Venezia, Italia.

Venice, Italy.

Because I am a smart little traveler, I checked the train stations for our travels to Venice and discovered that we weren’t in fact catching a train from the main station, but a teeny one a little further down. Trusty-hostel-owner printed off a little time sheet for us, and we managed to make it there the next morning quite alright. We had a bit of time to kill while waiting for our train, so I ate some kinder bueno. Once we got on the train, it was like a dream come true! It was a train of compartments! You know, straight up out of Harry Potter where there’s a long hallway and little separate compartments to sit in! So neat. SO. NEAT. Not so neat to be sharing a compartment with 2-3 slightly staring men, but such is life. The scenery outside was also amazing, and though previously I wanted to say it was the best, I have gone and changed my mind again and decided that Rome to Florence was in fact the most beautiful train ride ever. We got into the station in Venice, navigated to our hostel, which was a bit dark and musty feeling, but quite close to the train and bus stations, so definitely worth the downsides in order to easily catch our 5:45am bus to the airport on the morning of departure…

In any case, after dropping off our things, we set out to explore and eventually find some food. In fact, “exploring and finding food” sums up our entire two-day stay in Venice quite nicely, I think. Whereas Rome and Florence had been in the 50s, perhaps the 40s in Florence, Venice was barely above freezing. We layered up, snuck inside when we got too cold, and mainly just enjoyed dillydallying about the little city. It was magical, of course. The gondolas and personal boats and doors up against the canals, no cars or bikes, mask shops everywhere. It was really a pleasant city. I’d love to go back.

(ciaoooo!)
(Trying to stay in the sunshine and warmth..)
(Piazza San Marco)
(Laura is a genius and this photo of hers is awesome.)
(Lots of bridges. Lots of poses. Lots of poses on bridges..)(Really, really awesome bookstore whose name I forget :/)
(:))
(My parents think we look like sisters. Not all brunettes with glasses look like me...)
(so neat, so neat, so neat!)
(Another beaut' from Laura.)
(The end.)

Actually, thinking of Italy again, I’d love to go back to each city. Rome is still my favorite city in Europe (as of yet). I love Italian. It just seems so much more natural to hear and to speak than French (which was not at all a comforting feeling at the time). I love the food. I just overall had a blast on the trip, despite my mood swings and crankiness. It was a wonderful experience with friends as well, since I’d become so accustomed to traveling on my own. Even with snafus over where and when to stop and eat, what to see and do, and just about everything else, it’s so good to be with company when you’re seeing such beautiful things that you’ll remember the rest of your life. Because then you remember together. :)

Fin d’Italie.

<3

(Coming soon, an update about my “romantic weekend” to Paris with Laura which I’m fairly certain I never actually discussed on here, a breakdown of James’ visit over St. Patrick’s Day, a potential summation of my feelings/emotions at the present time, and some discussion for my future here in Europe for the next 51 days. 51 days until I take that flight home with my family.)

Firenze, Italia.

Florence, Italy.

Firenze. D: We hopped on a train to get to Florence from Rome. Most beautiful train I’d been on (at that point in time, anyway..) Lots of quality time with my mp3 player, in any case, and drifting off to sleep. In Florence, we ended up staying at this absolutely brilliant little hostel. The owner was an absolute gem; completely friendly, knowledgeable, full of tips, and we had breakfast in our room each morning. I remember being in a cranky mood which neither of my traveling partners particularly appreciated, especially as I didn’t want to go to any museums. I’m glad that they talked me out of it, however, because the Galleria dell'Accademia was pretty cool. Highlight was definitely David. THE David. He was pretty huge, honestly. I mean, there are lots of replicas of him, and photos, etc, etc, but mainly he is completely gargantuan when you get near to him and look up close. There was a lovely little room full of busts though, which I always really enjoy. Lots of medieval artwork as well. Overall, fine by me and I’m happy that Georgie and Laura made me go in.
Later that evening, we met up with Laura’s friends once more, who had taken a train in from Rome only an hour or so after us. We ate at a lovely little restaurant with delicious food and delicious waiters (;]) I can’t remember what I had exactly, or if I even knew what it actually was, but I do believe that Ruth and I agreed it was absolutely amazing. We parted ways, and it began to drizzle. Then began to actually rain. Georgie and I were sans parapluies. We somehow managed to get lost for at least a halfhour, walking in circles in the rain, stomping angrily or laughing hysterically or pretending knowledge of map-reading… In the end, we made it back to our hostel safely, if a bit soaked.

(Looking displeased about something...)

(And then terrified?)

(nomnomnomnomnom... dinner with Cara and Ruth!)

The following day, we decided to go to the market, buy some bread, meat, and cheese (and a delicious red pesto that Georgie picked out!) and head up to a huge green space on the map. Turns out, the huge green spaces were actually part of this museum + park thing, so we had to pay to enter, and though I was reluctant because I was quite frustrated with having to pay double because of my nationality despite having a full residence visa for France/EU, Georgie and Laura saved the day, as per usual, by being lovely and telling me we should do it. It was compleeeetely worth it. I really enjoyed the Giardino di Boboli.

(Sooooooooo cute!)

(More nomnomnom...)

(View from the garden.)

We ended up getting into one of the museums that exhibited some clothes of days gone by. Interesting, but we mainly went in for the bathrooms… Our lunch was yummy, we enjoyed the nice weather, sunshine, and blue skies, and then… Well, and then… I can’t quite remember. I would like to say maybe we just returned to our hostel to relax for a bit before heading out for dinner and gelato.

