paris est très magnifique

I did not plan on this trip to Paris. Josh’s family was spending the weekend there as the conclusion to their London visit, and had invited me along months before. I turned them down numerous times due to the busy schedule I had in November. However, the discovery of relatively low airfare and the cancellation of one of my classes soon changed my mind. So on an impulse I bought a ticket and left for France almost immediately after Rosanne had departed for the States.

It was Thanksgiving morning and I had to wake up before the crack of dawn to take a train to Pisa in order to catch my 8am flight. I landed safely in Paris and took a taxi to meet Josh and the Dees at the hotel around noon. His mom, dad, grandmother and sister were all there to meet me.

Because of the transportation strikes we headed out on foot walking most of the city, seeing the major sights along the river. We walked past the Louvre, the Grand Palais, the Champs-Elysees, and the Arc de Triumph climbing all the way to the top. We ended the day at the Eiffel Tower just as it was getting dark. Seeing the Eiffel Tower at night was one of the highlights of the trip. We climbed to the top floor to see wonderful views of the City of Lights. It was absolutely spectacular. That evening we went out to dinner and after headed back to the hotel. It was wonderful to spend Thanksgiving with friendly faces from back home, and the Dees certainly are a fun group.

The next morning we woke up and headed to the Louvre. We made our way immediately to see the Mona Lisa. It was much smaller than I thought it would be, but still very beautiful. Afterwards, Josh and I took a tour through the Napoleon Apartments and exhibits featuring the Northern Artists. We saw some Ruebens and other Dutch painters, concluding our tour with another DaVinci Code moment by the pyramids.

After the Louvre we walked towards Notre Dame, where we ate delicious French crepes. Last we headed to the Musee D’Orsay. I love the Orsay. Its halls are filled with works by all the major Impressionist artists. Although we arrived just before closing and had to take a quick tour through, I was happy to see the pieces by Toulouse-Lautrec, Degas, and Renoir—some of my favorites.

Saturday, our final day we headed up to Monte Marte a beautiful cathedral at the top a steep hill. Street performers and artists were scattered around the streets of a quaint little neighborhood surrounding the church. We spent most of the afternoon there enjoying the beautiful weather. I had French onion soup for lunch and Josh had his picture taken with a snowman (check out my photos. It’s a funny pic).

That late afternoon I said goodbye to the Dees who were taking a train back to London in order to catch their flight home the next day. After I met up with Jacque, a friend from GW, who was kind enough to let me bunk with her my final night in Paris. That evening we went out to dinner with some of her friends from school in the Latin Corner at this great sidewalk café/restaurant right by Notre Dame. The food was great and her friends were very nice. The next morning I again woke up before dawn to catch a bus to Beauvais Airport to fly home.

I spent an absolutely perfect weekend in Paris. I was worried about the transportation strikes but everything cleared up and was back to normal by Saturday morning. It was great seeing Jacque and of course spending time with the Dees.

Cinque Terre Revisited

After the family headed home I was fortunate enough to have Rosanne stay with me for an extra week. That weekend we went to Cinque Terre to go hiking.

Getting to Cinque Terre was perhaps to most memorable part of the trip rather than the hiking itself. Ro and I got up early Saturday morning to catch an early train to the coast. Making the necessary change over in Empoli and Pisa we had one more two-hour leg of the trip to go. However when we arrived in Pisa we were met by a massive crowd of young students. A train conductor informed us that the crowd of maybe 200 was on their way to Genova to join a mass demonstration. Lucky us, the train to Genova heads through Cinque Terre, so we had to share the ride.

Despite the general noise and crowding, the kids were pleasant on the train, undisruptive and in good spirits. We arrived in La Spezia, which is the stop ten minutes away from our destination in Riomaggiore—the first of the five towns. However, for a reason we will never know, the train was delayed in La Spezia for a great deal of time. Thirty minutes passed. Forty-five. Nothing. The kids were getting antsy, people hopping off the train to by snacks from the vending machines, smoke cigarettes, and stretch their legs. Finally, Rosanne and I decided to get off and try and find another train that would pass through to our destination.

As we stood up to leave a voice from the student crowd shouted excitedly for everyone to get off the train. We pushed our way through the crowd, off the train and onto another track where fortunately another train to Riomaggiore was headed. As we were about to climb on the student protestors decided that if they couldn’t make it to Genova they would protest in La Spezia. Waving flags and singing songs, the crowd made their way across the tracks sitting down blocking trains from departing or arriving. Rosanne and I were stuck.

The train conductor told us that a taxicab would cost around 50 euro, but with limited hours of daylight left and deadline to check in at our hostel, Rosanne and I headed outside the station to try our luck. We offered the cabbie thirty euro for the trip and he eagerly agreed. I wonder what the actual price would have been. Nevertheless, we were on our way.

We arrived at our hostel, threw down our things and quickly headed out onto the trail. With only 2 hours or so before dark and not knowing if the trains would be running, we started out on the closest path taking a leisurely stroll through “Lover’s Lane”. The sites were beautiful, the weather not too cold and we had the trail mostly to ourselves. All those things paired with the greatest mozzarella cheese we’d ever eaten, made up for the struggles it took to arrive.

We returned to the hostel after dinner, ready to relax after a long day however more antics ensued adding to the craziness of the day. With the sun having set it was very chilly in the apartment so we turned on the space heaters in the three rooms. Unfortunately, with added electricity flow from the lights being on and the TV tuned to CNN, the power cut out. Frantically searching for the breaker box, twenty minutes passed until we found the correct switch outside our room, down the stairs and just inside the main door to the apartment building.

Next, getting ready for bed we went in to the one bedroom only to find a giant grasshopper nesting on the top of the window curtains. We frantically removed all of our belongings from the room and closed the door so the gigantic bug would not visit us in our sleep.

Finally, as if things couldn’t have gotten any worse, while trying to drag the two single beds closer together the leg broke off and wouldn’t stand anymore. We finally fixed the leg in a relatively secure position, but Rosanne had to sleep very still that night. What a nightmare.

The next day we headed out on the trail. The trains were running again, the sun was out and the water was beautiful. It was a really great day. On our way back to Siena we even took a little detour in Pisa to take silly pictures by the Leaning Tower. It was a fantastic trip.

Rosanne stayed in Siena for a few more days entertaining herself with the shops and museums while I went to class. We went out to dinner at some great restaurants and had a wonderful time just being absolutely silly together like sisters do. It was great to spend that much time together since we don’t see each other that much during the year. I’m so happy she stayed.

