Alright- I have remembered to write what I did each day so I haven’t forgotten anything! But it’s in more of a list form then story form, so I guess you can see what I have been doing and then I can tell you all the details when I get home!
Day Fifteen and Sixteen-
Still on the boat sailing to Italy- I mostly studied and took my first Global Studies exam and wrote a paper. It was really, really hot these days and the pool was raving. I also met Congress woman Sanchez from California when she came into my class to talk about educational policies and her new bill.
Day Seventeen-
I woke up for the sunrise over Italy like I did in Spain- it came up slower and I got a little bit impatient but still the idea of seeing land and it actually being Italy got me really excited. We got right on the bus that morning in Civitavecchia and drove to Rome. In Rome I saw the Colosseum, Roman Forum, took a picture with a Gladiator, had a crazy tour guide, checked in to our hotel (Hotel Meditterano), made a new friend named Gracie who was my roommate for the trip, ate Italian pizza and wine, figured out the metro, went to the Spanish steps in the pouring rain and was the only person on them, tried an Italian cappuccino, had dinner at an underground Italian restaurant with men walking around singing and playing instruments, took a city tour at night and saw the Trevi Fountain (threw one coin with my right hand over my left shoulder to wish to come back one day… two coins= get married, three= get divorced) and the Pantheon. Then later I went to a local bar and had drinks with a couple people and we were the only Americans there.
Day Eighteen-
Woke up wicked early and had a typical Italian breakfast, and then we headed for the Vatican City. We walked through the Vatican museum and then saw the Sistine Chapel (which was UNBELIEVABLE even having no religious affiliation). Then we went to St. Peter’s church which was also amazing. We walked to a place for lunch which was not very good. Then we left on the bus for Florence (the AC kept dripping on Breezy head next to me and it was hilarious but she got super mad), it was a good four hour drive at least. Then we checked into a different hotel and showered then left for dinner in Tuscany. The restaurant was gorgeous and was in the mountains, there was live music, and we had at least an eight course meal. Then the waiter pulled me on stage and made me do the Macarena with him- which was awful. Then they played the chicken dance… and sang Mi Amore. After dinner my table all took sambuca shots and then left to go back to the hotel. Then Breezy and I decided to go out with two other girls who knew the owner of a nearby club- we ended up getting a tour, free drinks, and to sit in the VIP section where they kept popping bottles of champagne and lighting sparklers—it was awesome.
Day Nineteen-
We woke up really early again and had breakfast then left to go see Michelangelo’s David (the real one). I was much larger than I expected and really beautiful. There were also photographs done by Robert Mapplethorpe that were really cool. Then we walked to the Bargello museum and saw Donatello. After that we walked to some really famous bridges of Florence that are in all the typical Italian paintings you see. It was pretty sweet; it felt like I was in a painting. We were served lunch again- which is almost always pasta and as a vegetarian when the meat course comes they don’t really know what to do- so I usually just get plain lettuce. I don’t mind, it’s kind of funny the differences in eating habits. Also bread is not typically served with butter or oil and vinegar. And French fries are not served with ketchup. And I guess it is rude to ask for Parmesan cheese- everything is supposed to be served perfectly. They don’t keep salt and pepper at the table. After lunch we had free time to wander and shop- during which Jon and Breezy and I got lost- but eventually made it back to the hotel with really sore feet. Then Breezy and I went to the train station on our own because our tour guide lied about there not being a train to Naples (Napoli). We bought our own tickets to leave the SAS guided trip a night early (they would leave in the morning) because we wanted to get back early in order to not miss our next trips (mine to Mt. Vesuvius and hers to Pompeii and Sorrento). The train was scheduled to leave at 7:49pm…
…to be continued (this part of the story will take longer to explain).
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