Surprise surprise, my sickness got worse and I spent another day in bed. I suppose it is what I deserved for being foolish and getting chilled. I spent the entire day sleeping and doing a bit of research and thinking about what I want to do next semester. It was incredibly frustrating and I found myself crying over everything throughout the day. That is what happens when I get sick, I am normally a cry baby anyway so when I get sick I am just a never ending stream of tears. On the other hand, mom, dad, and mia had a great day walking around Mykonos. The city was designed as a maze so that invading armies would get lost in the streets. Needless to say, my family got lost as well. They also rented an ATV and drove it over to a beach and waded in the water. They also attended an evening show that was almost like a circus. They said it was unbelievable. And my father said that the best part was that it told a story. Fun F, I performed with a circus once. I did the trapeze, and I find all of the stunts very majestic. I get the same feeling with aerial performances as I do with dance and theater. It is an art form that, if you allow it to, can join onto your soul and lift it up to the heavens.
This was a great day. After about a month of traveling with very little break it was nice to wake up at noon and have a day with no plans. I did exaggerate a bit I woke up at nine not noon but I spent time writing and thinking about future plans. When the entire family was up and ready to move about the ship we had a lovely lunch up in the main cafeteria. After dad went to the library to work on some music and the three girls went to napkin folding. This may sound a little dull but it was very cool. I can now make a candle, a rose, a standup fan, and the Sydney Opera House out of table napkins. We then found father and played a game of Clue. I had been a very long time since I had played that game and my goodness I had forgotten how much fun it is! Mother went to get a massage and Mia and I went swimming. This was my mistake. I didn’t think about the fact that I was still ill and that the boat was moving at a brisk pace creating a powerful wind. And that once I got my head wet that I would get chilled. Man I wish I had used my head before jumping in the pool.
That Evening we had a Chinese meal, which was a lovely change from our usual meals. After our meal we attended a Broadway medley that was quite excellent. Every time I watch shows similar to what we saw I am reminded why I love theater and preforming. No matter where I am when I see them singing and dancing up on the stage all I want to do is get up and join them. I want to learn how to dance and how to move because I feel like there is very few things on this Earth as beautiful as expression and storytelling through body movement and dance.
It was very nice to be able to unpack fully and into a closet. You can only live out of a suit case for so long before it starts getting to you. We spend the first day on the ship getting settled and familiarized with our surroundings. I took Mia swimming, which can be quite interesting on a boat because the water in the pool moves with the boat creating small waves. This cruise is quite different that the others I have been on. First, I am here only with my family and not my extended family. Second, the purpose for this cruise is to sightsee and so there is a much older crowd on board. For our first stop we went to a little sea side town in France. Once again switching languages from Italian to Spanish to French was very confusing. We walked around and saw our first shopping mall in a month plus. We bought table cloths and crepes and let me just say it was a very French day. They only thing I was missing was an accent. Once we were back on the ship mom and dad raced off to work out and I took Mia to decorate cupcakes.
The next day was a trip to Florence. I woke up and was not feeling well at all. I stayed on board while the rest of my family went and explored Florence. This was rather frustrating. I despise being sick on vacation but it happens to at least one family member every time. There is very little I can say about this day aside from I slept and prayed that I would be better by the next day. Our housekeeper, Jose, couldn’t have been sweeter. He checked on me several times that day and even a few days he would ask me how I was feeling. He just got back from his two months off. These people work so hard! He has children at home that he never gets to see. He sends money home to his children so they can have a better life. He lived on the fourth deck, which is rather rocky, and he takes the time to learn my name and check on me to see if I am feeling alright.
Although I was not better I decided to go into Rome anyway. It probably wasn’t the smartest idea ever but I did it anyway. Dad went on an extensive ten hour tour to see as much of Rome as he possibly could in the one day while the girls took a train into town and went shopping. Mother and I had already seen all of the sights and Mia simply wouldn’t have done it. We didn’t really buy anything but it was a fun thing to do in any case.
