john mayer.

Well, in 2 words I can pretty much describe my weekend... JOHN MAYER!

Considering it was practically my first real concert, besides seeing Britney Spears in the 4th grade... "Oops I did it again" style, it was a pretty great concert to start off my music run on.  He was perfect.  Although rumor has it he has had difficulty with his throat & singing, he reached those high notes & sang almost all the class favorites in that sultry John Mayer way.  You know how he stares at you with that little quirky smile... his style is intoxicating. 

Anyway, it was very cool to see him in action after listening to his music for years now.  Growing up it was one of the few CDs in circulation that my mom actually liked.  You know... the old school "Room for Squares" album that had some of the best songs (Your Body is a Wonderland, 83, My Stupid Mouth...).  I grew up with John Mayer getting stuck in my head, seeing him rise to fame, watching my parents go to his concert (jealous of course because I didn't even get an invite... hint hint).  But I have gotten over my raging jealousy because... (drum roll please) I finally got my turn!

It was definitely worth the wait, but I was still hoping he'd sing some more of his oldies but definitely goodies.  Believe me... I was more than happy just to be there, watching him jam.  I never understood how talented he actually was at the guitar.  You know the songs & you hear the instrumental parts, but I never sat back & thought about his playing.  He was GREAT--playing behind the back, playing like we were listening to the song in fast forward, & playing long rhythmic solos.   (The way the camera zoomed in on his hands was like watching the "Titanic" all over again... if you've seen it, you'll understand).

I never understood why miss Chloe Briscoe was always so OBSESSED with John Mayer, but now I get it all.  It's all in the music & it's even better live.

Besides him playing my personal favorite, Your Body is a Wonderland (which he sang looking directly at me, of course!!), he did a few covers; including another one of my faves, Don't Stop Believing!  I didn't know how much I would like his concert at first since I wasn't super caught up with his newest album, but it was fantastic... even the new stuff.  I just kind of jammed & swayed along (pretending to know the words) with the music.  I didn't want it to end. 

Met some lovely EPhi Kappas :)

You can tell John ( I can call him that... right?  I think we have that kind of relationship) is a smart guy with those deep, beautiful lyrics, & he had a few wise things to say that reminded me of my blog: he spoke about how when he was younger he always thought about the future, how old he was & constant everyday worries, but now he just thinks about how it is great just being alive & awesome.  It sounds familiar, right?  Sounds a whole lot like "living in the moment..." huh?  I knew John would quote me one day... just didn't realize it would happen so soon!

Anyway... the weekend was in a nutshell, PERFECT! Besides the Gators losing, which we WILL NOT discuss.  

And a big shout out to Chloe Scott & family & friends for providing me with food & shelter during the weekend!! Thank you so much, it was great!

Ciao-Ciao.

the calm before the storm.

GIORNO VENTUNO
I like to call today the "Calm Before the Storm" because it was truly exactly that.  This morning was beautiful!  I woke up around eight thirty and Danielle and I went for a great run toward the western side of Firenze that we had not seen yet.  Along the Arno, we passed the American Embassy (good to know) and some new Piazzas before crossing the bridge to a nice running path under some trees.  Today we got a "bravo" instead awkward glances!

The day was completely blue, barely any clouds in the sky and warm!  After showering and putting clean clothes on, Danielle, Christina, and I went out to San Lorenzo Market to look at all the leather goods and hopefully make a good purchase!  First we stopped at this sandwich place called Antico Vinaio for lunch.  The best sandwich ever!  I put a sweet pepper sauce on it with arugula fresh mozzarella and spicy salami!  It was huge and delicious!  I love food way too much... Allora, I was on the search for a black leather jacket because I had always wanted one and Italy is the perfect place to find good leather.  We checked out some of the stores behind the tented goods and different vendors who told us students get 50% off.  Now I know you usually don't listen to those type ploys, but this was legit!

My new best friend.

I finally walked into a leather shop, called Palletteria Zip, and tried on a few jackets until I put one of that spoke to me.  You know when it feels right.  The vendor told me he would sell it to me for 50% off the original price, which was two hundred euro.  NO!  Who has that kind of cash lying around anyway?  We worked out a deal with him until he continued lowering the price until it was a good deal.  He wasn't happy, but I was!  The thing about a leather jacket is that you aren't buying it to last a couple of years... it is an investment that you have to love and want for a long time.  My jacket was a great investment!

After walking out of the shop, feeling like a champ, we headed toward the shoes so Danielle could see which style she preferred when out of no where the calm dissipated and some storm swept in.  Every day the weather apps have been lying about the weather... it usually says 90% chance of rain and it NEVER does.  Today was the first time it told the truth.  Not only did it rain, it poured, and there was a great deal of thunder and lightning too!  The main difference between Italian rain and Florida rain is that in Italy, the rain is freezing!  How could it go from beautiful to rainy so fast?

