Ciao for now!

We've been in Israel for three and a half months now, which naturally means it's time for us to take a hard-earned vacation from our vacation. While some of us are road tripping around the country, and others are going back to the US for the week, the smarter, more awesome portion of the group (Brian, Sarah, and myself) are venturing to Italy.

Back in the summer of 2006 (was it really that long ago?), I spent two months studying at the Palazzo Rucellai in Florence and living on the fabulous Villa Della Vigna Nuova, right off of the Piazza de la Republica. As an art history major with a concentration in the Italian Renaissance, to me, Florence is truly the greatest place on Earth. Everything that I studied and felt so passionate about was literally in my neighborhood. If I felt so inclined, I could take a ten minute walk and see Michelangelo's sculptures in the Medici Chapels of the Basilica di San Lorenzo, Donatello's St. George on the facade of Orsanmichele (my favorite church), Cellini's "Perseus with the Head of Medusa" in the Piazza della Signoria.

I always wondered when I'd get back to Italy, and now we leave tomorrow night. I couldn't be more excited. Seriously, I'm giddy. I can't wait to visit some of my favorite spots (Bar La Borsa!), even though my Italian is very rusty (and by rusty, I mean non-existent). I can't wait to feel the feeling that you get when you enter the Accademia, look down the hall and see Michelangelo's David in all his glory. It's so incredible; I get chills every time. I can't wait to indulge in some deliciously authentic Italian cuisine. I can't wait to go to the wine store down the street from where I used to live, where my roommates and I would pick cheap bottles based on how pretty the label was because, let's be honest, all of it was delicious regardless of how much it cost. I can't wait to watch the sunset over the Arno, or to cross the Ponte Vecchio, or to climb the Duomo. Mostly I can't wait to just wander the streets and see how much of the city I still recognize.

Not to go unmentioned, we're also doing a 3 day stint in Rome, where we'll be spending a day touring the Vatican museum, the Sistine Chapel (life changing), and St. Peter's Basilica (the original Pieta!).  We're also visiting the Forum, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and lots of gelato stands.

Tomorrow will be spent packing and making last minute arrangements, so in case I don't have time to blog, ciao for now! I'll report back in a week!