The Italian Mobleys

As far away as Italy is, it was nice to know I had family close by.  When I left for my trip I got a pep talk from my brother full of advice as well as good tips about Italy. Lane is notorious for his pep talks and this one did not disappoint.

Side Note: When I was in 7th grade he gave me a talking to when I asked to skip a Bruin football game for a birthday party.  He pulled me aside and said, "Look Maddi, we are Mobleys, we don't bleed red, we bleed blue and gold, skippin the game isn't an option, it's in your blood." What can I say, Bruin Born, Bruin Bred.

For those that don't know, Lane has been stationed in Vicenza, Italy for about 2 years now.  He lives there with his wife, Aarika and their puppy Juno. Vicenza is about 2 hours north of Florence by train so I knew I definitely wanted to make a trip to go see them! Vicenza is also about 30 min to the west of Venice which was super convienient for the visit.

This is Aarika, Lane, and my baby niece in the belly!

Everything happens at the right time for a reason. Sounds super cliche but it is true! LdM (The school I attended in Florence) hosted a weekend in Venice the weekend of a big festival there called the Festival of the Redeemer. Well, instead of going on this trip, I decided to head to Vicenza with two of my friends from the program. The plan was to hang with Lane and Aarika and then head to Venice to see the festival (The festival had fireworks which was my main incentive since I missed the 4th.) It was the perfect timing also because I was at the halfway point of my trip and a little family time always keeps you going. 

I also felt the need to display my new cooking skills so I offered to cook dinner for everyone when we got there.  I got a little ambitious and wanted to make the Spaghetti with Clams that I learned in class, only problem was transporting clams for 2 hours on a train in a country that doesn't believe in coolers or ice. Well I did all the shopping in the mercato in Florence for this meal and ended up using the friendships I made to have the Fish man make me a cooler out of bags! It was impressive and it worked perfectly, the only downside was that I smelled like clams everywhere I went. 

Rae, Chez and I jumped on a train Friday afternoon and headed to Vicenza.  I think these two were more excited than me because there were so eager to see how people live outside the city of Florence.   The train was super easy and they met us at the train station. It was so nice to be so far away from home but to feel like I was in a home again.  It's a weird feeling that I don't know if I will be good at explaining, but just the feeling of safety, comfort and familiarity that lacks in a foreign country.  I was very lucky to have these two so close. 

We got there, took Juno for a walk and then cooked dinner. To my surprise, it went perfectly and my clams even stayed alive to make the journey! Lane is a picky eater so he didn't eat the deliciousness, but the rest of us were able to enjoy!

Juno ready for her walk! 

After dinner we got to explore Vicenza with some of Lane's buddies (makes sense why they all hung out, there were all huge goobers like Lane.) It was fun to be able to hang out with my brother, it had been such a long time where it was just us and friends and I am excited to get him back to the US!

Cheesin' hard. 

On Saturday we woke up to the man army downstairs cooking breakfast which was an excellent surprise. Even though they made a mess, the boys know how to cook a great American breakfast (Breakfast to the Italians is a croissant and an espresso and I needed my bacon.) We were able to explore the base and even get a workout in in their gym.  The one thing you need to know about any military gym is that EVERYONE is ripped and in shape and they are kicking their own butts during the work out, a little different than 24 hour fitness. After a good morning on base, we headed home and got ready for Venice. 

Since it was our first time there, we decided to head in during the early afternoon so we could walk around a little.  The fireworks weren't starting until 11:30 so it gave us plenty of time to explore.  

On the train, we met some break dancers and Rae even shared a mutual friend with them! (Small World) 

They explained how much fun the festival is and they made the train ride go by very quickly.

We explored the beauty of Venice right during sunset and it made for excellent pictures.  Since Chez and Rae are both a part of the Art Department at their film school, they were oogling over the doors, windows and buildings that they wanted to recreate. I followed behind and nodded my head and attempted to appreciate they city like they saw it. 

The beauty that is Venice at sunset

Due to this festival, everyone was celebrating with big dinners outside along the water (the water is everywhere you turn fyi), the restaurants were expensive and the Island was PACKED. We paid way too much for an average dinner but that is what happens during events.  Lane's buddies from the night before were meeting us for the fireworks and thank goodness we had Italian phones and they have good navigation skills because they were able to find us in the sea of people as we waited for the fireworks.  

