The Dream.

I met this African-American lady today at a leather purse store called 'Campagni'. She had the tightest curls on her head and she was tall, like a gazelle, with glasses. She said hello in the perfect American accent (if there is such a thing). I was actually a little shocked, so, understanding she was from America, I began to ask her questions, and her to me. I learned that she was once a student from the UC Siena group (from UCSB) with our current tour coordinator Brooke. She had kept in touch with her Italian friend that she had met during her stay and after she graduated, her friend needed a roommate in Siena and she needed change in her life, so she packed her things and moved here. It's been four years since and she's only visited California once, last May. She also met a boy... With her shop in Siena now, she's so busy that she doesn't even think about California. Siena is now her life.

I wish I was this brave!

It is easy to see how she has fallen in love with Siena though. The weather, even in the winter, feels amazing. The air is brisk and cool, and even though my hands were about to fall off tonight, the air felt good! The medieval city still has its original heavy, wooden doors with random brass knobs in the center and the floor is all cobble stone, hand carved to prevent slip-age on a rainy day. Each window is perfectly polished and each store entrance has a heater that blows down on your head. I love it! Random little alley ways and crazy winding roads keep your curiosity going, and just around every corner is the Piazza del Campo, the biggest Campo I have ever seen! Google it, it's so pretty!

So far, I've had a different pizza topping each time I've gone into a pizzeria. My favorite has got to be the one with tomatoes, mozzarella, and zucchini. Their most popular pizza seems to be margarita though. As for the gelato, I'm afraid to say that I haven't tried any yet! I'm waiting until I am hungry because my first bite has to be magical!! I went to this quaint little restaurant yesterday and ordered the first meal's Gnocchi. Yuck. It was funny because they have like a four course meal and I only ordered the first one. I couldn't finish so I took it to-go, which is unheard of in Italy, so the waitress had to wrap it in aluminum foil for me because they didn't have boxes. Meanwhile, the family to my right finished their antipasti and was just warming up for their first course before getting ready for the main course. Dessert??

My apartment/miniresidence is really nice but it's hard to grocery shop! So I don't.. 2-4 euros for a slice of pizza should suffice for the next four months, or for the next four years?