First week down and I don't even want to dampen the mood by saying how many we have left. That's partly because I don't want to see the end of this phenomenal semester, and that's partly because I don't actually know. Classes have started, and sometimes I wonder if the teachers here realize if we are studying abroad. The workload is definitely noticeable, and I have spent time already pouring over books trying to stay ahead of the game. My class schedule isn't that bad, with each day starting at 1030am. Somedays like tuesdays suck because I end at 6, but on my Wednesdays I have one class and am done by noon, which should either allow me to go see at least one museum then or take a day trip to one of many small towns around Florence. I did sneak a picture of my Italian professor, Mara, who is quite possibly the most animated and cute lady I have ever had the opportunity of studying under. She speaks little English, and always comes in with a bright and engaging attitude and attempts to teach us Italian. We butcher the rolling R's, the pronunciation sometimes couldn't be worse off, and our conversations are rudimentary at best with "Di Dove Sei" (where are you from?) and "Quanti Anni Hai" (How old are you?). But it is ok. I have already given tourists directions, and I have had conversations with people in bakeries and gelateries so it has become to come to fruition. The best conversation I had was with an Asian American family that was clearly on vacation and had gotten lost. They picked me out of all the people that were chilling on the steps of the Duomo and asked in english were the Ponte Vecchio was. I just pretended to be italian and not know any english and began saying random phrases like di dove sei, quanti anni hai, and mi chiamo sandy (my name is sandy). They looked utterly befuddled, but to calm their fears I said "I'm just kidding here is how you get there." That is what they get for racially profiling about one hundred people and picking the only asian out to help them.
Shenanigizing in the back with Dan and Rutali but managed to snap a picture of Italian during class
The next day, which happened to be the first of september, Rutali, Dan, and I woke up early and headed down to Santa Maria Novella. That is where the bus station is, and we went there to get student bus passes. This way, we can ride the bus unlimited times after paying an inital fee of €23 in addition to getting our student ID cards made which cost €9. I was lucky and didn't need to get a passport photo taken, unlike Rutali, who decided to not only get hers taken at the train station, but also take some pictures that people left at the machine. She therefore has pictures of about 5 people that she will attempt to hunt down, and, in a dark alley, give them back their pictures. But anyways, since we woke up early and got to the bus station before most other kids woke up, we were fortunate enough not to have to wait in line. Also, what made the process easier was the fact that one of the bus station managers in charge of this process knew english. He didn't have to walk us by the hand at all; in fact, he just filled everything out for us. Since we now have these prized possessions, we can ride the busses without having the trouble of buying more tickets or validating any tickets. It turns out that there isn't a strict validating sense in Florence. However, take this with caution. When I say that, I mean that there isn't someone on the bus that watches you validate to make sure. Rather, they have plainclothes people sitting there with a badge that says they are with the bus company. Once the doors close, they wait a few seconds then walk around and will say can I see if you validated your ticket or not. If you did you are fine and they are really nice. But if you didn't validate, you will incur a €50 fine. That's hefty to say the least. I haven't been checked yet, but because I overhead someone on the bus say that they have been checked 4 times, it seems foolish not to. But this bus pass will definitely make life easier.
The Honeymoon Continues
The Cathedral of Siena
The Piazza Del Campo
Our tour guide showing us the annual palio and how packed the Piazza del Campo gets
Getting lunch at Gino Cacino's Sandwich Shop
A Picture with Gino Cacino himself
Best deal of the trip: for €6: Bread, Turkey, Mozzarella, Pesto, Tomatos
The view from where we were eating
Turn your head to the right while eating
Siena at its finest and quietest
I Love You, Man
Italians and their pasta
Nutella can that's bigger than my head
Girl making exotic candles in front of us
Ricciarelli found in a food magazine shot by me
Shot cafe, and I couldn't get through one drink. Fail.
Lion mural on the wall
Shot cafe
Pitti Palace, in front of the Boboli Gardens
Earl providing refreshment for Monish before going into the Gardens of Boboli
Earl's Camera falls, battery pops out, falls into gutter. Let the madness begin.
Our appropriate response to the emergency: chill out.
Team Macgyver: Sandals, Keys, Gum
Entering the Pitti Palace
Entrance into the Boboli Gardens
First view in Boboli Gardens
Scenic Overlook over Florence
Scenic Overlook behind the Gardens and into Residential Florence
Turn your head to the right.
Leonardo DiCaprio would have been proud
Another view of Florence
Artsy. Tisch-bound.
Boboli Gardens? Check.
Walking over the Arno River at night. Bottle of wine at the Arno?
Standard breakfast: €0.70 for a delicately toasted, lightly flaked pastry filled with nutella on campus at Villa Ulivi
One favorite: €3.50 for Doner Kebab - Tortilla, Lamb, Lettuce, Tomato, French Fries, White Sauce, Hot Sauce
New standard dinner option added: €4.00 - Burrito with Chicken, Greco Salad, Lettuce, Salsa, and Guacamole
Another reason why Rutali is creepy: sketching me while I'm passed out for class. The sketch came out amazingly.
