Italy & Home!

Hello everyone!

Sorry this is a little late, but I’ll update you on my trip to Italy finally! We left on Sunday May 3 and after the bus to Dublin, flight to Bologna, and the bus to the train station, we found out that we missed the last train to Florence. We decided to stay in the train station until the next train, which was at 6:15. We played Banana Grams and read and took turns napping in the train station. It was definitely an interesting experience. Then Monday morning, we got on the train to Florence. We found our hostel and checked in, then took a nap to get energized. We got gelato and wandered the city, then ate dinner and went to bed early.

Tuesday, we went to the hills of Tuscany with the Tuscany Bike Tours. We had to take a van up there, and then we got a tour of the Royal Castle that makes Chianti wine and olive oil. We got a free tasting of both and it was so cool to see how they make it and to taste it. We rode our bikes throughout the hillsides and stopped for lunch. We got a huge meal with salads, fried pizza dough, pasta, dessert, wine and cappuccino! It was delicious. We had so much fun talking with the girls we met on the tour and with our amazing tour guides. We rode our bikes some more and then stopped so that the guides could warn us about the steep hill up ahead. They said that even professional bikers have problems with it because it’s so steep, and if we didn’t think we would be able to make it, we should get in the van and put our bikes on the trailer. I thought I could do it, so I started going up, but I had my bike on the lowest gear and it felt like I was going backwards. I went for as long as I could, but I had to stop. Just about all of the people who attempted it were getting in the van. It was me and another girl and a man that were still going. We walked our bikes up the hard part and then rode them up the rest of the way to the top. It was so intense, but I was too stubborn to get in the van ☺ After the hill, we had a water break then rode back to the castle and drove back to Florence. We went to Pop Café and got mojitos (it was cinco de mayo..haha). This café has free appetizers if you order a drink, so it was fun to go out to and it was cheap. We hung out there with some of the girls that were on our tour and our tour guide. It was so much fun to talk with them.

Wednesday, we saw the Jewish Synagogue and wandered the city some more. We walked through the market and got some scarves and bracelets. It’s so interesting to walk through the streets in Italy because everyone is so fascinated with my hair. I had multiple people ask to take a picture with me…haha it was so strange to see that. Then that night we went to La Giostra for dinner. It was such a fabulous meal. They served champagne before we ordered, then we had a bottle of Chianti wine and a tray of appetizers. Then we got risotto asparagus, pear ravioli and balsamic steak. We had ice cream with hot berries and rinsanto wine for desert and then they brought out limoncello! It was a huge meal and they just kept bringing stuff to us. We were there for 5 hours and had so much fun.

Thursday, we walked to Piazza Michaelangelo. We had to climb up to it, but we got a beautiful view of Florence. We sat and read and had gelato all day. It was so relaxing. Then we checked out of our hostel and took the train to Rome. We met with the Bus2Alps tour and took the bus to Sorrento. We didn’t get there until 4 in the morning and then had to find our bungalows in the woods. It was exhausting, but we were so excited for the weekend.

Florence Pictures:
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=457931024/a=157881010_157881010/

Friday, we left at 8 for the Isle of Capri. We took the ferry and stopped at the Blue Grotto. We had to get out of the ferry and into little paddleboats that took us into the cave. The ceiling was so low in the entrance that we had to lay down in the boat to get in! It was so beautiful in there! It’s one of the 7 wonders of the world because the cliffs don’t reach the bottom of the ocean floor, so when the sunlight comes in, the water looks neon blue! It was so amazing! Then we got back on the ferry and got to Capri. We walked all the way up to the top of the city for a great view of the coast, then walked through the city. We got a free limoncello tasting and had lunch, then went back to the beach by bus. We met two older couples from Wales on the bus and they were so friendly and nice to talk to. It’s been so amazing how many cool random people we’ve met on these trips. Then we relaxed on the beach for a while, took the ferry back to Sorrento, and went into town for dinner.

