Cinque Terre

Last weekend I stayed in Florence and took a day trip to Cinque Terre on Sunday.  The weekend was busy as usual. I met up with friends, celebrated my roommates 21st birthday and toured Santa Croce (famous church near where I live). Wednesday we went to a Florence Soccer Game with our program and we celebrated my roommate Ashley's 21st b-day.  We hosted a party at our place and served sprinkles cupcakes as dessert along with a lot of alcohol.  (Thanks to Mel's visit we were able to freeze lots of sprinkles Cupcakes) On Thursday my friend and I met for an American breakfast at the Diner and then made our way to visit Santa Croce. The church had an ornate decor and was massive.  Additionally, Santa Croce also holds Michaelangelo's grave inside. On Sunday I traveled to Cinque Terre with a friend from school.  We took a day trip with a company organizer.  After a 2 hour bus ride we arrived in Cinque Terre and hiked from the 1st city through to the 4th city.  We were warned that the hike was difficult but I figured I would be fine.  I should have given that a second thought before eagerly volunteering to hike. The hike was extremely difficult and had an vertical uphill climb for the first hour.  Not to mention it was pouring rain! I thought I was going to pass out on the way up but finally managed to catch my breath on the flat part.   By then the rain had cleared up but I was soaking wet and worst of all so was the trail! The path had tiny winding trails without fences or rails. (Even worse with rain...and now that I think about it...very dangerous) We literally were overlooking extreme heights and staring straight down into the water. The views were incredible and breathtaking.  We hiked around the mountain and got great candid photos of the city below. Finally after 2.5 hours we reached the fourth town. I must have burned at least 800 calories during the hike. Each town had a different atmosphere to it.  All of them had great views of the ocean and mountains.  In the fourth town we sat down and ate lunch overlooking the ocean on a lookout point. We were about 10 feet away from the ocean! It was amazing! I scoured down my pesto pizza (a Cinque Terre specialty).  The pizza was delicious! Then it began to shower and thankfully cleared up as we moved on to the fifth and final town.  We were able to take the train to the final town and when we arrived it was back to sunshine! We walked the strip of restaurants and shops and devoured gelato.  We then hung out on the beach and managed to grab a postcard before departing.  Later we traveled back to Florence and I was eager to return to shower and sleep :)

That is all for now!

Ciao!

Prague

Since arriving in Prague, I have decided this is my favorite trip so far.  The town is really neat and has a friendly and American atmosphere (that must be why I like it so much). 

Reasons why I like Prague:

