Great churches

I know I told you how in Italy churches are like Starbucks they are literaly in every corner it seems. There are 5 in a 1 mile radius of my house. I am not kidding. Well I have visited many of them especially the more popular ones here in Florence. I have been to the real popular ones like the Duomo, Santa Maria Novella and Santa Croce. These are all nice churches and all but they are so massive and I don't know the feel of them is just not the way I imagined it would be. They are cool because like in Santa Croce I saw the tombs of Michelangelo, Galielo and Danti. Oh yeah and Makaveli. However, this week was my church week. I went to a lot of churches that have great frescos. Weirdly enough in a lot of them you have to pay to get in. I found 2 churches that are not really that popular or in the big tourist books but were my absoulute favorites and if you were to ever come to Florence had limited of time you must see these 2 churches just see what the others look like on the internet. I have pictures as well. These 2 are free to boot. My number 1 favorite thus far even beating all the churches in Assisi and anywhere I have been is one called San Minato. I went to Piazza Michelangelo again because it has a great view. Then I walked to the back and didn' t know there was this old really neat and scarey looking cememtary in the back. It leads to a church were these monks used to live. Then it became a Hospice, hospital and convent and now it has gone back into the hands of the monks. It is the greates church ever. I love the symbols inside the church. It is very plain but the energy in this church is amazing. It is not over exaggerated like the others yet it is just so beautiful in its simplicity. It really is not simple but compared to the other churches here it is. The best part is at 5:30 the monks do there ritual. They supposedly do this multiple times a day but I was there at 5:30 and got to witness this cool ritual where it is pretty much mass but just for the monks not the people. They go to this lower chamber and you can hear them chanting. They are doing the Gregorian chants. I know my mystic meditation group knows what I am talking about because we have meditated to these chants before. It is amazing to hear it in person. It was dark in the church no lights in 1028 AD you see and so there are still not lights. Very few windows which is strange for a church in Italy. It was the coolest thing. Then I went to a city 8 KM from Florence on Tuesday called Fiesole. It is like a suburb of Florence. It was created by the Etruscans and you can see some of there artificats. They you can see this Roman amphitheatre as well. It was really nice. It is on the top of this very tall hill the city I mean. Well when we were walking around we decided to hike to the very top of the hill because the little neighborhoods looked cute (took pictures). We get to this cobble road with a sign that says Francesco chapel. It is a very very steep way up. I mean it was like these guys just built the road straight up into the sky. It was tiring but well worth it. We get to the top and you can see all of Florence and Fiesole from the top. My ears popped it was so high up. So we go into this one old church and they ruined it completely with some art work. It has these old roman colums but they covered the rest of the church in some weird are exhbit. Then we kept hiking straight up and saw this little chapel. We went it and again it was just the cutest little bitty chapel. It was free and you could go up these little winding stairs and at the top was the dormitory where the monks lived and talk about ruffing it. It was a wooden table it looked like where they slept and a thing you could kneel on and put your hand on top for prayer. That was it. They had nothing else. We asked the curator if that was how it always was he said yes. These were Francesican monks who believed in giving up all comforts to truely worship and live in simplicity. When we walked in the dormitory looked like it was for the 7 drwarfs. The doors were so tinnie weeinie. Then we went to the bottom basment of the church and there is actual musuem. This Italian archelogist reitred in Fiesole and when he died he left the church everything. With his items were acient artifacts from China and all over Asia. I mean some of the dates we BC. It was cool. Then there was a room with Eutruscian artifacts and part of the orginal Eutruscan wall ran through the bottom of the church. The Eutruscans were the people who inhabitat Italy. Then in the back room were artifacts from Egypt. I actually saw a mummy. It was from some palace in Egypt I wrote the name down but forgot where. Then there were some Roman artifacts. We were so amazed by this place because it is free and hidden. When we came down we saw people just walking past how to go up to the church but they seemed to have no clue about it. How sad for them and thanks to me for being so Nosey and wanting to just explore. See there was a reason I was born so nosey Cesar. Well I will go for now and write more when I can. This weekend I am going to Pisa, Lucca, San Gimiangno and Siena. All little towns outside of Florence. Pisa as you know is where that leaning tower is. I was told you get of the bus take a picture and get back on because there is nothing much else to do so after we are going to the town of Lucca which is suppose to be georgeous.
Ciao for now,
Ps. Guys if there is any news coming from the US let me know. Someone was mentioning there were some fires in Arizona and it killed some people. I have not heard about any thing no news not one thing from the US. Oh yes 1 news. I was told by 3 people the MAVS lost. I am sorry guys I really am. I thought they would make it this time. However, what about anything else. Is there anything I should know about?

