The Vino

So I have been trying to keep my blogs somewhat entertaining so I don't bore you all to death. I know I have had some requests for the "Hot Italian Men" blog ( I also know each of you is probably thinking you're the only one who's asked me about the men but trust me-you're not!) and I promise it will come eventually but I just do not have enough photographic evidence at the moment. So I think I will have to save that one for a final compilation closer to the end of the semester...sorry to disappoint!
On the other hand, I do want to tell a little bit about last week because I feel like I kind of neglect my weeks in Rome when I take weekend trips and only talk about the weekends in my blog. And I need to tell you about this weekend also because it was pretty much the picturesque weekend of the title of my blog- "Vino e Vistas"
But last week despite the rain it was a pretty great week. On Tuesday, I was lucky enough to get a spot on a tour underneath St. Peter's Basilica in the Necropolis which basically means underground village. It was one of the coolest things I have done here and I wish I had pictures of it but unfortunately since everything down there is pretty much actually 2000 years old (not an exaggeration) we couldn't take pictures :( Anyways I got to see St. Peter's tomb and his actual bones which are underneath the Vatican! So like the tour guide told us at the end, that now gives new meaning to the catholic church being built on St. Peter, the rock of the church....like literally. I was back to school in time to go to class and later that day we decided we needed to go out. A local pub does karaoke on Tuesdays so my roommate Nicole and I went there and met a bunch of kids from school, because lets face it- life's too short to not sing karaoke on a Tuesday night. I never really realized why I was so exhausted all the time until I read what I just wrote and figured out it's probably because I do and see more things in a week in Rome than some months at home!
But the rest of the week followed this same kind of pattern, touring different parts of the city and hanging out with friends until Fridya came along which is where the Vino e Vistas comes in. I went to Florence and Tuscany for the weekend and it was absolutely beautiful. It's basically the most picturesque place in Italy that I have been so far. Tuscany was just as I imagined it. So on Friday we saw the leaning tower of Pisa....and yes it was leaning that's for sure. They told us we could pay to go to the top but I decided that it was looking a little too leaning for me so I stayed on the ground and enjoyed it just fine... I didn't want it to fall over while I was on my way up or anything.

Look at it leaning!

Anyways that's about all there is in Pisa. And they like it that way. But on Saturday we went to Florence which was amazing because of the San Lorenzo leather market. Basically I was in love. And I also got to see my friend Ali (from Maryland) who is studying in Florence and hang out with her. We climbed to the top of the Duomo, which is like 463 steps or something like that so that was interesting but I think the view was worth it.

We could see all of Florence and more.

But, the real highlight of the weekend was Sunday when we went wine tasting in the little Tuscan town of Trequanda. OH MY GOD IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. I almost feel bad showing pictures because they don't even do it justice.

But this was the view from the top of the winery. We took a tour of the whole place and then got to make fresh pasta! Then we did wine tasting. Now, since I have been in Italy I have learned to like my wine. But as far as tasting goes...I still taste red and white and bad and good and that's about it. I was really trying to become a wine expert but the tour guide said I just have to keep practicing until I get the hang of it so I guess that's what I'll do this summer. Needless to say the wine was better than great, probably the best I have had since I have been here.

In the old wine cellar

Our view from lunch.

 

It was just such a typical Italian day and I loved it. Despite this fairytale Tuscan weekend, Monday still rolled around and I had to go to class. I have midterms next week (I thought they didn't believe in these kind of things over here but I guess I was wrong) so I have actual and homework and studying to do which is why I had to keep this one simple.... just Vino e Vistas. Ciao!!