Day Trips > Studying

This post is about my last full weekend abroad-- cue sobs. 

I was slightly worried about needing to study/ I wanted to spend the little time I have left in Florence so I didn't plan a trip for this weekend. Instead,  I did some small day trips and finally checked off the last of my touristy things in Florence. 

It was very nice not to have to pack and get to the airport or train station on Thursday. I had a nice relaxing afternoon and then attended the LDM farewell dinner that night with my other classmates. Whoever picked the food apparently was confused and didn't realized they were catering to college students. It wasn't horrible, but there could have been better choices for food, and a lot more of it. 

Afterwards I hung out with a lot of the ID majors, signed the High Point shirt at Lion's Fountain pub, and even made it to (one of) the famous secret bakery! -Secret bakeries are present all around Florence, but as the name implies they are secret and the location of each is "unknown." These bakeries start up their ovens around 1, 2, or 3 am in the morning to make the pastries for the next day and if you are there at that time they will sell the freshly baked goods to you at a reduced price.-

Friday morning was slightly hectic, as my alarm for 5:30 am either didn't go off or I slept through it and only woke up at 6:36 when Jackie asked me "Don't you have a trip today?" I did, and I was supposed to be at the train station at 6:40 to meet and get on the bus- about a 15 to 20 minute walk! At 6:54 (pretty impressed with myself, btw), I arrived after throwing on my clothes and sprinting to the station amid strange looks from the few other people out. Irritably, many other people were late too and we didn't end up leaving until 7:30 (I could have used the bathroom!). But the important part is that I made it. :)

Friday's trip was to one of the only places I knew I wanted to visit before I got to Italy: Cinque Terre. It's located in the Liguria region of Italy and is known for it's colorful houses. Cinque Terre is made up of 5 seaside villages close to one another; the name literally means "Five Lands."

The bus dropped us off at Manarola and we had about 30 minutes of free time (most of which were spent waiting and then using the bathroom), before we took a high speed train to Riomaggiore. The train ride was less than 2 minutes so we didn't even bother sitting down. 

At Riomaggiore, we had a little time to wander and explore the cute sea town. Marina, Lynde and I spent the most time on some rocks near the sea, taking pictures of everything and enjoying the sun. 

Later we took a ferry to get to another city (instead of the train). The ferry gave us excellent views of the cities as they looked from the water, farther away. I really enjoyed being on the ferry and just relaxing in the sun- the smooth rocking of the boat could have sent me to sleep! The ferry stopped at Vernazza, and then Monterosso al Mare: our stop. Monterosso al Mare literally means "Red Mountain by the Sea." 

We decided to get lunch with the group here, which was excellent. My only regret is that I didn't have more of the pesto pasta. Our lunch consisted of: bread and olive oil, water and white wine to drink, seafood salad, pesto pasta (main course) and gelato with fruit for dessert. 


After lunch, we wandered around the city for the remaining 2 or 3 hours of our visit. We browsed shops (I bought a crocheted blouse) and found a geocache with the app on Lynde's phone! It was such a beautiful day to see such a beautiful village. We also tried Caproska Fragolas, and then sipped them by the beach. I've decided that if I get rich, I'm moving to Monterosso. 

We met up with our group around 4:10 and took a train to Spezia, where we boarded the bus and returned to Firenze. We got back at 7:30, so I was just in time to take a quick shower and then eat dinner with the Riccis. 


Saturday, I did some homework and preparing for finals because the studio was open and yes, Dad, I'm here to study. I finished my portfolio for my graphic design class so I rewarded myself with Gusta Pizza for dinner. :)

Aaannnndddd- here is my completed Portfolio- click on the picture of the cover to download the complete file as a PDF! 

Sunday morning, I woke up early-ish and walked around the block to climb the bell tower of the Duomo. I knew I'd eventually get around to it... and then I realized this was my last week. Eep. 

I was the first one there at 8 (it opened at 8:15) and the first one to get up to the top and take my beautiful pictures of Florence from above. I also went inside the cathedral and the baptistery. 

On my way home, I stopped to get flowers for my host mother for Mother's Day- even though Mother's Day in Italy was technically on Friday. They celebrate it every year on May 8, as compared to ours on the second Sunday of May. 

