Italy Report

I'm starting to wonder if I have some Italian in my blood. I got along quite well with Italy. Delicious food, amazing views, beautiful music, and adorable buildings everywhere. It was truly an amazing trip. I was privileged to spend it with BOTH Lauren C Davis and the one and only Claire Aufhammer. Claire is such a gem. I've never had another friend like her. She was inquisitive, comforting, hilarious, and relaxed the entire trip. A perfect combination. What a blessing!

After spending six days in Italy I am now somewhat (but obviously not really) "well versed" on Italy. Therefore, I will share some likes and dislikes.

Likes:

Gelato EVERYWHERE (one time, I ate it twice in one day...woah)

Late sunsets (9:30ish) and early sunrise

This picture was taken from the train on our overnight ride back

Great shopping 

Narrow brick streets with multicolored buildings

 Manarola, Italy (Cinque Terre)

 Venice

Venice

Good food, great restaurants, and gluten free menus (!!!!!!!!!!) no words to describe my joy. 

Check out this pizza.

Wonderful friends

 Fresh caught Seabass

 Overall, Italy was aesthetically pleasing everywhere we went. 

Dislikes:

Tourism aka people everywhere

PEOPLE PEOPLE PEOPLE

Sketchy neighborhoods in Rome that look like Gotham City

Expensive meals

Pigeons that are way too comfortable with humans and try to fly in your face. I did soften my heart a little bit towards the pigeons once I accidentally witness one get run over by a train about 10 feet in front of my face. Ouch.

As you can see, there were significantly more positives than negatives. Plus, lets be honest, it was ITALY. There is a reason people flock there like the pigeons flock around my food. It's fantastic.

Here are a few pictures of the many places we went!!

ROMA

 Colesseum

 Pantheon

 Trevi Fountain

 The Vatican

FIRENZE

 Piazza del Michaelangelo

 

At the Ponte Vecchio

MANAROLA (Cinque Terre)

VENICE

 

Believe it or not, after running around for 6 days, the Netherlands felt like home and I was ready to get back. Although I had to start class today and almost fell asleep due to exhaustion, my life is so grand. Europe is full of new experiences and new lessons. I love everything that God is teaching me, the little things and the big things.