La piccola città di Sansepolcro

 "Sequire i vostri sogni" "To follow your dreams." 

   

Sansepolcro from a far 

The Palazzo Alberti 

I remember the study abroad booth caught my attention at my Meredith College orientation.  I picked up a few brochures and told my mother that I wanted to study abroad before I graduated. She was thrilled.  Initially, I thought that a two-week summer session would be enough time away from home and I would get the experience I was craving.  I went to go to talk to Amanda Beasley, and within an hour she had convinced me to study in Sansepolcro for three months.  I have always loved the idea of traveling around the world and I feel that this opportunity in Sansepolcro is the first step in following that dream.          

The Dining Room

Stepping off the plane in Roma was not what I expected.  The first breath of Italian air I took was full of cigarette smoke and gasoline.  However, I brushed this off and was eager to get onto the bus to see more.  Our bus driver, who was from Morocco, was a nice lady and did her best to speak to us in English.  As we began our three and half hour long journey to Sansepolcro, I saw rolling hills dotted with tiny towns and country villas with beautiful terra-cotta roofing and small fields filled with olive trees.  As much as I wanted to keep viewing the country side, my eyes slowly shut and I could not fight off the sleep anymore.  I woke up about thirty minutes before we arrived in Sansepolcro.  I stepped off the bus and was speechless.  It was something I had only seen in movies; stucco apartments with the beautiful terra-cotta roofs and Italian language that filled my ears.  The pictures I saw of the Palazzo Alberti did it no justice.  The grand wooden doors entered into a large hallway with arched ceilings, clay tiles, and an open staircase with a fresco at the first landing.  We all heaved our luggage up the never ending flights of stairs and squealed when we saw how perfect our rooms were.  The Meredith faculty did a fantastic job designing the Palazzo and it accommodates the girls perfectly.

One of our many delicious meals

Living area 

             Before we unpacked, we were escorted to the dining room where we had our first Italian lunch.  Margarita, our wonderful chef, prepared us a meal fit for a Queen.  We started out with salad, insalata caprese (tomatoes and slices of mozzarella with basil), and two types of delicious pasta.  Our next course was thinly sliced meat and vegetable soup.  Then we finished our meal off with a delicious pastry.  I have learned that lunch time is a very important part of the Italian culture.  Starting around 1pm, stores will close and everyone goes home to eat a large meal and most people take a nap afterwards.  Then around 3:30pm or 4pm, the shops will reopen and the streets will begin to crowd.   

My First Week in Sansepolcro

On the 2nd of September, we began our first Italian class.  Professor Nardi, our Italian instructor was born in Italy and has taught at a university in the United States.  I am very excited to learn the language and am constantly asking the locals that speak English, "come si dice.." which translates to "how do you say." In this way, I can try to expand my vocabulary as quick as possible.  After Italian, our next class, which is also taught by an Italy native, Sara Andreini, is called Italy Today.  In this class, we are going to learn about the Italian politics, education, culture, and history.  Today, the 6th of September, I had my first art history course and color theory course.  I am very excited about both of these classes, because we will be taking trips to local museums and traveling to close by cities.  Also, color theory will be my first art class where I will be working with color in all different types of mediums, ranging from painting to rug making.  I am also very glad I am taking  art history in Italy because that is where the Renaissance was born, and what better way to study David than by  going and seeing him in person?


Le Feste del Palio della Balestra
 The Balestra is a weapon from the Renaissance period that is very similar to a crossbow.  Every September, Sansepolcro and the city of Gubbio hold a "Balestra" competition.  Starting the 2nd of September, Sansepolcro holds a Renaissance festival that takes place along the streets.  Starting around 6:30 the streets fill with people as the Renaissance marketplace comes to life.  Vendors selling pottery, jewelry, and engraved stones will dress up in their best Renaissance outfits and take the city back to the 15th century.  Later into the night more of the locals will put on their velvet green gowns, ornate head pieces, and gold and crimson tights. Holding flags and banners the town marched around their cobblestone streets and ended in the central Piazza, to begin the festivities of the night.  This year the Meredith students were invited to be apart of this parade.  All the girls were fitted for their Renaissance gowns and Saturday night lined up at 9: 30 to start.  In my rosy pink silk like gown, I lifted my head and began the parade.  As we approached the Piazza we saw hundreds of eyes looking at us from above.  We lifted our heads a little higher when we heard Meredith College being announced from the over head speakers.  After our introduction we took our seats and watched the night unfold.  More people entered into the Piazza wearing a variety of different costumes.  Peasants, fire throwers, belly dancers, and royalty began to fill the square. I thoroughly enjoyed the festival and could not believe the talent I saw.  It was very generous of the city to allow the American girls to walk in their parade and be a part of their history.

Firenze, A Jewel of Italy

The Duomo

   "The World is a great book, of which they who never stir from home read only a page"- St. Aurelius Augustine.  Laurin and I decided that we wanted to take advantage of this small, adventure filled country and go on our first independent travel the second weekend (September 10-12) after arriving in Sansepolcro.  I had heard of the beautiful Cinque Terre, five small cities in the region of Liguria, and decided to travel there first.  Laurin and I researched which of the five towns we would like to stay in and found that Monterrosso was best for us.  With only a few days to plan this trip and little experience, we went to the local travel agent office and asked if they could help us book a train ticket and a hotel reservation. A helpful lady who spoke some English told us that there was one hotel left in Monterrosso with a vacancy. Unfortunately, neither Laurin nor I had enough cash with us, so we told the travel agent that we would return the next day and purchase all of our tickets.  The next day came and Laurin and I hurried to the office so we could begin our journey.  On this day, there was a different lady who spoke much less English, but we were still able to explain what our plan was.  She printed off the train tickets and we paid for them. When Laurin asked for the hotel reservations, the agent looked through her computer and then gave an unfortunate look and said, "I am sorry, there are no rooms left."  We asked if there were any hotels with vacancies in the other four cities but we were let down.  We were more than disappointed and walked out with only two train tickets and no where to go. (Thankfully we found out the train tickets are good for 3 months.) We hurried back to the Palazzo to think of an alternate plan.  After much brainstorming, Laurin suggested the best idea;  go to Florence.  Laurin was familiar with the area from past visits and we felt there were better chances of available hotel rooms.  

Ponte Vecchio "Old Bridge"

At first I was hesitant because the very next weekend the whole class was going to Florence for a group excursion.  Laurin reassured me that one visit was not going to be enough.  So on Thursday night we packed up our backpacks until they were about to bust and slept restlessly, anxious for the next day.  When we arrived in Arezzo, we purchased our train tickets and headed off to Florence.  Stepping off the train, I was immediately surrounded by hundreds of people hustling through the packed station.  When we arrived at the  hotel I had found online, we were surprised by how small the room was and concerned about the uneasy feeling we got from the receptionist.  Going with our gut feeling, we left the hotel, called a taxi, and hoped that the hotel Laurin previously stayed in had an available room.  Climbing the six flights of stairs, we prayed all the way to the top that there would be one.  We jumped with excitement when the receptionist responded with, "there has been a cancelation, and therefore we have a room for you."  Collapsing on the bed, we took a moment and realized how fortunate we were that everything working out.

Looking across the Arno River

          Later that evening we went touring around the Uffizi, Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, and along the Arno River.  Epitomizing the American tourist, we stopped every hundred feet and photograph what we could of these famous landmarks.  Walking through the city, our senses were overcome with rich smells, breathtaking scenery and Italian singers.  Flipping through the pages of our Italy travel books, we picked out our Tuscan dinner spot.  Wandering through the endless streets, and trying to pronounce the Italian street names, we could not find the restaurant.  Passing by a delightful pizzeria, we gave up on our planned location and sat down in a small window seat and were soon greeted by our Italian waiter.  With much pointing and attempting to give our order correctly, the thirteen inch (or possibly larger) pies arrived.  Initially thinking "how the heck am I suppose to finish this" I surprised myself when I cleaned my plate and my stomach felt two sizes bigger.  Well into the evening, we found ourselves at a trendy lounge celebrating our successful arrival to Florence. After listening to familiar American pop songs, and admiring the mixture of people, we soon called it a night.    