She seemed to love the flowers, and I told her they were for both her and my mother at home, but my mother got them in digital form via a picture. :)

That afternoon, I went on a wine tasting trip to the Chianti region. I was slightly worried that it would overlap with the other day trip Chianti tour I went on earlier in the semester, but it was completely different. I did this trip as a substitute for the field trip my wine class went on that I skipped in order to go to the Amalfi Coast. 

The first stop was Greve, a quaint small town that has a very middle ages flair. It was probably first built in the 11th century. The city center is in the shape of a triangle and noteworthy for the loggias (a sort of exterior covered corridor) that surround the entire area. Markets are held here frequently, the best of which are on Sundays (guess I picked the right day to go). The loggias were built to ensure that market activity could continue even in the event of rain or other weather. 

Next, we went to a vineyard for our first wine tasting. This vineyard, Riseccoli, specializes in Chianti Classico, which is the wine highly regulated by the Consorzio del Vino (aka Wine Consortium). 

The winery gave us 3 wines to try along with some typical snacks. The first was Chianti Classico, which they make with 90% Sangiovese grapes. The remaining 10% is a mixture of Cabernet/Merlot. 

There are numerous rules about how the wine must be made; the primary one being that a minimum of 80% of the grapes used to make the wine must be Sangiovese. The Consorzio del Vino also prints labels for all bottling companies to use, and no one is allowed to bottle and sell more wine than the amount of labels they have. True Chianti Classico wine is easily identified by a symbol of a black rooster. 

Riseccoli also served us their homemade Finocchiona sausage with the wine, which has fennel and black pepper in it- very good. The second wine was a Super Tuscan (we have learned about this in class, as well as Chianti Classico). It was made of 40% Sangiovese and 60% Merlot and ages in French oak barrels for 3 years. The third wine was a white dessert wine made of numerous grapes that tasted almost like a liquor. They also gave us pecorino cheese with this wine. After the wines, we also were able to taste some of the olive oil they produce which was a blend of 2 black and 2 green olives. I bought some of the sausage to take back with me and I plan to share it with the Ricci's and Jackie at our last dinner together (sniff). 

Then we left to go to the next tasting at a different vineyard. The small drives were great for naps, but I forced myself to stay awake and take in the beautiful scenery. 

The second winery seemed much more industrial and less of a family company (to me). They used stainless steel vats to age and churn the wine, in addition to oak barrels. There our first wine was also a Chianti Classico made with 90% Sangiovese grapes. Not much you can change about the taste when the specifications are so strict. But still one of my favorite wines, so no complaints from me. The second wine was 100% Sangiovese and produced organically with no filtering- this was my favorite of the day. The third was another Super Tuscan wine. 

After some time to wander around the vineyard and take pictures of the gorgeous landscape, we boarded the bus and returned to Florence. Now I am forced to face the reality of more studying and then exams and then... an airplane to take me back to America. 

Current Status: soaking in all the Italy I can. 

Swiss Family (Robinson)

Making big strides in the independent adult area of life- I flew by myself to a foreign country. Whatsup.

Thursday afternoon (4 pm) I went to get the bus to the airport (4:30) which was late because of the traffic from the holiday weekend (Labor Day in Italy), so I didn't actually leave until 4:45. Then the bus continued to get stuck in traffic (but this time while I was on it), and didn't arrive to the airport until 5:20ish. For reference- the shuttle to the airport from the train station should take about 20 minutes. But then I got through security very quickly and was seated at my gate with about 40 minutes left to wait before boarding. Whew!

I boarded my flight, flew about 1 and a half hours (bonus: roll and chocolate on board), and landed in Zurich around 8:30 pm! At the arrivals area, I met my cousins Christa and Sigi. My parents and I had stayed with Christa’s parents Heidi and Herbert about 20 years ago, and met both Christa and Sigi- but as I was only 10 months old, I do not remember this at all.

I walked with them to the parking area of the airport and then Sigi helped me put my bags in the trunk of their car. They live only a 20-30 minute drive away from the airport in Urdorf, depending on traffic of course and I was happy to have a designated ride instead of figuring out the train or bus system from the airport!

We got to know each other a little on the ride, and then some more once we arrived at their apartment over some mint tea and yogurt. Fairly soon, I headed to bed- both because I was tired from travel and to prepare for a big day of whatever (I had no idea what plans were) the next morning.

