and one last stinky thing.

our hot water went out two days ago and the day before it went out I didn't shower. so it looks like I haven't showered in one...two...oh yeah three days. oh and our landlord is out of town. i guess showering is overrated anyway. 

oh and read and see the other 9 posts i made today....i played a game of catch...and now i am caught up. 

like mother like daughter.

last night I found out that Chatty and Kathy's actual mother (birth mother, from the womb mother) is named KATHY! I almost started laughing when Chatty told me. 

orange you glad. i am.

last night on our way back home from the pub, the prime minister's gate was open because they were cleaning up after the "american barbie ball" and the Gorilla used her Gorilla arms and she did what no other Gorilla has done before....SHE GOT AN ORANGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER'S HOUSE. I thought it was going to take us all semester to sneak one of those bad boys out of there, but one week down, the Gorilla did what we thought was the impossible.  Next mission, get invited to dinner. 

your eyes are connected to your legs.

when you walk. you see. 

eanj and fata.

my new crushes.

  

siena.

"barbie of america"

a view from our window of the "barbie of america" fuchsia lights. 

(read below to understand) 

if sienna miller was named after siena, italy, i know why she is so beautiful.

We were going to take the 8:50 am bus out of Florence to Siena today but our night ended rather late, we needed to sleep in (the Gorilla and I got so delusional last night that at one point we thought Kenya might be a good way to get to Malaga, Spain...I got so mad at the Gorilla...with giggles galore...we finally fell asleep) The 10:30 bus worked just fine. Being the narco that I am, I fell asleep before the wheels on the bus went round and round (which was a bummer because I missed all the scenery). We got to Siena around 12 and headed to the Plazzo Del Campo in the center of the city. Siena, unlike Florence, is very quite and quaint. All of the buildings and houses are made from different types of clays and bricks, unlike Florence with its gray stone and marble.  It was actually the perfect day to go to Siena because it was actually sunny, slightly warm and it even smelled like a crisp fall day.  The Gorilla and I packed a lunch (canned tuna and noodles) and we sat out on the Piazza and ate lunch in the sun.  The Piazza is built on a small hill, so people gather to sit on the brick terrace that fills the city center.  We ended up sitting out there fore three hours, drawing and taking pictures.  I observed more than 30 classic women bundled in beautiful fur coats, small brown shoes and large sunglass..it was awesome.  I realized I have a new found crush on old women (and old men have always been quite attractive in my eyes). We walked around, stopped by their Duomo, and scavanged to find a coffee shop to sip cafe con latte's (soya per favore (soy milk please), they use whole milk...hechechec hair ball..YUCK!) There were big huddles of Americans (loud, obnoxious sporting the ugg boot, leggin and cell phone ensemble) and the Gorilla and I were so embarrased of by loudness and American composure that when they would try to talk to us, or if we were passing by them we would make a mix of accents...(we were ashamed..hands down!) The Gorilla and I tried to think of something that we could purchase in every city as a souvenir. The Gorilla thought we should take a piece of gravel from every city (but I advised her that it might be strange going through customs with a bag of rocks...she is a very special Gorilla) Instead we decided that we didn't need a physical object but rather we could use our senses as a way to remember a city. Thus, Gelato has been nominated as the new form of souvenir and we are off to discover the different types of gelato in the world. (Luckily, frozen yogurt and ice cream are my speciality and I have enough experience with them, that I should become pretty good with this whole gelato souvenir thing) We headed back home around 4 pm and we made omelets with eggplant, mushrooms, spinach, wrapped in a warm pita. I am the cook and the Gorilla is the dishwasher (I don't trust the Gorilla with her Gorilla hands to do too much cooking...her hands were made to wash things!) Last night there was a huge ball at the prime ministers house.  From our window we could see millions of pink flowers and all of the lights in the castle were changed to fuchsia.  On our way out to the pub tonight, there was a crowd of people gathered our side our door to watch what was going on.  Apparently (even though I still don't understand) the "barbie of America" (thats what they kept describing it as) was having a ball at the Prime Minister's house.  They had carriages covered in pink silk waiting outside our door and drum/flag boys were lined up a long the walk way. We waited outside for 10 minutes because the "barbie of america" was supposed to come out but she never came.  The Gorilla thought that a life sized barbie was going to come out or that people would be carrying small barbies and doing dances with them (her imagination is something else...I was just flat out confused) We peaced out from the Barbie crowd and headed to a local pub called JJ's Cathedral that is on the other side of the Duomo. They have a happy hour from 8-10 pm,  plus they take US dollars...1 dollar = 1 euro. The first time and the only time the US dollar has any value! We were two long lost lovers for a little bit but then Paul, Chatty and Kathy and crew came to join us.  We called it an early night because tomorrow we don't have the luxury of switching our bus times. 8:00 am sharp the trains leaves for Bologna. Buonanotte! (post from friday january eighteenth) 

ponte vecchio surprise and internet eyes

Today they Gorilla and I attempted to go to a wax museum on the other side of the Arno after our book arts class but it was closed (it has really weird hours but in the Gorilla's Art Book it said it was a hidden treasure of Florence and it is supposed to be really freaky...advised to bring your children and you all know the Gorilla and I would of fit in quite nice) Instead we walked along the Ponte Vecchio, did some window shopping for our future wedding rings (Attention for future husbands who happen to be reading my blog: the first store on the left when entering on to the bridge is holding my ring for me.) On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have a big break in between classes, so I am hoping to use that time to explore my new found motherland. I went to the bus station to buy my first ticket to Siena.  Tomorrow the Gorilla and I will take our first true adventure on our own.  Our weekend is rather packed: Siena tomorrow, Bologna on Saturday (free with the program) and Pisa on Sunday...So much to see in not so much time.  There are busses and trains that go out of Florence to all of the these Tuscans cities every half and hour. For dinner, the Gorilla and I made Champion House/Hibatchi style cabbage (a little soy sauce, a little cabbage, a little pan of fry-ness and wa-la....iron chef watch out!) I ended up staying in tonight to try to get my travel schedule together because I have learned very quickly that it is extremely difficult to travel around.  Even though flights and trains are cheap, things still add up. It is now 3 in the morning and I still have not been able to book one thing and I have been searching now for 4 hours (I am slow...what can I say?) Okay now I am getting delusional..buonanotte! (post from thursday january seventeenth)