Palatucci Tuscan Adventure

As predicted, November flew by. I was so busy—travel, visitors, exams and papers—that my blog became an unfortunate victim. So here I am playing catch-up. But better late then never, right? Pictures have been posted, so here are the words…

Five days after my return from Barcelona, the family arrived in Siena! Mom, Dad, Rosanne and Alex all came to visit me in my lovely little Tuscan town. How wonderful it was to see them all yet a little strange at the same time. I had been planning in my head for so long how the visit might play out that I thought the day would never come. But there they all were on the cobble-stoned streets—all five Palatuccis together again. I had so many things I wanted to show them in a short amount of time.

The first day we took a trip to San Gimignano a small Tuscan hill-town not far from Siena. We drove through the beautiful Tuscan hillside past the golden fields and autumn leaves. The grape vines even change color in the fall, many turning to a deep red color. Arriving at the city’s high stonewalls, we entered, walked around the town, took in the gorgeous views, and stopped for a bite to eat at a great restaurant run by an older Italian couple. The food was delicious, everything homemade and hand prepared. We arrived back in Siena with our stomachs full of food and our cameras full of pictures.

The next day we woke up early to catch another bus, this time to Florence. The weather wasn’t as nice but we walked around the sites seeing the Duomo, Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia, the Ponte Vecchio and San Lorenzo and it’s market. I showed the family the places I’d visited while in Florence during the summer. They even got to see the hotel where I stayed. It was a fun trip.

The best part of the vacation had to be staying with the family in the apartment we rented right in Siena’s city center. We had plenty of space to relax and a big kitchen to cook dinners together. Family dinners are what I miss most from back home. Particularly because with me at school and Rosanne up in Boston, it’s not often that we get all five of us around the table. It was really special. We had a great time cooking together, sampling the fresh vegetables from Siena’s market, a delicious Brunello from my wine tasting trip in Montalcino, and the olive oil from the vineyard where I picked grapes.

It was sad to say goodbye to my family. Because of the point in time in which they arrived (past the halfway point of my semester) I could have gotten on the plane with them right then and there to go back home. It’s a bit odd, but I was almost homesick during their stay, and even more so after they left. A little taste of family left me wanting more. Nevertheless I was so happy to have had the opportunity to share Tuscany with them. They got to see my apartment, my school, and experience what life is like for me in Siena.

Bella Toscana

San Gimignano: sunset over the Tuscan hills

Barcelona

For fall break I spent five great days in Barcelona with my roommate Lauren. It was a long weekend, and we exhausted the sites. Instead of recounting all five days of my trip, here are some highlights:


GAUDI ARCHITECTURE AND PARK GUELL -

On the first day of our trip Lauren and I took a "hop-on, hop-off" tour bus around the city. It hit the major sites around Barcelona, including all the buildings by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi's buildings are like nothing I have ever seen before. His buildings are very sculptural and have a gothic/modern/art nouveau flair to them. One of Gaudi's most famous projects is the Sagrada Famiglia Cathedral. In my opinion it looks like a huge melting ice cream cone. We revisited the cathedral at night. All lit up it is quite impressive.

We also stopped at Gaudi's Park Guell. Our tour informed us that Gaudi was inspired by his natural surroundings. I definitely got that feel walking around the park. Its design was very organic-- columns carved out of the stone, free flowing paths, warm colors, etc. The park was a great place to soak in the beautiful weather.


FONTAIN MONTJUIC -

Lauren and I headed over to the Palau Nacional to see the Montjuic Fountain at night. Three times during the evening the fountain lights up, putting on a huge musical number-- the water shoots in every direction, changing colors, and spraying mist. It was a bit like watching fireworks on the Fourth of July.


FC BARCELONA -

The absolute best part of the entire trip was the night we checked out Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho, and Argentinean Messi working their magic on the pitch during an FC Barcelona soccer match. We cheered the team to a 3-0 victory with an estimated 75,000 other fans. It was incredible. Henry scored the first goal and Ronaldinho netted two directly off of his free kicks. The quality of play was amazing. I was happy to see how unselfish of a player Ronaldinho was-- he frequently distributed to his teammates-- but at the same time I wanted him to be more selfish so I could see his unbelievable foot skills. He did entertain us at the end of the match with an attempted bicycle kick that unfortunately sailed over the goal. This match definitely beats all the ones I have seen in Siena.


PICASSO -

On Sunday we checked out the Picasso museum. Expecting to see some of Picasso's most famous works, we instead were pleasantly surprised with a collection of his earlier pieces. It was interesting to see how his painting progressed and changed over time. I was particularly interested in the pieces he produced in France, where the impressionist painters Matisse, Cezanne, and Lautrec had a strong influence on him.


GREAT FOOD, GREAT WEATHER... OVER ALL GREAT TRIP -

My trip to Barcelona was great. It was an interesting feeling being in a country where you have no sense of the language. It wasn't a problem that we didn't speak any Spanish, but you feel very disconnected from the people there.

We had a wonderful time, sampling the some great Spanish food (nice change from all the pasta). We tried Spanish tapas, paella, sangria, and had a great organic breakfast at the awesome La Boqueria market. The weather was great too. Every day but one was sunny with temperatures reaching around 70. It was an overall delightful trip to Spain.

le stagioni cambiano

Why is it that every year Mother Nature seems to flirt with autumn for a few days only to unexpectedly switch her attention to winter? After enjoying glorious mid-60 degree weather, the past week since our return from Milan has been bitterly cold. As much as I applaud the Italian government for making it a law that heat cannot be turned on until November first, I also curse them as I bundle up in two pairs of socks, heavy sweaters and a blanket inside our apartment. Luckily there are many things in Siena to help warm my spirit— colorful scarves, chestnut vendors, and the piano player next door who gives afternoon opera lessons.

The change in weather isn’t the only indication of the change in season. At the market, I went to hunt down the sunglasses I had put off buying, only to find that this summer accessory had been replaced with winter ones—thick wool hats, gloves and scarves.

The most brutal sign of winter’s arrival is midterms week. I’m almost thankful for the dismal weather because it makes it a bit easier to lock oneself up in the house all day to study. Blue skies aren’t distracting me from my books. Instead I feel like a prisoner of inverno’s inferno—winter’s hell. I guess that could be considered an oxymoron, but according to my Dante professor, extreme temperatures, both hot and cold, are characteristic of hell. Look at me! The studying must be paying off ; )

A welcome sign of winter is that the soccer season seems to flourish in the cold. I have been voraciously consuming TV highlights from the European Championship League matches; it’s becoming almost as bad as my caffeine addiction. My roommates have informed me that they can now tell when I’m watching soccer if from downstairs they hear my random celebratory outbursts or frustrated groans. In the next few days I hope to catch my first live AC Siena match, so that I can share my joy and anguish with fans around me.