The Firework show was spectacular and reminded me of my junior year of high school when I watched the Macy's 4th of July firework show overthe Hudson River.  There is just something about fireworks that makes me happy!

We ended the night with something that everyone must do in Venice, get lost and explore.  We walked around for a good hour before we finally found our way to the train station. Everything was closed as we walked around because the entire island was enjoying the festival on their boats.

We slept in the next day and then headed home.  I was so happy to get a glimpse into the life that my brother has over here, he is kicking butt in the army and it was amazing to finally meet and cuddle with Juno! 

Excuse the sloppy formatting of the blog and pictures, because I procrastinated for so long, I am working with my iPad and it is not the same. I will fix it when I am home and have my computer. 

Spontaneity

Spontaneity has been the keyword to my trip in Europe.

I came here with nothing planned. The things I knew: 

1. My parents were coming July 29th-Aug 9th

2. My program ended on Aug 2nd

3. I needed to be in London by Aug 14th to meet Lindsay, one of my best friends from Tustin, for a music festival

4. I leave to head home on Aug 20th from London

I had some unanswered questions heading into Florence. Was I going to stay in Florence all month? Who was I going to travel with? How was I going to kill 6 days after my parents left until my next location? 

The Crew in Barcelona's IceBar

Well, if you've been following the blog at all, you know I have barely sat still in Florence. With my travel buddies Sam, Sarah, Alex and Steve (give or take a couple different people at each local) we explored all over Italy and even made it to Barcelona during our weekends. Our Barcelona trip was planned on a Wednesday and we left the next day for our flight. When we got on the plane we had no where to stay... talk about a spontaneous trip! We ended up figuring it out and it all worked out amazingly! 

My parents arrived the day after we got back from Barcelona, also with no plans. We knew we had to stay in Florence for a week so I could finish classes and we needed to spend some family time with Lane and Aarika. We explored Florence for the week, doing all the tourist things I skipped for the month I was there. We then decided to road trip to San Gimignano to Wine Taste, Siena, Modena and then headed to Lane's house in Vicenza. (A whole post will be dedicated to the trips with the parentals)

From Modena, we decided to meet Lane, Aarika and their puppy Juno at Lake Garda because it was so hot outside (by hot I mean 100 degrees every day with at least 50% humidity, this California girl was not ready for that.) From then on it was day trips of our choice. At 10pm on Monday night we decided we wanted to drive somewhere for Tuesday and Wednesday. We basically looked at anything that was a couple hour radius from Vicenza and landed on Innsbruck, Austria. 

Historical Note: Innsbruck is located in the mountains in Austria right past the border of Italy. It is a tiny city that hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics.  It's main tourist attraction is the Golden Roof and it houses the highest elevation Zoo in the world. 

The reason I'm placing such an emphasis on this topic of spontaneity is because it is so unlike my parents. They are very good at planning vacations, but they do it all in advance. The fact that we packed up and headed  to Austria was so spontaneous and fun! 

My next spontaneous choice was choosing how I was going to kill the 6 days until I needed to be in London. My friend Matt, from my program, told me he was going to be in Prague from the 12th-15th of August which was almost perfect.  I ended up finding out that my roommate from this past year Dana would also be in Prague starting the 10th, so to Prague I was going! 

Matt and I in Cinque Terre

I booked my ticket and then found out that one of my teammates in high school Cara, was playing on the Denmark national team while I was here in Europe.  I texted her one day and said, hey meet me in Prague and she booked her ticket that night. Thanks for being spontaneous Cara! I am so excited to see Cara, Dana, and see Matt again all in Prague! All of my trips have just come together, and I am so excited to see how this one turns out.

I really think the spontaneity has added to my experience in Europe.  Never again will I have this freedom to do as I wish, when I please.  I am free to travel, live and learn with each step and each person I meet along the way.  I really think traveling alone to Florence has allowed me this amazing opportunity and I have met some incredible people along the way. 