Friday I had a nice shower, and then joined Christa and Sigi for breakfast around 8. They had asked me the night before when I normally wake up and eat (I said 7:30) and they said that time or a little later would work for them. Nice to stay on a similar schedule. For breakfast we had a traditional type of Swiss bread- zopf, named for the braided top. There were also many slices of salami and prosciutto, as well as cheese, butter, and jam. We had coffee that they made from their machine- you just press a button and it brews everything for 1 cup for you! Sort of the same idea as a Kurig machine, but without the small disposable cups- it uses coffee beans and grinds just enough for one cup. 

We hadn’t made plans the night before because we were all uncertain about the weather. Unfortunately, it was raining- so they suggested (and I agreed) that we go to Basel, Switzerland and then briefly over the German border to visit the Vitra Museum Weil am Rhein. This museum had many of the chairs and styles I have learned about and it was very nice to wander through. Some of the settings reminded me of the HP furniture market! Everything was very organic and the main design focus (I think) was Scandinavian modernism- Alvar Alto, Charles & Ray Eames, Panton, etc. Christa said I should get a job with the museum as apparently they change the layout of the furniture and the designs every 2 weeks.

For lunch, we picked up about 6 pizzas from an “Italian” pizzeria (basically I never left Italy haha) and then drove back into Switzerland to Regula’s house (Christa’s sister). There we ate the pizza with Regula, and her 16 year old son Raphael. Regula does acupressure and feng shui, and her husband (Daniel) is an architect. They designed and built their house and Regula’s acupressure practice and Daniel’s office are located at opposite ends of the bottom floor of their house. Nice to work so close/ literally at home- as long as you are able to separate your work life and home life, I suppose. It was very interesting to get a tour of their house! I really liked the functional modern design and bright colors.

That afternoon, Christa, Sigi, and I took a train in to downtown Basel. We saw the main building: Basler Münster (Basel Minster in English-a church, of course- this is Europe) and then an area overlooking the Rhine River. 

On the car ride back (about 1 hour), I took a short, much needed nap. We went straight to Heidi and Herbert’s house in Rudolfstetten, as they had invited us for a “barbeque”. It was so nice to meet them both (again?). For dinner we had salad, pork (grilled outside by Sigi and Herbert), mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables (carrots, celery, etc.). A little later, we also had traditional Swiss sausage: grillschnecke. And for dessert (even though I was already full) we had carrot cake, along with mint tea that Heidi made with mint from her garden.

Once we returned to Urdorf (only about a 10 minute drive), it was around 9 pm. I went through some of my pictures and even did some Italian homework before heading to bed. The next day’s forecast was much better so we planned to do some “trekking.”

Saturday morning, Christa asked me if I would like eggs for breakfast. I may have said yes before she finished talking- just really miss that American tradition, I guess. I made some scrambled eggs for all of us (cooking, wow) and then we also had some bread, cheese, and meat slices- and of course, coffee.

We quickly finalized some general plans for the day, and then took the train into the center of Zurich. We walked around the small cobblestone streets and went into various buildings; such as the Grossmünster Church, which had cut stones in the windows that looked like geodes, and the Fraumünster Church, which is famous for its Chagall stained glass windows. Neither of these churches allowed you to take pictures inside.

When the grey clouds started to clear some, we walked to the lake and took a path around one side of it through a very pretty park. The sun even came out, and at one point we just sat on a pier enjoying the nice weather and relaxing for about 15 minutes. Previously we had bought luxemburgerli- small swiss specialty desserts. They reminded me of small macaroons, and Christa described them as small sweet hamburgers with creme filling.

Because the weather was nice, we decided to go up the mountain for lunch and a hike. We took the tram to the nearest station, and then a cable car up to the top of Felsenegg; where we had lunch at Felsenegg Café. We got 3 different plates to share- the best way to order in my opinion. Our meal included: lightly breaded and fried fish with pommes frites (French fries), baked ham with potato salad and some other vegetables, and Swiss sausage with pommes frites.

After our (very) filling lunch, we started the trek to another mountain: Üetliberg. The hike was about 2 hours, and very nice- nothing too strenuous. I really enjoyed it, especially because the weather was so nice. Made me miss hiking in the NC mountains, and we discussed the possibility of Christa and Sigi coming to visit my house and family sometime. It would be so fun to show them around and take them to see the Blue Ridge parkway!

