Since we last spoke, I managed to cook and eat an octopus. Granted, this was with the help of Cara, but still, I butchered that sucker. Here's the short list of things I learned whilst embarking on this adventure.
1. Even when the octopus is dead, its suckers still have some kick to them. Not enough to be dangerous, but enough to be really really creepy.
2. When boiling your octopus, do not be surprised if it turns itself over in the water. Again with the creep factor.
3. When mincing your octopus, it can be messier than it first looks. Be aware, or you too will get octo-juice on your shirt.
4. The smell of an octopus cooking makes the meat completely unappetizing. Just FYI.
After the Great Octopus Adventure of 2009, the ever exciting ACCENT group spent the weekend in Roma. Let's just say that our ACCENT tour guide, Freya, is the greatest things that's ever happened to the art of being a tour guide. Anyone who tells stories about Pope Paul III by calling him "the pope with the cute sister" deserves an award of some kind. We were in town for just over 48 hours and we managed to go to...
The Borghese Villa Museum
Campo di Fiore
Castel Sant'Angelo
Trevi Fountain
St Peter's
The Vatican Museum and Apartments
The Sistene Chapel
The Colosseum
The Forum
... just to name a few. Let's just say that sleep was not on the list of priorities, especially on mattresses that were rocks. No, seriously. I'm not a picky sleeper and I was uncomfortable. However, we had the luxury of being able to take a stress-free shower for the first time in about a month. Ahhhh... glorious.
In Rome, I bought the most expensive non-formal dress I have ever bought. But it is gorgeous. Totally worth it.
THEN, most exciting, my parents came to Florence for a few days. :) :) :) :) Fantastic. We went bumming around the city, eating good food, seeing churches, being together again. It was wonderful to be with them, but it really made me miss my brother :( Ah well.
Next week is midterms, so right now is studying and finalizing my plans for FALL BREAK!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Man, I Suck at Keeping Up With This
Sorry for the long wait between this post and the last. I know you were all anxiously awaiting the further descriptions of my Italian adventures.
What have I been doing to entertain myself for the last week? Thursday I treated myself to a massive AMERICAN brunch. I deserved it. Small stack of strawberry buttermilk pancakes ((which comes with strawberry and blackberry jam for dipping)), fresh fruit salad, a big bottle of water and hot chocolate. Mm-mm-mm-mm good. And then, fat and happy, I went to take a nap. And when I woke up, I had the apartment to myself, since all my roommates had left for their overnight train to Munich for the weekend. Now this would have been lovely, except my only other friend in this city was also gone for the weekend. So I was alone until Sunday. Mwahahahahaha.
Friday I got up and decided it had just walked past the Duomo long enough. It was time to climb that monstrosity. Show it who's boss. There are 436 steps up, I know this because there are at least 10 signs in the 3 foot hallways saying "THERE ARE 436 STEPS. NO LIFT." You'd think the message got across the first time. Ah well. I was definitely a sweaty mess by the time I reached the top but o, was the view worth it.
((My photos are acting weird, I'll post picture when they decide to behave))
Saturday I decided to head out to one of my favorite places in the whole world: Assisi. This tiny hillside town managed to be the home of two saints: St. Francis and St. Clare. Guess why I love this town ;). It was exactly like I wanted it to be. I still want to retire there. I had a really great conversation with God while I was there. I am so supposed to be here right now.
The train ride to Assisi is about 2/2.5 hours long. In my total 5 hours on the train that day, I managed to read the whole new Dan Brown book. All 506 pages of it. Crazy. Insanity. AWESOME.
Somewhere in Assisi, I threw my back out of whack and have been dealing with that for the last couple of days. Today, it's all but gone, thank God, since we're going to the opera tomorrow night!
And tonight? I'm cooking an octopus with Cara :)
What have I been doing to entertain myself for the last week? Thursday I treated myself to a massive AMERICAN brunch. I deserved it. Small stack of strawberry buttermilk pancakes ((which comes with strawberry and blackberry jam for dipping)), fresh fruit salad, a big bottle of water and hot chocolate. Mm-mm-mm-mm good. And then, fat and happy, I went to take a nap. And when I woke up, I had the apartment to myself, since all my roommates had left for their overnight train to Munich for the weekend. Now this would have been lovely, except my only other friend in this city was also gone for the weekend. So I was alone until Sunday. Mwahahahahaha.
Friday I got up and decided it had just walked past the Duomo long enough. It was time to climb that monstrosity. Show it who's boss. There are 436 steps up, I know this because there are at least 10 signs in the 3 foot hallways saying "THERE ARE 436 STEPS. NO LIFT." You'd think the message got across the first time. Ah well. I was definitely a sweaty mess by the time I reached the top but o, was the view worth it.
((My photos are acting weird, I'll post picture when they decide to behave))
Saturday I decided to head out to one of my favorite places in the whole world: Assisi. This tiny hillside town managed to be the home of two saints: St. Francis and St. Clare. Guess why I love this town ;). It was exactly like I wanted it to be. I still want to retire there. I had a really great conversation with God while I was there. I am so supposed to be here right now.
The train ride to Assisi is about 2/2.5 hours long. In my total 5 hours on the train that day, I managed to read the whole new Dan Brown book. All 506 pages of it. Crazy. Insanity. AWESOME.
Somewhere in Assisi, I threw my back out of whack and have been dealing with that for the last couple of days. Today, it's all but gone, thank God, since we're going to the opera tomorrow night!
And tonight? I'm cooking an octopus with Cara :)
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