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I love sunny warm happy Florence! The past couple of weeks have brought gorgeous weather to our little city on the Arno, and with the sun comes a happy Anna! =) After Paris I enjoyed a visit the following weekend from the lovely Becky. Pop over to her blog for a look at some of the photographs from that weekend. The Fulcher family + Zach also stopped by that weekend! I had so much fun with them, it was great to see them and I hope they enjoyed their Italian vacation.
After that was Easter. I remained in Florence for Pasqua and I ended up with a pretty nasty cold, but Easter morning was beautiful and well, interesting. The Florentines have this tradition dating back to Medieval times (everything in this city is old) where they have a parade on Easter morning. The parade--consisting of people in Renaissance attire, Renaissance flags, Renaissance instruments, etc.--starts by the Arno, makes its way through the streets of the historic center of Florence, and ends in front of the Duomo. Then, a giant cart covered in fireworks and pulled by oxen is brought before the doors of the cathedral. Inside the cathedral at the altar, a priest (or bishop or cardinal, someone holy) lights a paper-mache dove with the holy eternal flame and the dove is slingshotted into the cart which then proceeds to burst into flames and color.
My friend Sarah and I got to the Duomo pretty early so we were right in the front for the festivities. Although this allowed us a great view, it also put us right in the middle of the path of some errant fireworks and a cloud of red smoke. It was interesting though, and fun.
Ciao ciao,
Anna
Bonjour!
Haha, ok that is about where my French ends. I had a wonderful time this past weekend in Paris with the lovely Rebecca M. Bezaire. She gave me a glimpse into the typical life of a Parisian, something I've never had a chance to do before. Sure, there were some touristy moments (berets, Montmartre, Notre Dame) but there was also an abundance of just relaxing fun (yummy food, good company, strolling through the streets, etc.).
Overall it was glorious! I hope Becky has as much fun this weekend here in Firenze as I did in Paris. =)
*pictures to come!
Now, back to reading Italian in the form of Leonardo Sciascia.
Ciao ciao,
Anna
Well, I've been MIA these past weeks because of:
1-Midterms
2-Spring break with my family
3-Sleep
This is going to very short because I'm currently finishing up an Italian essay but suffice it to say, it was a great break and I already miss my mum, dad, and that bum named Kevin. We spent several days in Florence, a day exploring the Tuscan countryside, and three days in Rome, eating lots of pizza and gelato along the way. I hope they had a good time. =)
I will update more with photographs in the near future. However, I am headed a Parigi domani videre la mia amore...Becky!!! So, if it is another week before full posts are made please forgive me.
Ciao ciao,
Anna =D
Life since Rome has been pretty good and quite busy, hence the delay in posting. Midterms are fast approaching so this weekend is full of studying and momre studying. The light at the end of the tunnel is the arrival of my parents and Kevvy at the end of next week! =)
Last weekend I went to Siena and San Gimignano. Since visiting Siena in 2003, I've had a soft spot in my heart for this Tuscan town. Siena and Florence are probably my two favorite locations in Italy, and I am looking forward to taking my family there. The above photo is of the main square in Siena where they race horses twice a year. It's a pretty intense horse race, the whole town gears up for it several weeks prior to the race. Each neighborhood sponsors a horse and although the winner only gets bragging rights a trophy, it's a huge deal.
Now, for something unrelated to Italy, Hooray for The Departed and for Marty!!! We spent the first hour of my Italian class on Monday talking about the Oscars and then one of the theaters in Florence screened The Departed in english on Tuesday. My roommate, Katy, and I went and enjoyed a nice little slice of America.
Now I must return to studying.
A prossima volta,
Anna =)
Roma, Roma, Roma! Yes, I spent two of my three weekend days running around this remarkable city, trying desperately to soak it all in. I feel like my exhaustion yesterday meant that I was successful. Even though Florence has stolen my heart, I will always appreciate the grandeur of Rome.
My weekend commenced at 6am on Friday when I woke up. My group took a train to Rome, and we arrived around 9:30am. First up was the Vatican, where we waited in a 2/3 mile long line. On average, 17,000 people go through the Vatican museums a day. The wait wasn't excruciatingly long though, and we made it inside to see the collections, including the Laocoon sculpture, the Apollo Belvedere, Raphael's frescoes, and, of course, the Sistine Chapel.
After the Vatican museums we went into St. Peter's. Even though I had been there before, I was still impressed and a little overwhelmed at how huge this church is. Plus, Michelangelo's "Pieta" is absolutely gorgeous.
The rest of the day was spent running from place to place--the Spanish steps, la fontana di Trevi, la piazza Novuona, and the Pantheon. My friends and I ate at this cute little restaurant in between the piazza Novuona and the Pantheon. I had the best linguine al pesto! It was perfectly al dente and wonderful. We called it an early night around 11:30pm so that we could be well rested for the next day.
Saturday morning was spent on a walking tour of the ancient parts of Rome. Highlights included the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the ruins in the Forum. Again, even though I was seeing all of this for the second time, it was still interesting and beautiful. I can't wait to return with my family in March. My friends and I used our lunch break to grab some delicious coffee on the run and to make our way across town to La Bocca di Veritas. Let's just say, I'm no liar. =)
The afternoon was spent at the Borghese Gallery, looking at Bernini sculptures and Caravaggio paintings. Sadly, cameras weren't permitted inside so I don't have any photographs of the artwork, but the Bernini sculptures were amazing. I have never seen sculptures like them before. I could have spent hours gazing at them.
We ate a nice pizza dinner before getting on the train to come back to Florence. It was a great weekend, and since my coin made it into the Trevi fountain, I know I'll be going back.
ciao ciao,
Anna
Last night I went to see my first Italian movie or, rather, my first American movie dubbed into Italian. My original plan was to see "Little Miss Sunshine," since I've seen that film twice and wouldn't have to worry about understanding the plot. Instead, I could focus on the language. Well, Thursday was apparently the last day that movie was playing in all of Florence, so I ended up seeing "Blood Diamond." I hadn't seen this movie before, but I knew what the basic plot was going into the film, so I was able to focus most of my attention on the words. Overall, I got about every third word and short phrases/sentences. It was good though, and I'm glad I saw it. The more and more Italian I hear on a regular basis, the more and more I pick up. Today is filled with work and walking around the city for a bit. Most of my friends went to Rome this weekend (I'm headed to Roma next weekend with my Art History class) so I've been on my own for the most part, which I don't mind. Alright, my time is running out on my card (I'm in an internet cafe) so this post must end. Ciao tutti!-Anna
I finally added some photos so scroll back through my posts to get a visual, if you so desire.
Ciao Ciao!
-Anna =)
