Milano Fashion Week

 

Milan's Duomo

This past Saturday I took a day trip with Florence for Fun to Milan for fashion week! It was about a 2 1/2 hour bus ride from Florence. About 60 kids from Florence went on the trip. My roommates Kelsey and Nissa went, along with Nissa's boyfriend, Josh. We had a tour guide lead us around the city. We first stopped at the gigantic duomo. We got to go inside of it and look around. It was gorgeous inside! It was full of stained glass and marble floors. Our tour guide said it was the 4th largest cathedral in the world!! After the duomo we went to the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, an elegant glass arcade thought to be the world's oldest shopping mall. It had stores like Gucci and Louis Vuitton in it. It also had a lot of nice restaurants in it. We got to see the end of a fashion show inside of the mall. It was sooo cool to be at a real fashion show in MILAN! The models were like 6 feet tall wearing 6 inch heels. Their outfits were really interesting and their hair was wrapped up in this turban looking things. So here is a video of what I caught at the end of the fashion show.

After we watched the end of the fashion show we went to a little cafe right next to the gigantic duomo for lunch. I packed my lunch so I just sat with my roommates while they ate and I had my PB&J sandwich. We went to La Scala after lunch. La Scala is one of the world's leading opera houses! It was neat to see. We also went to a museum in La Scala. There were really neat costumes that they wore. Then we walked through the Milan fashion district. Saw Versace, Anna Piu and Dolce & Gabbana. Went back to the mall and got to see the beginning of another fashion show! We got up close this time so I was able to see everything! It was so neat!! Then we headed out back to Florence. We stopped at a Gelato place on the outskirts of Milan. We got crepes with gelato on top! It was absolutely delicious!!! I got a Nutella crepe with strawberry gelato on top. So good! Overall a great time in Milan! 

Fashion Show in Galleria Vittorio

Costume from La Scala

Nutella crepe with gelato on top! 

For Grandpa & Aunt Nan

Ciao Grandpa & Aunt Nan! 

I'm dedicating this blog post to my Grandpa & Aunt Nan! Miss you guys & hope you are doing well! Wish you could be here exploring Florence with me. Feel free to come visit! 

It was a great day today in Florence! The sky was bright blue and the weather was nice. Here is a picture of me infront of the Santa Croce church near my apartment (Sign reads: "Ciao Grandpa & Aunt Nan!). Went shopping and ran errands with my roomies. Stopped to get a little treat at the bakery! It was very delicious!!

I am heading to Milan tomorrow for fashion week! I hope to maybe see some models or something cool. And then on Sunday I'm going to Venice for Carnevale! I can't wait to see all the masks and costumes. I hope to get a mask and wear it around and creep people out. 

This next week is midterms! My hardest midterm by far will be Italian. It is hard to memorize all the different verb forms. Then Spring Break starts on Thursday which is crazy! I am leaving around 6pm for London! I'm taking a train from Florence to Pisa, then a plane from Pisa to London then maybe the metro to the hostel?? I'm hoping I don't get lost! 

I'm staying in London for 6 nights then taking the train to Paris for 4 nights. I'm going with my roommate Chouree. It will be a lot of fun! We have complied a list of things we want to do on our trip. So here it is: 

Bakery treat! :)

LONDON:

1. London Eye

2. British Museum

3. Stonehenge/Bath/Windsor daytrip

4. Westminster Abbey

5. Harrods

6. Buckingham Palace

PARIS:

1. Eiffel Tower

2. Jardin des Tuileries

3. Louvre

4. Versailles

5. Arc de Triomphe

6. Notre Dame

7. Musee D'Orsay

Let me know if you have any suggestions!! 

Santa Croce Carnevale

It is Carnevale time here in Italy! Carnevale is an annual festival held in Venice, Italy. It starts two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Shrove Tuesday (Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday. Carnevale started as a time for celebration throughout the classes by wearing masks to hide any form of identity between social classes. During the 1970s, the Italian government decided to bring back the history and culture of Venice, and sought to use the traditional Carnevale as the centerpiece of their efforts. Today, approximately 30,000 people come to Venice each day for Carnivals!

Last week there were Carnevale Festivities in my square (Santa Croce). There were men and women dancing with flags and beating on drums. It was really cool to watch! Everyone is getting ready for Carnevale and celebrating with festivals. This festival in my video happened during the Chocolate Festival here in Florence. To learn more about Carnevale click here. I am heading to Venice this weekend for Carnevale. I can't wait to see all the different types of masks and costumes! Hope you like my video. I will try to post more blogs during the week than just one a week. I don't want my blog readers to be bored!  

