The Long Journey Home

Saturday night was family night in Via dell' Ariento.  Everyone was packing and cleaning and not wanting to leave.  It is hard to say goodbye to people you have spent the past 4 months with and saw everyday.  It was eerily silent in the building.  I stayed up as late as I could to make sure I said bye to everyone I would not see in the morning.  Around 5 I finally went to sleep and awoke an hour later to get ready to leave.  I said bye to everyone and went to the shuttle with, Jon, Ben, Lexie, Chris, Tyler, Will, and Monica.  Lexie and Chris were headed to Switzerland and the rest of us were on our way to Frankfort.  We arrive at the airport with plenty of time for check-in and to get through the joke that was airport security.

We watched the TV screen as our flight was delayed later and later.  When the airline personnel finally told us the flight was cancelled there was no possible way to catch my connection out of Frankfurt.  We were told to get our luggage from the luggage claim and then to get on a bus that Lufthansa got for us to take to Bologna that was an hour away and there was a plane waiting for us.  We finally got to Frankfurt and were left to get new flights.  Lucky for us, they put us in a nice hotel for the night.  When booking my flight home, my friend Megan was also going to Austin so I booked our flights together.  She went to go get our bags with Jon and I took care of our flights.  When the five of us got to the hotel, we ate dinner and then watched a movie to relax.  It was the first night in a week that I had more than an hour of sleep at one time.

Megan and I had a 10:15 flight Monday morning and it took us 11 hours to get to Dallas.  Im now back in the US and ready to return to Europe as soon as I possibly can.  It was an amazing semester and I learned so much from school and the people I met.  Here are some photos from my last remaining days in Florence.

The End

A College Dorm on Tracks...

That is the best way to describe the overnight train I took to Vienna and back.  There was a group of 55 people but on the way to Vienna we were split up and the two trains connected in Venice around 1am.  Most of the people in the car were drunk by 10pm and running from room to room in the crowded quarters.  I awoke to my friend Chrissy yelling "Oh, there is snow!"  I looked outside and saw the freshly covered town we were passing through.  Around 9am we arrived in Vienna and immediately got on the U-bahn to get to our hotel that was outside of town.

The group dropped our stuff off at the hotel then headed back into the city to see a few churches, grab lunch, and go to the second largest residence in the world, the Sissi Palace.  The palace was cool on the outside and the history behind it but the museum was nothing but china.  Room after room of plates and silverware.  I was actually starting to fall asleep while standing, listening to my audio guide.  Unfortunately the museum did not get any more exciting when I went to the upstairs part.  The best thing was learning about how the assassination of Elisabeth of Bavaria.  Several hours spent in the museum was enough.

We went to dinner at this pub where we had local wine and a traditional Viennese meal: kraut, potatoes, sausage (for those that eat meat), and strudel for dessert.  It was a lot of fun and after we attempted to go to a bar.  This ended up with me going back to the hotel with some people I met at dinner and we played cards before going to sleep.

On Saturday we went to the Schönbrunn Palace, which is where the largest garden in the world is.  The palace was a bunch of old furniture and the people I was with were just as disinterested with the interior as I was.  We quickly ran through the palace and then headed to the garden.

The garden was massive and had a zoo and labyrinth in it (neither of which I went to).  We walked around for a while and then headed to an art exhibit across town.  This was the best place we had visited yet.  I walked through the exhibit with my new friend Kinsey and we interpreted all the painting.  After walking through the gallery we were free to do whatever we wanted.  I walked around the small christmas fair behind the gallery with Kinsey and her roommates and then we headed back to the hotel.  I met up with Chrissy and Rebecca and we hung out until we had to meet to go to an Orchestra Concert at the Sissi Palace.

The concert was amazing.  The performers were having fun with the show and the opera singers were a nice touch.  We were free to do whatever after that so a few of us went to dinner and then an Australian pub.  Since the metro had closed we had to take a cab back to the hotel.  It was very sketchy.  The driver wasnt sure of where he was goign but luckily Jon sat up front and had a map of where we needed to go.

Sunday we went to another museum that had archeological findings from ancient Egypt, greece, and Rome and also several paintings galleries.  This museum was really nice and had mummified crocodiles in it.  The best part of the trip was after the museum we went to the Vienna Christmas Market and were set loose to do whatever we wanted.  Chrissy and I wandered around for several hours looking at all the ornaments and other festive items.

We met back at the hotel and disembarked for the train station.  The train home was very similar to the way to Vienna.  People drinking and running from room to room.  Around 12:30am we made a 10 minute stop and the 10 of us that were awake ran outside and started playing in the snow.  I ran back onto the train with frozen hands.  I finally decided to go to sleep around 330.  I awoke about 45 minutes before we got to Milan and had to switch trains.