Midterms and the coming of winter sadly inform me that the halfway point of my semester abroad has arrived. November is just around the corner and I bet final exams will creep up on me just as fast as the cold arrived. The next few weeks will contain fall break in Barcelona, a week with the family in Tuscany, a return to Cinque Terre with Rosanne, and the arrival of Josh in Siena just in time for my birthday.

I’m eagerly looking forward to sharing Siena with those I love, and I’m excited to stay in lovely Tuscany for the remainder of my trip. There is still so much left for me to explore.

Milan

Our second and last IES cultural trip was up north to Milan. Milano is a more modern and industrial city and feels much more like France than Italy—which is understandable because of its geographic location.

I enjoyed Milan; it is a great city. I think I would have liked studying there if I hadn’t been so intent on having a real Italian cultural experience like I am in Siena. It has a great metro system, which made me miss DC, and there seems like a lot of young professionals populate the area.

It is true that Milan is the fashion capital of Italy. It’s residents certainly dress that way, and the streets are lined with shops by Gucci, Valentino, and Dolce & Gobana.

We saw a lot of great sites. Milan’s Duomo is spectacular; we saw a ballet at the famous La Scala opera house, and even got a peek at DaVinci’s Last Supper. I would have liked to explore a bit more—done a bit more site-seeing—but I felt a bit burnt out from all my travels. So we spent our free afternoon people watching in the large square and doing some shopping.

Midterms are quickly approaching, so is November. I look forward to spending the next two weeks in Siena.

World Cup!

I don’t know why the Italian National Team would choose to play an international friendly at Siena’s tiny football stadium, but they did. And I’m not complaining. The 2006 World Cup Champions invited future 2010 World Cup hosts, South Africa, to play an international match last Wednesday night. I was in complete soccer heaven.

The city hosted a series of events to celebrate the match. The World Cup—as in the actual trophy—was on display in Siena’s Civic Museum. I couldn’t believe how close we were allowed to get to the trophy. It wasn’t enclosed in a glass case or behind any protective barrier. It was just sitting there, on a pedestal, in all of its golden glory for people, like myself, to stare at in wide-eyed amazement.

The morning of the match, a large part of the Campo was sectioned off so 12-15 mini fields could be set up for youth games. Boys and girls probably around 9-10 years old were running around having the time of their lives. I love how happy soccer can make people, especially kids.

The match was that night and we bundled up to see Italy take on South Africa. Most of the major stars were not in attendance—probably off playing with their professional clubs—but nevertheless the soccer was amazing. Italy totally dominated, playing most of the match in South Africa’s half of the field. In the first 45 minutes, Italy had some great chances whereas South Africa hardly got off one good shot on goal. The half ended 0-0, but Italy could have been up a few goals, especially if they had better executed their crosses.

The Italian squad continued their domination in the second half but it was only until late in the match when they scored their first goal—a scrappy garbage goal from inside the six. It happened so fast I pretty much missed it. But with less than five minutes to go, Italy put in another off the head of Lucarelli who finished brilliantly in the air from a cross.

I love soccer and I love it even more in Italy. It was so much fun listening to the crowd: hearing their chants but also listening to what words they use to applaud their team. Bravvisimo! It is such a beautiful word to describe the beautiful game.

Roma- weekend with family and GW friends

I arrived in Rome on Friday by bus (I’m getting to be quite the expert on public transportation). I met Luigia, my wonderful friend from GW, at the bus station and we went straight to her apartment. She is studying with IES Rome and lives right by the Colosseum. That night we rushed out and did a whirlwind tour of the city. I saw the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, some of the important piazzas and countless other things as we sped around the city on foot and by bus. Luigia was a great tour guide giving me history and background on all the things we saw. She loves being in Rome and really “owns” her new city.

Friday night we went to a birthday party being thrown for one of the IES students. I kept receiving awkward stares from the other students at the apartment. With a program of close to 200 people, Luigia told me that they were probably trying to figure out if they had seen me before in any of their classes—quite a difference from Siena.

Staying with Luigia made me realize how happy I am that I chose to study in Siena over Rome, or any other large Italian city. Everything costs so much more in Rome and the vendors are more likely to rip you off. Luigia’s friend bought herself a gelato and because the store was closing (and probably because she was American) the man charged her seven euro for her tiny ice cream cone. Ridiculous! I’ll take my overflowing cup of gelato at Siena’s Koppacabana for 1,70 euro thank you very much.
Another thing I didn’t like about Rome is that Luigia has to commute to school—1 hour by bus and metro. I guess it’s cool to live by the Colosseum, but an hour to school waiting for unreliable buses is not for me.

Finally, safety is a huge issue in Rome. Luigia constantly warned me about pickpockets and gypsies. Apparently one of her friends was mugged late one night at the train station and had to go to the hospital to treat his minor injuries. Also, there are gypsies in Rome that carry around fake babies. They will throw the baby at you, so you feel like you have to catch it. This distracts you while they take your money. Rome was exciting, but I like my quiet, sleepy town in Siena.

The next morning, Luigia and I woke up early to see the ruins of the Roman Forum. I saw the ruins of many old temples, arches, the old Roman senate, etc. We climbed up the Capitoline Hill to get great overhead views and also hung out in Michelangelo’s “perfect piazza”.

We rushed around that morning because at noon I was set to meet my cousin Luca Palatucci and his new wife Mariangela! We are all from the same tiny town in southern Italy, Montella. My family has been communicating through email with Luca for a few years now, and since my Uncle Tom’s last visit, I am the second person to meet him. Luca speaks some English, Marianglea none at all, but when Luca asked if it would be better if we talked in English I insisted that I use my Italian. It was rough at first, but they said they were impressed with how well I spoke. Mariangela spoke so fast, Luca a bit slower because he was trying to help me understand.

My family is amazing! Luca is 33, Mariangela is 32. Luca obviously comes from Montella, but Mariangela is from a small town close to Montella, called Lioni. They met in high school and were friends for a number of years. They had been married for only a week when I saw them after six years of dating/being engaged (Italians use the term fidanzato—like fiancée—interchangeably with boyfriend that it’s hard to tell). Anyways, they are so excited about being married. It’s cute to see how very much in love they are. Mariangela constantly scolds Luca for playing with his wedding ring and much of their conversation centered on choosing a new car to buy. She wants two doors because it’s easier with children, but he likes the sports cars. However, trunk space is also very important to consider.

Luca is a lawyer. He is not a criminal lawyer and from what he explained to me it sounds like he has more of a municipal job dealing with government contracts. He has been working in his office for only one year, because after graduation, in Italy, you have to apprentice for many years before you can get a job. Anyway, Luca attended Siena’s university to get his doctorate in political studies, but during his time there he commuted from Rome! A three-hour journey to go to school. Incredible.
Mariangela is so sweet. You can tell she’s really putting a woman’s touch on the apartment—like making Luca recycle. She became an archaeologist after studying in Napoli. She worked closer to her home in Lioni but two weeks ago she left her job to come live with Luca in Rome. Now she is searching for a new job here.

