The Crazy Finale to My Spring Break

So, Monday Jess & I decided to go to one of the five hill towns called Montepulciano. Jess discovered this place because it is where they are filming the next Twilight movie (New Moon). Monday morning we got up early & headed out on my first real train ride as Jess likes to say. It was a pretty cheap roundtrip ticket. The ride was beautiful – just seeing all of the pretty countryside and the millions of vineyards all around. We finally got there and realized we didn’t need much entertainment; thankfully, it was just fun to be in a cute little small Tuscan town surrounded by the countryside. We used Rick Steve’s (Jess’s new hero) to figure out how to actually get from the train station to the bus station into town, which was a 15 minute uphill, winding walk. When we first found the main square, there was a huge antique market in and we looked around forever. We both ended up buying a couple bracelets – the people were so nice and helpful it was kind of hard not to buy something. They went out of their way to refit our bracelets to fit us. Then we headed on to lunch at some random local place that Rick had suggested of course – I had soup & Jess had porkchops. We were definitely the only two people that only ordered one course. This was our first time realizing that Italians in Montepulciano cannot take pictures. This picture was the first of many awful attempts. After lunch we were hardly full and walked around in search of gelato. I had been in Italy almost a week and had only had gelato once, this was horrible! So we found one place in the town that had it – and they had some kind of mousse gelato which was delicious. It kinda started sprinkling and it was chilly on and off but we toughed it out. So then we headed back to the antique market because Jess and I had both wanted to buy a ring (even before the trip) and we told a lady we’d be back. So we went to one stand and tried on pretty much every ring and made the people mad. But I ended up talking this guy into a much lower price (“It fits! It is a miracle! Less price only because it’s a miracle!”) and so I got a cute little antique ring that actually reminds me of the one my mom has that I’m in love with. Then Jess & I found this other lady that was super nice and has us waving “ciao” and cracking up. She was telling Jess not to get some rings because they looked bad and giving her suggestions on which ones to buy. So of course she had to buy one from her. Then, even though Jess had been taking a million pictures throughout the town (“Edward might stand here; I bet Edward will be here; I could see him standing here” haha) we decided to climb the clock tower – because that’s the focal point of the town in the book and where all the action is kind of centered around. So we climbed up there and took a ton more pictures and had a great view of the Tuscan countryside – and it was cool because we could see some of the other village towns. So, then we just walked around a little bit more, got a sandwich for dinner and headed back to Rome. We got back to Jess’s apartment around 11 and I worked on my plans for the rest of the week.

Tuesday I got up and went and saw the Spanish Steps – the last major tourist attraction I hadn’t hit yet. Then I came back and had lunch with Jess before heading out on my train to Florence. I navigated the city all by myself that day – had to ask for some directions, but knew the buses and everything to do at the train station for my trip. So then I had a good 3-4 hour train ride to Florence to meet Kyle, another friend from TU who I had actually seen in Barcelona and Ireland. He met me at the train station and it’s a long story but I couldn’t stay at his apartment so I stayed at these girls’ apartment – one of whom I had actually met when I visited the guys in Edmond a couple years ago because she’s from there. But they were super nice and very warm and welcoming. Then Kyle and I just walked around town a little bit, he told me some random information and we went to dinner. For his program they get food vouchers at certain restaurants so we went to one of those restaurants – I didn’t have to pay for any meal with Kyle since he had these vouchers! Then we hung out at the girls’ apartment. That night I got kind of sick but I think it’s the excessive amount of travelling and unsettling and lack of sleep but I didn’t really know what to do so one of the girls forced me into bed and I slept from 11pm until noon.

Wednesday, after waking up at noon and getting ready one of the girls suggested where to get lunch so I got a sandwich and sat on the steps of the Duomo people-watching and eating for a couple hours. I love the Duomo – it’s just so cool and a great place to hang out. Then, Kyle had a couple hours between classes so we went and saw the David. This made us decide Kyle should be a sculptor (you all know the lack of artistic ability in my family or else I would have too). It was a lot bigger than I’d expected and just so detailed – I was really impressed. I’m not the biggest art person so the rest of the museum wasn’t too great but I just sat and admired him for a while. Then he showed me his paintings and drawings at his school. He has definitely improved since being over here and it was cool to see stuff he’s done – I was so impressed and told him, like Jess, he can just give me a painting for my birthday. Then, Kyle had to go to class so I just wandered around for the next couple hours, sitting in random piazzas, people-watching, writing, and exploring. Then I met Kyle after class and we got gelato at his favorite gelato place and picked up groceries to cook dinner with the girls. We went back to their apartment – they were glued to a season of Friends, I got to watch tons of episodes last week, it was great. And they cooked rice (maybe it was that Italian rice I forget the name, who knows), chicken, and some sauce stuff to cover, salad & strawberries. Then we just sat around and talked forever, I read about different places in Italy and things in Florence (I was working on planning my trip to Cinque Terre I was going to go Thursday through Saturday), and we watched some more Friends. Kyle and I went up to Piazza di Michelangelo which has the most amazing view of the city before he headed home and I went to bed.

