Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Padova

I've really had these ready to be uploaded for quite awhile. BUT the internet I have been able to use for the last 2 weeks has been awful and couldn't handle uploading them to the interweb.

Padova


I am going to also put all the links of photos albums in the their respective posts. So you can find as well!

I will try to get a Florence post up in the next few days.

Starting to really miss my family and friends. Only 24 more days. Wow, time is flyin' by!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Here are my photos from Positano. I will blog tomorrow about my trip to Florence. There may not be many pictures for a few days. The internet at the hotel is not the best.

Positano

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Positano

The train to Cinque Terra was full until Saturday afternoon so we decided to go to the Amalfi Coast. It's a bunch of super fancy villas and really nice beaches. First we went to Sorrento. Wasn't the greatest place in Italy. Of course it was visually appealing as most places are but it was just a bunch of tourist junk sales. It lacked that individualist quality that would have set it apart from other Italian cities. We got a bus that took us up and down and around some of the steepest cliffs I've ever seen. I had to close my eyes.

We arrived in Positano around one. It was so amazingly beautiful. The city is a world of steps. Instead of walking down the street you walk down hidden concrete staircases. The road slowly winds down and around the buildings, but the staircases take you straight to your destination. We walked over 2000 stairs on Saturday. My ankles haven't been this swollen in years. We took about 600 down to a small beach. We paid 7 Euro to rent chairs just off the water. It was unfortunately infested with small pinkish brown jellyfish but that didn't stop Kristina and I from getting in the water, you just had to be cautious. There was a small Italian boy running around catching them in a sand pale. It seemed so surreal to be on that beach. When you looked behind you it was just these massive cliffs with lines of villas that seem to be stacked right on top of each other. We drank lemon granita and hunted for beach glass.


After the 600 stairs back we got ready and went out back down 400 some stairs for dinner with our new pal Eliza from Melbourne. She was absolutely wonderful. We shared some gelato and headed back up the 400 stairs ( are you keeping track? ) to the hostel. The other girls I went with eventually went to bed but I stayed up chatting with Eliza. The desk guy brought out some limone cream shots for the guests on the veranda. Eliza and I joined everyone else at a table where I proceeded to meet some of the coolest people I've ever met. They were three students, also from Melbounre, who had been studying in Prato for the last 5 weeks. Dean, Katie, and Alex are all product design majors but Dean was there taking a human anatomy drawing class. We stayed up until sunrise chatting about everything. I am so thankful that my body gives me the strength to stay awake and enjoy every minute I can. I hope that I am experiencing everything I can while I am here. I feel like I have been doing my best. Only 5 weeks left, can't stop now.

We enjoyed the best breakfast I've had here. Breakfast isn't big in Italy and it's my favorite meal so it was quite the treat. Then we got back on the bus to return to Sorrento. Kristina and I decided to just grab some gelato and wait at the train stations for the other girls while they shopped. We got home early and have had a relaxing day.



Here is my shout out to Anna she is one of my best girlfriends (as Eliza would say) and I can't wait to be back in Iowa with her. Thrifting, giggling, high pitch, gossiping, blogging, and all our other favorite things will arrive with fall. And maybe even a trip to London!

Have a good week everyone!

Friday, July 16, 2010

High Seas

Photos from the Isle of Capri!

Isle of Capri

Celmentines

Here are pictures of the outside of my cabin. I will post the inside view, and the view of the crater very soon!

2010_07_12

Whoops

I have officially been written up 3 times in the last 2 days. I guess the Camp A way just doesn't suit me. I gave a kid a "time out" (( separated two kids because they were screaming bloody murder )). One kid's mom FREAKED out and called my POC. Then the next day we had a meeting. Scott and I missed the meeting. We were venturing up the crater, determined to get to the highest point, and we did. We watched the sun set and then watched all the lights in Pozzouli turn on. It was the most amazing sight ever. This morning we were 5 minutes late to morning care. I guess all those things are call for getting written up. Meh.

And does any of this matter? No. My campers absolutely love me. Today one camper from each age group got to cream one of their counselors in the face. We drew names of kids who did good all week out of a cup. Conor, a little Irish boy was chosen. He chose me to cream in the face. It was awesome. I have never seen a kid smile so much. Unfortunately he will not be returning to camp next week, but I think it was a great ending to his summer camp stay.

