Falling in love... with the Tuscan Sun

"In all affairs, it is a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted."

- Bertrand Russel

Buona sera!

Hollering at ya from across the sea!  Hope everybody's enjoying their February 19th's!  It's really starting to feel like spring in Florence-- There have been mostly 50 degree days and the sun is setting later and later.  Tonight I ate dinner with Margo and we left the kitchen doors wide open.  A flock of pigeons almost joined us, but we didn't even care!  

Every day I am stepping further and further into this culture.  There are obviously some Italian concepts that still don't make sense to me, but I feel like many things are becoming clearer.  I was a tourist stepping off the Luftansa flight a month ago.  Today, in comparison, I feel like a traveler.  The transition from America to Italia has cut me off from things that used to be so present in my life-- my cell phone (life-line), fast internet connections, constant contact with my friends, and excessive Facebook use.  I love Florence, but the WiFi in my apartment is rough.  Caitlin came close to breaking her leg trying to reach a ceiling plug in the effort of connecting to a better outlet.  Desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess.  But really though, I think the struggle to open Google may be a blessing in disguise... Instead of staying on the computer, I'm out there in the world. 

I realize that I used to take so much for granted back home... even the fact that tap water in a restaurant is free.  In Europe, water can be more expensive than wine.  I don't have the luxury of being able to talk to my parents every night.  Instead of relying on them to give me advice, I've got to figure out everything on my own.  That's where my inner strong, independent woman is unleashed... and it's been working out so far. 

I've been sauntering about for the past few weeks-- especially on the weekends-- so it's been difficult to keep this baby updated.  In 14 days, I've spent weekends in Switzerland and France!  Your girl is on the MOVE!  I find it hard to grasp (and REALLY sad) that it's already mid-February.  I know that the time's flying because-- literally-- I'm flying.  Thankfully this weekend I'm staying in Firenze so I'll have a few seconds to catch my breath before my next adventure!

In a little more than a month, I've covered a lot of Tuscan ground.  

Chianti: Wine (and food) tasting with a tour of a wine cellar and an ancient castle!  I have never had such good tomato soup.  Wine making is a true craft-- Chianti does it and does it well.  

Chianti-- Barrels bigger (and older) than me! 

Siena: Experienced Italian SNOW for the first time, climbed to the top of the Siena baptistery, and ate some of the greatest butter and sage ravioli!

Siena-- Snow at the top of the baptistery!

San Gimignano: Walked through a modern art museum... Even though the rain kind of screwed us over, the views of the hills were so beautiful.

San Gimignano 

Pisa: Spent about 45 minutes trying to perfect poses with Kim, Margo, and Caitlin-- NO SHAME!  We toured a baptistery and church... I feel like wherever I go, I can't leave without either lighting a church candle or climbing a belltower.  Classic Europe.

Pisa-- Attempting to pose with Kim!  Such tourists...

Lucca: I loooooove Lucca-- One of the quaintest places I've visited so far.  Weirdly, Lucca almost reminded me of a mix between Milford and Central Park.  An antique festival lined the street right outside of our restaurant and I found a really cool gold beaded necklace... my first real Italian purchase other than food and travel.  One pizza and gelato later, the group rented bikes and we rode along the raised outskirts of the city.  I hadn't sat on a bike in probably 7 years, so it was probably a pretty hilarious sight.  I got my bearings though and had a great time-- it was 60 degrees that day... insane for January!  The mountains in the distance and the strange abundance of hot-dog dogs made Lucca somewhere I would love to go back to one day.  

Lucca-- Ridin' dirty

Venice: Another amazing city.  I don't think that I've been dissatisfied with one trip yet-- I may be easy to please, but really, I love me some Italia.  There are three key reasons why Venice was incredible: 1) We hit it right in the middle of Carnevale, which is pretty much a spring version of Mardi Gras and Halloween!  2) All of my roommates lived the dream a.k.a. GOT OUR FACES PAINTED!  3) Another 60 degree day-- WHAT?!  People's costumes in Venice really put my girl scout Halloween costume to shame... more than half of them were handmade, and SO out there!  He was super creepy, but "Unicorn Man" stole the show.

All of the roomies at Venice Carnevale!

This week in Florence, I've been taking it eeeeeeee-asy.  I have loved running from one place to the next, but I feel like a part of me desperately needs to chill.  By staying in Florence, I've had the time to discover a really cool underground t-shirt shop, and hang at the Gucci Museum (surprisingly a really productive place to study).  I went to the Diner for the first time with Hannah and Margo-- Greek salad... feta cheese... OREO MILKSHAKE!  I began writing articles for my internship with Flo N' the Go, an online newspaper about the best things to do in the city.  Midterms are coming up next week and then Spring Break in London and Scotland!  Craziness.

Cheers to life!    

Baci,

A