Answers to questions

I got a few questions about travel in Italy so I will answer incase you guys ever travel here.

In Italy never forget you camera and always have it charged. I have had a few times where I think oh we are just going to the neighborhood bar or to see a friend and we end up at a great palace and no camera. When I was in Assisi and we went to the last church it had a great view of the whole city battery dead. I know, I was mad too. Well my friend was with me and will send me pictures. I have some in my camera for her so she will send it.

Water in Italy is very safe to drink. I have been drinking it since I got here. The lady kept giving it to me at dinner and I kept buying water not knowing she was giving tap water. I never got sick. They are good about keeping the water clean and drinkable. You can eat and drink anything here at it will be fine.

Florence as well as the other parts of Italy I have seen are very clean and I always feel very safe. I have walked home very late at night before and feel safer here then back home. Don't worry about it. However, my friend did get his wallet stolen but it was somewhat his fault. He saw some guys went to talk to them. He tought they were drunk, he was a bit drunk himself and I don't know decided to sing with them. They were hugging him and as he walked away he realized his wallet was gone so of course you need to watch that stuff but it isn't bad at all. I feel super safe here.
Kimberly you will love to here as much as I was that they recycle here. There are bins all over the place of course most people don't do it but there are bins everywhere. So I recycle here to and make my friends do the same.
Funny thing I saw. I was at home dressing with the TV on MTV. It was showing an episode of "Pimp my ride" with the rapper guy. Anyway, right after that was over they showed an episode in Italian called "Pimp my wheels." It was for Mopeds and these little moped trucks. It was hilarious. These Italian rappers dressed in rapper clothing go to these peopl just like XBit does and look at there mopeds. Then they send them to a place to get supped up. It is so funny. They have a conversation around a table just like West Coast custom does about how to fix it up. It was just so funny to see. Also, Jack from Will and Grace has the deepest voice in Italian. It is funny to watch all our US shows here. On the TV it is only US shows I swear. It is so weird just all dubbed. On the radio it is always American music.
Well these are just so funny side notes I wanted to share. Till tomorrow.
Martha
P.S. My friends and I found a pastry shop that is very cheap and just locals go to. Oh, my gosh the pastries in Italy are amazing. I have been eating much better. The lady at my house has been on the ball with great Italian dishes. Don't know what they are called never heard or seen them before but they are great so far. Still no good Italian rest. but we will see. It is still a bit more salty though.

