1) This is a picture of the side of the Cathedral leading up to the infamous dome
2) This is a picture out onto the city from the fancy railing on the Cathedral patios
Several of the girls I live with are required to journal about their study abroad experience in order to receive adequate credit from their American Universities. I am finding that, despite the fact that DU does not require this, it is rather nice to have a place to dump my feeling every few days. The experiences are so new and. . . intense, that being able to more-or-less remove them from my consciousness is a welcome experience.
So, here’s to the next installment!
The entire city of Florence celebrates the Virgin Mary’s birthday on September 8th! Therefore, in honor of the occasion, there was a lantern parade on the evening of the 7th. Since Survival Italian was conveniently cancelled, my friends and I rushed over the join in the festivities. We saw gobs of children ridding on their parents’ shoulders, and others toddling alongside grandparents. Most were carrying paper lanterns in the shape of farm animals. Those that weren’t, as tradition dictates, were carrying the supplies to spit small pellets of clay at the paper lanterns. It was a little boy’s paradise! They were all visibly delighted about being able to engage in small-scale war without reprimands from their parents.
When I was getting ready for bed that night, as I took my hair down from it’s up-do, a small pellet of clay dropped to the floor of the bathroom. I had to smile to myself.
The following day, Mary’s birthday, is the only day that Florence opens the rooftop patios of the very large Cathedral here. Therefore, after class, Megan and I ventured over to the Cathedral, which also happens to be right around the corner from our apartment, to scale the church stairs and look out on the views that might be the fruits of a once-in-a-lifetime event. What we were able to glimpse was breathtaking. In a less cliché manner of speaking, my fear of heights introduced me to another variety of breathtaking feelings.
There is so much more to tell, but to keep it short, I will leave you with a few tidbits to chew on:
1) Florence, too, has 99 cent stores! These stores, for the poor college students that frequent the city, might seem like lifesavers when a lunchtime sandwich (merely meat and cheese slapped between two slices of thick bread) can cost up to 10 euros. But, I have heard that their pens offered there lack ink, and the sponges disintegrate in water. What does this mean for the Tupperware I purchased there?
2) I get the impression that Europeans see little need to engage in hard physical exercise!! I came to Florence with the intention of training for dance and competing in European competitions out here. . . I have recently been faced with the fact that the only Irish dance school out here is three hours from where I live, the dance studio nearest me wants to charge me 30 euros for an hour of practice time, and a gym membership could cost a minimum of 200 euros. Where does all the olive oil and carbs go if all the people here are skinny? I fear I might have to kiss my dancing aspirations away for the next few months.
3) My roommate convinced me to tag along for some gelato last night. Let me just say that the creamy richness we experienced from GROM is unparalleled to anything in this world. Their gelato envelopes you without bothering to ask for your consent, and with crazy flavors like fig, I think everyone is prone to develop a sweet tooth. . . until you can’t fall asleep for the next five hours because of all the sugar it contains.
Much love to you all, and please don’t hesitate to write to me! A little slice of home to go with my gelato is more than welcome!
Brandi
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