From Milan to Florence I was unable to sit with the group so I sat with the chaperones in  another car.  My seat was right next to my Italian teacher so for the 2 1/2 hour trip I learned everything I needed to know for Italian class and she had me talk to the strangers around me.

It was a fun trip except for the boring palaces.  Its finals time.

Vienna

My New Favorite Thing.

I don't know why but I love that when a flight lands in Europe the entire plane cheers and applauds the pilot.  After the flight back to Pisa from Barcelona, an applause was much needed.  The turbulence was so bad after we went past the Spanish coast that I was being thrown in the air.

Thursday afternoon I flew to Barcelona with my friends Chrissy and Rebecca.  We arrived to our hostel off of Paral.lel Ave. around 6 and then went to go get dinner.  Las Ramblas is the most famous street in Barcelona.  We walked to here after checking in to the hostel and had the best paella at a restaurant a little ways down Las Ramblas.  While eating dinner, the two ladies next to us ask where we were from because they recognized our non European accents.  They asked us about what we were studying and what we thought about living in Florence.  One was there on business and the other was there to visit because it is easier for them to get together outside of England than when they are both at home.  They were incredibly nice and gave us some recommendations for our stay in Barcelona.  After dinner we started to walk back to the hostel and decided to get some more sangria.  We went to this little cafe type place and had some fresh made sangria and our waiter kept bringing us random things like incense and chips and we couldn't figure out why.  We headed back to the hostel to get a little sleep because we wanted to cover a lot of ground on Friday.

We got up and headed across the city to Parc Guell.  When we got off the subway we walked a little ways down the street and then tuned the corner and saw the network of escalators that went all the way to the park.  With each level, we could see more of the city below us.  When we finally reached the top and entered the park I saw a familiar friend, prickly pears.  This is something I have not seen in 4 months.  We walked to the top of the park where the three crosses were.  This seemed to be the top of the hill and we could see past Barcelona and to the sea.  Unfortunately it was still cloudy but we had an amazing view of the city from our high vantage point.  We continued our journey through the park and saw the viaducts and a giant plaza that was surrounded by mosaics made by Antoni Gaudi, the designer of the park.  Where we exited was actually the main entrance and each side of the gate had a house that represented Gaudi's signature architecture. We left the park and continued down the hill that used to be known as Montana Pelada (bare mountain).  We went and saw the famous church Gaudi designed.  The church looks like it is melting sand on one side and very geometric on the other.  Construction started in the 1800s and is still not done.  World's longest construction project it seems like.

The next stop was the Museum of Contemporary Arts where there was an exhibit containing award winning press photographs.  The nice thing about Barcelona compared to Florence is it isn't nearly as touristy.  We were able to walk to the museum without being stuck in tour groups.  The museum appeared to be the best place to skateboard in the city because there were kids all around it skating and a huge art piece made of skateboards was on an outside wall.  We walked inside and saw huge piles of rice on sheets of paper scattered around the room.   Each pile of rice represented a different statistic.  One of the more interesting comparisons was of millionaires in the '80s and millionaires today.  The photography exhibit was stunning.  The photos were from all over the world and captured many different emotions and events.  One of my favorites was an image of a group of Congolese carrying a mountain gorilla tied to a make-shift stretcher.  They were trying to rescue the massive animal that had been shot during a firefight between the different militias.

It was late in the evening by the time we left the exhibit so we went down toward Placa Espanya to see the Magical Fountain.  There was still time to waste so we went and checked out an indoor market that was full of seafood and fresh produce.  It was a smaller version of Mercato Centrale but I liked it better because it is open until 8 instead of closing at 2.  We went and had some sangria and tapas then walked over to see the fountain.  The water is lit up and goes to music.  It was really cool to watch and I attempted to get some photos without my tripod.  The show ended and we were hungry and wanting to see the beach so we headed to Barceloneta down near the port.

The beach was cold and desolate but that is probably because it was so late at night.  I ran around for a little bit while the girls sat on a bench and then we headed back toward the hostel but stopped for some more sangria on the way.

It was raining when we woke up in the morning but that didn't stop us from heading out and going to the Picasso Museum.  The museum showed his work from when he was a kid all the way up to the start of his cubist phase and to his death.  It was really neat to see an artist's progression from an unknown child to one of the most world renown artists.  After seeing his work we went and grabbed lunch and then headed to Port Vell.

The sun had come out and it was a bright afternoon.  We walked along the harbor and stopped at a little outdoor market.  We walked up Las Ramblas toward the hostel and looked at some more stands selling jewelry and crafts.  The girls were tired so we went back to the hostel so they could take a quick nap before I drug the to the beach again to take pictures.

An offshore storm was creating some big waves and there was some lighting in the distance.  I tried taking long exposures of the waves but they didn't appear as dramatic as I hoped but I still got some interesting shots.  I took some long exposures of Rebecca, Chrissy, and me and of the boardwalk.  It was getting really late so I dropped my camera gear off at the hostel and we headed out to get dinner.  Around midnight we found a restaurant that was full of people watching the Barcelona-Seville soccer game.  We had some more paella and sangria (thats pretty much all I had this weekend) and headed home because it was already 2 am and we needed to get up early to check out.

