How I Spent My Spring Break

This past week I experienced three travel breaks in one. I started my week with a night in Rome. After a short flight, we arrived in one of the world’s most historic, and in my opinion most beautiful cities. Rome began with a trip to the Scholar’s Club down the street, and we immersed ourselves in Italy’s version of Ireland. Teeming with locals and American 90s music, the only thing Irish about the place was the menu. Either way, we made a few friends, lost a few hours of sleep, and felt welcomed into the city.

The next day I made my way to the city center to see a few sights. Walking past the Colosseum, Palatine, and ruins made my Saturday feel like a walk through the high school history books. The highlight of that first full day was when the second part of Travel Week Two commenced: meeting up with my parents.

From that time on through the following Friday, I experienced another side of European traveling. I stepped through the doors of my parent’s nicely decorated, well-kept, professionally staffed hotel and was in awe of the fluffy towels that would be replaced everyday, the beds that I knew wouldn’t have a slightly higher than normal chance of possessing bed bugs, and a TV that played channels in English. I was also excited to learn that my parents had hired a guide for the next two days to teach us more about this beautiful city.

I learned more from our Italian guide than I ever learned in class. To walk through the area with someone who lives in it everyday was something so invaluable that I wish I could have brought her along in my pocket to every city. On previous travels, I’ll admit that I would make fun of the tour groups I saw and wonder why they’d want to be lectured all day. However, once I was one those small groups (just our family) I realized that it actually makes the sights even more enjoyable to be able to ask questions and learn from the professionals. I also felt a greater understanding for the scenery and historical references in Gladiator, which we rented the night after our Colosseum tour.

On our own we weren’t so lucky, but we made it to our destinations eventually. A trek to the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps was well worth it and we all wished for a return to Rome. This wish came true by the way, as Erica, Katie, and I retuned to the airport between our last destination and Venice. Hopefully all five coins I threw in count as five separate visits, because a layover shouldn’t count.

From there my family traveled to Florence, where I split my time between the city and a day tour of Tuscany to a few small towns and vineyards. After a busy first day of climbing to the top of the Duomo, gazing at David, hunting for the best pair of Italian leather boots to replace my pair that walked through all of Europe, and fending off other Americans for the prettiest scarf, a bus ride through Tuscany was exactly what we needed. Once again we were part of the mocked, but much appreciated tour group. This time, however, we followed a woman who held up a stick with a flower on it and listend through headsets. You know how that goes. Maybe not as magical as our art history major, Francesca, but the ride and stops were beautiful and I enjoyed seeing both sides of what the region has to offer.

On Friday, I left my parents in Florence and ventured to Valencia, Spain for Las Fallas, part three of the travel break, and to meet up with friends from CIMBA.  The springtime celebration included huge statues of interesting design displayed all around the city. The best way to describe this festival was to compare it to a state fair, except this state fair served only paella (rice dish) in its restaurants and churros and jumbo mini donuts on the streets. Complete with evening fireworks, street performers, and traveling bands, Las Fallas was a perfect end to my break.

Ellen