Maybe you can have it all.
The Usual Suspects. Armed with wit and incredibly dangerous...ly lost most of the times
The rest of the week went without too much of a hitch, although there is a picture of Rutali sketching me while I am passed out hers and Vidisha's couch. That will be uploaded the next post since Rutali has this picture. But after Thursday, a couple of us cooked dinner with the queens of the kitchen known as Rutali and Vidisha and again it was an epic feast on the cheap. One night we cooked three large bags full of pasta and we ate all save two bites, which ended up on Dan's head after Blessie wasn't having any of mine and Dan's macho talk about guys chilling after dinner while the women cleaned up. Needless to say we all laughed after Blessie walked around the table with a plate of penne and dumped it all on Dan's head. The next night we cooked Mexican food and we all had to undo our belts.
Queen of the Kitchen, Squadush!
Mexican Food and Cesani: white wine, dry, serve chilled, aromatic
After dinner, we went to a park in Piazza Santa Maria Novella where many Florentines came to either lounge, smoke, or eat gelato. We decided to do the same, and Blessie and Vidisha found this time to be the most optimum to...dump grass on my head. I let it go since Vidisha sat on my back which eased some of the pain that has been forming since my bed is incredibly soft and I am used to a much harder mattress.
Chia Pet
I also was able to find the famous Il Porcellino statue in Marketo Nuovo. This Wild Boar cast bronze statue has had its nose rubbed by millions of tourists. What you do is put a coin in its mouth, where it proceeds to drop into a gutter. Then, you rub the nose and make a wish. At least that's how it should happen or was how I was told how to do it.
My First Instinct was to jump on it...like Timon on Pumba
After that night, which we decided to turn in early because of our next day trip to Siena, we went to bed in a nice, air conditioned room which is definitely a luxury.
We woke up and hustled to the bus station at Santa Maria Novella and got on our tour bus. The views on the way were amazing. It was a quick trip, and I played chinese poker (big 2) with Monish, Roshni, and Salman. I was told Roshi was a cheater, although she didn't seem to cheat too well this time since she didn't win that often. After a few games, we decided to call it quits and take a nap. I haven't taken my iPod with me, for fear of losing it. I definitely missed its presence on the bus ride. I just rehashed a few John Mayer songs in my head and I passed out. I woke to find that we had arrived at Siena.
Welcome to Siena: Florence without the Pick-Pocketers
View on the way to Siena
We met up with a tour guide who decided to dress in all purple and, with a microphone attached to her head, had a speaker on her waist that looked like a gadget that was half a megaphone, half a fanny pack. It was interesting listening to her talk, and Sid pointed out, "What if you gave a tour of your hometown? I'd be like...this is WaWa, where we go to buy hoagies.." She walked us around the city, pointing out the oldest bank in Siena which used to lend out money at up to 400% interest! We also learned of the immense pride in each contrada, or ward. Each one is represented by a different animal, and has its own neighborhood boudnary. The rivarly culminates in the annual Palio, or horse race in the main piazza, the Piazze del Campo. We walked down windy Siena streets that were filled with tourists and Florentines, and it truly was Florence, scaled down, and without the fear of pickpocketers. The tour ended in the main piazza, the Piazza del Campo, where we saw a picture of how intense the race is every year. The banner for the winner is a huge honor and the flag of the contrada that wins is literally placed everywhere in Siena. We couldn't walk down an alley or road and not see one hanging. This year it was the She-Wolf, which is of no particular importance to us or holds no special meaning. But it was definitely interesting to see how many flags were flying around. We also stopped along the main church in Siena, the Duomo, or Cathedral of Siena, and the oldest hospital in Europe, which was right across from it. For lunch, while most people it seemed went to a place that served Chef Boyardee on a plate, Monish, Earl, Komal, Dan, Blessie, and I went and found this place called Gino Paccino, a famous sandwich shop. For €6, which seemed to be the biggest deal of the day, I got a sandwich that had Turkey, Mozzarella, Pesto, and Tomato. It also was accompanied by a picture with Gino, the owner and it seemed celebrity of some importance (measured by how many kilometers outside Siena he was known, which turns out to be in the thousands), and a phenomenal view. After that, we just walked around some more and found Ricciarelli, a pastry that Siena is renown for. It only cost us €1 euro each, and we enjoyed two pieces on a bridge that looked onto the Cathedral of St. Catherine. After that, we headed back for the bus, where we all proceeded to pass out until we got back to Florence. Here's the photo version of our trip:
The Cathedral of Saint Catherine, who's preserved head is inside!
Our Purple Tour Guide, and the contraption is seen here: half megaphone/half fanny pack
Oldest Bank: interest rates now at 400% Apply inside.
