Ballin

Yesterday after class in the hallways I saw a guy in basketball shorts, shoes and a ball.  I have seen around before with a basketball but today I decided to go up to him and ask where he played.  We talked for a while and there is a gym a couple of blocks from campus and there is a group that goes around and shoots and plays pick up games.  So today from 10-12 I played pick up basketball and it was so fun!  The games got really competitive and there was only one other girl playing but I didn’t care.  I was able to put in some threes and played a little point and shooting guard.  The court was outdoor and a little run down.  I wish I could of played longer but I had to go to class all gross and sweaty but so worth it.  I am going to start playing every Tuesday and Thursday.  Interestingly enough I found out that Italy is actually one of main basketball nations of Europe, along with Spain, Greece, Russia, and France.  It has always had much less exposure than the national pastime of soccer. However, Italian basketball has always had its fans and is gaining in popularity, currently it is the number two spectator sport. In some Italian cities such as Bologna, basketball rivals soccer in devotion and even the prestigious NBA teams have started playing exhibition games against some of the top Italian teams.  They have been the best until recently the Spanish have claimed the division title.  I had a fun night with my roommates last night and I am lucky to have gotten so close to them.  Tomorrow I have a make-up day at school.  (I usually do not have class of Friday.)  I have a field trip with my econ class to some important place I am not really sure where but I will talk about it tomorrow.  At school during passing period there was a huge birthday celebration for the president and they had cake and champagne for everyone.  Oh the joys of private school.  So everyone came into my psychology class with cake and champagne and the teacher just carried on as normal.  I am loving the sun and enjoying it since I know as we approach mid October rain will soon be setting in.  I watched my very first episode of Glee yesterday to see what all of the fuss was about and I absolutely loved it!  It was so great and had so many symbolic messages and I really got a lot out of it.  I just picked up on the most recent episode and I will most definitely be tuning in next week.  I am hopefully going to try to stream the Giants live tonight.  Ciao!

The Pope and I are Neighbors

I left for class three hours early morning just to walk around Rome and everyday the city continues to amaze me.  It is absolutely huge!  As I walk down my street I saw huge lines and crowds in Saint Peters Square so I decided to see what all of the hustle and bustle was about.  I went through security and as I entered on the square I saw the Pope on the huge big screen!  He was giving mass up at the front of the square.  There was a huge area reserved for people that were sitting and watching the mass and then there was hundreds of people standing behind.  The alter was raised so I was able to see him from afar.  He was sitting in his chair and was just a small white dot but his face was blown up on the big screens around the basilica when he would talk.  I kept walking through the basilica and we stopped in front of the swiss guards.  They have the craziest outfits on and will not budge.  Although I was able to get one of them to wink at me haha.  I remember learning about the Swiss guards in school.  Not many people realize the rich history behind the vibrant and highly skilled Swiss Guards that protect the Vatican City in their bright costumes. The Guards are renowned for their loyalty and therefore make perfect guardians to the current Pope Benedict XVI. The role of the Vatican Swiss Guards is to provide protection for the Pope. Highly trained soldiers from Switzerland provide this service, guarding entrances to his Papal home in addition. Swiss Guards must also be Catholic and are highly devoted servicemen trained in skills such as un-armed combat.  The Swiss Guards make the visit to the Vatican that bit more special, but although they make look harmless and ceremonial, they are incredibly well trained.  After the walk through the Vatican I discovered streets and streets of touristy stores that I did not even know existed.  It reminded me of the Spanish steps as the street were filled and filled with people hustle and bustling going in and out of the stores.  The sun was out and it felt good to feel the heat against my skin.  I passed by the castle of saint angelo and I hope to tour it either tomorrow or the next day.  I got back to school about an hour early and went up to the rooftop terrace of the school and read my philosophy books.  For dinner tonight my roommates and I plan to make a meal that we have recently had in one of our cooking classes called penne with mushrooms and prosciutto.  Here is the recipe we are following.  Ciao!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
Salt
Black pepper
1/2 tsp freshly milled black pepper
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup thinly sliced scallions
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, diced
1 lb thinly sliced, trimmed mushrooms
1 lb penne pasta
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
2 tbsp minced parsley leaves
Preparation:
1 – In a 1 1/2 quart saucepan, melt 1 tbsp butter over low heat. When butter begins to froth, add the flour. Mix well with a wire whisk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until lightly golden. Add chicken broth, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and nutmeg. Turn heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Cover saucepan and set white sauce aside.
2 – In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat until haze forms, then add 2 tbsp butter. Add scallions and cook, stirring constantly, until barely tender, about 1 minute. Stir in prosciutto and cook, stirring, until softened but not brown, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, turn heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until mushrroms just begin to exude their juices, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Pour white sauce over mushroom mixture and blend well. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring, until mixture is well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
3 – Cook pasta in 6 quarts boiling water with 1 tbsp salt until al dente. Drain in a colander, transfer to a bowl containing 1 tbsp softened butter and toss quickly. Mix 3/4 of the sauce and Parmigiano cheese with pasta. Spoon remaining sauce over pasta and garnish with minced parsley. serve with additional freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.
Serves 4 to 6

