I had wanted to post daily, but sparse and intermittent internet just doesn't make such an ambition possible. There is so much I want to tell you all. Since we last met, I spent hours touring the Uffizi, multiple museums, churches and baptisteries in Florence, Pisa and Lucca. I am kind of Renaissanced out. You can only absorb so much dark and foreboding art before it just pours over and around you like a sponge filled to its limit. What can I say. I like the light and fluffy feeling I get from Impressionism. Still, I must have walked 20+ kilometers every day to see as much as these 3 incredible towns had to offer. And yes, I still have blisters. My feet hate me at this point. I don't really blame them.
Sheilah asked about the food and so here it goes... So as you know there are gelaterias on every street in Italy. I have been trying to enjoy a gelato at least every day. It's such a cool treat on a hot day. And it's been hot. I think over 100 degrees Fahrenheit the last few days. Madonna mia! So many days, as much as I wanted to eat the gelato, my feet would have preferred to buy a bucket of gelato and stick my feet in themto cool off. Oh sweet relief.
Still, it would be a sin to waste this deliciousness. I think the best part about the gelato experience is that you can buy a small cone (which is more ice cream than I really want or need) and they expect you to pick 2 flavors. Two! So much fun choosing. Today's treat was Apricot and Torroncino, which is a nougat flavor. This was my most favorite yet, the runner up being Hazelnut. Yum! I do not recommend semifreddo though, which is a "half cold" option. They mix the gelato with whipped cream. It is lighter but loses the intense taste. I want my gelato to scream what flavor it is from every taste bud.
Another interesting dish I was able to experience was Ribollita, which is Tuscan bread soup. I had my doubts when ordering, really wasn't sure when it arrived to the table, but fell in love the moment I tasted it. It's hearty and filling and quite the comfort food. I also have had some amazing risotto, excellent prosciutto and lots of wine.
Oh the wine. I overheard someone on the train to Pisa say that even the cheap wine in Italy is better than expensive wine in other countries. I would have to agree. I am not a wine connoisseur by any means. In fact, I really only enjoy Riesling and probably cheap ones at that. Still I have made a point to try wine wherever I can and it has only enhanced the overall experience and I have yet to drink anything that I haven't liked yet...as long as it is white. I still haven't developed a taste for red.
The biggest problem is the dollar is weak compared to the Euro and just buying a bottle of water is 2 euro in the center of Florence, cheaper as you move out but never less than 1 euro. Porti multi soldi or as Stan says, "Just bring money." There is plenty of shopping to do here. The leather artisans of Lucca were probably my favorite treat. Growing up in a town known for their leather gloves has given me a keen appreciation for quality. So when the vendor at the Florence farmer's market tried to impress upon me the incredible value of his $32 wallet that he would sell to me for only $25, I tried hard not to point out where the glue was still wet. Glue. Not hand sewn. Highway robbery is what it is!
But Lucca, a small town surrounded by enormous walls that kept out medieval attackers but none of the modern day tourists who descend upon the city to buy up true artisanal products. What a delight! My one regret so far is we did not spend the night in this quaint village and eat in one of the trattorias in the piazza that was once a home to an amphitheater. The energy there was calm and protective, a much needed respite from the hectic sightseeing thus far.
Still, I know we are leaving Florence on Saturday, so calm is coming soon enough. Tonight is my first dinner with my Gonzaga classmates. My trip abroad is really about taking 6 credits in 17 days with 30 other students in a Cagli, a small Italian town. I will be studying International Media and International Communications, plus a little Italian, journalism and photography for good measure. My feet can't wait!
No comments:
Post a Comment