Wow! Talk about a couple of hectic and crazy weekends! I’ve been so wound up in traveling that I haven’t had a chance to write anything down, even in my journal. So, instead, I’m going to try to force my eyelids open a bit longer and write as much as I can about what’s been going on before I pass out from exhaustion.
Last weekend, our study abroad program had scheduled and arranged a trip for the group to Venice and Verona. I caused all sorts of mischief on the canals of Venice. Just kidding ☺ It was carnivale there, so everyone is dressed up in decorative costumes and some of the most beautiful and original masks. I bought a purple one with feathers on it.. Behind each mask, there’s a story and a character. None of us had had a chance to look up the meanings beforehand, so we were at a loss of which to choose and finally decided on just choosing which ones appealed to us the most. The whole aura is difficult to describe. They stay out late and dance in the palazzas and generally have a good time. Super Bowl Sunday was that weekend, so we flocked towards a pub that would have international games on. The one our director leaded us to was WAY too crowded, so my group of friends and I headed on our own way to discover another place to sit. (The game BEGAN around 11PM or something our time). We ended up finding the Hard Rock Café Venice! The best part about the night was probably having nachos for the first time in months! My girlfriends from Mexico and I headed to two islands off the coast of Venice the next day. Murano, which is famous for it’s glass, and Burano, which is famous for the lace making. Each of the islands had an unique atmosphere. We watched a man blow a glass horse and a vase on the first island, and then gazed in wonder at the bright colored houses on Burano. I had my first ever fish with bones in it on Burano, and the girls had a blast watching me struggle to not get a bone in ever bite (it was sole). On the way home from Venice, we stopped at the city of Verona, famous for the balcony of Romeo and Juliet. When entering the courtyard of Juliet’s house, you can see tons and tons of love letters on the wall, written in hopes that Juliet will seal the love between lovers. It’s heartwarming to see all that love in one place. It’s tradition to rub the breast of the statue of Juliet outside her house.
As for school, I had my first-ever cooking class last week. Overall, it was a great experience, until I lost my phone in her living room that is. We learned what Italians use for ingredients (always fresh, never preserved), different kinds of cheeses used for cooking, and how to use the funky coffee maker that I discovered in my kitchen (a money- and lifesaver. We began with an antipasti dish of ricotta cheese and a special type of Prosciutto that had a lemon and pepper sauce drizzled over it. Then, for the second course, pasta, we made gnocchi from scratch. Gnocchi is essentially a peasant’s dish of potato pasta. Two sauces were made to go along with the gnocchi, a cheese sauce and a basic tomato sauce. Then for the third course, we had meat and a veggie, chicken alla Milanese and fennel. A few weeks ago, I accidentally bought fennel thinking it was an onion, so I was excited I could finally put the one in my fridge to good use! Lastly, we finished off the class with a chocolate and coffee pudding, two of the most common Piedmont region products.
Whew! Now for this weekend, and I’ll finally be all caught up. My friends headed to Barcelona on Thursday night, and I was planning to follow them after my class on Friday afternoon on the train. Well, long story short, Eurorail ripped me off. I ended up booking a flight Thursday night and since I didn’t have a phone, texted my friends from my roommates phone. Mom, I know you’re going to freak out over the next part, but at least you know I’m home all in one piece, although very very sleep deprived. Keep in mind that my flight from Bergamo Airport in Milan was at 9 PM. Here’s how it went:
• 4:40-Train from Turin to Milan: 2.5 hours. I planned for 1.5 because that’s what it normally takes, but my luck had it that someone had a medical injury on the train, so we were very delayed.
• 7PM- Arrive in Milan, buy a train ticket for Bergamo, with 5 minutes to catch it. Followed a Moroccan girl around and ran the station twice, ended up not finding the platform and missing it. So, I try an airport bus instead, and take a shot to my wallet. 12 euro+4.50 euro for the train ticket I never go to use.
• 7:45- It takes an hour to get to Bergamo. I’m on the bus, there’s traffic.
• Over the course of this I’ve taken about 2 stress assist vitamins and had about 7 mini heat attacks. Still by myself. No phone.
• 8:50- Sprint into the airport and find out that my flight has been delayed an hour. Good thing I’d been praying the ENITRE way on the bus. After going through security, I try to call my friends and let them know that I made it to the Milan airport. Ended up taking about 20 mins. To figure out how to work the phone.
• My ETA in Barcelona is now around 11:30 PM. I’m too nervous, and don’t want to spend money on dinner, so I get on the plane quite hungry. On the plane, I meet a nice guy who works for the airline that I was on and he spoke English, another godsend, and offered to show me where the bus station to get to downtown Barcelona was.
• Midnight: Manage to take another hit in my wallet for another 12 euro. But I’m on the bus.
• 1:30 AM- pulled into the bus station. Take another 30 mins trying to call my friends and since it’s an international call (Spain to and Italian phone), I end up spending 5 euros for a minute of talk with a vague explanation of where to meet.
• Find the metro somehow, ask another guy in English how to get to Diagonal, he lets me in the Metro for free!
• Get to Diagonal and meet my friend at one of the four exits. Of course, I got out at the wrong one. By this time, it’s about two. I go to the house we’re staying out and drop of my stuff and find out that this is when Barcelona nightlife actually begins. So, I was off again. We got home at 6 AM and then slept.
Mom, I know you’re probably freaking out at this point and possibly very mad about my traveling by myself, but I’m still in one piece! I promise!
The Barcelona life is completely different than that of Italians! I guess they eat dinner around 9 PM and then begin their nights. They then don’t come home until the metro opens up at 5:30 AM! We spent a few nights like this, completely exhausted and barely managing to sight see during the day once we got up. We visited Gaudi’s house! I was so excited. We also went to the top of the highest hill/ mountain in Barcelona with the most gorgeous view! We hiked for so long and I was in heels, such a bad idea. Lastly, we also saw a church that has been under construction for 150 years and won’t be finished until I turn 60! We went up the lift there and got another wonderful view of the city. So, since the nightlife starts so late, we ended up deciding to just stay awake the entire night, as we felt we’d overstayed our welcome at our friend’s house. I had to leave on the bus for the airport by the latest of 4 AM. We ended up stopping at this place and playing pool, since it was open until 3 AM. Then, as a group, we headed to the airport, even though my friends’ flight wasn’t until 10 something; they wanted to go with me to the airport. My knee has been bothering me all weekend, to the point that I could hardly walk at some points. So I’m about to go and lay down for a well-deserved nap. I left my friends curled up in the airport fast asleep and made it all the way back here on my own definitely only semi-conscious, but I’m safe and sound. Love you mom! ☺
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