Classes. I have no motivation. I just want to travel and eat chocolate. Basically I have a lot of research papers due in a couple of weeks and I haven't started on any of them. So, if you want to be praying for me, pray for motivation! I've also decided that my Italian final come May is going to be the death of me. I know for a fact that my reasoning will be, "I will never use this again in 2 days, why do I need to learn it?"... We'll see how that goes!
Roommates. Still awesome!!! Have so much fun with those crazy girls! God is good.
Italy. I'm ready for America again. I like it on the weekends when I travel, but during the week... there are more and more tourists every day and they are really annoying.
My mind is in this weird phase where half of me thinks I'm going home in the next two weeks and I have to so much to do. But then I get over it because the other half is thinking that I still have a really long time till I get back to America and I freak out wanting to be in an efficient english speaking country and then I calm myself down by thinking I'll be home in a few weeks and then.... well.. it's a vicious cycle.
So Cinque Terre was absolutely beautiful. I hung out with Will in Arezzo beforehand. We made pancakes, true American style, and I got my haircut by his hairdresser lady. Another hairstylist who doesn't speak English. But it's my favorite cut so far! As Will so delicately puts it, "she sculpts your head!!"... and it's true!
 |
| Chillin' at the park after my haircut. What a beautiful, warm, sunny day! |
I FINALLY got to watch Will play soccer. It took 9 months but dang it I saw him play. He made a goal and had at least 3 shots on goal! Watch out, the world might end soon. I think the universe just never wanted my to see him play, but maybe that curse is broken now! So proud of him showing up the Italians!
 |
| Will is in the purple. Sporting the Fiorentina jersey I got him! Like a boss! |
Cinque Terre. It was so cute. I kept looking up and just thinking.. ITS SO CUTE!!! It was perfect and fabulous and breathtaking. Cinque means 5 in Italian and Terre is earth. So Cinque Terre literally means 5 earths and is made up of 5 coastal villages.
 |
| One of the towns in Cinque Terre. I honestly don't remember which one. |
We (Will, 3 of my roommates, and I) went with Florence for Fun which is a travel agency. So we paid our euros a while ago. Met at the train station super early in the morning, or should I say waited at the train station, and took a 2 hour bus ride to the Cinque Terre.. or at least as close as the roads would allow us to get.
We walked to the first town, Riomaggiore, with 100 of our best friends....
Will and I wanted to ditch the annoying Americans and do our own thing but we could never figure out what was going on or what our pre-paid trip included, also the guide wouldn't explain much to us.
But, like always, Will had the greatest attitude and kept telling me.."Hey! Today is going to be great!!" and it was! We made the most of it. We were able to enjoy ourselves amongst the throngs of numerous other study abroad students.
We were told that all of the hiking paths connecting the 5 towns were closed, but when we arrived our guide learned that one was open. So, we trained to the second town, Manarola...
In Manarola we had time to eat lunch. We ate some bread. It was good! Then we waited on the group...
and trained to the third, Corniglia.
 |
| Outside Corniglia. |
Finally we got to hike. We hiked the trail between Corniglia and Vernazza (the fourth town).
 |
| during our hour and a half hike |
 |
| End of the hike in Vernazza! |
 |
| InVernazza about to catch the train. |
The hike was perfect. I'm not much for hiking (just ask my family about the 8 hour hike in Hawaii), although being in Europe and walking EVERYWHERE has conditioned my legs to be able to walk farther and longer. The hour and a half it took us to complete the hike was the perfect amount of time for my legs to get tired but for me not to hate the hike itself!!
After the beautiful hike we caught the train to the 5th town, Monterosso al Mare. Where, obviously, we laid on the beach for the remainder of the two hours of the trip. Then we waited on the group to take the train back to the bus, but this time we had gelato to accompany us!!
 |
| Beach time |
 |
| Beach selfie with my man! |
We were very proud of ourselves (we being mainly Will) that we were in the sun all day and didn't get super burned! Or really sunburned at all for that matter.
We trained back to La Spezia, the last town before entering the Cinque Terre, and waited for our bus back to Florence. And we waited and waited. Thankfully the bus made it back to Florence in time for Will to catch a train back to Arezzo. Thank goodness it wasn't the last train out either because that train is long and slow and he would've been home really really late for his monday morning classes.
All in all. Florence for Fun was a lot of waiting... in a big group of college aged students from America with the few parents and rando adults. Not really my style. I LOVED Cinque Terre, but will not ever be taking a Florence for Fun, or any other travel agency, sponsored trip again. I am very confident in my travel abilities, even before traveling this semester, and can't wait for my next self planned trip. Self planned meaning Will or Katie planning it and me tagging along. I really haven't planned hardly anything this semester. Don't know how I've managed to do that.
I was able to enjoy spring weather in Arezzo this weekend and warm weather on the beach in Cinque Terre, but today in Florence it felt like full out summer. It was so hot and I was sweating most of the day. I definitely got over heated as hardly any buildings have air conditioning. I miss the colder weather, but am excited to get some sun on my skin! All day in Cinque Terre I was surprised to see my arms. I've forgotten what my arms and legs look like since they have been covered all semester with layers upon layers.
Now with the warm weather comes the multitude of tourists! I can not wait for this upcoming weekend. I'm going deep into the heart of Tuscany! Which brings the promise of small towns and less tourists. I'm sure our API group will stick out like a sore thumb!
No comments:
Post a Comment