Buon Compleanno a "Daddy" (e Erin 2 giorni fa)

Beware, this is going to be a long one.

Wow. This weekend I did so much I barely know where to begin telling about it. Well, Friday. Friday, after spending my morning reading my Bible at my favorite cafe on Via de Macci I met up at the school for a walk across the river and up to Piazzale Michelangelo and the church of San Miniato. It was so nice to venture away from the buildings everywhere and to see some trees. I decided this weekend that I miss trees. But from Piazzale Michelangelo I could see the whole city and the wall that goes around Florence. It was so beautiful up there. Then at the top there was this church. The church itself was not too spectacular from the outside but there was this amazing cemetary. I know, that sounds a little wrong, but seriously I'm so glad I had my slr camera with me to take film fotos. Hopefully I will get into the darkroom sometime this week, because I think I got some really amazing ones of the statuary and headstones. The tour guide left us, because the church was not open as she had expected (a common occurence here in Italy - nothing is ever "for sure"), but a girl I recently met, Rebecca, and I stayed until it opened about half an hour later to see the inside. I love going in the churches here, because they are so quiet and peaceful. This one, I do not think, had any electricity so the only light came through a few tiny windows. I liked it.

Fotos of Piazzale Michelangelo and the church of San Miniato.

Friday evening was the perfect continuance of such a splendid afternoon. My roommate, Rebecca, and I went out for a nice dinner at this place called Antico Noè. I will definitely be taking my parents here. They have slow food, which means everything is in season and very fresh. I had the most amazing spaghetti ever and a very nicely complimented glass of white wine. After our delicious meal we went to this concert my architecture teacher had told me about in the duomo. Yep, I went to a free concert in the duomo of Florence. Papa, you would have loved it. You told me I should try to go to a symphony while I was here, and you were right. I loved it. I did get a little tired there at the end, but then I looked up again at the gorgeous fresco over my head and went, um, I think this is worth every moment.

Then, the weekend just kept on getting better. Saturday morning, I got up fairly early, met up with a few people, and we headed out by bus to Fiesole, a small village like town on the outskirts of Florence. Pretty much, we just walked around looking out over Florence again. These were even more spectacular views because we could see not only Florence, but the amazing Tuscan countryside. Somehow we stumbled upon a convent too, up on this hill. Around the back of the convent we followed this little path back around to the city and as we walked through this wooded area, we could hear bells chiming in the distance. I wanted to lay down in the dirt and just soak it up. I want to go back up to Fiesole one day just to write, to listen to those bells again and write (don't get me wrong, there are bells all over Florence, just not trees).

Fotos of Fiesole.

So, then after Fiesole, my roommate and I were on our way back to our apartment when all the sudden the Florence soccer team was coming out of a hotel to load their bus. Talk about being in the right place at the right time.

And, I had my first caffè latte the other day. I don't know what day it was, but I had it. Steph, you will be proud. The first one was good, but I needed the dolce I had with it. The second one I had in Fiesole after lunch, and it was great. And now I have them all the time. In fact, I've already had two today - how sad is that.
Awe yes, just a little bit more...cooking class. I'll keep it short, but I ate sardines. We made food from Sicily (it's Italian Regional Cooking). So I made spaghetti with mussels and the people behind me made sardines. Then we also made canolis. But, I actually thoroughly enjoyed the sardines, and will likely eat them again - possibly when I go to Sicily. The mussels were good too; I'm not sure if I've really ever had mussels. They were interesting to make - I know I've never made them. But you can see me cooking them below.

Fotos of cooking class.

Perhaps that is all; I'll probably think of something else in a little while, but I think I should probably spend some time doing my homework. I have a lot to read.

And since everyone has a birthday in September: Happy 20th to Erin two days ago on the tenth, and Happy Birthday (I'll not put your age up) Daddy today!!