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.
