Monday, September 29, 2008

More pictures

I’ve done and seen so much already, and have been super lucky. I went to the Uffizi yesterday. It was amazing! I came out exhausted but smiling. I was so amazed by how big some of the painting where and how different the colors so many other things. I sat in front of Primavera by Botticelli for more then 10 minuets. I can’t wait to do it again. I cried when I saw that and The Birth of Venus in that big room, taking up to majority of their walls. I can’t wait to go back. I think first though I’m going to go to The Academy first, see The David, now that I’ve seen the two brothers. I bet you didn’t know he was a triplet. Lol

*One in Palazza Michelangelo over looking the city -




(yeah it’s crooked)

*And one in Piazza Signoria (where THE David originally was).-


I’ve seen Ponte Vecchio at night, these pictures is actually from Ponte Vecchio.




I have cool roommates:



Hello Daveen!

I get Great coffee and Pastries from a great place called Kocco Kaffe. It’s literally across the street from my front door.








And here’s the wonderful man who serves me that wonderful stuff: Andrea

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School’s been going well, my first project for fashion photo is coming up, I’ll soon put those pictures up too. I have my first quiz in Italian next week as well. I feel like I’m not learning as much Italian as I should be, and I get super, super nervous and just nothing comes out. I’ll soon be starting this language exchange thing so hopefully I’ll learn more and become more confident. I’ve been trying to practice with Andrea up there, but every time I see him it’s pretty early in the morning.

I might go to the Academy this weekend if I have time around homework and studying, my little Uffizi Card gets me into there as well, all state museums actually. Though, I know Saturday if a free day for all state museums so, I might now go that day.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Other Great Things

Here's one of many to come I have to get out of here, they're kicking me out.. Ciao all.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Bar Hopping



Here is my first beer, and french frys at my first bar. And the two nice men that gave Maria and I free shots of something fuity and yummy. This bar was pretty American (it is called the Williams) but it was still a lot of fun and there were quite a few locals.
Though there were these two guys from Rome who for some reason I think they believed they were coming home with us so we slipped out the other door when we said we'd meet them out side while we paid our bill. I woke up the next morning still laughing, how often do you think Italian boys get completely ditched by American women?






Hello provocative graffiti teddy bear.




These are some of the girls from Belgium we met at our second weekend.








Maria and I looking more sober then we were.







Maria doing drunken cartwheels in the street.

Il Mercato!


This is on the second floor, fruits and veggies so fresh you can smell them!
They're strawberries are smaller then ours but their raspberries are bigger and sweeter!



Hello Mr. Ducky do you want to be dinner tonight? This is on the first floor, dried goods, wine, pasta, meats and cheeses.








more to come

there will be pictures of the market and the caffe i have coffee at every morning to come.

Boboli Gardens





So this last weekend I went to the Boboli Gardens, it was amazing! I was there for more then 2 and a half - 3 hours and I still didn't really see all of it. So here are a few of the many pictures I took, they were from my point and shoot and the sun was strange and not really around much that day so I apologize. I'll go again before it gets too cold so don't worry better pictures will come.



I have no idea what this is, or was but it's pretty amazing. It looks like the foundation of something, but it looks like it's sloping. Interesting and beautiful.




(Below) One of my favorite gardens I saw was this one, the Lemon Gardens.



















This is the palace that is in front of the gardens, I believe built for the Medici Family, though what isn't around here? (above)




(below) These cool fountains that were not running that day for some reason. They are at the lemon garden bridge gates.






And this is this pretty amazing Neptune Fountain. (Below Left)



The first major view of the gardens. (above)









These fountains were pretty neat, they were slanted just enough to let gravity work but not enough too look really slopped. Below is what their faces look like.


























She was one of my favorite statues.

This Statue is HUGE! (Below) Probably two mes in height!
and I love how it's at the end of a long hedge corridor. I think these hedges were made out of Bay leaves.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Update about updating

There will soon be an update, probably this weekend with more photos!

Ciao tutti. Ti amo!

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Some pictures



If you keep going down this street and turn right there you are at my home.






The Duomo, very close to where I live, not that anything in the city is really that far. It's a pretty small city actually.









This photo needs tweaking but this can show you how big the S. Croce is. I walk by this everyday!






A better picture of S. Croce.




The Piazza that it's in.







This is at Palazza Michelangelo where a copy stands, there are more then 2 in the city I believe. He was moved from his original spot because his stand was struck by lightning and his had was damaged in anti-Medici riots.










This is the view you will see climbing up the long stair way to see Palazza Michelangelo. AMAZING! Compleatly worth the long steep treck.








A couple of the girls and I went out for and beer and appetizers. By the by, never eat/drink in touristy areas, way too much money.

Monday, September 8, 2008

I Made it

I made it to Italy! It took me more then forever to get here.
I flew to Denver from Tucson and stayed there for about 5 or 6 hours then flew to Frankfurt, Germany which is a 10 hour flight. Then in Frankfurt my plane was an hour late getting in so I missed my flight to Florence and had to wait another 2 hours or so. Then flew directly to Florence from there, but because of the mix ups with the flight my bags went missing. I was in the Florence airport (which is tiny BTW) for about another hour or 2 to fill out a forum letting them know they were missing and where to take them once they were found.

I did eventually get them back though. The big bag I got back 3 days after and the smaller one a day after that. Thank God for clothes!

But the city is pretty amazing! It's made of cranies and knooks. The people are pretty great too, I live across from a cafe where a very nice man tends and owns, he and I try to communicate even though it's difficult. I will soon learn more Italian though, thank goodness.

It is pretty expencive here though, more then I thought, but I'm so happy to be here non the less!

Everyday I pass the Santa Croce (I believe), and I'm just a few minute walk from the Duomo! It's AMAZING!

My apartment has large open rooms, and me and 5 other girls live on the first floor. I share a room with a girl named Daveen, she's small and sweet. The other girls are pretty great too, we're all from amazingly different places and background. Though I am the only one from west of the Mississippi.

Well I've spent enough time in the computer lab time to go get some more things done. Hopefully pictures will follow soon.


Ciao a tutti!

Erin