Hotel Porta Romana Siena

For the last couple weeks my Italian culture class has been on and off again because my professor was hospitalized with pneumonia. This week she finally resumed lectures, however we are in a different class room that is literally right across from her apartment so she doesn't have to walk a long way in the cold. And it is getting really cold in Siena right now.

This, unfortunately, means ...

... at the kitchen table and we struck up a conversation. I told her about my trip and we discussed our love of Ireland. This topic kept us occupied almost right up until Vilmo picked us up for dinner. Before he arrived Mira warned me about the situation between her and the other woman from Austria, saying that she isn't easy to get along with. I immediately pictured some throwdown like International Realworld 2009. I guess if you put a bunch of strangers ...

... at the hotel, we walked to the bus station, and boarded a bus to Siena, about 1 ½ hours from Florence. Again during this bus ride, we saw incredible Tuscan countryside – rolling hills of patchwork-green farmlands; beautiful old palazzos and country estates; and interesting bushes, shade trees, and an as-yet-identified plant containing plump, orange-looking fruit (but we are pretty sure that they are not actually oranges)!

Siena, a town ...

Arezzo, la ville qui a suposement inspirer michelange !! 500 ans plus tard, on se deman de bien ce qui a pu l'inspirer! Puis c'est roberto bellini qui a fait son fillm "la vita est bella" dans les cantons a l'extrerieur des murs de la ville. C'est vrai que ...

un autre jour, une autre destination! Aujourd'hui, nous somme parties pour Siene. Arrive a siene, nous avons traverse la ville pour y trouver un bureau d'information touristique. une fois la carte de la vile en main, nous somme aller dinner dans un resto, un peu a l'ecart des sites touristiques. Comme dans tout les restorant italien, il y ...

... Florence, when I arrive there tomorrow. Hooray for traveling friends!

I also thought that I lost my credit card today. I was surprisingly not frantic, but did retrace my steps though I knew it was futile. At the point when I had given up -- and yes Mom, I said a prayer to St. Anthony, I looked once more in my purse (which I had done about 20 times prior) and it was right in sight. I don't think I will be cannonized anytime soon, but I do count that as a little ...

... Then Tisma called me, and asked if Mike was ready to come out, and if so to get his passport information and the airport he wants to fly out and he would get the ticket asap. But apparently Mike had told Tisma he could come in two weeks, but we need him to come in something closer to 2 days. During the whole vacation so far, I had sent emails to Mike trying to convince him that this was a once in lifetime chance and all he had to do was say yes. Only 30 ...

... from the medeval ages. The town is divided into 17 neighborhoods, each with its own animal token, ranging from the fantastic double head eagle and dragon,to the goofy goose, exotic porcupine, unexpectingly crowned snail and caterpillar.Twice a year a horserace is held between the 17 neighborhoods. Through lottery 10 neighborhoods, or contradas enter the race. Each is assigned a horse and hire a jockey. The race itself consists of 3 laps around the ...

SO... back on the bus. A quick detour to a little town called ottiveo which wa quite pretty. Caught the bus into town and had a look around the Square and the Duomo. The town had such a great feel and I think that this was due to the Il Palio which happened only a few days ago. The town is organised into about 17 different areas and each has its ...

So, I don't have pictures of my bedroom yet, which is a little silly, but I'll put those up as soon as I take them. Welcome to my apartment! I like it. It's cozy, gets pretty cold at night, and used to have mold in the bathroom. But then our Italian roommate made some phone calls and a man who looked to be in his 40s knocked on our door at about 10:45pm. I was alone in the apartment at the time and had just talked to our nextdoor neighbor ...