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Time is flying by in Italy. I cannot believe I am halfway finished with my semester abroad. Many exciting things have happened since the last time I wrote but, needless to say, my busy schedule has kept me from keeping my stateside family and friend’s (you all) updated. Before I dive into the details, I wanted to thank everyone for the continuous love, support, and interest in my travels while I am away. I can’t express how many times I’ve smiled from the comments, sharing, and love I’ve received. Even my anti-technology dad has hopped online to read.
Back in October, I traveled to the Amalfi Coast and visited the towns of Capri, Sorrento, and Positano. I’ve been to a lot of amazing places throughout my life (especially during this trip) but nothing has taken my breath away like the city of Capri. During my time at the coast, I took a boat tour around the island and heard amazing stories of the history. Not that I am trying to brag, well maybe, but the weather was at least 30 degrees warmer in Capri than it was in Iowa at that time. It was an amazing trip that took us to three beachfront towns with rich history and amazing food. We tried Limoncello, saw where coral was found for jewelry, and took a ski lift to the top of the island for breathtaking views. I will definitely be back to the Amalfi Coast in the future.
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Following the Amalfi Coast, my travels took me and my roommates to Venice, Italy. This gorgeous town made me want to only travel by gondola. Gondolas are probably cheaper than cars for a poor college student, right? Our day trip began with a walking tour of the city. We saw where the Belini drink (sparkling wine and peach juice) was invented and, of course, tried a Belini ourselves. After discovering this delicious drink, we headed to our gondola ride. I’m sad to say we couldn’t convince our gondolier to sing to us but, much to our pleasure, he wore a striped shirt and cute hat. It was amazing to ride through the canals and see Venice from a different point of view.
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As I’ve said in many of my previous posts, I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of my mom, Laura, since I first got to Italy. We had been talking about traveling to Italy since I was young and I couldn’t contain my enthusiasm waiting for the day to come. It was very refreshing to see my lovely mother get out of the cab and finally give her a hug. I want to note that she was a lot less crabby and scary looking than I was after my flight.
Our week began with a few days in Florence. I showed her some of my favorite shops, restaurants, and places to go along with taking her on some of the routes I walk to classes. We visited two museums and saw the David in real life. This artistic masterpiece is amazing to look at. Not to mention, Michelangelo perfected David’s cute little butt (my mom will second this). A trip to Florence wouldn’t be complete without seeing the Ponte Vecchio at night and I was so glad to share this gorgeous view with my mom at the beginning of our trip. We traveled an hour outside of Florence on Saturday to take a tour of vineyards in Chianti. It was a great hike that was topped off with a wonderful and authentic Italian meal and wine tasting.
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The next train ride took us to Assisi. This quaint town was filled with colorful flower boxes, gorgeous architecture, and an amazing history that includes the life of Saint Francis. Our adventure began with a delicious meal that gave us a great view of Assisi. We were guided around by a vivacious little lady who knew as much about Assisi as my brother knows about the Chicago Cubs (which is a lot). Being a Catholic my whole life, it was amazing to see the city where this important saint lived after hearing about him time and time again in school.
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Rome was our next stop. Being larger than New York City, Rome gave me a “big city” feel that I hadn’t yet found in Italy. I loved the mixture of history and modernity. It is a lively city and we soaked up as much as we could. Our travels took us to the Colosseum, Vatican City to hear the Pope, and on a bus tour around the streets of the city. We were also fortunate to meet up with family friend/priest Father Brian who guided us around the fantastic streets.
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To round out the trip, we traveled to Pisa for the “typical” Leaning Tower picture. Unfortunately, our pictures look too awkward so only my mother and I are ever allowed to see them. But, it was really neat to finally see the tower in real life. After Pisa, we moved on to Lucca. Having already visited, I loved sharing this town with my mom. It is a beautiful town that feels very “Italian” with its quaint atmosphere, streets, and architecture. We enjoyed a day of roaming with no plan and dining with great company and wine.
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After busy days of laughter and exploring, we finished the trip in Florence. Again, I showed my mom how I “lived” in the historic city. We walked across the Ponte Vecchio, ate at one of my favorite restaurants, shopped, and simply enjoyed spending time together in the place I currently call home. I still can’t believe how fast the week went by. We had a phenomenal time and I could ramble on for hours about everything we learned, saw, ate, and bought (sorry Dad). I’ll save that for Christmas break when everyone is invited over for Italian wine and stories (here’s your heads up Mom). It was hard to send my mom off on a plane back to the States but it reminded me how lucky I am to be here and have spent a week with her in Italy.
If you made it thus far reading, you can probably conclude that everywhere I’ve traveled and anything I’ve done has left me with a new appreciation for the world outside of Dubuque, Iowa. The things I have learned about myself and different cultures are so vast and rewarding that I still cannot wrap my head around how fortunate I am. As the “second half” of the game begins, I look forward to continuing on this amazing journey. Next up, I will be traveling to Switzerland for a weekend of adventure. I lack a lot of coordination so stay tuned for a post and if you don’t hear anything I probably broke a bone and cannot type.
Thank you again for reading and making me feel loved from far away. I miss you all very much! Sending my love and see you soon.
Ciao,
Mary Kate
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