Bologna - 1.30

Today we decided to go on a day trip to Bologna - it was supposed to be about 6 euros each way for the train and a little over an hour trip...unfortunately due to a strike, we were forced to take the express train. It took about a half hour but cost about 25 euro each way. On the way home, we found out too late that we were waiting at the wrong platform (number 6, but for non-express trains) and then had to wait for the next train, which we technically didn't have tickets for. We got on anyway and stood the whole time, afraid someone would check our tickets and then kick us off...but luckily a kind man fainted and distracted everyone including the ticket-checker...so we made it all the way home.

Bologna is a really cool city - it's famous for all the extensive porticos. Despite all the snow, we were able to walk through the city, rarely having to get wet. Apparently Bologna is famous for its porticos and has over 45 km of them! (somehow I chose to go to Bologna the day before we learned about it in my architecture class.)

Had to get lasagna bolognese while in Bologna...best ever.

1.23 Exploring around the Duomo

It was possibly the first day Lisa and I had absolutely nothing required that we had to do, so we decided to bike to the Duomo (it's about a 20 minute bike ride) and explore. We had some great pizza and then gelato, and we walked by the river. There is a lot of stuff to do around there and always a lot of people around!

1.22 Arezzo & Perugia

Today I went on a field trip with my 16th century architecture class...we took a train to Arezzo, spent a few hours there, and then took another train to Perugia. It was disappointing because the weather was about as bad as possible - snow, rain, freezing cold...so we didn't really get the full impact of the beauty of the places we were seeing. And it wasn't exactly good photo-taking weather, so I only got a few decent ones. In Arezzo we saw many churches and many piazzas - the churches all beautiful and covered in frescos. Perugia is kind of on top of a mountain, so we took a "mini-metro," which was small and like a rollercoaster to the top. We went to a museum, but I split off from the group with the TA and we checked out some incredible frescos by the artist Perugino - definitely the most beautiful I've ever seen. Then we took the train straight back to Florence!

Assisi - 1.21

Inside the St. Francis Basilica

Lisa looking a little grim reaper-ish

The Duomo

Today we were walking to get books and we happened to walk right by the Duomo! It's amazing and only about 10 minutes walking distance.

Our Home

The kitchen at breakfast - there's an adorable garden right out the door.

The shower (still haven't gotten the hang of it...have to sit/kneel.) Showers aren't the strong point of Italy.

The living room & where we eat dinner when it isn't just Carla, Stefano (her 27 year old son) Lisa and me. So far we've had company every night but one!

Our bedroom. My pillow has boys on scooters all over it.

Hike to Fiesole

new scarves!

beautiful sunset

the group

checking out the view from the top

I spy kitties

with Carla

Today we got to sleep in and then go to the home of one of the host moms Carla is friends with and had the biggest lunch i've ever had. After that we all started the trek up to Fiesole (it was a group of 8 kids and 4 host moms.) We really had no idea what to expect - but soon we found out it was all steep uphill with few flat breaks, and about 2 hours just going up. It was pretty intense, but beautiful all the way which took our minds off the hiking. At the top there was a cool market with a bunch of different booths, and by the time we were done looking, we were able to catch the sunset from the top. Unfortunately that meant walking back down the steep path in the dark, but it was worth it. We rested a little when we got home and then a couple girls and their host mom came over for dinner - another 5 course meal and Carla was quite entertaining (she was wearing an all pink velour suit, so we played the pink panther theme song while she pranced around.) It was an amazing day!