1.     They have Starbucks

2.     They have Bagels

3.     They have BBQ Sauce

4.     They have things other than pasta and pizza to eat

5.     They have Thai food

6.     They have Mexican food

7.     They have a (Americanized) Movie theater with English movies

8.     They have Wifi everywhere!

Those are the most impressive however there is a lot more! The first day we checked into our AMAZING HOTEL (The Marriott=Americanized). Then we walked around the town and visited a Mall! I couldn’t tell you how happy I was.  The first thing I did was purchase Starbucks!  Later we ate at The Pub, which was a restaurant that had an individual beer tap at each table. You could refill your beer yourself while sitting down.  The tap also had a computer/screen that monitored what you drank so you paid for the actual amount you consumed…pretty neat! I also enjoyed a turkey burger with BBQ sauce, which sufficed my craving for American food.  The next day we ate at Bohemia Bagel (Great American breakfast place with Bagels…obviously!) We then visited the John Lennon wall and went to a peacock garden. Inside the garden there were live peacocks roaming around.  It was really unique. After we took a free walking tour of the city and toured Old Town, New Town, and The Jewish Quarter. After we feasted on Czech specialties at a special Easter market in Old Town.  This weekend there was an Easter festival where huts were set up all over town selling traditional Czech food and traditional Czech products.  We tried Czech sausage, tridnek, (a hot cinnamon roll that was shaped like a hollow barrel and cooked and spun on an iron rod) chicken kabobs, fried potato chips, au gratin potatoes, and crepes. The market sold hand painted eggs, wool products, Russian dolls, and other trinkets. That night we went out to an Easter party at a near by club.  One of the coolest clubs I have been too. The club had the feel of a house concert but with great American music, huge second floor balcony, and bar that wrapped around half the room.   We met up with a bunch of friends traveling to Prague so it was a fun night. The next day we visited the Prague Castle and toured St. Vincent Church.  It was a bit of a disappointment when we got there because the palace consisted of exhibitions and art instead of rooms with furniture and apartments. After visiting Versailles in France we decided it wasn’t worth the wait. Later we shopped around the town and sipped on hot wine.  For dinner we ate at a local Czech restaurant.   This morning we woke up and picked up Bohemia Bagel (yes…again!) and went to tour the Jewish Quarter consisting of a museum, two synagogues, and a cemetery.  To our surprise the buildings were closed due to the celebration of Passover, which was a major disappointment considering it is already the second day here.  Instead we decided to go back and grab food at the Easter festival, get Starbucks, and shop.  Later we went to a movie, which was pretty exciting! It was my suggestion and everyone was on board since we had extremely cold weather this weekend and we were all unprepared.  We saw American Reunion was which so funny! The movie theater was nicer than home and had a huge screen and extremely comfy seats. I was so happy to see an American movie in English. It is the little things in life that make me the happiest! (However that doesn’t change that I still want a designer handbag for my 21^st birthday dad!) Now we are at the airport waiting for our flight to board.  We are traveling back extremely late so I’m excited to get back to Florence.

Can’t wait to return back home!

Ciao!

Venice with Donald & Holley Hoffman!

MY PARENTS FINALLY ARRIVED IN ITALY! Tuesday I met my mom at the hotel and was so happy to see her! She lugged all of my precious belongings from home and even managed to bake banana bread from my roommates and I.  After settling into the hotel we then went to a casual dinner at ZaZa’s (Great restaurant with an open aired atmosphere). The next morning I enjoyed the free hotel breakfast and attended my Italian class.  After I met my mom back at the hotel and we went to see the David.  We walked over the museum and found a HUGE line wrapping around the building.  Little did I know that my museum pass would allow us to cut the entire line and walk right in.  I felt pretty cool cutting everyone else off J After seeing the David and boring ourselves in the museum we headed over to Gusta Pizza (my favorite pizza place in Italy). Later we walked the Ponte Vecchio, picked out our jewelry requests for my dad and went to the Gucci Museum. Later we dined at Gusta Osteria (a local restaurant known for good pasta).  That night we indulged in gelato and slept in our comfy hotel beds. The next day we surprised my dad at the airport.  Unfortunately his luggage got lost even though he flew directly from Munich to Florence and the bag was marked Priority with a business class ticket.  All of those factors don’t add up to me but Munich managed to misplace his bag for 2 days straight. After we got back to the hotel my mom, dad, and I went to my apartment. I gave them the grand tour of my place and then we grabbed the best panini’s in town at Salumeria Verdi. After we went to Piazza Michaelangelo (a look out point that over looks the entire city). That night we dined at La Giostra…a family favorite where we feasted on pear ravioli and apple glazed chicken. Later we splurged with gelato.  The next morning we traveled to Venice by train and checked into our hotel.  We then explored the Jewish ghetto and toured 3 different Jewish synagogues. Later we went for a dinner recommended by our hotel and had one of the best pasta dishes so far in Italy. (Which says a lot considering all I eat is pasta).  The next day we took a ferry to Murano and saw glass blowing and beautiful glass pieces made by the factory. We then visited San Marco Square (main square) and took a quick tour of The Basilica of San Marco (San Marco Church). We shopped around and then finished the night with dinner and dessert. The following day we took a gondola ride, did some last minute shopping and made our way back to Florence. Later that night we ate at il Latini. The restaurant was really unique in that it is a fixed menu, in which TONS of food is brought to you all at the same time as everyone else eating at the restaurant.  The food was unreal and nonstop! The next day I skipped class and we took a day trip to Siena and San Gimignano. My dad rented a car and to my surprise drove like a pro with stick shift. We shopped around, taste-tested numerous gelatos and then made our way to a private wine tasting near the town.  We sampled 9 different wines, cheeses, meats, and ended with lasagna.  The wine tasting was pretty cool because we learned the proper way to taste wine and a lot of history about how the wine is produced. The next morning we toured the Jewish synagogue and area in Florence.  The temple was gorgeous and massive. Later we shopped around and ate at Acqua 2 where we indulged in a pasta sampler and steak sampler.  On Wednesday I had to day goodbye to my parents. I sent a huge suitcase back with them with all of my Italian purchases. It was hard to do but knowing that I was traveling to Prague the following day helped.  I was sad to seem them go but extremely happy and lucky they were able to visit me!  Next destination is Prague!

