I am truly blessed. For the past two weeks I have been traveling around Italy and Greece and I loved it! My mother was worried because two nights I stayed in a hostel by myself, but it worked out so well! For everyone besides my mother who didn't get to talk to me...here is a run down of what I did!
April 12:
I arrived in Nice, France Easter morning. I spent my time eating breakfast on the beach! I then took a train to Milan, Italy. I was able to catch the 6pm Easter Sunday mass at the Duomo in Milan. The church was absolutely amazing! The streets were filled with people. Street performers, bands, artists, food stands etc. It was so much fun to be a part of Milan's Easter festival!
April 13:
I took a train to Venice, Italy! What an awesome city! I will say though, don't go during the high tourist season! There were so many people there and I'm sure it's because it was Easter Monday and every one in Europe was on vacation. Venice is a great city to visit with a friend and it can be done in a day. Which is why I took a train to Florence, Italy the same night! I stayed with four DGs who had dinner cooking for me when I arrived!
April 14:
I woke and got in line at the museum to see the David before it even opened. I asked an American family if they were in the ticket line or the reserved ticket line and it ended up that they had an extra reserved ticket because their son didn't get up. So, they gave me the ticket and we were the second people in the museum! It turns out that they are uncle and aunt to a friend I know from high school who also goes to UofI with me! They wouldn't let me pay for my ticket and we toured the museum together! It was nice to have a family (mom, dad and daughter around my age a little older) to see the David with! I then went and saw the Duomo, which was huge and beautiful! I went to the leather markets, got a purse! Had lunch with the girls by their school which is right by ponte vecchio. That night we made dinner again and got the best gelato in Italy!
April 15:
I went to the Uffizi gallery, which took up my whole morning. It was a very cool museum and so exciting to see artwork and paintings that are so famous.
I took a train to Rome, Italy and got in there around 3pm. The hostel was very close to the station and is on the Europes Famous Hostel list! I toured the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and watched the sunset from the Spanish Steps all in one afternoon/evening! I took the metro which was very easy and cheap! In my room there were two girls who were traveling together and then a guy that was traveling by himself because his friend ended up staying in Germany to work! We went out to dinner and had a really good Italian meal!
April 16:
I got up early and wen to the Vatican museum! While in line I met four girls who were studying in England. We ended up sticking together and we toured the Vatican twice! Haha, you can ask me why later. The Sistine Chapel was great, but I wish I had known more about each painting. Next time, I'll make sure to have read a few books on everything! After the Vatican we had lunch, got gelato and went shopping! Then, we went to St. Peter's square and saw St. Peter's church. Like every other church in Europe it was HUGE and absolutely stunning! We were all amazed. That night I had a flight to Athens, Greece where my good friend Demetra picked me up from the airport!
April 17:
Demetra showed me around Athens! We went to a market right by her house that reminds me of my market! We did a lot of shopping inbetween site seeing! I bought a reallllly cute pair of sandals!!!! And some clothes:) That night we went to Demetra's village which is about two hours outside of Athens in the mountains! Her cousin Maria who is married and has two kids owns a cafe in the village. The tradition for these small towns of only a few hundred people is for the men to gather in the cafes at night and drink and socialize. Tonight was different though because it was Greek Orthodox Easter! After the church service everyone goes back to the cafe to drink! So, we ended up talking and meeting people. Only a few of the younger people could speak English. And no one spoke French either, which surprised me. Because in Italy and Spain you can usually find people who speak French as well.
April 18:
All day Saturday the families were getting ready for Easter. We walked around the small village and saw all the men preparing the lambs to be roasted! A tradition is that every family has a lamb. For example, we all went to her Uncle's house in the next village over on Sunday and so there were two lambs. One for the Uncle and Aunt and one for the cousin's family. The church service was very different to what I was expecting and Demetra said it was way different from her services back home. We all had a candle that we lit and then we stood outside and made a cirlce around the priest. At midnight he started singing and the church bells went off. And with this came a fireworks show! For such a small village the fireworks were great! After that was over most people go back home for the traditional meal. However, there is Easter Sunday mass if you want to stay. We went back to Ds cousin's house and had the "insides/unknown" of the lamb. This dish is their favorite part. We also did the red egg cracking game! The most surprising part of the night was that at 2AM, Demtra's younger cousin (19 yrs) took us out to a night club because that's what everyone does after Easter mass! I had a great time! I learned how to Greek dance and everyone was so nice to me! When we were finally ready to go we stepped outside and it was daylight! It was 6:30AM when we left. On our way home we saw all the men already making the huge fires to start cooking the lamb! It was such a great experience and memories I'll never forget.
April 19:
We went to Ds uncle's and aunt's house in a smaller village about 20-30 minutes away. To drive anywhere it takes some time because you are going up and down and winding around mountains. It is breath taking beautiful! I could have spent the whole day in the car just looking out the window! Ds grandma is 102 years old and just like the grandma in the movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". We ate so much lamb and greek salad and coffee and cookies...they fed us well! That night Elias, Ds 38yr old cousin took us out to a cafe/bar on the beach! And then we went to a night club called, "Up Down". It was a blast and I did a lot more greek dancing!
April 20:
We just hung out in the village and I read and wrote in my journal. Elias showed us around the winery and vineyard. Demetra's family has owned a vineyard and olive trees for ever. Her cousin, Elias built a winery and started selling wine in 1999. It has won a few awards in Greece, Italy and France! Demetra's Dad also sells it in their store!
April 21:
Demetra's two other cousins took me all around Athens and showed me the Acropolis while Demetra had class! It was one of Ds friends birthdays so we went to this really neat club on the beach and had a great time! It was all American music..so no greek dancing for me that night!
April 22:
Demetra and I went to a Egina, a Greek Island for the day! We rented an ATV and drove all around the island seeing the many small churches, beaches and little towns! I had octopus for lunch and it was tasteless. I was not impressed with it. That night there was a famous Greek rapper playing at a place pretty close to Demetra's house, so we went to that! I had to leave at 5AM for the airport to come back to Toulouse, so we just stayed out all night! Demetra and Ashley (other good DG friend) knows the bouncer and so he brought us up to the stage to meet the rapper. The night was mostly us dancing with the rapper and him asking me in very broken english what he should do to get Demetra. Haha, it was such a good night I was upset that we had to leave at 5. He gave us all his CD and signed them...and he got Demetra's number!!!
April 23:
Got back in Toulouse and went straight to the "biggest" party that my school was putting on. It was crazy...
April 24:
Anne's friend Tom is visiting and so we had an American party last night. We invited the students who studied at UofI last semester and we invited the students who are going there next semester. We tought them how to play beer pong, quarters and flippy cup. It was the funniest thing I've ever seen!
April 25:
I've posted all my pictures on facebook and now I'm about to start studying for my two exam I have on Tuesday!
I only have 4 more days of school and then I'm done!
I leave in 3 weeks!
I cannot believe it!
I will be sad when I come back...be prepared.
