So, tonight I saw a guy on a bike that looked like Tracy Morgan with dreadlocks and I thought "I miss Tracy Morgan...". I am starting to miss a few things from home I think.
Also, we've seen several celebrities considering we're in a foreign country. 1st we saw Kanye West in the airport in london, he's a small dude! Much smaller than I expected. Then they were filming some movie or something in the train station in Florence. I didn't see a famous person, but maybe they will be famous someday after they release whatever it is they are filming. Then, tonight, we saw the skinny, dorky dude from "Roadtrip" and he was in some other stuff, but we couldn't remember. He's even more odd looking in person...:e looks like he could be a little wooden boy, only taller and smoking.
Another weird thing about Florence is that it smells funny and people just seem to ignore it. We went into several shops today and they sorta smelled like poo and everyone just ignored it. It would be like sitting in a room with strangers and someone farts and you know they farted, but everyone pretends like it didn't happen...its odd!
Something happened with the museums today and the tourists weren't happy. We had reservations to the Uffizi at 9;30 today and we woke up late and didn't get there til 10:30 and the people with 8:15 reservations hadn't even been let in yet. We got in around 11:15, but can you imagine if we had been there on time? Yikes! The artwork was amazing, however it was hard to look at everything with all of the people around us.
We then went to palazzo vechio and toured around the palace. I can't believe people used to live in those places!
We tried to go to the Accademia to see the David but becuase of the late opening the wait was 4 hours long. I hope we get to see the David before we leave.
Last thing before we head off to the country...if you're still reading this, tell me who in Europe has been spreading the rumor that mullets are ok? Greg and I have seen far too many mullets and most of them are not on Americans, not that it would make it any less ridiculous. I shouldn't make fun of other people especially becuase I walked around in my running shoes and my dorky shorts today, but that's because I have blisters between my toes from wearing new sandals and walking nine hours a day. That's so not the same as going to a hairdresser and either asking for that haircut or letting the hairdresser do that to you...either way, its bad.
Ciao!
Friday, June 29, 2007
Florence and Tracy Morgan
Florence is magnificent! We arrived yesterday around 1:00. I paid .70 euro to use the bathroom at the train station and it was so strange because there was a blacklight in the stall. Maybe to see all the gross stuff better? I don't know...
Our hotel is really unique. It has nine rooms and a litt court yard where they serve breakfast and coffee in the morning. Its really hidden on the street and you need two keys a password to get in.
After we dropped our stuff we headed to the Duomo. The building is amazing, of course. I can't get over the amount of detail and how old it all is. We then climbed 414 steps up Giotti's Tower and looked out onto the entire city. It was beautiful, but I have to admit when I thought about how old the structure was, I got a little scared of heights. We then climbed back down the 414 steps and marched along the street towards ponche vechio. Just us and few 1000 of our closest friends.
There are tourists everywhere! Sometimes it feels like I'm at Disneyland because the scenery is so extraordinary and there are people from all over the world surrounding you...its somewhat comforting to be able to find an american wherever you go, but also frustrating because I'm in italy and I shouldn't be able to speak so much English...
Along the bridge we saw some of the most beautiful jewelry I have ever seen. Everything is old and beautiful, even the boxes are unique.
After the bridge we hiked up what felt like another 4000 stairs and hills to the top of pilazzo michelangelo where we watched the sunset and looked out onto the city. It looked exactly like the pictures I've seen in the books, except it was real and it was mine.
Afterwards we walked down to a small wine bar on the street and sat with the locals eating bruschetta and drinking wine. It was perfect.
Our hotel is really unique. It has nine rooms and a litt court yard where they serve breakfast and coffee in the morning. Its really hidden on the street and you need two keys a password to get in.
After we dropped our stuff we headed to the Duomo. The building is amazing, of course. I can't get over the amount of detail and how old it all is. We then climbed 414 steps up Giotti's Tower and looked out onto the entire city. It was beautiful, but I have to admit when I thought about how old the structure was, I got a little scared of heights. We then climbed back down the 414 steps and marched along the street towards ponche vechio. Just us and few 1000 of our closest friends.
There are tourists everywhere! Sometimes it feels like I'm at Disneyland because the scenery is so extraordinary and there are people from all over the world surrounding you...its somewhat comforting to be able to find an american wherever you go, but also frustrating because I'm in italy and I shouldn't be able to speak so much English...
