Germania!

I flew out of Frankfurt on my way home so I thought I would take a little side trip to visit my uncle and his family and do a little sightseeing on the way.  It snowed in Florence on the day I left (which is very unusual) so my train was a couple hours delayed but I finally made it to Stuttgart the next morning for Jenni to pick me up.  It was FREEZING!!!  I can never complain about the weather here in Florence again!
  After breakfast and a stop at their very happily nestled house, Jenni and the kids took me to a castle somewhat nearby: Burg Hohenzollern.  The kids started by playing in the snow.

After a pretty good little hike, we started getting glimpses of the castle.  The snow on the trees looks more like blossoms than ice.  The views of the country were amazing and the castle grounds were beautiful and covered with ice and snow.

 

I swear if you look really closely you can see the snow sparkling..

 We walked around the castle briefly before deciding that we were all pretty much frozen solid so we opted for the shuttle back down the hill and the warm car.  It was 4 F outside, probably the coldest weather I've ever been in (including Antarctica!!)

CHRISTMAS MARKET

The next day Stewart and Jenni took me to a Christmas market.  There were LOTS of people and lots of souvenirs, good food, great smells, medieval games, singing and stalls everywhere.  It was fun..and those Germans sure are tough - we only lasted an hour or so before our freezing hands and feet told us we had had enough.  It was fun to see though.

See the tight rope walking man?And the large pyramid at the market?

 
Although I don't think I'll ever visit Germany in the winter again, it was a great trip - very beautiful and clean and picturesque.

Luce di Natale

Okay - so I should be packing but somehow I can't seem to get motivated (plus it's cold and I don't want to get out from under my covers)..I made sugar cookies today and we're going Christmas caroling for Institute tonight but I still can't believe it's only a week away!

I took some pictures the other day of all the lights up around Florence.  They are beautiful!  Nothing like them in the US.. we really need to get some better city lights!  Of course, the lights on the houses are nothing like they are at home...so maybe if we could just combine the two...

The tree and carousel in Piazza della Republica

The Fleur de Lys is the emblem of Florence. The lights on the streets dowtown are awesome, especially the blanket of lights as a ceiling.

I love these ones!

Okay - so I'm going to pack now!  I'm excited to be going home, to see my family and to be warm for once!!

Giminy Cricket's Hometown

Tuscany is beautiful!  Saturday Meaghan and I went to San Gimignano (which didn't take me a month to figure out how to spell or say).  It is a beautiful walled, medieval town set on top of a hill with awesome views of the rolling Tuscan countryside and very distinct towers. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Gimignano]  Meaghan decided it must be where Giminy cricket is from (there are no J's in Italy) - and Pinocchio is also from Tuscany - so why not?  It was FREEZING like the rest of Tuscany has been for the past week. It even SNOWED in Florence last night, although sadly I missed it. (I am so not prepared for a winter of 30 degree weather) We had an awesome time enjoying the sites and the views from the tower, walking around the walls and eating gelato (somehow it's a requirement even when you are freezing) - and the Christmas lights, of course.  I wish I had time to go to more cities and see more lights - they are unique and beautiful in each city.  The best part was that there were almost no other tourists and we felt like we really were in an abandoned medieval city for a while...until all the Italians come out around 5 from their afternoon lunches and naps to wander the city and enjoy the lights.  Everything here has so much character - I love it!

The famous Medieval towers..I guess they had some mean neighbors in Firenze and Siena

  Sunsets never get old!

Immaculate Conception and Siena!!

It's been good here - busy teaching and enjoying the Christmas festivities.  Saturday and Sunday was district conference here (Saturday in Livorno and Sunday in Florence).  Elder Teixeira came and spoke, along with the mission and district presidency.  It was really awesome.  
December 8th is a festa day here in Italy..celebrating the the immaculate conception.  Basically it's just a day off work, and possibly a trip to mass.  I took the opportunity to visit my friend Christina in Siena..It was a gorgeous day, even though it's been cold and a little rainy, but the sun came out for the festa.  We enjoyed the day and saw the famous Piazza del Campo, the Duomo, Santa Caterina's Chapel, the Fortezza, etc.
Dec. 8th is also the day that ALL of the lights are turned on in the cities.  There are a ton in Florence and some great ones in Siena and I LOVE THEM!  So Beautiful!

Me and Christina with Siena 
in the background

 

Piazza del Campo

 

Tuscan sunsets are amazing..

 

 The Ice Skating Rink with an awesome slide.  It felt just like being in the US with the ice rink and cold weather, the hot chocolate, the piadinas and pizzas (well, maybe not so US there) and hot dogs and the American Christmas carols!

Only a week and a half and I'll be home!  I've got a lot to do before then: some shopping, hopefully a trip to San Gimignano, exploring Florence Christmas markets and walking around to see all the lights, some panettone eating, and a side trip to Germany..

Buon Natale!!