Proud to be an AMERICAN (in my heart...not on my clothes)

Yesterday I just got settled in a did some errands.  I went to the grocery store and the fruit stand in the morning.  I bought the biggest green onions I have ever seen in my life.  My entire hand was needed to grip the base.  I also did my laundry for the first time and I was not very pleased.  Most of my whites turned out a little discolored and my since there is no such thing dryers my clothes did not dry very soft at all.  Also in order for them to dry I had to put them on a clothes line on the balcony.  In the morning it did not look like it was going to rain so I left them out.  In the middle of class it started to down poor and I knew my new clean clothes were getting soaked!  At the grocery store I got ground beef and I made the best burger ever for dinner.  I had a toasted hamburger bun, tomatoes, onion, lettuce, ketchup, and mustard.    At the airport on Sunday,  I bought a new book called Second Chance by Jane Green.  I really like it so far and I am about 100 pages in.  I am enjoying her style of writing and hope to be able to read more tonight.  I always feel a little guilty reading it because it is so much more interesting than my econ book that also need to be read!

On a more serious note, recently there has been a terrorist attack in Paris by al-Qaida. The U.S. State Department alerts U.S. citizens to the potential for terrorist attacks in Europe.  Current information suggests that al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks.  European governments have taken action to guard against a terrorist attack and some have spoken publicly about the heightened threat conditions.  It has been strongly advised NOT to travel this weekend.  I was supposed to take a 3 hour train to Lake Como and go back backing this weekend but I my friends and I will be staying in Rome now.  There is so much to do here anyway that I have not done yet.  There are a couple of reminders that have been told over and over.  We are advised not to be in areas where large groups congregate, avoid crowded tourist spots frequented by Americans,  and avoid expressions of the USA, such as wearing a flag or college sweatshirt that immediately identifies you.  I have a UC San Diego sweatshirt that I brought her but at our orientation I was told to NEVER wear it so I have yet to wear it.  The most important thing is to be alert and  pay attention to those around you.   Do not involve yourself in protests or rallies and to leave public places if you see signs of trouble.  I also just registered with the US Embassy so every time I plan to go somewhere I just have to register where I am gong and they will send me any alerts or warnings.

I was assigned my first research paper in philosophy today that is due next week.  I am going to make another delicious burger for dinner.  I don’t mind the rain at all especially since it is a warm rain and I don’t even need to wear jeans.  I like the wetness on my face and my hair always get super curly once I get inside and it dries again. 

Mangia! Mangia! Mangia! AKA Eat! Eat! Eat! Sicily Trip

Day 1:

I arrived at the airport at noon and everything seemed to be going smoothly.  I thought it was cool the way I boarded the plane.  Once we handed our in our ticket we were escorted outside to a bus.  The bus then drove us around the building a little and into the middle of the runway.  We got off the bus and then walked outside up to the stairs to the plane.  I felt all presidential because I usually only see that in movies or when it is the president but apparently that is how all of the flight boarding’s are in Europe because there are so many flights going at once that they do not have enough gates.  We all boarded the plane and then an announcement in Italian came over the loudspeaker which I did not understand. Obvi.  But  I looked around and everyone seemed to be getting up.  A nice lady translated for me and told me that a truck had run into the plane door earlier and that the tech guy did not think it was suitable for take off.  So back down the cool stairs of the plane into the bus and back into the terminal for another 2 hours.  At least we were told two hours therefore my two good friends who are the trip with my Carly and Brittney and I went to go walk around.  We arrived back to the gate 30 minutes early and the entire gate was empty and the bus we driving away to get on the next flight!  Someone chased him down and we barley made the flight! 