Next stop, Naples! Though out my entire time in Italy everyone told me that Naples was a dirty city and you were likely to be robed there. So I was a little skeptical to go there. The four of us got off the boat and walked to a museum where they keep the artifacts of Pompeii and I found that Naples is no dirtier that most of the cities in the US. I didn’t really feel uncomfortable but I always kept my guard up. The Museum held some very cool artifacts that helped me picture day to day life in Pompeii before the eruption. These finds have dramatically helped historians piece together the past. After lunch we headed to Pompeii a second time so that Mia and Dad could see it. I didn’t mind at all because we saw plenty of stuff that I had not seen before and it is just such a cool place. Once back on board mom and dad went to work out and I forced Mia to work on her homework. As a reward we all went swimming and then went to a magic show!
Mother and I were in Barcelona for less and 24 hours. It was extremely confusing to me to switch from Italian to Spanish because they are so close I kept mixing up my languages. And then when I would get really confused I would automatically revert back to Chinese. I don’t know much about Barcelona to be honest. After I dropped Spanish I moved my attention more to China rather than Spain. But from what I saw, it is a beautiful city. The architecture there is amazing and so creative! The driving is crazy, of course, and the people were very nice. I would like to spend some more time there. But I think I should bring someone who speaks Spanish and I should do some more research of my own before I come back. To be honest the thing I was most excited about was the pillows and the bed. All over Italy their pillows and rather flat and the beds are closer to boards than to my mattress back home. Don’t think I am complaining because I slept very well on those beds after a long day. But I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud that night. The next morning Mia and my dad came to meet us. It had been about a month since I had seen them and it was pretty great to have them with us. Shortly after they arrived we headed off to board our ship.
After we had a few days in Rome the three of us set out for the Amalfi Coast. We were there for a few days and based in Sorrento. The sights here were unbelievably beautiful! It was very interesting there. You can almost say that it was like visiting Italy’s Jackson Hole. The views were out of this world as were the prices, and it is a challenge to go anywhere else once you have arrived there. For our first day we walked around the town to gain a perspective of where we were and what Sorrento had to offer. There are some very cute little shops lining the streets and it is a very vibrant town. On our second day we traveled to the city Amalfi. We took a boat there because it is simply the easiest way to get around in that area. Amalfi is very busy and very touristy but really unlike anything you have ever seen. When we were there it was so hot that we decided to buy little crappy swimsuits (ones that I doubt I will ever wear in public ever again, I don’t think I have ever been that exposed while wearing a bathing suit). However, by the time we got our suits and had lunch it was a bit chilly and we ended up not swimming after all. The water there is a mix between aqua and deep blue. If you look at a specific spot you can see all the way through the water to the floor. We also went up to Ravello for lunch. I must say I prefer Ravello to Amalfi. It is much calmer and more personal. The prices are still higher than I would like but just walking around the town is much more enjoyable. And what did we find…. Ceramics! But we didn’t buy any this time. Before we knew it, it was getting dark and we needed to catch a bus back to Sorrento. Once we finally got on the right bus we were destined to stand for the next hour. The roads there are the most frightening thing I have ever encountered, and I have jumped off 600 meter cliffs! They are literally one lane with one side being the jagged mountain side and the other being the edge of a cliff dropping straight down into the Ocean. And they had large busses traveling this road! The busses can’t drive in opposite directions on that road so one has to pull over into the mountain while the other passes them before they can continue. We only had to drive about 20 Kilometers but it took forever! We got off in Positano for a few minutes because MJ and I were ill and we needed to get off the dang bus! We finally made it back to our hotel and I couldn’t be happier that we hadn’t rented a car for this part of our journey.
