Lists

I'm the type of person who makes lists of just about everything, it seems.

So I'm going to share some lists with you, about my time in Florence.

List #1: Things I learned in Florence

1. That you walk everywhere. My feet ached at the end of every day! I definitely need a pedicure, but it was so worth it. Seeing everything that I saw was incredible.

2. Some restaurants give you free, unlimited wine when you have a large group of people. I don't know if this was a good thing or a bad thing...haha.

3. There are a lot of salespeople walking around trying to sell roses, umbrellas, fake designer hangbags, etc. And gypsies. And they get all up in your face to try to get you to buy something to get money.

4. Some of the street salespeople are illegal. Some will have photo prints that they lay on the ground and are easily able to scoop all the prints up at once so they can run away. I saw at least three police chases because of this!

5. Nobody works out. Gyms apparently do not exist. Most Italians are not in shape, just skinny.

6. Lunch is the biggest meal of the day.

7. I learned how to pour, hold, and fill a wine glass.

8. I learned to enjoy the taste of wine.

9. I learned that seeing a downpour of rain outside a window means to wait at least five minutes before exiting the building, juuust in case it stops.

10. Gelato is better than ice cream. Even the smallest size comes with two flavors!

11. I learned to be aware, smart, yet not paranoid about my safety and possessions.

12. Sometimes, the people in passport control love to grill tourists with question after question.

13. It is very rare to find a soft cookie. They're all crunchy.

14. It is also rare to find wheat bread.

15. Stay hydrated to help beat the jet lag. And one or two hour naps soon after arriving is the worst idea ever. Take it from someone who has been there.

16. That some extraordinary buildings, like the Duomo in Florence, will blow your mind just as much as the first time seeing it to the fiftieth time seeing it.

17. The computer keyboards have keys for more symbols, different money currencies, and letters with accents.

18. David by Michaelangelo is enormous.

19. Mosquitos are everywhere summer nights...and love to bite.

20. Where a few of the secret bakeries are and when they're open. Nutella croissant...yum! :)

21. I learned that I made some of the best memories of my life, with some of the best people, in one of the best places in the world. I hope to remember these memories forever.

List #2: Places I went during those seven weeks

In Italy:

Rome

Florence

Siena

Sorrento

Pompei

Isola di Capri

Positano

Milan (only train station/airport)

Bolognia (only airport)

Pisa (only train station/airport)

In Ireland:

Cork

Limerick

Dublin

Frankfurt, Germany (airport...)

London, England

List #3: Places I want to go in the future

There are so many, I'll be happy if I even get to a few!

In Europe:

Venice, Verona, and Cinque Terre, Italy (didn't get a chance!)

Munich and Frankfurt, Germany

Paris, France

The French Riviera

Barcelona, Ibiza, Madrid, and Las Palmas, Spain

Brussels, Belgium

The Swiss Alps

Stockholm, Sweden

In Africa:

Egpyt

South Africa

In Asia:

Thailand

Hong Kong, China

In Latin & South America:

Panama

Costa Rica

Ecuador

Mexico

Machu Picchu

Well, I'll be dreaming for a while. My #3 list is LONG. My bank account definitely needs to have some more money in it before I think about doing any big trips in the future. But it's always okay to dream!

xo