Long Post of the Week, Part 2
Wow, this is getting long...oh well. Saturday I went with a big group of us to Siena, and ended up adventuring with just Hannah--we're good adventure buddies. We wandered through town and saw the Piazza del Campo, which holds the second tallest bell tower in Italy and is the biggest piazza I've ever seen. Next, we ate our sandwiches on the steps of the Cathedral before gaining entrance and gawking at the magnificence that is Gothic architecture. I think the Cathedral in Pisa was more beautiful, but the one in Siena was a lot more interesting because of the thought that went into everything. There were marble carvings on the floor of battles and symbols, most of which we didn't understand, but were fascinated by, and a replica of Nicola Pisano's Baptistry Pulpit we'd seen the week before. After the Cathedral, we headed to the house of the matron saint, Santa Caterina, all the while catching breathtaking glimpses of the view from the city. There wasn't much to see at her house, but then we saw the church dedicated to her, Santo Domenico. I've never seen such interesting and riveting stained glass windows. They were gorgeous. Also, what I thought was cool: there was a sign that said the church had undergone two fires, a military occupation, and an earthquake and was still in excellent condition. The fact that the reliquary they had in there was Santa Caterina's head kind of creeped me out a little, but I got over it. Finally we went up to the fortress that is on the other side of the gorge from the city, so from the top of it, you not only have the most amazing view of the countryside and mountains, but you can see the whole of Siena. I think it's my favorite Italian town so far: the roads are all at sharp angles, almost too small for cars to drive down, and everything is so extremely Italian in decoration and style that you feel like you've stepped into a film. Pictures to come.
Saturday I'd awoken with a sore throat, indicating that I'd finally caught the malatia that's been going around the Smithies, and so Sunday dawned to find me in full sinus infection mode. I tried to find something to help, but most of the stores here are closed on Sundays. When I got back, Sarah, Deanna, and I decided to walk to Fiesole. Little did we know that the road Emilia had told us about was the LONG way, so we ended up taking a 3 HOUR WALK through the forest and over a couple of mountains to get there. It was gorgeous though, and the weather was perfect, and we saw about 3 castles, so it was worth it, but geez. In Fiesole I tried prosciutto con melone for the first time (prosciutto is a kind of ham; melone is cantaloupe), which I thought was amazing, and after we'd eaten, we discovered an antiques market in the piazza that apparently happens the first Sunday of every month. Sarah and I bought earrings and Deanna found a copy of Dante's Inferno from 1841 that she talked the man into giving her for 20 euro. On the way back, we found the shorter road that only took us an hour, and chilled at home afterward.
Monday was kind of lazy for me. The mood was probably set by the sinus infection that has now turned itself into an overall infection by entering my lungs, so I was kind of blah all day. And of course, yesterday I had an audition for the choir and could barely speak clearly. Ah well, that's what happens. The girl was very nice about it though and said I could be in the full choir next semester, but not the smaller one this semester. Tonight we're making risotto in our cooking class, and I have no idea what else, but I'm hungry already, so it should be another good evening. And Skype won't let me on at school because for some reason it won't authenticate the proxie server. Grr...the port we've put in should work, but it's not. This weekend we have a cocktail/dinner thing with all of us on Friday, and then Saturday a lot of us are going with a tour group to Perugia for the Chocolate Festival. Oh yes. A day of chocolate tasting. I'm eating no sweets this week to prepare my waistline. Also, Sunday is apparently Europe's largest boat race in Trieste, and Hannah and I might end up trying to go, but that of course would mean waking up pre-dawn and catching a bus across the country. I think it'd be worth it.
Alright, I think I'm going to break this up into two posts because of the length, that way there's an intermission. I hope everyone's doing well!! I'll be sending out some postcards soon, but I don't have some people's addresses...I'm especially speaking to those of you who've moved since high school. *hint, hint* I miss you all! Until next time.
Saturday I'd awoken with a sore throat, indicating that I'd finally caught the malatia that's been going around the Smithies, and so Sunday dawned to find me in full sinus infection mode. I tried to find something to help, but most of the stores here are closed on Sundays. When I got back, Sarah, Deanna, and I decided to walk to Fiesole. Little did we know that the road Emilia had told us about was the LONG way, so we ended up taking a 3 HOUR WALK through the forest and over a couple of mountains to get there. It was gorgeous though, and the weather was perfect, and we saw about 3 castles, so it was worth it, but geez. In Fiesole I tried prosciutto con melone for the first time (prosciutto is a kind of ham; melone is cantaloupe), which I thought was amazing, and after we'd eaten, we discovered an antiques market in the piazza that apparently happens the first Sunday of every month. Sarah and I bought earrings and Deanna found a copy of Dante's Inferno from 1841 that she talked the man into giving her for 20 euro. On the way back, we found the shorter road that only took us an hour, and chilled at home afterward.
Monday was kind of lazy for me. The mood was probably set by the sinus infection that has now turned itself into an overall infection by entering my lungs, so I was kind of blah all day. And of course, yesterday I had an audition for the choir and could barely speak clearly. Ah well, that's what happens. The girl was very nice about it though and said I could be in the full choir next semester, but not the smaller one this semester. Tonight we're making risotto in our cooking class, and I have no idea what else, but I'm hungry already, so it should be another good evening. And Skype won't let me on at school because for some reason it won't authenticate the proxie server. Grr...the port we've put in should work, but it's not. This weekend we have a cocktail/dinner thing with all of us on Friday, and then Saturday a lot of us are going with a tour group to Perugia for the Chocolate Festival. Oh yes. A day of chocolate tasting. I'm eating no sweets this week to prepare my waistline. Also, Sunday is apparently Europe's largest boat race in Trieste, and Hannah and I might end up trying to go, but that of course would mean waking up pre-dawn and catching a bus across the country. I think it'd be worth it.
Alright, I think I'm going to break this up into two posts because of the length, that way there's an intermission. I hope everyone's doing well!! I'll be sending out some postcards soon, but I don't have some people's addresses...I'm especially speaking to those of you who've moved since high school. *hint, hint* I miss you all! Until next time.