Hi all!
It has been over 2 weeks since I have posted last and that is for a variety of reasons, but now I so many rambles I want to share. As most of you may have guessed, by my lack of photos from Barcelona and Switzerland, I did not end up going to either. Yes, this was an extremely hard decision to make but I am still content with my choice. I had many friends here who continued to travel to the exact places I was planning on going and did their whole trips absolutely fine and still, I am content. I know myself and know that I can get very anxious when I do not feel safe. Personally, though I wanted to be fine and listen to my confident self in my previous post, I was scared. I knew that the entire time I was traveling I would have been on edge. I simply would not have been able to enjoy these new places in the way that I wanted to... it felt more of a waste of money for me to go and not truly relax and take in the new trip as I should. On the days that my friends were visiting new countries or the days that I was supposed to be boarding a plane I did a lot of thinking. First, I complained to Sarah, and she did the same, about how much we wanted to be traveling and exploring instead of sitting in our rooms. But then we snapped each other out of it. We are in IRELAND, what are we saying? It is such a shame that I had allowed walking the streets of Cork to become mundane. I love this city and this country. The first month here I could not shut up about the flowers growing out of stone walls that lined the streets and colorful shop fronts and now I was here hiding in my room complaining that my life is crap because I haven't seen enough.
I am 20 years old.
If there is one big thing that I have learned from this experience, it is that I am young. I have so much left to do and learn and see. Yes, I would have liked to have traveled a little more while I was here, but would I truly be a 21st century American if I did not want more than I have? I don't resent that part about me. The yearn to travel and strive for more is what keeps me motivated towards my future goals and I keep those thoughts in the back of my mind as motivation every day. I know that I am going to visit all of the places on my list because I refuse not to. I will not let life get away from me. I will live in the moment and be present and accomplish things that I set out to do. There is no reason, at any stage of your life, for someone to stop dreaming or setting big goals for themselves. Have you always wanted to see Greece? Work hard and do it! Sky dive? Why not! I have met so many amazing people abroad who say YES to life and have inspired me to do the same.
I had made a plan.
Before coming here I thought that I had it all figured out. I knew where I would be in 2, 5, 10 years and was fine with that. Now? I am SO SICK of living life in a routine that doesn't excite me. I thrive off experiences that challenge and terrify me. I reach for things that are way out of my reach because they force me to question if I am able and then make myself proud. I have learned to never stop being there for myself, to take time to listen to my own feelings and mind. To understand what I really want in that moment, but never lose sight of the big picture. I appreciate my hometown and my state and my country in a way that I never have before. I am learning that "home" doesn't always mean where you grew up, but it is somewhere that makes you feel loved, warm and welcome. Cork has become my home these last few months and I know that a piece of my heart will always remain here. With that said, I am extremely eager to be home with my family and friends for Christmas and snuggle with my dog in my comfy bed.
Tomorrow night my friends and I are doing the 12 Pubs of Christmas, an Ireland holiday tradition, which we very excited for. Then, Sarah and I are taking off to Belfast in Northern Ireland for the rest of the weekend! Before this trip, I made a pledge to myself that I would see every part of Ireland and really take the time to cherish the country that I have come to love and I am proud to say that with this last trip I will have kept true to that promise.
Bye for now!
It is greener
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Monday, November 23, 2015
Friday the 13th.
I was unaware of what had occurred until receiving a message from my close friend Catherine around 11 pm. She said, "Blessed you aren't in Paris, I love you." I was confused and quickly replied asking what was in Paris, then turned to the friends around me asking the same thing. They informed me that people had been killed and injured and that numerous hostages had been taken. Remembering that my friend Nicole, who had just visited a week before, was in Paris I immediately reached out to make sure she was alright. She assured me that she and the other Bryant students were safe and together. We soon turned on the television to watch the scene unfold live and gain more of an understanding since we had countless questions and what felt like zero answers. I could not fathom what my friends in Paris at the time must have been going through, but I tried to remain strong and positive for them and pray that they would remain safe. During the night, our Bryant Study Abroad director posted on our Facebook wall asking all abroad students to comment and say where they were and that we were safe. My phone continued to go off as the hours went by allowing me to exhale as all my classmates and friends checked in, it did not feel real.
