Under the Tuscan Sun

So, it has been a crazy last few days. My body is determined to work against me and doesn’t let me go more than two days without feeling like I’m going to pass out, but it’s hard to give up exploring and taking everything in to take a breather. When we first left Rome, we went to Siena, a quaint little town complete with cooking school which provided a delicious meal for us.

From Siena we went to Florence which I absolutely adored. Besides the fact that we had to walk what felt like 400 miles with our suitcases to and from our hotel (a trek complete with cobblestone sidewalks and numerous steps), this city was absolutely wonderful. It was pretty easy to get a hang of, and it was beautiful. Even if Florence was not to die for, the drive from Rome to Florence would be worth it. The region of Tuscany with its fields of sunflowers and Italian villas atop rolling hills is a place I could easily spend my summer each year (and maybe the fall, winter and spring as well.) On the bus ride, I watched Ice Age 3 with our director’s seven year-old daughter who, after watching a part with the dinosaurs, told me she wished her mom had a tail. Also in Italy, I climbed the Tower of Pisa

, went on a run in Florence and made it to Venice. Obviously we got lost there, because it is absolutely impossible not to, which was fun for the first half an hour but an hour later not so fun.

Venice was so unique though and definitely worth seeing, especially if you’re very good with maps. Yes, we did get to go on a gondola (we just had to, didn’t we?), and I just may have fallen in love. Unrequited, of course. This morning saw us out of Venice by 5:30 am and onto Switzerland! Crazy to think that we have less than a week left!