Home sick, No way

Hi guys well yesterday I did not get to see the brutal soccer game I was so disappointed. It turns out that the Sunday before when I was in Assisi they had a huge brawl between fans and players just everyone around. So the city of Florence cancelled the tournament. That male testoserone just ruins everything ,). Well so I just did the next best thing and visited this huge Palace that belonged to the Medici family. It was so huge. I went the gardens and walked around it was very relaxing. I even meditated (Keeping up with my exercises Ellen). Then I went home for Dinner and hit the bed. I was invited to this huge party but I was so "Stanca" as they say in Italian (Tired) and so hot. It is so freaking hot here. My first week it was perfect very cool you needed a light sweater. Then last week as the week progressed it go hotter and hotter but okay because I could wear my skirts and shorts now it is so freaking hot. I was so drained from being in the sun for so long and walking so much. By the way I told you the legs are coming along. As I was walking yesterday with a friend some guy yelled from his moped "Nice legs." My other friend was wearing pants so I think he was talking to me :). He yelled it in Italian so it was pretty funny because we were both like "What the hell is Gamba." Then we looked at our notes from class to try to figure it out and realized Oh yeah legs. Hay his purpose was to teach me the word Gamba. Won't forget it now.
Well some have asked if I am home sick yet. I really and seriously am not one bit home sick. Yes I miss things like my bed, ice and the huge selection of foods in the states. Here it is pizza or pizza. However, I am not home sick. However, I do think I can't wait till my trip is over so I can reflect on how it went and what I did. I can't wait to be at my house fixing my photo album with all my new memories. I will miss some people from here. However, it is neat because I already have invites to various places in mexico, Spain, San francisco and Quebec. The best one has been Quebec and I do think I will take her up on it in March. She is a snow boarding teacher and has offered to teach me for free, give me a place to stay in her families cabin. Her dad owns the Flou Mattress Empire in North America. It is supposedly like the Dolce Gabana of beds. So she said a good Flu bed to sleep on as well. I can't pass that up.
Update on the food situation though (another repetiative question being asked) I have finally had serveral great meals. I have not had an awesome Italian meal just yet I have had okay ones but I have found a some great places to eat. Weirdly enough they are not Italian. I told you guys about the awesome Chinese place well today I went to this awesome place called Gypsy Bar. It was so good. It was burritos or Quesadillas kind of like Chipotle but so much better. The fillings were so strange but so good. It looked like Carrabian food but Hispanic like maybe Cuba or something. I had a sangria with is and it was superb. Then there is this Sandwich place with great soup and salads love the greek salad. The sandwich was I guess Italian and good. The soup was too so that was good it was Minestroni but not the olive garden kind much better so I guess there is a good Italian meal.
Well I must go for now I am on my way to this old cemetery at piazza Michelangelo and some old church that is not very touristy but should not be missed so I was told we will see.
Ciao for now love,
Martha

What a great weekend

On Thursday I had such a great night I wish all my true friends you guys could have been there. You were very missed. We met at our neighborhood bar "Nova Bar" next to the school we are there almost everyday. Well anyway I stopped by because the guys invited me to see the soccer game there. Huge Plasmas and a great place I said why not. I really am getting into watching soccer. I have watched a game almost every night since it started. Well then my girl friends came and got me during half time to go hear another free out door concert at the Uffizi (musuem). I had told them I would take some wine again. Well it was funny because all my friends at school asked me what I was doing that night I told them about the game and the concert and my wine and I don't really quite remember