This morning we boarded two subways and a train and made our way to Florence (and the Machine). I’ll be honest, this is probably going to be one of the shortest written posts I will ever make. But don’t worry, there will be a millions and thirty-seven pictures to make up for it.
I didn’t really know too much about Florence except that it is, in fact, in Italy. I never really researched the area but I can say whatever expectations I possibly had were shattered into a million pieces. Florence was the most beautiful place I have ever set my eyes on. I feel like I was walking around inside of a postcard. There was a picture perfect bridge along the water, the streets were lined with apartments, the roads are made of cobble stones, and I loved every second of it. It was like Italy meets New York City. I swear, the Italy you see in the movies is where I walked around today. I can’t put a finger on it, but there is something about Florence (and the Machine) that made it feel like home. I was walking through the streets and I probably said twenty-five times “I want to come back here. I want to bring my parents here. I want to bring everyone I know here.”
The Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore.
The buildings, colors, and architecture remind me of walking around in Prague.
The buildings look old and modern at the same time.
Just looking down one of the streets.
This scene looks straight out of a movie. It was so beautiful. I could have stayed here for years.
This reminds me of the bridge Augustus and Hazel sailed under when they were in Amsterdam.
Also, that beautiful blue sky made the city look 10 times more beautiful than it already was.
This place doesn’t look real. I mean I took these pictures but I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t seen it for myself. And I STILL barely believe it.
Wow.
Florence is a place everyone in the world deserves to see in their lifetime.
There was an art class sitting on the lawn by the water sketching!
Everything has it’s one personality in Italy, even the buildings.
There are a lot of naked wrestling statues here.
Michelle Obama, purse so heaving gettin’ Oprah dollars.
Santa Maria del Fiore looked like it was made out of newspaper paper maché. It was amazing. I’ve never seen a building like it before.
There are a millions little details. It probably took forever to paint each individual part.
This building looked like it could have been in Harry Potter.
Santa Maria del Fiore also reminded me of a German christmas ornament.
There are so many statues. These line the top-level of the front of the Santa Maria del Fiore.
Aunt Dar you were so right. This was amazing. (I also found the jewelry street! Although I didn’t buy anything)
Stop, I am in love with this city.
The bomb.com
In Florence there was a market place comparable to Chinatown in New York City. We walked around there for a few hours and I’m actually a pretty good bargainer. I made a couple of pretty good deals today which was awesome because I had a ton of fun. I can’t get over how beautiful Florence is, I feel like it doesn’t exist and I made it all up.
Between Florence and Rome I can’t really say which one I liked better because I don’t like one better than the other. They’re so different in their own ways. Florence was so natural, calm, and beautiful while Rome is historic, amazing, and fast paced. I just want to come back and see both one day.
When we got back to Rome we took a subway at around 10 pm after dinner and went to see the Colosseum at night. We’re going to visit the inside tomorrow but seeing it for the first time while it was dark outside was unbelievable. It’s massive. It baffles me that people live amongst these amazing ruins and just walk by while strolling though their daily lives. I can’t wait to see it tomorrow but I’m so stoked we saw it at night too. We walked off the subway and BOOM there it was. It’s pretty mind-boggling to see it in person. I’ve spent so many boring classes learning about it that it makes it seem real for the first time. Pictures don’t do any justice, just a heads up.
This place is unimaginable. I can’t believe it really exists. It’s incredible.
The front part of the Colosseum facing the street still has it original outer shell while the back has been stripped down to the inside walls.
The Arch of Constantine. I can’t wait to see this in the sunlight.
At the Colosseum..at night.
Hey. Hi. Hello.
I accidentally thought I just deleted this entire post (I didn’t) but I almost had a heart attack and died. Really dodged a bullet there. I’m excited for tomorrow but also a little sad that’s it’s the last full day I have here in Rome. At the same time, I got to sit and talk with Professor Alessia on the train on the way back from Florence and I am so grateful to be here. That’s something I will never stop feeling.
Just because you’re trash doesn’t mean you can’t do great things. It’s called garbage can, not garbage cannot.
There was a flower truck parked on the corner of the hotel street this morning.
My goal is to take thirty pictures with this man so I can frame them all for the rest of time.
That’s all for now. Happy awkward Thursday.
Stay Weird.
Ally
Current Mood- Psyched I get to sleep in tomorrow morning. It’s like I’ve entered adulthood when I call sleeping until 8am ‘sleeping in.’ I’ll say something adult now….Briefcase.