THURDAY NIGHT DINNER
Okay guys prep for a long one, so if something comes up, save the page and come back to it. Long weekend and lots of stuff to explain. Thursday night thru Monday evening. You ready for all this? It was a great weekend for sure! SCHOLARS LOUNGE made everything great! haha
So Thursday night alexa and I went across the river with a few girls to this place called Dante’s that everyone raves about. You can split a bottle of Chianti wine between 2 people since we’re students and they apparently have the greatest pizza. It ended up being a really fun night and I def started to like Chianti wine for once and the pizza was fabulous!! But then we all had to make it an early night because that 4 am “we’re going to Rome” wake up call would come pretty dang fast!! Drinking wine def. made it easy for me to sleep!! haha
So 4 am alexa and I prepped ourselves for the 530 bus rise that came. We got to the stop we were supposed to meet at and our buses came. One of the buses was named Molesti. BIGGEST joke of the weekend. Seriously we were like 530 am and we’re getting on a bus named Molesti? LMAO! So childish but who cares it was funny! Seriously Italian words and English words are so opposite. Every time someone says prego, I want to respond no I am not pregnant, thanks! HAHA!
Well, Molesti got us into Tivoli about maybe around 10 and we toured Villa D’este for a little under 2 hours. Geez you guys, Tivoli is freeking gorgeous. The whole time I was literally looking out the window to see all of Tivoli, I was like OMG I CANNOT BELIEVE I AM EVEN HERE! THIS IS NOT REAL LIFE! Haha. It was such an awesome experience and so cool to see all of Tivoli and this gorgeous place. All I kept thinking about was National Treasure because everything was so old and what not. Ainsley and I decided we have to find some places to tour like that with secret passageways and stuff. That be totally legit.
We’re gonna do a SIDE NOTE ASAP. SO this new camera I have= Legitimately LEGIT. Not even kidding. Prep yourselves for 3 facebook albums of photos. Between the panorama option I used and the sports moving option I was in technology dreamland.
Back on story time, so then we went to this LIGHT LUNCH we were told we were going to have. Okay so we’re all Americans right? American’s light lunch is what? A sandwich maybe? An ITALIAN light lunch……….is like a Chinese American Buffet. NOT KIDDING. WE WERE ALL SO STUFFED I cannot even explain it. You’ll see why in my photos. First they had bread on the table, so all of us were like okay this is light so we’ll stuff our faces with bread, our first mistake. Then they come out with this olive topped and oil topped bread, not so good so I kinda skipped that. Then they come out with this barley and rice soup looking thing with tomatoes. DELICIOUS? Very. 2nd mistake we all stuffed our faces with once again, carb overload. Then they come out with the thickest pasta in the world, with sausage. So luckily I didn’t stuff my face with that like everyone else did. That was the 3rd mistake. I’m literally not kidding. Take an American’s fettuccini noodle and times the thickness by 10. SO then thinking oh this has sausage in it, that was it. NOPE! They start prepping to bring out this roast beef and potatoes. We were all like ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!?! So some of us ate that. I needed protein so I had to eat the beef. Guys, I am literally not kidding whatsoever. NEVER eat like an Italian. I felt like my brother doing one of his eating challenges. OMG it was ridiculous. CARB overload times a million but it was SO good. But no desert. L But lunch was fun though, met some really funny girls and we all kind hung out together all weekend! For the record, alexa and I agreed we will NEVER eat like that again!!
The place we ate at was on the mountains so that was neat, but geez the bus ride up there was so dangerous! We were like inches away from cars at some points! SO scary but we made it safely!
Then we trekked it over to Rome on Molesti at around 4ish and checked into the hotel. Hotel was really nice, had water pressure in the shower!!!! Alexa and I LOVED that! Then we kind of had some free time to roam around in Rome (Laughing?). Then we all went to dinner to eat again, none of us knew how we could eat again seriously! I was still full from lunch! So we all got to the Parthenon and the lady told us we have 10 minutes to just look around. So Caitlyn, Alexa, Katie, Carolyn, and I went in to see the Parthenon. Got out….. where was the group? GONE! So we had to wait for someone to come get us. So ridiculous. So we got there and it was lunch all over again L. They gave us this delicious mac n cheese type pasta to start. Then french fries….. why we don’t know? Then these 3 different types of meats and then ended with expresso shots. Didn’t eat much besides load up on the protein from the meat. And heck no I did not try the coffee I was so tired. So we sat with some other really fun girls which made dinner a lot of fun too.
After dinner, some went out, others went back to the hotel. We had no bus so we could either walk home or take a taxi…… we taxi-d it! Haha SIDE NOTE…… Danielle Fuchs………… how did you get around Rome all those months??!?!?!.......... We taxi-d it because ROME is HUGE!!!! So Alexa and I went back and fell asleep pretty quickly.
SATURDAY 9 am meet-up!