Cathedral of St. Catherine from the other side
Walking into a random area
After we got back, we headed to the train station to see if we could get tickets to Cinque Terra. While we wandered around trying to figure out the details, we found out that there was a regional strike on the rail lines, and the line that we would have taken for €20 round trip was on strike and it would end up being €20 one way. We all figured it was too much and would save it for another day. Quite dismayed, we went back to Vidisha's and Rutali's, where we had hamburgers. At first, I rejoiced because I thought we were going to engorge ourselves with red meat. But the sinking realization that everyone at dinner were vegetarians killed any hopeful dreams I had of consuming meat at dinner. The patties were made out of potatoes that I mashed. Clearly I was the vital sous chef or else the entire meal would have fallen apart. After dinner, we decided to go to Shot Cafe because Sid was VIP there and knew the bartender there. We all ordered a strawberry drink, and while we were sipping them, which were incredibly strong, he gave us free limencello shots. It is definitely a place we will frequent more often. The only sad thing is I was the only person out of Salman (can't drink because of Ramadan), Vidisha, Sid, Monish, and Rutali, that couldn't finish their drink. In fact, I struggled to get to half. Maybe next time I'll make it to 3/4 of the drink.
The next day, we all woke up after noonish and had no plans, so we decided to go to Boboli Gardens. Located on the south side of the Arno, it is the personal property of one of the main Medici family members way back when. We trekked over instead of taking the bus because the weather was very agreeable, and taking advantage of our free Museum passes, got our tickets for the gardens for free. However, once we reached the Pitti Palace, which is the entrance to the gardens, Komal slipped and fell. Only that wasn't all. She dropped Earl's camera, which hit the ground, popped out and the battery fell out and into a rain gutter. Game Over. Only Zainab, Earl, and Komal's Macgyver senses kicked in and used a keychain, two sandals, and gum to somehow fetch it out. While they were doing this, I was tanning and chilling because that was what I felt to be the appropriate response. Monish, Salman, Roshni, and I decided to play some Chinese Poker or Big 2 or whatever name you feel like calling it. It has definitely become the game of our semester. We have played that game in many different places, and is definitely a great time killer. After Team Macgyver somehow got the battery out and rejoiced, we decided it was now appropriate to go into the gardens before they somehow closed. Walking through the gorgeous open air palace, we all felt utterly bewildered. Once we walked seemingly unpronounced steps and into the gardens, all of our jaws dropped. The gardens were absolutely gorgeous and huge, and it turns out that we only saw about 5% of it. A repeat trip is definitely in order. I walked around with Roshni, Salman, Monish, Sid, and Zainab. It was just one scenic overlook after another, and many Florentines were just relaxing, laying out, and tanning in the gardens. We just walked around and enjoyed the gardens, statues, and the scenic overlooks. After a few hours, the place closed and forced us out. We ate at Dante's a place that is student friendly because it offers you one free drink and no cover charge, or coperto. This is usually a fee that restaurants charge instead of paying a tip. It's almost impossible to avoid, so when you find somewhere that doesn't charge it, it's like eating without paying tip. Always a money saver. We walked back and enjoyed Florence at night. It is definitely getting cooler and the temperature is much more agreeable. We don't sweat nearly as much as before, and the cool crisp air makes going out during the day to run errands not seem as impossible as they did before.
Blessie, "I like it in here. It's cozy."
Boosting Squadush so she could pick the statue's nose
Another end to a week and I figured I'd show you what we usually eat. For breakfast, Rutali, Dan, and I always spend €0.70 to get a nutella pastry that is usually warm and always heavenly. It is absolutely the best breakfast food ever. For lunch, we usually cross the abyssal ravine that is the center of our campus and walk to Bar Lidia, a small family run sandwich shop that always has fresh ingredients and cheap prices. I usually get a medium sandwich which is two small sandwiches, for €5.00. However, a small sandwich will totally suffice, and I usually get either Tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella, and Pesto or Tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella, and Olive Oil. I'm totally getting my fix of TB sandwiches out here. It's lovely. And for dinner, since we usually cook or find somewhere cheap, we either get Doner Kebab, which for €3.50 is a middle-eastern burrito of sorts and consists of tortilla filled wiht lamb, white sauce, hot sauce, lettuce, tomato, and french fries. However, we have found a much better meal at Eby's where we usually go for late night wine and nachos. For €4.00 we get burritos that have your choice of two main ingredients(my first one was chicken and Greco salad which had feta cheese, tomatos, and celery, and cucumbers) and lettuce, salsa, hot sauce, and guacamole. The best way to top this off is to get €1 gelato, which is literally 50 steps away. 16 flavors, and 3 down, I have tried the Coffee, the Chocolate Macadamia nut, and the Cookies and Creme flavor. I will definitely let you know which one is the best.
Standard Lunch: €3.90 Sandwich of Tomato, Buffalo Mozzarella, and Pesto
Eby's...we are VIP by now she loves us
What Better way to end a meal with Gelato? 16 flavors
Even better reason to come here: €1 gelato!
During the week, I'll usually be in class, although I plan to climb to the top of the Duomo on thursday. Also, this weekend we are planning on going to Cinque Terra and Venice. Hopefully it all works out, and I'll be sure to save you a seat on the train there.
Brendan James - All I Can See
"The revolution of the earth around the sun
Is the perfect lesson of how it should be.
So if i cannot learn
To journey and return,
To never rest till I've seen all I can see... "
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