Sunday we went to lunch and then headed out.  We didn't really do anything except walk down Las Ramblas and saw all the animals that were sold on the street.  There were birds, rabbits, turtles, and fish in cages and aquariums everywhere.  The hour long bus ride to the airport was really neat because I talked to a girl living in Grenada for the semester and it was interesting to hear about someone else's study abroad experiences and I got to see some snow-capped mountains.

The flight back was full of turbulence and laughter.  It was so funny to see everyone freaking out as our plane dropped and rocked side to side for about an hour.  We were lucky with weather because it rained the entire weekend in Florence.

I am heading to Vienna tomorrow night for the weekend for a school trip and hopefully will get to see some snow.

Barcelona

On Monday I found out that this photo I took is being used for the poster to advertise for the school's art show and it is also selected for the show.  I might have more pictures in the show if they are picked.

Olive Oil, Truffles, and Chaos

Last Saturday I went  to the White Truffle Festival in San Miniato.  The town is a 40 minute train ride from Florence.  The festival started partially down the hillside and led all the way to the top where there was an amazing view of the surrounding hills.  The festival had more than just truffles.  The olive harvest just ended and there were booths with new oil that is a bright green color and glows like a neon light in the sun.  There was also local wines and preserves.  Booths full of meats and cheeses and some packed with sweets.  The town was beautiful as well.  I decided to walk down to the train station instead of taking the bus.  As I began to walk I realized that San Miniato was the hilltop town and that the lower town was a different name and they were separated by vineyards.  It took me a few hours but I finally reached the train station and returned to Florence.

On Sunday I went to an organic festival and a new oil festival in Florence.  The organic festival had all kinds of food and clothing and was perfectly situated in what is known as the "hippie piazza."

Tuesday my photography class went to the farm school where the Fiorentina Soccer Club trains their new prospects.  It was cool to watch the goalies train and to see all the soon to be Fiorentina players.

Friday I went to Venice with my friends Megan, Christy, and Patricia.  We arrived in Venice around noon and the city was covered in a light fog.  It was cold and grey all day but the city was still beautiful.  We went to Piazza di San Marco and saw the San Marco cathedral.  Walked down to a festival and then went to the small island of Burano.  The island is known for its lace and the brightly colored buildings that make up the community.  It was so nice to be in a city where there are no vehicles except for boats and it was interesting taking a water taxi to Burano and seeing how the sinking town's tower is at an extreme tilt.

Going home, we had to take 3 different trains which was not a problem.  Our train from Venice to Bologna was 25 minutes late and we got to Bologna with just a few minutes to get to our train.  We searched everywhere and could not find it.  When we finally realized where our train was, we noticed it has been delayed 4 hours.  This meant we would not leave Bologna until 2am and Florence by 4:30.  No one wanted to stay that late so we went on a quest to find a way to get home earlier.  As we ran around I noticed that all the trains were delayed but I assumed that was typical Italian transit.  Christy and Patricia went to talk to the information desk and found out that there was a train accident and there was only one train going by Florence for the rest of the night and it left in 6 minutes.  We did not know where the train was so we began running up and down platforms and asking anyone we could find.  Finally we found the train and jumped on.  We lucked out because we were not checked for tickets.  We finally reached Florence around midnight.  The rest of my weekend was spent doing massive amounts of homework.

I leave for Barcelona in the morning to spend my Thanksgiving Spanish style.

Festivals

Venice and Burano

Last Week at a Glance

I haven't had internet access at my apartment for the past week so I'm a little behind.

Last Thursday I went to Boboli Gardens and the Pitti Palace in Oltrano (that's the other side of the river in Florence).  The gardens weren't very vibrant but that is because most of the flowers have died off. On Saturday the study abroad program I am in offered a free wine tasting at Castello di Verrazanno.  The castle is set in the northern part of the Chianti region and is named after the same guy the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge is named after.  We got a tour of the wine cellar and a 3 course meal with a wine tasting.  The region is known for their wild boars and that is where the name Verrazzanno comes from: wild boar territory.

On Sunday, there was a fair in Piazza di Santo Spirito that had a ton of antiques and clothing.  I got a stack of italian cookbooks for 2 euros and a nutcracker that is in the shape of a pair of legs.  It has gotten several laughs.

Monday, for class, we went to the Davanzati Palace and an artisan leather shop.  The guy who runs the leather shop is the only person in Florence that makes leather goods the traditional way.

Tomorrow I am going to a truffle festival in San Minioto.  Hopefully I can upload pictures sooner.  Here are some pictures from the past week and some photoshopped pictures I have been working on in class.