inviting everyone but it was very cool because they all showed up to the Uffizi. Some we actually ran into as they were walking by the museum on the way to Nova bar. When they saw me with my wine and a few other friends who brought wine as well. They took off and bought some too. We have in total 13 bottles of wine can you believe it. There were about 17 of us by the end of the night. It was so much fun. We sat at the Uffizi for an hour or so then we went to the old bridges and this is where it was amazing. Okay this is hard to describe but if you can imagine there is a circular colum coming out of the water. Then the architecs made a triagluar base then put the bridge on top. Well the top part of the triangle sticks out a lot and we are talking a huge bridge. Well I had told my friend Mike the muscian that I want to jump down onto the triangle one night and just sit there. So we decided to all go and we took over a bridge. We all jumped down onto the triangle Mike brought his guitar and Eddie had like maracas type things and they sang to us and we drank wine and it was a georgeos clear night. It was amazing. We took so many pictures we felt so famous. There were flashes from everywhere. I will share when I can. It was amazing. Then Friday I went to a friends for dinner and went to see the soccer game again and went to a club near by but did not stay out to late. Then Sat. I had the best day. I did nothing. I took mine and Grace's favorite thing to do pretend time does not exist. I had stayed the night at my friend Gabriel's house and then we went and walked to some of the plazas. We sat and wrote or read awhile. Then we got lost in the oldest part of the city with little twisty roads. We even found an old man playing the acordion right outside the stoop of his house. It was so italy. We went into this little store where they had gergeour hand carved things like Pinocchio (story was from Florence so they say and supposedly that is where the author wrote and has it take place) Pinoccio's are everywhere here. Anyway we then went and sat at the Piazza Signora full of geourgeous statues and a huge palace and I wrote for ever it seemed like. We then went to this great hidden Italian restraunt and had a pizza and chianti. It was so good, yeah!!!!!!! Good food. Wood oven pizza is the best. It was Margharita pizza with black olives the best. It is so cool because here they sit you with other people due to lack of room and we ended up talking to a great couple. Then we went to see the USA vs Italy game. It was so much fun. There were Italian flags everywhere and then the Americans took control of the piazza near the Duomo with flags and were overspilling from this Pub. You could hear them singing the star spangle banner (drunk) it was funny. I was of course in a crowded Italian bar but with 3 other American supporters. We would yell for America and they would boo us. It was fun. However, we knew them so it was safe (It is our bar anyway NOVA bAR :) Well then they cleared the tables out and they played some Salsa Merengue and the hispanic people we went crazy and started dancing it was so much fun. By midnight some huge group of American came in and they changed the music to hip hop and oldies like (Johnny be Good) those darn American (J/K). We had a great time singing and dancing along. Then I went home and had a great night sleep. I slept in late and am now about to have a Gelato and see a cool sport. It is a medivel sport they played in the 1200's. It is like a mix between soccer, football and rugby. Funny thing is there are no rules but get the ball in the goal. I hear it is very violent and many various broken bones like noses and limbs occur. I am going though because it is part of the celebration of St. John the Baptist Parton saint of Florence. The game started last Sunday red vs. blue and this Sunday Green vs. Yellow. Then the Final is next Sat. the actually day of St. John. Funny they do such a violent sport to celebrate a religous figure but I guess that is how it is. Well They also do this huge parade of medivel characters and a flag throwing celebration before the game. It is in front of a huge gothic church and I didn't get to go last Sunday so I am on my way now. I will let you know how it goes.
Cioa for now,
Martha