Ratto delle Sabine

Waking up Saturday morning with the oversized open window letting in the morning Tuscan sun was one of the most refreshing feelings I felt in a   long time.  Our day began with Laurin rediscovering a precious hole- in-the-wall restaurant and us again stuffing our faces, but this time with delicious bruschetta.  I have come to learn that in the Italian culture waiting twenty minutes for your bill and then figuring out that you go to a counter to pay is very common.  Immediately after our brunch, we were off to shop and explore more of the city.  After returning to the hotel hours later and collapsing for a nap, we woke up and realized how hungry we were, and we were both eager for another adventure in finding a restaurant.  After circling around a group of buildings twice and coming across very expensive restaurants, we soon became frustrated.  Taking a deep breath we went down a few more back alleys and were glad our patience had paid off.  Sitting down, we were surrounded by walls filled with authentic wines, fresh baked breads and family owned Italian scenery.
We savored every bite  and soon came to the end of our meal.  Heading back to the hotel, we came across a large crowd of people, focusing their attention on one man in the middle.  We realized that he was a comedian/magician putting on one of his acts off the main square.  Within the first five minutes, we found ourselves laughing until we cried.  The comedian was grabbing people from the audience and including them in parts of his acts. As the comedian started his next piece, he walked around the crowd of people pulling them into the center.  As I saw him walking towards where we were standing, he had  grabbed my hand and before I knew what was going on, I was standing with a floppy black hat in the middle of what seemed like a thousand people.  The comedian had also pulled a small Italian child and what looked to be a "McDonald's loving American tourist."  The act began with making each one of us hold a balloon and parade around as he made jokes, and entertain the audience.  I soon found myself blushing and unable to control my laughter through each movement the comedian asked me to do.  I could see Laurin standing on the side holding both of our purses and laughing along with the crowd.  All of the sudden a nauseating feeling came over me when I thought I saw a man, who was standing very close to Laurin and my purse, slip what looked like my black wallet into his pocket.  I could not control my legs as I  frantically shook and my hands started to sweat.
  I desperately tried to make eye contact with Laurin and mouth "wallet."  She started to panic as well, but then reassured me that the wallet was still in my purse.  After calming myself and continuing to laugh, the show ended and I walked away with a lovely flower balloon.  I found out that Laurin had borrowed a camera from the man I thought was the thief. The "black thing" was the camera and he was putting it back into his pocket.  I felt bad after Laurin told me he had kindly offered to email her the pictures (I have yet to receive these photos).  Laurin described my face as if "I had just witnessed a murder," but in the end we were able to laugh it all off.  After a long and exciting day I laid my head on the pillow and fell into a deep sleep.  The next morning, we were sad to leave, but exhausted from the long weekend.  I was happy to arrive back home and sleep in a familiar bed.   
 Looking back at the trip, I am glad that Laurin and I gave ourselves the opportunity to experience the traveling that we did.  Thankfully we did not make any drastic mistakes and made our small "bumps in the road" an adventure.  I now know that allowing plenty of time for planning ahead is crucial while traveling.  Confirming set plans with transportation and hotel reservations allows for the most stress-free traveling, but reduces the thrill in an adventure.  Everyone has different ways of traveling and I am looking forward to discovering my own unique way.    


Florence: Take Two

My first Gelato 

     Stepping onto the familiar paved concrete of the Santa Maria Novella train station I was filled with excitement to begin another adventure in this beautiful city.  This time traveling as a group, Betty Webb and John Rose gave all of the girls' great advice and instructions on where to find train arrival and departures, locating tourist offices and information about buses.  As we began our almost 30 minute walk to our hotel, John took us through the enormous open air market, where you could find leather purses of all shapes and sizes, lavishly decorated scarves, Florence and Italy t-shirts, fashionable jewelry and other odds and ends (that would probably end up collecting dust).  I was not a huge fan of the market, because of its touristy attraction and the hustling and bustling of being pushed through.  I would recommend buying an Italy t-shirt for 7.50 euros, but when purchasing a purse or other high dollar items I would be wary about being ripped off.  Also on the way to the hotel we walked through the Piazza San Giovanni and Piazza del Duomo, both beautiful sites.  Our hotel was located over the Ponte Vecchio, past the Pitti Palace and right before the Porta Romana.  Even though the walk was very tiring and I had wished I had worn tennis shoes, I enjoyed seeing the less touristy part of the city.  Our hotel was magnificent.  The open courtyard in the center and the frescoes found on some of the walls, constantly reminded me that I was in Italy, and not an in Americanized Best Western.

The Uffizi

    Before leaving Sansepolcro Emily, one of my classmates, told the class of a museum pass that could be purchased for 40 euro and allowed a person to skip waiting in line, use the pass as many times as needed (until it expires), and allow access to many museums and sights in Florence.  After settling in our rooms, Laurin and I ventured out, in hopes of purchasing this pass (this can be done at the Uffizi).  Arriving at the Uffizi at 5:20 we unfortunately found out that the office to purchase this pass had closed at 5 and we would have to return the next morning at 10 when the office opened.  Without being too disappointed, we left the museum and walked around the city.  Since the walk back to the hotel was quite far, we decided to take the bus back.  Not sure which bus we needed back, we desperately tried to read the first bus route we found.  After that failing, we waited for the bus to arrive and then did our best to ask and point on a map to the bus driver; he was finally able to direct us in which way we needed to go in order to get to number 37 bus stop.  (The same number that took us into Florence will take you back).  Exhausted, we called it a night at 9:30.  
     The next morning waking up at 8:30 I was ready to begin my museum filled day.  The first museum on our itinerary was the renowned Uffizi.  Walking to the Uffizi, we became distracted by the large windows filled with "SALDI" and mannequins calling our name.  Succumbed by the temptations we entered the stores.  Not having too many regrets leaving the clothing stores, we eventually made it to the entrance of the Uffizi.  A very nice man standing outside directed us to the office, where two kind ladies helped us purchase our cards.  Smiling from ear to ear when we saw the long line we were bypassing, we were the first ones to pass through security, as the rest of the crowd followed in behind us.  

The Pitti Palace

Pitti Palace Gardens 

 Walking up a grand staircase we entered an ornately decorated hallway.  Beautiful paintings of angels, children, and flowers covered the ceilings, while marble sculptures lined the walls.  As I entered into the first room, I was struck by a huge amount of excitement that I was physically inside of the Uffizi.  Rooms 7-9 contained paintings from the early Renaissance, and this is where I was able to see work from Piero Della Francesca, who was born in Sansepolcro, and has many paintings in town.  I then moved onto the wonders of Botticelli, where I stood in awe in front of "The Birth of Venus" and "The Primavera."  I was again overcome by a surreal feeling, when I saw in person works of Leonardo da Vinci.  I continued through the beauties of Michelangelo and Raphael, where I became speechless, and still could not believe that I had just seen in person paintings from such renowned artist.  We were also lucky enough to see a special show that contained paintings done by Caravaggio.  After leaving the Uffizi, I felt very complete and scholarly now that I had seen these breathtaking paintings.  Knowing that we needed to rest before our next site, we sat at a cafe on the Ponte Vecchio and enjoyed our delicious sandwiches.  

