Back to CIMBA after a successful travel break! I met with my mother to visit Venice, Siena, Florence, and Cinque Terre. I then did a little solo adventure to Bologna! While I was in Venice I went to see Doge’s Palace, the Basilica, a gondola ride, Murano, and Burano. My favorites were my tour of Doge’s Palace and the gelato I had while in Burano. My mother kept describing Venice as “magical”, which I think is a great way to put it. This was my second time in Venice, and it continues to be my favorite destination in Italy.
Following that adventure, we headed to Siena where we had car trouble in our Alfa Romeo that my mother and stepfather rented. Despite that mess, Siena, or Tuscany in general for that matter, cemented a spot in my favorite places to visit. We also met with one of my new friends from CIMBA and his family while we were there. I discovered quickly that Tuscany has the best wine in Italy, in my humble opinion (Bassano being a close second).
Then we headed to Florence, which was not at all what I expected. Everything in Florence was just massive. David, the Duomo, the sandwiches, and the city itself chief among the things. I discovered my interest in art history, with special thanks to Brunelleschi and Michelangelo. Also, I have never seen my mom as utterly obsessed with art as she is with David, seriously. I honestly have no idea how art can be made on as massive a scale as it was with David. We also visited unique restaurants while we were there, with one, in particular, standing out, La Giostra, where the owner has a sleeve of jewelry swirling around his arm and offers meats that are among the best in Italy.
My time in Cinque Terre was short-lived, as we were only there for twenty-four hours. Cinque Terre is also a place, like Florence, that feels just absolutely massive. I regret not making the time to go swimming as the weather was abnormally warm and there were so many people out on the beaches. Nevertheless, we went on a hike that took us from Monterosso to Vernazza, by far the hardest hike I have ever partaken in.
Finally, I traveled to Bologna on my own. I was hesitant about traveling solo but I strongly recommend it. Even if you feel like you have a little sense of individuality in yourself, I will lean into that and take the risk. I did not have any concrete plans except how I was getting there and where I was staying. It turned out to be super fun just roaming around the city alone and seeing where my intuitions took me. I chose superb food places on a limb, even though the restaurant I was recommended did not have any availability, so I stumbled upon a different option off the beaten path, and it had amazing Bolognese. I also had the best gelato so far while there, at a place called Cremeria Cavour, it is a MUST.
Overall, the travel break went very well, and it gave me more opportunities to learn about Italian culture than I have been on campus. With nine days of built-in travel, it felt inevitable that that was going to happen, but it exceeded my expectations. My biggest lessons learned are to relax, which is easier said than done, because any issues will more often than not find a way of getting resolved on their own. I also would recommend taking risks by experiencing, eating, and drinking things that might seem scary at first. Those leaps in faith usually pay off in the end. Arrivederci for now!