Siena for Ian's Birthday!

Ian's birthday was Friday (he turned 26!), so we decided to celebrate with a mini trip to Siena. What a breath of fresh air! Not that we don't love Florence, but it was nice to get out of the bustling city and explore a smaller town in Tuscany for the weekend. Siena is a beautiful, mysterious medieval city located just south of Firenze. And, as seems to be the trend with smaller Tuscan towns, the city is set on steep hills that wind all around the town and main city center, called Piazza del Campo.

Things I Love About Italy [a series]: il caffè

I love coffee. Anyone who knows me well knows this fact. (Ask Ian and my mom: I require at least one cup of coffee in the morning before I can even communicate coherently.) After my first trip to Italy in 2005, Ian and I switched from basic brewed coffee to an espresso machine. The coffee, or espresso, served here in Italy really is THAT good!

Any culture that considers coffee a religion is a culture that holds a special place in my heart. Italians seems to drink coffee all day. It's absolutely a requirement with breakfast, or a stand in for breakfast. In the afternoon, flocks of Italians show up at local bars and stand at the counter to sip a quick caffè. The perfect afternoon pick-me-up! It also seems to pair well with both lunch and dinner. And I love that huge amounts of sugar are required to enjoy this piccolo beverage. Who needs a 24oz Starbucks mega-coffee when you can have one glorious shot of Italian espresso?! Creamy, caffeinated, and perfectly sweetened...eat your heart out Starbucks.

Running Around Town

What is it about running in a new city that instantly makes me feel at home? Once I have a running route established (which usually ends up being the route of the first run I go on) I immediately feel like a member of the community. I have a routine established, I belong here. See me locals? I'm running! That means I live here. It may sound crazy, but that's just me.

Things I Love About Italy [a series]: The Passeggiata

The Passeggiata is a time honored tradition that takes place every night in towns across Italy. Shortly after 6pm, everyone strolls before dinner through the town center, usually the main piazza. All the streets are closed to cars, reserved solely for the stroll. Couples, friends, and families link arms and enjoy the lovely evening routine.

Ian and I have participated in the passeggiata a few times and it is such a great way to really experience the Italian culture and feel like a part of the city. Even on cool winter nights, families and friends are out strolling. I love it!

Amber

[A] Broad Test Kitchen

As a side note...

Ian and I decided to start a blog about the food we [Ian] make here in Italy. If you're bored or enjoy food/cooking, check it out!

[A] Broad Test Kitchen

Buon appetito!

Amber and Ian

A Beautiful Day in the Gardens

Yesterday (Monday) we trekked down, across the river to Oltrarno (which literally means: "across the Arno"). Our first stop in Oltrarno was Mama's Bakery for some good ol' fresh brewed American coffee and chocolate chip cookies. I was hankering for some food from back home, and Mama's seemed like the perfect place. Alas, American coffee is just as bad in Italy as it is back home. And I miss my mom's chocolate chip cookies, which are soft, flat little goodies over-flowing with chocolate chips. The chocolate chip cookies I had (only two) were puffed up, hard, and seriously lacking chocolate. I think I'll stick to Italian treats from now on, though we may revisit Mama's Bakery to try one of the delicious looking sandwiches or bagels.

Thoughts on Patience: Italy's Slow Rhythm

Patience is an interesting concept here in Italy. Italians seem to be able to wait in line for hours, wait for the bus to come long after it was due to arrive, and even wait patiently while the many tourists attempt to order or pay for anything in Italian shops. However, on the road, they appear to have no patience for anything (pedestrians, other drivers, vespas, or bikes). They can hardly stand to stop the car for pedestrians crossing the road in a crosswalk; they inch forward impatiently forcing pedestrians to pick up the pace and practically run across the street. But, in all other aspects of life they maintain composure and complete patience. It is a virtue to which I aspire.

Navigating the city, the culture, and the food

We've been taking it easy the past few days as both Ian and I caught a little cold. Nothing serious, but neither of us feels well enough to "brave" the cold or the language barrier. I forgot how much colder cold weather can feel in humid climates than in good ol' dry Colorado. I've been watching the weather in Colorado and understand it has been quite cold this week. It's not snowing, or anywhere near freezing for that matter, here in Firenze, but the cold chills me right to the bone. But this is why the fashion world invented layers!

Settling into Firenze

We made it! After a short (one hour, 40 minutes) train ride, a broken suitcase handle, and a long trek through the pouring rain hauling three [heavy!] bags through the city, we arrived at our little studio apartment in Florence. We are staying at Vitolo del Barbi, 6 in the northern region of the city. The apartment is a very modern and simplistic artist's studio - Bohemian living at its finest. It's very cute and very basic. But it has pretty much everything we need. Except in the kitchen, but I'll explain that later. There are paintings, sketches, and pictures hung on nearly every wall. They are beautiful pieces of art; we're trying to determine if they were created by the woman who owns this apartment. Our rental agency wasn't sure. But they are fun to look at either way! We have our own little art gallery, and best of all: it's free!

Last Day in Roma: Arrivederci!

Today, Ian told me I have a size 50 foot. I checked: it's only a 44. Metric sizes, of course! We have done so much walking the past few days that my feet are dying for a new pair of shoes. That sounds like a great excuse to buy Italian leather boots if I do say so myself! We decided not to buy Metro or bus passes, so we have walked all over the city to see all the different monuments, basillicas, ruins, piazzas, etc. At least the sun has been out the past two days and the rain has taken a break. Rome is so beautiful in the sun. The city feels alive. The stores open their doors and people are out and about strolling the streets and drinking un caffe or una birra in the piazza cafes. While Rome is still a bustling city in the rain, it losses its mystique when we're trapped under an umbrella.

Rain, rain, go away...

The clouds here move so fast and as we constantly look up at towers and ancient buildings, we get a sense of vertigo every time before our eyes adjust. Needless to say, the sky isn't moving nearly as fast any more. The weather has turned to grey. Two roman days later, we set out on a mission to avoid the cold, cold rain. We nearly sprinted to the Pantheon this morning, passing by daily commerce and taking few pictures - we splurged on a new camera for Christmas and are still babying it from the weather. We passed Trajan's Baths (or what is left of them). It seems time has turned this masterpiece into a dog park. Our journey took us further into the heart of Rome, weaving through alleys and narrow streets, passing by family-owned tratorias sometimes filled with groups of men sipping café. A part of you hopes they are the mafia. Sometimes getting lost is the best way to capture the heart of a city. I'm not sure if it was because we had our heads blinded by our umbrellas or if we were constantly focused on he uneven cobblestone roads, but the rain sure makes you miss a lot. Reminiscing about the day with Amber sure makes you realize how differently you see things.

First [real] Day in Roma: Buon Anno!

We were exhausted from traveling, so our first day in Roma was spent sleeping and trying to overcome jet lag. I so wish I could sleep better on planes. Even in business class I had trouble sleeping more than two hours. Ian, however, sleeps like a baby on planes. Sigh. Oh well! We're in Roma now!

We are staying at the Blackberry House Bed and Breakfast. The owner, Barbara, is so incredibly nice and helpful. She even let us check in a day early since we made all our flights. This is the courtyard in our building complex - the B&B is straight ahead.