Roma

Florence was a low point in this trip. We were kind of in the Ghetto and when you walk out the door there was the market on both sides. Needless to say I spent a lot of money on things I didn't need. I bought a gorgeous tan leather jacket and a couple shirts and various other trinkets. There were fleas in the (one star) hotel we were staying in and not a single night we were able to get to sleep before 3 am. The food was decent but I have definitely had better in the other cities.

We took one of those fast trains to Rome, I slept. We finally wised up and got taxis to take us to the hotel. It's a three star, but we have 6 girls in one room, 2 rooms of 3, and 5 guys in an apt of exile. Basically we have turned this 3 star hotel into a 1 star.

All in all, Rome is a much prettier, safer, and more enjoyable city than Florence could ever hope to be. The food is kind of expensive but if you look close enough there are some little hole in the walls where you can get good food cheap. The fruit market is two blocks from where we are staying and has the best Pink Lady apples I've ever had.

Our professors have kept us pretty busy, yesterday we toured the Coliseum and Palatine Hill and the Forum. Today we toured the Borghese house where the ceilings were painted so extravagantly that the flat walls were 3-D. It was like the scenes where happening in front of you, quite breath taking.

Tomorrow a group of us are getting up and going to the beach for a day to relax and get away from some of the group, because unfortunately this group of 17 has turned into a mini high school. Tuesday we tour the Vatican (I know.. awesome) and Wednesday we pack and rest up for our 10:55 flight back to good ol USA.

I can't wait to get home, its been a great trip but Carolina is callin' me home.

Thomas has no gypsy skills

Florence hasn't delivered too many good stories so far but yesterday was quite interesting. Yesterday was museum day. First we went to the Uffizi which is filled with beautiful religious artwork from some of the best artists who ever lived. The medicine I had taken didn't allow me to appreciate that. Pac and I just decided to walk and take breaks every now and then. After we got out, I was sitting on a wall and fell asleep with my head between my knees. Apparently some random man found this funny and was taking pictures.. whatever.

Then we had lunch (melissa jessi matt and I) and we saw this little kid who looked exactly like Goldberg from the Mighty Ducks. This kid was comedian of his group and was splashing water everywhere and I caught the antics on camera (photos will come later).

After lunch group nap was decided, but then I had this overwhelming desire to buy a new dress. Melissa and I walked around the market until we found a nice dress stand and in our ventures she was called "lady gaga" and I was told that I made the men hotter and that someone wanted to put me on top of his world. Stupid Italians.

So I found a dress, got it for 10 euros, I win. We came back to the Hostel and gathered the troops and went to the second museum, Academia. This one was my favorite, not very large but I saw Michaelangelos David and about 6 more unfinished sculptures. It was overwhelmingly beautiful.

Melissa Thomas and I were ready to leave. Thomas: "I know where we are." O_o. Not so much. We got lost for about two hours wondering the streets of Florence.

Melissa turned 21 yesterday. As promised we took her out for 5 euro 5 shot at the bar below our hostel until someone mentioned a disco club. We decided to go looking for this and an hour later we found it. Most of us just walked right in but Thomas wasnt allowed because he was wearing shorts. I talked to the bouncer and had gotten the okay for him to get in, but he had run off. Being the good friend I am, I wasnt about to let my friend try to go home alone so I ran after him and walked with him. We walked ... and walked ... and walked... and somehow got utterly and COMPLETELY lost.

So here are these two Americans. In shorts and short sleeves, wandering the streets and alleys of Florence at 2 am for 2 more hours. We had to have asked directions about 4 times. Finally I found some American guy and he was like... I have a map! We finally found the Duomo and Thomas wants to keep going in the wrong direction. So I turn around and walk the other way cause I know I'm right. Thomas follows and soon enough we run into our "search party." Our friends had been back for an hour and were looking for us everywhere.

I guess if nothing it was definitely an experience but I was terrified none the less. Lesson I learned.... do not follow Thomas Martin, he does NOT know where he is going.

Siena

Welcome to Siena. At least the Siena I saw. We had the worst hotel in the world, and I mean worst. Dorms on crack. With nuns and crucifixes every where you look. I had some sort of dead animal in my bathroom making it unusable and I had better luck sleeping on the marble stairs than that which they called my bed. Other than that we had a great time, we met the owner of a great restaurant who gave us lots of free food and drinks. We explored one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen and got some amazing shots. I dont have a lot of stories because most of the Shenanigan post was basically what happened to me. One week down... Two to go!

Shenanigans

Things Pac has hit with our van...
1. cement statue
2. pole
3. ditch 1
4. curb
5. person
6. ditch 2
7. wall
8. moped
9. trash can
10. ditch 3

oh and he also drove straight through a park which was clearly not designed for vehicular use.