Christina forgot her umbrella because we aren't used to the weather being right, so I let her use mine since she had to meet her dad's friend for lunch and I had to take off my shoes because I was wearing my white lace TOMs.  Rookie mistake.  So there was the three of us... running through Firenze.  Me shoeless hanging between Christina and Danielle's umbrellas to stay dry as we searched for the restaurant she had to meet the man at.  We got lost.  Of course.  After finding the restaurant, Danielle and I headed back to the apartment.  I have never been so drenched.  I looked like a wet cat...

The sunset looking over the Arno

   

When we got back, we drank some warm drinks and relaxed for a while before Danielle and I went to Conad to pick up some stuff for dinner!  We wanted to make more of those homemade pizzas with the balsamic caramelized onions and salami!  Again, it was a success!  After dinner we decided to hike up to Piazza Michelangelo to watch the sunset!  It was harder today to hike up tehre because it is finally getting hot here in Firenze and we were for once dressed warmly... usually we are freezing over here!

A man was playing classic acoustic songs that us Americans could actually sing to and the night was perfect... except for the flies that seemed to just attack Christina.  They seriously were swarming here.  As you can see, even all the way in Italy, everyone is still cheering for the Florida Gators with an orange and blue sunset!  Forza Gators!

When we got back Danielle made us a banana and Nutella tort!  I don't know what I did to get so lucky, but she is da bomb and she is the best!  Anyway, now we are going to Kikuya (of course) to meet Tarah and Savannah's parents!  Tomorrow... another school day, meh!  At least we are in Italy!

So grateful... how can you not be when you look at a perfect sky like that?

Ciao-Ciao!    

blown away.

DAY TWELVE

The beautiful sea glass colors of Murano in the morning

As I stated in the last post... I woke up freezing.  Italy, why?  Oh well, at least my sleep was AWESOME (no sarcasm! Seriously!)!  Anyway, the hotel provided us a skimpy, but free breakfast before we left for another full day of Murano and Venice!

The ferry took us straight to Murano where we watched a man blow glass.  I originally read that part of the tour on the itinerary and blew (no pun intended) off because it sounded boring.  But boy was I wrong.  It was so cool, I was blown away!  I never knew how/what blowing glass meant.  They actually blow the glass and form it into vases and bowls!  It was crazy.  Even cooler, the man formed the glass into a horse!  Yes. I meant what I wrote... A HORSE!  And it was perfect.  I can't even... wow.  I wish I had taken pictures, but it all happened too fast.  He formed that horse in less than a minute!  Pure talent.
 

After that we had about an hour to walk around tiny, tiny Murano.  It was a very small town that literally based it's income off of glass, glass, and more glass.  All "made in Murano!"  The glass was actually really beautiful, but was very expensive and awfully difficult to carry, so I passed on all the pretty plates, chandeliers, and picture frames in colors of the sea.  It was an adorable little town, but there truly isn't a need to go back.  ALL WE WANT IS MORE VENICE!

Frolicking.

Today we got four straight hours just to frolic in the streets of Venice!  We walked immediately to this adorable little shop called, Oysho, where they sold these cool pants for super cheap!  And as you may know... I NEEDED pants!  We spent a long time in there trying o EVERYTHING in the store since it was all so cute.  Gah!  I love European clothing and I love being a current resident in Italy!  It just feels so right even though I am still struggling with my Italian.  "Build it, it will come."  Maybe?  Just look at me in Italy... don't I look like a native?  Don't answer that.  *Tourist*  

I guess the only thing that doesn't feel right for the other girls is the lack of American food.  They were craving hamburgers and French fries, so we had to dine at The Hard Rock Venice for lunch.  We stomped through puddles, dodged scary pigeons, and scaled bridges to find it!  Now... I am pretty sure I haven't eaten at a Hard Rock in about four billion years so I didn't really know what to expect in terms of expenses, but you have to remember, we are in VENICE so of course it is going to be ridiculously priced.  As is everything.  How do people eat in this city?  Is that why everyone is so skinny?  It can't only be because everyone smokes!  And when I say everyone... I mean everyone!  They all smoke.  It is as if they learn it in school or something because it is ingrained in all Italians and Europeans.  They just live it because it is all around them.  It is so gross, but it is a part of their culture that I have to accept over my stay here, unfortunately.

The meal was actually really enjoyable.  I don't know if it because I was starving (which I was), if I just really love pulled pork (which I do), or if I just really was craving American food, but I ate it ALL!  We lounged about for a long while, soaking up the Americaness of it all and people watching (of course).  There were these two girls on the trip with us who showed up at one point to eat and I was astounded at how much they wasted (money and food).  They both ordered two of what appeared to be a pina colada, hamburgers and fries, two sides of macaroni, and a potato skins to share.  They finished like 10% of it all.  Disappointed.