Sicily has an extremely long history of war and has many sites and monuments dedicated to the long continuous battle between the Romans and the Greeks.  I do not have time to right out all of the history but in short this is what is what happened.  A quote that people use to describe the history it  “They came, they saw, they conquered.”  This quote applies to the Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Angevins, Hapsburgs, Bourbons.  Yes, all of them. When the Greeks saw the island of Sicily, they fell in love, sent their fleets, and set up colonies.  The Romans saw what the Greeks had, fought them for it, and became the new conquerors.  The Arabs saw what the Romans had, fought them for it, and put the island under their dominion.  From he north came the Normans, the Angevins, Hapsburgs and Bourbons, and when they saw Sicily, they too, went to war, and conquered.  With all of the war the island of Sicily to this day still has many influences from other cultures and is rich in culture.  Its location is ideal for trading because it is so close to Africa.

We arrived in Cantina, Sicily and met up with about 20 people from Florence and 2 people from SAI Milan.  We all got into a bus and went to another part of the Island called Siracusa.  We did not actually stay in Siracusa but on an island off Sircausa called   Ortigia.  So basically it was an island off an island that we accessed by a bridge.  We arrived at our hotel called Hotel Posta which was located right downtown so it made it easy to get around the city.  We then went to dinner at a restaurant called Osteria Bacco.  The food I had this weekend was the best food that I have ever had in my life.  I don’t even have the words to describe how delicious all of the food was.  Because of all of the time Sicily was conquered there are many different influences in the food which causes a great variety.  The use of apricots, sugar, citrus, sweet melons rice, rasins, nutmeg, clove, pepper, pine nuts, cinnamon (along with fried preparations) is a sign of Arab influences from the Arab domination of Sicily in the 10th and 11th centuries.  Normans and Hohenstaufen influences are also found, such as in the fondness for meat dishes, such as Bruscialoni. Later, the Spanish introduced numerous items from the New World, including cocoa, maize, turkey, and tomatoes and other produce. In Catania, on the east coast, initially settled by Greek colonists, fish, olives, broad beans, and fresh vegetables are preferred instead. Much of the island's cuisine encourages the use of fresh vegetables such as eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes, and fish such as tuna, sea bream, sea bass, cuttlefish, and swordfish. In Trapani in the extreme western corner of the island, North African influences are clear in the use of couscous.  The dinner was huge!  I wish I could de scribe it in more detail what I ate but I hardly have words for it and most of the time I did not know what I was eating.  All I know is it was incredible and everything tasted so fresh.  The chef was so proud of his food and dish after dish kept coming out and when you were full the waiters kept just saying Mangia Mangia Mangia!  It is rude not to finish the dish in Italy. 

After dinner we strolled around the main piazza.  The city was mellow and quite and all of the buildings are gorgeous.  The island is extremely small so from almost everyone you were able to look out into the harbor.  It was the most romantic place ever.  There were couple everywhere and I saw 3 different weddings just in that night!  The entire town knew each other and everyone was just happy.  The Piazzo del Duomo is the central point of the city, and features the Syracuse Cathedral (duomo), the most important monument  in Ortigia.  In Ortigia you can also see the oldest Doric temple to be found anywhere in Sicily at the Temple of Apollo.  Other highlights include the impressive baroque architecture of the Palazzo Beneventano del Bosco across the square from the cathedral); the Basilica of Santa Lucia; the 13th century Maniace Castle; the Lacrime Church, the Spring of Arethusa and the catacombs of San Giovanni. You can also see the tomb which is thought to be that of Archimedes, the great physicist and mathematician who called Syracuse his home, and lived and died in Ortigia.  My friend Brittney has a friend studying abroad in Ortigia named Charles.  So we went over to his apartment in this cute little part of town and he showed us around a little.  Brittney, Carley, and I went out to a Jazz bar with Charles and about 8 of his friends.  It was really cool and there was live jazz music playing. 

