday mornings really blow. I mean it. I didn't sleep well last night and then had to go to class this morning. The only upside was that it's warming up here in Fiesole. We had Bob's Global Issues class this morning and then the rest of the day was mine to do with as I pleased.
I wrote a little something for the sisters of SAI and have decided to post the part about International Women's Day here as well to better explain this great day. I got most of this information off of the website to go there if you want to know more.
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. It is now an official holiday in China, Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam (http://www.internationalwomensday.com/). It is a day for confronting issues, discussing topics, and expanding our horizons. Events were celebrated across the globe on this day and the days preceding it as well as throughout the entire month of March.
Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women's Day (IWD) was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic 'Triangle Fire' in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women's Day events (http://www.internationalwomensday.com/about.asp). Now it is a day to honor mothers, girlfriends, wives, sisters, and colleagues.
Now that that is over, I'll tell you of the rest of my day. Ania and I and the others in our little group worked on what we're doing for after. So the decision as of today is that we are going to go to Poland right after the program is done. Somehow get to Krakow and spend the majority of our time there, Ania and I. There is soooo much to do and we're booking tours and events and getting an apartment set up. The site is: http://www.krakow-tours.com/. Turns out Prague is only a 6 hour car drive away so we'll visit it one of the days we're there. Nikki, this other girl coming with us, will be with us for the first week before meeting up with others in France.
Also, on one of my Yahoo! groups I'm a member of, they are celebrating Reader Appreciation and Read an E-book week. You can only win once from the group but as many times for the author contests. I won the first author contest yesterday because I'm in Italy and thus ahead of most of the people in this group. Today I won as part of the group giving away books.
So I have had a really great day. It started out kind of blah, went a little stressful and has ended greatly. I'm going to bed early though as I have an early class. Mi manca tutto di voi!!! CIAO!!!!
I wrote a little something for the sisters of SAI and have decided to post the part about International Women's Day here as well to better explain this great day. I got most of this information off of the website to go there if you want to know more.
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. It is now an official holiday in China, Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam (http://www.internationalwomensday.com/). It is a day for confronting issues, discussing topics, and expanding our horizons. Events were celebrated across the globe on this day and the days preceding it as well as throughout the entire month of March.
Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women's Day (IWD) was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic 'Triangle Fire' in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women's Day events (http://www.internationalwomensday.com/about.asp). Now it is a day to honor mothers, girlfriends, wives, sisters, and colleagues.
Now that that is over, I'll tell you of the rest of my day. Ania and I and the others in our little group worked on what we're doing for after. So the decision as of today is that we are going to go to Poland right after the program is done. Somehow get to Krakow and spend the majority of our time there, Ania and I. There is soooo much to do and we're booking tours and events and getting an apartment set up. The site is: http://www.krakow-tours.com/. Turns out Prague is only a 6 hour car drive away so we'll visit it one of the days we're there. Nikki, this other girl coming with us, will be with us for the first week before meeting up with others in France.
Also, on one of my Yahoo! groups I'm a member of, they are celebrating Reader Appreciation and Read an E-book week. You can only win once from the group but as many times for the author contests. I won the first author contest yesterday because I'm in Italy and thus ahead of most of the people in this group. Today I won as part of the group giving away books.
So I have had a really great day. It started out kind of blah, went a little stressful and has ended greatly. I'm going to bed early though as I have an early class. Mi manca tutto di voi!!! CIAO!!!!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Festa Della Donna
Today is International Women's Day! It's a day to celebrate women. On this glorious day, I won my first online contest. One of the Yahoo! groups I have subscribed to is having a Reader Appreciation week where various authors are giving away a ton of free stuff: ebooks, print books, and an ereader. One of the authors posted her contest very early Sunday morning and I was the first to answer correctly. Well, not exactly correctly as I counter one of her books twice, but she gave it to me anyway. The prize was a free ebook of my choice that she has written. It's soooo cool!!! I know I'm just going to love this week and this group.
I've been chained to my computer all day posting on this group, hoping to win. I did take a walk to the piazza this afternoon to check out all the stalls for Women's Day but basically I chilled for another day.
Dinner tonight was pasta and pizza with gelato for dessert. A very good meal but not very satisfying as it's what we usually have. As we were leaving the restaurant, all the women were given mimosas, little yellow flowers, from our waiter. The flowers are now in the glass with the roses we got this morning from Bob. They look sooooo pretty sitting on our desks.
I'm going to bed soon, as I've been up for a while and am tired now. I cannot believe my time here is almost done. Pretty soon, I'll be back home working at Kwik Trip instead of taking the bus into Firenze.