I promise I will keep updating.  Tim has been on my case about my blog, so if only for Tim, I will get my act together. I am with my brother for the next two days, my parents left today, and I leave for Prague on Sunday so there is time to write. 

Miss you all! 

The Mobile Blog

I am so excited to announce that I just got the Blogger App for my phone! This now means that the posts (should be) more timely and shorter. Yes, I should have thought about this sooner but I love doing it on my computer so I didn't really mind. I am starting to get so behind on posts that I wanted to keep them more current. I also think this blog has a really relaxed feel so mobile posts would add to this nicely. 

I just got back from an incredible weekend in Barcelona and I can't wait to share it with you all! 

We are entering our last week of classes and things are very bittersweet. My journey isn't ending here but most of my friends head home Friday and I will be sad to see them go. 

The parentals arrive tonight and I could not be more excited to share this with them.

I actually have school work so time to write a couple papers to wrap up the course. More to come soon! 

The City Frozen in Time

History Lesson: Pompeii is a city near the south of Italy that was buried under 4-6m of ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79A.D. It was destroyed approx. 160 years after it was founded. It was only discovered in 1559 that there was a city buried and then 150 years later more of it was uncovered. 2/5ths of the site are still not uncovered and it happened just over a thousand years ago. It is one of the top tourist attractions in Italy and brings in over 2.5 million visitors a year.

I was one of those people on the Sunday of my Amalfi Trip.  As much fun as I had, we had to have some history shoved in there! So Sunday morning, we hoped on a bus, and drove about 40 minutes toward Florence to this tiny town of Pompeii.

Once we arrived, we immediately began our guided tour of the ruins.  Our tour guide was this little old man full of information and might have even been around when the Volcano erupted (just kidding but he was pretty old.) Even though he was old, he was so funny and gave us some awesome information and helped us see the city as it was before the eruption.

A man trying to cover his face 

He took us around and we saw homes, the market, and even a brothel. There were a lot of brothels in the city of Pompeii. Some people, mostly slaves were caught in the town when the area was covered and there are casts of those people because when they were uncovered, they remained the way they were when they died.  They cast the bodies and they are now on display. 

It was really weird to me to be walking the streets just as these people had.  The city structures are still in tact and you get a real glimpse into ancient times.  I live in the a city that is full of history but it has adapted as time has gone on, Pompeii has remained the exact same.  It is literally the city frozen in time.

A Bakery Oven

Even though I was exhausted from the weekend, I was so happy I got this experience.  I love seeing the history of how things once were but most of the time you are not enlightened to actually seeing it as it was.

After the hour and a half tour, we went to Pompeii Pizza in the new town of Pompeii and it was delicious! Go if you get a chance. We hung out with the Bus2Alps group there and then boarded the bus to head home. What an incredible way to end our trip. The only sucky thing the whole day was the Trojans that were walking around.  I know it was in the Roman empire but no one likes a trojan.

Ew! The Trojans of Pompeii

The drive only took us 5 and a half hours to get back because we left from Pompeii.  I slept the entire way back because my sickness was still looming.

I was so happy I signed up for this trip. I had an incredible weekend with my friends. Everything was planned for my enjoyment and it was one of the best weekends I have had in Italy, if you get a chance GO.

Maddi and the Art School Kids

So I have talked a lot about my friends here and there in previous posts but these people around me are shaping my journey in a way I could have never imagined.

I came into this program with not only no previous experience in Italy but also no knowledge with film and event art school for that matter.  You may wonder why that matters, well let me tell you. Almost everyone that I hang out with every single day here in Florence is here to make a movie for their film program.

I had dinner this week with two of the guys, Tim and Matt, and we were talking about Football and I was getting a kick out of the fact that they didn't follow or know much about it. I only laugh because this is such a huge part of my life at home.  I am surrounded by athletes on a daily basis and everyone is very into sports.  To meet people with other hobbies and passions is so interesting and a way for me to learn a lot!

Mirror pictures with Tim while Cooking Dinner

I know this sounds very stereotypical and high school group like, but by hanging out with people that share a passion that is art, is helping me to see the world in a different way. They appreciate the city in a way I probably would never have seen it.  I haven't placed art as a high importance in my life or education but I am in the Renaissance city so I better start opening my eyes before I miss it all. Culture is passed up sometimes in LA in the fast paced culture of it all.

