Today, after waking up early and eating breakfast, I walked around Florence. I went to all the markets and even the browsed through the shops along Via Cavour. I bought a ton of gifts for everyone that I still had to get gift for. After doing this wandering around for two or so hours, I went back to my hotel and picked up my luggage. I walked to the train station to catch the #7 bus back up to Fiesole for the last time. Riding the route brought back so many memories of all the times I had ridden it before. I kept thinking that at any moment one of the others or even Bob might hop on.
Unfortunately, that didn't happen but I made it up to Fiesole without any problems. After making the trek up to Villa Bonelli, I walked in and saw Chiara behind the front desk. She took me up to the room I'd be sharing with Betsy and her family. After plugging my laptop in I went and retrieved my suitcase from storage. I proceeded to then remove everything from the broken suitcase and place it on the bed. I then went through and tossed what I was going to toss. After doing that, I separated all my gifts from the rest of my clothes. After placing a layer of dirty laundry on the bottom of my suitcase I proceeded to pack my gifts and whatever else I could fit in the suitcase. After my big suitcase was full, I moved to my smaller suitcase. I only hope that they are not over weight as I have no recourse but to pay whatever fee it will be because I have no room to maneuver.
It was good to see Betsy and Eldon again. I have missed them and am glad we are traveling back together. I met Betsy's mom and brother today as well. They seem like nice people. I showed off all my gifts that I bought. Ooohed over pictures and gifts they bought. When Betsy took her family for a walk, Eldon and I went down to the Coop to get some dinner.
Tomorrow should be an interesting day, trying to move all the luggage we have to our last hotel in Italy. Being the same one as I stayed at last night, I don't think I'll have internet. I'm going to miss it here but I'm definitely ready to go home. My sister and grandma are picking me up at the airport and will be waiting with my cell phone and some chocolate milk. I've miss skim milk the most on the trip. Only two more days before I get to have some and see all the people I've missed. I'm going to be on campus on Friday into Saturday to catch up with all my friends. Call me, don't text as my plan has been removed. Can't wait to see everyone! Ciao!!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
On the way home
Monday morning came about too soon for my liking. Ania and I got up and prepared to leave Warsaw and Poland. We caught a taxi to the airport and there we separated. Ania had to go to the other terminal then the one I was in. I got in line to check-in but found out when I got to the desk that my bag was 3 kilograms or something over. So, I had to get out of the line and rearrange my luggage. I tossed out my towel and a zip-up sweatshirt right there in the airport and then transferred some of my gifts to my backpack. When I got back to the desk, after a long wait in line, I breathed easy when it weighed only the 20 it was supposed to. I walked to my gate and sat down and waited for a couple of hours before my flight boarded.
As my flight time got closer I apparently missed the boarding call. Twenty minutes before my flight was to leave I heard the final boarding call. I didn't hear them make the first call so I was panicked when I finally got on the airplane. My flight to Rome, though, was one of the best flights I have ever taken. Only two hours long, we were given a large sandwich and our choice of drink on the flight. The seats were also very comfortable and not crowded. I was surprised at this because it was such a short flight but it was one to remember.
When we landed in Rome, I hopped the shuttle train back to Roma Termini where I purchased another train ticket to Florence via a Eurostar. An hour and a half later, around 7 pm, I arrived in Florence. After stopping at the McDonalds for dinner, I walked to my hotel and checked-in. Didn't do much else once I got to Florence as I was exausted from all the traveling. I went to bed around midnight after completing a little paperwork.
As my flight time got closer I apparently missed the boarding call. Twenty minutes before my flight was to leave I heard the final boarding call. I didn't hear them make the first call so I was panicked when I finally got on the airplane. My flight to Rome, though, was one of the best flights I have ever taken. Only two hours long, we were given a large sandwich and our choice of drink on the flight. The seats were also very comfortable and not crowded. I was surprised at this because it was such a short flight but it was one to remember.
When we landed in Rome, I hopped the shuttle train back to Roma Termini where I purchased another train ticket to Florence via a Eurostar. An hour and a half later, around 7 pm, I arrived in Florence. After stopping at the McDonalds for dinner, I walked to my hotel and checked-in. Didn't do much else once I got to Florence as I was exausted from all the traveling. I went to bed around midnight after completing a little paperwork.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Last day
My last day to explore Warsaw. Tomorrow Ania flies home and I fly back to Italy. This morning, after preparing for the day, Ania and I walked back to the train station to get directions. She was going to her orphanage and needed to know how to get there. We walked back down the street a little ways to a shopping center where Ania got on a bus headed to Chotomow and her past. When she left, I went and browsed in the stores but didn't see anything I like. So, I wandered around town, heading toward our hostel. I decided to go to the market again and see if there was anything I'd like to get. I found a souvenir shop and bought a few more gifts for people before heading back to the hostel.
