The Update

Well I'm in the home stretch here, today marks 40 days until I touchdown back in the States.  Since we got back from Milan, the weather has been really cold (in the 50-60s).  We just had our heat turned on this weekend because it is monitored by the government.  They control the time it goes on (3 times a day) and the temperature it is set at (20 degrees Celsius which is about 68 degrees Fahrenheit).  So its often warmer outside that it is in our apartment, therefore we are usually dressed up to go outside even when we're just staying in.

I had a great time celebrating my birthday in Italy, it is definitely a memory that I won't forget.  Thanks to all those who sent me birthday cards in the mail.  For those of you who haven't seen me in awhile, I'm including this ridiculous birthday picture of me, so laugh your hearts out!  Can't wait to see everyone at Christmas!

Milano....the equivilency of Beverly Hills

Last weekend we went to Milan, which is like the Beverly Hills of Italy.  The whole weekend was really cold and rainy but we still had an enjoyable time.  On Friday night our whole studio went out to celebrate my birthday the Italian way.  

 Milan's Cathedral.  This church is insane!

Some of the prettiest stained glass I have ever seen in a church

 The high alter area in the Cathedral.

 Bocconi University.  A research university of business, economics, and law.

 Price Waterhouse Coopers.  An accounting and Marketing Company.

Milan's one and only skyscraper.

 Armani Headquarters

Just in case you want to drop 50 euro on a cappuccino GUCCI has a cafe for that.

 Should have just bought a car!

Maserati anyone?

Viaje de descanso a medio plazo para Barcelona

The week of October 15, we had midterms.  Some people call it hell week...lots of sleepless nights but thank God for espresso!  We flew out of Italy for the weekend to Barcelona, Spain.  I really loved Barcelona and it was a nice reward after midterms.  Take a look at what we did!

 We rented bikes and rode around.  It was a great way to view the city!

Some interesting trees down a side street.

Got our first dose of Starbucks.  Italy doesn't have them anywhere.

 The front of Sagrada Familia.  Transformed by Gaudi in the late 1800s, and still remains incomplete today due to lack of private funding and some of the most challenging parts remaining.

 The back of Sagrada Familia

The full back of Sagrada Familia

One night we went to a dinner and dance show.  The Spanish Flamenco is a traditional Spanish step dance with music.  It was amazing how fast they can move their feet.

Park Güell a garden designed by Gaudi.  One of the largest in Southern Europe.

 Looking down at the entrance to the park.

 The park is full of mosaic tile work.

 A view overlooking the city of Barcelona.

 The Barcelona Pavilion designed by Mies van der Rohe for the 1929 International Exposition for the Germans.

Barcelona at night.

Day Trip to Siena

On October 5, we had our trip to Siena for the day.  It's just a small town on a series of three hills.  There's not a whole lot here and it wasn't one of my favorite cities, but the Cathedral is one of a kind.

 The front facade of the Siena Cathedral.  This is Gothic Architecture at its finest (Architecture that has a  strong use of decor/ornamentation).

 The inside of the Cathedral.  Every square inch is full or decoration.  This is the most heavily decorated church in all of Europe.

 The tile work on the floor is art.  Going through was like a corn maze.

 The dome at the top.

 Piazza del Campo, one of the largest open Piazza's.  Once a year people crowd this piazza to watch a horse race.  People fill the middle and the outside ring becomes the track.

This is how the Piazza looks during the horse race.

 Palazzo Pubblico, the house of the Republican Government of Siena.  You can go up in the tower to view the city.

The Siena Cathedral from the Palazzo Pubblico Tower.

Oktoberfest and Berlin

This past weekend we ventured outside of Italy and for a little Oktoberfest action and to go visit Berlin.  Germany is AWESOME.  I never knew that it could be so different from another country in Europe.  It's the art capital and most modern country of Europe.  Oktoberfest is unlike anything I have ever experienced.  We took a bus on Thursday night at 11 pm and arrived in Munich at 9 am on Friday.  Oktoberfest officially opens at 10 am (Germans really do believe in it's 5 o'clock somewhere apparently), but it's a good thing we started early....by noon there was so many people you could not move.

 The entrance to Oktoberfest...starting the day bright and early!

This is Hofbraü House, the first tent we went to.  There are a total of 14 beer tents over 103.79 acres that also includes carnival rides, food stands, etc.

 Inside of Hofbraü House, the second largest tent at Oktoberfest.  When we left this tent at around noon, it was jammed with people.  There is an upstairs on the other side and an area for a band off to the right.

 Oh you want beer?!?  They bring 'em out 12 at a time!!  She looks so happy too!

 Each beer is 1L equivalent to about 4 beers.

PS it was really good!

 Pretzels the size of your head and I'm not joking!  We also got a Rotisserie Chicken, which was sooo good that all of us were fighting over it.  I don't think that bad European food exists!

 When someone finishes their beer, the crowd goes WILD!

Each beer tent is decorated differently inside and has different mugs that the beer is served in.

Oh drunk/sleepy Germans after a long day, they pass out anywhere.  This is in the train station.

Friday night we departed for Berlin, which is the Capital of Germany.

 The capital building of Berlin.  Berlin, or Germany in general is much much colder than Florence, but it was really nice to be able to see some fall color, since the downtown city of Florence lacks in the tree department.

 This is the Jewish Holocaust Memorial that was built in Berlin.  There are 2711 concrete blocks arranged in a grid formation in this one city block!

 A part of the Berlin Wall...used as a place to put your gum when you're done chewing it.

 Inside the Sony Center.  There are shops, cafes, hotels, IMAX, etc inside.

The roof of the Sony Center.  It lights up different colors at night. Google it!

 There was some kind of Roller Blade tournament/race going on throughout the town, which was cool to see.

This is the Jewish Museum.  We thought it would be more about the Holocaust...it was mainly just about the Jewish Religion and just up until the beginning of the Holocaust.

Hiking through Cinque Terre

Yesterday, we spent the whole day hiking through Cinque Terre.  Cinque Terre is iconic Italy.  There are 5(cinque) towns(terre) that are tucked away in different parts of the western coast line of Italy and you can get to all of them by hiking through the trails.  All of them are small towns with colored houses, narrow ally ways, and have views that are out of this world!   It was quite the hike and we were exhausted by the end, but come December, I'm bound to have legs of steel.

 I hope this picture doesn't make anyone too jealous (those in Michigan)   :)

 The second town that we hiked to, it truly is beautiful...the nice weather obviously helps with that too.

 Our seafood lunch/dinner that we had.  Everything is caught fresh daily from the coast.  I tried stuffed mussels for the first time, which were great!

 There is something that is so empowering about the sky and sea!  One of the best sunsets I have seen.

 Just about everywhere in Europe, lovers will fix a lock on a fence or bridge, symbolizing that their love will never break apart.

Even the rocks are beautiful.  I think rocks are my new favorite part of nature.