Giardino di Boboli

      Crossing over the bridge we arrived at the Pitti Palace.  First impression of the facade, I was a little dissatisfied.  The building seemed very drab and not inviting.  Using our museum pass we were able to bypass the line, and again walk up another grand staircase.  Entering the palace, any feelings of dissatisfaction were wiped away by the elaborate decorations that filled the interior.  There was not one corner that had not been embellished so, everywhere I looked my eyes were stimulated by the rich colors of the rooms and paintings that lined the walls. The ceilings also captured most of my attention.  They were decorated with gold trim and elaborate paintings from corner to corner.  Each room was different and never allowing for boredom.  After walking through the Galleria Palatina, Appartamenti Reali (Royal Apartments), Galleria d'Arte Moderna, and the Galleria del Costume, we soon arrived at the Pitti Gardens.  Taking a few good snapshots of the Garden we started to head where we thought to be an alternate exit.  Walking through what seemed like the "secret garden" we gave up on trying to find an exit, and allowed the garden to swallow us in and enjoy its beauty.  After walking for 30 minutes or so we came to an exit, which happened to be right near our hotel.  After exiting the garden we found out that we had just walked through the Giardino di Boboli. 

View from Piazzale Michelangelo

     Excited that we did not have to walk much farther to our hotel, we were happy to be able to rest our feet.  Laurin heard that there was a "calcio" (soccer) match going on in Florence that day, and of course being in Italy we desperately wanted to see one.  From earlier warning we decided not to go to see it in person, but instead to go to a bar/cafe and watch it live.  After our much needed naps we went on a hunt for Florence shirts/jerseys.    After purchasing our Florentine patriotic t-shirts and 10 minutes to find a bar we asked where the best place was to watch the match.  We were directed to a pub near the train station, but when we started looking, we found no such pub.  20 minutes into the game we were still searching for a place to go.  45 minutes into the game we finally found a cafe with a large screen tv.  Thankfully the game was tied and we were able to watch another 45 minutes, but unfortunately to see Florence lose.  Afterwards we ate dinner and called it a night.  

     Sunday morning I was planning on climbing the Duomo and watching the sun rise.  Thankfully looking at the hours of operation before I left, I saw that the Duomo was closed to climbers on Sundays.  I was not too distraught because I knew that I could easily return to Florence before I finally left for home.  Since I was unable to climb the Duomo, Laurin and I took a bus up to Piazzale Michelangelo.  This piazza overlooks all of Florence and has breathtaking views.  Although I was unable to climb the Duomo and see the David, I still felt that my second trip to Florence was a success.  I plan on returning yet again the beautiful city and seeing the other wonders it has to offer.                           
  
The "Study" in study abroad

Urbino

It is always hard to begin a Monday morning after having such a great time traveling, especially to the beautiful city of Florence.  But the weeks do go on and I am finally starting to realize the challenge in the "study" of study abroad. I am glad that I am being challenged in all my courses and I think I am becoming better at managing my time.  As much as I would love to sit at a cafe and relax as the Italians do, I know that I need to prioritize and get my school work done first, so I can then go and enjoy my bomboloni at "Gerasmo's."  I am learning a lot in Italian and since we have class every day I am expanding my vocabulary quickly, which I can then use right outside my front door.  I have had to adjust a great deal to the language barrier that I have been experiencing. I have always been a big talker and love starting conversations with people. When I was back home in school, I was always the student who got in trouble for talking too much in class.  Here in Italy I have found it very difficult to start conversations with Italians that I have befriended. I would like to be able to talk to them more in depth than just "hi, how are you?"   I have inquired about private Italian lessons with a local woman, so I am hoping to get those lessons organized soon.  

Ducal Palace Courtyard 

      As an Interior Design major with a minor in Art Studio I am thoroughly enjoying my color theory class.  I have only once worked with color and that was 2 years ago in high school.  Here in Italy, my professor, Mrs. Banker, and her husband live in Sansepolcro and my color theory class had the privilege of going to their lovely home and  painting outside in their back yard.  Our first task was to pick something in nature, isolate a color on it and then try to recreate that color through mixing paint.  I found mixing paint very relaxing and that it made me happy.  Our first major project is to create an unconventional color wheel by mixing a total of 72 colors and then positioning them in whatever composition we design.  For once I am excited about a final.  For color theory we have free range as long as it stays within what we are learning about color.  I am hoping to re-upholster and paint a chair that I would keep here in the Palazzo.  

"The Study" (Intarsia) 

     With my Art History class we have been able to get out of the classroom and visit local museums and towns nearby.  This past Saturday the class went to Urbino in Marche.  There we saw the main attraction, the Ducal Palace.  The palace was built for Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of  Urbino.  The palace was described by many great people as being "like a city in the form of a palace."  In 1468 an architect named Luciano Laurana began to work on the palace.  He created the famous interior courtyard and the west facade.  The palace was still unfinished in 1472, when Duke Federico commissioned Francesco di Giorgio Martini to finish it.  The Duke died in 1482 and the palace was still not completely finished.  Another famous architect that worked on the palace was Gengia (who worked on the second floor), and it is said that Piero della Francesca, the famous Sansepolcran, also helped.  While standing in the courtyard I marveled at the detail that went into the exterior walls.  The courtyard was surrounded by peristyles, detailed corinthian capitals and pilasters, and beautiful arches.  Once inside we began walking through each of the rooms which contained altar pieces and paintings.  The class saw many famous paintings, including two paintings from Piero della Francesca, a "Madonna and Child" and the "Flagellation of Christ."  Although the architecture and paintings were magnificent, the study of Federico was absolutely breathtaking.  All the walls in the study were decorated by a type of design called Intarsia or inlayed wood.  All of the craftsmanship and detailing that went into the placement of the tiny pieces of wood created perfect illusions that all the objects were three dimensional.  I felt almost complete that I had personally been inside and even touched such amazing "art."  We continued through the palace and soon arrived in the basement, where I felt as if I was in a stone labyrinth.  After walking through only a small part of the underground maze, we tried to see the famous library of Federico, but unfortunately came to an empty room, because the manuscripts were being worked on.  I thoroughly enjoyed analyzing the paintings within the palace and seeing the great architecture.  After our tour through the palace, we all went to an inviting cafe and enjoyed cappuccinos and chocolate filled pastries.  
     Even though we had a very busy morning, Laurin's and my day was far from over.  We had made plans to travel to Ferrara that evening in order to be there on Sunday for a hot air balloon festival.  Racing back to the Palazzo, we threw together our things and were on our way.  We arrived in Ferrara later that evening and met up with friends, who took us around the famous castle and cathedral.  That night we were invited to lunch the next day with friends of our friends who lived in the city.  Sunday morning came and Laurin and I were both excited and nervous for our Italian lunch.  Arriving at the small, Ikea decorated apartment we were warmly welcomed in and stepped into a delicious smelling kitchen.  There were eight of us total and only two Italians who knew English, but this did not stop us from having a noisy filled dining table. We were served authentic Italian lasagna stuffed with ham, ground beef and vegetables.  They had made two enormous trays that barely fit in their European sized oven.  After thinking I could not possibly fit anything else in my stomach, they brought out a delicious chocolate cake with powdered sugar sprinkle on top.  After giving many thanks for our delicious meal we were on our way to the festival.  

