I belong on the island of Sicily

     This weekend, we went on a school study trip to Sicily. We left Rome Thursday afternoon, took the train to Napoli, and from Napoli, took an overnight fairy to Palermo. On the fairy, we had an overnight cabin with rooms similar to cabins on a cruise ship. It was so fun to be on a huge ship with all of my friends, about to adventure through Sicily.

     Friday morning, we arrived in Palermo. We walked through the streets and had cappuccini in the main square. After breakfast, we visited Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral. Every image in the cathedral was made out of mosaics. From there, we went to the Cloisters, which had a beautiful center garden outside. 

     We left Palermo and headed for Segesta to visit the temples and ruins. We were supposed to see the temples of Selinunte as well, but a major bridge collapsed, so we could no longer get there. Therefore, we walked around the temples of Segesta and then left for Agrigento.

     In Agrigento, we stayed at Hotel Amici. It was a quaint European hotel, with comfortable beds and a homey feel. We went out to dinner as a group Friday night to Trattoria Dei Templi. I was so happy to finally eat fresh fish from the Mediterranean!

     Saturday morning, we woke up and headed to see the ruins of Agrigento. The temples and ruins were surrounded by gardens, and the weather was perfect. We ate lunch in a pizzeria near the temples and then left for our third town of the trip, Taormina. On our drive to Taormina, we saw Mount Etna, the volcano. It erupted a few days before we arrived, so we were able to see the lava flowing down the side of the volcano! I felt like I was in a movie.

     We arrived at Hotel Andromaco Palace around 7:00pm. We quickly got ready for dinner and headed to Ristorante La Piazzetta. Our walk to the restaurant was on of my favorites. Even though it was dark out, I already knew I was in love with the town of Taormina. The architecture, the little streets, the culture and the people rope you in and make you feel Sicilian.

     Our dinner at La Piazzatta was one of the best meals I have had in my life (tied with my cousin's cooking). We had pasta con melanzane, brasciola con palate, gelato and endless pitchers of house wine. It was a meal that I will remember forever. 

     Sunday morning, we woke up and ate breakfast on the balcony of our hotel, overlooking the Mediterranean. Then, we walked to the ancient Greco-Roman Theater. This theater had a perfect view of Mount Etna and the Mediterranean Sea. 

     The theater was our last group site, and we had free time after to walk around and explore Taormina. We shopped and walked down the picturesque streets, stopping at a trattoria to have lunch. After snapping some last minute pictures, we left Taormina for the airport in Catania. I was so sad to leave Sicily. In my opinion, Sicily is not talked about enough as one of the places to visit in a lifetime. I had the time of my life and hope to come back and visit one day.

Baci,

Nikki

A quiet weekend in Bologna

     Over the weekend, my brother and I packed our bags and went to Bologna to visit our cousin, Nico. Nico is a culinary arts student, and is interning in a small town about an hour outside of the city called Porreta Terme. We left for Bologna at 6:30 am from Rome Termini train station, which was an experience in of itself! From Termini, we took the Frecciarossa high-speed train straight to Bologna. It only took about two and a half hours for us to get there.
     Once we arrived, we had about four hours to fill before catching our next train to Porreta Terme. What to do with four hours in a big city with tons shopping and cafes...? We had a cornetto and caffe and waited for all of the shops to open. Bologna has a long street of shop after shop that eventually empties into a big Piazza. We walked up and down this street, wandering into any shops that caught our eyes. My brother ended up buying a tie made in Italy from a little old lady who owned her own store.
     At 2:00pm, we made our way to Porreta Terme to see our cousin. The train ride took about an hour. When the doors opened, Nico was waiting for us. All three of us had the biggest smiles on our faces. For students studying abroad, it is comforting to see a familiar face.
     We walked out of the train station into this little town that was nestled in the mountains. Nico took us to our Pensione, which happened to be owned by a friend of his boss. Then, he showed us around the town. It took us all of twenty minutes to walk around the entire town. Porreta Terme is one of those places where everyone knows each other, and everyone knows that the two Americans walking around in awe are definitely visiting.
     For dinner, we were able to eat in the nicest restaurant in town, which just so happens to be the same place Nico is working in. My brother and I were so excited to eat a meal made by our cousin. He recommended that we start with a shrimp appetizer, Tommy order the Veal Osso Buco, and I order the homemade Ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese and radicchio. I can honestly say that this was the best meal I have ever eaten in my life. After Nico got off of work, we met him at the only pub in town for a drink before heading to bed.
     The next day, Tommy and I woke up and walked around the outdoor market. I found a shirt that had Nicole C. on the tag, so I figured I had to buy it. Then, we went to Nico's restaurant again for lunch. It was a fixed menu. I had pasta arrabiata and a types of cheese with vegetables. Once again, everything was fantastic. At lunch, we learned that Nico is learning from the same chef that taught Mario Batali. No wonder all of our food was so good.
     After lunch, my brother and I took the train back into Bologna to shop around. When we returned, we went for dinner to the restaurant owned by the man who also owned our Pensione, who was the nicest man. We had pasta bolognese because we thought it would be a sin to go to Bologna and not order bolognese. After dinner, we met Nico at the other drinking establishment in this small town, La Sete Enoteca. We sat in this wine bar for two hours, laughing and telling stories.
     Sunday morning, we left. We ended up taking the intercity train home. It took twice as long, but was worth it. The towns we passed on our way to Rome looked as if they were straight out of a movie. Little walled cities on top of mountains, yellow brick buildings, and old ruins everywhere. My brother and I had our own private car, just like in Harry Potter! We joked and laughed the whole way home, taking in the scenery, and trying to get used to this life we have been living for the past two months.
     This trip was a restful and enjoyable weekend. I was so happy to be able to see our cousin and experience all the culture that Porreta Terme had to offer.