Sunday we went to Pompeii. I can’t think of any other way to describe it other than, it is a CITY that was extremely advanced that has been unbelievably preserved. The entire experience is unbelievable. Everything is so well preserved. The eruption occurred in 79 AD but most of the artifacts, painting, and buildings date back much further than that. There are houses, shops, food markets, temples, bath houses, official buildings, theaters, and so much more. They have found some of the most amazing things there. And 33% of Pompeii is still covered!!! You can walk down the street (original) and see the grooves in the stones from the wheels of wagons and carts. You can see pots and jars in homes. There frescoes on the walls, original piping in the walls, beds, ovens, jewelry, tools, and so much more. If you can’t tell I am a bit of a nut when it comes to ruins and mummifies objects. I think one of the coolest things about Pompeii is the people. You can see their faces, their expressions, and the position they were in when they died. You can know their story. There is a lady who was covering her face with a veil to protect her from the poisons fumes. You can see that she has a bump on her belly and that she was pregnant. You can see some people who were sleeping when they died or those who were running away. It truly is incredible. We spent a totally of four hours there and we didn’t see nearly everything.
We spend the next day in Sorrento just relaxing and exploring Sorrento a bit more. The most exciting part about that day was that we found a laundry mat. I have never been so happy to wash my clothing as I was right then. Now don’t think we had been wearing dirty clothing for a month. We had been washing things out by hand but there is a certain degree of clean that can only achieved with a washing machine. We also had one of the best meals of that week that night. It was simple Italian food with a twist and it was utterly fantastic. The next day we traveled back to Rome. Mom and I had to catch a flight to Barcelona to meet up with the rest of our family.
I miss Italy already to be honest. There is something about it that recharges your soul. Maybe it is the fact that I am not worrying about school right now and eating good food while ignoring it, but I think it is something a bit more than that. I can’t really put my finger on it but I have yet to find any place in the world quite like Italy.
We went back to Rome to meet up with my aunt MJ. This wonderful woman traveled all the way to Italy to spend a week with my mother and me. We stayed in Rome for a few days and we tried to squeeze in all the events and sights we could see. We revisited the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon on the first day. We also saw the Coliseum, the Vatican, and then finally the Forum. The main thing that really struck me about seeing all of these things was the mere age of everything. Over here everything is based around the life of Jesus and so let me just give a little perspective. Pompeii was engulfed from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. There is a wall in Rome right by the train station that dates back to 600 BC. For those of you familiar with the LDS doctrine, Nephi would have been alive when that wall was standing tall. There is a marble slab in the Vatican floor that was where all the kings needed to kneel in order to be crowned. Today it is just a part of the floor and people just walk over without knowing what it really is. To be honest I still can’t wrap my mind around all the history that is around me. It is rather difficult to process the fact that over a thousand years ago people walked these streets and lived here. All I know is that when I get home I will be doing a lot of reading on history!
When we were in Florence we decided that we needed a little more tie in Venice because after the cruise our family would only have a few days there. Venice is really unlike anything else in this world. The entire time we were there I never saw a car. Everything is boats. There are so many people there it is almost hard to move at times. However, the feeling of Venice is pure magic. I loved seeing all of the masks, hats, and medieval dresses. If you didn’t know this about me I absolutely love ball gowns and medieval dresses. In a way they are my weakness. Whenever I see one I have to remind myself that no one every wears those and it would just sit in my closet and never see the light of day…. But it is still far too tempting. I have made it a life goal to attend the festival in February before I die. For ten days everyone wears beautiful floor length dresses and masks. There is music everywhere and amazing parties and food. It is pretty much the definition of my hearts desires. There are so many things to see and do in Venice that there was no way we could do it all. We stayed right next to Saint Marc’s square. There would be at least four quartets playing in the square at a time. We spent hours getting lost around Venice. The streets bend and twist so often and there are so few paths that lead you to where you want to go it is very easy to lose yourself. Mom and I did a little shopping and we went in search of authentic mask, lace, and glass places. We also went to the opera! Because none of it was in English and it an opera I didn’t capture every detail of the plot but the music was so beautiful. Music has such a wonderful way of touching souls. I know I am forgetting a thousand details but I just wanted to start with the major events.