She confirmed what I have been learning from all my professors that finding a job is very difficult in Italy, especially in the south. She says jobs for college graduates are not guaranteed, and if a graduate does find a job the contract usually lasts only for a few months. Many of her friends from Napoli moved north to Milan or Bologna to find jobs, and even some moved outside of Italy to work.

We drove to their quaint little apartment to drop off my things and then we rushed off to lunch. We went to PizzaRe (Pizza King) and had the best pizza I’ve had since being in Italy. During lunch we talked about all different kinds of things: Siena’s Palio (which Luca says I must come back to see), Montella, Westfield, our families, their wedding, the weather, and even Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings (of which Mariangela is a huge fan). The best discovery I made was that Luca and Mariangela both agree that I look like the girls from Montella. That made me quite happy.

After lunch they showed me more of Rome and then we returned to the apartment for a little siesta. Mariangela showed me pictures from their wedding. She looked absolutely gorgeous and the ceremony took place in a beautiful old church right in her town. After a nap, we went out to dinner that night close to where Luca works and then we walked around Campo dei Fiori, a busy nightlife spot. Returning home close to midnight I almost fell asleep in the car. I was exhausted.

The most exciting part of the day had to be driving around Rome. It was like being on a roller coaster ride and more terrifying that driving with Dad in New York City. Italians drive with complete disregard of lane designation (when by rare chance there are actually lines painted on the road). Driving is like a big game of chicken, two cars racing into one narrow lane, the first to back down loses. All the while, however, mopeds are zipping in and out of the cars like a maze. With Luca at the wheel we were speeding down a one-way street when all of sudden we lurched to a stop. Before I could realize what was going on we began speeding backwards. Before panic mode could fully set in, Luca zipped into a parallel parking spot, one that must have opened up after we had passed it. It was quite the thrill ride.

Anyways, the next morning Luca took me to the Vatican while Mariangela stayed home to prepare lunch. The Vatican was amazing! It was huge. The basilica was beautiful. We even went down into the tomb to see the resting places of St. Peter and St. John Paul II. It was an unbelievable site to see. We returned home for lunch where Mariangela cooked us a fantastic meal. We had thick spaghetti-like pasta with pancetta and then for second plate, veal. It was delicious. I can’t believe she doesn’t think she is a good cook!

After lunch I had an early bus ride back to Rome. I was sad to say goodbye to my family. We had such a wonderful time together. They were so warm and welcoming, even inviting me back to stay with them again whenever I wanted. I can’t wait to see them again!

London

I left my apartment at 4:30 pm Siena time. A train, plane, bus, and cab ride later—for a combined total of 10 hours of travel-- I arrived at my final destination of LONDON, ENGLAND! It was 2:30am and I was completely exhausted, but I made it. I was there. My first European excursion successfully executed!

Josh was waiting for me when I arrived at the steps of 16 Bedford Place, his “flat” right by Russell Square. He shares his apartment with 4 other students also enrolled in Syracuse University’s study abroad program. Unfortunately they were all sleeping/traveling and therefore I didn’t get to meet them. Anyway, we caught a few hours of sleep and woke up early the next morning to start our first full day of sightseeing.

The weather the first day was beautiful, fall weather! It was sunny and crisp outside, a bit uncharacteristic for London. We began our day taking London’s underground system, the Tube, to Buckingham Palace to try and catch a glimpse of the changing of the guards. Unfortunately, they weren’t performing for the public that day, but we did see some fancy guys on horses trot past.

Instead, we walked to the Thames River towards Tower Bridge—the famous bridge that many mistakenly call “London Bridge”. The views of the city from the bridge were spectacular. We made our way across the bridge to the Tower of London on the opposite side. We explored the Tower for a few hours checking out the White Tower museum, arsenal, armory, torture museum and the crown jewels.

After our visit to the tower we walked a long way down the opposite side of the Thames to St. Paul’s Cathedral and the more modern Millennium Bridge, a pedestrian’s bridge. We crossed the Millennium Bridge to the Tate Modern Art Museum. Now I know I said after my visit to the MAMbo in Bologna that I will never understand modern art, but I have this new mission (one that even I don’t quite comprehend) to visit modern art museums each country I visit. However, while the MAMbo was a pleasant surprise, the Tate Modern was a huge disappointment. The website advertised collections of Warhol, Lichtenstein, Matisse and Picasso! But the museum in reality featured only one or two pieces by each artist. The rest was just weird. For the size of the museum (seven huge floors) there was little to see. At least we didn’t have to pay an entrance fee.

After the museum we caught sights of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater and went off to explore the neighborhood of Covent Garden. Here we discovered an outdoor market and shopping area that was packed with people sitting at cafes, watching street performers, and listening to live music.

At the end of the day we went out to dinner at a Thai food restaurant—a nice departure from all the pasta and pizza I have been eating—and went to sleep early.

On day two we woke up early again and walked to Parliament. In addition to Parliament we saw Big Ben and went inside Westminster Abbey. Inside Westminster we saw the tombs of many famous Kings and Queens as well as the Poets’ Corner where writers like D.H. Lawrence, Lewis Carol, Robert Browning, and Chaucer are buried. We also got to see the Isaac Newton sculpture that was featured in the DaVinci Code. The cathedral was beautiful, the courtyard very Harry Potteresque.

After our trip to Westminster we had lunch at a great London Pub, the Bag O’ Nails. We feasted on delicious fish and chips (Josh’s first) while watching London defeat Australia in a nail-biting quarterfinal match of the Rugby World Cup.

After lunch we walked back to the apartment where I took a nap. Afterwards, Josh made me dinner and we went out later that evening to a Blues Bar to hear some great live blues music. This tiny hole in the wall is the only full-time blues club in all of London. Josh is a huge music fan and comes here often. We had a pint and stayed for hours listening to a great band. It was a fantastic evening!

The next day was a travel day. I left around 11:30 London time to catch my 3:30 flight. I was sad to go but I had a wonderful weekend. London was even better the second time around. Unlike my last visit, it wasn’t crowded allowing us to take our time at each place we visited. We walked all of the major neighborhoods, taking in the sights. It was a great trip.

Weekend in Paradise - Cinque Terre!

If there were heaven on earth it would be called Cinque Terre. Cinque Terre are five little towns nestled into steep hillside of Italy’s coast—the “Italian Riviera”. The five towns are connected by railroad, but it is possible to hike between each town through steep trails and along picturesque paths. Along the way you can catch spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea—absolutely breathtaking. The towns emerge as the finish line of each trail, the buildings—painted in hues of yellow, orange, and pink—glow in the sun. This qualifies as the most beautiful place I have ever visited.

