Ciao Roma: Florence!

A lot has happened this weekend, although I'm sure I've forgotten like half of what's happened already because my brain is like the size of a pea, or something, and I have the worst memory ever. More of a reason to blog?

Saturday, we got up super bright and early, like 5 am, to catch the fast train to Florence. I was so tired. I swear I almost fell asleep standing. The train ride WAS really fast though, probably cuz I slept through all of it.

We got to Florence, aka Firenze (without the è). Florence seems so much cleaner than Rome. No graffiti. No silly cobblestones. Whiter buildings. I like it.

First thing: see the David. We wait in line for like two hours. Sydney got an amazing leather jacket. Daniel thinks she looks like a Russian Spy because of her hair... and the jacket. Seeing the David was pretty cool. He's set up at the end of the hall, so you walk in and he's just standing there, all perfect and stuff. According to Lisa, the way you're supposed to view the statue is from the side, so you're looking into his face and not straight on at his PERFECT body. He looks scared to me. Also, I've never noticed that he's holding a slingshot. I also just learned pretty recently that this was David-and-Goliath David, and not ... Random-person-who's-nice-looking David.

Next, we walk through this market place with all these stands set up with leather bags, belts, scarves etc. All pretty cheap, but I wasn't really in a shopping mood.

Later, we keep walked and find this amazing church. It's so beautiful and huge... I think it's called St. Maria... something? maybe? I'm probably really wrong, but we climb up the Duomo, which is this huge dome ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP. It's like 414 steps or something. The view up there is amazing. You can see all of Florence. I really wanted to parachute down from there. Also, I almost forgot. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Michelangelo's painting on the inside of the dome. The bottom is Hell and there's guys (and girls) being eaten by demons and raped by flaming rods. The next layer is like Heaven. And then on top there's a bunch of important looking guys. I was a bad person and jumped and touched the fresco.

So, we accidentally ended up leasing a penthouse apartment for a day, instead of the 'hotel' we expected. After a huge, long, confusing, stressful conversation with the apartment people... we got to our apartment. It was AMAZING. There was a HUGE TERRACE. HUGE! And we could see the amazing church from it. It was also in the middle of the city. We also had the COMFIEST bed and a really nice bathroom.

Emilio, Molly, Mauna, David, Sydney and Erik stayed the night with me. We walked around and had interesting, deep conversations about politics and later, immigration and whether or not the USA was really a melting pot society... etc.. Oh, honors kids. The view from the bridge is amazing.

Emilio, Sydney and I try to go out later and look for the night life. Too bad Florence doesn't have one, at all. Everything is deserted by 12am.

Next day, Sunday was pretty chill. Mauna, Sydney, and I go shopping. I bought a dress and a skirt from H&M, 2 scarves, and 2 banners.

We had amazing Indian food. I love Indian food so much. heart!

More shopping.

We go to Trattoria Zaza (or something like that for dinner). We went here yesterday and I got a cappucino and had free bread with vinegar and evoo. Today, I had spaghetti carbonara. It was sooo good. The plates here are so cute and have leopard print, zebra stripes or tiger stripes. cute.

Now, it's time to head out and take the slow train back. This was possibly the slowest train ever. We stopped at EVERY SINGLE dinky little run-down train station. I read some Trickster's Travels and slept alot. I think this was the first time I'd felt cold because of the AC.

Today, Monday, we visited the Jewish ghetto and the Jewish Museum. When we went in the mosque, all the guys had to wear yamacas(sp?). I think it's hilarious when poofy-haired people wear them, cuz it just kinda floats on top of their head.

There were menorahs on everything.

I saw an opera today! The Elixir of Love. It was cute and in a courtyard with lawnchairs! =D>

Joanna, I'm afraid of birds now... or atleast the ones that fly over me. I'm afraid I'm gonna be pooped on AGAIN. (oh, and I'm also afraid of those crows that kind of stare and walk towards you at UW. =[ )