Sports has been the center of my life for as long as I can remember.  I can explain to you the game of softball, football, basketball etc. in great depth but give me a video camera and I know nothing more than pointing and shooting. Not only am I learning about food, a new culture, but also the amount of work a movie takes to make.

Well, I am doing my best to learn everything I can from all of these people I am around each day. I joke with terms like raw or magic hour but in all seriousness, it is giving me a new appreciation for the importance of light, the pristine nature of these buildings and the silent interactions between people speaking different languages.  None of that can be seen if you have an ipod in your ears, head down, and speed walking to your destination. They have taught me to take pride in each shot I take and to see the magic everywhere around us.  Everyone has a different eye and to it is important to appreciate everyone's talents.

Capturing magic hour in Venice

These people have truly become my family and I am so thankful to have met them even if they won't let me star in their movie (Something about not looking like a little Italian boy.) But in all seriousness, each person brings a different part to the group and it would not be the same without each and every one of them. Whether they are a cinematographer, audio person, set designer or director, they all amaze me with their skill and talent (and make me super jealous of it all.)

Tim, Steve, Matt, Alex, CJ and I in front of the Duomo

The Crew at dinner 

I also now have a million places to stay in Chicago so at least I know where my next trip is and I have a million pictures of me all around Europe thanks to these clowns.  I should probably be paying them for all the work I ask them to do for me. I am hoping I leave this beautiful place with a better understanding of the picture perfect world around me in more ways than just what I see with my eyes. I cannot thank these people enough for enriching my eyes and sharing some of their craft with me.  If you guys ever want to learn how to play softball, let me know!

Adventure Day: Positano Edition

After celebrating Anthony's 21st birthday, Saturday got off to a slow start for our crew including Steve almost missing the bus. We took a private bus to Positano but when we got there, we had to stop at the top and walk down because the amount of cars, in this miniature town, is very regulated.

The view from the top

We weaved through the hill town for about 15 minutes until we reached the bottom.  The actual town of Positano is very quaint with specialty shops all around.  Some pathways are only two people wide!

The Bus2Alps group was split in to two due to where we were staying so that everyone wasn't cliff jumping or cave swimming all at the same time. We were in the first group so we basically got settled on the beach, took a quick dip in the water and then hopped on a boat for our adventure of the day. 

The view from the boat of this town was just breathtaking. I attempted to capture it but even the picture doesn't do it justice.

Normally, I am a huge wuss when it comes to heights but I kept repeating the phrase, "When in Rome... or elsewhere in Italy" so I hopped off the boat and into the water toward the cliff. The cliff was not too big, they said it was about 25ft high.  I was a little disappointed but that is coming from someone safe on the ground.

Mid Jump

We jumped a couple times off different points and then went a little farther down the coast to go cave swimming.  Alex had a GoPro on the whole day and made this awesome video of our day. Check it out!

Both of these events make the day so unique and made for some awesome pictures (I am a sucker for good pictures.)

After this adventurous morning, we were STARVING.  Little did I know I was about to have the best Panini I have ever had in my whole life.  I am not exaggerating because I still dream about it to this day.    I have been on a panini hunt in Florence (which I will dedicate a whole blog to later) but I have yet to find one as good.  If you ever find yourself in Positano, treat your taste buds to Vini e Panini. No joke, I would fly back there just for this sandwich.

Focaccia Panini with Proscuitto, Tomato, Mozzarella, Pesto, Basil and Artichoke... YUM

We ate our sandwiches and hung out on the beach for the rest of the day. It was extremely relaxing.  I was getting sick the day we were here so I tried to sleep on the beach but ended up sitting in the water all day feeling kind of sucky (I seriously pulled it together for this picture.) 