Back at the hostel I made an excel spreadsheet of all the things/gifts I have bought in Europe. It's really quite a work of genius, my spreadsheet, because it lists the gift, who it's for, where I purchased it, and how much in cost in euro/zlotty and in USD. I'll be able to use this when I fly home and have to claim my purchases. Once this was done I blogged a little and uploaded some pictures.
Ania came back around 5is and told me all about her time at the orphanage. We then walked to the market together where she bought some more gifts for her family and I browsed through the items available. We then found a restaurant to eat dinner. Neither of us had anything to eat all day besides chocolate so we were very hungry. Ania got chicken in a plum sauce and I got a chuck steak in roast sauce. We both had roasted potatoes for our side dish. My meal was fabulous. The sauce was very tasty and the steak was perfectly cooked. I really enjoyed the meal.
We walked back to the hostel and requested a taxi for tomorrow morning, 9 am. Ania and I will do a little shopping at the airport when we get there and spend the rest of our zlotty. I'm going to miss her, not sharing space with her anymore. She gets to go home and see her family. I have to wait a few more days, spend a little more time in Italy, before I get to see mine. I'm definitely ready to head home, be back home. I'm going to visit campus this Friday as I have things I need to take care of before school is out. But, I have to get some sleep so I'll be ready to fly to Italy and take a train from Rome to Florence. Wish me luck!
Back at the hostel I made an excel spreadsheet of all the things/gifts I have bought in Europe. It's really quite a work of genius, my spreadsheet, because it lists the gift, who it's for, where I purchased it, and how much in cost in euro/zlotty and in USD. I'll be able to use this when I fly home and have to claim my purchases. Once this was done I blogged a little and uploaded some pictures.
Ania came back around 5is and told me all about her time at the orphanage. We then walked to the market together where she bought some more gifts for her family and I browsed through the items available. We then found a restaurant to eat dinner. Neither of us had anything to eat all day besides chocolate so we were very hungry. Ania got chicken in a plum sauce and I got a chuck steak in roast sauce. We both had roasted potatoes for our side dish. My meal was fabulous. The sauce was very tasty and the steak was perfectly cooked. I really enjoyed the meal.
We walked back to the hostel and requested a taxi for tomorrow morning, 9 am. Ania and I will do a little shopping at the airport when we get there and spend the rest of our zlotty. I'm going to miss her, not sharing space with her anymore. She gets to go home and see her family. I have to wait a few more days, spend a little more time in Italy, before I get to see mine. I'm definitely ready to head home, be back home. I'm going to visit campus this Friday as I have things I need to take care of before school is out. But, I have to get some sleep so I'll be ready to fly to Italy and take a train from Rome to Florence. Wish me luck!
Exploring Warsaw
Yesterday, after the horrible night we had, Ania and I slept for a few more hours before going out into the city. We left the hostel around noon and head toward Warsaw's Old Town. This is what we saw along the way.
The Staszic Palace, Neo-Classical design, was badly damaged then burnt down during the Warsaw Uprisimg in 1944. After being rebuilt in 1949 it now the Polish Academy of Sciences. In front of the palace is a monument to Nicholas Copernicus with a depiction of the solar system on the ground. I took a picture of this, it will be posted in my photos albums. Our next stop was the Church of the Holy Cross. A Baroque church, it houses the hearts of Chopin and Reymont in urns inside its pillars. Continuing toward the Old Town, we passed the University of Warsaw with its beautiful gates. We also passed by the Presidential Palace with its security guards at the gates and a park that had photos taken during WWII when Germany was bombing Warsaw on display. Finally entering the castle square, Ania and I took pictures of King Zygmunt's III column. He was the ruler who moved the capital of Poland from Krakow to Warsaw. We also took pictures inside the Royal Castle courtyard.
We decided to head toward the New Town next. We passed by the Church of Our Lady of Grace, a renaissance church, where a wedding was taking place. Matter of fact, there seemed to be multiple wedding occurring yesterday as we passed by a lot of churches and people in bridal attire. Anyway, from there we made it to the Old Town Market Square where the statue of the Warsaw Mermaid is. Images of the half fish and half women statue is used on the crest off Warsaw since the 14th century. Legend goes that there was once two mermaids from the Baltic Sea who swam towards the Danish straits. One ended up outside Copenhagen while the other ended up in the Vistula River near Warsaw. Fisherman, upset that the mermaid was freeing the fish from their nets, fell in love with the enchanting song of the mermaid. But, an evil merchant decided to catch the mermaid, and when he did, he kept her away from water and put her on display. The mermaid's cries were heard by the son of a fisherman and he and a friend freed her. In recognition, the mermaid swore to protect the fisherman from if they were ever in danger. That is why she is armed with a sword and shield.