I can honestly say that I had never felt fear like this, well never **have. I was only in first grade when 9/11 took place. Therefore I do not have many memories of the actual event.. only the war, hostility and fear in years following. The feeling of uncertainty for the future, inability to do anything, anger and terror were all overwhelming and new. The actual threat of danger, paired with the realization that no one around me could say it was all going to be okay or that I was safe ached me to my core. Not knowing what this means for my country back home, my country abroad or the world as a whole is terrifying. However, there is one thing for which I am sure, I will not stop living my life. They, whoever they truly are, want us to be scared. They want us to stop traveling and stop smiling and stop trusting our neighbors and I refuse to do that. I most certainly will remain alert when going to new areas and question my surroundings as I always have. But I will not expect the worst from everyone nor fear what is waiting around every corner. We are stronger than the terrorists and must show them that by continuing to live a life filled with happiness. If they can not scare us, they have no power. I understand that I am young and I do not know what it is like to have my own child living in this unpredictable world. I can see that look in my mother's eyes when I cross a street without looking both ways or stay out an hour later than I had previously promised.. and for that look, I will continue to keep myself safe by making decisions that I believe will protect me. But life is filled with uncertainty and I plan to embrace my future without fear.
For those of you who are wondering, I will be going to Barcelona from 1-3 December as planned and flying out of London to come home on December 19th, as well. This experience has taught me to see the beauty in different cultures, the knowledge that is to be gained from seeing new places and that time will pass no matter how I am spending it. These last two months have flown by and I have done all that I can to hold on to every moment, but they do slip away. I will not spend my last few weeks terrified, I will remain smiling at strangers on the street and attempting to savor every last minute that I have on this adventure. I hope that everyone back home will do the same because as this horrible event shows us, lives can be gone in the blink of an eye. Please do not waste yours while you are still lucky enough to have it.
My prayers are with Paris & everyone whose lives have been affected by this terrible tragedy.
It's going down like London, London, London (Nov 6-8)
Our weekend in London was wonderful. Though it rained the entire first day for our walking tour, we were able to see all of the sights on our list in the morning. The largest shock that I had during this excurison was how many statues I recognized from my history classes that I am taking here and the amount of information I already knew about London that our tour guide was telling me. It is a great feeling to see monuments/statues and actually understand the importance and meaning behind them.. especially since the last time I visited London i was fairly clueless. The fun fact that I took from the tour was that London used to use coal for everything that involved heat and in 1950 there was less wind than usual and all of the buildings and city became covered in soot. Everything turned grey and 3000 people died from the heavy soot in the air. In 1990 (so recent!), the city powerwashed everything and that is why the buildings are no longer grey. I am not sure why I found the thought of people power washing a city so amusing or if you will as well, but there you go!
I had never heard of Borough Market before this trip, but I am so happy that we were able to explore and try all that it had to offer. Basically, it was a giant market with countless stands selling food items. From cheeses to falafel and granola to cannolis, there was something for everyone. Almost every stand had samples, which we took full advantage off and had delicious greek food for lunch. After, we wandered the city and then went to see the Crown Jewels, which were more beautiful in person than I can even explain. There were dozens of signs and guards to stop people from taking any photos so I do not have many to show you all how unreal the items were, but if you are ever in London it is certainly worth the trip to see the sparkles for yourself! It quickly brought me back to my childhood dream of being a princess and the realization that it is still 100% a life goal of mine.
