A world with the same cold*Barcaccio* and the Pitti Palace*

Ok so apparently there is a cold epidemic..are you aware? I have had this same stupid cold for a week! I don't feel that bad, but I have used about a walmart stock house full of toilet paper to blow my nose... Our group has had the crud ever since we have gotten here, and it is still making its way, paying a personal visit to everyone who has a nose and throat- awesome. haha enough of my moaning...next topic: our onsite class today!

we have been stuck in the villa every morning for class till today!! We started off (of course) in a cute little bar near our destination- The Brancacci Chapel. We were only allowed to stay inside for fifteen minutes, so our tour guide, the lovely Cindy, told us the important words about what our eyes were about to see as we scribbled in our moleskins. The Brancacci chapel was almost destroyed in a fire in 1771, and the only thing that remained is the left and right chapels in the trancepts of the church. This is why it is so precious to the Florentines. The chapels include frescoes done by very famous artists including Masaccio, Masolino, and Fillippino Lippi. The scene that you might be familiar with is the expulsion of Adam and Even from the garden. The picture is absolutley dreadful. Eve is in terrible pain and Adam is bending over in anguish- I am beginning to appreciate how these artists can make these still pictures show humanistic emotion- they are my favorite. There are also frescoes of the stories of St. Peter including his martyrdom on the upside down cross.
The next place we traveled was to the Santo Spirito. It is a beautiful church and it is the first time in ten years that the HUF group got to go inside!! So as you can imagine it was quite a treat! The gray stone columns, and arches designed by the AMAZING Brunelleschi of course took my breath away. I love his style!

then we moved on to the AWESOME PITTI PALACE!!!
it is unbelievable how much artwork, frames, paintings, tables, SATIN WALL PAPER!!!, and other apolstries is still here! from hundreds of years ago!! The Palace has several museums inside of it- costume, silver, sculpture, modern art, a buffet of wonders... isn't that so freaking cool!!! We went to the painting gallery and saw works from Rafael to Andrea del Sarto. There were hundreds of paintings, and all in these extravagent rooms with satin on the walls that were original from the days of the Hapsburg rule. That blew my mind. And they say that the fabrics are so delicate and beaufifully made that they cannot be copied...

The Boboli Gardens

Beautiful

go there asap

we ate lunch in the Boboli Gardens, and let me just say that once again i have found another favorite spot and WILL be going back ( i hope Brett takes me on a date there :) i threw a little hint today haha)

then we went back to the villa because we have tons of homework and tests tomorrow :) Phillipians 4:6

ciao

:) ti amo

a few broken bones, concusion, and an overall amazing trip... :)

SKIING!! number one- i love skiing
number two- i love snow
number three- i love lodges with hot chocolate and cappuccino
number four- the Italian Apennines mountains are LEGIT


We went skiing for three days in Abetone. It was a BEAUTIFUL bus ride!! I am telling you there is nothing ugly about Italy. You can see in my pictures (which look like paintings) that the countryside is breathtaking. I felt like I was in a fantasy world! It took about two hours to get there, and we were on the mountain by eleven. It was a little icy the first day, but it was still awesome. The sunshine was out, hardly any wind= perfect ski weather. I had a blast! We didn't get off the mountain till about 4:30. The next morning we all got up and had breakfast at 7:45 and hit the slopes by 8:30 haha. We were skiing till 4:30 again. It truly was a dream come true. Everyone had so much fun. I skied with Brett the second and third day, and he was great! Oh and the lodges are super nice! I had a pannini for lunch the second day and a cappuccino and pastry for a snack :) The last day Harding paid for our lunch. We picked out a pasta, meat, drink, and desert ( i got fruit mom :) ) One of the girls broke her tibia and fibula around three and she is going back to the states tomorrow. Probably the worst story in the world. My friend Rosie got a concussion. While we were there three people (Italians) died!! Oh and the Italians are all great skiers! But is was a pretty dangerous place if you didn't know what you were doing- alot of cliffs...


On another note

I have a NEPHEW!!! YAY!!! he is absolutely gorgeous and I wish I could be there to kiss him and hold him, but I will just have to wait...


Tonight we are going to an opera!! I am so excited!!

I have to go get ready now!!

A Domani

St. Valentino :) 14 Febbraio

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!! this morning we had classes boo.. but we were told to dress up, so we all knew something good was coming..so we were all not paying attention but awaiting the surprise to come...at lunch!!
Mona and the cooks put petals all over the ground of the dining room and decorated it with candles, chocolate, little hearts with sweet nothings, and we had champagne glasses (haha got ya...they just had red punch in them ) ! Spaghetti and meatballs was the first course (Lady and the Tramp style!) and we had our favorite bread, salad, cupcakes, chocolate covered strawberries, and fresh fruit of course! We had assigned seats and the boys were missing...

We started eating, and then they all came in, dressed up with roses in both hands. They all had a verse from the bible about love it was adorable! then they gave us our roses and an italian kiss...Brett had my rose of course :) and he gave me a kiss on each cheek and a cute one on the lips. then we all ate ...WAY too much ahah. after lunch we got our espresso like everyday...and then Brett and I played ping pong...I'm getting alot better, watch out forest gump..

tonight Brett is taking me to dinner at mom and dad's favorite Florentine restaurant :) I am super excited..it's our first Valentines..haha


:)

A domani

I wish it was brighter...itsn't it beautiful though!

The courtyard :)

Tessa and Kels in the courtyard of Sante Croce

This is where Michelangelo (my hero) is buried!!! use your x ray vision..

Sante Croce

Santa Croce and the Bargello

Today started off.. early, and I did not get enough sleep..haha no matter, I still had to be alert and ready to learn :) It is getting harder and harder to take notes in our moleskin. I just want to look at the art and study it and listen, not keep my head down so I can put my pen on the line..but I know I will thank Robbie later for making us do it.. Sante Croce is beautiful of course! There are tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machievelli, and Rusini and a commemorative tomb for Dante. It was freezing today by the way... side note... the best part of Sante Croce to me is the courtyard, it is absolutely beautiful. We were very rushed today so it is kind of a blur, I am trying to remember everything and it is super hard..The Bargello was an>awesome. It is the museum for sculptures and bronze statues.. it's like walking into a marble stone, haha. Donatello's David is there ( really weird and historians are starting to think it is not actually david...) and many others of his works..all supernatural and breath taking.. Michelangelo also has many things on display there. My favorite sculpture today was probably Donatellos Amore-it is a bronze little boy with wings, a tail, snakes at his feet, he is smiling, and they are not sure what he represents- that is the cool part- he has so many hidden meanings in the cute boy. He looks so real you could just pinch his cheeks and hear his little giggle. Donatello is known for his realistic work.. I really enjoy his art.

Lunch


ALL of us got to eat at a very nice restaurant. two types of pasta, two types of meat, salad, fried veggies, icecream with melted dark chocolate, and espresso :)

then Jonathan, Nicole, and I stayed in Florence and went to the San Lorenzo market to get sunglasses. I found some ridiculous yellow ones :)

now its time for homework...

:) ciao

San Gimignano! The only modern things = cars..

Inside my favorite church in Sienna. I call it Santa Zebra :)

The Duomo of Sienna

Looking out over San Gimagnano

starting off the day :)