Una nuova scoperta

What a week! Since last time, so much has happened I will probably miss some of the highlights!

Since the last post was about Spain, I guess it is only fitting that friends from Spain came to Florence this past weekend. Marcy and McKenzie from Seville and Jillian and her roommate, Ashley, from Barcelona became Florentines with us. Crazy enough, when I was meeting Jillian and Ashley at the Duomo, I hear, "Ross!" I turn to see a friend from high school! On the steps of the Duomo in Florence! AND, today I was walking near school when the same thing happened! Madison, who is studying in Paris, was walking around Florence and randomly bumped in to me! What a small world it is at times!

The weekend consisted of so much walking! We walk everywhere as is, but when you're touring all the sites all day, you really get a work out. Marcy was able to use Lauren's Amici degli Uffizi pass to get in to L'Accademia for free! The others, unfortunately, had to pay admission. We saw David at L'Accademia, the Royal Apartments and Gardens at Palazzo dei Pitti, and the sunset from Piazzale Michelangelo--the best view in the city. Earlier in the weekend, we had stopped in a small wine and oil shop where I had been with my Wines of Tuscany class. We brought the chianti we bought to the hill with us. It was a beautiful day!

Of course karma had to rear its head during the weekend. It seems like something bad happened to almost everyone. McKenzie was pickpocketed in Madrid and left her "navy peacoat" in Rome. Ashley lost her jacket, camera, and wallet in one day! Luckily, her jacket and wallet were recovered. A nice girl picked up her wallet and emailed her. I am meeting the girl tomorrow to get the wallet and bring to Ashley in Barcelona over spring break (how coincidental!). Lauren and Sarah both lost their wallets, too. Kylie and Hilliary were struck with a menacing 24-hour stomach bug. And Marcy brought new shoes that weren't broken in....remember all the walking? Yeah.

On Sunday, a group went to Pisa for a few hours. I have been before, so I decided to take advantage of a morning to sleep in and be lazy! So often I cannot bring myself to stay still. You don't live in Florence forever! But a day of rest was much needed.

This exchange rate is killing our bank accounts. One of the American-style pubs here actually takes US dollars on Monday nights, so Kylie, Lauren, and I decided to "save" some money and go there. The night turned out to be pretty fun despite our hesitations to frequent American-oriented pubs.

I need a haircut. So today I asked our friends at ACCENT for some suggestions. They recommended a place not too far from my apartment. I stopped in and they said it would be about a 45 minute wait. I guess I should mention they only spoke Italian. And I do not know how to say "haircut" so that was interesting. I decided to try back after the wait. So 45 minutes later, I pop in and the wait is even longer! But I didn't know that and I couldn't understand their fast utterances, so I sat. And I sat. And I sat. Finalmente, ho detto "Ritorno domani! Ciao!" Che palle.

But, our program is taking us to Rome this weekend! I love Rome! I have been before and was amazed at its size and grandeur. We will be touring the Vatican Museums, the Coloseum, the Forum, the Spanish Steps, lots of fountains, and much much more. Fortunately, lots of our classmates have been to Rome over the past few weekends and have passed along their "I wish I knew this then" information.

Until next time...