Oh Ravenna

Hello blog readers,
   Sorry its been a little while since Ive posted. Its been busy around here:) What was yesterday? Friday! Theres no class on Friday, and that is wonderful:) So we ran some errands and went to the big market for the first time. It was pretty fantastic, we tasted a bunch of different kinds of cheese and salami and balsamic vinegar. Yummy:)We bought some stuff for lunch and then came back and made it:) Then we went down the Arno and took some pictures, I got some good grafitti stuff, theyre all on facebook:) Then we went to the Uffizi, it still blows my mind to see original pieces. The Birth of Venus in person? Thats crazy. Its almost like this trip is a reward for all the years of studying and learning. Its so unreal to see the orginal pieces.
   So today we got up way too early, and got on a bus with a bunch of other students to go to Ravenna. The trip was insane, Helen, the art historian that took us is like a machine. The two real art historians that Ive ever are crazy. They are like walking encyclopedias. So naturally we ran around all of Ravenna today but thats ok, it was awesome to see everything, I probably wouldnt have gotten the chance to see all those places, especially because they each cost and the school covered that for us:) So I guess I should list off all the places we went, honestly the day is a kind of blur, we did so much running around. But I got some pictures before my camera died, ill put those up soon:)
   So our first stop was at a truck stop:) Its so funny because the city just seems dirtier than...well I guess Ive only been in Charlotte so maybe thats not a real city. But then the truck stop was so nice, it was so clean and fancy. And the truck stops that Ive been to in America are nasty. It just seems backwards:) But im not complaining, a huge bottle of water, a crossoint with chocolate in the middle, and a capaccino for 3.40? you cant beat that with a stick:) Then came the real stuff: Mausoleum of Theodoric, Church of S. Giovanni Evangelista, S Apollinare Nuovo, Baptistery of the Arians, then Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, and S. Vitale (my favorite, the mosaics were incredible, the amount of tedious work in one building is absolutely insane). Then we had a little lunch break, I had a delicious little sandwich which was more like a pita quesadilla, it was a big pita bread with cheese and red sauce and mushrooms in the middle, it was so tasty:) Then I had a little cafe (just one shot of espresso) The Italians like their coffee strong and fast. Next, the Orthodox or the Neonian Baptistery, Museo Arcivescovile, then the Tomb of Dante and the adjacent church of S. Francesco and lastly stopped at the "so-called Palace of Theodoric" before we got on the bus to the Classe, to see the Early Christian sarcophagi: Sant'Apollinare in Classe. Then finally headed back to Florence. Ive never been in a bus of college students that was so quiet. Im pretty sure everyone was sleeping.
   So now im just sitting on the radiator:) I think I might head towards bed, Im so exhausted but glad that we went today. Hopefully next weekend we can go on the Pisa trip:)
   Oh and funny story of the day: we were sitting in a square before we met back up after lunch and saw a little dog (everyone here has a little dog, have I mentioned that? and also they often have little sweaters on) but this one dog we saw had a whole suit on. Im not even lying when I say there were sleeves and little legs on this suit, it was a litte snow suit for a dog, only the little rear end was open like chaps:) We were dying, the poor little dog was waddeling in his little suit:) Ok time for sleep.

Buono Notte!

p.s. I miss my sweet Michael