And now I'm off to Cinque Terra. Google it.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Living in a Crater

I am having a crazy time here in this crater. It's a blast. Camp wise I am no longer enjoying myself. Thank goodness the day ends in this beautiful place with three amazing people or I'd probably be writing to tell you I am planning to come home. It is however the 5th week, which is halfway, and also "hell week" where you want to go home because everything sucks. Not everything.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

And We're Back

To Carney Park. My new home away from home. We only get Internet up at the restaurant here in the park. All my skyping friends (my parents, and Matt) are busy. So I am just sitting here with nothing to do while everyone else Skypes. So I decided this was a good time to tell you what I did this weekend, and a good distracting from being eaten by bugs. I will post pictures in the next few days.

This weekend we went to Padove (Padua), Venice, and Verona. Allie, Kristina, Emily and I stayed behind at the park to work after care, pack, and get cleaned up. [Back story; currently Allie, Scott, Emily and I are living at Carney. Next week Emily will go to the hotel in Varacatour and Kristina will come here. But for our weekend travels sake, Kristina stayed behind and Scott went with some other folks.] A taxi picked us up from the park and took us to a metro station not far from where we live, in Pozzouli. We headed to the main station in Napoli. When we arrived around 7 to get on an overnight train that left at 8 we were delayed by a major line. The group we were traveling with (Scott, Lindsay and Amanda) got to the front of the line, and were told by the ticketer that we could just get on the train with Eurail Passes. When we got on the train we slip into two cabins. It was a mostly enjoyable ride until we decided to was lights out. Sleeping between two other ladies booties was just not my ideal ride. Around 2 in the morning a man began to vomit, LOUDLY, right outside our door. Emily could see the bright red vomit running by the door, complete with smell. That was about it for me and I stood up to stick my face out the window.

After a nasty ride we got off our train around 5:00AM in a town called Padova (in English it's spelled Padua). It was almost my favorite place (Tervi Fountain is still winning). The town, like Cedar Falls, is a college town. It's just as sweet as Cedar Falls. I absolutely LOVED it. When we first arrived no one was around. We waited at the train station for about 15 minutes sort of waiting for a bus. Allie and Amanda used their little Italian skills to ask a bus driver how to go to the Piazza we wanted to go to. We walked about 8 blocks and saw very few cars. Mostly people on bikes, perfect rusty vintage bikes, with baskets. I couldn't stop thinking about sweet little Green Giuseppe with his wicker basket, sitting all alone at home, waiting for me to take him out for a ride. The sun was rising and the tops of the buildings were all glowing a bright gold. I couldn't stop smiling.

When we arrived at the Piazza there were a few trucks arriving to begin setting up their stands so we decided we had plenty of time to wander around. We enter another Piazza to find this massive astrological clock. There was an entry way under the clock so we decided to head that way. The street wound around to benches and little newspaper stands. Everyone but Scott and myself took a seat on the benches. We are in the sweetest little town and we are leaving at noon, how can you just sit!? There weren't any people to watch. I just didn't get it. Thank goodness Scott was also down to explore. We wandered down streets that curved and wound, little alleyways lined with Fiats and scooters. It was so picturesque. I could absolutely live there. We saw elderly women walking there dogs, people waking up and opening their door length shutters to their verandas, and several folks riding down the street on bikes. We happened upon so many beautiful little places. I almost felt at home. Even though I had no clue where we were people would smile at us, I didn't have a single stress on my mind. I felt so in the moment and free. We stopped at a café to get ready for the day. We also got glasses of DiSorono (with ICE!).

Around 7:30 we headed back to the main square where the market would be, along with everyone else. The square with the astrological clock was now bustling with white vans filled with CLOTHES! I was oh so excited. The prospect of digging through thrifted ITALIAN vintage clothes was a dream come true. But we hustled past that and towards the food market. Another dream come true! It seemed, at least for this town, Scott was going to be my traveling companion. We wandered through the long rows of stands three times. You could see from each the vibrant colors that each each of fruit was freshly picked. Sure, I've been to the farmers markets of Iowa, but this just seems to be even more fresh. I am not sure what it is about buying fresh food at an Italian market that is so intriguing to me, but my smile was just busting at the seams. We them headed into an ancient Medieval building Piazza della Ragione. Here is what wiki has to say about that building..
The building, with its great hall on the upper floor, is reputed to have the largest roof unsupported by columns in Europe; the hall is nearly rectangular, its length 81.5m, its breadth 27m, and its height 24 m; the walls are covered with allegorical frescoes; the building stands upon arches, and the upper storey is surrounded by an open loggia, not unlike that which surrounds the basilica of Vicenza.