Random Play

Photoshopped

Now I Know Why They are so Lucky

"Marlborough Street is the only street in Dublin that you should worry about."

This was the first piece of advise Dustin and I were given when we arrived in Dublin.  Our cab driver said this to us as he was driving us to our hostel on Marlborough Street.  "I suggest in the morning you find a different place to stay."  Of course we didn't listen but we had no problems during our stay.

We arrived in Dublin Wednesday night and went straight to the hostel.  It had been raining there all day and it was cold.  Typical weather for the island this time of year.  We got to the hostel and then went walking around the block.  We did not do much since we were waking up early the next morning.  The hostel was not too bad either.

The next morning the weather was still dreary but we went caught the train to Cork anyway.  When we got to Cork we walked to the bus station and headed to Blarney to go see the famous castle where the Blarney Stone resides.  The castle was like the rest of the European castles i had seen, in ruins.  It was still really cool.  We walked to the top, checking every nook and cranny on the way up, and of course kissed the Blarney Stone.  After Dustin and I reached the bottom of the castle we decided to check out the Rock Close which was a garden along the river that was at the base of the castle.  The garden was lush with vegetation and the green was broken up by fallen tree leaves.  We walked around taking pictures for a while and then headed back into Blarney to get lunch at a little restaurant by the bus stop.  After lunch we left for Cork and got to the train just in time to get to Dublin.  We arrived in Dublin and it was raining.  Lucky for us, the tram stopped right by our hostel so we took that to avoid getting soaked.  After arriving at the hostel, we relaxed then went to go get dinner.  We stepped out the door and it began hailing on us.  It stopped after a few minutes and then the rain disappeared.  We walked down O' Connell Street and turned the corner by the river to discover a chinese buffet.  We had dinner here then went back to the hostel to plan for Friday's adventure around Dublin.

On Friday Dustin and I started the morning by packing up and checking out of our hostel.  The hostel let us keep our bags there which is good because our flight wasn't until 6am on Saturday.  After checking out, we walked across the river and to Trinity College.  The campus was fairly empty when we got there but not long after there were students running across the courtyard in the center.  We went to the library and saw the Book of Kells exhibit.  The book is one of the earliest English translations of the Bible and the exhibit explained the history behind it and how it was made and ended with a dark room that had the 2 of the 4 parts of the anthology on display.

After visiting Trinity we walked to the Temple Bar area to got to the National Photographic Archives. Unfortunately it was closed so we went to the Big Ass Cafe for the Big Ass Breakfast.  Potatoes, mushrooms, baked beans, an egg, toast, juice, and coffee for 7 euros.  Not a bad deal and it was delicious.  When we finished breakfast we walked to St. Stephen's Green which is the Dublin equivalent of Central Park.  The park was beautiful and we had a bright blue sky above us.  We walked around the park for a little bit and then headed over to St Patrick's Cathedral to wait for our friend, Christy, who had been traveling around Ireland all of the break.

When Christy finally found us the three of us walked to the Guinness Storehouse to learn about the famous stout.  At the Storehouse we learned how it is brewed, what makes it different from other beers, history behind the beer and the brewery, and about their advertising campaigns.  As you follow the self-guided tour, you work your way towards the top of the building.  At the top we redeemed our tickets for a complimentary pint.  Dustin got his from the gravity bar but I decided to learn to pour my own from the tap.  I never knew that their glasses are designed for the perfect pint and that there was so much science behind it.  Also, at the top, in the gravity bar, we got to see one of the best views of Dublin in the city.

After the Storehouse we walked back towards O'Connell Street to get dinner.  We went to a '50s style diner that was extremely overpriced but was still fun.  After that we went into a few shops and then met up with another guy named Dustin that goes to FUA with us.  The 4 of us walked back into the bar area to find a place to enjoy our Halloween.  We ended up at a place called Porterhouse Brewing Co.  There was 5 floors full of people in their costumes and all having a good time.  We hung out here for the rest of the night just talking and having a good time.  The new Dustin left us to go back to his hostel around midnight but Christy, Dustin, and I stayed until about 1am and then walked back to the hostel to get our bags and go to the airport.

We had to check in at 4am and got to the airport around 130am.  The airport was desolate when Dustin, Christy and I first walked in but when we went up stairs to the food court to find a place to sit there were people everywhere sleeping, waiting for the morning flights.  The majority were college students.  We found a table and as soon as I put my head down I was passed out.  Dustin and Christy woke me up just before 4 and we walked down to check in.  After checking in we went to the gate until take off.  The flight was really empty.  I had an entire row to myself but was not tired so I stared out the window for the 3 hour flight.  Dustin and Christy were asleep as soon as we were in the air.  There wasn't much to see but I did see an amazing sunrise and the clouds broke away when we reached the Alps.  Staring down on these mountains made them appear to be a child's toy.  Their snow-capped peaks glistened in the sun and then disappeared as the clouds reformed.  We landed in Pisa just before 10am and then were in Florence by noon.  Our trip had come to an end but will not be forgotten.

