After the Uffizi on Friday, we woke up early on Saturday and took a bus to Lucca. It was rainy and positively freezing but we still had a great time. Unfortunately some of our capagne did not have as much fun but we planned ahead! We went to see the birthplace of Puccini, which is marked with a truly fabulous statue of him reclining in a chair eternally smoking a cigarette (he died of throat cancer). We also saw the Roman amphitheatre and the Piazza of San Martino which had some incredible bas-relief sections on the outside. Inside is the Volto Santo which is a truly unique depiction of the crucifixion. There is a legend about it that it arrived in an unmanned boat and the people from Pisa tried to reach it by boat but their oars broke (ask a Pisa native and they tell a different story) and once it arrive and was installed in the cathedral it would occaisionally disappear and later be found in fields surrounding the city. Anyway, every year there is a big festival in Lucca where they carry it from one cathedral to another. very fancy. We also saw Tintoretto's Last Supper and the sarcophagus of Illaria del Carretto from 1405!!
Once the tour was over we got some free time which we used to window shop (I bought nothing) and then we went to a nice Italian style 3 hour lunch at Buca di San Antonio. We started by sharing this beautiful little Tart of Ricotta and artichokes with a chickpea sauce. Then Danielle had guinea fowl with grapes (she is a vegetarian! haha, except when we go out) Katarina had baby goat with potatoes and turnip greens and I have pork with truffle sauve (hehe) and green bean pudding. We all shared and we had a bottle of Majulina Colline Lecchese Rosso (I wanted to get something local). The lunch was relaxing, warm and delicious.
Next we grabbed some local desserts - bucatello - a yeasty bread with eggs raisins, and the one we had also had chocolate. And cookies (they have a name but i cant remember!) dipped in chocolate with sprinkles. They were perfect winter cookies.
Saturday night, (after a catnap) we discovered a jazz club (called jazz club!) and met up with some friends from a different school who are also studying in florence, and went to a dance club called Twice and then our Brazilian friends (a friend of the friends from Parsons who live in Firenze, showed us this lounge that was in a cave sort of undergroundish. very italian and fun. But we were exhausted so we came home and slept in on Sunday!
On Sunday there was a chocolate festival in Santa Croce!!! Chocolatiers from all over Italy come to Firenze and sold and gave away their delights. The highlight was a truffle with balsamic and fragole (strawberries). Then we just did homework and tried to go to bed early!
So that is the weekend!
I have been trying to plan some of the trips I want to take around Italy and Europe (I am trying to keep it in Italy) but here is my tentative schedule:
This weekend I may go to Bologna, Parma or Modena however I'm not sure yet.
2/6-2/8 There is Carnaval in Arezzo, but there are also trips to Interlocken and we want to go there too, so that is a possibility.
2/13-15 I am in London!!! (and Pisa briefly)
2/20-22 Elle comes and I meet her in Rome!!!
2/27-3/1 I am not sure yet, another chance for Bologna, Parma, Modena
3/5-8 I meet Dad and Leslie in Venice
3/9-3/11 We travel to Siena where I spend a few days with Dad and Leslie and then meet up with Mom and David
3/20-22 Back to Firenze with Mom and David and school starts up again
3/27-29 This is the weekend after my birthday and I am thinking of doing a weekend involving a cooking class/truffle hunt/wine tasting
4/3-5 I have a site visit, a field trip planned by one of my classes to Rovereto for a celebration of the Futurists and a trip to Lake Garda.
4/9-13 We have an extra day of for easter, I am thinking about going to Greece with some of my roomates/friends for a small vacation
4/17-19 No plans...yet
4/24-26 ""
4/30-5/3 There is a Flamenco festival in Sevilla!!!!!!!
5/8 back to the states!
So! There are my tentative plans. Anyone who wants to join me is welcome. Or give me suggestions on restaurants of activities that cannot be missed in these places, please please please comment here or email me (acekus@gmail.com)
Things that I know I have to do:
Modena - balsamic
Parma-ham
Butcher of Panzano (school plans a trip)
and I want to get to a winery at some point (suggestions!?)
Okay. I have to get back to work!!! So much homework!!
Things to look forward to:
I m ay be going to a lecture on futurism tomorrow, there is a vintage fair this weekend and next week I am going to the observatory and going to see revolutionary road at the Odean theatre!!
okay! ciao! baci!
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