I almost didn’t go on this trip with seven of my IES companions. The weather in Siena had been rainy all week, which put me in a bit of a sour mood. I wasn’t feeling up to a long trip to a coastal town just to have it rain. In the end I am so happy I did not make that mistake!

We arrived to Cinque Terre by train, to the first town of Riomaggiore. Stepping off the train we walked right into the Mediterranean-- beautiful blue water and waves greeted us. Although clouds were rolling in and it was a bit chilly, we decided to be adventurous and go hiking.

We took the train to Monterosso, the furthest town from where our hostel was located. The clouds seemed to follow us on our short train trip, but we forged forward onto the hardest path of the five towns. It took us about 2 hours to go 1.5 miles up and down hills and steep stairs to the second town called Vernazza. After a short rest in Vernazza we ventured on to Corniglia—a 2-mile hike taking another 1.5 hours to complete. Exhausted, yet with feelings of great accomplishment, we reached Corniglia at sundown and took the train to Riomaggiore for the night.

The surprise of the night came when Connor, who is not much of a hiker, met us at the Riomaggiore train station, informing us of a train strike. In Italy, rail strikes are actually common and usually last for 24 hours or other set periods of time. We made frantic phone calls to John who regretfully confirmed that a train strike was planned starting at 9pm that night to 9pm the following evening. Our train tickets would be valid until midnight on Sunday so we hoped there would be a chance to make it back to Siena.

We were all very quiet at dinner that night and afterwards although I was worried about the strike, the day’s hike had left me exhausted and I fell right to sleep.

The next morning we woke up to good news. The train strike was only in the northeast regions of Italy and would not affect our trains! Our spirits brighter, much like the weather, we set out to finish the hike where we left off the previous day.

We rode back to Corniglia and experienced a more leisurely stroll from Corniglia to Manarola. Along the way we stopped to spend time on a rock beach. We skipped stones into the Mediterranean waves, climbed up on the rocks, and enjoyed the sun. The water was beautiful. I have never seen water so blue and the ripples sparkled in the sun like a million flashbulbs going off at once. We could not have been luckier with the weather.

We had lunch in Manarola where I sampled some excellent seafood and delicious pesto— one of the many locally produced products that Cinque Terre is known for. After some gelato and postcard scavenging we headed out again on the trail, the last leg back to our starting point in Riomaggiore. Day two was great—relaxing, sunny, warm, beautiful. 4.5 wonderful miles travelled, we left Cinque Terre that night so satisfied with successfully planning and executing our first trip outside of Siena!

Check out the pictures. Words cannot do this place justice! I hope to go back someday!

Ciao!

Bologna

Greetings! This past weekend was our first IES sponsored trip to Bologna. Bologna is a large city in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. First established by the Etruscans and then conquered by the Romans, Bologna is located in the Po River Valley and is famous for its great food, education, and art.

Bologna is a more modern city then Siena. It’s bustling with tourists, students, as well as buses and trolley cards. The architecture in the city is beautiful. Bologna has more arches than any other city in Italy. No traces of marble exist because marble quarries are not found in the Emilia-Romagna region. Instead, everything is constructed out of terracotta, red brick, and sandstone. These materials, plus the abundance of heavy red curtains to keep out the sun and heat in the summer, give the city a warm feel.

I enjoyed the city of Bologna and it’s nice to venture outside of Siena. However, each time I leave my quaint medieval town, I am very happy to come back. Bologna is dirty and polluted. There is graffiti and litter everywhere. It also as a seedy underbelly with many streets you are advised to avoid. Nevertheless I had a great trip and saw a lot of interesting sites.

DAY 1—

On the first day we took a tour of the city. We visited the main piazza Piazza Maggiore to visit the City Hall and the Basilica di San Petronio. In the Basilica we caught a glimpse of the largest zodiac sundial in the world. We also visited Europe’s oldest university-- Bologna’s law university—that was originally established to help settle disputes between the city and the Papacy. The university tour was particularly interesting. It continues to attract students from all over the world and the tradition continues that one student representative from each country has his or her family shield painted on the ceiling or hung on the wall of the university. We also viewed a classroom in which human dissections took place. It was a beautiful wood-paneled room with high ceilings and sculpted busts of famous scientists like Galileo and Socrates.

Our tour the first day also took us by the many negozi d’alimentari “food shops”. Wonderful fruit and vegetable stands, fish markets, and whole stores devoted to pasta, meats or cheese lined the streets. Like Siena’s Wednesday mercato, these stores were bustling with locals purchasing their food for the week.

DAY 2—

We started day two with more touring of Medieval Bologna. We visited the Medieval Civic Museum. What I liked about this museum and many of the places we saw on our tours is that the art was not dripping with religious symbolism and history. The focus was much more on the university and education system. Professors at the university were revered. They dressed very well and part of tuition money went towards buying the professors gifts. Lavish tombs were also constructed to bury professors that had died. Bologna’s university was important economically to the city because students coming to Bologna needed food, clothing and places to stay. During one revolt and boycott of the university, the students fled Bologna and the economy suffered.

After the tour we climbed 480 steps to the top of Bologna’s highest tower, Torre degli Asinelli. It was an exhausting climb but the views made the climb absolutely worthwhile. We were lucky to have been there on such a beautiful, clear day.

At the end of the day I went to the modern art museum. In NYC it’s called the MOMA. In Bologna it’s MAMBO. I will never understand modern art. I keep giving it second chances, but it is just too weird to me. However I saw some interesting photography as well as some great Andy Warhol stuff. Some of the exhibit bordered on pop art so it wasn’t a complete waste.

Dinner on the second night was fabulous. We had really great penne with a Bolognese sauce, followed by delicious arrosto (beef) and potatoes.

DAY 3—

On the last day in Bologna we went to “La vecchia scuola bolognese” (the old Bologna school) to take a cooking class. We learned to make tortellini—famous in Bologna--- as well as a linguini type pasta called tagliatelli. Making pasta is simpler than I thought it’d be. The dough requires only egg and flour. You kneed it together until it forms the right consistency and then it sits for a short while in the dark. In the next stage the dough is rolled into thing sheets. Our instructor was impressed with my rolling skills and showed me a bit more advanced technique. After she demonstrated the proper way to fold tortellini. Our reward for the day was eating all the pasta we ourselves had created. It was delicious.

The trip to Bologna was great. We all had so much fun and the 14 of us became a closer group. I can’t wait for the next trip to Milan. It should be just as great. If not better!