At night we explored Camden Market in a different area of town which was completely different from Borough. This was mostly crafts stands. Jewelry, scarves, home decor, paintings, etc. These items were all very unique and beautifully made. We spent a while admiring all of the pieces and amazing craftsmanship and then grabbed dinner at a closeby, questionable Mexican restaurant. However, where the food lacked.. the beer, tequila and lime margaritas made up. Following a few cocktails and odd looking meals we hopped back on the tube (this was actually very easy to figure out and we used it several times without issues through the weekend) and returned to our hotel. That second night we went out to a nightclub in the Camden area called Propaganda which my friend Bryan from high school, who is currently studying in London, told us would be a good time. This was easily the largest club that we had been to since being abroad, but it felt like a must-do while we were here since London is so known for it's nightlife.
We woke up and visited Buckingham Palace and then spent almost the entire day at afternoon tea or "High Tea". Let me just say here that the exchange rate is BLOODY AWFUL.!! 1.6 US dollars is equal to 1 pound.. therefore, this was not a cheap afternoon. However, it was one of the most memorable experiences that I have had yet while abroad. I don't know if it was the hour and a half of bottomless champagne, countless varieties of tea, delicious tiny pastries or modern harp player, but I was smiling ear to ear the whole day. Pat, Sarah and I arrived in the late morning to Conrad St. James Hotel for our reserved tea time. The waiter was easy to talk to and explained how the day would go and then popped the first bottle. Next, he showed us the menu for finger food and tea. Once selecting our teas, he filled our glasses and we cheered to a soon to be delightful afternoon. The harp player showed up a few minutes later and sat down playing an extremely familiar tune.. Hello by Adele. We loved him all ready! He continued to play modern hits from artists like Britney Spears, Beyonce and Ed Sheeran and older ones like Hey Jude and American Pie.
As the day went on, we chatted about all of our favorite memories since being abroad, coming to a sudden realization of how close of friends we have all truly become during this experience (which seems to happen after a few glasses of any alcoholic substance lol).. but this was different. When people say that the friends you make while studying abroad will be some of the closest friends you ever make, they are not kidding. I am not sure if it is our love for our home at Bryant, our new home at Cork, or simply being thrown into this adventure and having to rely on one another from the start.. but my friends here I hope to have for a lifetime.
We ended the day in a mad dash to the hotel just in time to grab our suitcases and board the plane to Dublin with our API group. Sarah then misplaced her passport before we went through security.. LOL she was so distraught and as you can imagine after free flowing champagne (and a random round of Bloody Mary's .. *cough *cough,Pat's fault) we found this hilarious at the time and were not the most helpful. I eventually found the passport somehow, thank god, and we are able to laugh at the situation now.
Overall, it was a splendid weekend in London and I will surely be an avid appreciator of High Tea for as long as I live (as long as it involves endless champagne).
Bye for now!
I had never heard of Borough Market before this trip, but I am so happy that we were able to explore and try all that it had to offer. Basically, it was a giant market with countless stands selling food items. From cheeses to falafel and granola to cannolis, there was something for everyone. Almost every stand had samples, which we took full advantage off and had delicious greek food for lunch. After, we wandered the city and then went to see the Crown Jewels, which were more beautiful in person than I can even explain. There were dozens of signs and guards to stop people from taking any photos so I do not have many to show you all how unreal the items were, but if you are ever in London it is certainly worth the trip to see the sparkles for yourself! It quickly brought me back to my childhood dream of being a princess and the realization that it is still 100% a life goal of mine.
At night we explored Camden Market in a different area of town which was completely different from Borough. This was mostly crafts stands. Jewelry, scarves, home decor, paintings, etc. These items were all very unique and beautifully made. We spent a while admiring all of the pieces and amazing craftsmanship and then grabbed dinner at a closeby, questionable Mexican restaurant. However, where the food lacked.. the beer, tequila and lime margaritas made up. Following a few cocktails and odd looking meals we hopped back on the tube (this was actually very easy to figure out and we used it several times without issues through the weekend) and returned to our hotel. That second night we went out to a nightclub in the Camden area called Propaganda which my friend Bryan from high school, who is currently studying in London, told us would be a good time. This was easily the largest club that we had been to since being abroad, but it felt like a must-do while we were here since London is so known for it's nightlife.