Hanging out with Alex and Steve on the beach

At around 4 we headed back to Sorrento.  The night was for us to decide so instead of going with the whole group we thought we would go out on our own.  A huge benefit of going with Bus2Alps to dinner is the discount they get for bringing such a big group. Sorrento is not a cheep place and we figured that out once we went out alone. I had one of the most memorable nights that night.  Our entire group ended up hanging out for hours on a pier in Sorrento just telling stories and cracking jokes overlooking the water and checking out Mt. Vesuvius in the distance. Our group had grown from 5 to adding some of Sam and Sarah's friends from Kansas.  They were so cool and fit in perfectly.  It was a great way to just live in the moment and I really appreciated that night now that I can look back. It will be one of the ones I cherish the most because we really got to know each other. 

We headed to bed as soon as we got back because we had Pompeii in the morning!

One last view of the beauty of Positano 

Update Time!

Hi Everyone!

I am just going to do a quick little blurb update to keep you informed until I post my big ones of the weekend trips, cooking class and such.

I just booked my ticket for this weekend to go to Barcelona with the crew. I am beyond excited to explore Espana and there will definitely be a major report when I am home.

Cooking class is going great. I am falling more and more in love with the cuisine each day.  I need to update you all on last week's recipes.

Sneak Peak of Week 2

My smart and artsy friends are starting to film their movie this week which means I am about to sneak my way on set and into the background so watch out for my rise as a star ;)

I am so excited for my parents to get here. They come in about a week and I cannot wait to show them around.

I am in the process of writing a blog for the Bus2Alps blog. Basically a condensed version of the three I  have written on the Amalfi Coast so I will post the link once it is live.  I am so excited for this opportunity to get my voice out there!

I had a great weekend visiting Lane and Aarika, exploring Vicenza and Venice and meeting baby Mobley as well as Juno. Cannot wait to head back up there at the end of my trip and get some more family time.

Juno Loving

Hope all is well in the States.  The Royal Baby has taken over everyones minds and I am not even in GB! Can't wait to see how it is when I am in London in a couple of weeks.

Ciao!

Smile

I have never felt so strongly about the power of a smile until I have lived in a place where I don't speak the language.

Today, I am headed to visit my brother Lane and his wife Aarika in Vicenza.  Since they are letting Rae, Chez and I crash there for the weekend, I offered to make dinner. I mean that was the least I could do after barging in on their free time. I decided to make the Spaghetti with Clams, even though Lane is the pickiest eater on the planet and wouldn't put a clam in his mouth. Aairka is pregnant with my baby niece and I always believe pregnant ladies should get what they want so clams it is!

ANYWAY, back to my point, I had to go to the Mercato in order to get all the ingredients for our meal tonight.  I walked in and went to this place that sells wine, cheese and oils.  I think I previously mentioned that the woman who works there would teach me Italian if I came back. Well, I have been going back periodically and she has taken me under her wing.  Today there were 6 "tourists" waiting and kinda browsing ahead of me and as soon as I walked up she said, "Como Stai? How are you my friend?" Such a simple greeting but it is awesome to have that kind of relationship with these people.  She asked me what I was cooking today and how she could help (she obviously knows me very well).

The Market from the Outside. It is MASSIVE

Side note: Tim and I walked through the market two days ago and we went to visit her and she did a Balsamic tasting with us.  She taught us the importance of the DOP label, the different tastes between brands and the different tastes for the amount of time it ages! Cool stuff!

Meat and Cheese stall

I always visit her first because she makes the chaos of the market a little easier to handle. I had a little problem of how to transport the clams on a train for two hours.  I asked my teacher Marco and he said I need to keep them cold and alive (impossible in a place that doesn't believe in ice). For a while I thought I was going to have to find a new recipe but I walked up to the fish stand, asked for help and smiled as I tried with my best form of something that may have sounded like Italian. The man rushed to help me and ended up making a makeshift cooler out of lots of bags and ice. I was so thankful and I walked off to my next stop. (He was pleased with his creation as well!)

An Example of a store inside the market

I ordered some fresh spaghetti and picked up the veggies I needed to complete the meal.

It was lunch time and they always tell you to not go food shopping when you are hungry, well I did and it was bad.  My pesto man saw me coming and got some pesto ready but I told him I also needed a panini.  The freshness of ingredients still blows my mind. But he laughed as I once again attempted my italian in naming the things I wanted in my sandwich. I go so slow and they always get a good laugh.  The one that gets me every time is artichokes because everything else is the same name minus my American accent.

