I've been thinking about all the yummy things I've been eating in Italy. It then occurred to me that I should write down what I eat on a random day. So this is not a normal blog entry, but rather a "food diary," if you will: Breakfast: oatmeal, black tea, green grapes Lunch: whole wheat bread, salami, mozzarella cheese grilled (with a bit of olive oil), and lettuce Snack: brie cheese, bundnerfleisch (a meat very close to the actual thing!)...

Venice was wonderful, but not what I was expecting. The Venice I was imagining does exist, but just in the backroads, away from the main square. I pictured narrow canals with small bridges over them, families going to the store, old couples walking over bridges together. Instead I saw Le Carnival: a huge event where 150,000 people come to the Island of Venice for Saturday and Sunday dressed up in costumes and wearing masks. There are events all through the ni...

Today my roomies and I went to Santo Spirito. It is a GORGEOUS chapel (though it doesn't look fancy from the outside) that was one of the last works of Brunelleschi, and many say one of his greatest works. The inside of the church is breathtaking. There's a copy of Michelangelo's Pieta inside as well as original paintings from the Renaissance that depict bibilcal scenes. The church is quite massive inside. It complements the Duomo - the outside of the Duomo i...

I started my classes this week! Yesterday was Flamenco. I have a pair of flamenco shoes now - they look like black pumps with nails in the toe and heel to make a click sound when I stomp my foot! I spent the better part of today running around town in search of a flamenco dance skirt; I came home emptyhanded, but saw most of florence in the process. My Renaissance Civilization and culture class is amazing. The professor, Marchello (NOT pronoucned marshmellow...

I moved into an 8 girl apartment on Wednesday. It is GORGEOUS - like a palace! I am positive I will never be able to afford to live anywhere as beautiful as this again in my life! ha. so I'd better enjoy it! I can walk anywhere in Florence and get there in 20 minutes. It's beautiful here. The other day I walked to a piazza and looked at Michelangelo's david while eating gelato with my roommates (the replica of course, as the real one is in a museum). My apart...