The next morning we had a delicious breakfast at the Hotel and were taken the Ortiga Market which reminded me like the farmers market but like times ten!  The fresh vegetable stalls are piled high with white and purple cauliflower, broccoli, plum tomatoes still attached to vines, fluted heirloom tomatoes, zucchini, fennel, potatoes, carrots, onions and eggplant all carefully arranged to form a patchwork of colors.  There are leafy greens that I can’t identify near the familiar bunches of parsley, mint and basil. The fruit stalls are filled with citrus – blood oranges, mandarins, ordinary lemons and two-fisted, lumpy Sicilian lemons. Blood oranges are red oranges so the orange juice on island is red.  It is really good and is way more fruity and sweet than normal orange juice.  The fish section of the market is the most lively.  The loud calls of men selling fish and seafood fill the air with promises and banter that I don’t understand.  The metal tables are filled with squid, cuttlefish, three kinds of shrimp, cockles, mussels, sea urchin, octopus, fish filets, mustard-yellow dotted eels, small pink fish, and silver striped black striped fish. A large piece of fish ready to be sliced into steaks sat beside the up-ended head of the swordfish it came from.  The fish section was so smelly but they were the biggest fish I had ever seen and the guy would just take a huge knife and cut you off a piece.  There was also people selling snails for a specialty dish that they like to make.  At the end we stopped in a deli and had a wine and cheese tasting.  The tasting was really informational and I was able to really learn a lot.  I can’t write it all down now because it is so much information but I learned a lot!

After that we all got on a bus and went and went a place called Pantalica Ranch.  It was a ranch owned by two brothers and it was in the valley so it had incredible views and it was gorgeous.  I had another absolutely incredible meal.  I think this one was my favorite even though they were all good.  I was full after the first course it was so big but don’t worry I kept eating through the second course, third and dessert.  The meal lasted about 3 hours.  The first was a bunch of different breads, hams, cheeses, peppers.  The second was two different types of pasta a mushroom pasta with really really thick noodles and  a vegetable lasagna.  The third was beef with potatoes.  All of the food there was grown right there on the farm.  We then walked around the farm, played with the animals and I played some ping pong.  We also had the option of going horseback riding which I was so down for.  Although the horses weren’t exactly as well  trained as they are in the states and I did not have to sign any type of release form or anything they just had us go 7 at a time and hop on.  Our guide spoke zero English.  I quickly learned that horseback riding and skirts do not match but I was not going to let me get in the way of going.  Luckily, I have recently been horseback riding with my family in Hana so I felt comfortable on the horse unlike most of the people.  My horse was a black stallion named Sarah.  We went up into the valley and when ever we got vast land I would make my horse gallop which turned into a fast run.  It was so fun feeling the wind against the your face and moving that fast.  After that we left the ranch and walked around the city for awhile just exploring.  The island of Ortigia is extremely small I felt like I knew my groundings and knew my way around quickly.  The small quaint town was fun for the weekend but I also realized I loved the busyness and size of Rome.  We were then so exhausted by that point and still full from the dinner the night before, a good breakfast, and a huge lunch!  We found a rooftop terrace wine bar and just relaxed.  We watched the sunset and we were at one of the highest points in the city.  As we were sitting there another wedding couple came in with a photographer and came and sat down and had a drink.  Out in the harbor there was a cruise ship that was leaving and the water was peaceful.  We then had another dinner at a restaurant called Spizzoca.  The restaurant in particular specialized in fish.  Once again it was another four course meal with delicious appetizers, a pasta dish, and fish and then finishing with a canoli which is a Sicilian specialty.  The way they stack the dishes is a particular way.  They put a plate on the bottom, then a bowl on top of the plate, and then an appetizer plate that fits on top of the bowl.  So for every new course they simple just take the top layer off.