Bird on the arm... they just jump on you.

Anyway... Venice was almost complete by the end of the day and we were all ready to return to Firenze.  It was overall a productive experience because it is such a different city.  As we we were headed back to the boat dock to catch the ferry we all did something pretty vile... we played with the pigeons.  I know you aren't supposed to, but it happened and I don't regret it.  It was kind of cool even though I know my Dad has a vendetta against them because they seem to always choose to "do their business" on him in almost every country we visit.  Don't know why... but it's kind of funny (sorry Dad, but you know it's funny!!).  Anyway, if you just reached out your hand, they would all just fly up and land on your arm hoping to get crackers or bread.  They are obviously used to being fed, even though it is technically illegal.  Eh, we did it anyway!

So... four-thirty turned into five and our ferry still had not arrived.  I guess five o'clock is rush hour for boats too... who knew?  We waited for a little longer, as the docks became more and more crowded with people trying to get out and boats trying to get in.  It was a mess.  Finally we got on the ferry and headed back to the bus for our long trip home.  I slept most of the way, but woke up just in time to see our drive into Firenze.  It was beautiful because the sun was setting and the fog was weaving in and out of the beautiful lush green hills that surround the city.  It was a cool drive because tunnels are just built into the mountains and the roads are so curvy.  Luckily we weren't on any major cliffs because the speed limit is always pretty fast and that would be terrifying in a giant bus.  Home sweet Firenze! 

Sorry for a rather boring post today!  It is pretty late here and I have to get to sleep!  Hopefully the roommates and I will visit the Uffizi Museum tomorrow for a greater taste of Firenze!  We are gone so much that is it important to step back and actually experience what is right in front of us!  Buonanotte!

PS: Here are a few more pictures from today that I just liked, but had no where to put!

you're gunna miss me when i'm gone.

DAY ELEVEN
I don't know if it was because I ate coffee gelato at night or because I was SO excited to be going to Venice the next morning, but Thursday night was probably one of the worst sleeps (if you can even call it that) I have ever had.  I got into bed before midnight, but didn't actually sleep until well after four-thirty.  And in that span of over four hours, I scared three people in my apartment who thought I was a creeper.  I was always in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I was pegged as robber/serial killer.  I guess I have been talking up Dexter a little too much lately... sorry Tarah!

Well anyway, we woke up at six-thirty to catch the bus to Venice!  I was so excited about going because in my family travels to Italy in the 1990s, we had never made it to Venice, and the movie "The Italian Job" just made the city on water look amazing!  As we drove north for four hours, the sunny Firenze weather slowly deteriorated into rainy and dreary, yet abnormal Venice weather.  "Piove a dirotto!"  Not only was it "raining buckets," but it was windy as well... to the point where you couldn't have an umbrella because it would invert itself constantly!  (Thank you mom for making me bring that stupid disposable poncho!) 

All I can say is that working with both Adventure Treks and Camp Pinnacle over the last couple of years has taught me a few things: 1.  You can NEVER NEVER EVER delta the weather... it is going to do what it is going to do, and you can't change it. 2. When you're stuck in a rainstorm and it is really easy to be miserable... DON'T because it is so much more fun just to have a dance party and smile it off because you might as well make the most of it!  There is ALWAYS a bright side... you just have to find it!

Inverted... unhappy.

When we got off the bus for the ferry to Venice, there was so much rain.  We all looked like gnomes in our ponchos and hooded rain jackets.  We all ambled down the path to the ferry... some running others tiptoeing through puddles.  The ferry was warm, but left most people with that angry face... you know the one that says, "Why am I here? And there is no way they are making me get off this boat!" Well... they made us get off.

Everyone was seemingly miserable, but there was definitely a bright side... we were in VENICE and it wasn't thundering/lighting out!  How cool is that?  Well... I thought it was pretty cool.  The waves were huge and splashed over the curbs(?) (considering the waterways are their streets!) and filled the pathways.  We were walking over bridge after bridge over the greenish water to find Piazzo San Marco, Venice's most famous square that houses the Church of St. Mark and very expensive stores, restaurants, and on this day a swimming pool of ankle deep water!  It was a trap!  We had about an hour to kill before we had to meet up with the group again for a tour, so we looked for Harry's Bar, which is the bar where Ernest Hemingway would write his books back in the day.  We should have known something was amiss when we walked in because the waiters were all dressed in white tuxes, while we were scantily clad with our ponchos, wet hair, and Chacos.  They brought us upstairs (where the ugly people sit) and we looked at the menu in disbelief... I could have fed a small country with the price of single Peach Bellini (16 euro) or a slice of chocolate cake (25 euro).  I settled with one of the cheapest things I saw on the menu, a cappuccino, and drank that while I snuck cookies into my mouth while the men in tuxes were not on the prowl.  I felt cheap, but I also liked it because my cookies were already paid for!