Ciao!

Sardinia

For the remainder of my spring break I traveled to Sardinia with one of my roommates and another friend studying in Florence Italy.  Sardinia is an island off of Italy that is known for its beautiful beaches, clear blue water, and fresh seafood.  We scored cheap tickets via Ryan Air for a total round trip of 40 Euro. I already liked the look of this trip.  We flew into and stayed in a city called Alghero, which was known for their beaches, and restaurants.  We visited for three days and laid out most of the time.  We visited the city during a “dead period” before tourist season.  It literally was dead...we had the beaches to ourselves and wandered the streets alone at night. I almost felt as though I was in a scary movie but it was somewhat relaxing as well. We found a secluded beach the 1^st day and hung there the remainder of the vaca.  The weather was great it was high 70’s and I managed to get nice and TAN! Our hotel we stayed at was very accommodating and helped keep us entertained during our stay.  We enjoyed a great breakfast every morning and managed to snag free packed lunches each day due to a complaint about their pool being under construction and not disclosing that information before hand.  (We chose the hotel because it had a huge pool) At night we walked into the “Old Town” and enjoyed lots of tasty dinners.  One of the famous dishes known to Sardinia is pasta with sea urcin.  I tried it and I have to say I was somewhat hesitant to try it but it was surprisingly really good.  We also discovered a huge candy store with large open barrels of gummies, chocolate, and sugary treats.  We visited the place twice before the trip ended! The last day we were there we took a boat to Grotto de Nettuno (Neptune’s Grotto).  The landmark consists of underground caves on the coast of the island.  The boat pulled up to cliffs and rocks and we got out and entered the underground cave.  It was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen.  The caves were enormous and had very unique formations.  The cave was discovered by Fisherman over 600 years ago and is said to have existed for over 600 million years.   After the small excursion we headed back to the beach and spent the rest of the day soaking up the sun.  We then grabbed a dinner in the town before heading back to Florence the next morning.  Over the remainder of the weekend I caught up on sleep, laid out on our roof (yes it is possible and very functional), and even did some work before the weekend was over!

Ciao!

Turino with Mel

I had the BEST weekend ever with my sister! Mel arrived in Florence last Saturday morning.  I met her at the airport expecting to help carry her luggage however her luggage didn't make the flight due to her tight connection.  It was eventually delivered the next day but she still came with lots of goodies for me! Believe it or not she brought me a full dozen of sprinkle cupcakes :) She also carried lots of liquids and clothes for me! So off the bat... she already started the trip with a great start.  After she settled down we went to Gusta Pizza where she fully immersed herself in the Italian culture by eating a huge pizza. After lunch we went on a shopping extravaganza and purchased leather gloves, leather coats, and went to Zara (young women's fashionable clothing store) Obviously it was my favorite day since shopping is my favorite hobby but I was happy to spend time with her!  Later we took a break and chilled at my apartment and then dined at Acqua 2.  It is a fancy restaurant that serves samplers.  You can order based off the amount of people and sample multiple items on the menu. We started with a pasta sampler, and then I tasted the steak sampler.  We left feeling unable to breath. 