Anyway, cool story, cool picture taken. We walked by the museum of Madam Curie, a Polish physicist and chemist who was a pioneer in radioactivity. She was the first person to be awarded two Nobel Prizes. We then walked by the Church of St. Kazimierz which acted as a hospital during the Warsaw Uprising. After praying for a while inside the Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland, or the Field-Cathedral of the Polish Army, we walked across the street to the Warsaw Uprising Monument. It was unveiled the day of the the 45th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising on August 1, 1984 and built in memory of the Warsaw Uprising heroes who fell during the 63 day struggle against the occupants of Warsaw.
Ania and I then decided to go to the Museum of the John Paul II collection. On the way we passed by the Krasinski Palace, also known as the Palace of the Republic. Formerly the seat of the administrative authorities, the Treasury and Supreme Court, it now houses the Special Collections of the National Library. Behind the building, there is a garden that we walked through to get to the JPII museum. Ania and I thought that it would be a museum on JPII but it wasn't. It was a museum that housed a collection of European paintings that was dedicated to John Paul II. Either way, it was interesting to see painting by other European artists, not just Italian. There was a room dedicated to portraits, mythological scenes, scenes from the bible, and paintings of Mary and Christ as a child.
When we left the museum, Ania and I headed back to our hostel. We did a little shopping along our route and I got a few more gifts for people. Our feet were tired, our bodies were tired, and me wanted food. We stopped by a small grocery store to get spaghetti sauce and then used the hostel's kitchen to make our dinner. We had an uneventful night, thankfully, but still went to bed late.
The Staszic Palace, Neo-Classical design, was badly damaged then burnt down during the Warsaw Uprisimg in 1944. After being rebuilt in 1949 it now the Polish Academy of Sciences. In front of the palace is a monument to Nicholas Copernicus with a depiction of the solar system on the ground. I took a picture of this, it will be posted in my photos albums. Our next stop was the Church of the Holy Cross. A Baroque church, it houses the hearts of Chopin and Reymont in urns inside its pillars. Continuing toward the Old Town, we passed the University of Warsaw with its beautiful gates. We also passed by the Presidential Palace with its security guards at the gates and a park that had photos taken during WWII when Germany was bombing Warsaw on display. Finally entering the castle square, Ania and I took pictures of King Zygmunt's III column. He was the ruler who moved the capital of Poland from Krakow to Warsaw. We also took pictures inside the Royal Castle courtyard.
We decided to head toward the New Town next. We passed by the Church of Our Lady of Grace, a renaissance church, where a wedding was taking place. Matter of fact, there seemed to be multiple wedding occurring yesterday as we passed by a lot of churches and people in bridal attire. Anyway, from there we made it to the Old Town Market Square where the statue of the Warsaw Mermaid is. Images of the half fish and half women statue is used on the crest off Warsaw since the 14th century. Legend goes that there was once two mermaids from the Baltic Sea who swam towards the Danish straits. One ended up outside Copenhagen while the other ended up in the Vistula River near Warsaw. Fisherman, upset that the mermaid was freeing the fish from their nets, fell in love with the enchanting song of the mermaid. But, an evil merchant decided to catch the mermaid, and when he did, he kept her away from water and put her on display. The mermaid's cries were heard by the son of a fisherman and he and a friend freed her. In recognition, the mermaid swore to protect the fisherman from if they were ever in danger. That is why she is armed with a sword and shield.
Anyway, cool story, cool picture taken. We walked by the museum of Madam Curie, a Polish physicist and chemist who was a pioneer in radioactivity. She was the first person to be awarded two Nobel Prizes. We then walked by the Church of St. Kazimierz which acted as a hospital during the Warsaw Uprising. After praying for a while inside the Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland, or the Field-Cathedral of the Polish Army, we walked across the street to the Warsaw Uprising Monument. It was unveiled the day of the the 45th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising on August 1, 1984 and built in memory of the Warsaw Uprising heroes who fell during the 63 day struggle against the occupants of Warsaw.
Ania and I then decided to go to the Museum of the John Paul II collection. On the way we passed by the Krasinski Palace, also known as the Palace of the Republic. Formerly the seat of the administrative authorities, the Treasury and Supreme Court, it now houses the Special Collections of the National Library. Behind the building, there is a garden that we walked through to get to the JPII museum. Ania and I thought that it would be a museum on JPII but it wasn't. It was a museum that housed a collection of European paintings that was dedicated to John Paul II. Either way, it was interesting to see painting by other European artists, not just Italian. There was a room dedicated to portraits, mythological scenes, scenes from the bible, and paintings of Mary and Christ as a child.
When we left the museum, Ania and I headed back to our hostel. We did a little shopping along our route and I got a few more gifts for people. Our feet were tired, our bodies were tired, and me wanted food. We stopped by a small grocery store to get spaghetti sauce and then used the hostel's kitchen to make our dinner. We had an uneventful night, thankfully, but still went to bed late.
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