On Sunday morning I woke up a 7 am and no one was awake.  I decided to go down and get breakfast and then I went to 8:00 am mass at the cathedral which every calls the duomo.  The cathedral is beautiful inside with three different alters.  There a handful of tourists along with local people at the mass.  It was clear I was not very Italian as I tower over all Italian men and women by a good 4 or 5 inches.  There was also a group of nuns or sisters I am not really sure.  They were really passionate and I hope someday to find something that I can be that passionate about.  After mass I walked to the Marina and just sat and watched as fishermen getting there boats ready for the day and men were just hanging out and cleaning their boats.  The water was so clear I could see fish swimming at the bottom and the water was like glass.  I wanted to go out on a boat and go waterskiing and do a little damage to a the perfectly still water.  I headed back around ten when everyone was waking up and we all got on a bus to go to go to the Siracusa Archeological Park.  Sounds boring right?  It was actually really interesting.  It is actually the biggest tourist attraction in Siracusa.  This archaeological park centers on the city's Greek and Roman amphitheatres, both built before the turn of the last millennia to stage entertainments for the people. Today, the Greek amphitheatre is still used to stage performances of Greek classics.  It is cool because the amphitheatre is acoustically perfect.  When they have play in May and June a microphone is not needed because of the echoes.  I learned about more history of the Syracusa national park.  After that we hoped on the bus to get to the airport and my arrival home went smoothly and arrived back in Roma at about 9 at night.  That is my weekend trip!

Pizza Night, Weekend, and Shoutouts

Picture of Dar Poeta

            Two nights ago my roommate Marni’s parents were in town.  They are the second parents to visit and basically everyone in the program has parents that are coming to visit.  They took all of our roommates out for pizza.  Mother and Father it looks like you have an expectation to live up to.  My roommate Tara parents are getting in this weekend and my other roommate Maddy her parents are getting in the next week.  We went to a really good pizza place called Dar Poeta.  It is located in Trastevere and it is listed in the Rick Steves guide so it is really popular.  Luckily, we went early around 6:30 so we did not have trouble finding a table.  I still have not adopted the Italian late dinner routine.  I get way to hungry to wait until 8 or 9 at night.  On the menu they gave a brief description of the pizza.  Many people take credit for the origin of pizza.  At the Last Supper Jesus broke the bread, at that time it had to form focaccia.  The Romans prepare the “mense” kneading spelt flour with water and without yeast.  Than they cooked it on the red-hot stones.  With the conquest of Egypt, the Romans imported the yeast that was added to the dough of “mense” obtaining a product like present pizza.  The word pizza is derives from “pinsa,” which comes from the Latin verb pinsere, that mean to crush, break, and mince.  The pizza has its origin in Naples back in June 1889, when Raffeale Espositio owner of the pizza restaurant “Pietro il Pizzaido” cooked a pizza from Kind Umberto and Queen Margherita with colors of the Italian flag: green (basil), white (mozzarella cheese) and red (tomato).  In honor of the Queen he names it “pizza margherita.”  Needless to say the pizza was delicious we ordered five different kinds for the table along with salad and wine.  The pizzas were called Parmigiana (tomato, mozzarella, auberhines, parmesan cheese), Bascaiola (mozzarella, mushrooms, sausage), Patafoccia (mozzarella, potatoes, sausage, cheese cream), and the Bufala (tomato, pachino, raw bufaloa cheese, basil.)  Needless to say the meal was delicious and received my stamp of approval.  It was weird seeing green aka salad on my plate for an appetizer because I have not eaten salad since I have been here!  Although it is just never as satisfying without ranch dressing.  I love ranch dressing and which I could dip it in my pizza but that is a really American thing to do.  Yesterday I went to the Spanish steps with my friend Matty and she got a pair of black boots.  The newest fashion is over the knee boots.  I am not able to pull it off but some fashionistas look really cute in them.

