Benvenuto!! Est estazione centrale?!

Italy was definitely one of my most favorite parts of my trip. Even though it started out kind of terribly...waiting in the Amsterdam airport forever because my flight was delayed was terrible. I had only planned one night in Milan, so by the time I got into town and to my hostel -9:30 PM- I only got to see a little bit of Milan, which was so disappointing...although I did get to talk to a very attractive Italian man on my bus who I tried to ask directions from in Italian to (and it worked!! even if he did speak Italian back to me and I just had to pretend to understand...). I thought I might find a friend who would want to walk around with me in the hostel, but my roommate was Japanese and only spoke Japanese...  But I treated myself to some gelato and all was better. My next day in Italy I spent in Verona, the cutest town with all of the Romeo and Juliet statues and history...those of you who have seen the movie "Letters to Juliet" know what I am talking about! Of course, my camera died that day so I have no pictures, but it was so amazing. Everyone who goes to Italy should stop there, its just adorable.

I spent one night in Venice by myself, exploring the canals and eating gelato (again...this becomes a recurring theme in Italy) and it was absolutely beautiful. Venice was kind of a surprise city for me. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it ended up being my favorite city of Italy. I met some of my friends from the Sevilla study abroad program and we traveled Italy together. Our first night in Venice we walked along the canals and went to the center of the city, Piazza San Margarita, where people were drinking bottles of wine and just enjoying the beauty of the city. It was perfect weather and so easy to just spend some time relaxing with friends.

The next day we did the "church" tour of Venice, stopping to see all the churches. Le Basilica di San Marco and the plaza was was really impressive, even if there were a ton of people there! Not to mention the pigeons...I've never seen so many in my life! This woman was standing in the middle of the pigeons and letting them walk all over her...she probably had about 25 pigeons on her. I didn't know whether to laugh or be disgusted. We went on a little gondola ride across the big canal and I felt so Italian (although in retrospect it was sooo touristy). We walked on this street that was soo tempting with its amazing shops...I basically had to tear myself away!

Then we had the most amazing last night in Venice...we ate at the best restaurant (Taverno San Trovaso, by one of the bigger canals that runs through the city. I had gnocchi for the first time ever and it was so delicious, just to die for. Then we went to the Piazza San Margarita for the night again with some bottles of wine and met some amazing people there that night...I was lucky enough to see the Basilica San Marco at dawn and the sun rising over the canal. :)

Unfortunately, we would get confused at the train station and miss our train...but that's for another post!!


thank you to my friend Angelique for some of the pictures of Venice, you are the best photographer and fashionista ever!