Geneve!

Last weekend my friends Amanda, Sara Abad and Sarah Moffit went to one of my new favorite cities, Geneva Switzerland.  Even with the cold, overcast weather it was a beautiful city.  I loved every minute of it.  Amanda and I left for Switzerland by train at 9pm Thursday night and arrived in Dijon France the next morning.  Where we then took the train over to Lyon for a few hours.  Although we spent hardly any time there I found it to be a beautiful city.  Full of great shopping, good food, and the French language.

Geneve Fountian

We later made our connection to Geneva and starting exploring right upon arrival.  I quickly learned that Geneva was an expensive city when I saw that the public restroom was 2 Francs- the equivalent of 2 USD.  After leaving the train station one of the first things we saw was...Starbucks!  Ha!  Amanda couldn't pass up the opportunity, so we went in so she could get some tea.  Although I didn't want anything- I was especially sure of it after I saw that a frappuccino was 9 francs!  We quickly found our hostel afterwards and headed out for for dinner!  After wandering around for a bit we found a crepperie that sounded just right!  And sure enough, it was!  We had the most amazing dinner and met some really cool people!  It was so much fun plus the food was amazing.  Definitely something I'll never forget.  After dinner our friends Sarah were in town so we met up with them for the rest of the night.  Saturday we started the day with a delicious breakfast at our hostel then off the the United Nations building!  After about an hour walk we made it! Only to find out it was closed!  Sarah (Moffitt) was pretty bummed, but it ended up working out because we got to go to the Red Cross Museum that Sara (Abad) wanted to go to.  I was very impressed,  it was so modern and you could tell they had really put a lot of effort into the design and content of the museum.  I left a happy girl.  Once we finished walking through the museum we walked back to the main city and had lunch followed by a trip to Manor- a grocery store with a huge section dedicated just to chocolate!  I think we were probably there for an hour, mostly enjoying the endless chocolate fondue samples and drooling over everything else.

Amanda and I in the Red Cross museum.

On a side note: at Manor there was this big table with shelves (sort of) full of Lindtt chocolate,  I was looking at all of the different varieties (including white chocolate mousse and champagne) when I saw probably 6 different people either pocket some, or just start eating them.  Right out in the open.  And grown adults too- not just children.  It was one of the strangest things.

Switzerland!

Anyway-  after all of the chocolate madness we walked around Geneva- saw the flower clock took silly pictures, and took in the beauty of the city.  Soon enough it was time for dinner!  Earlier in the day we made reservations at some restaurant that I can't remember the name of right now, which serves the best fondue in town.  Sure enough!  It was quite tasty-  we all left feeling happy and sick.  Haha but it was so worth it.

Me, Sarah Moffitt, Sara Abad, and Amanda in front of the Flower Clock

Sunday morning we started the morning off right with a bike ride around Geneva!  Geneva has bikes that are available for tourists and citizens alike for 4 hours of free riding.  We definitely took advantage of it, and had quite a good time.  I had to pinch myself a few times to remind myself that I was RIDING BIKE next to LAKE GENEVA in SWITZERLAND.  Definitely something to remember.  Soon after it was time to catch our train to Dijon!

Riding bike by the lake (the tent in the background was passing out bananas for people doing a fundraiser walk)



We weren't orginally supossed to be in Lyon for 8 hours.  But it worked out perfectly!  We found a walking trail marked out around the city by little owl markers.  It was a lot of fun and we got to see all of the major sights.  Dijon was a fun little town, and a great place to spend the afternoon.  They even had DIJON mustard.  Ha, gotta love it.

Amanda, Sarah, Sara and I in Dijon!

The End :)

Saturday and Sunday!

 I am obviously going a little slow!  But here we go, Saturday morning started early where we met my art history class in Pisa for a day trip to Pisa and Lucca.  We of course started off our day with cappuccino number 7 and 8.  Where I saw my first sighting of latte art!!!!  I of course photographed it to share with y'all.

The closest thing I've seen to latte art! Pisa- Italy

In front of the leaning tower with Dad

We then went into every. single. museum.  Pisa had to offer.  In about 3 hours.  It was pretty intense, but cool at the same time.  I am really glad I got to see the Leaning Tower with my dad, it was the first time both of us had seen it, and really cool that we got to do it together.  After a quick lunch break we got on the train for Lucca! 