Hot air balloon festival 

Walking up to the open field we were confused as to why there were no balloons in the air, but soon found out that they had not even been blown up.  Waiting in suspicion and not sure as to what was to happen, I finally saw the balloon right in front of me begin to be filled with hot air.  Not long after the first balloon began to grow the others surrounding it started to enlarge as well.  It was quite a sight to see the massive structures being put together right in front of you.  I did not realize their actual size until I was about 100 feet away.  The balloons filled to their maximum capacity within 20 minutes and as soon as they were ready, they were taking off into the sky.  Everyone cheered as each balloon took off and cameras were flashing left and right.  It was a beautiful sight to see all the balloons in the sky.  Eventually they were too far away for us to snap any good pictures, we soon decided to call it a day and head back home. 
   I was very happy with myself that I was able to travel to Urbino and Ferrara in one weekend.  I was able to see so many things in one weekend and reassured myself that I was getting as much as I could out of my Italy trip.
                                               
Assisi 

Castle of Rocca Maggiore

Walking through the grand arch entryway into a blank white slate, my eyes were amazed at the beauty of this peaceful little city called Assisi.  Home to the awe-inspiring Basilica of San Francesco d'Assis, this beautiful town has been one of the most cleanest and elegant that I have seen of all my travels.  Most of the stone that comprised the building's exterior were white muted tones ranging from light gray pinks, to whites with a hint of yellow.  The city does a great job of keeping the streets clean and their views breathtaking.  After walking along the low wall, that allowed the eye to see Italian landscapes for miles, we arrived at the Basilica of Santa Chiara (St. Claire).  The church's exterior was of  pink and white squares but contradict its delicate facade with definite gothic features, such as flying buttresses and a massive rose window.  The Basilica holds the body of St. Claire, the saint that the church was founded after.  After hearing a few words from the Professor Bankers, we made our way through the rest of the city.  
Walking on the streets we were able to look up and see the massive castle of Rocca Maggiore towering above the city (we unfortunately did not have enough time to visit the castle).  On our way to the Basilica of San Francesco we saw the facade of a building dating back to the Roman Empire.  It was designed using all of the classical elements; corinthian capitals with fluted columns, a large pediment decorated with dental molding and an overall appearance similar to the Parthenon.  Walking down a street on a large hill we finally saw the great church of St. Francis.  The church looked as if it had been taken out of a fairytale and positioned perfectly on the side of a rich green hill.  

Saint Francis was born in Assisi around 1181 and died in 1226.  He was canonized in 1228.  His father was a rich merchant and had hopes of his son being a solider.  Later in St. Francis's life, he decided to renounce his family and demonstrated this through removing his clothes in the center of Assisi, but the priest then put a cloak on him thus showing his acceptance into the church.  Eventually St. Francis became the saint of poverty and nature.  Everyday day St. Francis would give something to the poor.  If he received a gift, it would immediately be offered to the poor.  He wanted nothing to do with the materials of life.  At first he did not want to set up a church, because a church would have been too materialistic, but later he and his followers established a monastic order of Franciscans.  In 1225 St. Francis went to a mountain above Sansepolcro and while praying received the stigmata, the wounds of christ.  This is why in art St. Francis has nail wounds on each of his hands and feet and a slash on his side.  Throughout his life he preached to animals, preformed miracles, and gave to the poor.  Some Franciscans believe that St. Francis was the second christ.  

Church of St. Francis 

His body is in a tomb in the church of St. Francis in Assisi, where it is open to the public.  The whole group was able to go down below the high altar and see where his tomb was.  Chills ran down my arms as we walked around his tomb and I could feel that I was in the presence of someone very holy.  We were not able to stay in the church for very long, because we arrived right when a mass was about to take place.  It was a nice experience seeing the monks, nuns, non clergy gather for their worshiping.  The group had to eventually call it a day and had back through the city to make our trip back home to Sansepolcro.     

Spain
Rushing out of the Palazzo on Thursday afternoon, we 
jumped in the car and headed off to the Rome Ciampino Airport, hoping we were going to make it there in time for our flight.  With traffic on our side we arrived at the airport at 6:30pm, two hours and twenty minutes before our plane was to depart.  Wiping the sweat off our heads we pulled out our luggage and started getting together all the necessary paperwork (passport, tickets etc) when all of the sudden I realized that I had left my airplane ticket sitting on my desk in Sansepolcro.  After a slight panic attack, I reassured myself by saying that "we are in the 21st century and they are bound to have a file on the airport's computer system."  As we entered the airport our mouths dropped when we saw the line of what looked to be 50 people.  I had another small panic attack that I was not going to have enough time to fix my ticket problem and wait in this line, but only 15 minutes later we were already talking to the receptionist.  She was able to pull my file up, but I was directed to go wait in another line in order to pay 40 euro for my forgetfulness.   This line, which took longer than the other, only added to the anxiety I was facing.  I paid my 40 euro and of course was directed to go back and wait in another line to receive the actual boarding pass; thankfully that only took 5 minutes.  

CaixaForum

Since bad things come in threes the second delay was security.  First there was a longer line than our first encounter.  Then, when it was finally my turn I of course forgot to take my laptop out of my backpack and since there was metal on my boots I had to take them off and wear ridiculous looking blue "fooites," only causing the people behind me to become more impatient.  After all our troubles we finally arrived at the terminal with 45 minutes to spare.  In most American airports, when you arrive at the terminal you gladly seat your self until your zone is called to board your flight.  This was not the case for RyanAir: there were no "zones" and it was first come first served, so there was yet another line that we had to stand in until it was time to board.   8:45 slowly came and we started to get curious as to why we had not started boarding. At  9:00 we found a screen with flight information and realized our third bad thing;  the flight was delayed until 9:50.   Thinking "of course this would happen," we sat down on the floor and waited until the plane arrived, which was not until 10:00.  When we started to board there was not a tunnel like walkway to get to the plane, so we walked outside and as I am sure you can guess, waited in another line.  Only this time we saw the back door of the plane open and the flight attendant wave his hand, and before I knew what was going on I found myself sprinting to the back entrance in order to get a "good" seat.  It was successful.  We were very close to the front and were all able to sit together.

   Friday morning came all too soon, but we were excited to begin our adventures in Madrid.  Our first destination was the "Stantiago Bernabeu Stadium," home to the Real Madrid Futbol team.  The stadium holds up to 80,000 spectators.   Real Madrid was the most successful team of Spanish futbol in the 20th century.  They have won 31 titles, 17 cups, 9 champion leagues, and 1 super cup.  The name "Real," which means royal, was given to them by King Alfonso XIII in 1920.  After walking through the "bloody nose" section, where we got an almost bird's eye view of the field, we made our way down into the museum.  Although I am not the biggest soccer fan, the museum was very interesting and I was intrigued by the hundreds of trophies on display.  After the museum we were able to go on part of the field and sit on the visitors' side of the player's seats.  We then walked through the locker rooms, which were extremely nice, and made our way to the three level gift shop, where I bought small souvenirs.  
          On our way to find a place to eat, we came across a building with unique architecture and larger than life size photos on display underneath it.  We found out that it was the CaixaForum, a modern art gallery.  The gallery had a special exhibit displaying blown up photographs by Isabel Munoz.  The series was called "infancia."  The display was of large rectangles erected with a photo on either side of a child or teenager.  In between the photos there was a paragraph of who the child was and the hardships he or she faced or was facing in life.  Laurin and I spent almost an hour reading and standing in front of these photographs holding back tears.  After reading and looking at all the pictures we made our way inside to find a few more photographs and a bookstore filled with books about famous spanish painters, photographers, and general books on Spain.  I found a portfolio of hundreds of pictures from Isabel Munoz and spent thirty minutes flipping through and admiring her amazing talent.  After purchasing a Salvador Dali bookmark we set out in hopes of finding authentic tapas.  

Even though "tapas" are normally associated with a type of food, it is really a type of eating.  Yes, it is a small amount of food, but it is shared amongst a few people.  One person does not order a single dish for only himself/herself.  Spain is very popular for its tapas.   We came across a small tavern off the main streets and walked in soon to satisfy our hunger for Spanish cuisine.  Not entirely sure if we ordered exact tapas, we did the traditional "tapas way" and shared a little bit of everything.  The selection ranged from three types of bread, carrot stuffed scallops, beef tips and potatoes to a heavy soup like rice bowl.  All the food was delicious and we were very satisfied with our decision.  After our meal, we headed to one of the main squares: Puerta del Sol.  It was very busy and reminded me of New York, but instead of skyscrapers there was beautiful Spanish architecture.  We walked around for an hour or so and soaked up the Spanish culture, which was similar to Italy's with clothing stores below beautiful old buildings and the hustling and bustling of crowded streets.  We decided to return to our hostel and call it a night so we could be well rested for another day of exploring.  

