Well, a lot has happened since we spoke last! Let's see...we left off after Siena! Wow, it's crazy that that feels ages ago. Well, every day I have been going through the regular routine of going to Italian class and having the rest of the day to wander! Let's see...last Friday my host-mom had a cooking class with two sisters from Canada and a cute Indian couple from Oklahoma that were celebrating their 1 year anniversary :) They were a fun group and I really enjoyed their cooking and their conversation! On Saturday, I met up with my new group of friends to go down to a vintage sale in the park. Apparently, this happens every weekend. It was exciting and new to see all this OLD stuff that is so different than antiques in the US.
After we fully explored the extent of this park, we took the bus up to Fiesole, which is a medieval town that overlooks Florence. When we got there, we went straight to the Roman Theatre that has been there for over 2500 years. It was a beautiful amphitheater with ruins all around. We got to explore the Lombard ruins very close by and visit the archeological museum that displayed everything found in these ruins. Including the body of a Lombard dating from the 600's! I have to admit, through all this exploring I kept thinking how much my very good friend Marian would love this :) How I miss everyone back home! Afterward, we went to another museum close by and got a tour from a drunk tour-guide - I have to admit, we were doubled over laughing once we left! Then we climbed all the way to the very top of Fiesole to the most fantastic view yet of Florence. It was something else (shown in the picture above)! We watched a storm roll in from off the mountains and hit the valley. It was the most beautiful thing to see the sun on one far side of the city, and rain pouring down on the other. For dinner we went to an expensive Indian restaurant that was very good!
In the meantime, I have been planning my fall break trip :) I am going to Great Britain, spending most of my time in Scotland! I am very excited about this since my heritage is mostly Scottish. I plan to spend a little time in England seeing Stonehenge and London, then up to Scotland to see Edinburgh, Stirling Castle, Aberdeen, Inverness, Loch Ness, Eilean Donan Castle, the Cairngorms National Park, and Wales! I have purchased my plane ticket (which was very inexpensive!) and my train pass that will carry me everywhere I need to go in this 10 day period! I cannot believe all the opportunities that this program has given me.
As for times with God, they have only been getting better. I went on a walk by myself the other day. I walked about a mile up to the very top of the hill/mountain right near my house. There I found a 50 foot tall wall that I could sit on and enjoy the view of the city and the olive orchards below. Yes, olive orchards. I took my bible with me and had a wonderful 2 hours with God. I went there again today and have come home with such a feeling of peace and understanding that I know I will be going there whenever I have the chance to. Matthew 9:22 "Take heart, daughter, your faith has healed you." And He truly is healing me in ways and in places that I didn't even know needed healing. Our God is truly an awesome God! Until next time, family and friends! I love you all dearly!
Oh! And this is Matilde - my host-doggy :)
Sounds like you're having a fantastic time there! I have to ask...was the title of your post a direct reference to the Eric Whitacre piece? or just to the poem of the same name (which obviously came before the Eric Whitacre piece)?
ReplyDeleteI love it! Perfecto!
ReplyDeleteI love this, Dolly! Sometime we'll have to talk about the healing. I love that verse! I'm SO GLAD you're having this experience - and your own adventure traveling to Scotland on your own (sitting on that mother in me so I don't freak out!).
ReplyDeleteLove, me