San Gimignola
I've now been in Italy for a little over a month and I'm starting to feel the burn. On the plus side, I'm starting to get along with the other students a little better. On the downside, I'm not getting along with the professors as well. Because of the drama that's happened this year on top of the already enthreatened program, we're all treated rather disrespectfully by the teachers. I haven't been treated so childishly in years and my young rebellious side is starting to surface a little again.
When I return, I'm told I'll be asked what I think of the program. I already have my answer, and unless an act of God changes it, this is what they can quote me saying: This trip was the worst academic decision I've made yet. A vacation in Italy would have been a much better choice.
Nonetheless, my free time around the various Italian cities has been splendid (as have been the museums). Our last day trip included both San Gimignola and Sienna. Sadly, my batteries died in San Gimignola and I wasn't able to squeeze out many pictures of either. I was completely taken aback, as I had put fresh batteries in them that morning. I think I'll be carrying backups from now on.
San Gimignola was a beautiful medieval town. We arrived in the morning, where we could still the the morning mists as they were dissipating.
This town, like several in Italy, is a city of towers. They were literally everywhere. Icertainly could see the inspiration for Sharn, the Dungeons and Dragons city of towers. Florence was supposedly known as being the largest of these types of towns, but most of the towers there had been knocked down. The ones in San Gimignola were everywhere.
This cafe had a beautiful view. I ate elsewhere, though, because in Italy you pay a lot to eat somewhere with this kind of view. Today I was being cheap as one Euro was worth $1.60...
This little guy was basking in the sun. Though my camera had already died, I managed to squeeze this picture out of it. I rarely have the opportunity to capture pictures of things like this.
After arriving in Sienna, I climbed to the top of one of the city's towers and got this picture out of my dead camera. Up there I met some students from UNT in Denton.
This is my best attempt so far to capture Orvieto as we approach it on the bus. I need to find a place to sit down and get a good picture of our town.
Last night I skipped dinner and went to Charlie's, a local pizza place. It was nice to be treated like an adult again. I really needed a break from everyone. Plus, the Japanese waitress there is one of the nicest people in town. Nothing at all like our wait staff in the "mess hall", who are rude and hardly ever even smile. Though the food at the Ristorante dell'Ancora is fantastic to normal customers, the "mess hall" section we sit in (though beautiful aesthetically) leaves a lot to be desired as far as service and portion size. As a bit of an introvert, I need some time to myself, so I've been distancing myself more and more even as I get along with everyone better and better. Every day I know is one day closer until Jenn is here with me and I finally have someone to share this country's beauty with.
When I return, I'm told I'll be asked what I think of the program. I already have my answer, and unless an act of God changes it, this is what they can quote me saying: This trip was the worst academic decision I've made yet. A vacation in Italy would have been a much better choice.
Nonetheless, my free time around the various Italian cities has been splendid (as have been the museums). Our last day trip included both San Gimignola and Sienna. Sadly, my batteries died in San Gimignola and I wasn't able to squeeze out many pictures of either. I was completely taken aback, as I had put fresh batteries in them that morning. I think I'll be carrying backups from now on.
San Gimignola was a beautiful medieval town. We arrived in the morning, where we could still the the morning mists as they were dissipating.
This town, like several in Italy, is a city of towers. They were literally everywhere. Icertainly could see the inspiration for Sharn, the Dungeons and Dragons city of towers. Florence was supposedly known as being the largest of these types of towns, but most of the towers there had been knocked down. The ones in San Gimignola were everywhere.
This cafe had a beautiful view. I ate elsewhere, though, because in Italy you pay a lot to eat somewhere with this kind of view. Today I was being cheap as one Euro was worth $1.60...
This little guy was basking in the sun. Though my camera had already died, I managed to squeeze this picture out of it. I rarely have the opportunity to capture pictures of things like this.
After arriving in Sienna, I climbed to the top of one of the city's towers and got this picture out of my dead camera. Up there I met some students from UNT in Denton.
This is my best attempt so far to capture Orvieto as we approach it on the bus. I need to find a place to sit down and get a good picture of our town.
Last night I skipped dinner and went to Charlie's, a local pizza place. It was nice to be treated like an adult again. I really needed a break from everyone. Plus, the Japanese waitress there is one of the nicest people in town. Nothing at all like our wait staff in the "mess hall", who are rude and hardly ever even smile. Though the food at the Ristorante dell'Ancora is fantastic to normal customers, the "mess hall" section we sit in (though beautiful aesthetically) leaves a lot to be desired as far as service and portion size. As a bit of an introvert, I need some time to myself, so I've been distancing myself more and more even as I get along with everyone better and better. Every day I know is one day closer until Jenn is here with me and I finally have someone to share this country's beauty with.