A Chocolate Wonderland

The Nutella Man

When our Italian professor told the class of the annual chocolate festival in Perugia (Umbria) we all knew that we could not miss such a delicious opportunity.  With a little deliberation, we decided to visit Perugia on our next one-day excursion.  We woke up bright and early Saturday morning we made our way to the train station where we found our cozy seats on the small local train in Sansepolcro.  Seeing the many high school kids and families seated around made us realized that we were not the only ones with watering mouths.  Only an hour and half later, we arrived to the beautiful city of Perugia.  We entered through an underground tunnel which was also a small museum; arriving at the top we saw lines of tents and smelled the delicious aroma of chocolate.  We split off into smaller groups we began our chocolate adventure.  

My Nutella crepe

Our first taste of chocolate was from a small red tent that made Nutella crepes.  Like small children, we stood in front of the glass and watched as a man poured the thin batter onto a large circular hot plate and then spread the crepe into a perfect circle with an odd tool.  Then the man dipped his spoon into a fondue of hot melted Nutella and swirled it across the crape, quickly folded it up, and handed one to each of us.  It was delicious.  After having to clean our hands that were covered in melted chocolate, we made our way through the rows of tents.  Taking many pictures of the vendors, we came across a tent with cases filled to the top with at least 40 different types of mini chocolate bars.  Raspberry, orange, coconut, coffee, strawberry, lavender, in either white, dark or milk chocolate.  We spent almost 30 minutes trying to choose which flavors we wanted.  I ended up with two raspberries, one white chocolate, and a large orange chocolate bar.  These chocolates are made by a company called Sorrisi in Torino, Italy.  The company began in 1960 and still uses a manual method of producing delicious sweet treats. 

Piles of chocolate bars

Chocolate creations 

 Wandering through more tents and tasting the small samples, we came across a vendor who sold dried fruit dipped in either white, milk or dark chocolate.  Since orange flavored chocolate is one of my favorite types, I chose an orange peel and an orange slice dipped in milk chocolate and then an orange peel dipped in white chocolate.  The vendor sold a variety of truffles and assorted candy bars as well.  I restrained my urge to devour my chocolate treats that I had just purchased, and succeeded in returning home later without eating any of them.  Continuing to wander, we came across a vendor who made fresh churro-like funnel cakes drizzled with chocolate.  All five of us split it and were filled with memories of the State Fair (that is currently going on in Raleigh) and felt at home.  It grew late in the afternoon and we decided to make our way back to the train station.  On this walk we thought it would be a good idea to purchase small truffles for our Italian professor and the kind owner of Gerasmo's.  We return to the vendor who had sold us the chocolate fruit and purchased six different types of truffles for each of our recipients.  Exiting the rows of tents, the last vendor we saw was in a tent that had a large man working an antique chocolate making machine.  It was very interesting to see all the pulleys working in unison with the manual levers that created tiny cubes of chocolate.  We were sad to leave the delicious event, but had enough chocolate to last until our return home to the states.  

        This chocolate festival, also known as "EuroChocolate," is an annual event that takes place in Perugia.  It started in 1993 and is one of the largest in Europe.  The festival attracts up to a million spectators a year and lasts nine days in October.  Although I did not see any, the festival is known to display large chocolate sculptures, and in 2003 the largest chocolate bar was constructed, which was over 20 feet long.  In the past there was also an igloo constructed of over 8,000 pounds of chocolate bricks.  I can now check "attending a chocolate festival in Italy" off my bucket list.
    
Val d'Orcia

Tuscan landscape 

Considered by Unesco's Heritage List "one of the most beautiful landscapes on the Earth,"  Val d'Orcia is nestled in the heart of Tuscana and was at its peak of prosperity in the 14th and 15th century when it was colonized by Siena.  Val d'Orcia is the home of breathtaking views of rolling hills, grain fields, rows of cypress trees and grand stucco villas, epitomizing a Tuscan landscape.  Parts of famous movies such as, The English Patient, La Vita e Bella, The Gladiator, and Under the Tuscan Sun, were shot in Val d'Orcia.   

Cemetery in La Foce

The group met early on Friday morning to begin a 2 hour trip to the first stop within Val d'Orcia, La Foce.  La Foce is a crossroads between small towns in the surrounding area. It gets its name from, "Foce" means "meeting place."  In 1929 the estate was bought by Iris and Antonio Orgio and in World War II it became a refuge for children.  Today the estate has been turned into a five star apartments and is known for its beautiful gardens and surrounding views.  Unfortunately when we arrived the estate was closed to the public and we were only able to wonder around the outside and not see its famous gardens.  Fortunately we were able to see the small cemetery where the Orgio family is buried.  On the walk up to the cemetery nine of the girls stopped for a moment to run playfully in a large open field and gaze at the breathtaking views of the Tuscan landscape.  A short walk from the open field we arrived at the small and tucked away cemetery.  It was very beautiful and the local people did a wonderful job of keeping up with fresh flowers and manicuring the small grassy lawn.  At the very top were the three graves of Iris, Antonio and their son who died at a young age.  

The town closest to La Foce is Montepulciano, where we had a delicious lunch.  The name of the restaurant was Fattoria Pulcino.  Originally, the farm building was a monastery; then it was turned into a private estate in the 16th century.  The farm, now a restaurant is owned by Sergio Ercolani (aka Il Pulcino) and his wife Gabriella, and receives help from their six children and eighteen grandchildren. One first walks through a small store where they sell, pasta making kits, bottles of wine, and olive oil, then is led into an open dining room with rows of long tables and families filling each one up.  All of the menu items looked delicious but I chose thick spaghetti with local mushrooms.  As we were filling our stomachs we noticed that within the family behind us there was a young man speaking loudly and trying to catch our attention.  After having caught it, he came over to our table and starting asking us about ourselves.  Not long after the conversation started I found myself standing next to him smiling because his father was waving a camera in front of our faces.  I then realized that he must have never seen a red head before and thought it was the most amazing thing.  We finished our delicious meal and as we were leaving the young man came up to me and told me "che bella" and then gave me an Italian kiss goodbye.  Blushing red as an apple I was very embarrassed at all of the attention I just received.  Continuing back through the small store, I decided to buy one of the pasta making kits and give it as a gift when I return back to the States.  After everyone was finished purchasing their items, we made our way through to a small museum and then down into the small wine cellar.  There were huge barrels that lined the walls and at one end was an old stone with carved out holes that made a strange looking face.  We continued out to a small grassy area that overlooked a beautiful small pond with goats surrounding it, and behind the pond was  amazing scenery.  The next stop for the day was to continue into the actual city walls of Montepulciano.  

View from the restaurant

     
Some of the girls had to research about this small town and one very interesting fact found was that parts of the movie New Moon (from the Twilight Saga) had been filmed in the heart of it.  Being the young college girls that we are, we were all giddy about standing exactly where Robert Paterson had stood. Therefore, are first destination was Piaza Grande, where a famous scene from the movie was shot.  We had a 30 minute long photo shoot then made our way around the city taking every snap shot we could.

The piazza where New Moon was filmed

         Our last stop for the day was a tiny town called Montisi.  The group only spent about 45 minutes walking through.  The town reminded me of a ghost town.  When we arrived, there was no one in the streets and all you could hear were the whisperings of the wind and an occasional dog bark.  I was able to take lots of photographs and again the views made everyone speechless.  The bus continued on to our final destination and resting place.  