Don’t forget to check out my photos

-Gio

Harvest

After sampling great wine during my trip to Montalcino, it was time to get my hands dirty and participate in the wine making process. John and his wife live on one of the oldest vineyards in Tuscany. Each year he helps the owners pick the grapes, and he invited the IES group along. Thursday afternoon we boarded a bus to Siena’s countryside to help with the grape harvest.

The grape picking process was easier than I thought: grab the vine, cut the vine, and toss the grapes into the bucket. Precise, delicate touch is not required. I originally believed that gentle care would be needed to tend to the grapes so they didn’t fall from the vine. But as John demonstrated, the tiny fruit explosions were normal as the bunch hit the bucket. I guess its makes sense considering they’re all going to be squeezed and mashed up together eventually.

So we got to work two to a row. One person works on one side of the vine, her partner on the other. You fill up your red plastic bucket about half way full and then leave it on the side of the row to be picked up later by the truck.

The grapes came off the vine in huge bunches and not anything like the bunches of grapes you see in the grocery market. The fruit was smaller and packed tightly together, sometimes even sealed around the support wires. The grapes were deep purple in color with white grape bunches more sparsely mixed in. I’m not sure whether I picked more grapes or ate more grapes. Grapes from the vine taste so good. It’s a wonderful fresh burst of flavor inside your mouth. Everyone’s tongue was purple by the end.

The Italian family that owns and operates the vineyard were so kind and really appreciated our help. John said they called him four times that day to make sure we were still coming. When he commented that he thought it might rain they assured him that the sun would never go behind the clouds. Also while we were working, we heard them shout, “John! John! You’re the boss, John! God bless America!” We were even invited back to the vineyard for a dinner and wine tasting to try the olive oil they proudly produce from their own olive trees.

We worked for close to three hours in the vineyard that day, clearing nearly 15 rows of grape vines. The sun was setting as we finished our work, spreading a beautiful purple, pink, and orange haze over the hill. I had to pause and take a breath; I never thought I’d be in Italy picking grapes on a Tuscan hillside.

Often times, like this, I have to remind myself to stop for a moment and put down the camera. I tell myself to look around and take in where I am and what I’m experiencing because the photos from a camera will never capture the images, smells, and other sensations I capture in my head. I’m so lucky to be where I am right now, meeting interesting people and experiencing this new culture. This was certainly a day I’ll never forget.

Siena Update

I’ve settled a bit more into Siena. My apartment is having internet issues—as in we don’t have any access—so I have a sense of being a bit disconnected from the rest of the world right now. But besides that I am feeling more at home in my new city. I don’t get as lost anymore, I know where to get the best gelato, and I’ve figured out how to navigate the Italian supermarket.

The weather has been great so far. Most days it is warm and sunny in the 70s with beautiful blue skies-- perfect weather to sit and sun yourself in the Campo. Occasionally short rain showers will bring in a cold spell. However this presents a small taste of autumn, whose full arrival I am anxiously awaiting. The tourists will clear out and I’ll have Siena to myself. Well, not quite since the Italian and international students will be arriving, but the city will nonetheless quiet down.

My sense of time is twisted in knots. I feel as if I’ve been in Siena for a long time, particularly because the days go by so fast. But in reality, two weeks is miniscule when put into the perspective of the four months I’ll be staying. And at the same time the weeks fly by filled with Italian language class and many field trips organized by IES.

On Monday was our visit to Contrada Onda.

Tuesday, we visited a small town called Poggibonsi where after an exhausting uphill hike we toured an archaeological dig site where students were unearthing 5th & 6th century ruins.

Every Wednesday is market day. Unlike Florence’s more upscale market with tourist booths selling identical wares, in Siena the market is more of a flea market where, for very good prices, you can buy everything from bed linens to an infomercial-type slicer and dicer. I love buying frutta e verdura here. The fresh produce tastes wonderful at unbelievable prices. I bought two eggplants (melanzane) and some plums (susine) for a combined total of 1, 65 euro.

Thursday we drove to the small Tuscan hill town of Montalcino for a wine tasting at a small vineyard called Abbadia Ardegna. A sweet old couple gave us a tour of their family’s long running vineyard. The older gentleman reminded me of my Pop-Pop in his tweed jacket and sun hat, and from the way he shuffled around, patted us on the back, and looked so proud sitting at the head of the table.

These experiences have been wonderful and there is so much to look forward to. The end of this week will be our first IES sponsored trip to Bologna!

Ciao tutti! I miss you all very much.

Gio

Onda - The Wave

Settling into bed on one of these past weekday evenings, my roommate and I heard interesting sounds coming from the Campo. It was about 12:30am and we could hear drumbeats and singing coming from outside our window. We jumped out of bed, threw on more appropriate clothes than our pajamas and raced out the apartment door. We arrived just in time to witness a group of about 50 young Italians parading around the Piazza del Campo. They were waving flags in sync with the drums, carrying a banner, and singing harmoniously. They were members of the Unicorn contrada and although they had captured the Palio over a month ago, they were still celebrating their win.

The "Palio" is huge horse race that takes place in Siena every July and August. More important than futbol to the Sienese, the Palio draws thousands upon thousands to the campo to watch this 90-second mad dash.

Siena is comprised of 17 districts or “contradas” that enter horses in the Palio. Each district has a distinct shield, mascot, colors, fountain, and church. There are rival districts and therefore makes for heated competition during the race. Think Yankee/Red Sox but dating back over 500 years. Only 10 Contradas are featured in the Palio during which the horses race 3 times around the Piazza del Campo. There are no rules and the horse does not need its jockey to win. The winner of the Palio receives the highest honors and gets a trophy (a piece of silk), which is also called the Palio.

On Monday our group was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to tour Contrada Onda, “the wave”. This is the contrada where I live, so I was eager to learn more about its history. Our tour guide was an elderly gentleman, Signor Pietro, who taught us about Onda’s history in Italian— we had John, our director, translate.

Here are some of the things I learned:

Onda menas the Wave. It’s colors are blue and white and its mascot is the dolphin—a pretty intimidating dolphin with massive teeth. The church was constructed over 900 years ago. It was originally a church for the woodcutters of Siena, but in the 17th century the Onda contrada moved in. That is why San Giusseppe is both the patron saint of woodcutters but also the patron saint of Onda. Inside the church only contrada members may come to mass. They hold weddings here, funerals, and baptisms. On the day of the Palio the horse is actually brought into the church so the priest can bless the horse and its jockey.

The church has a balcony that has a beautiful view of one of Siena’s large churches. It overlooks the Tuscan countryside as well as the streets of Onda’s rival contrada Torre—the Tower. Pietro said that it is because of their close proximity that these contradas are enemies. “When we celebrate, they are bothered. When they celebrate, we are bothered. We are just too close. When we win the Palio, we shoot fireworks over the Torre”. Contradas also have sister districts. Pietro told us that when Onda is not selected to race in the Palio they work with their other sister contradas to defeat the Torre.