Ireland

Its a Wee Bit Cold

The train ride form London to Edinburgh, Scotland seemed to take forever.  Dustin and I went through almost the entire English island and arrived in New Castle to change trains.  There is nothing special about this town except when we were crossing over the river and into the train station, a massive rainbow arched over the entire city to greet us.  The train from New Castle to Carlisle was only an hour long but felt so much longer.  We cut through the country side and followed the Hadrian's Wall line, the wall the Romans built to keep the native Scots away from them.  From Carlisle we hopped on another train and a few hours later, we finally arrived in Edinburgh.

Dustin and I immediately went to the hostel to unload our gear and relax.  After a little relaxation time, we headed onto the Royal Mile or High Street to find a pub to get dinner.  We arrived at the Mitre Pub just a block away from the Hostel.  I was surprised by the gourmet meal I had in the pub.  One would think bar food would be fried and dripping with grease but the risotto I had was similar to what I ate at Sands the night before.  The pear cider I had helped round out the meal.  After dinner we walked around a bit then headed back to the hostel.

Keeping with tradition, Dustin and I awoke early and headed for the train station to catch the train to St. Andrews.  The town of St. Andrews is more well known for being where golf was invented but people often overlook the other history that is there.  We decided to skip the golf and go straight for the castle that overlooks the bay.  There isn't much left other than some ruins and a mine shaft that you can go into.  After exploring the ruins for a little bit, Dustin and I walked over to the St. Andrews Cathedral.

The cemetery is full of old and new headstones and there are ruins of the main part of the cathedral are still standing.  We climbed the tower that gives a view of the entire city and then left the cemetery and walked out onto a pier that juts into the bay.  There wasn't much to see out there but it was a nice walk.

We walked back into town and got some lunch then headed back to Edinburgh.  We relaxed at the hostel for a bit then went walking around and got some dinner.  We went to bed early because we had a long day ahead of us on Tuesday.

Tuesday morning we had to be at the Rabbie's Trailblazers office at 8am for our tour bus.  We joined a tour that drives all throughout the Highlands and up to the southern tip of Loch Ness.  We stopped about an hour outside of Edinburgh to get some coffee and as soon as I got out of the van it started to snow.  This trend continued for the rest of the trip.  Every stop it would begin to snow a little bit.  At a few stops we saw people just walking through the country side.  Our guide, Eddy, said that since Scotland has no trespassing laws people walk all over for fun.  When we got closer to Loch Ness we went through a blizzard.  Loch Ness was not the most scenic place ever but it was still beautiful.  I think the best thing about the trip was all the small stops we made on the way to St. Augusta and on the way back.  We say mountains, snow, deer, and many Lochs.  Unfortunately, Nessie didn't grace us with her presence.  On the way back we drove through a large blizzard that finally let up when we got to the first National Park in Scotland.  Here, we walked up to a scenic overlook over a waterfall and attempted to find gold in the river but it was way too dark to see any.  The van finally arrived in Edinburgh after a long day of traveling through most of the island.

Wednesday morning, we walked up to Edinburgh castle to see where the royal families of Scotland had lived.  It was closed when we got up there so we went to the Haggis Cafe to get some breakfast.  Dustin decided to try haggis, which I think he regretted.  It looked like burned sausage and judging by the look on his face, tasted worse.  After breakfast we went back up to the castle and explored the many rooms.  The castle is full of history and ghost stories.  They have a cannon called Mons Meg that at one point was the largest cannon ever made.  We spent a few hours walking around the castle and then headed down the Royal Mile toward the Scottish Whiskey Experience.

Here, we learned about the process behind making whiskey and the difference between blended and malt whiskeys and the difference between Scottish whiskey and other whiskeys.  We did a tasting of a blended and a malt whiskey and then learned about the history of whiskey.  The tasting and process was interesting but the history was similar to a little kids carnival ride and was a terrible end to the experience.

Dustin and I walked further down the Royal Mile, all the way to the end, to Holyrood Palace.  This is where the Queen stays when she comes to visit.  We walked around the palace and throughout the garden then headed to the hostel to grab our bags and head to the airport.  Our flight for Ireland left around 8:30 p.m.  Scotland was such an amazing place and I hope to come back soon.

Scotland

London

Dustin and I arrived in London Friday morning and spent a few hours running around the tubes to get tickets for our trip to Scotland and for Wicked.  We finally arrived to Sands at Bleak House, a restaurant with a few guest bedrooms above it.  The restaurant is located just outside of Woking which is a 30 minute train ride from London.  Dustin's friend owns the restaurant and allowed us to stay here Friday and Saturday nights for free.  The rooms are nicer than any other place I have ever stayed and have a coastal feel that takes you out of the country-side surroundings.  Friday we went to Tracy's, Dustin's friend, house and she , her husband, James, and their oldest daughter, Jasmine, took us for a walk around the Thames river.  James then took Dustin, Jasmine, and me to the Woking train station where we departed for the city to go see Wicked.  The show was breathtaking.  It cost 48 pounds for each of us which is a really good deal for the seats we had.  After the show we headed back and prepared for the next day.