Hi everyone

I just wanted to write a small tid bit on the fashion in Florence. The capri pants for guys I do like them. I think they look very nice if you wear the write shoes and top. Just FYI

Now, I did not write yesterday because I learned about the night life of Florence on Tuesday night. I went to see the Brazil game at our Bar. I call it our Bar because it is next door to my school and all the students hang out there all the time. It is where we meet for all things as well. Even teachers are there at all hours. It is a very nice place. Here bars are open all day from like 8:00am-2a.m and some later. Anyway they sell coffee and rolls and stuff in the morning and beer and sandwiches at lunch time and just alch. at night. Well anyway our bar is called Nova Bar. It is owned by a Brazil lady and the bartenders are also Brazilian so for the game it was like being in Brazil. I think all the Brazilian people of Florence where there. It was more jammed pack then the Italy game. I stayed till the half then 2 friends invited me to here live music by the Uffizi (a famous musuem) we did we drank some wine and listen to a girl sing opera under the stars with was fun. Then we walked to the Punto Vecchio which is this very old bridge that has been there since the 13th century or longer I am estimating. We sat on the bridge and listed to this group sing Italian light rock. It was really great because the moon was so bright and there was a great breeze and we were drinking wine. Then about 11 we were walking back to the Bus stop for my friends and on my way home for me when we passed the Nova Bar and it was packed with our classmates. They called us in and got us drinks so we stayed. They were celebrating like crazy for Brazil. It was fun. At 1am we all decided to walk over to this place called Salamanca (it is all Spanish, Reggaton and Hip hop music). It was amazing because it was so croweded people were dancing on the tables. It was a lot of fun. Of course we all have to go to school the next day so we ended it at about 2-2:30. My friends walked me home and I hit the bed without even completely undressing. The next day (mom would be so proud) I kept thinking I will just not go to school. Then unfortunately my mom's voice overpowered me. I remember when I was younger and 18 and could do what "I wanted" right. She would say go out and stay out as late as you want that is your choice but if you grades go down you will lose the care ect... Then she would say it is okay to have fun but don't forget your obligations so I got my crazy but up by 7:00 to shower (smelled like smoke) and went to school red shot eyes and tired. All of us were there all the same way. Weirdly enough I was not that tired going to school. It felt like when you get up from a nap. By 5p.m. Oh I was dying it really hit me. So yesterday I just responded to some of your e-mails and I had to go so I could go to bed. However, Yesterday Wed. I did go to the Uffizi Musuem and saw "Birth of Venus" a very famous painting and a lot of Michelanglos work. My favorite was by him called the holy family. It was amazing because it was so colorful and looked so real. Both of the Venus paiting by Botticelli were amazing as well and reminded me of the ladies in my meditation group especially the one entitled "primavera." It was neat. Today I went and saw the famous David in the Academia Galleria. It was amazing as well. WOW, when you see it in person it is so weird. They have 2 replicas here in Florence and it really does not look exactly the same this one has so much more details it was cool. A hint when traveling to Florence. Pre book or pre buy musuem tickets on the phone or when you are here. I went and bought both tickets at the ticket office on Monday for yesterday and today. I did not have to wait in line. I heard people saying they waited 2 hours to get into these musuems. I also went to a couple of beautiful churches today as well. I saw one call the Santissima Annunziata. It was neat to see just because it is gothic and huge and when you walk in there is this shrine to the Virgin because legend states that this monk started the picture in 1252 and was finished by an Angel. It also has a lot of very dark areas because supposedly it use to be a burial ground so when they added to the church those areas were made in black and gold it is a bit spooky in there. Then in the other I went to it is called San Marco and it has a mumified pope in there it was weird to see. It was also huge and of course they are across the street from one another. In Florence there are churches like the US has starbucks.
Tonight I am going out with a big group to hear live music again on the bridge with a bottle of wine it will be fun. Tomorrow we will watch and support Mexico in the world cup. My school is made of Mexican students so it will be fun to see.
Ciaò
P.S. I finally had a great meal today. Weirdly enough it was Chinese. Who knew I needed to come to Florence to have the best Chinese I have ever had. Who knew. I am still in search for the perfect and great Italian food I pictured.