The Christmas lights are finally on in the city!!  They've been stringing them up for weeks but most finally came on the day after Thanksgiving (ironic, since that holiday does not exist here).  There are some Christmas decorations and nativities in the shop windows but I'm missing the constant Christmas music and houses lights. My roommates bought a tree and it is fabulous - finally Christmas and only three weeks away from a trip back to the US!!~

 

Our Christmas tree!  It's not live but it's still pretty - my roommate said if I want to smell a real tree than I can just go outside : )

Thanksgiving was just a normal working day here.  But one of my friends cooked us an awesome Thanksgiving dinner Friday night with some supplies her mom sent her from the states - chicken, homemade cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin bread and brownies - mmm..!  I can't believe it's already December!

And some pics from my daily walk to school..

The random Orhtodox church I found one day on my walk..

The fountain at the Fortezza da Basso

 This is the Scuola di Aziendali in Sorgnane where I teach my Business English class 3 times a week 

BELLA LUCCA!

Friday was a long day with some overly talkative students and a frustrating Italian lesson way too early in the morning (seriously - my brain is not meant to speak this language)..so I was determined to get out of Florence and see more of Tuscany..especially since the weather has been so beautiful and it's so AUTUMN here.  So Saturday Meaghan and I went to Lucca.  For once, the fact that the buses here are perpetually late ran in our favor, and we were treated to a beautiful drive throught the Tuscan countryside.  It was GORGEOUS!!  Amazing Fall colors and the quaintest little towns I have seen yet.  I think it might just beat Florence for beauty, especially this time of year, as Lucca is covered with trees.  It's an old medieval town with the original walls still surrounding the city.  You can bike or stroll on top of the walls, and every path is bordered by trees and parks and grass and a forest and playgrounds - all on top of 17th century stone.  We reveled in the beautiful weather and stunning scenery with the rest of the town for our passeggiata della mura (stroll along the wall).  
We also found a local culinary show, where we got to try some of the most amazing honey, olive oil, bread and jams made in Lucca - who knew that acacia honey is my favorite.  I also learned not to try anything from the meat stands because I always end up tasting things like lard on bread and having to spit it back out.  We had pizza for lunch and my favorite cannella gelato for dessert topped off a wonderful day!

 Autumn leaves and city walls

Beautiful architecture everywhere

I think every town should be required to have at least one carousel

I'm sorry - but I just can't get enough of Fall!!

 

Meaghan riding her bike - we rented some and rode on top of the wall for the 4 km loop - my bike skills are not what they used to be but it's also not such a good idea to try and take pictures while riding..but it just kept getting prettier around every turn..

 

 

Some pics of the city walls and the town inside and outside of the walls.

And a stunning sunset, or course..perfect end to a perfect day! 


Random things: I saw my first Christmas lights turned on at a cafe this week!  They're going up all over town and I am so excited to see them finally get lit one day.  Christmas decorations are going up all over.. I made myself a pretty good burrito with chili beans and pecorino cheese, the quesadillas were even better - but I can't wait until I get a taste of some real refried and black beans.  I saw my first movie since I've been here - New Moon (popular with all the young girls here as well) - it was a little overly dramatic but the scenery was great and I understood most of the Italian.

BELLA L'AUTUNNO!!!

Autumn is definitely here!  Although it is very quickly disappearing.  While I was running Saturday morning, I was amazed by all the fall colors in the parks by my house.  I even found the street that I want to live on - at least this time of year!  It was beautiful!!  I had to go back and take some pictures of Fall before it left us here.  It's been mostly raining and chilly but I think I can last until I get home to buy some warmer clothes..although I did buy some boots so everyone can stop asking me if my feet are cold.  Other than that, it's been mostly teaching and lesson planning and trying to learn some Italian so I can one day have a real conversation...I love my business english class that I teach at the business school.  I have 15 students that are 18-22 years old.  They are a challenge to entertain for 2 hours but I think we find each other mutually entertaining for the most part.  Teaching English really is fun - as well as teaching math for the SAT and GMAT and such (which I am so glad I don't have to take).  It will be even better when I am better at it.  And I have my first private student - a professor here that wants to know English for a project.  He just quizzes me for an hour and tests my Italian skills, since he speaks almost zero English.  It should be interesting to see where we hit the point at which I can no longer understand his questions..So things are good!  I would love to hear how all of you are doing!!


FALL PICTURES FOR YOU!  Sorry there are so many but they are all my favorites!

 

These pictures are from the Stibbert Park by my house.  It is a beautiful strange little park even without the fall colors.  Lots of Egyptian artifacts everywhere for some reason.

What a perfect fall day to be sitting on a park bench.

 

 

A different park by my house - the Botanical Gardens

I think this one is my favorite!  Look at those colors!

 

My favorite street in Florence at the moment - this street was absolutely stunning with all the fall colors - and the point at which my perfect fall day turned into lots of rain and a wet walk back home..