We woke up and visited Buckingham Palace and then spent almost the entire day at afternoon tea or "High Tea". Let me just say here that the exchange rate is BLOODY AWFUL.!! 1.6 US dollars is equal to 1 pound.. therefore, this was not a cheap afternoon. However, it was one of the most memorable experiences that I have had yet while abroad. I don't know if it was the hour and a half of bottomless champagne, countless varieties of tea, delicious tiny pastries or modern harp player, but I was smiling ear to ear the whole day. Pat, Sarah and I arrived in the late morning to Conrad St. James Hotel for our reserved tea time. The waiter was easy to talk to and explained how the day would go and then popped the first bottle. Next, he showed us the menu for finger food and tea. Once selecting our teas, he filled our glasses and we cheered to a soon to be delightful afternoon. The harp player showed up a few minutes later and sat down playing an extremely familiar tune.. Hello by Adele. We loved him all ready! He continued to play modern hits from artists like Britney Spears, Beyonce and Ed Sheeran and older ones like Hey Jude and American Pie.
As the day went on, we chatted about all of our favorite memories since being abroad, coming to a sudden realization of how close of friends we have all truly become during this experience (which seems to happen after a few glasses of any alcoholic substance lol).. but this was different. When people say that the friends you make while studying abroad will be some of the closest friends you ever make, they are not kidding. I am not sure if it is our love for our home at Bryant, our new home at Cork, or simply being thrown into this adventure and having to rely on one another from the start.. but my friends here I hope to have for a lifetime.
We ended the day in a mad dash to the hotel just in time to grab our suitcases and board the plane to Dublin with our API group. Sarah then misplaced her passport before we went through security.. LOL she was so distraught and as you can imagine after free flowing champagne (and a random round of Bloody Mary's .. *cough *cough,Pat's fault) we found this hilarious at the time and were not the most helpful. I eventually found the passport somehow, thank god, and we are able to laugh at the situation now.
Overall, it was a splendid weekend in London and I will surely be an avid appreciator of High Tea for as long as I live (as long as it involves endless champagne).
Bye for now!
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Uisge Beatha: Water of Life (Nov 4.)
1.
I had forgotten to mention that we passed Dolores O'Riordan's house (Cranberries' singer) on our Ring of Kerry trip and I did not want to forget because I thought mom would appreciate that. I listen to the Cranberries and Shania Twain when I am missing her.. oh and NSYNC Christmas as of last week. I couldn't help myself.
-#TBT to broken ornaments Christmas 2015
2.
Franciscan Well Brewery tour:
1. I love these beers and the environment of the Well, we come here probably once a week. There is always delicious beer, usually live music and there is also an outdoor beer garden (which is kept warm by heat lamps). In addition, they have pizza which is a close second to my Italy pizza (for real!), it is cooked in a huge stone oven inside the beer garden and made directly in front of you when you order.
2. We learned that after they strain the barley through the vessel, the leftover "mash" can be used to feed cattle, as biofuel, as rich protein for cereal bars and more. I am learning loads about how beer and whisky are made here and have developed a pretty big appreciation for the art! Doesn't mean that I will choose beer or whisky over other alcohol forever.. but I am beginning to be able to distinguish a cheap/low quality beer from a nice one and that's something!
3.
Uisge Beatha
Irish pronounciation: Ishka Baha
Meaning: Water of life; Whisky
1. Tasted like hell to me, like fiery death when I tried it at the Jameson Distillery tour
2.On the tour we were shown the barrels that the whisky sits in, during the maturation process, at different stages and how much truly evaporates during this period. Our guide told us that they call this evaporated whisky the "angel's share" and that at the distillery the angels get 29k bottles worth of Jameson EVERY DAY!
4.
