Sassy Sienna

This past weekend, my roommates and I traveled to Sienna by train. We left Saturday morning at 10am, and we got to Sienna around 4pm. If we had a car to drive, it would have taken around 2 hours. But by train, it's a different story. First of all, once I'm on the train, looking out the window, being lulled to sleep by the train's rhythem, I am happy. But the stress of finding the right train at the right time at the right platform is another story. We had to switch trains twice, which is more difficult than you might think. After a few hour layovers in train stations and many caffe machiatos, we finally arrived in Sienna. Beautiful city! We stayed at a really nice bed and breakfast for 25 euros each (breakfast Sunday morning included...made by Nonna herself!) that was located literally one minute from Il Campo, the famous piazza in the center of Sienna. We went to the big museum in Il Campo, saw tons of medival art, and even some modern art in the downstairs exhibit (its was free). We did some shopping, too---Italians love their clothing stores. We had dinner at one of the restaurants in Il Campo, which was sort of pricey and the food was just OK. My new rule is that nice looking places may not have the best food. So far, the best food I've had in Italy have been in the hole-in-the-wall places. Like last night, my friend literally took me and some others through allyway after allyway to this hidden pizza restaurant that was the best pizza I've had in Italy yet. I'll be going back. Anyways, Sienna. Gelato was eaten, the huge duomo was seen Sunday morning, pizza was ordered, a train was caught. And when we finally got back to Perugia Sunday around 8pm, it was a great feeling. I truly felt like I was home, and I liked it.

The Duomo (big church), me inside of a courtyard, and the fountain in Il Campo.

Museum/church. Lots of medival art but also a modern art exhibit on the bottom floor. We saw both.

Il Campo in Sienna, a big piazza. The big museum/church is on the other side. That's a mountain straight ahead

Saturday in Gubbio

Last Saturday, a few friends and I took the bus to Gubbio for the day. Gubbio is a mideval town pretty close to Perugia, so it was a short trip. But wow, what a place. This is a picture of a Roman ampatheater. It was right next to a big park so we ended up just sitting around on the grass looking up at this crazy old ampatheater that while moms and dads played with their kids around us. It was a beautiful day---I felt like it might have reached 60 degrees at some point! I can't believe I am calling that warm, but it was. We also took a chairlift up to the top of a small mountain and hiked around and went into an old church, Basilica Di S. Ubaldo. And we got to actually see S. Ubaldo in his final resting place on an alter in the front of the church, sort of strange but hey, we are in Italy. The pictures above this are from Gubbio. We ended our day by sipping wine at a cafe that overlooked the ampatheater as the sun set behind it. I can't complain.

The sunset from my bedroom window. Not too shabby.

In our kitchen with some of our neighbors before heading over to another apartment for dinner.

A view from a central-ish location in Perugia. Amazing

This is Reema, one of my apartment-mates, and I in the town center (centro). Behind us is a beautiful old fountain.

My new home

These past few days have flown by. Between jet lag, staying out super late, meeting tons of new people, and living in a city where I don't speak the language, I am pretty exhausted as I start this week of Italian classes. My apartment is nice, not a mansion, but modest, yet cute. It is three floors, with a bedroom and full bath on the top two floors, and a kitchen and full bath on the bottom floor. My room mates are great, all cool girls from the north east. This morning I made us scrambled eggs before class.
Here a some things I have learned/experienced since getting to Perugia:
- The pizza is..fantastic. I've already tried two different places (there are like a million pizzarias all over Perugia, and Perugia is not a big town). For lunch today I split a margharita pizza with a friend. A few days ago for dinner I asked our waiter to bring me his favorite, and he brought me one with tomotos, mozzerlla, mushrooms, chili sauce, some other unknown but delicious sauce, and sausage. It was great and I ate it all (it wasnt that big)!
- Italians have three words for the color blue. One that means dark blue, one that means blue like the ocean, and one that means light blue. I love that.
- Every Italian I have met here knows right away that I am from America because of my hair, and they love to stroke it (sort of weird).
- There are no stop signs or stop lights in the centro (my area of town). Drivers are crazy.
- Last night an apartment of American girl students like me had people over for homemade lasagna, veggies, bread, and wine. Great conversations, great people.
- People in Perugia love dogs! and they are constantly walking them everywhere. Italian dogs are the cutest.
-All the views are spectacular. There is no bad view of the city. ever. ever.
-Perugia is super old. I walked on an old aquaduct; the eutruscans built a wall that still surrounds the centro. wow
I promise pictures are coming soon!!!
Lots of love!

Perugia

Well I am here! Today will be my first time to see Perugia in the daylight---I'm very excited! Last night about 14 of us explored the city, going into town and seeing these crazy old buidings was amazing. It was like going through a time machine. We find the main piazza with a large old fountain and a bunch of steps so we hung out on those for a while.
Next week classes don't exactly start, but we have a week of intensive Italian, which is good.
Pictures soon---they always take better in the daylight!
Ciao!

Ciao USA

In about 11 hours from now, I'll be boarding the plane that will transport me to the location of the next four months of my life---Italy. What adventures I will find, what people I will meet are all unknown. Get ready.