Along the bridge we saw some of the most beautiful jewelry I have ever seen. Everything is old and beautiful, even the boxes are unique.
After the bridge we hiked up what felt like another 4000 stairs and hills to the top of pilazzo michelangelo where we watched the sunset and looked out onto the city. It looked exactly like the pictures I've seen in the books, except it was real and it was mine.
Afterwards we walked down to a small wine bar on the street and sat with the locals eating bruschetta and drinking wine. It was perfect.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Rome
Greg and I arrived in Italy on Monday night. Our hotel is in campo di fiori, which is a trendy piazza at night and a popular market place in the day. On the first day we visited the vatican, the trevi fountain, the spanish steps, the pantheon and so much more. Everywhere we turned there was something old and beautiful ... everything looked important. We wandered the city for over 8 1/2 hours! Greg;s feet were killing him!
I was really looking forward to the shopping here, however I havenàt found anything that is better than what I have at home, or that I can afford. probably more of the latter. Oh well, I guess that means more money for gilato and pizza!
Today we were supposed to meet our sitejogging trainer at 7:50am, however he was running late so Carolina, the owner of sitejogging, took us a quick walking tour around the piazza and down via giulia, which quickly became my favorite street. Evertyhing looks more beautiful without all of the people and the tourists. It was as if the street was just for us!
Then we walked back to the hotel and met our trainer, however they thought we were supposed to be german and they were so late, Carolina gave us the tour for free! Our trainer was able to do the tour in english, however he struggled just a bit. We ran from our hotel to St. Peters and up the spanish steps and through the city. it was amazing and I really think running through city is the best way to see it!
This afternoon we walked all over again. This time we went to see the mouth of truth from "Roman Holiday" with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, then off to the colliseum, the forum and the Palitone. It was all so unbelievable! I sat on a piece of a roman column! How often can you say that?
After the coliseum we walked through the Jewish Ghetto and saw the synagogue ... itàs amazing how old and well maintained everything is.
We ended the day back around campo di fiori and got my first gilato of the day. Then we watched people in the piazza for a bit and went back to the hotel for a quick cat nap ...
Later we wandered out of the hotel and had dinner in the piazza and then walked to the trevi fountain for our second viewing, but this time at night. Its just as crowded at night as it is in the day, but there is something very romantic about Rome at night ... everything is lit up and people are wanderign the streets, itàs all really beautiful. I ended the night with my final gilato.
Tomorrow we are off to Florence! I hope the city is a little slower paced than rome ... itàs beautiful here, but also quite overwhleming.
Ciao!
Julia
I was really looking forward to the shopping here, however I havenàt found anything that is better than what I have at home, or that I can afford. probably more of the latter. Oh well, I guess that means more money for gilato and pizza!
Today we were supposed to meet our sitejogging trainer at 7:50am, however he was running late so Carolina, the owner of sitejogging, took us a quick walking tour around the piazza and down via giulia, which quickly became my favorite street. Evertyhing looks more beautiful without all of the people and the tourists. It was as if the street was just for us!
Then we walked back to the hotel and met our trainer, however they thought we were supposed to be german and they were so late, Carolina gave us the tour for free! Our trainer was able to do the tour in english, however he struggled just a bit. We ran from our hotel to St. Peters and up the spanish steps and through the city. it was amazing and I really think running through city is the best way to see it!
This afternoon we walked all over again. This time we went to see the mouth of truth from "Roman Holiday" with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, then off to the colliseum, the forum and the Palitone. It was all so unbelievable! I sat on a piece of a roman column! How often can you say that?
After the coliseum we walked through the Jewish Ghetto and saw the synagogue ... itàs amazing how old and well maintained everything is.
We ended the day back around campo di fiori and got my first gilato of the day. Then we watched people in the piazza for a bit and went back to the hotel for a quick cat nap ...
Later we wandered out of the hotel and had dinner in the piazza and then walked to the trevi fountain for our second viewing, but this time at night. Its just as crowded at night as it is in the day, but there is something very romantic about Rome at night ... everything is lit up and people are wanderign the streets, itàs all really beautiful. I ended the night with my final gilato.