Sant' Anna Compiena 

  Sant' Anna in Compiena, now an agriturismo, was a former Olivetan Benedictine monastery from the 15th century.  Walking up to the structure I felt as if I was walking into an early renaissance castle.  We were shown to our bedrooms and at first were uneasy at the fact there was not any heat, but then were reassured when we saw five blankets placed across our beds.  From our window we looked out onto a magnificent courtyard with a perfectly manicured lawn, rows of lemon trees and a center fountain bringing all of it together.  Later that evening some of the girls and I took a small tour through the building, where we found a good size room with a center table and a large fireplace that you could crawl in next to.  We then went out into the courtyard and like small children ran around in its grassy patches and gazed at the goldfish in the fountain.  At 8:00 that night, the entire group sat in the large dining room and was fed a grand meal.  We ended up making good friends with the adjacent table by singing to each other.  The Meredith girls sang songs from the Sound of Music and the Italians sang a popular Italian song.  


The Last of Val d'Orcia 
Breakfast was at 8:30 roughly, because no one is ever on time in Italy; however it was delicious.  We were served fresh croissants and fruit and had the choice of drinking orange juice, coffee or even hot chocolate.  The girls then went out to the courtyard and we had a photo shoot with the Tuscan landscape as our background.  We could not have asked for better weather that Saturday morning.  Our first stop was at Abbazia di Sant Antimo, an abbey dating back to the 700's.  It is a Benedictine monastery named after Saint Anthimus of Rome, whose relics are now located there.  The church, after remodeling, epitomizes medieval architecture.  As you walk inside, you are immediately surrounded by peristyle, with each capital decorated differently and, at the end, a beautiful apse with natural light illuminating the cove.  The landscape surrounding the church was just as beautiful as the church itself.  We saw rolling hills of light and dark shades of green, dotted with cypress trees and patches of yellow and red covered trees for miles.  Out back was the biggest olive tree I had seen in all of Italy.  Playing under it was an adorable two year old, curly blonde hair boy named Rufus.  He and his family were visiting from England and we played with him and collected olives.  After playing with little Rufus, I took only a hundred more pictures, because I cold not get enough of the view, and then we made our way to a small town called Bagno Vignoni.  

Abbazia di Sant Antimo 

Square of Sources 

                Bagno Vignoni is a small village known for its thermal baths, found in ancient Roman times. In the middle is the "Square of Sources" a large rectangular pool which hold the original source of water that comes from underground aquifers.  Tourist can go there today and reserve a half-day to a whole weekend to spend in a the hotels that accommodate these famous thermal spas.  Since our group was only going to be there fro a few hours, we were unable to experience the spas.  However, there are small rivulets that tourist can soak their feet in while enjoying the view.  Around this area was a ledge that overlooked beautiful landscapes and a small waterfall created from the rivulets that poured down to a stream below.  Being the daring girls that we were, a few of us ducked under the railing and carefully trekked down a ledge close to the waterfall.  I was able to run my hands through the falling water, when all of the sudden one of the girls standing on the ledge above me, stepped on an area that made the water begin running down to where I was.  I had a small panic attack and quickly jumped to a higher ledge to avoid getting my feet soaked.  We were all able to laugh at the situation and then made our way back up, carefully placing our feet so to not slip and fall. The next destination after Bagno Vignoni was Montalcino. 

Tuscan landscape 

 Montalcino is a famous area for wineries.  In order to get a full experience of the wineries, tours, and tastings, one must go a little outside of Montalcino's walls and drive to grand villas that house these events.  We were confined by the city walls, but fortunately there were small wine shops that offered free tastings.  We went to the first one we saw.  Initially, the owner was hesitant to give 10 young girls free tasting, but assented to the idea when we told her that we would be purchasing multiple bottles.  All together, we tasted four different re wines which were all very good, and I chose to purchase the second bottle we tasted.  Looking back at the experience, it was not what I had imagined.  One day I would like to go back to an actual winery and participate in tours and tastings there.  The next stop in Montalcino was the town's fortress.  It had a very beautiful outside appearance, but unfortunately we were unable to walk on the parapet.  The last place a couple of the girls and I visited was the local cvic museum where we say many wood carvings and altarpieces, as well as artifacts excavated below the town.
  
The last stop of the day was Pienza, where we mainly walked around and admired the ancient buildings and spectacular views.  Towards the end, we came across a walkway between two streets named Via Bacio (kiss) and Via Amore (love) where we again had another photo shoot.  The group had a long day and we were all ready to go back to our tucked away monastery and sit by the giant fireplace.  That night, we met other college students from Penn State who were also visiting Vad d'Orcia.  We played American and Italian card games until late that evening.  Although the card tournament was fun, the few girls left up had to call it a night so we could be well rested for the next day in Siena.

The Pantheon 

Rome
Margharita, theamazing Palazzo Alberti cook, prepared giant bagged lunches for all of the girls on Thursday afternoon, so we could catch our 12:45 bus to Arezzo.  This was our second travel break and four other girls and I were Roma bound.  We arrived at the train station with plenty of time to buy our tickets and find good seats on the train.  Since Rome was a three hour long trip we chose an enclosed six person seat area and shut the sliding glass door so we could sing and gossip the entire way.  We arrived in Rome at 5:23 and at first were taken back by the overwhelming size of the Rome Termini Station.  It was three times the size of Santa Maria Novella station in Florence and took us ten minutes to walk to the first exit.  One of the girls had printed off directions from station to our hostel.  The directions took us the "scenic" route and when we finally reached the hostel we realized we could have walked straight on the street in front of the station and been at the front door!  I began to get excited when I saw that the lobby was on the first floor but was soon disappointed to find out that we had to climb seven flights of stairs to get to our room.  The one elevator the building did have was older than the one in Poteat and became dangerous when more than two people were on it.  Knowing this information the stairs did not seem all that bad.  For only paying 64 euro for all three nights we were very pleased with our room.  It contained six beds and we had our own private bathroom.  Although the lunch packed for us had been entirely too much food our stomachs soon began to growl and we set out to find an inexpensive place to eat. We did not have to walk far to find a small kabob and pizza shop. Each one of the girls ate a square slice of pizza and then we decided to wander around a nearby Friday morning was beautiful.  We were so thankful that the weather  was on our side.  We set out to visit our first destination, the Pantheon.  

The Obelisk 

In side the Pantheon 

On the way to the bus station we saw a kiosk that sold Rome Passes.  I highly recommend future Rome travelers to buy this pass.  For 25 euro the pass included (for 3 days) all public transportation, major tourist attractions (Coliseum, Roman Forum, etc) and the ability to skip the long lines.  I would also recommend researching bus and metro routes.  We hopped onto bus 64 and were shortly dropped off at a stop near the Pantheon.  On the cities map the monuments face you,  which turned us around and for half of a mile had us going in the opposite direction.  Thankfully we were able to figure this out at our first attraction.  We eventually arrived at the Pantheon, but unfortunately it was being worked on, so one half was covered by construction ladders.  This did not stop us from enjoying its historical beauty.  Thankfully inside was not too crowded and I was able to enjoy myself as I gazed up into the enormous dome. Being good tourist we made set plans for the places we were going to visit, therefore, next on the agenda was the Vatican City.  We made reservations online for the Vatican Museums at 1:30pm allowing enough time to get lunch right outside the walls.  We entered through a side entrance into St. Peters Square and right in front of us was the illustrious obelisk.  It was only 1pm so we decided to take some snap shots around the square.  Closer to 1:30 we headed in the direction we thought the museum to be located.  Realizing that we were incorrect we asked a security gaurd, who pointed us in the correct direction and said it would only .5 km away.  After a good two kilometers and with only two minutes to spare we eventually reached the entrance.  Although our previous purchased passes would allow us to bypass the lines, there were not any.  