Times David tried to kill sleeping Thomas Sam and Kristin in the van ... 3
1. The Samantha Kristin Thomas sleep train was in the backseat with David... deciding the streets of Italy were the autobaun... slams on brakes sending the three of us to the back of the seat in front of us
2. David lurches to a start while Kristin is situating... into the floor she goes
3. Kristin and Thomas are completely knocked out in the backseat, again David slams on brakes... Kristin in the floor... Thomas lands on Kristin... Not a happy Kristin

Funny things JD (davids 15 year old son) has said this week:
(as we walk in the nunnery)
J "It smells like nuns in here"
K "What do nuns smell like?"
J "Idk prayer and old people"
K "What does prayer smell like?"
J "idk... the bible I guess."

"bb&t.... bitch be trippin."

"I graduated middle school in May... well... not this year but still"

"I mated the short nun"

The antics will continue. But thank the Lord we only have one van ride left, and thank God they got insurance on those things... they're gonna need it.

Cortona

Oh Italy... We get to the airport... guess who gets their bag last... oh yes... me. then we get on this rickity train that is taking us to Rome train station. After being told we had 2 hours in between trains we are rushed to the other side of the train station... up and down stairs with 70 pounds of luggage.

We get on the train... wrong one. We get off the train, run to another train, get on... right train. We are training through Rome and no joke it looks like chicago with all the graffiti on the walls. After a nine hour plane ride, we have a 2 hour train ride, so naturally we all fall asleep on the train. David, one of our instructors, runs in "GET UP GET UP THIS IS OUR STOP!!" Not only does it scare the crap out of us, but we bolt out of the train into the rain. I thought Boone rain was cold but it has nothing on this. We run with all of our luggage down to a shelter, more stairs.


Pac and David leave to get buses... it takes them roughly 1.5 hours. I choose the Pac Man Van because I know and love Pac and decide I'm safer there. False.

On the ride to Cortona, we back into a ditch... not a little ditch, I'm talking about a HUGE ditch. We get out of the ditch and drive around with no idea where we are supposed to be going. We finally arrive at the nunnery (Santa Margarita) and we attempt to check in except no one speaks Italian, and no one there speaks English.

Skip ahead, we go to dinner (deeeeeeeeeeeelicious) and accidentally leave three of our boys behind (and still hear about it). A group of us decide to go out and get a feel for the town. After a bowl of the most delicious gelato and a few stops at random places we stumble into a bar... The Bar... Blue Bar... B A R bar...

The cutest old couple you will ever meet ran this bar.. no english. We have a drink at the bar and continue venturing, but that little hole in the wall just keeps beckoning. So we go back and meet this man... Lorenzo. Lorenzo speaks english, and he is hilarious. Between the insults and the wildly untamed hair this might be one of the funniest men I have ever met. We continue to see Lorenzo, first at his resturant (accidentally) and then again every night at the blue bar.

Lorenzo and his boss Alessandro gave some of the girls a sweet deal at the resturant one night which lead to the funniest nights of my life. To go into detail would take way too much time and make me miss Cortona, so if you want to know feel free to ask. Thats all for Cortona, but I'll update on the Siena situation later.

No Internet.

There's a huge lack of internet in Italy so I don't really know how well I will be able to keep in touch. I can pay for an hour but I can't afford that too often. I miss everyone and I am having a blast over here. The plane ride, however, was awful. Rude Stewardesses and teeeny seats. Yes, even I had issues with the size of seats. My friends and I slept from about 1-2am to 4pm today and I highly doubt we will have issues sleeping all night. I will write again when I can and upload some photos after it stops raining enough to take some good ones. I love you all and you're in my prayers! Ciao :)

PS... the wine is amazing :)

Take Off!

Ahhhh its finally here! I can't believe I actually slept last night. Daddy is driving me to the airport around 1:30 and I'm meeting up with most of the group at the US Air desk at 4. I'm pretty sure it's going to be the slowest day of my life! I'm going to miss everyone but I am ecstatic for my first trip overseas.

So our weight limit on bags is 50 pounds, and after Korrie let me borrow her space bags, I got all of my crap in the bag and beat the weight by 25 pounds! That means plenty of Italian clothes and wine ;)

Getting Ready

So I leave for Italy in three days. The itinerary is as follows:

May 13, 2010 Depart Charlotte(CLT) USAir720 6:15 pm
May 14, 2020 Arrive Rome (FCO) USAir 9:30 am

May 14, 2010 Train to Cortona

May 17, 2010 Van to Siena, Hotel Almadomus

May 20, 2010 Train to Florence, Hotel Reginafirenze

May 27, 2010 Train to Rome, Hotel Nerva

June 3, 2010 Depart Rome USAir721 10:55 am
Arrive Charlotte USAir 721 3:45 pm

Im really excited about this trip, there are some great people going and I know we are going to have a blast.