So we all had to meet at 9 to go on the tour they were going to give. The breakfast at the hotel was really good and I finally got some meat, some FRUIT COCKTAIL (made my day!!), and great granola. Felt more like a nutritious meal. SO we all got ready to go on the tour and saw The Coliseum. I have a new appreciation for architecture, literally. That place was soo cool and I am so ready to look at the website for it.
SIDE NOTE: Besides hating reading, (besides cookbooks with photos) guys I HATE MYTHOLOGY and WORLD HISTORY!
But the tour of it was so neat and I really do want to research it. Learned this weekend I need to research this stuff before I go, actually I knew that I just forgot to do it! Haha But then my mistake was I drank wayyyyy too much water. So we then trekked our way over to the ancient ruins. I had to find a bathroom once we got in and our tour guide told us it was right around the corner to the left. Seriously alexa and I did not see that tour because we took over a half hour to find a bathroom, I was in tears. HAHA! We made our own tour and asked where the bathrooms were but got wrongly directed like 3x and finally we found a guy with a map and we found it. 3 RUDE girls were in line but finally said screw it and used the mens because I just didn’t care and me and alexa were laughing because the other girls were soo rude and I just didn’t care about cutting in line. It was RIDICULOUS!
So then we had to find the group. Luckily we had phone numbers to help us get back to the group, took like a half hour to do that. Me and alexa were SO tired and our feet hurt! Got back to the group and we got to break off and do our own thing. So Ainsely, Alexa, Caitlyn, Katie, and I all went and saw the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps.
Then we taxi-d it over to the Vatican. HERE WE GO WITH THIS STORY! Stupid Americans at its best.
So the story of the Vatican. People over here take way too much advantage of the "stupid Americans" factor. That is FOR SURE. So the 5 of us walk up to the fence and this guy approaches us explaining we can buy tickets to see everything for 20 euros. So we listened because the line was super long and we really didn't know what we were doing. So he explained that we would skip the line and get in because the chapel closes at 4 and that’s what we really wanted to see. And then we found out it was actually 40 euro and so we all turned it down and the guy goes what you all want to save your money for pub crawl tonight instead of education? And that just pissed me off and I was like sorry buddy I paid over 14000 to get here of my money so whatever!! And this other english guy comes up explaining more and they knocked the fee down to 35 euro. Come on, I felt like I was at the fleamarket and I didn't feel like it was legit, so Ainsley and I decided not to go, but the other 3 said yes. I felt bad as a Catholic and I knew my mother would not be so happy with me because she told me that’s one of the things I HAD to do was see everything at the Vatican, but I didn't feel like spending 35 euro esp. since I was pondering coming back on Easter.
Anyways, so they went and Ainsley and I took photos in front and sat there for a bit and was going to wait for the other 3. Turns out a few other girls from our group walked up and after a talk we went and asked the info desk how much it actually was and walked forever around the Vatican and it was only 8 euro for students to see it all and then free to get into the actual Basilica. WHOA! Of course I was fine with that and we all walked in. One of the girls became our tour guide because she had already been in January. We saw the other 3 right as we walked in and told them and they of course were so angry and already fed up with how their tour was going because their guide was an idiot. So they left their group and finished the tour on their own. Plus we found out the chapel didn't close till 530, so they lied again. Anyways we walked throughout the Vatican. Once again, new appreciation for architecture. It is beyond me how anyone can paint like that in the chapel or anything around the Vatican. It was absolutely stunning and seemed so unreal that I was there seeing it all. Prep for many photos, I was basically taking pics for everyone to feel as if they were walking through the Vatican themselves as well as the rest of Rome!! HAHA! So Ainsley and I kind of branched off from the group and before going back to he hotel to meet for dinner, we went and saw the Basilica, SO amazing and then all of the Pope's tombs. I wanted to see JP II, esp for my grandma and papa because they always liked him and so did I. Couldn't snag a photo because it was guarded and many people kneeling crying on the side. Everything at the Vatican was so stunning and I am so glad we found out about the real tour.
The other 3 went back and complained of how horrible their tour was and wouldn't leave till they got their money back but they ended up only getting 10 euro back. The office actually told them some people have to tell little white lies to make money. HOW FREEKING RUDE. They probably get away with it all the time because the only reason why they found out about the actual tour was because Ainsley and I told them, most people don’t know and probably never know the truth.
Anyways. Now for the next story of Stupid Americans. So the 3 of them had already taxi'd it back to the hotel to get ready for dinner. SO me and ainsley found our own taxi..... good thing I took a pic of our hotel because that got us far haha! And so we showed him the pic. and he was like okay yes I know how to get there. Obviously we don't know where we're going and buddy boy taxi guy takes us to the middle of a mass load mob of people with no way through because the street was basically closed. We were still far away from the hotel but neither of us was going to sit there and watch the price rack up because scammer boy did that on purpose. So we got out, he ended up giving us the wrong directions because he was that rude and after a half an hour or more of asking a few people and the info desk how to get back to our hotel, we made it. Seriously we were so angry. Got wrongly directed twice, people cannot walk fast, we had to trek it through the tunnel from Harry Potter, deal with stupid people right and left, and push our way through crowds. Had to QUICKLY get ready for dinner and made it to the meeting point. Ughhh we were so MAD!