Barca, Barca, Barca!

     This weekend, we all went to Barcelona, Spain. We left early Friday morning at 7:30 am and arrived to spain around 9:30. After getting to the city from the airport, we checked into our hostel. This was my first time staying in a hostel. I was shocked when I walked in to the Equity Gothic Hostel. It was very clean and comfortable. We had 8 beds to a room, so it was like a big party with all of my friends. After getting settled, we walked to La Rambla which is a long strip of shops and restaurants. There were open air markets and little stands selling handmade jewelry and fresh flowers. From La Rambla, we walked all the way to La Sagrada Familia, the Basilica designed by Gaudi. This Basilica was never been finished, so it is still being built. When you walk up to La Sagrada Familia, it looks almost fake. The design is very unique, and your eyes get lost in the all of the detail. After Sagrada Familia, we went back to La Rambla to see this open air market, Saint Joseph's, that we walked past earlier. It was like nothing I have ever seen before. There was a stand for everything: fruit, meat, cheese, chocolate, spices, prepared food, bread, wine, etc... We spent an hour just walking around this market.
     Friday night, my brother, my friend Katie and I went out for tapas. We found this gorgeous tapas bar that was down a little side street. When you walk in, they give you a plate, and you walk up to the tapas bar and choose what you want. Each tapas has a toothpick in it which is how they charge you. The toothpicks add up when you want to try everything. After dinner, we met up with my friend Fiona. She is studying abroad in Barcelona with a home stay family. Fiona wanted to take us to Gracia, the neighborhood she is staying in, that has a lot of local bars and clubs. We rode the metro to get there from Plaza Catalunya. The metro trains in Spain are not like the redline in Chicago. They have cushioned seats like airplane seats and are extremely clean. When we arrived to Gracia, we met up with Fiona's RA, Marta. All of the clubs have "la lista." You have to be on "la lista" to get in. Marta knew some people at the club, so she was able to get us all in to Otto Zoots. Going into the club was a cultural experience alone. Everyone is dancing and singing and meeting new people.
     Saturday morning, we woke up walked around the Gothic district. I found my first Starbucks of my time studying abroad (Rome doesn't have or need Starbucks). Then, we went in the Saint Joseph's market for lunch. At about 2:00pm, I met up with Fiona. She took me to a little hole in the wall tea shop. We had chai tea from Africa and sat in this shop for two hours, drinking tea and chatting like true Spaniards. Then we went shopping at Zara. Zara is originally from Spain, so the selection and prices are fabulous.
     After shopping, we headed back to Gracia. Fiona took me up to her family's apartment to see how she lives. The apartment was quaint and very European. Walking around Gracia, we got stuck in the Carnivale parade. I have never seen anything like it. Carnivale in Barcelona was very different from Carnivale in Venice. It is more of a family experience in Barcelona. The parade consisted of people from the age of 2 to 80, dancing and signing and all dressed up. It was one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. Gracia is not a tourist neighborhood, so I really felt like I was immersed in Spain's culture.
     I left Fiona and back to Plaza Catalunya to meet up with my friends for dinner. We had tapas again. Around 11, we met up with Fiona again at a bar called the Black Sheep. It is an underground bar that is not very well known. A mime lets you in the door only after you and your entire group are completely silent. At Black Sheep, we had our very first Sangria. We sat there for hours, talking to the locals and drinking in the culture. It was so enjoyable. I loved every second of my weekend in Barcelona.

Baci,

Nikki

   
   

Carnival in Venezia

This weekend, my brother and I took our first trip while at the Rome Center to Venice. We left on Friday and got there late Friday night. We stayed in a pensione called Allogi Agli Artisti, where we had to share a bathroom with all of the other travelers on the floor. I definitely felt like a student backpacking through Europe. Because this weekend was Carnival, everyone was dressed up in costumes and wearing handmade masks. There were concerts and festivals in Piazza San Marco all weekend long. We ate lunch and dinner in two places where only locals went, and no one spoke English. It rained the entire weekend, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. My brother and I had so much fun, made so many memories and shared so many laughs. And of course, the rain did not stop me from buying shoes or having my first gelato of the trip! It was a weekend that I will remember forever.

Baci,

Nikki