Saturday, we took the bus to Positano. We walked down to the beach and just lay out and relaxed. Erin and I rented a motorboat with some girls and went to go cliff jumping. We had to jump out of the boat and swim to the cliff in the middle of the water, then climb up the side. It was hard to get up and scary to climb up because it was so steep, but we made it. It was only about an 8 foot jump, but I was so scared. I finally did it and it was so cool. I’m so glad I did it! Then we took the boat back and lay out and had some gelato. Then we got back to our bungalows that night a little sun burnt and made pasta in our bungalow with some of the girls we met on the trip.

Sunday, we took the bus to Pompeii. Mount Vesuvius erupted 2,000 years ago and the lava completely covered the ancient city. About a hundred years ago, archeologists started to uncover the city and found that it was completely preserved. It was so cool to walk through and see how old everything was and how amazing it is that things are still preserved even though they were covered in lava. We saw the courthouse, markets, houses, gym and bathing area, a brothel, and even human bodies encased in plaster. It was so fascinating! That evening, we took the bus back to Rome and found our hostel and went to bed.

Amalfi Coast Pictures:
http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=463713024/a=157881010_157881010/

Monday, I woke up and Melissa and Erin walked me to the bus stop. We had to say goodbye and it was so hard because we had been spending so much time together lately. I took the bus to the airport, flew back to Dublin, took the bus back to Galway and finished up my packing. I went out with my roommates and some of my Irish friends for the last time. We had so much fun, it definitely made it harder to leave.

Tuesday, my roommates drove me to the bus stop and we said goodbye. It was so great to have such amazing roommates. I couldn’t have asked for better roommates. We had so much fun and I can’t wait to see them again. I took the bus to Dublin, got on the plane and landed in Chicago, got my bags and met my parents. It was so good to see them again ☺ Then we went to the Taco Bell to fulfill my 4 month craving! I came home and was so out of it, but my whole family and friends and Keith were there to surprise me! I was so surprised and shocked. It was so good to see everyone, especially after such a long 22 hours of traveling.

It feels so good to be home and see everyone again. I had the most amazing time abroad and I wouldn’t change anything about it. It was hard at times, but I made it through and I’m so thankful for all of my amazing experiences. I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I can’t wait to go back to Ireland some day ☺ Thank you for all of your support and love. I am so lucky to have so many important people in my life! I love you all and I’ll be seeing you soon ☺

Last week in Ireland

Hello everyone!

I can’t believe I just had my last week in Galway! I had a final for my Imagining Modern Ireland class on Tuesday, then the girls and I went to Monroe’s for our last night of Irish dancing. We ordered pizza and got to dance with Mike for the last time. I danced with him for a few songs, and I even remembered the dances from the last times! It was so much fun… I’m really going to miss going there.

Wednesday was Maggie’s last night, so we made dinner and went to a few of our favorite Irish pubs for the last time. We walked her to the bus stop at 3:30 and it was really hard to say goodbye. We all live so far away from each other and it’s hard because we don’t know when we are going to see each other again.

Friday, I had my final for my Politics of Northern Ireland class. It was really hard to study for because it’s an upper level class and I think I needed to know more basic information and I didn’t, but I think I knew enough for the essays to pass. I’m now officially on summer vacation!

Today, we walked around town and went to the market, walked to Salt Hill and the beach for the last time. It’s so strange that I’ve been walking around here for 4 months and living here, and now I have to leave. I know I’ll be back some day, but it’s definitely hard to say goodbye.

I leave tomorrow for Florence and the Isle of Capri in Italy. I’ll be back on May 11th, and I’ll hang out with my Irish roommates for the last time, then early May 12th, I leave for home! I can’t believe it’s already a week away. It’s so sad to leave, but I’m so excited to see everyone again! I love you all and hopefully I’ll be seeing you soon after my arrival to the states! ☺

Here's a few pictures from our last nights:
http://www2.snapfish.com/confirmflexupload/AlbumID=358705024/flexupload=true/imagecount=1