R O M A

The Colosseum

This past weekend (just Saturday  & Sunday) I went to Rome with my school. There were about 25 students and a staff member from school, Monica, that went on the trip. We left early Saturday morning for Rome. We took a fast train to Rome. The train ride was about an hour and a half. We checked into our hotel which was literally across the street from the train station. The hotel was very nice! I roomed with Kelsey (my roommate) & Audrey.

DAY 1:

The School of Athens

The Pantheon

We met up with our tour guide & we took the metro to Vatican City! We went through the Vatican museum & Sistine Chapel! The frescos (murals) on the walls and ceiling were absolutely gorgeous and breathtaking. Each fresco on the wall told a story. The Sistine Chapel was a lot smaller than what I had pictured. There were guards all over the room telling people to be quiet and to stop taking pictures. Michelangelo's work was incredible! The last judgement fresco was really interesting. To see a virtual tour of the Sistine Chapel click here. After the chapel we walked to St. Peter's Square (the main square in Vatican City). We got to see St. Peter's Basilica and the long line of people waiting to get in. The line looked like it was 4 hours long!

After Vatican City we went to see the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. The Pantheon had a church service going on when we stopped by so we weren't able to get in. So we walked to Trevi Fountain and it was so neat to see in person! I had seen so many pictures of it before. It was soooo crowded around the fountain. Everyone was trying to get a picture of it. The fountain is tucked in between several buildings so there is not much room for tourists. After the fountain we went back to the hotel and got ready for dinner. Went to a family run restaurant for some pizza & gelato. It was very tastey. After dinner a few of my classmates & I walked to the Spanish Steps!

Trevi Fountain

DAY 2:

Spanish Steps

Woke up and had the best breakfast buffet ever in the hotel! There was everything from eggs & bacon to croissants & cappuccinos. I got a little bit of everything and took some for later! ;) We met up with our tour guide again and walked to San Pietro in Vincoli (Saint Peter in chains), a Roman Catholic titular church and minor basilica. It is also known as Basilica Eudoxiana, it was first rebuilt on older foundations in 432-440 to house the relic of the chains that bound Saint Peter when he was imprisoned in Jerusalem. Then we continued on our way to the Colosseum! Went in and the tour guide talked about the Colosseum and how it was used for gladiatorial contests. It was so cool to be in the Colosseum and think about all the history that has taken place in it.

Afterwards we walked through the Roman Forum. We looked at the ruins of ancient government buildings. Romans referred to this marketplace as the Forum Magnum or Forum. It was the center of Roman public life. Triumphal processions and elections, public speeches and gladiatorial matches took place here. After our wonderful tour of the Forum we had free time. A couple of my roomies and some other girls decided to go back to the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. We stopped by the City Hall of Rome on our way. We actually got to go inside of the Pantheon this time. It was beautiful! There is a giant hole in the top of the dome and some say rain can't get in, but I reserached it and rain has gotten in before. Walked back to Trevi Fountain for one last look then headed back to the hotel. Took the fast train back to Florence. The trip was too short! I want to go back and do some more exploring!

Climbing the Duomo

This past Friday I climbed all 463 steps to the top of the Duomo. The Duomo (Santa Maria del Fiore church) is one of the largest churches in Florence known for its distinctive Renaissance dome. Its name "Saint Mary of the Flower" refers to the lily, the symbol of Florence (Sacred Destinations). The church started being built in 1296 with Arnolfo di Cambio's design and was completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in shades of green and pink bordered by white and has a 19th century Gothic Revival facade by Emilio De Fabris. The cathedral complex, located in Piazza del Duomo, includes the Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile. The three buldings are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site covering the historic center of Florence. The basilica is one of Italy's largest churches, and until the modern era, the dome was the largest in the world! It remains the largest brick dome ever constructed. To learn more about he history of the dome click here. 

