Tuscany

School is starting to wind down. So, like I said in an earlier post of mine, that means A LOT of papers. It's hard to manage my time here because I have one class every day. But each day is a different class. They only meet once a week. So that means I have all week to get something done for my monday class right? Wrong. Things tend to pile up and Italian usually stresses me out. I have an oral presentation due on Monday in my Italian class. Awesome.

So, even though I am abroad, I still have plenty of school work to keep me busy. The only difference is I travel EVERY weekend. I have not stayed in Florence once for an entire weekend all semester. But, I'm not complaining. If you know me you know I love a grand adventure and this semester has been just that.

Really the only thing I have to show for this semester is what I am doing in my Historical Painting class. And the only reason why I enjoy going to that class is because I get to sit for 5 and a half hours and listen to my book on tape. But, nonetheless here is an update of my Botticelli copy.

Its not finished yet, unfortunately. I had to redo her whole eye and every time my teacher comes to look at it he finds something else I have to change. Which wouldn't be a big deal but the paint we use has to be translucent so it takes upwards of 8 to 10 coats to cover over something and then just the same amount to add it back in.

This Friday I surprised Will. Pretty sure he knew I was coming though. It was nothing compared to what he did in Vienna, but hey, a girl can try right?

It was such a fun day. The highlight was when we went to the park and played soccer with some 14 year old french boys. We didn't speak French and they didn't speak English so our common language to communicate was Italian. It was insane. I scored a goal!!! My soccer playing boyfriend was so proud of me! I think it's the first goal I've ever scored in my life. And the first time to ever really play a game of soccer. I don't think playing indoor soft soccer in 2nd grade counts. Plus my face made contact with the ball more than my feet did. 

So due to us having such fun at the park I missed the train home I originally planned to get on. And then by the time we figured out the next one I should take it was cancelled. So I got home later than I originally planned but it was so worth it! Will had class Friday morning so I didn't get to see him until 1 and leaving on a later train gave me more time with him.

First time I've said bye to him leaving on a train. It isn't very fun but look how cute he is!

Saturday morning I got on a bus to Siena with my API group... Let's just say we are glad it's our last API excursion. Big groups and annoying girls are a lot to handle. But, API does a fabulous job with their trips. We always have great hotels and fabulous tour guides and fun activities.

Siena was beautiful. And the country side driving there was also fabulous. Everything is blooming and my favorite are the fields of bright blazing yellow flowers.

Siena was so fun. Our tour guide was adorable and the city is so interesting! They have 17 different neighborhoods all a different animal. They even have a giraffe neighborhood!! But I didn't get to see it. Every year the town has a horse race and each neighborhood buys a horse and pays a jockey to ride it. The horses are rode bareback and the racetrack is a square in the city! Its track is shaped like a half circle and is the road that runs around the square.

We toured the Dragon neighborhood, Snail, Owl, She-Wolf, Rhino and I can't remember what else. But if you are born in that neighborhood you are always that animal. Even if you move neighboorhoods. And if you marry someone from a different neighborhood and move and have children the children are the animals from the neighborhood they are born in. Our tour guide explained it like this, "If an owl marries a snail they morph into porcupines. It is always a porcupine." What she meant was... I an owl married a snail and they move to the porcupine neighborhood their children will be porcupines.

Siena

Siena Duomo

Oldest hospital every (basically)

Square where the horse races are run

 After our tour of the city and free time we got back on the bus and drove to a spa. We got to bathe in thermal hotsprings. And since it was a beautiful sunny day that meant the outdoor pools were open. I got in the rotten egg smelling pool for about 2 minutes and then just laid in the sun the rest of the time. It was so relaxing.

Tuscany

 That night we stayed in a tiny town called Castiglion Fiorentino. My friend from high school, Amy, who goes to Texas A&M (Whoop!) is studying abroad there! So after supper at our hotel I met up with her and we walked around the town and got to catch up on life. It was such a blessing to get to talk to her and so great to see a friendly familiar face.

We woke up Sunday morning and headed out to Cortona. I will let my pictures speak for themselves. There is no way any words I can say can describe the beauty of Tuscany.

Cortona

After our tour in Cortona we walked around the small city until it was time to leave. Then we headed to a wine tasting. And this is where it was...

A castle on a hill!!! how awesome is that! sadly my phone could not capture the beauty that could be seen from the castle. But it tried. This is a vineyard in Chianti. Which is a type of wine... blah blah blah let's be honest I know zero about wine. But it was so interesting learning about it and seeing how they produce it and hearing the history of this castle and wine.

View from the terrace of the castle. The castle on the next hill were enemies way back in the day. 

Where they hang the grapes to dry out

Wine cellar

Two of the four wines we tried. 

Now, I am no connoisseur of wine, but I tried everything at the wine tasting. Even the food that I wouldn't eat normally. Like the wild boar. The castle also has land that they raise wild boar on. So we had fresh pork. Ya mom and dad. I ate some pig. I can't believe it. I tried anything and everything they set in front of me because.. When will I be in Tuscany again, in Chianti, to taste the wine like this. Plus by the time it was over we had basically been served a whole meal, and being a college student I'm not one to pass up free food!

View from the castle as we left. Rain is coming.

And as if I didn't know this before, I am no city girl. I am a country girl all the way. Being in the city center in Florence is hard on a Texas girl. I think that is why I like going to Arezzo to see Will so much. It's a small town. It has parks and green things that grow out of the ground. It's wonderful. The city center in Florence is anything but that. If you are looking to study abroad in Italy. Study in a small town! That is my advice to you.

My next weekend plans are the Amalfi coast for a wonderful 4 day weekend!