(Ponte Vecchio. Super famous.)(In front of the duomo.)

(Santa Maria del Fiore)

(CANNOLI, CANNOLI, CANNOLI. And a pistachio gelato + waffle for Laura.)

Ah! In fact, at some other point in the stay in Florence, we’d been navigating the markets in the morning.

(My market face. ... )

They were really neat, with lots of leather products. The one I specifically remember must’ve been in late afternoon, and I remember a lady selling pressed flower earrings. They were beautiful, but we ended up not buying any. I did, however, buy my first gelato that day.

(Mmm, fragola.)

We had dinner that night and then went out for gelato again.

(Very well mannered at dinner.)

:)

At the Gelateria, we were enjoying our ice cream when a couple came and sat next to us. They were obviously American, and I was so excited I could barely contain myself. It turns out they were with their daughter on a school trip. Got to chatting more, and it turns out they were from New Jersey, their daughter is going to West Chester in the fall, and the woman loved going to the VF outlets in Reading.. So coincidental! The next morning we had breakfast and made our way to the train station to get to Venezia!


(Once more, a bunch of these photos are actually Laura’s, so …credit where credit is due since they’re so beauteous!)

À bientot!

Roma, Italia.

So.

Laura, Georgie, and I have recenly returned from a week-long trip to Italy during our half-term break. (It was really a 'pause pedagogique' meant for studying, but...)


Our first stop? Rome:

Upon arrival, it was drizzley but mild. we set off from the Termini train station to find out hostel. It was a bizarre experience: we found my name on a note taped to the door of the address on the directions from the hostel's info. print out. The note told us to go to the nearby laundromat. Once there, a guy took us to another building and up some stairs to a tiny little apartment called "Rosa's B&B". Funny, considering our hostel was the "Korean Rome" or "Rome Korean" or something. All was well, and the hostel/B&B was fine, really, just... a bit odd to get that sorted.

We got settled and decided to find the tourist information center to acquire a map, but as we were then mapless, we went to the bookstore inside Termini and I studied the map in the back of a tourist guide. We set off and quickly became lost. after some grumpy confusion and walking around, we decided to return to Termini for a snack (McDonald's for the first time in Europe for me) and a map from a Tabacchi. Afterwards, we headed out for a wander, stopped at the Theatre Cafe for a drink, sat at the Trevi Fountain, and stopped in for pizza slices on the way to the Byron Cafe. We shared a bottle of wine and had a good chat before returning to the hostel for sleep.
Trevi Fountain.

Georgie, me, Laura.No idea why I look so displeased. I really enjoyed the fountain. And I really enjoy Georgie's company, too! ;)
With Georgie, this time looking much happier. As it should be..





On our second day, we learned it would be great and sunny, so we immediately walked to the Villa Borghese. It's an old estate that now houses art galleries, but is also a huge, green-y park. It was beautiful, just as Georgie had predicted, and we spent a long time basking in the warm sunshine...

Ferns make me think of dinosaurs...


Following the Villa Borghese, we traversed the city to the Pantheon. On our way, we passed through the Piazza del Popolo where Georgie found a wallet on the ground. After turning it in to the police (and waiting a good 20 minutes for them to finish looking through Laura's passport) we continued on our way, stopping off at the Spanish Steps and finally reaching the Pantheon, which is really an architecturally fascinating building. Grabbed a yummy panino at a small, busy shop run by one man and walked on to the Piazza Navona to see Bernini's Fonata Dei Quattro Fiumi and then to the Vittorio Emanuele II monument, which is huge, starkly clean-looking, and quite impressive. It happens to be located just at the edge of the Roman Forum and Coliseum, but, unluckily, both were closing just at our arrival. We spent time in before going out to dinner again that night.

With Georgie in front of the Pantheon, in our matching outfits.
One of Laura's great panoramic shots. From the Villa Borghese, looking down to Piazza del Popolo.
Spanish Steps.
Piazza Navona: Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi
Vittorio Emanuele II monument


Saturday morning, Laura, Georgie and I set off for the Vatican. we queued for more than a halfhour before entering the museums where we saw some great sculptures, very ornate ceilings, and, of course, the overcrowded Sistine Chapel. We moved on to St. Peter's Basilica, a building which I love for being so overwhelmingly huge and for containing such stunning sculpture, painting, and architecture on the inside.
Vatican Museums.Beautiful ceilings in the museums.
Really awesome lion.
Can't remember who this waaaaas...St. Peter's Basilica.
AHahahahahahahahahaha.
Outside in the Piazza, we then met up with two of Laura's close friends from home: Cara and Ruth. Both are also spending a year abroad, albeit in other countries. We had lunch while listening to some awful 12 year old learning her first song on the violin (or at least that's what it sounded like...) and then split off after agreeing to meet for dinner. Laura, Georgie, and I strolled along the Tiber after a stop off at Castel Sant'Angelo in order to return to the Villa Borghese for the afternoon. Dinner with Ruth and Cara was really great, and we wandered back to the Trevi Fountain.


On our last morning and early afternoon, we went to the Coliseum and Roman Forum together and enjoyed more beautiful weather and the end of our time in Rome!
Roman Forum
Gladiatorrrrrrrrrrrrsssssssssssssss.




So, there you have it. A brief recounting of our adventures in Rome. I've used several photos from Laura, and she's a brilliant photographer, so if any of them seem particularly excellent.... they're hers.

As this is a small selection of the numerous photos of our trip, feel free to check my facebook albums to see the rest!


Next update, coming very soon:
Florence.