(there are many more posts I have to publish that will chronologically come before this one, but its a short one so I wanted to post it). Today is April 22. That means there are officially 7 days until the end of this program. I don't really want to talk about what that means or how that feels. Instead, I want to talk about Florence Appreciation Week. This is something Jilli and I came up with during a run along the Arno on Monday. Looking out at the skyline we had come to call our own, we made a pact to savor every second of our time in a city that had heaped nothing but generosity and beauty on us. And it was going to start that night. After dinner, Gabby and I made our familiar trek to the steps of the Duomo, where we collected Jilli and Danielle, and then from there, headed on to link up with Haley and Amanda at their Oltrarno apartment. Bottles of wine were bought along the way and we wound our way up the steep incline to Piazzale Michelangelo, the hundreds of lights of Florence twinkling behind us.
Reaching the top, we fawned over the view, as always, and found ourselves a bench to claim. The next two and some odd hours was endless conversation, probably to the great disturbance of the subdued Italians around us. Finally, at 1am, when most everyone had cleared out, we decided to wind back down the incline, took a quick pit stop at the apartment, and then parted ways to go back home.
Today dawned day 2, which unfortunately involved school, but as soon as we were free, Danielle, Jilli, and I walked to San Lorenzo to have lunch in heaven. Aka this largely open-air restaurant that offers "make your own salads" : choose your 8 ingredients and pay 5 euro. We were handed the happiest bowls of salad and we demolished them in a fitting manner. In case you were wondering (and I know you were) my 8 ingredients were: arugula, cucumber, onion, sundried tomatoes, pesto sauce, brie cheese, and walnuts. Bliss. After salad, Danielle went her separate way and Jilli and I commenced our mission to complete a recently determined goal. We found our location, marched in bravely, and after a series of half English/half Italian exchanges, skipped out with adrenaline highs and new ear piercings. Now how's that for a spontaneous afternoon. Still buzzing from our moment-seizing, we took a long walk to pick up Jilli's newly healed laptop, explored and exclaimed over a new part of the city, and then said our goodbyes and headed home for dinner.
Stay tuned for day 3....
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