The Chestnut King

On Sunday I was heading out to this small town outside of Florence.  This town is so small that is not even on Google Maps unless you know to look for it.  In Marridi I would find a pretty famous and highly popular Chestnut festival (otherwise know as: Castagne di Marroni).

However my story doesn't begin truly until I reached the S.M.Novella train station and bought my train ticket.   It was 20 to 11 and I figured I had time to settle myself on the train, set up my sketch pad, pull out my almonds for a nice train snack (clean, requires no additional steps other than eat, and quiet) and watch as I go through the Tuscan hills.  Oh boy was I wrong.

The Bologna Special

I'm sitting in my kitchen eating zucchini (just zucchini) out of a bowl disproportionally large to its contents, and drinking ice tea out of a wine glass.  Somehow in my mind this makes sense for a Monday night. Thinking back to the strange weekend I just had....  Somewhere down the line it probably did.  Lets start off with Saturday morning, I wish I could say I was bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to take on the day.  In reality, I was having an epic battle within myself as to which idea sounded better: staying in my plush down bed all morning with a cup of tea and not a care in the world? Or would I make the great trek out to Bologna like I had been planning all week.  I am ashamed to say the bed came so close to winning.  Closer than I would like to admit.  So with great regret, and mild disgruntlement I made my way to the train station at 7am with what was promising to be an interesting day.

They Can Take Your Money, But They Can't Take Your Attitude

Paris was such an unexpected adventure.  I left with the intentions of only staying two days at a friends flat and ended up staying for four!  I have had many a crazy travel shenanigan in my day but nothing compared to what this past weekend had in store for me.  It all started in India where I met Solen(see   India Part I), we had such a fab time on our trip and hanging out we both invited each other to visit any time.  So my first free weekend I booked a trip out to Paris to visit!  I planned a short stay friday night through Sunday afternoon, just expecting Solen to show me a couple thing but thinking I would be trekking out on my own for the most part.  I was so wrong, not only did she show me around, introduce me to the locals and show me the inner workings of Paris but when tragic circumstances struck she saved my life quite literally.  My trip was mind blowing and I owe it to Solen for showing me all that she did.  

Fresh to Death

We had to run.  No matter how early we ever try to leave for the train it always seems like I am running for a train.   Fortunetly, we did make it just in time with some tag teaming, one person parking and one getting the tickets, but we made it on the train which was the important part.  Anyway, every seat was full, of course, so we walked down the train until we found three seats in a car.  I sat down next to what was I later figured out was two girls pre-raging for their birthday, on the 12 pm train into Manhattan.  Now, I have absolutely nothing against day drinking, and I really can nothing bad about day drinking in strange places (the weirder the better), but Budlight lime?  Really?  That's where I draw the line.  Have some class ladies. 

Re-united at last in Rome!

Rome - a romantic city full of beautiful monument, wonderful sites and amazing food right?  Wrong.  I have now been to Rome three times, and not to be a downer but it tops my list of worst Italian cities I visited just under Pisola (probably the best- worst getting lost story ever) and Naples.  Now I gave it multiple tries, I did a day trip there with school, I went for four days with my mom and now last weekend, and I think I can safely say, Rome is not for me.  Now I am sure that it could be all fine and well for other people, but here is why I would just be really ok with not going back.

Pop Princess

So I sit here, poised on the edge not yet leaving but still caught in-between.  I packed up my room the best I could (that is to say I shoved everything into the closet), made a lunch for the train and now I sit… and wait.  This is it.  The moment of truth has come.  The last time I was leaving for Italy I didn’t actually get nerves until I saw the JFK terminal off in the distance with hundreds of planes taking off and landing.  When I told my mom and dad I was nervous they said the flight would take less time than the traffic to get home so I should just get on the plane.   So this is it.  I am just going to get on the train.  Nothing will get in the way of Crossing the first threshold………