"Fourence"

Have you ever felt like you can’t be actually where you are? As if you’re dreaming and someone is going to wake you up? Well, welcome to Florence. It’s hard for me to believe the historical significance that this place has had on the world. Not to mention I was there. That’s the sort of name you see written in a textbook.

If you have anyway of going- book it now. Florence was incredible to say the least. The city is covered with terracotta tiles and you can climb to perfect heights to view the sea of orange. I traveled with three other girls- hence the “Fourence” title. ( 4 an awesome travel size group!) Does that kill the pun when you have to explain it?  We arrived on Friday night- but first, let me tell you about our traveling experience.

Classes ended at 5:15 and we needed to run to catch the bus (luckily the stop is right outside the campus). We made it. Next I realized that I hadn’t printed out the train tickets. I took screenshots right before I left our wifi zone. We arrived at the station, spot the man at the desk, and were confronted with that situation that we knew would happen. The language barrier. After 20 or so minutes of anxiety and accepted confusion- a man comes from the line that speaks English! He saved the day. We could use our screenshots for tickets and traveling proceeded. Sometimes you just know when someone is looking out for you. This was definitely one of those times. So lesson learned, always read the ways you can present your ticket with any form of transportation.

During the first night I definitely had the best dish of my life:

It was so delicious. If you see it- get it. “Ravioli Tartufati” I can’t fully describe it, but it melts in your mouth and I keep hoping that it will be my next meal. Homemade ravioli. MMMM!

The four of us stayed at the same hostel both Friday and Saturday night. The room had four single beds lined up, felt a bit like the Brady Bunch. The beds were surprisingly comfortable too, but who needs sleep when you’re in Florence.

We walked everywhere the first full day. We were without schedule and it was amazing. There was this large market with shops full of bags, wallets, and clothes. The shop owners were super aggressive but it was pretty comical considering the circumstances. I purchased a nice bag- 10 euros off the original price! One of the favorite lines used by the owners is, “One more?” if they see you with a shopping bag. What I was taught by one of my friends, is to show no interest. That’s tough when everything seems so different and well eye-catching.  So another suggestion from me for your future trip is to plan to buy souvenirs in Florence.  A friend and I were able to attend mass in The Duomo which was unbelievable. We even talked about how each marble slab was placed on the magnificent building and so long ago! UNBELIEVABLE! After a wonderful day of exploration, we found karaoke. It’s called “The Red Garter” and it was a blast as well! Apparently a lot of American students go there on the weeknights. So add this to your list!

The second day we went to The Duomo again, climbed up the tower, and walked up to Piazza Michael Angelo. We caught a glance at the “Fake David” because the real one had hours of wait time to see. It was pretty cool regardless of its authenticity. Look at these sights!

I think a weekend is the perfect amount of time in Florence. Pack light, but don’t worry if you have a hostel to store your luggage in. Also, don’t buy gelato over 2.50 euros. Trust me, that’s overpriced for a small. Oh and barter the best you can, or be completely emotionless…I’m still figuring that out. (Shout out to Courtney, my roommate for being awesome and skyping me! Wish you were here!)

Next stop Greece! Now to do homework.