On Saturday we went into London early and explored a large chunk of the city.  We did the London Eye which gives you a view of the entire city, walked by Parliament and Buckingham Palace, went to the original Hard Rock Cafe, went to Notting Hill Gate and say the Portobello Road outdoor market, and then went and did the London Dungeon tour.  After that we walked around a bit more and took some pictures then set out to find food.  We walked toward the National Gallery and found The Texas Embassy.  It is a large restaurant covered with Texas memorabilia and smells like fajitas.  We did not eat here however.  We decided to go back to sands and eat in the restaurant there.  The food was exquisite.  Pumpkin and rosemary soup, sweet potato and red onion risotto, and some camomile tea made the perfect meal.  After that, I went to sleep because Sunday is going to be a long day.

Our train leaves in a few hours for Edinburgh, Scotland.  We are going to stay there until Wednesday.  While there we plan to go to St. Andrews and hopefully a few castles.  I will have some London pictures up as soon as I have internet again.

Perugia Chocolate Festival

London

Fall Break

My roommate, Dustin, and I are headed to the UK.  I will post along the way as long as I can get internet and also I will post some photos from the Eurochocolate Festival that I went to last weekend in Perugia.  It was kind of disappointing but I got a few good photos.  Farewell.

Switzerland

     Over the weekend I went to Interlaken, Switzerland.  My original intention to go there was to skydive.  That only took 4 hours on Friday.  It was incredible.  We flew over the mountains for 20 minutes then it was time to bail.  My instructor, Dave, decided we were going to do a backflip out of the airplane.   We scooted toward the edge and I hung my feet out of the plane.  With one quick movement we were out the door and facing toward the plane.  We spun back around and Dave pulled the stabilization chute to keep us falling flat.  The view was immaculate.  I was so high up that I was looking down on some of the mountains.  The wind in my face felt as if I was sticking my head out a car window going 120 mph.  After almost a minute of free falling, Dave opened the parachute and we began our "slow" decent to the field where the plane originally took off.  We fell for about seven minutes, then Dave told me to prepare for landing.  I lifted my legs straight out and we hit the grass and slid on our asses for a couple of feet.  The rest of the group welcomed us back to Earth. 

     When I returned to Interlaken I rented a bike and rode around town for about an hour.  Riding through the downtown area, I noticed that in the afternoons the playgrounds are packed with children and every bench in the park is filled with people talking.  I have not seen this in the U.S.  The people here seem to be much more active than any of the towns I have been in.  All through out the day children can be seen playing in their yards.  I returned to the hostel and then went to get some amazing thai food at the restaurant next door.

     Saturday morning I woke up early and went for a walk around town.  There was a heavy fog that loomed over head.  I headed back to the hostel, grabbed my camera bag, and headed for the train station.  My destination was a small mountain town called Mürren.  The train stopped in Lauterbrunnen, where I got on the air tram that hung high about the trees as it took me to Grütschalp.  From there I took a small train up to Mürren.  The town was amazing.  No vehicles are allowed in this town except for work purposes.  I don't even know how they got vehicles up here as there were no roads that I could see.  I walked around the small town for a few hours and took pictures of almost everything.  Behind the Hotel Jungfrau is where the first ever slalom ski course was.  The south side of Mürren overlooked the valley and the mountains on the other side.  I wish I could wake up every morning to that.  I stopped at a restaurant for lunch and ate on the terrace that faced the valley.  I had a really rich german dumplings dish.  After lunch I started walking down the road toward Gimmelwald, an even smaller town that I would be surprised if there were more than 60 people living there.  The walk there was all down hill and very relaxing.  When I got to Gimmelwald, I walked around a little bit, then took the air tram back up to Mürren.  I would have walked up but Vans were a bad choice for footwear.  I arrived in Mürren and made my way back to Lauterbrunnen.  In Lauterbrunnen I walked to the water falls and through the town.  After about an hour I headed back to Interlaken to relax.

     I met some students studying in Straussberg, France and they invited me to go to dinner with them.  We went and got thai food then headed back to the hostel to eat.  I spent the rest of the evening chatting with them and going to the night club that was in the basement of the hostel.  Around 3:30am we decided to ll go to sleep and meet for breakfast in the morning.