The Palazzo was begun in 1172 and finished in 1219. In 1306, Fra Giovanni, an Augustinian friar, covered the whole with one roof; originally there were three roofs, spanning the three chambers into which the hall was at first divided; the internal partition walls remained till the fire of 1420, when the Venetian architects who undertook the restoration removed them, throwing all three spaces into one and forming the present great hall, the Salone. The new space was refrescoed by Nicolò Miretto and Stefano da Ferrara, working from 1425 to 1440.
Inside of this building was the meat market. It was also just as I had pictured an Italian meat market would be. From these two markets we bought pomodorini (baby tomatoes.. the only Italian veggie I know), cherries, peaches, apricots, cucumbers, strange little clear berries, mozzarella de buffalo (mozzarella from a buffalo, THE BEST), soft on the inside crunchy on the outside round loafs of bread, salami, an entire basil plant (which is now sitting on our window sill in our kitchen), and a bottle of pinot grigio. So yes, the perfect picnic EVER. We enjoyed our meal on the edge of a fountain. After that we headed over the astrological clock Piazza so I could dig through clothes. There wasn't much there but I got a dresses.

That was my favorite so I went into great detail. The rest was just marginal fun compared to that amazing adventure so I will quickly summarize. We found an H&M in Padova so we HAD to stop there. I got two dresses for €24. Anna you are going to flip when I show you these dresses (which will be in my make-up Friday Favorites sometime this week). We got on a train and went to Venice. Took a water taxi (that took FOREVER) to the glass blowing capital of the word, Maurano. It was a nice little island but the ride was just too long. I saw a man blow a glass horse. We bought a few souvenires and then went our seperate ways. Allie, Kristina, Emily, and I took a water taxi to Piazza San Marco (Saint Marks Square). It was huuuuge, and filled with pigeons that I couldn't stop calling penguins. Venice overall was very busy. The only time we were away from people when when we took the back to the Rialto Bridge. On our way we got MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP ICECREAM. That was my Venician highlight. I think by the end of the day I am typically too hot and sweaty and weighted down with purchases to enjoy places. I must start keeping that in mind so that we plan to do things I REALLY want to do in the morning. After the bridge we went back to the train station and headed to Verona where we would be staying for the night. We got a taxi and went to our hotel. Kristina and I went for a swim and then headed to bed for a nice 9 hour sleep. It was glorious. In the morning we took a taxi into Verona. It was almost as nice as Padova. We saw Juliet (of Shakespeare's classic) fictional balcony and then alley filled with letters to her. A square with a huge monument to Dante, also know as the Lord's Square for it's various Lord decorations. And a few other places that will be captioned in the pictures. We had some amazing pizza, hoped on a bus to the train station, and headed back to Napoli.

Now we are at Carney park. I am exhausted and have to get at 7AM to do morning care.

Ciao!

Thursday, July 8, 2010

And We're Off


To Venice! I will be back on Monday with a regular update.

Have a good weekend!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Roma Ro Ma Ma

This only took me a little over a week to post, but Rome feels like it happened forever ago. Before I begin I must make a disclaimer. I completely lack the vocabulary to describe Rome using the words and phrases it deserves. It was the most amazing place I have ever been in my life. I was in a magical city filled with things so beautiful, and so full of history. It was perfect. So here we go, be ready for a lot of awesomes, perfects, amazings, beautifuls, etc.

Friday we got off work, scurried to change clothes, grab snacks, and head out the door to the ALI bus. When we got to the train station it was a whirlwind of finding where we bought tickets, running to the platform, and hoping our interpretation of an Italian train ticket was correct. When we found our seats (fingers crossed), a super nice Italian girl, who was giggling at us the whole time, assured us we were in the right place. The ride was about 4 hours and when we got there we thought we'd just hop over to our hostel, get settled in and then take a night tour of Rome. Well, it wasn't quiet that easy.

Somehow someone failed to write down the address, or directions, to our hostel. So we spent a good 2 hours wondering around trying to find it. My brain surprised me when it thought to ask where an Internet cafe could be found. So we got that address and still couldn't seem to find it. Eventually we took a cab that we paid WAY too much for. Another little speed bump, the room we were supposed to stay in had a broken toilet. The hostel staff kindly moved us to another hostel on the other side of the town, and paid for our cab there. The ride was like a dream. Flying past the Spanish Steps, into pale blue lite tunnels, and eventually arriving at a lovely building with a courtyard.

