My Italian Adventure: Florence and Milan 2/24-3/1

I love having friends abroad! Nothing is more fun than meeting up with my sisters from home and traveling all over Europe. It is also nice to have many places to stay and visit. During the remainder of my Carnivale break, I decided to fly down to warm and sunny Italy and visit Kellie, Lauren, Ashley, Abby, and Allison!

So, on Tuesday, I took the early fight out of Eindhoven to Pisa, Italy. I was traveling by myself so I was ecstatic when I met an American girl on my plane from California. She was visiting friends too, and it was nice to have someone to talk to for the 1 hour and 20 minute flight. When I landed in smokey Pisa (it is smokey because everyone burns their trash and there is smog), and took the wonderful shuttle to the Florence train station, the Santa Maria Novella. Kellie met me there and took me back to her (and Lauren, Ashley, and Andrea's) adorable apartment (on the ground floor…haha Julie) out in the NW suburbs of Florence. I was so exhausted from traveling (and not getting much sleep the night before) that I took and nap. Unfortunately, the girls had midterms all week so they had to go to class, but I needed the rest and a shower. That night, we ventured to the Co-Op grocery and bought some food to have pesto noodles. So Good! We called it a night after that because I had a big day the next day and the girls had 3 tests! Yikes!

So the next morning, I woke up and got ready to spend the day in Firenze! After finally figuring out how to unlock the door (it was really simple but it took me forever), I took the bus to town. I walked to (what I thought was the Duomo) some domed building and then headed to the Uffizi. Low and behold, I was lost in some square and could not figure out where to go next. I took a break, and two really nice American ladies approached me asking where the Academia was. I knew then that I had walked the wrong way and what I thought was the Duomo was NOT the Duomo (which is a good thing b/c the thing was kind of ugly). After getting my bearings, I walked to the Uffizi. When I arrived it was about 2 pm (the most popular time to go to a museum), and I did not feel like waiting in line. I got a reservation for the next day (Thursday), and the nice ticket man gave me the EU citizen discount and told me that I had to pretend I was British!

After all of that, I was hungry so I wandered around the Palazzo Vecchio and out a bit by the Bargello. I found an amazing little eatery where I got to sit down, eat delicious pizza, drink water and wine for 12 euro! It so good!

After lunch, I walked back to the Piazza della Signoria to wait for Abby. When we finally met up, Abby, of course, looked so Italian! We wandered around the area and went to the Ponte Vecchio to take touristy pictures and who did I see?The two American ladies from earlier! What a small world! We took pictures for each other and then Abby and I headed to the Pitti Palace and Biboli Gardens. Well, of course, they were closed so we headed back over the river to get gelato. We ran into Kellie by the Duomo (haha) and all three of us went for gelato….so good! I had dark chocolate and milk mint (mint) this time.

Kellie and I then walked home to get her roommates for dinner. We went to their neighborhoods apperativo. Six euros for a [strong] drink and food*! Well to Italians, apperativo is appetizers and they only eat one plate. But to Americans, it is a cheap and tasty all-you-can-eat buffet! I had little sandwiches, salad, pasta, and this really good potato salad.

The next day, Thursday, I woke up bright and early to tour the Uffizi. I forgot my really good guidebook (idiot) so I didn't get as much out of it as I wished, but it was still very cool. I ate breakfast on the rooftop café with a view of the Duomo…so beautiful! I then headed to the Pitti Palace. I toured the gorgeous and hilly gardens, and saw the costume gallery. Both were really cool.

I then walked to the Duomo to climb to the top. The stairs didn't bother me, but once I entered the glass walkway that goes around the inside of the dome, I felt very uneasy. My weird fear of looking up in high, open places is bizarre and came out then. I looked down and walked around fast and continued to the top. The top of the Duomo is beautiful! It probably helped that it was an absolutely gorgeous day in Florence (I had great weather the whole time I was in Italy). I asked some Asians to take my picture, and when it was dark, they laughed and said it was b/c the camera was Japanese. Haha! I am guessing they were not Japanese.

After the climb down, I rewarded myself with….gelato! This time I had cookie crumble and milk chocolate….so yummy! I then walked uptown to the Academia to see the David. I even got a picture with the David despite the constant "no photo"! After walking around the Gallaria, I met Kellie outside and we walked around Florence. We went into all sorts of really cute shops and bought some souvenirs. We headed back to her apartment and cooked gnocchi for dinner! It was AMAZING! We then got dressed up (after we contemplated on who was having the candlelight at AOII back home…we couldn't figure it out) and headed out. We went to this really fun "American" bar called Michael Collins and sang karaoke. It was great. We then walked to the club, 21, but got sidetracked by the kebab place. Kebabs are soooo good!

After making it back, I had to get up at a decent time to take my train to Milan. The train was 30 minutes late and was packed. I sat next to these really cute Italian old people. The wife constantly was nagging Vincenzo (her husband) to get something out of her huge suitcase….kleenex, then chapstick, then lunch. It was really funny.

When I arrived in Milan, I met Allison at the train station and we took the metro to her apartment. Although smaller than the girls in Florence, Allison's apartment was 2 blocks from a metro which made traveling throughout the city really convenient. The metro Milan is kind of sketch though. It is clean, but it is pickpocket central. Luckily, I made it the whole week without getting something stolen!

Allison and I wandered around Milan, did a little shopping and then met up with her roommates for SUSHI!! And it gets even better, it was sushi apperativo! All-you-can-eat sushi for 10 euro! I was in heaven. I had a delicious bloody mary and about 5 plates of sushi and was ready for bed.

The next day (Saturday), Allison and I ventured out to be touristy in Milan. We climbed the Duomo which was the shortest climb I have done yet. The Duomo in Milan is breathtaking! It is completely different than Florence's and it is very gothic. And we got an awesome picture in front of it (in between getting pelted with confetti from the adorable, dressed up Carnivale kids.

We then walked through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, a shopping street, and I spun around on the bull's balls three times for good luck. Then, we walked down the ritzy part of Milan and saw the Armani house.

Then we toured the Castello Sforzesco, the National Museum of Italy. There was a cool Michelangelo sculpture and a room partially painted by Leonardo da Vinci. Then we went to the see the Last Supper. I am so glad I was able to get reservations because The Last Supper is so cool! The process of the timed doors and compartments getting to see the painting is very interesting. But the painting is absolutely breathtaking. Hearing the story behind it and how it was exposed for three years after the church was bombed was so interesting. Can you imagine walking down the street and being like, "oh there is the Last Supper."That is so crazy!

After our seeing the Last Supper, we were starving so we had a little Italian meal and then called it a night. I had to get up at 4 AM to get to Bergamo to fly home (I love Ryanair..not). Luckily, the boys in my travel group just happened to be on the same flight, so I had company. We played rummy and bull s*** on the plane and then took our super fun 2 hour train home from Charleroi.

So, I loved Italy! It was beautiful and sunny and the art was amazing! The David and the Last Supper are probably two of the most amazing things I have ever seen! I had such a great time hanging out and sightseeing with friends. Like I always say, traveling is so much better if you get to share it with your friends!

Well that is all from Italy and the month of February for that matter. Time is flying…which is a good thing because it means I am having fun!

Next week, I am going to stay with another AOII in Rouen, France and we are going to Paris for a day, so until then….tot ziens and love!

Betsy