Italian Word of the Day: Artichoke= Carciofo

I smiled and left the market, once again feeling so accomplished and happy at the new friends I made. I thought I was done until I was outside my building and something that smelled like heaven was coming out of the bakery next door.  I have been good at avoiding these places but it sucked me right in.  The young girl working  greeted me with a smile and I felt at ease.  I told her I lived next door and it just smelled so good I had to come in.  She proceeded to pull out samples and made me try them and explained what everything was.  It tasted like heaven too.  I ended up buying a little something for dessert tonight and she told me to come back anytime I left my place and she will give me something new to try!

Advice of the Day: If you encounter a tough situation with a language barrier, stop, take a deep breath, smile and do your best. If you stay calm they love trying to help you, the second you get frustrated, so do they and the stress level increases. 

I cannot get over how nice the people are if you smile and try to explain what you are looking for or need.  I have seen multiple examples of Americans who walk up to these people and demand things but take no time to understand that it is about relationships, not just goods. Our view is centered around business, and how to get as much business as possible.  The Italians could teach us all, money is not their driving force but the way they treat others is. It is the reason I keep going back to the same places, because they care and they are improving my Italian a little day by day!

SMILE Friends! Pass it on.


Sorry for the use of internet photos, I hate doing that but I don't enjoy taking pictures when I am in the market, ruins the experience and fun of it all. 

CAH-pree

I decided that in order to keep the posts readable and short, I will break up each day of the trip since it truly deserves its own attention. 

I had so much fun in Cinque Terre with Bus2Alps that I had to go on another trip with them. They told me that Amalfi was one of the best trips they had and all of their favorites so I felt the need to sign up for it. After a busy first weekend, I didn’t want any of the fun to stop.  I had just finished my first week in school and didn’t believe my time in Italy could get much better, but then the weekend began…

We got on a bus at 7pm on Thursday night and prepared for a long drive ahead to the Amalfi Coast. For those of you that aren’t familiar with the geography of Italy, Florence is closer to the North, Rome is about in the middle and the Amalfi Coast is located at about the ankle in the boot shape of the country. Therefore we were looking at about a 7 hour drive ahead of us.  The crew that went on this trip with me were Sam and Sarah (The two from Kansas) and Alex and Steve (Both attending Columbia). 

  

I was planning on sleeping the whole time but Steve and Alex kept me entertained the entire way there and we arrived at about 3am.

I had yet to stay in a hostel, hotel or anything other than my apartment while in Italy so this hotel experience was one for the books. I was rooming with Sam and Sarah and another girl who was randomly paired with us. The room had two sets of bunk beds that are basically touching and limited space to move. 

This was about the extent of our living space

We got real friendly and cuddly in that room but luckily we didn't spend much time in the hotel. The first day (Friday) we went to Capri.  It is pronounced CAH-pree for those of you who have never been there. We had to be at breakfast by 6:50am which was essentially death. Dan (our tour guide) promised it would be worth it but at the time I was not a happy camper. We boarded a ferry and immediately I realized that the beauty of being on the water that early in the morning is something indescribable. Touché Dan.

Artsy attempts at 7am

The ride to Capri seemed like it took about 30 minutes, but I have no idea since I was just staring in amazement the whole time at the coast around me. We were lucky enough to snag a seat on the top deck and be outside the whole way over.

On the Ferry! 

Once we got there, we hopped on boats and headed out to the Blue Grotto or Grottoa Azzurra (to the locals.) These little row boats pull up to the side of our boat and I leaned over and (aggresively) made the first deal so my group of 5 could get on and go swimming inside.  I don't think anyone was aware of what was going on until I was running down the stairs telling them to follow. My friends here are still getting used to my antics, I am sure this wouldn't surprise anyone at home. But we hopped on the first boat and we were the first group of the day inside the grotto! Check out my video below of the whole thing! 

The hole to get into the grotto is so small that you don't think the boat that you are in will make it in.  Everyone in the boat lies down in order to fit through because the current keeps rising and falling. The rower pulls us in on a chain attached to the cave wall and just like that we were in! The grotto is unlike anything I have seen in my whole life. It glows blue but not a blue you could ever replicate in a color. I attempted to take a picture but nothing seems to do it the justice it deserves.

