"Sometimes you just have to stop and smell the Italian flowers."

I begin this post with an insightful comment by Jenna, who has often had to remind Irene and I that in order to live the true Italian lifestyle, one must "stop and smell the flowers once in a while." It has only been a week or so, and the dynamic of our threesome while traveling has surprised even me while touring the Duomo, Piazza Michelangelo, and Galileo Science Museum locally in Florence, and our recent hike of Cinque Terre, a rugged portion of the coast on the Italian Riviera. I almost forgot how much I laugh on a daily basis when the three of us are together, especially when I observe Irene trying to cut in front of slow-paced Italians, trying as fast as possible to get to our destination, while Jenna trails leisurely behind, "smelling the roses," so to speak. I surmise that I lie somewhere in the middle, trying desperately to shed my unobservant tendencies, take in everything around me, and keep up the morale of the group (especially when we encounter a huge hill we have to climb to get to the city of Corniglia...but more about that later.)

If I had to delineate my experience here in Italy thus far, I would have to enunciate that Irene, Jenna, and I are currently staying in a beautiful Florentine apartment with a terrace for sunbathing, stainless steel (fully equipped) kitchen, three huge bedrooms with air conditioning, with the walls all adorned in charming Italian paintings. Basically, la bella vita in every essence. The apartment is also central to the city of Florence, and we are closely situated to the train station and the grocery store. It's is pretty plush to have all of these things at your fingertips, something I did not have while studying abroad in Ireland. Also, unsurprisingly, my diet has changed significantly. I've been stuffing my face with delicious Italian pizza (almost daily), a variety of pastas, gelato, risotto, salami, parmesan cheese, bread, bread, bread, cabrese, and sandwiches, which I'm sure is having a negative impact on my figure. Also, it has happened, and it didn't take long... I have become a wino! You can buy a cheap, 4 euro, bottle of wine here and it tastes wonderful, as opposed to the States or Ireland, where you have to spend 10 euro to receive a quality bottle of vino.  We have wine every night with dinner, and by every night, I mean every night. You've got to love the Italian lifestyle!

Two days ago, Irene, Jenna, and I decided to hike Cinque Terre, better known as "The Five Lands" composed of five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. The coastline, the five villages, and the surrounding hillsides are all part of the Cinque Terre National Park and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This was our first taste of the Mediterranean Sea, and although it was a strenuous endeavor, it was absolutely beautiful and totally worth the labor. My favorite city in particular was Corniglia, in which we found our own little private cove where we could sunbath and swim in the clear/green water. This city is also famous for its pesto, which was invented in the Cinque Terre region. We all ordered a penne pesto dish that was delectable! I even picked up a jar to bring home, it was that good. I've attached some pictures, just so you can get the full effect of this region.

The current background picture of my blog. The water is so clear!!

The first town, Monterosso.

Our little cove.

The first, and easiest, part of our hike, called the "Love Walk."

On June 10th, the three of us head out on our epic, week-long trip around Italy. We're planning on spending two nights in Rome, head to Naples for a day, then take a ferry to Capri and spend two nights in a very nice hotel. I'm the most excited about this destination because it is supposed to be similar to the aesthetics of Greece and we splurged on a resort-type pad. After that, we will travel to the Amalfi Coast and stay with Jenna's boyfriend, Nick, who's family rents out a house right on the ocean. I've already seen pictures, and this place looks so nice. It even has a swimming pool and huge, luxurious rooms. Best of all, we get to stay there for free! We plan on taking a day trip from there to see Pompeii, and then we'll head back to Florence. Towards the end of the month, we also want to squeeze in day trips to Umbria, Pisa, Verona, and Venice, of course. Talk about a whirlwind adventure! I'll be sure to post pictures in a couple of weeks.