Suite 11 Florence

... so Katy, Steve and I waked around for a bit before hand. I showed them where Academia was so they could see the David (since I had seen it for free in August, I decided I wasn’t going to pay this time) and I hung out and walked around a bit. It felt nice to be in a city that I had been to before because I knew my general way around. Actually, I have to give myself props, I don’t think we used a map but maybe once the entire time we were ...

... Cranberry Sauce, Stuffing, Potatoes, and Mixed Vegetables. For dessert pumpkin pie, ice cream, and apple cider! It was nice to spend the night with classmates and a few professors.

Friday night, we had yet another Thanksgiving with all of my friends. Everyone prepared their favorite dish and we spent the night telling stories of our families Thanksgivings.

I'll update you soon,

Siara

... all the other hotels/apartments that they've tried to turn into a "hostel" by simply throwing some bunk beds into existing hotel sized bedrooms.
Wandered around Florence which is a beautiful city and great to just wander around - apart from there being more US exchange students there than locals.
Found Mostodolce brewpub and tried their beers. First decent beer I've had since entering Italy.
The Pils was a bit average but the ...

Cinque Terre photos here:
http://www.facebook.com/album. php?aid=163678&id=613699523&l=b ae7645b89

Stayed at Affittacamere Patrizia Hostel in Rio Maggiore in Cinque Terre and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
When we got to the Hostel it was just an office and no one was there. Our keys were stuck to the door with instructions on how to get to our dorm room. There was another set of keys there too so we could have taken those too and ...

Hi Everyone!

After an exhausting weekend in Brussels, I was in for yet another treat with cooking classes in Florence. Organized by my school, a group of us met with a chef for some lessons.

We were taught how to prepare typical Tuscan cuisine including Ribollita and Stuffed zucchini-flowers.

Everything was delicious & I look forward to trying these recipes at home!

I'll update you soon,

Siara

... are sure that you are not Indian?”) until I told him I’m Italian by descent. I think I’ll just stick to that answer from now on.

So after a fairly uneventful flight from Zurich to Florence, I made it to my hotel around 9 p.m. last night. I’ve never been happier to take a shower. But that was only after I could get my two 50-pound suitcases up two stone staircases. Luckily, one nice man from the hotel helped me ...

... viewer it was wonderful, the material spoke for itself. The Etruscan material was less extensive. Quite a number of stone carved sarcophagus urns. These are the coffin shaped boxes with a carved lid showing the deceased lounging, as on a couch. There were a good number of small bronze items but the most spectacular pieces were out for the day. A wonderful museum that one would like to come back ...

... to send us through the maze of tight, narrow streets in the centre of Florence, in some cases barely enough room for our little Fiat. At one point the crazy lady sent us through a market... The next obstacle was parking the car - it turned out that there was no parking at the hotel, instead we had to park the car across the busy road (surely much to the annoyance of the local drivers), turn the hazard lights on and ...

... his own face on the back of the helmet. In the shape of the curls and helmet you can make out his features. She took us down a walkway towards the river, where statues of all of the most famous Florentines stand. Those of Michelangelo and Da Vinci and a few others are apparently the 'official' portrait, because they were taken from the moulds of a deathmask. Cheery. Nikki told us that often the city tour people are a little bit eccentric, and she did not lie. One of the ...

... for Italian and finals in both classes. Tuesday night we (hopefully) will be able to go to the Opera, we've reserved tickets for La Boheme, but we might have a conflict with the landlord coming to inspect our apartment. We're also a little worried because it might not be a full opera, just selections of the music...but of course, Puccini is fabulous, so I wouldn't complain... So that is what is happening on this side of the world, I will keep you all posted :)