A Week in Review

Hello all!

It's been quite the week and I wasn't sure I'd be here tonight blogging about it all- I'm ready for bed.

My first full week in London with my group has been filled with excursions, plenty of good food, and plenty of Primark. We also took a day trip to Brighton and also to Virginia Woolf's house. I started classes on Tuesday and have loads of homework to prove it. We also went to St. Paul's Cathedral as a group and I climbed all the way to the tippy-top. I saw The 39 Steps and met a British comedian. Today I went to church in my new ward that I was assigned to and tonight we heard a fireside from a man in the stake who was a little boy in London during WWII. I finished the night off eating my Thai Break leftovers and watching Downton Abbey after a small birthday celebration involving Ben's Cookies. Overall, I'd say it was a very successful week. 

dress: thifted. 

Talk to you soon loveys,
MM

Ve (ry) nice

We were only in Venice for but a short time, but we were not short on a good time. 

We drove from Cinque Terre on that Thursday and arrived late at night. We got the permit for the coach to enter the city limits, tickets for the people mover, waited to get on the people mover, got off the very short people mover, trekked over three bridges and through the narrow streets to our hotel. Sometime between getting on the first bridge and and getting off, half of my handle disappeared. THAT was an adventure. Once we got to the hotel, there was another massive miscommunication, and if it weren't for my professor, we would have been sleeping back at the train station. The man helping us had quoting Kristin "had his scarf on too tight". Really, he was wearing a full sized scarf as an ascot. We were chatting outside the hotel in the alleyway as a group and he yelled,

"SILENCE! THIS IS NOT YOUR HOME!"

That is now a running joke, for good reason.

passing the time like normal people do

Body bags, playing the waiting game in the lobby

We made it into the hotel, and the next day we hit the ground running! Photo dump.

People everywhere.

The best 3 euro pizza I ever had.

Did you know Venice is known for their lace?

smirkin' eatin more gelato

That night featured a gondola ride. The best 20 minutes with our driver Antonio, who claims, " I was born on a gondola."

Saturday morning we left for a day in the bus. We drove all the way to Avignon, France. I was happy and sad to leave Italy. I have my Grazie and Prego down pat.

Love,
MM

Mediterrean Gem

Something wonderful happened. Between Florence and Venice, Cinque Terre happened.
Pinterest has nothing on this wonderful oasis of pesto pizza.
Speaking of that pesto pizza, I would eat that pizza if I had only one day to live.
Get ready for 18 photos of one of the world's perfect places!
(Side note- I was a few days into the Black Plague cold so I was pulling a full smoker's voice by this point.)

Okay, I've seen so many adorable matching retired tourist couples so far.

Hey ocean! How ya doin!

Meet Kristmas. <3 her.

THE PIZZA feat. my NOT silver ring the lady in the market sold me.

A.hoy.

Ciao bella. Venice is next! Featuring the broken suitcase and the iconic gondola ride. 

<3 MM

A Frenzy in Firenze

The title is misleading, Florence was a welcome respite.
(By the way, pretty much all my pictures are Hipstamatic. If that makes me an illegitimate blogger, in the words of King Triton "SO BE IT!")

To sum of Florence:

-We hung out with the Medici's at their palace. (well.. on the outside)
-The Duomo is the prettiest building in all the land.
-Being caught in a rainstorm is the best thing. (for one, street vendors actually sell useful products. My umbrella is holdin up real great.)
-Leonardo's Gelato was the best gelato I had in Italy.
-The Uffizi Gallery is something special.
-I slept the worst in our hostel for various reasons- one being a top bunk akin to a small earthquake everytime you move.
-I finally ate real vegetables after all that random food in Rome.
-You will spend all of your money at the market.
-I had the best pesto pasta in the market at Cafe Nerbone.
-Florence will take your heart and steal it all over the place.

This is your soul smiling when you first see the Duomo.

cool dudes conversing

dolla dolla bill

little art everywhere 

Oh Florence you perfect little place.

-MM