Anyways, Molesti drove us to dinner and we almost thought it was at the same place from the night before but luckily it wasn't. We all went to this small Italian place. Sat with the funniest group of girls and had so much fun at dinner. There was 9 of us sitting there and I was LMAO almost the whole time. These 3 girls I met are all from Texas and we all got along so well. Had many conversations about food and tv! All of them liked SVU, so OBVIOUSLY I prolonged that conversation because I am head over heals in love with that show. Just thinking about dinner that night makes me laugh! They ended up serving us bruchetta, pasta, typical roman veal and potatoes, and some creamy desert that made me queezy. The rest was very good though!! Forgot to take a pic of the pasta though.
I swear if someone doesn't know me, it takes them maybe 5 minutes to figure out I am a culinary major whether it be how I talk or by facebook alone.
So after dinner, I wanted to go out. After all that walking Ainsley and I did, sorry this 21 year old needed a drink. So I was told by my friend Danielle that studied in Rome last spring to go to 2 different bars. We ended up going to The Scholar's Lounge. OMG SO MUCH FUN! We walked in and it was PACKED with students and Irish people because the rugby game was on. We finally got to the bar in the back and everyone before Brianna and I got served student drinks. The new bartender asked what school we went to and we said we were from Florence so he wouldn't serve us. Sorry but I was not paying over 11 american dollars for my margarita. So Brianna and I said screw it and was just going to get gelato instead later. However, smarty pants (aka myself) ended up managing getting myself and the rest of us free shots and I got some free drinks from these guys who were there for a bachelor party. Ended up convincing this guy to get me a margarita and he spilled half of it. OH you know I was angry (margaritas are too precious to waste J) but he bought me some kind of margarita shot later. HAHA But YES FOLKS we all watched them get the drinks….. SAFETY first!! I know. We met a few guys also that were studying abroad in Rome that are apparently going to call us when they come to Florence. They were a lot fun….. But sorry to everyone who keeps asking me, I don’t have a boyfriend just yet! Haha We ended up walking ourselves back with a MAP and we were all so proud of ourselves. No one would let me get my gelato though that I still wanted!! Haha. I really WISH I could have run to taco bell like I would in America!! It was a great night and I am so glad it helped end the weekend well! So glad I met these girls that’s for sure!
Then we woke up again for our 9 am meeting to go on the double decker bus around Rome….. it was legit. Haleigh and I were def in charge of power walking to get us all a good seat on the top of the bus. It was a little under 2 hours, but the bus brought us all around Rome. It was cold, but so cool to see some of the sights we didn’t get to see on Saturday.
Then we all had a break for lunch before we left for Florence. We all went to McDonalds. HAHA Such Americans. But seriously, international McDonalds are hilarious. They make them seem like 5 star restaurants. Like the one in Madrid airport I could not believe for a second it was a McDonalds. However, I skipped that myself and had gelato with alexa after the rest of them ate. I was so stuffed from the weekend, I just wanted my gelato! Haha Funny to say I had my first gelato in Rome and not Italy!!
Then we had to get on the bus to come back where we all kind of fell asleep and just listened to our iPods. It was a long ride! Then we got back and got settled in and I started writing this novel! Sorry for so many stories but I was going to have to tell so many people, so I just put in here!!
Even though I am not a big football fan I thought about going out with everyone for Super Bowl last night, but I don’t regret not going because I did not want to wake up this morning!!
Class today was super long!! But now it is over! Thankfully! And I had time to finish this thing. 4 days till the HILLS COME ALIVE and Ainsley and I take on Vienna and Salzburg! LEGIT! I am sooooo ready for this weekend!
Plans are being discussed for the arrival of Nikki and when I am going to London, Dublin, Prague, Milan, Barcelona (maybe), Amsterdam, and maybe a few others.
The 3 trips, besides visiting Tricia in London, I really cared about making sure I plan was Sicily (GOLDEN GIRLS!!), SOUND OF MUSIC TOUR, and IRELAND!!!! SO as long as those get booked, my stay over here will be complete and any others I find to add to it will just make it better! I CANNOT wait for Nikki to come visit and to see Tricia. You both need to prepare for me to tackle you with the biggest hug ever when I see you! If I would have to go 4 months without seeing anyone from home, I don’t know what I would do. It honestly is so weird to have to rely on skype and facebook to talk to people but THANKFULLY I have both to use!! Like my mom said, back in the days my papa was in WW2, he went years without talking to his family and friends. I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO DO THAT!! Haha.
I have learned a lot throughout the past 2 weeks and can’t wait to see what else this semester is going to bring. This weekend will be awesome and I cannot wait to be Julie Andrews all weekend!!
Hope everyone in America is doing well and you haven’t all forgotten about me J
Once I figure out my sony picture application, I will put the pics from this weekend on facebook!
Everyone please pray that my laundry comes out okay…… first time doing laundry here and I am so scared!! L
Ciao for now my friends!
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