Arezzo, Frozen Pipes, Laundry & Firenze Round 2!

Since last post a lot has happened within the cold walls of the Santa Charia study center and the town of Castiglion Fiorentino- last Friday we were suppose to go to the town market held every first Friday of the month, but due to the excessive snow and low temperatures (17 degrees with the windchill) it was cancelled. As well as this, the antique market that was suppose to take place in Arezzo, the next town over from us, was cancelled Saturday morning. So most of the day Saturday was spent sleeping, as well as taking a leisurely train ride to Arezzo and wandering around.

Town square in Arezzo...still under snow!

The first thing you have to understand about Italian culture is siesta, which you probably all think is a wonderfully thing, but poses challenges when you are a tired college student trying to visit other cities. Siesta takes place from 1-3/4 p.m. everyday. Basically everything within a town except for cafes will close up shop so they can take a nap. But, as tired college students, we did not think this through, of course. So when we decided to take the 11am train to Arezzo (only a 15 minute ride) and sit down to get some lunch (best pizza I've had so far!) and then leave the restaurant around 2...well...we kind of just had to walk around in the snow for a few hours, ha ha.

Best pizza- olives, artichoke, hot salami & prosciutto!

By the time we got back from Arezzo, it was time for our own nap just before dinner...where we then found out that the pipes in the center had frozen, as well as in in the reserve water tank, and we were to be without water for...oh, I don't know...at least 12 hours...no showers, toilets, sinks or drinking water...oh and did I mention it felt like 17 degrees outside, so the walk to a functioning restroom would not be pleasant. 

Luckily the water was on around 11 the next morning, but I was very concerned (and thirsty) for the 15 hour stretch. Later that afternoon my 2 roommates and I decided to do good ole' fashioned laundry on our triple layer clothesline in our room...it was an experience, considering doing laundry in a machine had been a challenge to learn 3 years ago, and sometimes I still call my mom. 

Laundry day!

Sunday night one of the local bars, the Velvet Underground hosted a super bowl watching party for us from midnight to 4 am, but I crashed out after about the first quarter- sorry America!

Monday was spent all day in studio (those are usually pretty uneventful days) but Tuesday we had and architecture history class and then I had my first stone carving class of the semester! The guy that teaches is named Alberto Bruni (you can look him up)...he speaks 0 English but is really talented. He's only been carving for about 20 years, but he has carved multiple bicycle/tricycles out of a single piece of stone. Since I am the only girl out of the 5 of us in the class, he said in April I get to ride the tricycle! So excited! He also hold a Guinness Book of World Records title for carving the longest chain out of single piece of stone 

THE tricycle!

Yesterday we took our second class field trip to Firenze and we went by the Baptistry of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (with the Duomo) and the Museo di Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore. We were not able to go into the Baptistry, but we walked around and looked at all the different entrances and got to see 2 of the 3 doorways cast in bronze. Next we went on to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore which was beautiful, but is also the home of Brunelleschi's dome...pretty amazing feat that he was able to construct the dome and all the machines to help build it. We then went into the Museo del Opera which houses a lot of the original sculptures from the Cathedral. We had the rest of the afternoon to ourselves- we first went to find lunch on our own, and somehow, without even looking for it, yes...we ended up at the pizzeria that the cast from Jersey Shore worked out. Worst pizza I've had yet, but we had to the touristy American thing. We then went to the Italian markets, first the real ones (which were waaaay too pricey) and then to the cheaper ones...I got an authentic floppy European hat to keep my head warm, and a larger purse for field trip days (and now I can say "oh...this- I just bought it while I was in Florence").

Baptistry, Cathedral di Santa Maria del Fiore with the Duomo.

Bronze-cast doors to the Baptistry

The inside of Santa Maria del Fiore

The inside of the Duomo!

Pizzeria from the Jersey Shore.

Chloe, Clara & I in out European floppy hats!

We won't be back in Florence for another couple of weeks, but this weekend is my first "trip-on-my-own" with my friends Clara, Chloe, Katelyn & Alli. We are leaving for Pisa in the morning and then will spend Saturday in Lucca (apparently they have really good chocolate- yum!) I will have plenty of updates from that, as well as our field trip next week to Siena. Ciao!