Nicole came last weekend and we had so much fun exploring Cork together during Halloween. I showed her the city, took her to Blarney to kiss the stone and we went on a Paddy Wagon trip to the Cliffs of Moher. These were unbelieveable and I am so grateful that I was able to experience these sights for the first time with her. She was able to see the Ireland that I have fallen in love with and understand why I can not get enough. The busride to the cliffs was a bit rough (to say the least) after our Thursday night escapades, but I made it through and we were able to get back in Cork with enough time to go to the Triskel for a film. This was my first time going to a viewing here (this is the desanctified church turned art/performance center) and it was a blast! We watch The Thing and enjoyed a bottle of wine while relaxing in our pew.. which was odd, but the church atmosphere totally added to the creepiness of the movie. Overall, we had an awesome weekend together and she got up for her very early flight (5:15 wakeup )the morning after Halloween. I can not wait to be back at school next semester with her, but it is comforting knowing that she is just "across the pond".
5.
My next trip is a few days away! We are going to London from Friday-Sunday through API and I am eager to go back. I did not love London the last time that I went, however I am hoping that I have a great experience this time. We leave Cork around 1 Friday and arrive in London by 5:30, then we have the night off. The following day we have a 4 hour walking tour of the city, ending at the Tower of London. After, we have the rest of the day to explore and we plan to ride the London Eye. That night we have signed up for London Pub Crawl with some of the Bryant students who are studying in London which should be fun and we are prepared to show our English friends all that us Irish students have learned the last few months LOL. The last day we are able to do whatever we would like until we depart from Heathrow at 10 pm. We obviously need find activities to do during these three days, so I plan to ask Nicole (who is studying here) to give me a list of the big ones that we will need to see.
6.
In other news, Sarah and I have officially booked BARCELONA for 1-3 December which I am so excited for! Anddd... I am spending the next week accomplishing as many papers as possible so I feel comfortable also booking SWITZERLAND with Nicole for 7-9 December. Ahhh, so pumped. But I NEED to accomplish lots now so that I am able to turn the assignments in ahead of time, since I may be gone the week that all of the papers are do.
LASTLY, my parents will be here in 10 days! AHHHH, I can not wait to see squeeze them. Bob, Sandy and Kirsty take Ireland. Oh my! It will certainly be an adventure. Let the countdown begin.
Bye for now!
I had forgotten to mention that we passed Dolores O'Riordan's house (Cranberries' singer) on our Ring of Kerry trip and I did not want to forget because I thought mom would appreciate that. I listen to the Cranberries and Shania Twain when I am missing her.. oh and NSYNC Christmas as of last week. I couldn't help myself.
-#TBT to broken ornaments Christmas 2015
Franciscan Well Brewery tour:
1. I love these beers and the environment of the Well, we come here probably once a week. There is always delicious beer, usually live music and there is also an outdoor beer garden (which is kept warm by heat lamps). In addition, they have pizza which is a close second to my Italy pizza (for real!), it is cooked in a huge stone oven inside the beer garden and made directly in front of you when you order.
2. We learned that after they strain the barley through the vessel, the leftover "mash" can be used to feed cattle, as biofuel, as rich protein for cereal bars and more. I am learning loads about how beer and whisky are made here and have developed a pretty big appreciation for the art! Doesn't mean that I will choose beer or whisky over other alcohol forever.. but I am beginning to be able to distinguish a cheap/low quality beer from a nice one and that's something!
3.
Uisge Beatha
Irish pronounciation: Ishka Baha
Meaning: Water of life; Whisky
1. Tasted like hell to me, like fiery death when I tried it at the Jameson Distillery tour
2.On the tour we were shown the barrels that the whisky sits in, during the maturation process, at different stages and how much truly evaporates during this period. Our guide told us that they call this evaporated whisky the "angel's share" and that at the distillery the angels get 29k bottles worth of Jameson EVERY DAY!
4.
