Melissa's trip to Florence, Italy: 2011

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

All of my pictures

All of my pictures from Italy are posted online now, so feel free to check them out!

Saturday, June 4, 2011

I am typing this blog on the flight from Rome to Chicago but won't post it until I have Internet access. We are less than an hour from landing and this flight has been 100% more comfortable than the shorter one from New York to London at the beginning of the trip. On that flight I was squished between 2 other people with no leg room. And I was asleep at both times they served food. This flight I've been by the window with leg room and comfortable. The food wasn't too bad either, the lunch was really filling.

What an incredible adventure my Italy trip has been. After the horrible experience getting there, I tried to not think about it and enjoy myself throughly while taking in the sounds, smells, scenery, and learn from everything. Some of my favorite highlights were:

Riding a bike on the wall in Lucca
Seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Riding the water taxi in Venice (it wasn't a gondola but close)
Seeing all the history in Rome
Hiking the Cinque Terre and stepping into the sea
Eating some of the best chocolate I've ever had
Walking to get vanilla gelato almost every night, until we ate all of it and they ran out
Seeing the city of Florence from a few of the highest points
Drinking delicious wine at one of the most beautiful wineries I've seen
Seeing the process of making cheese
Eating delicious fresh pasta
Cooking and eating a variety of foods in cooking class
Tasting aged balsamic vinegar (6, 12, and 25 years)
Being flirted with by an Italian guy my age (hey, it was flattering!)
Trying new foods I had never eaten and never heard of
Exploring Florence and actually starting to kinda know my way around

Friday, June 3, 2011

Friday, June 3

Today we went to Pisa. It's our last day in Italy and it was a fun trip. We barely made the train to Pisa, that was an experience. I got some infamous pics of the leaning tower, which was awesome to see in person. I also ate some pizza in Pisa (just so I could say that). Tonight is our farewell dinner. I have most of my things packed and I'll be ready to get up at 3:30 am to head to the airport at 4:30 for our 7 am flight to Rome. Let's hope we have a smooth adventure on the way home and no cancelled/delayed flights and no problems!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Thursday, June 2

Today we went to Cinque Terre which means 5 lands. There are 5 villages along the sea, kind of in the armpit of the Italian boot. The villages are really cute and there is also a national park trail that connects them. I hiked all the way between the towns, except we took the train between the 2nd and 3rd town because the trail was closed. It was all up and down and lots of stairs. It was probably the toughest hike I've ever done, so I am completely worn out. We started a little before 11 am and finished up around 5:30 pm. We did stop for a leisurely lunch and stopped along the trails to rest and look around some. See my pictures below.

Tomorrow is our last day and we are off to Pisa!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Wednesday, June 1

Today we made all desserts in cooking class and I was loving it. Panna cotta, which is kinda like custard or pudding, tiramisu, cannolis, and some other strange cake/bread made from chestnut flour and some other strange stuff. The homemade chestnut flour smelled like a butcher shop.

After class we went to the Boboli gardens and the costume museum at the Pitti Palace.

Tomorrow, it's a national holiday so no class. We are going to Cinque Terre for hiking along the water and the beach being our final stop.

Holy cannolis!

Panna cotta with red wine sauce on one side and orange sauce on the other

Our cooking class with Chef Martino

At the Boboli gardens

I want the dress with the purple feathers

I hope I don't come home looking like this after too much pizza, pasta, and cannolis

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Tuesday, May 31

Yesterday we did some more shopping and made pepperonata and capanata in cooking class. Today we went to the Uffizi museum, which was awesome then I climbed the 414 steps to the top of the dome of the Duomo. It was not for the weak, but luckily I didn't get claustrophobic. We made a zucchini tarts, apples cooked in balsamic vinegar (yum), and cooked pears in white wine sauce.

Tonight we had a gelato workshop which was awesome. We made hazelnut, vanilla, and strawberry sorbet and lemon sorbet. Yum! It was so good. Tomorrow to the Boboli gardens, desserts in cooking class, then not sure.

Gnocchi for dinner (one of my favorite foods here)

This looks like a postcard, picture I took from the Uffizi of the Ponte Vecchio bridge

This dog was getting toted around in a suitcase

Apples in balsamic vinegar, yum!

Zucchini tart

Almost to the top of the dome, looking down into cathedral

Bell tower and much of Florence from top of the dome

The building with the green roof is the market that we love

Very high up there

Not my best pic but whatever

Ceiling of the dome

Stuffed zucchini with cous cous and potatoes

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Today was our trip to Rome. We had a smooth train ride then crowded subway ride to the Vatican. We waited in line and got in pretty quickly. The admission was free but we had limited time so we saw the Sistine Chapel then headed out to St. Peter's Basilica. It was gorgeous. Then to the Coliseum and the Palatine Hill and the Forum. Then to the Trevi Fountain and finally the Spanish Steps. Great day but way to crowded for my liking.