Copenhagen Adventure

Just a few short days after spring break, I was headed off to Copenhagen to visit one of my best friends.  Although I did not want to leave Florence’s 75 degree weather I was excited to explore Denmark.

I arrived Thursday night and cried when I saw Cara.  We stayed with her host family who lives outside the city.  It was so nice to have a home cooked meal and to be in an actually house!  On Friday we woke up and headed into the city where we headed to a pastry shop.  The Danish are know for their pastries and I was determined to have as many as I could.  My first was a cinnamon bun covered in chocolate.  TO DIE FOR.  I had three more throughout the day.

Copenhagen was a very cool city that was on the small side but still bigger than Florence.  It was very modern and the people there were gorgeous: tall, thin, and blonde.  I liked the nautical feel of the city too.  Bikes were everywhere and most people seemed to ride them…even if wearing heels!  Everyone was very nice but everything was very expensive.  One coffee might cost 8 dollars!

We spent the night in the city and headed out from brunch the next morning.  It was different than what you would expect to get in the US but still very good and very filling.  

We then decided to take a short day trip to Sweden.  Very similar to Copenhagen with a northern Europe feeling.  We found great ice cream and sat out enjoying the sun that I was told was very rare.  

Cara and I headed back to her host family where I enjoyed another delicious home cooked meal complete with roasted potatoes, meat, and green beans.  On Sunday I headed back to Florence and looked forward to seeing Cara in only two short weeks! 

Never Ending Night

A little something I wrote for travel writing:

I looked at my watch again. 2:17am. I moaned and tried to shift my legs but the back of the bench prevented me from turning.  The cold metal bars were digging into my body in multiple places, although my right hip was suffering the most.  My stomach was growling loudly.  Probably because all I had for ‘dinner’ was two king sized Kit-Kats.  My throat was feeling dry too but we had run out of water an hour ago.

Did sleeping in jail feel like this?  It had to be similar with a cold uncomfortable floor and bright neon lights.  Limited food and no blankets added to the illusion.  I could hear men talking near by that might have provided an entertaining ease drop if it hadn’t been in another language.  Their voices seemed to be growing louder, or was my exhaustion getting to me?  A baby was crying in the distance.  Louder and louder and louder.  Wait, there are no babies in jail.  But then I remembered I was not in jail.  I was spending the night in the Milan airport.

The plan had been to depart the plane and remain in the main airport through the security check point.  Then we could easily catch our flight out the next morning.  I confidently assured my boyfriend that there would be padded places to sleep and safe areas to put our stuff.  We could get dinner there too.  After a few days in Barcelona I was craving pasta carbonara.  Or maybe a huge pizza with mozzarella and fresh tomatoes.  Yes, the airport would be perfect.  Just like a hotel.   

What I was not expecting was to be bused to the baggage claim.  Before I knew it we found ourselves outside the airport, 40 miles outside of the city of Milan.  We made our way to terminal 2 where our plane was scheduled to depart the following morning.  I was surprised to find a majority of the benches already occupied with other travelers who had the same idea as us.  We found one of the last open benches, right in the middle and claimed it as our own.  This would be fine.

3:26. The air felt colder and I was shivering more than before.  I longed to be back in Nice strolling the beach promenade.  I tried closing my eyes and imagined the sun beating down on my face but this daydream was not enough to warm my body.  My hip was numb now and my neck was throbbing.   I would never be able to fall back asleep.

5:17 I was awake again.  There were more people in the terminal than before.  Was it time for us to check in yet?  Not for another hour and a half.  For the next thirty minutes I was in a half sleep trance.  Voices and shapes blurred together and I felt as if I was on a massive dose of pain medication.  At one point my boyfriend asked what I was smiling about because clearly there was nothing funny about the situation.

7:30 Standing in the security line felt like finding water after a long walk in the desert.  I held an average blueberry muffin in my hand but my exhaustion had taken a toll on my appetite.  The plane would be my safe haven and I smiled at the thought of sitting in a comfy cushioned chair.  Walking there would not be a problem.  I had just spent the night in an airport and survived.  I could do anything.

March Madness

March was busy. Not in a stressed work load way, but in a running around like a crazy headless chicken way. February ended with my 21st birthday that was spent sick in bed with the stomach bug. Definitely not a birthday I will forget and plenty of time to make it up.

My family came in the middle of march for an amazing trip. We explored Rome in two packed days with Joe as put travel guide. Then made our way to Florence where time was spent strolling the streets, climbing the duomo, hanging in wine bars, and pizzerias for lunch. Food food wine and more food were the themes of their stay.  