Well let me catch you up with what I am up to

First I want to say thanks to all you who have written me and posted messages. When I check my e-mail and see like 12 messages from friends and family it makes me so super happy. I have had a few who have embarressed me and made me laugh out loud in front of a crowd of people. It makes me feel like some one cares for me back home. It gives me something to look forward to and a longing to come back home (not soon) but I will come back because of you guys. Awe you are all too cute.
Well this weekend was awesome. I went Friday night to dinner at a friends apartment in the out skirts of the city. I rode the city bus and bought some Italian wine and this great little place. Had to practice my horrible Italian. Then went to see the apartment. Wow, what a difference from an American apartment. The washer is in the Kitchen it is small and there are no dryers. They hang there clothes outside. It was neat. Everyone here does that even my House Mother I guess you could call her. It is cool. We had a great internation dinner. My friend from Spain made Spanish tortillas nothing like the Mexican ones. Another made a greek salad (very yummy) this guy brought Jalepenos (mexican of course) it was funny but we had a great time. Then on Sat. I went to Vinci. We went by train to this town called Empoli. Then from there a bus to Vinci where Leonardo was born and lived for a long time. We hiked very high up for like an hour to his house. It was the cutest town ever. It is was you really picture Italy to be. Well the funny or hilarous part was when we go to the top we see all these people up there. We are like Wow we did not see a soul on the hike up how did they get here. The city bus drops you off right at the dirt drive way of Di Vinci's house. Can you believe it we hiked in the blaring heat for about an hour. Well we were mad for like 10 seconds then we saw down toward the city and the view from the top was phynominal (can't remember how to spell). We then thought well we did get to see come great veiws and these cool old vacated Villas. We even saw like this old Medivel Fort on the hike up. It was geourgous the fields all around were full of georgeous flowers and WOW you could smell the Jasmin so strongly. I took lots of pictures. But still you need to see how high and steep this hill was and like idiots we hiked when everyone was bused or drove up. We didn't think there was even a rode. Well the house was cool. We saw his inventions in this musuem it was amazing how ahead of the time he was.
Then that night we went out on the town it was fun. Lots to see and do here. Lots of live music on the streets.
Then Sunday we went to Asscici bright and early. However, if you guys have never seen pictures of Assisi oh my gosh you must. If you come to Italy you must go to Assisi even if you are not religous. It is amazing. It is like seeing the heaven people depict in our minds through books and drawings. There is Assisi (bajo) which is a small cute town. We went in and observed mass. Then we saw where San Francisco lived and worshiped. Then we went to Assisi (alto). Wow that is a seen. You look up this moutain side and there is the GIGANTIC city in the hillside. It is all white. It makes me think that is what Jersulem looks like. It was so white and huge walls everywhere. It had these tall arches we went through made me think of the gates of heaven when you picture it in your head. There are the most beautiful churches. We saw beautiful paintings from such famous people. It was amazing. The view from above was shocking. The homes were like all intertwined and they had narrow I mean super Narrow path ways. The looked like mazes. It just amazes me when I see these places that have been there since 1292 or so and people still live there. It is amazing. Well yesterday I went to the top of the Duomo here in Florence with some friends and that was awesome as well. We saw Dantes Nine gates of hell scene on the top of the Duomo. It is really cool. You should see this Cuopla it is a round rutonda on top of this monstrous church and when you see you can not believe they did it with no scaffolding. They used rope and other primitive tools by out present standards to do this wonder of art. Then you can actually walk on the outside of the rotunda so high up. We sat up there for about 3 hours just talking and getting sun (especially to my white legs) which are getting nice and brown now. It was amazing and yes I took lots of pictures. I will try to figure out how to post I will I promise. Well I must go now I am going out again tonight. I will be sleeping for a month when I get home just to let you know but there is no time to sleep now. We are getting together to watch the Brazil game and go here live music in the town center by the famous Uffizi musuem. We watched the Italy game at this cool Italian bar with about 5 classmates last night it was amazing. When they won it is like the city went crazy. People where out honking and screaming and singing it was so cool to be apart of. I can't wait to see the Italy vs USA game on Saturday. We are kiking to the top of the Piazza Michelangelo to watch it on a big jumb tron with the city skyline in our view as well. It will be cool. I don't know who I will go for though I am pretty out numbered. Well thanks for posting and tooning in. Thanks as well for not pointing out my horrible spelling I am typing as fast as possible so as to not waste mintues. I have to pay for every minute I use the internet.
Ciaò
Martha

Cont. with transportation

Hi guys,

I just wanted to write and say Ciao. Well I forgot to tell you yesterday the cutest thing about Italy's transportation is the family bike. I have seen bikes that carry like one kid in the front, one on the back and the mother or father driving. The cutest one I saw was a line of 4 bikes. 1 with dad and kid on back. One with mom and another kid on the back. Then a child of like 12 and another or like 10 on their own bike all in a line. I thought Awe family van, how cute. When it rains I see them with the rain gear and and still driving around like no rain were coming down. It is neat to see.

Fashion and transportation In Italy

I have had so many ask me what do people where in Italy. They are about the same as us. Pretty much except they are a little more modern especially when it comes to the guys.

Girls are pretty much the same as us.

Boys is the big change. They boys here use the man purse or man bag a lot. I see that a lot. Usually designer ones like Dolce Gabana is a big one I see the most. The boys here where capri's. I want to take a picture because I remember Juan telling me he never understood why Girls like Capris. Here the guys where them more. Guys here also wear jewels and stuff on their pants.

In general, Italians where very form fitting clothes. There clothes are not really baggy at all. The are actually pretty tight. Even the guys except for a seldom few who usually look like the thugs. Everyone here wears scarves(It has been pretty cool here in the mornings and evenings but everyone wears scarves). The girls love to wear cowboy boots with skirts and capri pants here even in the summer. They seem to like having designs on the jeans like drawings or dimonds. I dont see lots of jeans on them as much as us. Oh big thing here are the cargo pants. Everyone wears Cargo pants, skirts or shorts. I think it could be since they walk everwhere they can store more things, who knows? However everything else is pretty much like us. I have not been to Milan yet it may be different being that is the actual fashion capital of the world.