Each contrada also has a fountain used for baptisms because those from Siena are not able to freely choose to which contrada they would like to belong. You must be born within the district boundaries and every June there is a baptism in the contrada’s fountain for all the babies to become members. It is absolutely like a religion here. If parents are from two different contradas they must choose into which contrada they want their children to be baptized. Our guide said that many parents in this situation strive for even numbers of children, but in his case he has four children and they were all baptized into Onda. It is possible for a non-Siense spouse to be welcomed into the contrada but only after many years of devoted participation in contrada events.

In the museum located in the basement of the church featured all of the costumes (over 150 in all), drums and flags of Onda. Down here is also where all of the Palios won by Onda are displayed. The first Palio ever won by Onda was in 1500 The last one they captured was in 1995. In total Onda has won 46 Palio titles. The Palios are beautiful silk pieces with paintings on them featuring different scenes or aspects of Siena or the race. In this shrine the ceiling is painted with the coat of arms of each family in the contrada.

Watching the contrada festivities in the city is exciting and the celebrations seem to never stop. Today beginning at 8:30 in the morning and continuing every 2 hours or so, members of the Torre contrada, dressed in full costumes, were gathered in the Campo to wave their flags and beat their drums. It was sort of a mini parade.

Booo Torre, waking us up this morning. Vai Onda!

check out more photos on my Kodak Gallery page.

Casato

My new apartment, Casato di Sotto, is just a stone’s throw from the Piazza del Campo— the large central square in Siena. Entering from the street you must pass through both a decorative iron gate and a stone courtyard to reach our front door. Number 15, citofono (doorbell) Sguerri, “Casato” is where we call home. The apartment is huge and sharing with three roommates is a nothing like the nightmare quads of Thurston. Everyone has a space to disappear into. To describe the setup I would use the American term “split-level”. If you go down the marble (yes, marble) stairs it leads to a spacious living room, bathroom, and small kitchen. Upstairs one finds the three bedrooms—two singles and a double plus another full bath. John, our director, tells us that these apartments are certainly not the typical living space for students at the university. Actually when I came to Siena with the Aielli &Benevento group this summer, our tour guide Elena used the façade of one of the IES apartments as an example while talking about the development of the city.

My room is very spacious. There are high ceilings crafted of the traditional brick with wooden beams running across—like the rest of the apartment is designed. The furniture is beautiful-- old wood-crafted pieces with marble tops. However these pieces are oddly mixed in with IKEA desks and lamps. It is quite eclectic. The best part, however, is a wonderful double shutter window that when leaning out you can glimpse the tower in il Campo.

I share my room with una compagna di stanza. Her name is Lauren and she is from Nebraska. Interestingly enough, her twin sister, Catherine, went to GW for two years during which, we had a class together. I’ve certainly felt the reality of the phrase “it’s a small world”. My other roommate is Julia. She is from the Chicago suburbs. It has been nice to meet people from different parts of the US. Finally, we have one Italian “RA”. Alice (pronounced Al-ee-chay) is an intern for IES and also attends the University of Siena. She is twenty and comes from northern Italy around Milano. I am fortunate to have an Italian roommate. With Alice and the other two student interns, Anna and Mariapena (“Mapi”), I can really practice my Italian.

The electrical situation is quite interesting in Italy. You have to be very careful that not too many appliances are plugged in and running at the same time or you’ll be in complete darkness. In the US everyone is “going green”, but in Italy conservation is not something they have to think twice about. Resources are not as abundant therefore it is second nature that lights are never turned on if not needed, laws strictly regulate recycling, clothes dryers are not found in homes, and of course too many electrical appliances running at once means a blackout. We even have a crawl space in our bathroom where there are lines to hang our clean laundry to dry.

So I’m learning to adjust and with that of course bring many positives. There may not be air conditioning but we have been sleeping with our window open and the breeze feels wonderful. You quickly learn how spoiled we are in the US. Often times we take for granted many of our modern day conveniences.

Siena una bella citta

Siena is stunning. I try and try to describe it but it’s impossible to find the right words to capture the beauty I see. In the medieval center, cobblestone streets snake through clusters of tall apartments, churches, and other beautiful buildings. You feel encased within the fortress walls but then you climb up a steep hill and it unveils a gorgeous view of the Tuscan hills, beautiful garden valleys, and postcard snapshots of the city. At sunset the view has a wonderful, warm orange glow.

I think my textbook appropriately describes Siena as (and I’m translating here) “a small medieval city with an excellent quality of life… its monuments are magnificent, the works of art by the major artists, extraordinary. You must take time to go and take in the sun or drink a cappuccino in the Piazza del Campo, considered by many the most beautiful piazza in the world”. I most certainly agree.

The Piazza del Campo is like my Italian Kogan Plaza. It’s my campus quad but 100 times bigger. The city’s central square, the piazza is always bustling. Tourists congregate around the souvenir booths, artists sketch the tower, and groups of students read or chat with friends. People sit to eat their gelato. Parents stop to rest while their children chase pigeons. We even saw newlyweds emerge from the tower into a downpour of tossed rice. There is so much to take in. I’m going to spend a lot of time here.

Yet despite the tourist crowds Siena is very small, with only about 60,000 residents, and therefore almost has a small town feel. I run into my classmates on my way to the post office or I spot a few having cappuccino at a cafe. I’m even picking up on who are the local Sienese. An older woman and her huge black fuzzy dog can be spotted frequently in the Campo. At the supermarket, again I ran into a man who always sports a light blue “Universita di Firenze” sweatshirt. My Italian professor smiles as she passes. Some of the IES students don’t favor this intimacy, but I feel in a new and strange place it’s sometimes nice to hear someone call your name.

In the few months that I am here I hope to, and believe I will have, a rich cultural experience. I want to meet more Italians, improve my language skills, study the history, explore the surrounding countryside, and come to truly assimilate into daily life.

Preface--

The entries below are from my trip to Florence this summer providing guest assistance for Aielli & Benevento, a luxury tour company. The company, based in New York City, offers private touring through the various regions of Italy. I was fortunate to experience an A&B designed tour of Tuscany, and I have to say that the itineraries are simply spectacular and offer guests detailed, elegant guides.

Ciao from Firenze

I made it to Florence in one piece. Unfortunately my cell phone is not working so sorry about not calling/texting. I'm at an Internet cafe... I guess that's what you would call it... I haven’t yet checked out the business center at the hotel, but by the looks of everything else it probably is very expensive. So probably will be checking in less often then I hoped.