             I have finally figured out the bus system here in Rome.  Driving and parking in Rome can be quite difficult. The best solution for getting around Rome, when you're not walking, is to use public transportation. The bus lines cover the entire city.  The metro can be useful if you're staying near a station. The 2 lines don't cover much of the city but it can be a very fast way of getting around if you happen to be going near a station. The metro also connects with some of the train stations and the Cotral buses that go out of town.  As in any big city, there are pickpockets working the buses and metro in Rome. Some buses are notorious, such as Bus 64 that goes from the main train station, Termini, to the Vatican.  Buses and the metro can be quite crowded making it easier for the thieves to work. If you're carrying a purse, keep your arm over it. A backpack should be placed on your chest or carried by hand, not on your shoulders. In general, you have to be aware of who is around you and try to keep a hand over your wallet or purse.

            I will be heading off to Sicily tomorrow and will leaving my apartment at 11:00 am.  We will be flying and landing in Siracusa and check into our hotel.  I have more exact details of landing time and where I will be staying but it is not good to post that type of information on the internet.  You never know who could be reading this!  Throughout the weekend I with be going to the Ortigia Market for a Tour and Tasting, Pantalica Valley, and the Siracusa Archeological Park.  I looked up the weather and it is supposed to partly cloudy and sunny which is a whole lot better than rain!  I don’t know too much information on Sicily right now except for what I have learned in my history class this quarter.  I do know that Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.  Through history Sicily is considered a crucial strategic location because its strategic location die in large part to its importance of Mediterranean trade routes.  The island was once its own nations known as the Kingdom of Sicily and then in 1860 when there was the Italian unification the kingdom was overtaken and became part of the region of Italy.  One last thing I know about Sicily is that it is sometimes referred to as “Gods Kitchen” and every region of Sicily has its own specialty.  One of the most well know cuisines from there is a dessert called a Canoli which is a fried pastry dough filled with yummyness.  I am sure I will know more about the culture when I get back.  The weather this week in Rome has been beautiful.  I am starting to see a decline in tourism as we head into October.  I have been asked several times in the past week for directions.  That means I am fitting in and look like a local right? Haha

             I also want to thank everyone for commenting my blog and it provides motivation to do the next one.  BOY DO I WISH MY BROTHERS TIM AND PITT WOULD COMMENT MORE.  HINT HINT COUGH COUGH.  Grandma and Grandpa I am excited that we are going to be neighbors.  Walnut Creek is a great city and Broadway plaza is such an ideal location.  Uncle Steve thanks for the updates.  I know the niners and notre dame is not doing to hott but how bout them Giants?  They just clinched the title.  Hopefully they do well against the Diamondback this week.  HUMMMM BABYY.  Two of my best friends here both go to Baylor.  I have been hearing YALL so much!  That is a dead Texas give away.  Mom and Dad I can’t wait for you to visit.  So remember that cooking class I took.  It turns out that the teacher is actually world famous and just teaches these classes for fun.  He has a 3 month reservation wait at his restaurant here in Rome but since I am a college student and went to his class I got us a reservation on November 1^st!