Here it is all about the bike and mopeds or motobikes. They have cars but all are the small ones like the mini coupe. I even see like little trucks that look like it once was a scooter they just added a trailer to it. It is so weird. Speed goes here and boy get out of the way. They do not slow down for pedestrians at all not even the bus. I am amazed at how small the roads are but yet they will take a big bus at full speed and make that corner. It seems there are no lights here just a few the rest it seems all goes. There are a lot of one ways. The streets are hard to find. It seems like a labryth every city I have gone to. No straight north-south like in the states. In the states even when you fly over it looks like squares, not here it is pure chaos it seems however, weirdly enough it seems you never get lost. Every little street seems to just go in a circle or run into the one you are looking for.
Weirdly, I have not eaten a single thing here I loved. Maybe I am not use to the ingredients. I have not had a great peice of Pizza or great pasta compared to back home. It could be the spices are so different, I dont know but like the meat to me seems so salty here (mom would love it). I dont think it is there cooking I think it is my taste. Maybe I am to use to the fake stuff we do at home. weirdly enough I dont really miss home, feel home sick or miss anyone to much. What I do miss is the good food. I am craving Pringles because here they are like $4. I am craving Fajitas and rice and beans and Mexican food in general and pancakes. I am missing the food. Everyday I miss the food more and more. I have not had a great meal yet but I will be looking. I do love those Gelatos though :)
By the way my legs are looking great. Today I wore a skirt because it was not to cold in the morning today and I got tight muscular calves now. My thigs are getting stronger. It is all the hiking up hills in Assici and Vinci and the stairs in those medivel churches and castles. Walking the streets for hours at a time. Well tomorrow I will write about my weekend in Vinci and Asscici. See you all then. I must go now to eat dinner and to see the Italy soccer game on a big screen at the Piazza Michelangelo with some authentic Italians and classmates. I hope Italy wins I would love to see what they city would become.

Friday June 9th

Hi guys,
I tried to write last night but my blogger was down. I wanted to send you photos but it says I need to download some stuff and this is not my computer so I don't think I can. I may be able to when I go to Milan to visit a friend in July. She may have access. I will ask her.

Thursday was marvelous the absoulte best day so far.
I went to walk around Florence after class. Believe me I will have the best legs before this trip is over. Then we went to the Piazza Michelangelo. Oh my gosh It is so beautiful. It is the 2nd most beautiful place in the world so far. Tulum still number 1. Well we sat up there and just laid on these steps carved into this hill that overlooks the city. It was a huge group of us. I have tried to send pictures but I can't seem to. It was so great. We just laid out and just talked. We have said we will go there once a week to just hang out. We talked in Italian and we got to know one another so much more. We said our last night we would go there with a bottle of wine and a candle to say bye. Oh, how sad already. Well then I just came home ate and came to write you guys but the Blogger was down.
I swear everyday I have lots of new friends. What is great about this school is everyone came compeltely alone. So we all bond very quickly because this is all we have is each other. People at the school are so nice and want to make friends so they don't feel alone like me so we bond so quickly. What usually would take a while happens in just mintures. I hang out most with this girl named Gabriela (Canada 22) and Zarah (Spain 19). I made lots of new friends just on the walk to the PiazzaMike (27 Finally from OC, Hector (18) from Chihuaha, Luis (22 from Mexico), Joe 27 from military in US, fought in Iraq and from US somewhere. There are so many people from Mexico here it should just be a school for mexican nationalities. There are a lot from Brazil as well. I will not write this weekend I will be super busy. On Saturday we are hopping a train to Empoli and then taking a short bus to Vinci. To visti the home of Leonardo Di Vinci. They say it is so beautiful there. I really just want to see what it is like outside the city. They say it is full of Vinyards and Olive Groves. That the hills are alive with (the sound of music, I know :)) beautiful flowers like Jasmine this time of year. Then on Sunday I am going to the beautiful town of Assisi. This is where the Franciscan fryers were started by Franisco who was said to have Stigmata in his life you may have heard of him. The city is also suppose to be very holy to other saints. Look it up a good homework assignment from the teacher in me and tell me what I will see? I expect some answers by Monday. Today we are going to view the first game of the world cup at this outdoor arena, eat dinner at a classmates house, and then Sunday I should be attending this great medivel soccer game. It is between like Rugby and Soccer. They play it in celebration to St. John the Baptist (Patron sait of Florence). It started in the 1400's and they still dress up for the game. They play 2 semi final games on the 11 and 18th. Then the final game on the day of John the 24th. I hope to be back from Assisi to see this game. So I won't write again to Monday probably. You guys have a great weekend.
Cioa
Martha