Nicole came last weekend and we had so much fun exploring Cork together during Halloween. I showed her the city, took her to Blarney to kiss the stone and we went on a Paddy Wagon trip to the Cliffs of Moher. These were unbelieveable and I am so grateful that I was able to experience these sights for the first time with her. She was able to see the Ireland that I have fallen in love with and understand why I can not get enough. The busride to the cliffs was a bit rough (to say the least) after our Thursday night escapades, but I made it through and we were able to get back in Cork with enough time to go to the Triskel for a film. This was my first time going to a viewing here (this is the desanctified church turned art/performance center) and it was a blast! We watch The Thing and enjoyed a bottle of wine while relaxing in our pew.. which was odd, but the church atmosphere totally added to the creepiness of the movie. Overall, we had an awesome weekend together and she got up for her very early flight (5:15 wakeup )the morning after Halloween. I can not wait to be back at school next semester with her, but it is comforting knowing that she is just "across the pond".
5.
My next trip is a few days away! We are going to London from Friday-Sunday through API and I am eager to go back. I did not love London the last time that I went, however I am hoping that I have a great experience this time. We leave Cork around 1 Friday and arrive in London by 5:30, then we have the night off. The following day we have a 4 hour walking tour of the city, ending at the Tower of London. After, we have the rest of the day to explore and we plan to ride the London Eye. That night we have signed up for London Pub Crawl with some of the Bryant students who are studying in London which should be fun and we are prepared to show our English friends all that us Irish students have learned the last few months LOL. The last day we are able to do whatever we would like until we depart from Heathrow at 10 pm. We obviously need find activities to do during these three days, so I plan to ask Nicole (who is studying here) to give me a list of the big ones that we will need to see.
6.
In other news, Sarah and I have officially booked BARCELONA for 1-3 December which I am so excited for! Anddd... I am spending the next week accomplishing as many papers as possible so I feel comfortable also booking SWITZERLAND with Nicole for 7-9 December. Ahhh, so pumped. But I NEED to accomplish lots now so that I am able to turn the assignments in ahead of time, since I may be gone the week that all of the papers are do.
LASTLY, my parents will be here in 10 days! AHHHH, I can not wait to see squeeze them. Bob, Sandy and Kirsty take Ireland. Oh my! It will certainly be an adventure. Let the countdown begin.
Bye for now!
Monday, October 26, 2015
Pesto is the best though... (October 3) Italy pt. 2
We woke up the next day ready to explore Florence! Since Briana and Delaney had been there for over a month they knew everywhere that we should see, which is awesome when traveling to new places (like in Munich we did not know anyone, so we felt that we missed out on some of the must-sees of the area). Anyway... we started the day by climbing the tower in the Basilica of Saint Mary the Flowers--The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore--which is next to the Duomo. Some people climb the Duomo instead because the top is higher, however the girls told us that we would want to see the Duomo + Florence from above (like climbing the Empire State Building and not being able to actually see the state building..) so this was the better choice. Hundreds of steps later we understood what they meant. The view from the top of Florence was amazing, I don't even think amazing explains it. The city looked like a painting and the mountains in the distance only added to the beauty. We walked around every side of the lookout area and could see for miles and miles.. I had now seen Cork, Munich and Florence from the top and was able to compare. They are all SO different, but the way that green blankets Ireland-- this shade of peach does to Italy. Both are stunning in their owns way.