After we got to our room we decided it was far too early to go to bed. Next door we had seen a sweet little restaurant with outdoor seating so we checked that out. We had both the white and red house wine, and a few simple appetizers. It was nice to just sit and chat with the girls. Being in Rome was surreal, and there we were sharing stories in the middle of it.

Rome - Friday



We woke bright and early Saturday morning to begin our Roma Adventure. We walked a short 3 blocks to Vatican City. You just walk right in. Suddenly you are in a whole new country (did you know that?). We waited in a rather long line to go into Saint Peter's Basilica. Here is one of those moments where I am incapable of describing how beautiful this place was. You walk in and every inch of space is covered with some piece of art. Paintings, marble statues, candles, everything is sign of the Catholic devotion. I wish I could brought my Grandma along with me. I am sure that in all of her years of Catholicism she has never seen a church such as this.

After the Basilica we took a short walk over to the Vatican Museum. It was also filled with a million beautiful things. Please view my pictures to get a sense of what I am talking about. Near the end of the walk through the Museum you enter The Sistine Chapel. Right there above my head was the magnificent work The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo. The room was suprizingly large and filled with at least 100 people. It was so magnificent. No photography was aloud but people were snapping shots left and right, so I tried to get a few myself. They aren't of the best quality, the room is very dimly lite to preserve the art longer. Here is a quote from Wikipedia on Michelangelo's work
Michelangelo was intimidated by the scale of the commission, and made it known from the outset of Julius II's approach that he would prefer to decline. He felt he was more of a sculptor than a painter, and was suspicious that such a large-scale project was being offered to him by enemies as a set-up for an inevitable fall. For Michelangelo, the project was a distraction from the major marble sculpture that had preoccupied him for the previous few years.


The room was intimidating to just stand in, let alone paint the entire place. Also according to Wiki, he created his own scaffolding that was secured into the wall near the windows so it would not leave marks in the painting.
Michelangelo used bright colours, easily visible from the floor. On the lowest part of the ceiling he painted the ancestors of Christ. Above this he alternated male and female prophets, with Jonah over the altar. On the highest section, Michelangelo painted nine stories from the Book of Genesis. He was originally commissioned to paint only 12 figures, the Apostles. He turned down the commission because he saw himself as a sculptor, not a painter. The Pope offered to allow Michelangelo to paint biblical scenes of his own choice as a compromise. After the work was finished, there were more than 300. His figures showed the creation, Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, and the Great Flood.


The Vatican Museum as a whole was overwhelming. It was a LOT to take in. I easily could have just sat in the Sistine Chapel for the day and felt overwhelmed. I wish we could have paid for the audio tour. I think it would have drastically increased my appreciation for the things I was looking at. Very little is labeled in both Saint Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museum. I rarely knew what I was looking at, and even if I know what it was, I didn't realize its powerful history. Lesson learned. I hope to someday return, perhaps with more knowledge before I go in.

After being star struck by the greatness of the Vatican we had ourselves some lunch and took the metro over to the Colosseum. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting. After Pompeii it sort of lacked the magnificent history I thought it would behold. More details of the actual structure are located in the captions of the pictures.

After we left the Coloseeum we headed home just before it started raining. Typically rain would be a major bummer, but it was actually amazing. After we ate dinner we took the metro to the Spanish Steps. They were perfectly covered is water, making them reflect the light of the night. It was perfect for picture taking. This is where our 'Night Walk' began.

After the Spanish Steps we headed to the worlds fanciest McDonalds. We got fries and chocolate shakes. I paid 20 Euro cents for ketchup! The place was so FANCY! Then we were off to the Trevi Fountain. It was so perfect and beautiful at night. I'm sorry I'm so repetitive. We took a bunch of pictures doing cheesy things, like throwing our coins into the fountains while we wished. I made 3 wishes. I wonder what I'd have wished for last June. Next quickly walked past the Pantheon which was hidden by scaffolding for construction. We picked up some lovely postcards on our way to the Piazza Navona. A man made us bracelets when we arrived. We made 3 wishes, and finally a promise about love. I think when you wish for the same thing twice in one night under such circumstances such as those, they are bound to come true. I will hold up my end of the deal if the Trevi Fountain and Jamaican folklore do too. After all the excitement at the Piazza we went back to the Pantheon to people watch and enjoyed a man playing guitar. I didn't take his picture because I didn't want to have to pay him. A couple sitting next to us suggested that we go over to a gelato shop around the corner which supposedly had the best gelato, ever. Well, it did. I had strawberry and honey. It literally tasted like I had just picked fresh strawberries and smothered them in honey. It was called "Il Gelato di San Crispino." Little did I know a few days later I would be starting "Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. It is quickly becoming my go to book. I can't seem to put it down. Well if you ever read it, head over to page 47, and there you find her trip to "Il Gelato di San Crispino". I about died when I realized that was the exact place I had been.
It is early September 2003. The weather is warm and lazy. By this, my fourth day in Rome, my shadow has still not darkened the doorway of a church or a museum, nor have i even looked at a guidebook. But I have been walking endlessly and aimlessly, and I did finally find a tiny lady place that a friendly bus driver informed me sells The Best Gelato in Rome. It's called "Il Gelato di San Crispino." I'm not sure, but I think this might traslate as "the ice cream of the crispy saint." I tried a combination of the honey and the hazelnut. I can back later that same day for grapefruit and the melon. Then, after dinner that night, I walked all the way back over there for one last time, just to sample a cup of the cinnamon-ginger.
I probably could have eaten it another 3 times as well.