I am here, YEAHHHHH

Hi guys,

Sorry for not writing sooner. I need time to settle in. Just to update you a bit. I was fine once I got on the plane just like Rocio said I would. Thanks Rocio. I was just so sleepy. Most of you know Grace was staying with me this past month and last week we had school finishing, then I was planning her surprise party. Well on Wed. night I couldn't sleep because I was worrying about the party. Then Thur. night I went to bed late because of the party. I had to work on Friday and then I slept nothing because I had to pack. I tried to sleep on the plane and I did most of the time actually but you know people asking you what you want to drink, eat and kids crying it was not the best. Once here I was to excited to sleep. I just wanted to be out walking around. I have been going to bed everday at about 12:00 and waking at 7:30 for class. Well let me just tell you about my first few days. I have met great people at school. I have 2 friends I am always with one is Gabriela from Canda and one is Sarah from Spain. Everyone at the school pretty much knows English. However, some know so many languages. Most are either very young or very old. It made me think "What the hell was I waiting for." Those poor older guys always say "I am doing it now because I didn't when I was young." I met this girl who is backpacking across Europe all by her self and she is 20 years old. She is having the time of her life. Most people here take a year of sabatical where they do that. They just travel for a year. Once girl in my class is 19 years old and is just finishing her sabatical. I have a great apartment and I am having a great time. Yesterday was one of the best days. I went on a tour of Florence with the school on Monday. So yesterday Sarah and I decided to lose ourselves in Florence. We just wondered around. We bought fruit at this great market. That market has been there sine the 1200's. People bought fruit and even house hold items then and they still do. I bought a European adapter in the cart next to the fruit :). Well we then just found this most beautiful gothic church called Santa Maria Novello. It was built in 1279. It is beautiful. It has some very famous cristian paitings. My favorite is also well know it is call the Trinity by MAssiccio. You can look it up if you like. We then went and sat on the bridges of Florence and I wrote and my friend drew. She is an artist and did an awesome job. We sat on the farthest bridge from the may part of town because the main bridge is where this old gold market is. It has been there since the Medicci dynasty. There is this cool walk way on top of the market that was built for this spoiled queen from Spain named Lorena. She did not believe that her feet should touch the same ground as commeners. So here husband made her this walkway from their old castle to the new castle they bought because the other was just to small. It even cuts into this church where she could listen to service and not mingle with the public. Anway, Like I said I could write a novel from the few days I have already been here. I have a great place, great roomates, and I love that I feel like I live here not that I am visiting. A student from class was like "Those darn tourist at the Duomo creating such a crowd on the steps where we like to eat." I reminded him that we too are tourist. He said I forget and it has been so short of a time. It feels like I have lived here a while. Like now I am sitting at this cyber cafe with all Italian residents far from the tourist path on my way home for a nap before I fall from being so tired. No fear though I will be meeting from friends in about 2 hours to go see this other castle and walk Florence. I have eaten 2 Gelatos since I got here and probably plan to eat 1 a day. No worries I walk all the time and when I go to school we are on the 4th floor of this old house built in the 1400's. I walk the stairs everday and believe me it is crazy. I will take a picture of the stairs for you. Therefore, I believe since I have to walk those stairs daily I deserve a Gelato a day. Don't you? Well I will write again very soon please come back and check my site. I am going to attempt to download some photos of my place with my huge balcony. I just need a Romio. :)