I've been chained to my computer all day posting on this group, hoping to win. I did take a walk to the piazza this afternoon to check out all the stalls for Women's Day but basically I chilled for another day.
Dinner tonight was pasta and pizza with gelato for dessert. A very good meal but not very satisfying as it's what we usually have. As we were leaving the restaurant, all the women were given mimosas, little yellow flowers, from our waiter. The flowers are now in the glass with the roses we got this morning from Bob. They look sooooo pretty sitting on our desks.
I'm going to bed soon, as I've been up for a while and am tired now. I cannot believe my time here is almost done. Pretty soon, I'll be back home working at Kwik Trip instead of taking the bus into Firenze.
What a beautiful day
So, let's go back to Friday, shall we. On Friday, Betsy, Allison, and Ania left for Venice. I decided to stay here in Fiesole because I needed some me time away from the group and what better time than when your roommate is away. So I stayed behind. No one was signed up to do laundry so I quickly assigned myself the next 6 hours for laundry. That's how I spent my day on Friday, doing laundry. It usually takes about an hour and a half to wash a load of clothes and then, if you're lucky, two hours to dry. Maybe now you understand why this is a whole day event.
I did four loads of laundry Friday: one of shirts, one of jeans, one of delicates, and one of socks and underwear. Now the first load I washed, socks and underwear, dried completely when I threw it in the dryer. My second load, shirts, dried almost all the way. I didn't dry my jeans in the dryer because I knew it wouldn't do any good. Those I hung up on our heated towel racks, outside my window on our clothesline, and over the chair in the room. When I took the shirts out of the dryer and put them where ever there was an available drying surface. My delicates, clothes that are either hand-wash or delicate cycle, I threw in the dryer and they also came out almost dry. I'm just happy to have clean clothes and socks again. It's a great feeling to finish your last load of laundry here because you have accomplished something.
In between doing laundry, I cleaned up the room. I cleaned and organized and separated everything of mine. The closet is now neat and organized so I can find everything. My desk is organized and put together again. I even went through all my receipts and separated the food receipts from other purchases I can get taxes back on. Each pile is now in an envelope waiting for its time to be useful to me.
Overall, I had a very productive day and a lot of me time in the process.
Saturday was simply gorgeous out. I walked down to Florence in the afternoon under cloudless skies and 60 degree weather. I was a beautiful, warm day out. Most of the group left super early to go to Bologna and Bailey left to go to Pisa. So there was just four of us left in Villa Bonelli. Jill and Lorenzo went for a run/walk around and came back praising the weather. That's when I left to walk down to Florence.
I do not even think I can describe the weather, but I'll try. It's like that first day of Spring when you can open the windows to the house to let the breeze in. Or when you can lie out on the grass and just soak up the Vitamin D. It's like the first day on campus when you can go without a coat after winter and sit in the plaza without getting cold. That's what it was like yesterday. And after a week of rain, it was even better. I checked the weather for the rest of the week and it's supposed to be low 60s, high 50s and mostly sunny. Yeah, spring is finally here.
So, I walked down into Firenze and went to the Supermarket. I picked up only the essentials as I only had my purse with me: chocolate, tictacs, and a bottle of Gatorade. Yup, the essentials. I then finished my walk by going to the Duomo and waiting on the steps for Mass to start. While waiting, since I was an hour early, I met up with these two girls, from Minnesota, waiting for their sister who is studying in Florence. We chatted about a lot of things, where to go, what to avoid, and the differences between Italy and the US. It was cool talking to someone from back home about everything. It also made the time go by much quicker than if I had been there waiting by myself.
Now, Mass. There was a different priest presiding over Mass than before. I don't know how to put this politely or politically correct but the guy creeped me out. He seemed to be mocking at times and patronizing at others. I just didn't like the feel I got from him. It didn't help that the helper guy was also very creepy. I may be making too much of a fuss but I was glad when Mass was over because I just couldn't handle it. The priest scared me, that's all. No big deal.
After Mass, Jill, Lorenzo, and Bailey met up with me by the Baptistery doors to go for Chinese. I took them to the Chinese place that Betsy, Allison, Ania and I went on Tuesday. It was just a great last night as it was on Tuesday, too. You cannot go wrong with great food. When we got back to Villa Bonelli, I found that Bob had slipped a little comparison sheet under my door. It compared to two Chinese restaurant I've been to in town.