My roomies & I at the top of the Duomo

The inside of the dome

View of bell tower from top of dome

View of Santa Croce church from the Duomo

Museo Salvatore Ferragamo

The Ferragamo shoe store

This past Wednesday I went to the Salvatore  Ferragamo Museum with my History of 20th Century Fashion class. The Ferragamo Musesum is a private museum dedicated to the history of the Ferragamo company, the life of its founder Salvatore Ferragamo and his creations: footwear, a remarkable blend of research, esthetics and innovative crafting techniques. We had a tour guide take us around the museum and talk to us about Salvatore and his shoe company. The museum was very high tech and was fun to walk around. There were lots of hands on activities for us to try. I recommend going and seeing it for yourself! It was a lot of fun! 

   

Born at Bonito in the province of Irpinia in 1898, Salvatore Ferragamo had a calling that was evident from his early childhood: making shoes. In 1914, still in his teens, he moved to the united States and Hollywood where he opened a store selling custom-made shoes that soon became famous. 

  

Some of his shoes for sale (about 1,000€ each)

The most famous movie stars were his customers and Salvatore soon acquired the nicknames, "shoemaker to the stars" and "shoemaker of dreams." When he returened to Italy in 1927 he decided to settle in Florence, the city renowned for its art treasures and artisan tradition. He opened a workshop and store in Palazzo Spini Feroni that he purchased in 1938. The fame of his shoes, that were admired for their beauty, fine workmanship and comfortable fit, spread throughout Italy, Europe and beyond, making Palazzo Spini Feroni a destination for the international jet set and movie stars. 

    

Sources: Ferragamo, Museo Ferragamo

Love Legends

Locks that people have left near the Ponte Vecchio

Florence is #4 on the list for the most romantic cities in the world according to UCityGuides. The Renaissance ambiance of Florence gives it a romantic storybook atmosphere, especially for lovers and lovers of art. Legend has it that if you and your loved one attach a padlock to any surface of the famous bridge and then throw away the key into the Arno River below, your love will last forever. 

Millions of couples have come to the Ponte Vecchio for expressly this reason, to lock in their love and throw away the key for eternity. The practice of locking padlocks to the Ponte Vecchio was probably started by a locksmith who held shop at the foot of the bridge, in an effort to raise his revenue. The Ponte Vecchio has always been a bridge for merchants from the very beginning, with tables lining the bridge instead of the chic shops that many tourists enjoy today. 

These days, however, it is not advisable for tourists to come flocking to the famous bridge and become part of the famous legend. At some point, the overabundance of padlocks gave the bridge a gaudy appearance and the government had to resort to removing these excessive padlocks, and for a time continued to keep on removing them, as they kept multiplying at will. The padlocks have sadly contributed to some damages on the bridge, and while their removal has probably put a damper on many couples' love lives, you have to agree that the people of Florence should do their best to keep the city's harmonious beauty intact.

Today, there is a hefty penalty to all who are caught locking or attaching anything to the Ponte Vecchio. These days, lovers simply come to the famous bridge and simply touch the remaining padlocks that have not been removed. Luck has kept them there, locked to the bridge, perhaps some luck will rub off on the hopeful couple as well, and keep their love alive for eternity. 

Sources: Firenze Albergo, UCityGuides

My Apartment

Hope you enjoy this short video of my apartment! 

Italian Fashion

Me & my roomie trying to pull of Italian fashion!

The fashion in Florence is very different from the United States. Most of the women wear knee-high leather boots. They either wear jeans or black pants tucked into their boots. They wear long pea coats or long shiny ski jackets. Most of the women carry nice hand bags. The men wear jeans or dark pants usually with dress shoes. They also wear the shiny ski jackets. Lots of Florentines have little dogs they like to take on walks. They almost all own vespas! Most of them walk to work or ride their vespa to work. There are not many cars. Many people walk in the middle of the streets and then when a car comes they honk at you and then you know to get on the sidewalk. Sometimes they like to dress their little dogs up and put coats on them when it gets cold! The fashion in Florence is much more dressed up compared to the States. It is quite fun to dress up but sometimes I do miss just pulling on a sweatshirt :)

Siena, San Gimignano & Pisa

Siena's Duomo

This past Saturday I went to Siena and San Gimignano for the day with Accademia Italiana.  Siena was about an hour and a half bus ride from Florence. Siena, like other Tuscan hill towns, was first settled in the time of the Etruscans (900–400 BC) when it was inhabited by a tribe called the Saina. The Etruscans were an advanced people who changed the face of central Italy through their use of irrigation to reclaim previously unfarmable land, and their custom of building their settlements in well-defended hill-forts. Siena is built on 3 hills, like a great inverted "Y". The limits of the Roman town correspond with the earliest known walled city limits that occupied the western hill. Packed into Siena are the 17 "contrade" (parishes) whose animal symbols are frequently seen on carvings, plaques and car stickers. We met our tour guide who took us to: Siena Cathedral (Duomo), The Piazza Del Campo, St. Domenico's Basilica, The house of Santa Caterina, Santa Caterina's chapel, & Piazza Salimbeni. The Duomo was my favorite! I think it is the prettiest church I have seen so far while I have been in Europe.
    

