pasta, pasta, and... wait for it.... MORE pasta!!

i have consumed more pasta in this last month than i think i have my entire life. dont get me wrong, i love pasta, i havent had the same dish twice. i never knew that one could do so much with it. last night, we had roasted chestnuts, and i think it is a new favorite. i can see why "chestnuts roasting on an open fire" would be good at christmas! (can we do that this year?)

but i did have one interesting experience with some meat that my family served us... bev and i got to the table, and noticed that there was a bowl that had something in it that looked like raw chicken, no joke. we were both nervous about that. our family laughed and said that we should try it, that it was something "new" for us. i kept asking what it was, but all they said was that it came from a cow, and that we should try it. so i took one bite, my facial expression said it all. they just laughed, and luckily they werent offended. i couldnt even eat one whole piece, i still have no idea what it was... and honestly, i dont think i really want to know...

this week has definatly been more trying for me. getting frustrated with the language, having some success, and then getting frustrated all over again. oh well, all i can say is that i am trying!

three out of the four days of classes were spent in the different museums and churches here in siena. looking at medieval sinese art, loving every minute of it!

friday, a few of us went to firenze. we shopped at the san lorenzo market, and i found.... my PANTS! hah my gypsie pants. they are the most amazing thing ever invented, i will have to put up a pic of me in them.... once i take that pic... and the vendors there are hilarious! i had one give me a high five and called me his "lady gaga", several comment on my beautiful eyes, and another who tried to sell me a leather jacket. he almost convinced me to get one! maybe when i go back another time... it was all just the fun italian charm that you hear about, and i loved it! we walked into the food market, looking for something to eat. little did i know that it would end up being a meat market.... lets just say i got a lil queasy... i saw a pig hanging upside down with its stomach cut, a full rabbit skinned, and a lot more.... that took care of my appetite for the afternoon!

a while later, we wandered into the piazza del duomo, and jane and i got pizza. it ended up being from the same pizza place that mom, krystal, and i got pizza at a coupla years ago! the best pizza i habe ever had in italy... sadly, we couldnt sit on the steps and eat it because it was raining, but oh... the memories!

we went to the accademia and stood in line for over an hour. but we eventually got in and saw the David. Simply beautiful! so realistic, i felt like at any moment, he could just step down and walk away, thats how realistic he feels. i am reading the agony and the ecstasy for class, and book all about Michelangelo, and i have a new found love for sculpture. mom, you and grandma need to read this before you come to italy in may, you will appreciate Michelangelo's artwork soo much more! we also went and found la chiesa di beatrice (Dantes young love). beniamino had talked about it several times at dinner, and so i decided that i needed to find it. it was tiny and charming. i remembered walking down that same street a coupla years ago, krystal stopping to get her pic with the wine bottle at the tiny"hole in the wall" cafe.

we went to a sit down restraunt for lunch/dinner and i ordered gnocci con pesto - it was amazing! i defintaly recommend that dish! i want to learn how to make gnocci... surprisingly, the first meal that i have ordered since i've been here. definatly worth it! then of course, we had to get gelato again from vivoli.... =) we went to the ponte vecchio, by then the weather had cleared and we had a beautiful view. couldnt resist, i had to take a few photos!

can anyone guess what we did next??? went to .... ..... ....... H&M! somers and i were in heaven! sadly, we only had 45 min there... but that was enough time for me to find something i wanted! a cute grey sweater/almost dress, i am in love...

all in all, it was a good day, a good end to my week. and yes, i have now officially been gone ONE WHOLE MONTH! it doesnt feel like its been that long, but at the same time, it feels like its been a lot longer, we have done so much...

well, on to a new week, with more adventures ahead!