Swimming in the Grotto! 

The Glowing Water

Shameless Sefie next to the grotto opening. 

This experience blew my mind and I would really recommend it to anyone that gets the opportunity.

History Note: The Grotto was used as King Tiberius private swimming pool.  He was apparently notorious for crazy activities and spent his last 10 years of life living on Capri. Must be nice, right?

White Grotto 

After we finished with the grotto, we hopped back on the boat and took a tour of the island.  Seeing this gorgeous island from the water makes me realize how beautiful it is as a whole and not just one section. The island is know to be a destination of the rich and famous and I can totally see why.  It would be perfect to rent a house on the hill overlooking the water without a care in the world. I get it now. Well our journey continued and we saw the yachts... everywhere, and the famous love rocks.  If you go under them and kiss someone it is supposed to mean eternal love (I kissed myself, does that count?)

After the tour of the island was done, we took the tram to the actual town of Capri where there is lots of shopping (VERY expensive shopping), an amazing view and the most delicious juice I have ever had.  It was like fresh squeezed orange and lemon put together but like nothing I had ever had. We drank it overlooking Marina Grande and the whole port and it was gorgeous. 

My Juice and the View!

 After our pit stop, we all got in busses and took a ride up to Anacapri which is at the top of the mountain.  Anacapri is home to the sandal man.  The sandal man is apparently a legendary sandal maker.  Jackie O even bought sandals from him which boosted his reputation. In his shop there is Limoncello and Chocolate tastings which were both delicious. Even chocolates filled with Limoncello. It was cool to see but I did not splurge on the sandals this trip.

Lunch was our next stop. We went to this recommended restaurant and I ordered clams for the first time.  I had been previously asked by my mom if I would order the new things I am trying in class and I had no answer for her but I am very happy I did! I really enjoy clams and they were SO fresh. Yummy.

After lunch we decided to take the chairlift up to the top of Anacapri.  It is this single person chairlift that takes about 12 minutes to get to the top with 360 views of the island.  At the top you are so high that you are basically in the clouds.  At the time we went, we were standing in a cloud. At the top there is a restaurant and you can see both sides of the island.  We saw the rocks again that we boated by and attempted to take pictures when the clouds would blow over.

The crew at the top. Cheers Capri! 

After we were done, we took the chairlift back down, we got in a convertible taxi and rode it all the way down to Marina Grande (which means we left Anacapri, passed Capri town and headed to the beach.) It was a perfect end to our time in Capri. My goggles once again came in handy and I think I must have sat in the water for like 3 hours straight.  I can think of nothing more peaceful. The beaches here are not like beaches in California, they are rock and have huge rocks to lay on inside the water. Laying out isn't so nice but sitting on a rock in the water was the place to be. 

We spent 3 hours there and then took the ferry back to Sorrento. Bus2Alps had planned dinner and a night out so we decided to join them.  We went to dinner and they told me to get the Pizza because it originated in this region and it was well worth it!

The Group at Dinner

After dinner we went to the English Room and they played throwbacks all night long.  There is nothing better than dancing to throwbacks in another country, it unites everything and everyone. 

and of course I took a picture with the American Flag... I'm clique 

Sarah's friend Anthony turned 21 at midnight so even though the drinking age is 18 here, we still gave him the proper American 21st birthday experience. Our night ended in this place called the American Bar (Yes, we are those people.) But Anthony had a night to remember (Or not remember) and we called it a night.

The whole day turned out great and I was so excited to head to Positano the next day! Check out the next post for our day in Positano!

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Those 5 Towns on the Coast

For any of you that have been to the magnificent towns of Cinque Terre know that they cannot be described in any amount of words, but I will try (mostly in pictures.)

On my first night in Florence, at dinner with Kimmie and her friends, they told me I NEEDED to  go with them that Sunday to Cinque Terre.  I said yes, and signed up on my phone at dinner for this Bus2Alps trip.  I trusted them and figured it would be a good way to make friends since I just arrived. Well, little did I know, everyone on my program would end up going with me and it became one massive trip on our first weekend. 

