Lawrence in Florence

This past week was absolutely gorgeous. Sunny and about 70 everyday, which is of course why I was locked indoors studying. 

I spent as much of Thursday as I could outdoors after my final and went for a run along the Arno. Seriously, this is not real life. I then came home and ate cookies with nutella. WHO AM I!? Anyway after that I decided it was time for some retail therapy so I went and bought a wallet, a bracelet and 2 adorable cross body bags. Not sorry about it. I wasn’t planning on going out Thursday night, but Alexa twisted my arm and convinced me to (not that it was so hard). We decided to go out for a little, which turned into a lot, which turned into me getting home at 4am. That is, after we went to moyo where Alexa got hit on and asked for her number buy some random Italian, Red Garter where there was absolutely no one but some kid was so drunk he literally walked into a wall and fell backwards like a plank (seriously right out of a movie), Twice where we danced our hearts out, and a kebab place where I bonded with the man over Istanbul to score a discounted kebab...that is after he asked me for my number and to go on a date.  Successful night in all, I’d say.  Seriously, what is my life? 

I woke up Friday morning anxiously awaiting Giulia’s arrival. She was in Calabria (foot of the boot) visiting family but went to Pisa to see her cousin and since Florence is only a short ride away....I got to see her!  She got to my apartment around 12ish and we ventured out for the day. Shopping and food were obviously our two main concerns so we hit up the leather market for round 1. I guess it never realized how fluent Giulia is in Italian, but I was blown away. She was joking around and bargaining her little heart out. I felt so proud...but soooo lost since I had no idea what on earth they were saying. After shopping session numero uno we headed to the Ponte Vecchio to take some pictures and then to Piazza Pitti to soak up some sun.  

Gorgeous day in Firenze

Us on the Ponte Vecchio

We were starving at this point so we only stayed a little and then headed to Pino’s, where I made Giulia speak in italian so her and Pino could bond. It was great.  My apartment is right down the block from Pino’s so we came back to rest our feet a little and then headed to the market again for round 2, where Giulia made some more fabulous purchases.  The sun was starting to set and we weren’t gonna have enough time to climb to Piazza Michaelangelo so we settled for drinks at the cafe on top of La Reniscente, La Terazza, which looks over Piazza Republica and gives a sick view of the Duomo.  It was a gorgeous night out so we sat there for a while and enjoyed the music coming from the Piazza. We then channeled our inner 5 year old and went on the carousel, which was fun but a little overrated. Our feet were killing us at this point so we headed back to my apartment to shower and nap. 

Oh hey there, Duomo.

Our View from the top!

Us on the carousel in Piazza Republica

Dinner was at Il Piazzaiuola and it was absolutely amazing. Dare I say this: it might even beat Gusta *gasp.*  By the time we finished dinner it was already 12:30 so we headed to Full Up because we had heard they had a poppin’ Friday night...WRONG. Being that 2 of the main study abroad schools in Florence (FUA and LDM) are on spring break right now no one was there. It was actually kind of funny.  But never the less Giulia and I made the best of it and befriended the DJ. 

My delicious pizza!

Giulia and I at Full Up

my new best friend, the DJ
Saturday morning I walked Giulia to the train station and then headed home for a nap.  Seeing her was the perfect way to start break and the whole time she was here I just kept saying, “I can’t believe we’re together. IN FLORENCE.”  It was so great to have a taste of home here with me for a bit.  

I’m so jealous that I’m not at Muhlenberg right now for all of the St. Paddy’s Day shenanigans (keg crawl in particular) but I spent most of the day running errands and packing before the bar crawl of my own (organized by a program in Florence).  

I leave tomorrow morning to spend the rest of my spring break in the French Riviera (Nice, Monaco, Cannes) and Paris. The true life of a jet setter. 

A bientôt!