Anyway, the city is beautiful. Mr. Purpuro gave me a quick tour, pointing out all the places I will be taking our guests. He also treated me to some gelato. Mmmmmmm. My hotel is amazing. I didn't think I was going to get a view of the Arno River but I did. I'll take lots of pictures.

I have a few errands to run, but after that I'm free to explore the city for the rest of the afternoon/evening. It's now 4:30pm Florence Time and the markets are still open and the trattorias are preparing for dinner. I might try going to a cafe for dinner tonight... if I get the courage to go it alone-- if not maybe a quick bite at a self-service bar.

Firenze

Buona Domenica -- Good Sunday in exact translation. I actually used my Italian today to speak with a vendor. I bought some maps. "Ho bisogno di otto per un grande group di touristi" "I need 8 for a big group of tourists". I felt cool. I also got some breakfast. Cappuccino, the guidebooks tell me, is what the Italians will have for breakfast although when I ordered "al bar" I think they knew I was a tourist. Later I got "un cafe". I’m not sure what is custom to put in my espresso and I didn’t want to offend the barista. Let’s just say it definitely woke me up at 4am US time. I think I’ll stick with the cappuccino. I also learned the hard way that you have to order your pastry at a separate counter from your coffee or they’ll charge you for it and then not give it to you. I’m learning and hopefully will get it right tomorrow.

All of the hotel managers start speaking to me in Italian when they meet me for the first time I think because they see my name and think I’m from here. They speak English very well but its funny. I hate to disappoint them.

It is just a few hours before the tour group arrives. Everything is finished so I’ll probably grab some pranzo "lunch" and then double check the rooms to make sure they are perfetto.

Still miss you guys a lot. Its great roaming the streets of Firenze day and night, but its not as fun doing it alone.

Ciao

Gio

Over The Moon and Under the Tuscan Sun

Ciao!

I felt like Diane Lane yesterday during my drive through the Tuscan countryside. I can understand why "Frances bought a house in Tuscany". It is absolutely beautiful.

Italy is broken up into regions. Firenze and Siena are in Toscana-- the region of Tuscany. Within Toscana is Chianti. Chianti isn't a city, it is an area of Tuscany which, you can tell by the name, has a lot of vineyards. I learned yesterday from our wonderful tour guide, Franco, that "Chianti" the wine as we Americans call it, does not exist. It is simply the name of the region. I also learned that Italians do not name their wines by the fruit it was made from. So Merlot does not exist in Italy. They name the wine by the maker. The government controls all wine making and they each have a special code.

So passing through Chianti in the beginning of our trip we were in the valley, but instead of seeing grape vines, we saw corn. Franco informed us that good soil = bad wine. Bad soil = good wine. Why? Moisture. The soil in the valleys collects too much water from runoff, so therefore the soil is better for corn. If you tried to grow grapes there, you wouldn't get bad wine, you wouldn't get any wine at all. Up on the hills, however, where the rocks can filter out the water is a much better place for grape growing.

So along the way to Siena we stopped at a beautiful villa/resort/hotel, Borgo Scopeto, where the guests were taken around the property by an Italian writer/former Chianti tour guide and then were treated to an amazing 4 course lunch. I was fortunate enough to join them on both parts. The scenery was beautiful. Surrounded by rolling hills, Cyprus trees, and of course, the Tuscan sun, it was great to get out of the city.


The food at lunch was amazing. Best I've ever had. We started with polenta and goose salami, and then had a mushroom dumpling with boar sauce. Next came veal with potatoes, and a chocolate moose for dessert. Of course it was all served with great wine. I couldn’t finish it all I was so stuffed by the end.
I'm learning that tomato sauce is not traditionally Tuscan. They use olive oil in their dishes, which is also grown in the Chianti area. The olive oil I had at lunch was the best I've ever had. I’ve never tasted anything so good.

At lunch I met Salah, a concierge at the Continental Hotel in Siena. A long time friend of Mr. Purpuro, Salah has taken care of many of Larry's clients. He has been given instructions to look after me when I return in September. Salah is originally from Egypt so he speaks Arabic, English and Italian. He is so kind and told me that I have to learn to speak Italian while I am in Italy. He said it would be a shame to leave Siena after four months and only know how to say hello and good morning. Salah says Americans travel in big groups and only speak English so I have to meet many Italians when I come to study. He said he would arrange for me to meet different people.

Franco, Salah and all the other Italians I meet think Siena was a perfect choice. I wanted a smaller city and Siena is just that. Rome has 4 million people, Florence- 400,000, and Siena 60,000. So Siena is roughly twice the size of Westfield. I think I made the right choice.

After lunch we went on towards the city where outside the city walls we met Elena our tour guide. She gave us a quick history of the "Palio" which is the big horse race next week. The Palio is held twice a year once in July and once in August. Siena comprises of 17 districts. Each district has a distinct shield, color, and church. There are rival districts and therefore makes for heated competition during the race. The race only has 10 horses that run 3 times around the Piazza del Campo-- Siena's main Piazza. There are no rules and the horse does not need its jockey to win. The winner of the Palio gets great honor and receives a trophy (a piece of silk), which is also called the Palio.

Elena took us to the Piazza del Campo. It was incredible. The piazza is cut off to all motorized traffic and bikes so people spread out on the cobblestone everywhere eating gelato, talking with friends, painting, etc. I will be spending a lot of time here when I come back in the fall.

Exploring Florence

Today Tuesday, the guests have free time to explore the city which equals free time for Giovanna to explore Firenze as well! Mr. Purpuro gave me directions to the Mercato di San Lorenzo which is a HUGE open air market with vendors selling leather and paper goods, scarves, silks, jewelry, and clothing-- everything you could imagine! Rosanne, you definitely were here I think when you visited Italy. At the market I met Claudio who wanted me to buy some of his leather. He asked me if I spoke Italian and I said not too much. He was extremely friendly and he was patient with me as I worked through answering his questions in Italian—you know the basics, where are you from, first time to Italy, etc. He was impressed with my conversational Italian. In the end I didn't buy anything from him but we parted ways amicably. Piacere-- pleased to meet you in Italian. It gave me confidence to go to a vendor later on a buy a souvenir.

Also at the market is an old train station which on the inside has been converted to a great produce, fresh meat, market. It was so interesting to see people going to buy their groceries for the week. All the food is put out in baskets and it looks so unbelievably colorful and fresh. I purchased some dried fruit by the gram to snack on during my walk. There are also little bars inside where you can get your cappuccino and cornetto for breakfast.

So later today Mr. Purpuro and I are going on a private tour of the Uffizi Gallery-- the large and famous art gallery in Florence. None of the guests signed up so we're going to take advantage of it.

I'm having a wonderful time. I can't believe only two days left!

Miss you all and see you soon!

Gio