Those of you who read my post about Pisa know that I was not happy about the disorganization of the day so the fact that this trip was planned for me was a perfect start.  

Side Note: This was my first experience with Bus2Alps and it wasn't my last.  They make trips so easy and their experience makes each day trip effortless.  It was the perfect way to see this beautiful area. 

    If you are in Florence, Rome or elsewhere in Europe check them out they have a special place in my heart because of their amazing staff and their need to have a good time. Bus2Alps Website!

Alright, back to business.  Enough shameless plugging for Dan, Sarah and the rest of the crew, lets talk about the trip. We arrived at the train station at 7am which was incredibly early after our day in Pisa. (Pisa Refresher) We took a bus to the La Spezia train station where we took the train that connected all the towns.  

For those of you who aren't aware, Cinque Terre is a series of 5 towns on the Italian Coast in the Liguria region, connected by train, boat or walking path (Car's do not have access between them.) And they are truly beautiful as they are scattered on the sides of cliffs. 

We arrived at the train station in the second town, Manarolo to take a quick stop to swim and do a little cliff jumping.

The view from the Train Station in Manarolo

It was our first glimpse of the towns and I immediately knew I was in a special place.  These towns are so separated from the rest of the world, and their beauty is enough to draw in thousands of people a day. You walk down the narrow one street town and see the native Italians that inhabit these places and I immediately was envious of their lifestyle, it was so simple yet surrounded by such beauty.


                                                                                     

I jumped right in to the water and my friend Matt captured these pictures of me soaking in the Ligurian Sea. I am very lucky to have friends that take pictures everywhere we go so I have plenty of pictures to document my adventures! Thanks Matt!

It was so amazing to look up and see the town from the water and just be in the moment.  I was beyond happy during this whole day, how could you not be!

Vernazza from the water looking out

After our quick pit stop, we hopped back on the train and headed to the 4th town, Vernazza.  In Vernazza, we had a quick Panini at this cute little shop where they made the most delicious smoothies I have had in my whole life. Mainly because it was literally just fresh fruit and no additives.  The panini's were amazing too and you got to create your own, which is always my favorite. Vernazza is the town in all the Pinterest pictures (Including my picture at the beginning of the post.) It is literally THAT beautiful. (Excuse the excessive use of pictures.) From Vernazza, we hiked from this town to the 5th town, Monterosso.  They said this hike was challenging but I was thinking in my head, I am an athlete, this can't be that bad.  Well, I was wrong... even the most in shape people were struggling during this hike.  But it was AWESOME! And soooo worth every bead of sweat. The view from the trail was pure sea views and I couldn't get enough.

Our Hiking Crew: Kimmie, Steven, Billy, Phil and Matt

At the top, I couldn't help but show my Bruin Pride so Kimmie and I did an 8 clap over looking the Ligurian Sea. If I can figure out how to upload it, I will add it to the blog!

After the 2 hour hike, you descend onto the 5th town of Monterosso. I have never been so happy to be in the water in my whole life. We jumped right in and just floated and enjoyed the moment.  There is a lot of floating going on in these seas because they are full of salt which adds to the buoyancy (my science lesson for the day).

For the rest of the day we laid on the beach, bought goggles and soaked up the sun. Kimmie and I made excellent use of our goggles and found starfish, baby fish and even flounder from the Little Mermaid! It was a near perfect day.

Kimmie and I with our goggles and smoothies!

I didn't think the day could get much better but the Bus2Alps Leaders recommended that we try the Pesto before we leave.  I am definitely not one to turn down Pesto so we walked into this crammed little shop and got Focaccia alla Pesto and it was most definitely the best pesto I have ever experienced.  The color was so perfect, the Focaccia was warm and we were sitting and eating it while overlooking the water.

That Monday I would learn about Pesto and apparently, I will never eat pesto like this anywhere in the world. The Liguria region produces the best pesto because of their location: proximity to the sea as well as the soil from the mountains.  It creates a perfect color and is incredible in taste. 

Yup, the day was perfect. I am coming back before I leave Italy for the view and maybe some Pesto.