I think I am the worst blogger on record....I have really lagged in this area of my life, big time. I don’t think I have written anything since this summer...so I will attempt a quick re-cap....
My cousin Aimee came to visit and we went to London, Rome, Amalfi Coast and back to Florence...it was fantastic. We had more fun together than I ever thought possible. Highlight of the trip would be Don Pedro’s in Sorrento...Amazing food, amazing experience...Our hotel there was pretty amazing as well, we laid down by the sea a few days working on our tans. :) Pompei was impressive as well....Huge, much bigger than I expected, and much more preserved...Really insane.
Mom came in early August, but in between her and Ace I took a few weekend/day trips this summer. I went to Pisa and saw the leaning tower...a little over rated if you ask me. :) My first roommate Kelly and I went to Assisi for a weekend...while there we took a day trip to Perugia. I loved Assisi...home of St. Francis. It was so beautiful...Breathtaking. I went to the coast several times for day trips...the beaches aren’t exactly beautiful here, but it was nice to get out of the city and some sea air.
Mom was here August 4...we stayed a few days in Florence and then headed to Prague, Vienna and Budapest. The trip got off to a rough start because of my lack of planning. :) Yes mom, I am admitting it. There were no trains left, so we rented a car to Balzano were we stayed one night. About 200 yards from where we turned the car in we decided to gas it up, I put diesel in the non-diesel car. Yes, it is possible. The attendant came out and started cussing me out in German (we were in Italy, but an area that used to be Austrian so they speak German and Italian). This particular man spoke a very colorful version of German, at least that is what the color of his face told me...he was pissed. So we waited there for what seemed hours only to have the nicest jolliest German man come tow are car. He was all smiles, told us this happens at least 7 times a week...Awesome. I thought to myself, maybe you should look into your diesel vs. non diesel labeling system if this happens so often...but what do I know. Mom and I proceeded by train to Regensberg Germany, a beautiful little German town...very lovely. After Regensberg we headed to Prague, then Vienna and ended with Budapest. It was a lovely trip all around. We took it slow...and both realized we might be burnt out on Europe...if that’s possible? Every church, every museum...it all started lookin the same. That’s when we just started drinking at lunch and went with it. :)
Mom and I overlooking Prague from the Castle
Castle Guard
Golden Lane in Prague
Castle Cathedral
Budapest
Budapest
Vienna 'summer' castle
Vienna 'summer' castle
Vienna from our hotel window
friendly group of brits and scots we met on a booze cruise in Prague
prague at night? ha
Charles Bridge in Prague
Funny bike you can rent to ride around Prague
Jewish Cemetery in Prague, all crooked one on top of the other
Prague
Prague
After mom left I had a few weeks to hang out before studies started. Several of my friends came into town so I spent some time with them. Since school started I feel like I am always busy. Friday nights we usually play poker...the international game. It’s fun...become a tradition.
The apartments good, I have a new one...not sure I posted about that? It’s really great...nice a nd big with a huge kitchen. The only problem is the power...it goes off ALL the time. Kind of annoying if you are home alone and in the shower...you have to o out the door and downstairs to flip the breaker...but whatever. A few weeks ago I had some friends over and we were playing cards, the breaker blew, but it wasn’t the usual one as the only power that was out was in the kitchen. We could not find it anywhere....so we ended up playing cards by candle light...it was fun. The next day I called the landlord and she told me where the breaker was, in my mother’s words...if it was a snake it would have bit me. I laughed thinking about us playing cards by candlelight when there really was no need....
My friend Christy came from home to visit. Her first time abroad. We had a great time. I was busy with school and what not, but we did take a day trip to Sienna which was fun. I took her out to some clubs, gave her a little night life experience. It was just nice to have someone from home here...really nice.
I had a big Thanksgiving dinner for all my friends. 17 to be exact....I think for my first time cooking I really bit off more than I could chew...but I managed....mom brought me a bunch of stuff that I needed when she visited, such as pumpkin...Christy, a friend that visited brought me some stuff as well. Myself, and Kelly and her friend Amy who was visiting did the cooking. I made four pies the day before. I had to pre-order my turkey, which was interesting. I could get a boy turkey that would weigh around 15 kilos which is like 32 pounds (HUGE) or the girl turkey which was about 9 kilos...Needless to say I went with the lady. For my first Turkey I think she turned out well. Everyone seemed impressed. It was the first thanksgiving for most, with only 4 Americans out of the 17 being there. And for many it was the first time they had ever seen a whole turkey cooked let alone ever eating it. It was funny when I took the bird out everyone wanted pictures of it, or with it...Made me laugh. Not usually how we do it back home. We all ate, but NO ONE had seconds which made me laugh...Granted we had a lot of appetizers...but in the states everyone has seconds. People fought over the drumsticks, they thought that was pretty cool. Later in the evening after some had left, those of us still around sat and said what we were thankful for. It was pretty cool....Something my family likes to do as well as Kelly’s, so we tried to share it with them. Oh, and my family skyped us from the mountains...we passed around the laptop so everyone could introduce themselves and say where they are from...that was fun. I think mom and dad got a real kick out of it...to see all the people I have made friends with. I was thinking of all the different countries represented in my house at that time...Egypt, Turkey, Lebanon, Australia, Italy (Sicily), Norway, Canada, Malta, Romania, Colombia...I am sure I am forgetting a few. But it really is nice to be able to sit around and see all these people getting along so well, becoming great friends...Forgetting the world’s problems.
I am home in about 3 weeks. Wow time has flown. Seems like yesterday I was here looking for a place to live. Now I am ever closer to my departure and my feelings are very mixed. I am SO excited to get home and see my family and friends...meet my new niece or nephew who will be arriving any day. But this has been my home for a year. I have adjusted to so many things...being home should be a breeze. I will miss the friends I have made here, several close ones whom I know I will see again. I have to look it that now I have all these places to stay all around the world. :) I am sure it will take me some time to adjust once I get home...just like it took me time to adjust here...but it’s been a fabulous experience and I wouldn’t change it for the world. This isn’t my last entry, or so I hope....but I am feeling nostalgic. :)