Carrie, Emily, Danielle, & Me Gator chomping

Looking at the Rialto Bridge

In the distance we could see some blue sky peeking out from behind the monstrous clouds.  There was hope!  So Danielle and I went to San Marco to meet up with the group for the walking tour.  At this point, the weather seemed to completely change... Italian weather must be bipolar because it can change several times before I have even made a decision on what flavor gelato I would like (no exaggeration... well maybe a little, but you get the point).  Anyway, let me start off with Venice is awesome.  It is the one place I have been that truly matched my expectations (besides the cleanliness).  The roads were waterways and canals that snaked through the city.  All dead ends ended with a canal and the buildings were all naturally old with old brick showing through behind the colorfully painted facades.  Everything seemed surprisingly real to me.  It was beautiful.  Unfortunately, it is a city that is falling to the sea... they need pylons to secure the heaviest buildings and the water level continues to rise.  Also, one day Venice will be a ghost town only filled with curious tourists because it is too expensive and difficult a lifestyle to live anymore.  The population is quickly dwindling as people grow up and move a way to a more convenient city.

The tour led us all throughout the city and up to the famous Rialto Bridge.  The waterways were filled with the classic gondolas and their gondoliers, as well as an excessive amount of trash.  I guess when you live on an island you have to dump your trash (sewage) somewhere... ew.  It is FORBIDDEN to swim in the water, for health reasons.  If I were to follow any law, it would probably definitely be that one.  That water had seen better days.  It didn't detract from my love of the city though, because there was a quaint charm about it, once you escaped the tourists hogging San Marco, of course.  I feel like I could live there... it just seemed perfect.  I could tell on our tour guide's face how much he loved Venice.  he grew up there and knew nothing different.  How cool would it be to grow up in a place like Venice?

Well anyway, when the tour finally ended, Tarah, Savannah, and Christina and Danielle and I met up to walk around for a bit on our own before heading back to the ferry.  We walked around semi-aimlessly until we reached the bridge and took an excessive amount of pictures as did an excessive amount of other tourists.  There is no patience in a tourist's trap like the Rialto Bridge.  But it was worth the elbows and umbrellas to the face because the view down the Gran Canale was absolutely gorgeous.  The sun was at a perfect shinning position over the water, the boats and gondolas were in complete action, and the colorful homes on the side looked beautiful.  You can't not like Venice.  Wait, was there a raging storm two hours ago?

I don't know if you remember the part of "Pitch Perfect" where Anna Kendrick went to the audition for the "Bellas" and sang that song while playing with the cup.  Well that song became the theme song of our ENTIRE time in Venice.  It was more than stuck in our minds, it was ingrained into them.  We couldn't stop singing it.  If you don't know what I am talking about, check out this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhECTE2-Oqc --THAT SONG!  It is addictive.  I will apologize for getting it stuck in your mind now.  "Oh, I know you're gunna miss me when I'm gone."

"To build a city where it is impossible to build a city is madness in itself, but to build one of the most elegant and grandest of cities is the madness of genius."
-Alexander Herzen 

"It is held by some that this word VENETIA signifies VENI ETIAM, that is, come again, and again, for however oft you come, you will always see new things, and new beauties."
-Jacopo Sansovino

 

Once our time was up, we headed back to the ferry and climbed on.  The only part of the day that was actually efficient was the process of pulling out of the dock and boating to the mainland.  Other than that the day was a cluster of mishaps because of the rain.  Oh well, it turned out great!  We shared the channel back to the mainland with beautiful, multi-million dollar yachts and cruise ships docked along the coast.  Once back to the bus, we drove a very short distance until reaching the hotel, which was a very bazaar-looking establishment adorned with a Las Vegasy-esque feel to it.  It was sort of comical.  We quickly got settled and waited until we were we scheduled to meet downstairs to walk to the"very close" dinner reservation.  It was NOT close.  Fifteen minutes later, in the freezing cold we strolled up to a restaurant in the middle of what seemed to be a ghost town.  I did not pack appropriately for Italy.  Who knew it would be freezing temperatures in the summer?  That's not what the pamphlet said!

The food was actually pretty good though!  We had a pasta dish with vegetables (finally something green!), a chicken on the bone with potatoes, and a flan for dessert.  I approved.  It lasted a little long though... by the time two hours had elapsed, I was ready to get to sleep considering I had slept only two hours the night before.  I was wiped!

Back at the hotel I showered and immediately went to bed.  It was such a great sleep until I woke up at six-thirty shivering.  What is this?!?  I actually went as far is pulling that nasty comforter that probably has never seen a washing as far as my legs.   Well... Buongiorno I suppose!