     We met around 8 and had a free breakfast at the hostel.  They were going to go paragliding and asked me to come along.  We walked to the booking place and found out that there were two spots left for the noon trip and a lot of openings for the 3pm trip.  I had to catch a train in Spiez at 2pm to make it back to Florence so I went at noon and they did the other one.  It was still early and we got a free hour for a moped with our rental.  We grabbed our scooters and began to try and figure out how they work.  I picked it up instantly.  The girls were having trouble so Peter, the only guy in their group, stayed to help them out and I went riding around town with one of the girls.  Rebecca and I went across the river and toward one of the lakes.  We stopped and walked to the edge of the water to look around and then went riding through the downtown district.  I dropped her off, said goodbye to my new friends, topped off the scooter with petrol and then headed to grab my bags before I was picked up.

     The van picked me up then we headed to the paragliding place to get everything together.  I left my bags there because as soon as I landed I had to run to the train station.  We took a 30 minute van ride up a mountain to the launch area and prepared for departure.  My pilot, Welten, and I started running down the steep hill and then the parachute lifted us up.  We flew for about 20 minutes and Welten let me control the glider for a little bit.  Below, I could see the glacier fed lakes and the town of Interlaken.  Welten took the controls and we did a few aerial tricks before landing in the park in the middle of town.  I got my gear, thanked Welten, and then hauled ass to the train station.  I arrived just in time to make the train to Spiez and then on to Florence.

     Interlaken was like no other place I had been.  I would love to live there.  Hopefully I can return soon to this magical place.

Switzerland

Skydiving

Paragliding

Giving a Shot at Songwriting

My friend/neighbor Jon reminded me of a story I think I should share.  He and I were bored on a rainy Friday morning a few weeks ago and decided to write a song.  He is an excellent guitar player so he came up with a little tune and we went from there.  We wrote about our terrace.  Everyone in the apartment used to gather on the terrace but since it has been cooler at night that has stopped.  Anyway, our song became a hit among the residence and now when he starts playing the tune you can guarantee there will be someone that will start singing it.  I would share the lyrics but they are not exactly appropriate but I will share them when I get home if anyone is interested.  Hopefully we will have more songs to come.

A Random Assortment of Adventures

This past weekend there was a German festival in Piazza di Santa Croce. I went there Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights with friends and we just walked around and had some delicious food.  There were stands from Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, France, and various Scandinavian countries.  One stand was making fresh macaroons and there were several that had these suspended grills covered with all different types of sausage and other meats.  It was the same thing every night but each time was just as fun as the previous.

German Festival Pictures

On Friday Julia, Chris, Emily, and I went to go hiking in a mountain town called Abetone. When we got off the bus in Pistoia to change buses we realized that we would not have enough time to go so instead we hopped on a train to a small town call Pescia.  The weather was crappy and it rained on us almost the entire time we were there.  It was light rain until we hiked to the top of this hill to check out a church then the sky let loose on us and we became soaked.  However the rain did not stop me from taking pictures.  The town is beautiful and set right in the Tuscan hills.  We spent a few hours walking around and ate some lunch at a small cafe in the city center.  After walking throughout the town, we decided that it was time to go since we were soaking wet and cold.

Pescia Pictures

On Saturday Dustin (my roommate), JB and a different Emily and I all went to Lucca for the afternoon.  We got there too late in the day to really do anything but it was nice to get out of the city.  We walked around looking for a bike rental place but when we finally found it we didnt have enough time to rent them so we walked on the wall that surrounds the city and got to see an amazing sunset.

Lucca Pictures

Sunday was a lazy day.  We just hung out in the apartment then around sunset Jon, Emily, and I went to Ponte a S. Trinita, a bridge just to the west of Ponte Vecchio.  From there we sat on these outcroppings that stick off the bridge and look towards the Ponte Vecchio.  After that we just went home and cooked dinner.

Bridge Pictures

On Monday my Italian class met at my teacher's apartment and she and her mom taught us how to make pasta and sauce from scratch and how to make schacciata d'uva, which is kind of like a grape cake.  We ate lunch and had a lot of fun.  I dont think I will have a learning experience that will top that.  My teacher's mom only speaks Italian so I had to try to understand her when she was instructing me on how to make the cake.

Tomorrow I leave for Interlaken, Switzerland.  It is the outdoor adventure capital of Europe and I plan on skydiving and maybe some other activities.

Farmacia Rocks!

I found out yesterday how awesome the pharmacies here are.  You just go in there, tell them what your symptoms are and they give you prescription strength drugs.  No need to see a doctor. Apparently they are more qualified to prescribe than doctors are.

On Saturday I went to San Gimignano with my friend Carli who goes to Texas Tech as well.  We left Florence at 7:10am and got there around 9.  The bus ride there wasn't bad and it was great to see the sun rise over the Tuscan vineyards.  When we got to San Gimignano there were no tourists yet because it was still early so we walked all around the city and found a tower to climb in that gave an almost 360 degree view of the surrounding vineyards.