Thursday, Kyle had class in the morning but I met him for lunch. I did have as nice of weather as I’d been getting the past week which was sad. It was rainy and kind of cold. But after lunch with Kyle I went to Michelangelo and hung out for a bit, then I walked around, went to a couple piazzas, looked around Ponte Vecchio and back to the girls’ apartment before meeting up with Kyle again. It’s hard when it’s cold and rainy to want to go venture around and explore when I don’t really want to be outside. But I finally met up with Kyle and we went and got my stuff and were going to drop it off at his apartment before dinner and I headed out for Cinque Terre. We went to his apartment & I met his roommates and I was very thankful I was staying in an apartment of girls not boys – it is very different and I’m not sure I could’ve handled it (reminds me of going to Adam’s in Wichita). Then we went and got takeout pizzas from a place nearby where he had vouchers and ate at his apartment with his roommates. It was time for me to go to Cinque Terre and I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t go by myself, with the possibility of bad weather, completely disconnecting myself from everybody for another few days – and this time I didn’t even have any minutes left on my phone. So I ended up on a train back to Rome with lots of thought and talk with Kyle, the girls, and Jess. I got to Rome pretty late and it was kind of stressful trying to find my way to Jess’s apartment without my phone or her there with me. But I made it to Piazza Venezia and the bus that I was supposed to get on never came so I flagged down a cab. The only place I could give him was Jess’s school – which he didn’t know and had to stop and ask a few times and no one knew. So finally I used his cell phone, he didn’t speak more than a few words of English so this was difficult, and I called Jess, got her address & we found her apartment. By the time I got there I was exhausted and just passed out.

The next morning Jess and her roommates were going on an excursion with their program. She was trying to figure out how I could get there and meet them because they were going to Sorrento and would have tons of free time and it’d be nice and pretty. But it was kind of difficult to figure out & by the time I got there it’d be kind of pointless so I decided I’d just stay in Rome, relax, and take some pictures with my disposable camera. I am so thankful to have Jess and her nice roommates because they let me stay there two nights by myself. So they all left and I did stuff on the computer, got some groceries for the next couple days, and just hung out. Friday I ate breakfast and ran in Jess’s favorite park which is right by her house. Then I got a sandwich and ate on the grass in front of the Colosseum – that could be my favorite place in Rome besides Trastevere, but completely different places, so maybe just my favorite touristy place slash monument. Then I just went back to Jess’s apartment and hung out, made a grilled cheese for dinner which I have been craving for forever, skyped some friends, and went to bed early.

Saturday I got up and decided I’d make it to some major sites because I wanted pictures. So I went to Piazza Venezia, Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. I also bought a Roma shirt that I’ve been wanting and was only 5 Euros. I was looking for a good Italy coffee cup but the only ones I could ever find were super touristy and ugly so I figured a shirt and some postcards and pictures made up for it. After that I tried to find the Vatican. Yes, tried to find the Vatican. Jess’s apartment and street isn’t on the map that I had so I kind of tried to figure it out but I got super turned around in this big park and just couldn’t figure it out. I looked it up on the internet as well and couldn’t find the bus stop either so I decided that was okay since I had already seen it. So then I went back to Jess’s apartment and got to Skype my mom and sister. We talked for a good couple hours but that was really exciting cause I hadn’t talked to either of them in such a long time and Jess’s internet is really good so neither of us were blurry and the connection only dropped a couple times. After I talked to them I just packed, walked around the park a little, and made dinner. I skyped a couple friends from Tulsa – it’s a pretty big Greek weekend that I missed last year as well, and we lost last year so I’m anxious to see how things go.

So then I rode a bus to the train station to wait for a shuttle to take me to the airport. That was a pretty interesting wait with some interesting people out at that hour. But I'm alive and that's all the matters...right? Then I rode the shuttle out to the airport and waited some more for my flight. My flight went great and we actually landed in Barcelona early. So I asked some man and figured out how to get to the major bus station so I could wait for my bus back to San Sebastian. I ended up getting on a train & buying a metro pass which I guess was wrong because I couldn't get out of the station but I finally talked a police officer into letting me out. So then I got some lunch & waited for the bus. When the buses arrive everyone goes crazy & 2 arrived at the same time so no one knew which bus to get on or where they were going and it was just complete madness. But I asked around & my bus ended up arriving late (supposed to be leaving at 315 & it got there a little after 315). And it ended up being a double decker bus which meant there wasn't any room for our luggage so the guy had to sit and arrange it all so we didn't pull out until 345. So I slept in the cramped claustrophobic upper level until everyone started freaking out. I have no idea what was going on but I heard something about arriving in San Sebastian around 1130 or 12 (we were supposed to arrive at 10) and everyone was just going crazy. Then we stopped at some random bus station and people got off for snacks and bathroom but I was too nervous to get off cause I had no idea what was happening so I just slept. Then the girl next to me woke me up because everyone was signing something because we took a wrong turn or somehow ended up in the wrong place and wouldn't be back in San Sebastian until 1230 or 1. So I signed it, whatever. If I could get money back that'd be awesome. Then we stopped at the truck stop we normally stop at a couple hours later and I got some dinner. And then it was still 4 more hours back to San Sebastian. We finally pulled in at 130am, and it was raining and I had to wait for a taxi behind a hundred other people. I finally got in the taxi - all my stuff soaking wet and made it to my apartment. However, I guess since I was so late my host mom had locked the door & I couldn't get in. So I tried buzzing and ringing the doorbell but she didn't hear. My phone was dead & out of minutes so I couldn't call. So I walked to Kelly's and buzzed her apartment like 10 times until Patrick & her let me in. So I finally got into bed at around 2-3am. And was woken up by some wonderful construction. But hey, I had a great vacation & I'm alive & back in Spain. Now all I have to worry about is planning my sister's trip over here which I'm super excited about & she'll be here in less than 2 weeks! Hope everyone has a great week.

More, but less eventful stuff, later.
Love, Jill