fedorable.

GIORNO QUATTORDICI

La Citta di Fiesole

I slept great last night, but I always seem to wake up before eight ready to go!  So I resort to my Kindle to read before the roommates get up so we can get ready for a day trip of our own to Fiesole!  One of my favorite parts about the weekends is getting the chance to get out of Firenze for a little bit and explore some unknown territory!  When they all woke up, we started getting ready.  I planned this day around my fedora and when I walked out wearing that stylish hat looking all fresh, the term "fedorable" was coined.  It looks good on everyone.

I knew it was going to be a good day.  The sun was out, the weather was 100% perfect, and I had my hat!  We walked to the Tabaccheria next door to our apartment to buy bus tickets (always, always, always buy your bus tickets at a tabaccheria because you save money!!), then we walked to La Piazza San Marco (no to be confused with La Piazza San Marco in Venice... different place, and a much shorter walk!) where we had to catch bus number seven to Fiesole!  We had perfect timing, for it arrived right away and we rode north up in elevation for about twenty minutes to this adorable little town that overlooks Firenze.  I know it is common in the United States to stand for elderly, disabled, and pregnant people, which I am completely glad to do, but here in Italy it is a requirement.  You will get evil eyes if you sit.  This adorable old lady walked up, and I immediately stood for her to sit, but she still gave me a little attitude as if I hadn't seen her approaching soon enough.  Oh well, gestures of kindness are still appreciated somewhere! 

The view was amazing!  You could see all across the landscape, different on either side of the city.  On the northern side you could see far into the green fields and large Italian villas in the countryside and on the southern side, you could see all of Firenze; the soccer stadium, il duomo, and beyond.  It was truly quite a site to see.  The town itself was tiny and quaint.  All the buildings were the color of desert, their shutters a deep green, and terracotta roofs that looked out across the valleys.  The roads were so small and poppy flowers grew on the sides of rock walls like weeds.  Terraces full of potted plants and arches of flowers covered the city.  It just seemed like such a quiet and perfect place to live.  Out of all the places I have visited, I connected most to Fiesole.  It just seemed like a real place, where people actually lived and kids grew up.  There wasn't a minute of the day where you didn't hear the sounds of kids laughing.  Everything just seemed so pleasant and everyone did not seem to be as rushed as they are in Firenze.  Time moved a little slower there.

Whoa there!

We walked throughout the streets, up and down all these hilly roads for the best views of the landscape.  It is so much fun to just explore.  We climbed up this one hill that brought us to a park where we could look out to the actual town of Fiesole.  When you look up Fiesole on the Internet, one of the pictures that comes up looks like an old rock amphitheater... we tried to find it.  We searched all throughout the city and in the end we decided that it must be a part of the town's main museum.  I guess we will never know if we missed out, because we didn't go!  We did lots of other stuff though!  I went bull riding on a caterpillar and almost fell when it tried to buck me off... luckily I caught my hat before it blew away or there would be no more "fedorable-ness" around here.  We took group photos with self-timer; either cutting off Tarah's body or completely missing the view... I am no professional.  We scaled a hill with a pretty steep grade to a lookout point across the city and snapped a ridiculous amount of jumping pictures.  We practiced our "Beatles walk" (not to be confused with Oasis) across the busiest street in Fiesole, with style I might add... We walked through a residential area and came across a beautiful house that had broken glass pieces cemented into the top of the wall, for security or for looks I don't know, but it looked awesome.  I dig.

We ran down that town and realized that we were really hungry.  The only disappointing part of our day was the meal... it just wasn't that great, except for my bresaola, rocket salad, and Parmesan cheese sandwich.  Savannah and I shared a tortellini of some sort, which came out cold, undercooked, and bland.  Supposedly it had ham and a wine sauce on/in it, but that part of the dish was practically non-existent.  If you go to Fiesole, I recommend that you don't go to the Blu Bar and instead go next door to this restaurant that had pumpkin and cheese tortellini that sounded amazing!  We went the cheaper route, but maybe the tastier route would have been the wiser decision even if we hadn't felt as full afterward.  Therefore, to satisfy our need of something ACTUALLY delicious we (secretly... don't tell anyone) visited La Carraia Gelateria again when we got back to Firenze... uh oh.  Again... WORTH IT.  We justify it by all the walking that's involved!! We had to walk about a mile just to get there from the bus station and then we had to walk back plus, we walked ALL day up and down hills in Fiesole. We deserved it.  And a pat on the back for all our hard work really.  Anyway, when we got back to our apartment with full and happy stomachs we hung out thinking about how dessert first was, again, a great decision before heading to Moyo for apertivo.  On the way there I passed this guy on the street who stopped in his tracks and stared me down. It was a bit uncomfortable because I didn't know his intentions... I had just gotten money out of the ATM and I was NOT about to lose that.  Luckily he was just a creeper... a cute one at that and I let it slide.  If he were wearing a fedora he could have been "fedorable" too.  Moyo was fun... they had very different dishes on the buffet to try out and they would constantly bring out new plates with different foods to try each time.  It made the meal interesting and kept our taste buds on their toes.  Apertivo should happen in the United States.  It is such a fantastic idea!  Paying for a drink and then getting free buffet.  Genius!  Especially in a college town like Gainesville!

  
We spent about two hours in Moyo just talking and enjoying the nice night before we headed back to the apartment.  While just hanging out... me writing in my blog, of course, ALWAYS, the power went out.  Complete black out.  Still happening as we speak.  No power. What?  Ten o'clock on a Monday... YES!  Anyway... at least I know it will be dark tonight!  Buonanotte!                     

"Open my heart and you will 

see, Graved inside 

of it, "Italy."

-Robert Browning