Love, Malia

Amafi Coast

            I woke up early and loaded the bus to Naples.  Basically everyone just slept on the way there and three hours later we all woke.  Our program leader gave us a brief debrief and told us to be careful in Naples because it is known as the dirty south.  It is not the most safe of areas so were told to watch our purses and stay together before boarding the ferry to Capri.  The ferry to Capri was a big boat and the inside remained me a little bit of like an airplane.  The ferry was not full so we were on our merry way.  When we arrived in Capri it was pouring rain.  The plan was to take a bus to the hotel but apparently when it starts to rain everyone decides just to take the day off work.  We were also supposed to take a boat tour around the island of Capri but we were unable to because it was canceled due to rough waters.  Consequently we were stranded since all of the bus drivers and all of the people that work there left work due to rain!  So we waited for about an hour and then finally we got a hold of a taxi service that was running to take us to our hotel.  The drive to the hotel was breath taking.  We had to go up a huge cliff and we sure did but a lot of faith in that driver because we were right on the edge!  It was def a little bit scary.  We arrived at the hotel called Villa Eva.  It was a really cool nice hotel.  In order to get to the room we hiked through what looked like a jungle.  It was tropical and decorated really cute.  There were these really cool flowers that looked like a flower but were green and made of leaves.  I will add a picture of one.  We were able to pick our roommates so I was in a four bed room.  After we dropped our stuff we went up to the main shops of Capri and had lunch.  We were given margarita pizza.  After lunch we walked to a lemonchello shop to have a tasting.  The island of Capri is known for their lemonchello.  Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur that originated in Southern Italy. Limoncello derives its flavor from the peels, rather than the juice of the lemon. The resulting flavor is sweet and lemony, without a trace of bitterness.  Limoncello gained popularity more than a century ago, when Vincenza Canale, who operated a hotel on the island of Capri, offered her guests a small glass of lemon liqueur as an after-dinner drink, or digestive. The fame of the lemony nectar soon spread among travelers and guests who visited Capri, including several writers who were instrumental in sharing their love for Limoncello with their readers. Vincenza Canale's original recipe has remained unaltered over the past century, and her descendants continue to produce the liqueur known throughout the world as Limoncello di Capri. Limoncello is very easy to make, requiring only four ingredients: lemons, vodka, sugar, and water.  After hearing all of the fun facts of lemonchello and seeing lemons all over town I was excited to try.  I took my first sip and it was the most disgusting, bitter drink ever!  I coughed and my eyes started watering and well at least I tried it right?  After that we walked through the city of Capri some more.  Capri is a place where you can buy everything and more from the various artisanal workshops and luxury boutiques. There were numerous wine shops, delicatessens and craft shops where you can buy typical souvenirs such as a bottle of white wine made from the island’s grapes and a bottled of prized extra virgin olive oil, the famous colorful and creative Capri sandals and the equally famous canvas and cord shoes.  A bunch of girls got customed made sandals.  I do not need another pear of sandals especially since it was raining I need rain boots!  It was pretty clear I was from California since I do not own a rain jacket or rain boots.  After walking around the delicate town a little more we went back to the hotel to meet back for dinner.  We had a great three course dinner.  The first course was bruschetta, fried calamari.  The second course was seafood pasta.  The third course was a steak.  On top of the steak was a tomato dressing.  It seems like they cant get enough tomato in this country!  Even on top of steak.  The dessert was lemon puff balls.  Basically all of desserts had a lemon zing because Capri is so famous for their lemons.  Dinner lasted 3 and half hours so by the time we got back to the hotel it was already midnight. 

The next morning we woke up and it was pouring!  The hotel had an included breakfast which consisted of croissants and cereal.  Capri was filled with cats everywhere.  I loved it!  There were two kittens that lived right next to our hotel room and they were adorable and we brought them in our hotel room for a little to protect them from the rain.  We were supposed to do the blue grotto and go to Postiano but the fairy to get to Postiano was cancelled due to rough waters.  However, the ferry to get to Sorrento was still open so we had a quick change of plans.  Sorrento was fun and we went and had a quick tour of the town and hiked up this hill and had breathtaking views.  They had a row of all designer stores.   In Sorrento we saw the basicalla of Saint Antionio.  In a crypt below is located Saint Antonino? s grave, a Saint known for its spiritual connection with the sea and its inhabitants.