After a few hours of walking and taking pictures we found a wine museum at the top of a hill.  The museum was just two rooms with tv screens so we didnt spend more than a few minutes there but there was a wine tasting room next door.  We went over there and tasted some of the best wine I have ever had.  It was all from that region and better than any of the cheap wine people have been buying since we arrived in Florence.

When we finished with the tasting we went to get some lunch and had some amazing gnocchi and tiramisu.  There was a couple sitting next to us from Canada that we chatted with.  They were very nice and were telling us about their grandchildren (they had one about tot be born as we sat there) and of their travels in Italy.

Carli and I departed from the restaurant and walked around some more before finding another tasting room where we  tried four more wines then headed back to the bus stop.  The bus ride was to Poggibonsi was not bad but the ride from there to Florence was long and miserable.  We were both tired and there was no airflow on the bus.  After two hours we finally arrived in Florence and went our separate ways.  Saturday was the most fun I have had in Italy since I got here.

Sunday night a group of friends from my apartment and I went to Piazza di Michelangelo to watch the sunset.  We got to the top and found a good place to sit and hang out.  My friend Jon brought his guitar up there and was playing it for us when this older couple from Germany came up to us and asked to join.  Axle, the guy, loves guitars and was immediately intrigued when he saw Jon so he asked to play.  He played some classics for us and also some German songs we had not heard before.  His wife, Sabina, told us stories and kept requesting songs.

Monday, my Italian Language and Culture class went on a field trip to an indoor/outdoor food market called Piazza Sant'Ambrogio.  As we walked through the market she explained how to look for fruit that is out of season and how to ask what to get.  After we left the market we went to a gelato shop where we learned about what makes good gelato and the history.  We got to try some fresh hazelnut gelato straight out of the machine.  Then, we walked to Mercato Centrale where we learned what makes good pasta and cheese.

San Gimignano

Piazza di Michelangelo

Fotografie di Firenze

Finally I have some pictures to post.  It has been cool here and today it rained all day so I was unable to go get some sunrise photos like I had planned to.  But I hope you enjoy these.

Here is a little thing I worked on all day while I was helping my friend Jon write a song.

Update:  Got bored so photoshopped another pictures.

My Apartment

First Week in Paradise

I have been in Italy for a little over a week now and I absolutely love this place.  Unfortunately when I was taking pictures of Il Duomo my tripod fell over and my camera is dead.  I made it one day here before I broke something.  On the plus side I am getting my new one soon and my lens is still in good shape.  Everything here is amazing.  My apartment is right next to the oldest church in Florence (this is what I have been old) and everyone that lives in the building is studying abroad so we all hang out on the terrace over looking Piazza del San Lorenzo.  As soon as I get my camera I will definitely be posting pictures.

Last night we went to go watch an Italian jazz band play a free concert then listened to a street performer on Ponte Vecchio, which is an old bridge lined with jewelry stores.  Florence is a completely different city at night.  All the tourists are off the streets and everyone is out just to have a good time and relax.  During the day the streets are packed with old people being herded around like cattle from one historical attraction to another.

I also went to the Mercato Centrale which is Europe's largest indoor food market (so I have been told).  It was amazing.  I haggled with an old lady who knew no English and helped some people understand English.  I will definitely be returning there at least once a week.  Everything was so fresh and cheap.

This weekend I might go into the hills on the other side of the river.  Hopefully I will have some pictures.

Ciao!

Farewell, America.

Today I went to New York City with my grandparents.  We drove through Staten Island and Brooklyn because I had never been there.  They were interesting but not much to see from the highway.  After walking around the Brooklyn Bridge State Park we headed into Manhattan to go to The Metropolitan Museum and to get some Chinese food.  The Met had amazing exhibits and we were in there for a few hours and still didn't see everything. After checking out the South Street Sea Port we headed into Chinatown for dinner.  After dinner I went to go take pictures of the Brooklyn Bridge then we left for home.  On the way back we stopped at Liberty State Park to see a view of Manhattan from across the river.  This is my last post from America.  Next time you will hear from me I will be hopefully in Florence.

Some pictures from today.

New Jersey

So, I've been in New Jersey since Wednesday and the weather has been really nice.  My grandparents went and saw some lighthouses and drive down the shore on Thursday.  Yesterday my grandfather and I went to Allaire State Park, which used to be a steel mill community. Today we went to Gardens of Sculptures and Princeton (which is an amazing campus).  I saw where Einstein carved his name in a table at Yankee Doodle Tavern.  Here is a gallery with some pictures from a few of the places we went.  Tomorrow I head to New York City and then Monday I get on a plane for Italy.

Some Photos

The Beginning

Hey everybody,

     This is just a test blog to make sure everything is working before I depart for Italy.  My goal is to keep up to date info and photos of my travels throughout Italy and hopefully a few other countries.  Here are some photos from the past year that I just wanted to share. I will be posting photos on MobileMe until I find a better way to post a lot of pictures.  I hope you enjoy.

Pictures