Following the climb we grabbed breakfast at an American diner (in Italy lol, but it was nice to have some traditional States food) and then had a quick photoshoot on the terrace of their apartment. We next went into town where Sarah and I decided that we wanted to try fish pedicures... We sat down with our feet hovering over the water for an extremely long amount of time and then with racing hearts and loads of anxiety lowered our feet in (I made Sarah go first..) Once we found out that the fish did not actually have teeth it became a tad less horrid, but it was not really enjoyable. They all swarmed and it felt as if an electric current was running through my feet, like when I get that treatment done at the chiropractor. We then shopped our way through Florence, where I found a nice leather shop. Upon walking in and meeting the designer/owner, him picking out a jacket for me and placing it on my body I of course had to make a delightful purchase ("treat-yo-self ). He rubbed a lighter off the sleeve to prove to us that it was true Italian leather and then proceeded to give us discounts and then his card with an email if anything went wrong. Great salesman, but the smell and feel could have sold the jacket by themselves. Once we worked up an appetite, the girls brought us to one of their favorite food spots and I tried my first pasta in Italy. WOW. Sarah and I split a vegetarian ravioli dish and (this deserves its own line)
PESTO PENNE. ** drops the mic **
GAME* CHANGE * ER * (insert clapping hands emojis in between each word for extra emphasis)
The pasta was perfectly cooked, slightly chewy or al dente (as dad would correct me). The sauce was light, buttery and had just the right amount of pesto. I do not think that I refuse to order this meal anywhere until I return to Italy or find somewhere with an amazing Italian reputation (maybe Federal Hill in Prov, MAYBE). It was that good. It was that pasta dish that you always dream of being heavenly in Italy. It made the trip that much more memorable. The pizza may have been a 9.9, but baby this was a 10. I can't even talk about it without getting teary eyed. I wonder if it thinks about me as often as I think about it.... I am losing it. PESTO will forever more be my favorite type of pasta sauce (I used to be a die hard alfredo girl growing up. Ask the fam. This is a big step.) We all enjoyed our meals in silence, savoring every single bite and sipping some afternoon wine.
The day continued beautifully. 4 of us girls decided to go get a couple bottles of wine and spend the sunny day people watching and relaxing on the Arno, with a fabulous view of Ponte Vecchio. We talked and laughed and drank for hours..while tourists walked by staring at us since we had open alcohol bottles in public (I swear it is legal there! Dumb tourists, you are obviously doing Italy wrong lol). We stayed here for most of the day, then met up with the rest of the group to go up to Piazza Michelangelo to watch the sunset and take part in the GELATO FESTIVAL, which just happened to fall on the weekend we were visiting (thank you Jesus). We only caught the end of the sunset because the walk took longer than expected, but trust me.. the gelato made up for it. There were over a dozen stands each with their own three types of homemade gelatos for us to sample. The event was almost overwhelming. Every flavor was more rich and delicious than the one before. Dark chocolate, mocha, raspberry, nutella, peanut butter, salted caramel, coffee. You name it, they had it. We tried little spoonfuls of each and then bought a card which allowed us to get 5 mini cups as well, those were extremely hard to decide upon because they were all SO good!! After an hour of so we couldn't eat any more/were going to be sick, #NORAGRETS. Certainly the most enjoyably earned stomach ache of my life. We grabbed something small for dinner, for those who could even look at food at this point, and then went back to the apartment.
Side note, I was having such an amazing time in Italy that I had my mom and I both trying to call the airport all day and night to attempt to switch my flight to a later time the following day. My Monday class was canceled and I did not want to leave!! Unfortunately, we were unable to make any switches.
We went out for one last time, left the bar early to grab some late night pizza (Had to. Last pizza in Italy maybe EVER) and then said our goodbyes before our early wake up. The alarms went off before dawn the next morning, we took a train back to Pisa and then were on our way back to Dublin. This was certainly the first time that we had traveled away and I wasn't dying to get back to Ireland.
I fell in love with Italy, hard. I am still so happy with my choice to study in Cork. I don't think that I could live in a busy busy city like Florence for an entire semester (I know my jeans say I can't lol) but it was a lovely visit to say the least. I will find a way to come back one day.. Here's to hoping that our coin in the drain counted for something! Italy you will be missed <3
Bye for now!