Tomorrow we are off to Florence! I hope the city is a little slower paced than rome ... itàs beautiful here, but also quite overwhleming.
Ciao!
Julia
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Getting Ready to Leave ...
Today I will officially start packing. Greg is really worried that I'm going to over pack and to be honest, so am I. I just don't want to forget anything and I like having options. I'm not really sure what to expect once I get there. I'm looking forward to the food and have big plans of eating my way through Italy. What could be better than pizza and gelato?
Our first stop is Rome. The only set plan we have is a jogging tour. I read about a group that takes you on tours of Rome with a trainer. It sounded perfect for me so we are booked for a 6 mile tour of the city. Our trainer will pick us up at our hotel at 7:30am. I promised Greg that this will be the only time I force him to run with my while we are on vacation. (to see more about our tour go to www.sightjogging.it).
After Rome we are going to Florence. I plan on eating, exploring and hopefully lots of shopping. I keep picturing the movie "A Room With A View" but I won't be traveling with a group of English people and I won't be wearing the giant dresses, so probably less like that movie, but hopefully there will still be some of the same scenery. I just read about the Synagogue of Florence, also known as the Museo del Templo Israelitico. Since Greggie is in the process of becoming a true- Jew, I think we will try and see it. We're definitely going to the Uffizi Gallery, we'll see the Duomo and hopefully we'll get to hike to the Piazzale Michelangelo. Is it bad that I'm excited that everything sounds like pizza? I keep picturing pizza everywhere ... I'm going to come home the size of a house!
After Florence we will head to the country. We are spending a week right outside of Arezzo in an old restored mill. I'm so excited about this place! (to see more go to www.residencelaferriera.it). We're going to take some day trips and wander around the countryside. I'm looking forward to reading something nonlaw-related and again, eating. Are you sensing a pattern here?
On July 7th Greg and I will hop on a train and travel up to Salzburg, Austria. I'll be taking a three week course with Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. I'm looking forward to studying abroad, but I'm a little nervous about taking a class with a Supreme Court Justice! Let's hope he doesn't use the socratic method ... I don't want to be known as the girl that vomitted when Justice Kennedy called on her, that would be bad.
I'm sad I'm going to miss out on spending time with my family this summer, but I know this will be an amazing trip! Too bad I can't fit them all in my suitcase, but I hear that they start charging you for anything over 50lbs, and that would mean less money to spend on food and purses.
Our first stop is Rome. The only set plan we have is a jogging tour. I read about a group that takes you on tours of Rome with a trainer. It sounded perfect for me so we are booked for a 6 mile tour of the city. Our trainer will pick us up at our hotel at 7:30am. I promised Greg that this will be the only time I force him to run with my while we are on vacation. (to see more about our tour go to www.sightjogging.it).
After Rome we are going to Florence. I plan on eating, exploring and hopefully lots of shopping. I keep picturing the movie "A Room With A View" but I won't be traveling with a group of English people and I won't be wearing the giant dresses, so probably less like that movie, but hopefully there will still be some of the same scenery. I just read about the Synagogue of Florence, also known as the Museo del Templo Israelitico. Since Greggie is in the process of becoming a true- Jew, I think we will try and see it. We're definitely going to the Uffizi Gallery, we'll see the Duomo and hopefully we'll get to hike to the Piazzale Michelangelo. Is it bad that I'm excited that everything sounds like pizza? I keep picturing pizza everywhere ... I'm going to come home the size of a house!
After Florence we will head to the country. We are spending a week right outside of Arezzo in an old restored mill. I'm so excited about this place! (to see more go to www.residencelaferriera.it). We're going to take some day trips and wander around the countryside. I'm looking forward to reading something nonlaw-related and again, eating. Are you sensing a pattern here?
On July 7th Greg and I will hop on a train and travel up to Salzburg, Austria. I'll be taking a three week course with Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. I'm looking forward to studying abroad, but I'm a little nervous about taking a class with a Supreme Court Justice! Let's hope he doesn't use the socratic method ... I don't want to be known as the girl that vomitted when Justice Kennedy called on her, that would be bad.
I'm sad I'm going to miss out on spending time with my family this summer, but I know this will be an amazing trip! Too bad I can't fit them all in my suitcase, but I hear that they start charging you for anything over 50lbs, and that would mean less money to spend on food and purses.
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