The next day we woke up and ate at The Diner (an Americanized breakfast place in Florence where you can actually get a bagel, pancakes, or an omelet)  Next we hiked Piazza Michaelangelo which over looks the entire city.  After we visited the Boboli Gardens in Florence and sat outside and caught up. It was a gorgeous day so it was perfect to spend time outside.  After we dabbled into the Italian culture by attending a food event in the community called The Taste.  It is a food trade show that occurs every year in which local citizens can pay 15 euro to walk around and sample some of the best food from the country at each booth.  You can then purchase the products after. My food and wine teacher told me about this and it was a perfect event to attend with Mel. Our favorite part was the baked goods and chocolate booths. Later we napped and then ate dinner at La Giostra.  La Giostra is my absolute favorite restaurant here and they are known for their Pear Ravioli, & Apple Glazed Chicken.  It is pretty fancy but well worth it to splurge on with family or friends.  When we were younger our family actually ate their when we traveled to Italy.  It is neat to go back and I still have vivid memories of the place. After I showed Mel the best gelato place in Florence called Grom.  We got gelato and walked to the bars so she could see the night life.  The next morning she departed to London to visit her friends from abroad the previous year while I crammed for Midterms.  It was hard to actually concentrate and do school work since this entire semester I haven't had any homework lasting over 10 mins. Hahah I felt as though I had to retrain myself to study.  I successfully completed all my midterms and on Wednesday Mel returned.  We went out that night and the next morning traveled to Turino.

We took a millions forms of transportation before arriving in Sestiere (a ski town of Turino). We decided on this destination because it offers great skiing and the winter Olympics were held in the city in 2006. We arrived in the evening and got settled, picked up our skiing/snowboarding gear and then went to dinner.  The next day we woke up early enjoyed our great Hotel breakfast (they cooked eggs for us...It was AMAZING!) and then ventured onto the slopes.  We stayed right near the slopes so it was easy to get to.  I haven't skied in a while so I approached the bunny hills expecting the worse.  I went down a couple of times and felt pretty confident.  Mel wanted to head onto moderate slopes so I didn't think twice before moving on.  I now regret that decision...I wiped out three times before making it down the moderate slope.  First let me inform you that a moderate slope in Europe=Black Diamond Slopes in America. The angle of the hill had to be close to a straight shoot down.  I burst into tears and laughter before making it down the hill.  It was quiet the experience. After that slope I told Mel I was sticking to the easy hills.  One of the coolest parts about the slopes and ski town is that you can eat and take breaks on the mountains. We ate lunch at a restaurant on the mountain and skied/snowboarded right up to it.  It is also very popular to sit back on the slope in a lazy boy outdoor chair.  People are posted everywhere soaking up the rays and taking a break.  I tried to take advantage of that as long as possible before Mel wanted to continue to snowboard and ski.  I called it quits early and went back to rest.  Later we ventured around the tiny town and went to aperski (drinking after skiing) We then grabbed dinner in the town and headed back to our hotel where we streamed movies!  This was a huge excitement point since my internet in my apartment is awful! The next morning we repeated our day by skiing, snowboarding and eating lunch on the mountain.  In the morning Mel had a minor incident in which she lost her snowboard.   She sat down and went to pull out her phone and didn't realize her board slipped out from underneath her. She spent a good 30 mins looking for it before finding on caught in a side of a fence. I personally couldn't be happier...I thought we could avoid skiing but that wasn't the case.  After a 2nd full day of skiing and snowboarding I couldn't walk. My entire body ached and was bruised!!! We then went to 2 different aperskis and then ate dinner.  The next morning we traveled back to Florence.  We settled down, unpacked and grabbed dinner at a restaurant called ZaZa's.  They are known for their wine, and pasta.  The next morning Mel got up early and left to go back to DC.  I was so sad but also got to look forward to my trip the next day to Sardinia.

Overall I had a great time with my sister and couldn't have asked for a better trip. It was so nice to have family here and escape the normal routine.  I enjoyed showing her all my favorite spots and spending time with her.  I want her to come back to Italy but I will also settle for my parents visit!!!
MY MOM COMES IN 3 MORE DAYS!!!! Can you tell I'm excited??? I can't wait to see my mom and dad and travel with them!

More to come!
Ciao!

