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Wow, it's been a while since I've been able to update. I didn't realize how busy I would be and how limited my internet access would be. Alright, so last entry ended with our walking tour around Oltrarno. The rest of the week we did everyone else's tours around the other parts of Florence. I couldn't believe how beautiful this place really is. Everything from church after church, a monestary, an orphanage, a leather school.. it just goes on and on. Around every corner there is more and more history here. It's unreal.
That weekend I went to Isola d'Elba with Mary, Sunny, Teddy, and Mark. Mark randomly found this place and we really didn't know what to expect. We stayed in a bungalo that turned out to be pretty nice. We got to make our own food, swim, hike a mountain to see gorgeous views, and just relax away from everything. It was amazing. I couldn't get enough of it and I didn't want to leave. If you ever get the chance to visit Tuscany, make sure to see Elba. It was beautiful.
On Monday, we had lecture in the morning and were free to do our own thing. The things we wanted to see were closed, so we ended up going to the Palazzo Medici/Ricardi to see my painting. Oh wow. I couldn't grasp how amazing this thing is. When the Medici's owned the palace, they got permission to build a private, family chapel. Benozzo Gozzoli was commissioned to decorate it and the three walls of the chapel was my art assignment. Absolutely unreal. There was so much to see and I couldn't believe I was standing there. Eventually we got yelled at because we're apparently supposed to only be there for 7 minutes. I could have stared at that art piece all day. It was incredible.
Tuesday we again had lecture then we saw Uffizi and Academia. Uffizi is huge. I knew it would take a while to get through, but I thought that was only because I would spend so much time looking at all the work. Turns out it takes so long because there is so much art and everywhere you turn there's more history that you are staring in the face. It was incredible. Then we went to the Academia, which was probably my favorite. It's strange to say that because there is literally only a few significant art pieces, but one of which is Michaelangelo's David and it was well worth the time and money to see. Along the corridor on the way to David are Michaelangelo's unfinished prisoners and I couldn't believe how gorgeous these things were. And then you look up and there he is: David. There's so much mystique about him. I couldn't help but just stand in awe. (Basically, I'm marrying a man that looks just like him someday)
Wednesday we went to Vinci, the town Leonardo was born in, and Lucca, a walled city. Vinci was really neat. It had some of his sketches on his inventions and reconstructions of what they may have looked like if he had actually built them. It was really interesting. We got to Lucca around siesta time, so it was pretty borning. I thought Rothenburg is Germany was a much neater walled city.
Thursday we went to the Duomo museum and got to see Michaelangelo's Pieta and Donatello's Mary Magdalene and Ghiberti's bronze doors. It was pretty incredible. Mary Magdalene was absolutely unreal. I can't even explain the way she touches you so deep. Then in the afternoon, Katie, Jessica, and I left for Rome. Kelly met me and Jess at the airport and took us to her place. We ate at the Pizzaria under her apartment which was delicious. It was so good to catch up on everything with Kelly. I'm so happy she's going to be my roommate next year. At night we went to Elliot's-a pub up the street and had a beer, but we went to bed soon after... Jess and I had had a long day.
The next day we went to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palentine Hill, Patheon, and Trevi Fountain. It was a really long day but it was completely worth it. When we study Florence, we're studying a whole different time period than Rome. It was really cool. That night we went to Campo di Fiori and ended up running into a few people studying in Florence with us. It was a great night.
Saturday Jess and I woke up early and stood in line at the Vatican Museum. It was cool the see the Sistene Chapel, but there were so many people and I don't do well shoved in a room like sardines, so it was a little frustrating. Plus, you couldn't even take pictures. It was just overwhelming.. hence, our four hour nap following. When we finally woke up and got ready, we went to a late dinner near the Spanish steps. We found this little place and got appetizers and pasta and a bottle of Chianti Classico, the best wine I've had yet. The waiters were the nicest guys in the world. There was this one guy that didn't speak english but wanted to know more about us, so we had two waiters talking to us so one could translate to the other. Later, when we were on the Spanish steps, we ran into that guy and he was so nice. It was a really great dinner. Then one of the waiters gave us free Limoncella. They were so nice and if I was ever in Rome again I'd go back to that restaurant in a heartbeat. Afterwards, like I said, we went to the Spanish steps and ended up meeting a group from Iowa and it was so cool talking to them.
Sunday we woke up early again and went to 10:00 mass at St. Peter's then the Pope came out to the square after and spoke in 4 or so different languages. It was so surreal. Afterwards, we ate lunch at HardRock.. touristy, yes.. but that burger was so worth it. Then we packed up and left Kelly, which was really sad-- but I get to see her on Thursday so I'll make it =)
I'm having such a great time, but I'm starting to get homesick. It's hard to be away from all my friends and my family for such a long period of time. It's great getting to know so many people here, but sometimes you just want to be around the ones who have loved you for so long.
Miss you all and I'll try to be better about updating =)
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