Having been in Italy for almost two months, I was growing used to and almost taking for granted the amazing dishes that surround me. Though my family I relived the initial pleasure that comes with tasting pasta, pizza, cheese, gelato, and of course wine here. Memorable meals included a great restaurant in Rome where the mozzarella was the best I've had and pizza and paninis in Florence at my favorite places.

Saying bye to my parents and Luke was hard but I had to quickly refocus my attention on my next adventure: spring break.

Joe and I set out and in seven days and 6 plane rides later, covered four different countries.

First was Nice along the French Riviera.  Even more beautiful than I remember from three years ago. The beach promenade was lovely and sunny and the gelato was to die for.  We spend our time walking along the rock beaches and finding great crepes.

Next was Geneva. A change in climate but absolutely gorgeous. We had the chance to meet up with Mary, a wonderful women who I know through a friend. She treated us to an amazing lunch complete with traditional cheese fondue!  We took a boat ride across the lake (Lake Lemon) and saw on of the biggest fountains in the world.

We then set off for Barcelona a lively city with a young feel and never a dull moment. The central outdoor market was my favorite along with the sandy beach. We visited the 1992 Olympic stadium and parks around the city. Tapas for dinner and a Spanish dance show completed our Spanish experience.

 

The last few days were spent on Malta, islands south of Sicily. The weather was in the 70s but the water was freezing! Took a ferry to a near by island and the blue lagoon for picturesque beaches. Also found out they don't sell over SPF 4 sunscreen so came back having a reddish glow to say the least.

Being back in Florence felt great. Tourist season has officially begun and restaurants are expanding onto the streets embracing the warm weather (70 degrees is average!).  I feel like a true resident the more and more tourists I see and want to embrace as much of this city as I can before heading back to the states.

I’ll be updating more frequently from now on!

Ciao!

Nutella

A little something from my travel writing class...

Give me a piece of cake and I’ll only eat the frosting.  Yes, I was that girl at birthday parties.  It wasn’t that I didn’t like the cake…I just loved the frosting.  But in Florence, after searching high and low, I have yet to find this comfort food unless you count the thin layer on top of napoleons.  Instead frosting has been replaced by its new found rival: nutella.

During the first few weeks of living here I referred to it as ‘want to be double fudge frosting’.  What exactly was nutella anyways?  Wasn’t it just chocolate in a jar?  I could not figure out why it was three times cheaper than peanut butter or why it was everywhere and on everything.  I could make my own nutella by melting candy bars...or so I thought.

My first encounter with the imposter was on a crepe, which was shoved in my mouth before I could object.  And the worst part: it was good.  A smooth combination of chocolate and hazelnut and heaven melted and poured into a jar.  Richer and creamier than any frosting I’ve ever tasted. From there my relationship with nutella escalated until I found myself eating it by the spoonful on a daily basis.  Nutella has become, as mush as I hate to admit, my new found love.

Nutella in now a staple in our apartment and I encourage it to become one in yours too.  One lick can brighten your mood; one slab can make anything taste scrumptious. Just the other day I made nutella chocolate chip cookies and topped them with additional nutella.  Addiction? Possibly.  But I heard chocolate, like wine, is good for your heart.  How can frosting compete with that? 

Nice to Be Home

The past few weeks have been a blur.  Classes are starting to pick up and I’ve been traveling every weekend.  I can not believe it is already half way through February…that means I’ve been in Florence for over a month!

A few weeks ago our program took us through Tuscany on a weekend trip.  Our first stop was Assisi, a small city on a hill surrounded by walls.  We saw and toured St. Francis’ Church which was definitely the highlight for me considering I work at the St. Francis House soup kitchen in Boston.  Seeing the actual place was unreal and reinforced the meaning behind St. Francis’ teachings of helping others.  I also found out that he created the first nativity scene!

Next stop was Perugia.  Amazing view at the top of the city but even better chocolate.  I was surprised to find out that a lot of students study there too.  The next day we traveled to Siena.  Siena is unique because the city is broken up into sub sections.  For example, you could be a goose, dragon, or even a caterpillar!  It’s these smaller communities that compete in the huge horse race held twice a year in the main square. 

Finally we went to San Gimignano.  This smaller city is famous for its taller towers and beautiful vineyard views.  I hope to come back to all of these cities one day and explore them more in depth!

The following weekend Joe and I headed to Germany.  We rented a car and covered 6 towns and over 600 miles in two days.  It was amazing.  Highlights included the adorable town of Rothenburg, climbing the church steeple in Norlindgen, the beautiful church in Weinshiche, and of course the Neuschwanstein castle.  The views and towns we saw were breathtaking. 