Following the climb we grabbed breakfast at an American diner (in Italy lol, but it was nice to have some traditional States food) and then had a quick photoshoot on the terrace of their apartment. We next went into town where Sarah and I decided that we wanted to try fish pedicures... We sat down with our feet hovering over the water for an extremely long amount of time and then with racing hearts and loads of anxiety lowered our feet in (I made Sarah go first..) Once we found out that the fish did not actually have teeth it became a tad less horrid, but it was not really enjoyable. They all swarmed and it felt as if an electric current was running through my feet, like when I get that treatment done at the chiropractor. We then shopped our way through Florence, where I found a nice leather shop. Upon walking in and meeting the designer/owner, him picking out a jacket for me and placing it on my body I of course had to make a delightful purchase ("treat-yo-self ). He rubbed a lighter off the sleeve to prove to us that it was true Italian leather and then proceeded to give us discounts and then his card with an email if anything went wrong. Great salesman, but the smell and feel could have sold the jacket by themselves. Once we worked up an appetite, the girls brought us to one of their favorite food spots and I tried my first pasta in Italy. WOW. Sarah and I split a vegetarian ravioli dish and (this deserves its own line)
PESTO PENNE. ** drops the mic **
GAME* CHANGE * ER * (insert clapping hands emojis in between each word for extra emphasis)
The pasta was perfectly cooked, slightly chewy or al dente (as dad would correct me). The sauce was light, buttery and had just the right amount of pesto. I do not think that I refuse to order this meal anywhere until I return to Italy or find somewhere with an amazing Italian reputation (maybe Federal Hill in Prov, MAYBE). It was that good. It was that pasta dish that you always dream of being heavenly in Italy. It made the trip that much more memorable. The pizza may have been a 9.9, but baby this was a 10. I can't even talk about it without getting teary eyed. I wonder if it thinks about me as often as I think about it.... I am losing it. PESTO will forever more be my favorite type of pasta sauce (I used to be a die hard alfredo girl growing up. Ask the fam. This is a big step.) We all enjoyed our meals in silence, savoring every single bite and sipping some afternoon wine.
The day continued beautifully. 4 of us girls decided to go get a couple bottles of wine and spend the sunny day people watching and relaxing on the Arno, with a fabulous view of Ponte Vecchio. We talked and laughed and drank for hours..while tourists walked by staring at us since we had open alcohol bottles in public (I swear it is legal there! Dumb tourists, you are obviously doing Italy wrong lol). We stayed here for most of the day, then met up with the rest of the group to go up to Piazza Michelangelo to watch the sunset and take part in the GELATO FESTIVAL, which just happened to fall on the weekend we were visiting (thank you Jesus). We only caught the end of the sunset because the walk took longer than expected, but trust me.. the gelato made up for it. There were over a dozen stands each with their own three types of homemade gelatos for us to sample. The event was almost overwhelming. Every flavor was more rich and delicious than the one before. Dark chocolate, mocha, raspberry, nutella, peanut butter, salted caramel, coffee. You name it, they had it. We tried little spoonfuls of each and then bought a card which allowed us to get 5 mini cups as well, those were extremely hard to decide upon because they were all SO good!! After an hour of so we couldn't eat any more/were going to be sick, #NORAGRETS. Certainly the most enjoyably earned stomach ache of my life. We grabbed something small for dinner, for those who could even look at food at this point, and then went back to the apartment.
Side note, I was having such an amazing time in Italy that I had my mom and I both trying to call the airport all day and night to attempt to switch my flight to a later time the following day. My Monday class was canceled and I did not want to leave!! Unfortunately, we were unable to make any switches.
We went out for one last time, left the bar early to grab some late night pizza (Had to. Last pizza in Italy maybe EVER) and then said our goodbyes before our early wake up. The alarms went off before dawn the next morning, we took a train back to Pisa and then were on our way back to Dublin. This was certainly the first time that we had traveled away and I wasn't dying to get back to Ireland.
I fell in love with Italy, hard. I am still so happy with my choice to study in Cork. I don't think that I could live in a busy busy city like Florence for an entire semester (I know my jeans say I can't lol) but it was a lovely visit to say the least. I will find a way to come back one day.. Here's to hoping that our coin in the drain counted for something! Italy you will be missed <3
Bye for now!
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