Amsterdam

Last weekend we traveled to Amsterdam.  I was pleasantly surprised by the town and LOVED it! We arrived Friday night and started the trip with a feast at Wok Wok (an Asian stir fry place near by) It was so nice to get food besides ITALIAN Food! As much as I love Italian food I was ready for a break.  We then visited a couple of coffee shops and saw the red light district.  It was so bizarre to see girls dancing in windows waiting for men to enter the shop.  I found it very distributing and weird.  The coffee shops were somewhat interesting in that there is a menu in which you chose what type of marijuana to purchase.  I have to admit I was an obvious tourist in that I took a million photos documenting this experience.  The next day we started with the Anne Frank Museum.  The museum featured artifacts, documentaries, and quotes that depicted the story of Anne Frank. The museum was incredible.  I was moved by the exhibits and artifacts left behind by Anne Frank.   After we went to the pancake bakery and ordered HUGE pancakes!  I was spontaneous and tried a pancake with bacon and cheese cooked it.  It was DELICOUS!  We then made our way to the Heineken museum, which was like a big party inside.  The entire museum had rooms with music and logos of Heineken.  I personally hate the taste of beer so I barely made it past the sampler before giving away my two complimentary remaining glasses of beer.  After the Heinekin tour we went to see the Amsterdam letters.  Later we ventured to a diamond tour in which we toured the Gassan Diamond headquarters and viewed diamonds.  I found my future wedding ring!   It was a 3-carat diamond J and cost 200,000 euro.  So I’m going to have to tell my future husband to start saving once I meet him.  Later we dined on Thai food and visited another coffee shop.  The next day we walked around the near by town and then headed back to Florence.  Overall Amsterdam was my favorite trip so far.  I loved how the city was modern, and up to speed with technology.   It was a huge difference compared to Italy. There was a Starbucks in Amsterdam that I visited morning.  It was so nice to have a “normal” American coffee.  I was in HEAVEN!

This week after returning to Florence I visited and survived the Florence emergency room and hospital.  I was making lunch on Monday and cut my finger on a can.  I realized that I was going to have to go to the emergency room after feeling a horrid pain in my finger.  Ironically, I found out I live one street away from the emergency room.  I walked myself over and got admitted.  I was able to get a hold of my parents and avoiding getting stitches! I had to get a tetanus shot, which was unfortunate but my finger is ok! Another thing I learned was that everyone in the hospital only speaks Italian.  I had quite a bit of difficulty explaining what happened in Italian.  It is funny now looking back on it but a nightmare when I was there. Also I learned the health care in Italy is very cheap.  It only costs me 26 euro for the visit and shot.  Not too bad!  Currently I have to wear a large bandage over my thumb and can’t get it wet.  Showering, writing, and typing are a little more challenging than usual.  Hopefully it will heal quickly!

Anyway I’m anticipating my sister’s arrival to Florence!  Mel comes in TWO DAYS! I’m so excited to see her and show her Florence.  Unfortunately I have midterms Monday through Wednesday but after we are traveling to Torino for the weekend to go skiing and snowboarding! Looking forward to it!

Ciao!

San Gimignano

Two weekends ago we visited San Gimignano.  San Gimignanois a town 45 mins from Florence in Chianti Country. The town is known for their wineries and food.  We walked around the town, climbed the bell tower, viewed the town church, and enjoyed a 4 course meal for lunch.  We ate at a great little restaurant tucked away in the streets of the town.  We first were served Pomodori.  It is an Italian specialty that is served as a appetizer.  The dish is a mix of tomatoes, soft bread, water, and seasonings.  It looks like a thick pasta sauce that is light in color.  Next we were served a walnut truffle ravioli that was mouth watering!  After we had chicken and finished lunch with traditional tiramisu.  The meal wouldn’t be considered Italian if we didn’t feast on bread and wine.  After our HUGE lunch we tasted the world champions of gelato making.  Apparently there is a world contest every year and the makers were very proud to announce their victory with a huge sign placed over their shop.  Before leaving we had time to explore the shops and we found unique jewelry and wine all around.  This by far was my favorite day trip.  I really enjoyed listening to our advisors share stories and information about the city.