 We had a delicious sit down lunch.  I ordered a calzone and it was the first time I had one.  The wind really started to pick up so our boat home was an hour late due to rough seas.  I would like to emphasize the word ROUGH.  So after spending the day in Sorrento everyone loaded the boat back expecting it to be like the way there.  The crew men were jokingly asking if anyone wanted a sick back and were have a great time joking around because they knew that we were no aware of just how rough the waters wee going to be in order to get back to Capri.  From the moment we took off the waves were huge!  We were all sitting inside and from the window you could see waves bigger than the boat.  I have never been in a boat that rocked so much and when broke through the waves we could hear the boat crashing against the water.  It felt like our boat would almost be horizontal at some points.  I LOVED IT.  It felt like we were on a giant jet ski.  However, some people did not have so much fun.  About 20 minutes later about 10-15 people were throwing up.  It was pretty gross but I just put my headphones on and enjoyed the ride.  When we got back no body was really hungry after such a ride so we just stopped at the grocery store on the way back to the hotel.  We got nutella, wafers, Pringles, cheetos, and some peaches for dinner to bring back.  We were all exhausted so ate our snacks had pillow talk for awhile and went to bed.  The next morning we woke up early.  I put on my hiking clothes because I was planning on hiking Mount Vesuvus in Pompeii.  Also it was not raining!  We ate breakfast at the hotel and got back on the ferry to get to Sorrento were we were going to bused to Pompeii.  On the bust ride there we were told that mount Vesuvius was closed due to strike so were going to be getting a tour of Pompeii instead.  Pompeii is the Home of the world's most famous volcanic disaster when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D., Pompeii is now a significant archeological site that provides an amazing glimpse into the daily life of an average Roman town over two thousand years ago.  Pompeii actually ended up being really cool and our tour guide gave us a lot of information on the ancient ruins.  Since the city was destroyed by a volcano we saw bodies covered in lava stuck to the ground pretty cool.  We also went to a really good pizzeria.  The hand made to pizza right in front of you and then put it into a brick oven.  After spending about 4 hours in Pompeii we started our journey home.  On the way home we stopped at a mozzarella cheese factory to taste and see how it was made.  We watched them make buffalo cheese milk.  It is a mozzarella cheese made from milk of the water buffalo rather than from cow’s milk.  Mozzarella cheese is a sliceable curd cheese originating in Italy. Traditional mozzarella is made from water buffalo (not North American buffalo or bison as many mistakenly think) milk, and its flavor is highly prized. Water buffalo milk is three times more expensive than cow's milk and is costly to ship.  Since these animals are herded in only a few countries, primarily Italy and Bulgaria, most mozzarella is now made from cow's milk. Water buffalo milk is very high in fat and not easily digestible in its raw form. As such, it is used exclusively for making mozzarella and not as a beverage. Mozzarella contains 40 to 45 percent fat, although there are now lower fat, skim versions available.

This cheese is not aged like most cheeses and is actually best when eaten within hours of its making. The process of making mozzarella is called pasta filata, which means the curds are heated in water or whey until they form strings (hence the term "string cheese") and become elastic in texture. The curds are stretched, kneaded until smooth, and then formed into round balls to make fresh mozzarella cheese. Surprisingly it is supposedly really easy to make.  Look it up!  After the tasting we all got on the bus and headed home.  I arrived back to Rome at 11 at night.  On Monday I spent the day studying, going to the grocery store and laundry.  I had a midterm today and it went well.  And that was my weekend excursion!

Running Shoes and Gym Shorts in the Fashion Capital of the World? I think YES

This morning I woke up early to skype friends from home and then got my day going quickly because I needed to get going to the school bookstore which is located near the Spanish steps and then to class my 2:15.  I ate a quick breakfast, put on my running shoes, and headed off to the Spanish steps.  The weather was gorgeous and the entire city was filled with people everywhere and tour busses in every direction all speaking a different language.  In order to get to the Spanish steps I walk down my street called Via Greggorio and then cut through Saint Peters square and walk down the river two bridges and then cross the street.  From there I make a couple of left and rights and then arrive at the Spanish steps also known as Piazza di Spagna.  There were people everywhere going in and out of all of the designer stores.  I quickly realized I was in the fashion capital of the world.  And well, I was wearing running shoes and gym shorts.  Typical.  After I got my books, which was a mistake I should of done that last because two of them were really heavy I window shopped a little and just walked around.  I walked to the top of the Spanish steps and went inside the Church of the Trinity.  I haven’t done too much research yet on the history of the Spanish steps but I would like to do more.  I am getting ready for my day tomorrow though because I need to be up at 5:30 am and I have a midterm on Tuesday that I need to begin studying for.

Pictures At the Top:  I decided to bring my camera along today so I just snapped a few shots on my walk.  The Prada store is just an example of all of the designer stores.  The next is a massive senate building that I passed. The next picture is just along the river that I thought was really pretty.  The last one at the top is a picture of the book store I had to go to.  It was called Angelo American Book store.

Pictures at the Bottom:  A picture of me on the Spanish Steps and  picture of me on my walk to school with the Vatican in the back round.