Rome - Saturday


Sunday we checked out of our sweet little hostel and took the metro the the National Museum of Rome. It was a nice museum but at that point I had pretty much seen enough stuff.

Rome - Sunday


Before we got on the train I went to the bathroom. It cost me 80 Euro cents, and there was a MAN in it, cleaning. Gross.

That was our Roman weekend. It was wonderful. I wish we could have stayed forever. I could easily live in Rome. I loved it.

I would now like to take a moment to thank my parents a million times over for my camera. Without it I never would have gotten shots of the massive tapestries inside the Vatican Museum, or captured how magical any of our night walk was. It feel so wonderful to be able to just walk down the street and because of the speed of my lens I can just snap a photo, and another, and another, without even one of them being blurry, or missing a moment because it had to load. So Thank You Thank You Thank You!

I know Iowa is flooding again. I hope that everyone is safe, and that you don't lose anything important to you.

Ciao!

Still need to add some captions!

On The Regular

Alright, it seems that I have had a few requests to do daily posts. I originally was intending to do real posts, not just a travel blog. But then I changed my mind. But now I'm back to on the regular posts about all stuff; do, like, see, wear, listen, etc.

Today I want to introduce you to a band I have liked for the last year or so. Warpaint is an all female band from LA. Here are a few videos from YouTube.



Favorite.










Today was a super easy day. As I mentioned before there was a strike on base so we couldn't leave. Well turns out we could have, but I am so glad we didn't have too. We went to the CDC to help in 2 shifts. When Kristina and I got there she immediately sent us home. We went back around 3, worked for about an hour, and got sent home again. It was great. I also bought new makeup from e.l.f. today. When it arrives at my house in America my Mom will (so kindly) be sending it my way. Once I get it I plan to do a little review. e.l.f. is ridiculously cheap, and you can ALWAYS find discount codes.

Rome post is next!

Also my address is..

Hannah Peterson
Camp Adventure-Carney Park
PSC 808 Box 9
FPO AE 09618

Just like that. No Naples, No Italy. Or it will forever be floating around in strange far away lands because our exact location is top secret.. or something.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Thigh High By the 4th of July

This past week was sort of a whirlwind. I found out early in the week that a friend of mine took his life. It was so sudden, and unexpected. I suppose it often is when someone resorts to options such those. This is my sound off to Jade Jones, he was a great kid to spend detention with when you were an unruly junior highschooler. I asked the kids to sign "Lean on Me" by Kirk Franklin. It was a really awesome to think that maybe for just a moment Jade was listening.

So after a week like that I was very pleased to have a 3 day weekend!

Saturday a group of us headed off to Mount Vesuvius. It came as a shock to me when I first arrived in Naples that the air polution is horrible. Most days it's so bad you can hardly see the volcano. Saturday was one of those days. But we decided it was still worth it. We took the train to Pompei and then hopped on a bus to head up the volcano. We thought it was a bus that only took you 1/2 the way. We were all in for hiking that day, but I guess that wasn't an option. The bus we got on took us to the almost top. You then pay more money to go up to look inside the crater. Although expensive it was worth it to say I've hiked Mount Vesuvius and seen the inside of a volcano. We headed back down in hopes of hiking one of the 9 trails surrounding the volcano. Following these trails leads you to various places, but what we most wanted to see was the path of the lava flow from the eruption of 1944. No such luck. All the trails were closed because to prepare for evacuation. In case you didn't know Mount Vesuvius is due to irrupt any day. Thank goodness I live on a U.S. Naval base right by the airport. Civilians first, soldiers later. Phew. So with all the trails closed we found ourselves 'hiking' down the road that leads up the volcano. Kristina and I decide that this is no good. We want to SEE the lava flow. So in traditional do-as-we-please adventurous spirit, we hopped the guard rail and headed down into the valley. Well it was the most amazing thing I could have done while on a volcanic mountain. We got to the bottem and howled like wolves. It was as if God had made us a perfect path down to where we could see everything and feel like total champions. It was the highlight of my weekend, until Monday at least. More on that later.

