So Thursday was my last full day in Florence and one of the best days of my trip. I did a winery tour which included a stop at two wineries for a wine tasting and a castle in the middle of Tuscany. The first winery was definitely the better of the two. We sampled 5 different types of wine ranging from a light white to a 10 year old chanti reserve. We also did the tour of the winery and discussed the process and what grapes/regions produce which kinds. Maybe I'm just a wino, but I enjoyed every minute of it. After the first stop, we drove deeper into Tuscany to the castle. We just made about a 30 minute stop, but talk about some amazing views...fields and fields of vineyards. I know daddy would love this place! After the castle, we headed to the second winery and did a similar tasting. This winery also had chanti wines, but the flavors weren't as appealing to me as the first. And the lady doing the tour spoke broken English so it was hard to understand. The tour I did was with a small group of people, 7 of us total, and all of them were a lot of fun to spend the day with. We got back in to Florence and two of the girls (from australia) and I went to dinner. It was so nice to make friends along this trip, but especially with those who are your age, speak your language, and are on the same page as you!! We even talked about books and boys while we drank more wine and had ice cream, hilarious!
On Friday, I got up and caught my train to Rome. The hotel I stayed at was sooo nice compared to all my others so that was a welcome sight. First time I'd seen a bathtub since leaving America. Most of these places have very small showers...not good for shaving your legs which is probably why so many of the females don't. Anyways, after dropping my bag off, I set off to find the Colosseum.
Can I just say WOW!! I honesty don't know that I will ever forget the first time I laid eyes on it. It is also so hard to really describe it, but looking at this massive structure knowing its history and what took place and how much life it holds. No words. It is like you are just walking down a street no big deal and then all of a sudden you are sent back all those years and it is just massive columns, ruins, and history. I think the only other thing that has stuck with me like that is seeing Stonehenge back when I was a freshman in high school. After doing the tour, I headed over to Trevi fountain so I could throw my coin in to have the luck of ensuring my return to Rome. So many people there and it is hot and humid as hell in Rome so I headed for dinner after. I decided since it was only 6,I should have a leisurely dinner and after ordering my wine and receiving a bottle at my table, I was in for. I had my Pasta and chicken and slowly took care of the bottle of wine and two hours later I managed to get back safely to the room...to pass out. Aaah Rome, how I love you.
Saturday was filled with more of Rome as I headed to Vatican City. I toured the basilica and the Vatican museum because you can't go to Rome without seeing the Sistine chapel! I'm not gonna lie though, the art and feeling that was in that room was so intense, but I was a little let down. I pictured this immaculate ceiling so high and it was I guess, just too much buildup apparently. Also, they wouldn't let you take pics, but I managed to squeeze one anyways. :)
It took all day to see all that Vatican City had to offer so afterwards, I grabbed some dinner and headed back to the room to pack. Had to be picked up this morning at 4:30 am to catch my flight, but well worth it to be on my way home.
This trip has been a trip of a lifetime and I am blessed beyond words at what I've been able to see, the people I've met, and the memories I've made. I wish I could share more with you and I'll get more pics up soon. Returning to Fairbanks and real life feeling more centered and relaxed. Feel like I gained a sense of self back and ready to push forward into the future with a better understanding of a lot of things including myself.
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