This past weekend I traveled to Prague with all of my roommates and met up with Taylor.  Prague was a fun older city with a modern feel.  We saw the John Lennon wall and walked up to the castle.  It was colder than Florence (I felt like I was in Boston!) so we ended up getting delicious hot chocolate.  Saturday night we went on a fun pub crawl after a wonderful dinner at a vegetarian restaurant called Radost.  Only negatives were that the first hostel we stayed in had bed bugs (eww!) but luckily they moved us to a nicer one.

After all of that traveling it is good to be back in Florence!  We are all staying here this weekend which will be very relaxing and fun (it is my birthday after all!).  Skyped with a lot of my family last night which made me miss them a lot.  I know I’m so blessed to be able to have this experience but sometimes I do miss the comforts and familiarity of home.  Counting down the days until my family comes!

More to come soon!

Midnight Snack

Here's a short piece I had to write for my food writing class...

           It felt like we had been walking for hours and I was growing tired.  The cobble stone was drilling through my boots making my feet raw with every step.   On either side of me the buildings kept repeating themselves with each slow curve and turn.  I was thankful for the Italian boy leading our group of six. This new city was overwhelming during the day, let alone at three in the morning. Hadn’t we already seen that street?  Didn’t we pass that sign?  My feet were throbbing. This better be worth it.

            The smell reached me first.  The aroma of sweet and buttery bread engulfed me and warmed my whole body.  Although I had not been here before, my feet pulled me closer and closer to the irresistible sent, leading me down a side street.  There was less light on this road and I could barely make out the clouded window on the small door we walked through. My heart was racing as my head tried to wrap around the enchanted feeling of where we were and what we were doing.

            The smell was now overwhelming and made my mouth yearn in desire for some of the sugary dough I could only picture in my head. An older man appeared at the doorway of the little area we were squished into, no bigger than my apartment bathroom.  A few Italian words were exchanged and he disappeared, returning quickly with two small white bags.  I heard the crackle of the paper and then something was placed in my hand.

            Under the low light of the small room its buttery top was glistening and I eagerly welcomed its warmth.  Bringing it slowly to my lips I bit down directly in the center, ruining the half moon shape.  My teeth sunk slowly into the chewy dough, the top layer flaking off effortlessly.   I was taken by surprise at the cream also hitting my lips, a cool contrast to the doughy blanket.  The second bite was even better than the first.  I tried to savor the gift but was soon left with only one piece that melted in my mouth.

            I do not remember leaving the small room or walking back down to the main street.  All I remember is thinking about what I had just eaten and what I would give to have another one.  Lying in bed that night I was thankful to be living in Florence and dreamt of the opportunity to return to the secret bakery.  After all, I heard there were eight.

Am I actually living here?

The idea that I am actually living in Florence for 4 months has just begun to hit me.  Everyday I find a new street or shop or café.  I feel as if I could live here for ten years and still discover new things despite the fact that Florence is relatively small.

I wore a step-o-meter (thanks to my dad!) just to see how much I was walking on average a day and it’s about 6 miles…so bring on the pasta!  This must also be why Italians are so thin!  With gelato shops on every corner and no gyms, it’s amazing how few overweight people there are here.  The portions are also much much smaller so people just end up eating less. 

This week I started classes (I forgot I had to go to school here!).  I can already tell my favorites are going to be travel writing and professional food writing.  All my teachers seem great and know the city very well.  A lot of my classes also involve walking around Florence to look at museums or attend food markets too!  

There were many other highlights of the week.  My roommate celebrated her 21^st birthday and we went out to a nice dinner with two of our other friends from BC.  The food was delicious; complete with complementary champagne and appetizer sampler that had stuffed zucchini and bruschetta.  The best dishes were balsamic filet mignon, spinach ravioli and of course tiramisu for dessert!  I’m definitely taking my family there when they visit in March.

We also hiked to the top of Piazza Michelangelo and saw the amazing view of all of Florence.  I liked it so much I did it twice!  When I stood up there and looked out over Florence it took my breath away.  I was in awe of the city’s beauty and felt so blessed to be able to live here.  My next goal is to see it at sunset.

Florence is hosting festivals all the time in one plaza or another.  This week it’s the chocolate festival and it’s VERY close to my apartment.  They had everything from chocolate covered fruit to chocolate rum to chocolate that had hints of lavender!  Samples were everywhere but I settled on the classic chocolate covered strawberries.  However, the festival is here all week so who knows what I’ll get tomorrow!

We just came back from a weekend trip all through Tuscany!  I’ll blog about that soon and put up pictures!

I forgot to mention that it was 60 degrees and sunny here on Friday!  And I have to say that I don’t miss snow one bit!

Talk soon

Ciao