After we arrived back in Naples Kristina, one of my two new found friends from Oregon, and I headed out for a night on the town. One of the guys from our first meet random Navy guys experience, Chris, took us out. We went to a bunch of different places. I am so thankful that Kristina was also in the mood to enjoy some nightlife in Napoli. It was a night to remember! We first went to Il Pomodorino, The Little Tomato. I had the Ravioli Capresee. Paramsean filled raviolis, smothered in baby tomatoes and their delicious juice, with sprigs of basil. People who don't like tomatoes, like tomatoes in Italy. It was a meal fit for a queen! We plan to take a trip back there on Thursday night so Allie and Emily can have a taste as well. Then we headed over to a hookah bar. On the way there we got spongy pastries covered in a rum glaze, called a Rum Baba, and a sort of coffee frappe. After the hookah bar we head to a few other hoppin' spots in downtown Naples. The night didn't end until morning!

Sunday Camp Adventure day to work at the 4th of July celebration at Carney Park. I face painted for 6 hours. I think I face painted as many Italian adults as I did American kids. Quite the experience. After we watched the most amazing fireworks show I have ever seen. I am confident that is where all our tax dollars have been going. I saw fireworks I have never seen before. And they were the most massive fireworks I've ever seen. After the show I had a flash from the past and watched the band Bowling For Soup play. It was pretty hilarious. Overall it was a really great 4th of July celebration. I wish I could have stayed a bit longer but oh well.

On Monday Allie, Kristina, Emily and I headed off to the Isle of Capri. As soon as we got there we went on the search for a fellow named Antonio who was rumored to deliver great boat tours around the Isle that included jumping off his boat into the Green Grotto. Well Antonio was no where to be found. So we went with a brochure we were given at the port in Naples. Turns out it's not a tour, it's a rent-a-boat. So I, and all of previous boating experiences, captained the ship. Okay, it was no ship, but it was a little scary to drive 3 other girls around an Isle you've never even seen from afar. Sharing the water with MASSIVE yachts and crazy Italians that have been sailing there whole lives is also a bit intimidating. But I must say, I think I did just fine for a first time boat chauffeur. We anchored our boat and jumped into the Green Grotto. It wasn't as amazing as Jamaica but it was beautiful and just as salty. After returning our boat we took a tram up to the top of the Isle. It was a pretty nice view but for some reason I just wasn't that impressed with it. The other girls really enjoyed it however, so if you're planning a trip don't let my not so crazy excitement ruin it for you.

Well that was our fun and crazy weekend. It was nice to just relax a little. This weekend we are off to Venice. We will be joined by a few other people, Lindsay, Scott, and Amanda, which should be super fun. We also have to move on Friday. Allie, Emily, and I are off to Carney Park with Scott to stay at the cabins. It is going to be a blast. Allie and I volunteered to stay for 2 weeks. Next Friday Kristina will be taking Emily's spot. I am so excited to do tons of sweet outdoor stuff (bikes, horseshoes, rock climbing, swimming, hiking to the top of the crater) and grill out as much as possible. It's going to be a like an extended camping trip. So excited.

Tomorrow there is a strike at our base. A bunch of Italians are going to be laid off so they are going on strike. This means that no one can leave or enter the base. So we are headed over to the CDC (baby central) to clean toys and organize cupboards. Hopefully we will get sent home superduper early. I will then post my Rome entry. I have an hurt toe so I had to go to the doctor today which made me miss a lot of my blogging time. We also starting planning our trip, also taking some time. Tomorrow, I PROMISE!

Thigh High By the 4th of July


Thanks for reading the long post!
Feel free to send me a letter. The one I have received was so very nice (thank you jordan!). Also if you want to send a care package I'm really missing real thick fluffy toilet paper....

And when the time is right, freeze dried corn on the cob. I like peaches and cream the bestest!

Hope everyone had a great 4th of July back in America, or wherever else you might be. Check back tomorrow for Rome!