San Gimignano

San Gimignano was about an hour from Siena. San Gimignano was much smaller than Siena and more peaceful. It was also an Etruscan village, the town was named after the bishop Modena, San Gimignano, who is said to have  saved the city from Attila the Hun. San Gimignano is a walled medieval town that rises on a hill dominating the Elsa Valley with its majestic towers. The construction of the towers dates back to the 11th and 13th centuries. The architecture of the city was influenced by Pisa, Siena and Florence. We hiked around the village and climbed up some steps on the side of a castle wall for a great view of San Gimignano and the Tuscan hillside. It was so pretty. We also got some pretty tasty gelato before we left! 
   

Pisa

On Sunday I took about an hour train ride from Florence to Pisa with two of my roomies. It was about a 20 min walk from the train station to the leaning tower. We got to see the leaning tower, the duomo & baptistry. Then we were going to go eat pizza at a pizzeria I found in one of my tourist books. We couldn't find it so we asked a lady and she helped us find it. We got there and it was CLOSED! I was so bummed. So we ended up finding another pizzeria to eat at that was delicious.

Fiera del Cioccolato Artigianale

The Fiera del Cioccolato Artigianale (The Artisan Chocolate Fair) started yesterday!! My roommates and I have been counting down the days until the fair. It is in the piazza right by our apartment! We went yesterday and there were so many neat things made out of chocolate. Chocolate roses, shoes, tools, hearts, turtles & truffels! I ended up getting a chocolate fruit kabob which was so delicious. I got a chocolate rice krispie treat to take home with me. We went back to the fair today. I got a giant chocolate brownie covered in hot fudge. It was so rich! We plan on going everyday or until we get sick of chocolate but that probably won't happen because I love chocolate :] Click here for more info about the Artisan Chocolate Fair. 

Me & my roommate with our chocolate fruit kabobs!

Swiss Alps

Me and some of my new friends from Gonzaga!

This past weekend I went to Interlaken, Switzerland.  I went with a travel group called Florence for Fun. They plan trips around Europe for study abroad kids. It was an eight hour bus ride to Interlaken from Florence. I stayed at a hostel called the Funny Farm. The hostel was really nice. I went skiing on the first day. I ended up skiing by myself since the other kids were going skydiving/paragliding. I ended up meeting some kids from Gonzaga University at the ski shop so I hung out with them. I had to take an hour train ride up the mountain to Kleine Scheidegg-Männlichen in the Jungfrau region of the Alps.

It was a gorgeous train ride up to the top. I started off skiing on the easy slopes with a couple of the girls from Gonzaga.  I survived the first slope fine. Then we took the ski lift back up to the top. I get to the top and realize that the only slopes up there are intermediate! I look over the edge and it is like a straight drop off down. I started freaking out! So I start going down the slope really slowly. Then all of the sudden I gain a lot of speed and can't control myself. I was going so fast I knew I was gonna wipe out and sure enough I did! I started rolling down the mountain with my skis and all. It was scary! I finally stopped and caught some breath. I still had a long way down the mountain. I took my skis off and started walking down. Then there was a point when it was too steep to walk so I decided to slide down on my butt. I was sliding out of control and thought I was gonna wipe out again. I stopped and then I decided to put my skis back on and skied the rest of the way down. Finally made it without any broken bones or bruises! I made sure I was on easy slopes after that!

After I was done skiing I had to take the train back down to the hostel. I got on the train hoping it was the right one but I wasn't sure so I asked some people on the train. None of them were speaking English. I finally found a guy that said I was on the right train. He said I had to swith trains in Lauterbrunnen. So I switched trains fine and got off in Interlaken. I go to find the ski shop to return my skis and there was no ski shop anywhere. So I called my tour guide and asked her where the shop was. Turns out I was in the wrong town. Our hostel was in Wilderswil. Luckily the train was still in the station and hadn't left yet. I ran to get back on it and finally made it back to the ski shop.

What an adventurous day!