St. Peter's Basilica 

The museum consisted of many long hallways with ornately decorated ceilings lined with sculptures or paintings.  I was amazed at its beauty and the talent and time it took to make everything I saw.  We eventually entered into the Sistine Chapel, and not to our surprise so had a 100 other people.  I was able to follow the stories that the frescoes portrayed and stand in awe as I saw the "creation of man."  I enjoyed my short time in there while ignoring the constant "SILENZIO" and interruptions the security guards would make.  We made our way out of the chapel and finished the rest of the museum.  Our legs were very tired from all the walking, therefore; we stopped, got a quick snake and ate in a small seated brick yard outside the walls.  While we were eating, a very small and very old man came up to us and started to sing.  I was trying very hard not to laugh because through the course of his song he would jump and up and down going "bee boo."  We were afraid he was going to ask us for money, but when he was finished he walked off and didn't say a word.  

The Baldacchino

After our interesting experience we made our way to the Square in order to enter into St. Peters Basilica.  I  had learned about Bernini's Baldacchino last semester in an interior design class and was speechless when I saw its colossal size in person.  The great canopy located in the middle of the Basilica marks the location of Saint Peter's tomb.  It was completed in 1634 and extends 94 feet above the ground.  We were not allowed  any closer than 30 feet or so from the Baldacchino and the high altar in the Basilica.  While we were standing in awe of its beauty we started to hear sining and then saw the priest and his processional walk towards the altar.  We then saw people entering through an opening in the railing and wondered why they were allowed to go through.  We realized that mass was taking place and if you wanted to attend you could.  Not seeing any harm in asking the security guard standing at the entrance, we were let through.  We walked very close to the Baldacchino and sat only five rows away from the altar.  Although I am not Catholic the is an experience like no other.  I was in the Vatican city inside St. Peter's Basilica attending mass.  When it came time to take communion I had been previously told that if you were not Catholic you could just cross your arms over you chest and the priest would give you a blessing.  I stepped in line and when it was my turn I crossed my arms, but instead of a blessing I received a very confused lok from the priest, so I just ended up walking back to my seat.  When mass finished we made our way back into the Square, where we stopped in a small gift shop and I bought postcards and rosary.  The day had worn us out and although it was only 6:30 we were ready to eat our dinner and call it a night. 


Our Final Days in Rome    

  Saturday was another beautiful day.  When we were all finished with our morning routines we made our way to the cafe we had enjoyed so much the day before.  I had the pleasure of drinking a creamy cappuccino and devouring an extra large sugar coated doughnut like pastry.  The agenda for the day was to se the Roman Forum, the Coliseum, the Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain.  
    Instead of riding the bus that morning we decided to take the metro.  It was very close to our hostel and for the most part safe and clean.  When we arrived at the top of the stairs, standing there before us was the Coliseum in all of its majesty.  We were surprised  to see how close it was to the road and how the city had almost swallowed it whole, but it was still just as beautiful.  To the right of the Coliseum was the area that encompassed the Roman Forum.  We made our way up a a slight hill and found ourselves at the entrance of a beautiful white church; The Basilica di Santa Maria Nova.  Deciding that we were not in a rush, we made our way through the large wooden doors.  Our sense of sight was immediately overwhelmed by the rich beautiful colors of the interior.  The ceilings were painted with bright blues, greens, yellows and gold.  Overlooking the apse was a gleaming mosaic with five saints.  After our short visit we marched our way to the entrance of the Forum.  

Roman Forum 

   The Roman Forum for centuries was the center of Roman public life; elections, public speeches, and commercial affairs all took place there.  It has been called  "the most celebrated meeting place in the world, and in all history."  It is located in the small valley between the Palatine and Capitoline hills.  Today the Forum contains ruins of architectural figures, towering columns, and numerous excavations.  In our art history class we learned about different architectural terms and were excited when we were actually able to sit on top of a Corinthian capital (a fancy type of column).  While we were in the midst of neck twisting and photo shooting, I ran over to a small brick wall that was off the main path.  The other girls soon followed and we began a 45 minute photo shoot, not realizing that hundreds of other people were probably watching and wondering what were we doing.  We then returned to the main path and continued walking where we were able to see an amazing view of the Coliseum.  We finally finished our long journey and made our way to a nearby restaurant.  After eating a delicious veggie pizza, we headed back in the direction of the Coliseum.  

Coliseum 

   Thanks to our Rome Passes we were able to bypass the long line that wrapped around half the arena.  The Roman Coliseum was commissioned by the Roman Emperor, Vespasian, who began building it in 70 AD.  It was financed from the profits gained form Romans pillaging Jerusalem.  The arena thrived through the reigns of various emperors and the Gladiator fights that killed thousands of animals and people.  As we entered in we walked through a vaulted hallway that led up to a small museum area with moldings of capitals and pieces of the Coliseum's walls.  We then walked outside and saw the amazing view of the uncovered chambers at the foot and arched windows that lined the towering walls.  The view was breathtaking and even though it was all the same sight, I could not take my eyes away from the surrounding scene.  We spent about an hour walking around the top and bottom levels before making our way to the Spanish Steps.  

Spanish Steps

   Having no idea what to expect upon arriving to the Spanish Steps I was taken back when I saw the enormous crowds of people gathered throughout them.  I was a bit disappointed to see the many teenagers, tourists and beer bottles spread throughout the steps as well.  We ignored the unpleasant scenery and tried to enjoy the literal, hidden beauty.  The "Scalinata" are the longest and widest staricase in Europe, containing 138 steps.  They were funded by French diplomat Etienne Gueffer and designed by Francesco de Sanctis who completed them in 1717.  The Steps solved the problem of how to join the Piazza Trinita dei Mointi with the Piazza di Spagna.  Thankfully the sun was out and shining brightly so we joined the bandwagon and lounged on them as well.  Directly in front of the steps was one of the busiest streets I had seen in Rome.  Via del Corso is one of Rome's main shopping streets, including; Prada, Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana, Fendi, Versace (and the list goes on).  Being the young girls we are, we took a long stroll down and drooled by the windows.  The further we walked down the less expensive the stores got and finally we found places within our budget.  It was getting dark and a few shopping bags later we made our way to the renowned Trevi Fountain. 
    Only hearing of the fountain from movies I had no idea the actual size and beauty it contained.  As usual we ignored the crowds of people and we stood in awe of its beauty.  I was very glad that I saw it at night because the entire fountain was lit up and the water looked extra blue.  We each pulled a coin and one by one we threw it over our shoulders and made our wishes.  


Rain, Travel and "Punk Cakes"

This past weekend was our final extended weekend travel break.  Unlike the other girls our group (four of us) decided to stay behind in Sansepolcro and enjoy the town sitting outside our window.  We also took small day trips to cities nearby.  Although we have been in Sansepolcro for three months, the town seemed to fly past us and it had been too long since we had taken the time to go  on long strolls through the streets or around the city walls.  
   After class Thursday, we were not rushing off to catch a bus or a train; we took our time at lunch and enjoyed the company around us.  We were also able to complete a lot of assignments so on Sunday night we would not be up until 2 am working.  When our homework was finished, we took the time to sit in our green lunge and work on our 1200 piece puzzle.  WE then enjoyed margarita pizzas from the restaurant down below.  
   Friday morning we woke up early to catch the 10:10 local train to Perugia, a nearby city.  We were a little late walking out of the door and had to rush to the train station, but thankfully it was only a three minute run.  Walking onto the platform, we saw one train but with only two carts, a little skeptical we asked the conductor and he told us that he was Perugia bound.  We were the first passengers on the train and the only passengers for a few stops.  About an hour and half later we were in the familiar city where the EuroChocolate festival was held.  Not having a set itinerary we first found a small cafe and enjoyed cappuccinos and muffins.  

