just in firenze for the day

Getting on two weeks now, although it feels like a different life time!  I've eaten gelato twice now! mmmm....but you know, Hagen Daas is still pretty fricken' great. Other food things:  

There isn't bad wine here.  Seriously.  And they have a delicious liquor called limoncello, which tastes like liquid lemon drops.  I think it's kind of hard to find in the States, but I will definitely try to being some back!  Everyday for breakfast, I eat cake and cookies.  Seriously.  And coffee of course, which is strong and delicious.  Lunch usually is "panini" - which in Italian means plural sandwhiches- with prosciutto or salami or mortadella, which is kind of like bologna, and not my favorite.  I wish you could smell the oranges.  It is the sweetest citrus smell, even the skin.   There is a fruit and vegetable market near my school which I plan on becoming a regular at.

Last Saturday, some friends and I went to Firenze, better know to us Americans as Florence, for the day.  Unfortunately, it was raining all day, but the fact that there was a chocolate festival made up for it!  The Italian version on hot chocolate is basically solid chocolate heated up so much that it is liquid.  Buonissima!!!  I've never seen so much chocolate in my life!!!   Firenze is a crazy city.  The Ponte Vecchio is an architectural feat!  A little history about it:   It is the only bridge in Firenze that didn't get bombed during WWII because the pilot couldn't bear to destroy it; so he destroyed all the building around it instead so no one could cross it!  Also, now the Ponte Vecchio is lined with jewelers and goldsmiths, because during medieval times (I think)  it used to be where butchers dumped all the blood and guts.  The rich merchants and business men couldn't stand the smell so the Florentine government made them stop and gave the area to goldsmiths.   Much better!  Also, saw my first designer boutiques: Gucci, Escada, Bulgari, St, John's, etc.  Yes, they do actually exist. 

Today was finally sunny after a week and a half of rain and cold.  Portland much?  

I'm already learning things about myself.  For instance, I like America more than I thought!  "Gasp!"  Yes, it's true.  We are free.  Truly.  Free in more than one sense.  I just look around at all the women here.  They are all dressed to the nines and at the same time trapped in these Italian cultural expectations.  Not all of them obviously, but 'progressive' people are probably about 1%.  And for obvious reasons.  America doesn't have the deep traditional roots that European countries have.  We'll see what else I learn as I wander around the ancient streets on Siena in the coming weeks.....

Until then,

Ciao belli!