Phew…I am back! I have actually been back from Italy since last Wednesday, the 24th, but unfortunately, I have not had Internet since now. Only the best at dear ol’ Franklin! So, here we go – the accounts of my very first Academic Travel: Northern Italy. (by the way, I took a day by day journal by hand, so for the most part, I will be bullet pointing the day’s events. if there is any really big/eventful/very interesting event, I will go into more depth. ENJOY!) (oh, and in addition, I will attach the links to my multitude of photos. seriously…I’m a Schober…lets just say I took a lot…over a thousand…no joke…). I will post a few days at a time...
Day 1: Lugano – Genova – Portofino – La Spezia
- Leave school kinda late
- Bus huge for group of 16 (seriously, a coach bus for this group…each person could have 4 seats…overkill? no…spacious and relaxing? oh yea)
- Stop at truck stop, buy delicious sandwich (seriously…quality!)
- Watch many episodes of Friends on bus TVs
- Arrive in Genova early afternoon – city on Mediterranean Sea, known for trade, ship building and Chris Columbus
- Ate crepe with Nutella (some embarrassing-esque picts, but I’ll own that)
- Explore with Claire and Amanda – see old school red light district (wow…very cultural and disturbing…and when I say old I don’t really mean historic, I mean the…ladies…weren’t too young…but I digress)
- Met for tour – very interesting
- For educational purposes: City was an oligarchic republic, controlled by the rich merchants. At one point, though, the money went away, and they were forced to auction prime real estate to the rich people in the countryside located on the main street in downtown.
- Bus ride to Portofino – quick 45 minute stop in city (after taking a city bus in – our monster bus wouldn’t fit) where Amanda and I hiked out to furthest point
- Home to Dolce and Gabana (did you know there were real? I mean, I knew they were real, but…nevermind)
- Bus to La Spezia – more Friends
- Hotel pretty nice (a 5 star compared to upcoming nights…wait and see!)
- Walk at 8:30 to group dinner – grotto-esque place, with lotsa food
- Courses – Penne e scampi (pasta with “shrimp”…crayfish…do not lie to me!), pork and potatoes…yummo, and for dessert split berries and crème as well as cake with Nutella, lemon, and marmalade
- Hotel had (faint) internet signal!!!
Day 1 Picts:
http://fc.facebook.com/album.php?aid=27199&l=36ef5&id=713110608
http://fc.facebook.com/album.php?aid=27203&l=1428e&id=713110608
http://fc.facebook.com/album.php?aid=27204&l=7e473&id=713110608
Day 2 – Cinque Terre – Modena
- Breakfast in hotel – good spread
- Nearly miss train waiting for someone (c’mon Alexander!)
- Train ride to Vernazza (4th of 5 cities of Cinque Terre) along with Japan (seriously…everyone was…no lie)
- Vernazza was picturesque (I worked at the Calendar Club…I would know)
- So many cats everywhere!
- “Leisurely stroll**” to third city (working our way backwards)
- From trail, indescribably views – both Mediterranean Sea and the rocky terrain
- While taking a break, creepy wearing a sweater and a speedo runs past…group scared and some soiled
- Poor professor who had foot surgery last summer had troubles, but kept going
- Some of us had to leave the big group and contiue trucking (all of the stopping made us get more tired…we were losing momentum)
- Along the path, an older woman faceplanted on the rocky trail…she was alright, but dang, that was intense
- Waited at Corniglia for a while, but when rest of the group caught up, we got lunch at the most ridiculous restaurant ever…lots of confusion between servers leading to wrong dishes being brought out, anger, and a long wait on food – at least the view was good
- Missed the train by minutes (not realizing that the station was directly down hill, only accessible by steep trail peppered with switchbacks), so had to wait for an hour for the next one
- Train back to La Spezia, then bus to Modena – watched Grey’s Anatomy this time around, and slept a lot
- Hotel in Modena kind of sketchy…circa 1973 (seriously, everyone’s room was “decorated” differently, including some very…vintage…shower curtains)
- Walked around city, where the group was split for dinner, so Amanda and I found cheap, delicious pizzeria
- Used the hotel’s computer to access my life (aka email and Facebook)
- Bed for an early start!!!
Day 2 Picts:
http://fc.facebook.com/album.php?aid=27206&l=a1b14&id=713110608
http://fc.facebook.com/album.php?aid=27236&l=e5767&id=713110608
** apparently in the Franklin College dictionary, "Leisurly Strool" = 2.5 hour hike on coastal, rocky terrain...who knew!
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2 comments:
Yay! You're back! I'm sorry I missed our Skype conference call!! I was originally scheduled to work 8:30-2, but then they called and wanted me to work 2-8:30.
:(
Hi! I liked your blog, I happened to find it while looking up some info on Franklin College in Switzerland and was wondering if you enjoyed it, or recommended it. I was interested in going all four years. Was the school a good one... I've heard a lot of mixed stuff. Well if you could tell me more about it I'd really appreciate it! thanks!
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