Once we reached Üetliberg, there was a tower to climb (free of charge) to get the best possible view of Zurich, the lake, and all surrounding countryside. We also got some pictures of all 3 of us together at the top of the tower. Then we went down the opposite side of the mountain about 10 minutes to the train station.

We took the train back to Zurich city center, where Christa bought some groceries for dinner that night- at a grocery store inside the train station!

That night, we made fondue! I helped stir everything together, and Christa gave me slight instructions from time to time. She also gave me the recipe so I’ll try and make it again once I’m home!  When eating fondue, it’s important to completely dip the bread in and stir it around on the bottom, otherwise the cheese will harden, burn and be ruined. When you do get to the bottom, you will have a small portion that is hard and cooked- they call it a “burned grandmother” for reasons unknown to Christa, or me. Haha

After dinner, we watched some “English” aka BBC tv. The third time I woke up from briefly falling asleep, I decided to just make it an early night and head to bed.

Sunday morning Christa and Sigi made fried eggs with mushrooms and onions, and then put it on bread. So yummy :) We also had rhubarb flavored yogurt- and coffee to help us wake up.

The rain from Friday had returned, but we tried not to let that ruin our day. We drove to the area around Lake Lucerne and up Seelisberg Mountain where we had a somewhat foggy but mostly clear view of the lake (and steamboats) below. We were also able to see Rütli - a meadow where many years ago an oath was made that helped form Switzerland into the confederacy of cantons (or states) that it is today.

We drove further and found a heavily flowing stream and many waterfalls along with many small huts that are used to make cheese. The rain slacked off a little, so we stopped here to eat lunch: sandwiches that we made that morning and packed with us (on more delicious zopf bread). To drink, we had Rivella- which is the most popular Swiss soft drink and is made from milk whey (the watery milk left over after cheese production- aka regular milk minus fats and solids) along with other fruit juices, water, carbonation and other natural flavors. I looked up the ingredients and percentages just for curiosity- and Rivella is made from 35% milk whey!

After we finished our lunch, we drove back down the mountain and over the town of Lucerne (or Luzern, if you spell it the Swiss way).  Here the rain had mostly stopped, and the sun came out! We walked around the city, happy to be rid of our umbrellas. First, we saw and walked over the old chapel bridge and learned about the spiked used to control the water level of the river/lake and hopefully prevent flooding of the town. Then we went to the Kunstmuseum (aka art museum), not to view the museum pieces, but to see the incredible architecture of the building and go to the top story where we had an excellent view of the city.

Instead of merely heading directly back to the car and driving back, we decided to enjoy the sunshine more and meandered in a zigzag formation back to the place we parked. We climbed up a tower at random and happened upon the Musegg wall. There are 9 towers along this wall, even though only 4 of them are open to the public. We went up one more, and then down a third- and exited on the other side of the town wall.

From L-R: Sigi, Christa, Amanda, Heidi, Herbert

We returned back to the apartment at 3:50- which gave us about an hour to rest before we drove to Heidi’s for another lovely dinner. I took some pictures of all of us with the self-timer function on my camera- which will be nice to compare to the ones that were taken when my parents visited 20 years ago!

For dinner, we had salad to start off, and then Heidi’s chicken curry- so incredibly good. Herbert has been trying to improve his English, so all through dinner Christa kept talking to him only in English. Apparently he’s excellent at reading a writing but has difficulty with conversation- which I completely understand as I’m the same way with Italian. 

For dessert, we had mandelgipfel (an almond pastry) that Christa picked up at her favorite bakery in Seelisberg. We also had black forest cake and some more fresh mint tea.

Since I was flying alone, I was able to book my return for Monday morning instead of Sunday (I have no classes on Monday until 6 pm) to save money and give me some extra time with my family there. It was very nice to be able to have a stress free day not worrying about getting to the airport on time in the afternoon or evening, and then just relax that night and go to bed early.

Monday morning, we had a small breakfast (mostly just for the coffee) around 5 am, and then Sigi and I left at 5:30 for the airport. I only had to wait about 10 minutes after security for my gate to be announced and then I was able to sit and catch up on some homework while waiting to board. Then, before long I was back in home sweet Florence.

Cheers to the last week before final exams!

Christa, Sigi, and I at Lake Lucerne