Hong Kong was the one I went to last night and like better. Sorgente is the other Chinese restaurant. When you compare the two restaurants, Sorgente is cheaper, total cost of 10 euro from the fixed menu including service and cover charge. At Hong Kong, you have to pay separately for everything, wine, water, appetizers, and meal. The overall value of the meal would have to go to Sorgente, but the food, I thought was better at Hong Kong. Thank you Bob for the helpful comparison guide.
The group that went to Bologna was not back by the time the four of us arrived back at Villa Bonelli. I got ready for bed and stayed up later than I wanted to but I got to talk to cousin Erik and just getting a lot of stuff done.
As it is now Sunday when I'm writing this I'll publish this post and save all the greatness of today for later. Abbracci a tutti. Mi manchi molto. Ciao!
I did four loads of laundry Friday: one of shirts, one of jeans, one of delicates, and one of socks and underwear. Now the first load I washed, socks and underwear, dried completely when I threw it in the dryer. My second load, shirts, dried almost all the way. I didn't dry my jeans in the dryer because I knew it wouldn't do any good. Those I hung up on our heated towel racks, outside my window on our clothesline, and over the chair in the room. When I took the shirts out of the dryer and put them where ever there was an available drying surface. My delicates, clothes that are either hand-wash or delicate cycle, I threw in the dryer and they also came out almost dry. I'm just happy to have clean clothes and socks again. It's a great feeling to finish your last load of laundry here because you have accomplished something.
In between doing laundry, I cleaned up the room. I cleaned and organized and separated everything of mine. The closet is now neat and organized so I can find everything. My desk is organized and put together again. I even went through all my receipts and separated the food receipts from other purchases I can get taxes back on. Each pile is now in an envelope waiting for its time to be useful to me.
Overall, I had a very productive day and a lot of me time in the process.
Saturday was simply gorgeous out. I walked down to Florence in the afternoon under cloudless skies and 60 degree weather. I was a beautiful, warm day out. Most of the group left super early to go to Bologna and Bailey left to go to Pisa. So there was just four of us left in Villa Bonelli. Jill and Lorenzo went for a run/walk around and came back praising the weather. That's when I left to walk down to Florence.
I do not even think I can describe the weather, but I'll try. It's like that first day of Spring when you can open the windows to the house to let the breeze in. Or when you can lie out on the grass and just soak up the Vitamin D. It's like the first day on campus when you can go without a coat after winter and sit in the plaza without getting cold. That's what it was like yesterday. And after a week of rain, it was even better. I checked the weather for the rest of the week and it's supposed to be low 60s, high 50s and mostly sunny. Yeah, spring is finally here.
So, I walked down into Firenze and went to the Supermarket. I picked up only the essentials as I only had my purse with me: chocolate, tictacs, and a bottle of Gatorade. Yup, the essentials. I then finished my walk by going to the Duomo and waiting on the steps for Mass to start. While waiting, since I was an hour early, I met up with these two girls, from Minnesota, waiting for their sister who is studying in Florence. We chatted about a lot of things, where to go, what to avoid, and the differences between Italy and the US. It was cool talking to someone from back home about everything. It also made the time go by much quicker than if I had been there waiting by myself.
Now, Mass. There was a different priest presiding over Mass than before. I don't know how to put this politely or politically correct but the guy creeped me out. He seemed to be mocking at times and patronizing at others. I just didn't like the feel I got from him. It didn't help that the helper guy was also very creepy. I may be making too much of a fuss but I was glad when Mass was over because I just couldn't handle it. The priest scared me, that's all. No big deal.
After Mass, Jill, Lorenzo, and Bailey met up with me by the Baptistery doors to go for Chinese. I took them to the Chinese place that Betsy, Allison, Ania and I went on Tuesday. It was just a great last night as it was on Tuesday, too. You cannot go wrong with great food. When we got back to Villa Bonelli, I found that Bob had slipped a little comparison sheet under my door. It compared to two Chinese restaurant I've been to in town.
Hong Kong was the one I went to last night and like better. Sorgente is the other Chinese restaurant. When you compare the two restaurants, Sorgente is cheaper, total cost of 10 euro from the fixed menu including service and cover charge. At Hong Kong, you have to pay separately for everything, wine, water, appetizers, and meal. The overall value of the meal would have to go to Sorgente, but the food, I thought was better at Hong Kong. Thank you Bob for the helpful comparison guide.
The group that went to Bologna was not back by the time the four of us arrived back at Villa Bonelli. I got ready for bed and stayed up later than I wanted to but I got to talk to cousin Erik and just getting a lot of stuff done.
As it is now Sunday when I'm writing this I'll publish this post and save all the greatness of today for later. Abbracci a tutti. Mi manchi molto. Ciao!
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