  Knowing that Perugia was much larger than Sansepolcro we began to wonder in and out of their large selection of shops.  It was nearing lunch time and one of our Citta di Castello friends, who worked in Perugia, invited us to eat lunch with him and two other friends we had met on Halloween night.  They took us to a very nice tucked away restaurant where I enjoyed ravioli stuffed with cheese and spinach and topped with pumpkin sauce and mushrooms.  At the end of the meal we received a pleasant surprise of a free lunch.  We were so thankful and begged to help pay but they refused.  Since we had just dined with authentic Italians, we were informed that a cafe (espresso) is typically drunk after lunch.  The guys took us to a local bar and we all stood by the counter and enjoyed our tiny drinks.  This time the girls insisted on treating them.  It was time for the one guy to return to work, but he also offered to take us home, because it was only a thirty minute car ride.  This gave us more time in the city and helped us save money on a train ticket.  The other guys were going to walk around the city as well.  After about two hours we all met up and enjoyed some gelato at Emma's and my favorite gelateria:  Grom.  Before we knew it we were at the familiar entrance of Porta Florentinia in Sansepolcro.  We had the Palazzo to ourselves and fixed a large pot of pasta, then watched Inception.  
  Although we did not have to do any bus or train catching on Thursday, we chose to on Saturday in order to go to Pisa.  We caught the 8:47 bus in order to catch the 10:05 train in Arezzo.  We were cutting it very close because sometimes the bus ride to Arezzo can take an hour and fifteen minutes.  Thankfully we bought our tickets and made it onto the train just in time.  In order to get to Pisa, you have to stop in Florence and catch another train from Florence to Pisa.  We finally arrived at our destination around 12:30 and took a taxi from the train station to the other side of the city where the famous learning tower stood.  "La Torre di Pissa" is a freestanding bell tower for the cathedral that is across from it.  The construction of the tower began in 1173 and took almost two centuries to complete.  The first four stories began level and then due to unstable soil and a flawed design the tower began to lean.  There was a halt on construction for almost a century due to Pisa's involvement in battles with local regions.  In 1272 building resumed, but in order to compensate for the tilt, the builders tried to build the upper floors with one side taller than the other.  This only made the tower curve.  The 7th floor was finally complete in 1319 and the bell tower was added later.  
   The tower was slightly shorter than I had imagined, but still just as magnificent.  We found a clearing in the crowded sidewalk to shot the notorious Pisa leaning pose.  At first it was a little embarrassing waving our hands in mid air, but after realizing that everyone else was doing it we laughed through the whole process. After we had taken plenty of pictures we walked over to the tower and read about its history.  We decided not to climb it because ti would have been fifteen euro per person.  It began to drizzle so we made our way back to the station and began our trip home.  
   The weekend before, the boys from Citta di Castello came over for dinner and in the course of the evening we had a card tournament.  We made a bet that if the boys lost they would have to make dinner again and if the girls lost we would have to make pancakes or "punk cakes" as the Italians say.  Well the girls lost (because the boys cheated) so this weekend was D-day for "punk cakes."  Saturday night we ran around a supermarket in Arezzo trying to find pancake mix, because we saw some in the PAM, the local supermarket, in Sansepolcro.  Unfortunately this supermarket did not carry any so we decided to make the pancakes from scratch.  We left the supermarket just in time to catch a late bus to Sansepolcro.  That night we decided to go out to the discotecca for one last time.  
   We were up and going by 12:00 Sunday afternoon preparing everything for the "punk cakes."  We decided to make mimosas for an afternoon treat as well.  It was a perfect day for pancakes because it was storming outside.  The guys arrived at 1:30 and we were still in the process of flipping the cakes on the frying pan.  Thankfully Dr. Webb and John Rose allowed us to use their stove top because our hot plate will only heat if the pan is heavy enough.  We made both chocolate chip and plain pancakes.  We finally were able to feast around 2:15 and it was very interesting to watch the Italians eat.  One would stack his pancakes three layers high then cut out a hole in the center and fill the entire hole with syrup.  They were not accustom to such a heavy brunch but told us that they were the best "punk cakes" in all of Italy.  After our meal, we went into the green lounge where we all worked together on our puzzle.  We found out that there was an important soccer match on TV and since we did not have cable the boys politely excused themselves, but thanked us a million times.  
   AFter cleaning the kitchen, we decided it would be fun to bundle up and take a stroll in the rain.  We jumped in puddles and made a nice round through the city streets and outside the walls.  When we returned we crawled under our blankets and popped in a movie.  Our weekend could have not gone any better.


Turkeys and Goodbyes

Thanksgiving 

 When November 25th arrived, I was in shock.  I could not believe that I was about to be celebrating Thanksgiving in Italy.  For one it was going to be an experience like no other, and secondly it meant that we were coming to our final days.  The day before Thanksgiving we had a very nice family from Canada join us for lunch.  I was able to sit across from the mother and found her and her family to be a delight.  She and the father had two children, Fiona and Adam, who were also very nice.  
  That same day the whole group gathered in the dining room, Fiona as well, to watch and learn how to make a homemade pumpkin pie and pie crust.  A kind lady born in the United States, who had lived in Italy for twenty years and has studied the science of cooking, generously shared her knowledge with all of us.  
   We each received a list of ingredients and materials; it took up an entire page.  I was very excited for this lesson because cooking and baking has never been one my strong points.  She began by telling us the science behind cooking and how the ingredients react to one another and why it is important to follow each step exactly.  I soon became her helper and ran back and forth from the dining room into the kitchen; many things had to constantly be in and out of the refrigerator and freezer.  The lesson went on for about an hour and half; I had no idea how much work when into making a pie crust.  After the long lesson we found out we that we were going to have to make three more pumpkin pies that night.  Thankfully Janna, one of the girls on the trip, is an amazing cook and was able to whip out three pies (with the help from her friends) in less than two hours.  We then celebrated with a dance party.  
   The next day soon arrived and so did seven o'clock.  We arrived at the Servi,  a monastery converted into a hostel, that is owned by our cook Margarita, and began welcoming guest.  We had our host families, our teachers from the Italian schools, close friends within Sansepolcro, and the Canadian family join as well.  , altogether totaling almost eighty people.  I was very excited when I was able to find an extra seat at the table of the Canadians.  The meal was very delicious and it was a good mix of American and Italian traditions.  The American part consisted of turkey, sweet potato casserole, and pumpkin pie.  
   A little after appetizers had been cleared and we were waiting for the main course we noticed that in the middle of the table there were blank papers and crayons.  A tradition was started the year before of the Thanksgiving Tree.  Everyone was to trace their hands onto the paper, design a hand turkey, write what they are thankful for, and then hang it on the Thanksgiving Tree.  Even though this is not something very common in America, we were to honor it as if it was.  Right before dessert was served, all ten girls had to recite a passage about Thanksgiving and say what we were thankful for in Italian.  Following the passage we had to sing "For the Beauty of the Earth", a cappella.  Hopefully the Italians did not have a good ear for American voices!  The whole evening went very well, and it made me fell more at home because I was celebrating such a family event overseas.  Just over one meal I became very close with the Canadian family and would like to keep in touch as much as possible.  

The Canadian Family 

  Looking back at the whole semester I couldn't be happier with myself for making the decision to study abroad in Italy.  I have grown in so many ways and learned from so many of my experiences.  I am a more confident traveler and have learned so much about a completely different culture.  I have also gained new friends whom I hope to keep in my life for a long time.  In addition I have also made many Italian friends, with good memories to last a life time.  
   Living in a completely different culture from my own, has shaped previous views into completely different ones.  I have a new respect for family owned shops; they work long and hard hours, but are still able to keep smiles on their faces.  I am also proud to say that I have picked up a few Italian habits, such as talking more with my hands, looking in the windows of stores first, and taking pleasure in strolling up and down streets. I am going to miss the home cooked meals we received everyday for lunch, and the fresh smell of the stone oven where they would cook pizza below.  I will also miss the friendly faces and the generosity that I have received from many of the local Italians.  I am not sure when, but I know one day I will return to the small, quiet town and revisit  all the places I have come to love.