Wow time goes fast when you are having fun! I want to talk about this little sea side town mom and I went to for a few days. We decided to go there on the spur of the moment. We had a few days where we hadn’t planned anything and we determined that a break from sightseeing was in order. This was the cutest little town! We stayed in a lovely hotel right on the beach and we mainly watched movies, hung out by the pool, went to the spa, ate and walked around the town a bit. This may seem like a waste of time while we were in Italy but, we were just so tired that if we had jumped right into the next big adventure it wouldn’t have been nearly as rewarding as it was after we took a few days to regain our energy. I got a sun burn but magically it went away within a few hours… thanks to about ten layers of Aloe Vera. The food was amazing. We ate at the same place two nights in a row. It was probably one of the best meals I have had this entire trip. The spa experience was unlike anything I have ever encountered before. It became very apparent to me that Italian and American cultures vary in that specific area. Overall, this town is amazing and I loved my time there.
My my my how time does fly!
It has now been a full week since last I have written and I am sorry. I have found that this blog is the same thing with my journals, when something exciting is happening I am too busy do enjoying all the activities and when nothing is happening what is there to write about?
Well, let me start with Florence. I enjoyed my stay there so much! The city is so vibrant. We were staying in a hotel on the back side of the train station. From there we could access pretty much anything by walking. We were there for only a few days but we went leather shopping. In the leather district in Florence they have a school where you can go and watch people make crafts out of leather. And not just little trinkets but more like the products that people pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars buying. Florence was pretty much our shopping splurge. We also took a tour of the Uffizi gallery. It was stunning! The Medici family (pardon my spelling) was one of the most powerful families for thousands of years in Florence and the UffIzi, the Piti Palace, and the Plazzo Vecchio were their home. They started with one but eventually over time they built and connected all of the buildings to create the largest home you can possible imagine. The Vasari corridor that connects the three buildings was built above the main street so that the Medici Family wouldn’t have to mingle with the common people. Also they often chose not to walk the corridor instead they would have servants carry them. Now in these buildings they have many priceless paintings and sculptures. Some include; the Birth of Venice, the Holy Family, Ognissanti Madonna, The Venus of Urbino, the Duke and Duchass of Urbino, and my personal favorites Modonna and Child with Angels by Fra Filippo Lippi and Primavera by Adbri Botticelli. I learned so much over that tour! Did you know that Leonardo what actually in Florence when he painted the Monalisa? Or that the Duchess was actually dead when the artist finished his portrait of her? Or that the Primavera and the Birth of Venice correlate and they are placed right next to each other because they were meant to be viewed together? Over the years there have been so many wonderful artists that I have no knowledge of whatsoever. It feels like an absolute shame to not know them all and to admire every stroke of every painting. If only time would allow it.
Aside from this tour we also saw THE David! And let me say it is utterly breathtaking. It is immaculate! Every detail is so perfect. You can see the veins in his arms and the slight wrinkle of his brow. It is absolutely mesmerizing. Did you know that Michael Angelo made David’s head and hands larger and his arms longer because of the angle the statue was to be displayed? It is truly amazing that after all of these years The David would still be in such good shape! The only damage I was able to spot was a few nicks on his toes, but that was done a few years ago by a hammer wilding art anarchist (if you can believe that).
One of my favorite places that I went in Florence was the food market. We were going to just look since we had no way to cook anything, however, we ended up buying mushrooms, carrots, berries, loaves of bread and more. Everything thing there was so unbelievably fresh and reasonably priced! I bought a bag full of mushrooms with the dirt still on it for less and 2 euros! I just wanted to load up on everything and cook a five course meal! I think I know why the food here tastes better. The products they are given to work with have been made by someone who has worked hard in the right way. They are given fresh produce and let me just say, you can tasted the difference.
We had wanted to stay in Florence for the next five days but our hotel was full. The world famous bike race was about to start. It was absolutely killing mom to see so many cyclists and not be able to join them. So I got us a hotel in a nice sea side town. We both had realized that we had hit a wall and needed a few days to recharge. We took the commuter train and ended up standing the majority of the train ride to a little sea side town.
I know it has been a while since I have posted anything and I am sorry for that. The internet connection was a bit frustrating and usually by the time I got back to the room and ready for bed it was late and sleep sounded a lot better than writing. But Let me recap some of my grand adventures!
Thursday:
We got to sleep in a little bit! At eleven the restaurant manager, massimiliano, took us on a wonderful tour. Our first stop was to a company that produces olive oil and wine. The owner took us on a small tour and described some of the process. He was so kind! The way that he talked about the process and the product was almost sacred. You can tell that this was his whole life. Second, we went to a farm where they make cheese. This is a family operation and it was wonderful! Not only did we see the process but we talked to real people. We talked to the main son in charge, we were there when his three daughters came home from their first day of school, his brother was grilling dinner outside, and his wife talked with my mother and me about life. They showed us their goats and gave us fresh figs off of their personal tree. And on top of all this we were given three containers of cheese to take with us. Then we went to another vineyard for lunch. We ate with the family that runs the vineyard. The lady in charge (I never caught her name) told us all the best places to shop, the man in charge (I didn’t catch his name either) talked to us about olive oil and wine, and their daughter Bianca asked questions about Hollywood because she is an actress and wants to go there. My favorite part about today was just seeing how real everything is. Wine, olive oil, and cheese aren’t just products but they are the products of people’s lives.
In the afternoon we had a cooking class and learned how to make chocolate lava cake and different jams and preserves. Have you ever had pepper jelly (like red peppers)? It is actually quite good but a combination that I defiantly wouldn’t have thought of making.
Friday:
Our biggest cooking day!! We made so many things!! We made two different kinds of soup, stuffed zucchini, eggplant parmesan, lemon sorbet, berry and coffee tiramisu, and artichoke flan (which is practically baked artichoke). Oh my goodness it was so good!! I learned so much! Tommasso (our chef) is such a joker. He would say (in his accent) “put just a little bit of olive oil in here” and he would put about two or three cups of oil in! Mother almost had a heart attack!!
We went to Siena in the afternoon which is the second most popular city in Tuscany. Fun fact Florence and Siena are arch enemies, their feud is legendary. It was utterly ridiculous because we only had about one hour to wander. However, in that time we saw utterly amazing cathedrals, the area of the horse races, bought wonderful food, and bought souvenirs. About the cathedrals here, they compare to nothing! I have seen Notre Dame and it doesn’t compare. The marble is different colors and the detail is so specific. I literally have no words. I only wish that my pictures did it justice. The horse race is very renowned. There are seventeen neighborhoods in Siena and they all have a jockey and they have joint stable for seventeen horses. Two days before the race the jockeys are told which horse they are to ride. Just to tell you how big of a deal this race is they have been celebrating the winner now for 45 days. . . yup.
Once again the people here are so nice! I went into a bakery and wanted to buy something. I asked the lady for one cookie and I asked her how to say it in Italian (I attempted this in Italian) and because I tried she told me how to say it and she gave me another cookie but a different kind and didn’t charge me. While I was doing this my mother was buying some dishes and having them sent home. In case you didn’t know, the pottery here is spectacular. However, the shipping is very expensive. My mother and I must be the stereotypical tourist because we left the shop saying “what did I buy and how did it cost that much”
Saturday:
We checked out of the cooking school. I will miss all of those people so much. We were invited into their lives and treated more like family than guests. I feel like I have known them for years. I think that was my highlight of the week. Meeting all of the people that I did and really getting to know them. I am now in Florence which is amazing! We are in this cute little hotel and it is a walk away from pretty much everything. We went shopping at a street market and there is a little bit of everything. I tried on three gorgeous leather jackets, looked at so many purses, bought scarves and saw practically everything. I love these kinds of markets but I really don’t like being pushed around and told what to try on by random strangers. In a way it makes me feel a bit constrained. In the end out of all the fine leather and crafts I bought sweaters. I guess you could call me a true Wyoming girl. However, let me just say everything is amazing here.
Overall:
Life here is like walking into a medieval movie. These are true medieval towns. Google them, you won’t believe it. Chianti was colder than I was expecting and I was in serious need of a heavier jacket. I love the people here. I just love it here.
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