On the train headed for Lucca! 

 This was actually one of my favorite parts of the day.  It was so cool to jsut hop on the train with my dad and buzz over to another little town.  Once in Lucca we walked around for a bit before we met up with my class.  We then toured the beautiful, quaint city of Lucca.  Where I personally left a little piece of my heart,  it has definitely been one of my favorite places in Italy.  If not my favorite all together.  It just had a charm to it that is hard to find in a big city like Florence.

Lucca

During our afternoon trip we took advantage of the break to enjoy cappuccino 9 and 10 and scope out some good places for dinner.  Once we finished our tour we headed to a tasty fish place for dinner, and headed home.  Which actually ended up being pretty crazy because our train wasn't running so we had to take a bus to another train station.  It ended up working out even though I was little scared! 

Dad at the top of San Miniato- enjoying the view of Florence.

Sunday was a bit of a slower day, I mean what else do you expect after a full day with Helen? We started off the day with breakfast and cappuccino 11 and 12 then hiked up to San Miniato, a church up on a hill in Florence.  It has a great view of the city and I personally enjoy the hike.  

Festival de Gelato!  The oldest gelato place in Florence! 

After we relaxed a little and took in the gorgeous view we had a deeelightful brunch at the bottom of the hill.  This could possibly be one of my favorite meals I have had all of 2010.  It was sooo good, and of course it was a lot of fun!  I can't wait to go back!  After lunch we were pretty full and spent the afternoon walking around popping in and out of shops and just enjoying the city.

Cappuccino and swan cream puffs.  So good! 

We continued to enjoy cappuccino 13 and 14 spent time in Piazza Duomo, did some people watching. We even went back to the international festival to get round two of smurf gummies! Overall I had an excellent weekend with my dad and made so many memories that I will have forever.  Thanks for coming Dad, it really means a lot to me, I really enjoyed seeing the city with you.
Ellen

Thursday and Friday!

Starting with Thursday night.

My dad arrived Thursday night around 9:15, after walking to his hotel (yes, we walk EVERYWHERE- speaking of, I have only been in a car three times in the last four weeks, two of which happened this weekend) we went out for some good eats! Although I don’t have any pictures, this was my favorite meal of the whole weekend, and the best I have had in Florence!  We had a five-course pasta sampler followed by chicken curry for me, and fresh (raw) fish for my dad!  Then we of course finished the night with tiramisu! I mean what else would you expect in Italy?  This meal ended pretty late, so afterwards we headed home. 

Friday morning I met my dad at the hotel and had a delicious breakfast!  Muesli with yogurt and peaches, accompanied by a cappuccino (number 1 and 2).  Afterwards we put on our comfortable shoes and climbed to the top of the Duomo!  I forget the exact number but somewhere around 450 steps to the top.  Think about it this way- if it’s 25 steps to the second floor of a building we walked up 18 floors.  It was sooo worth it.  It was truly a great way to start out the day.

Inside of my favorite room in the Palazzo Vecchio. 

After that we walked through the famous leather market, and then of course the central market!  One of my favorite parts of Florence!  I then went on to take my dad to see my schools campus, and to News Cafe to have cappuccino number 3 and 4.  Once we refilled on caffiene we walked through the Palazzo Vecchio, it was so beautiful!  I found it really interesting because in most of the rooms the walls were bare and white washed, but the ceilings were magnificent!  We then made our way across the Ponte Vecchio, the famous bridge that is full of jewelry!

The famous Ponte Vecchio!

We then had lunch at Mama Gina where we enjoyed some delicious ribollita!  A tuscan specialty! Of course followed by espresso number 5 and 6.  After lunch we walked around, did a little shopping, and just hung around the city.  We had dinner at a place called yellow, went out for some gelato and called it a night!  Overall we had a great day in Florence.

And for today I am making chicken noodle soup for dinner.  (Mom I didn't even use a recipe, and it's completely homemade, plus it's my first time to make it!)  All of my roommates are sitting in the kitchen drooling over the lovely aroma filling the air.  I just might have to share! 

Have a great day friends and family! 

I miss y'all! 

Ellen

Dad comes to Florence!

Here is a sneak peak to this past weekend spent with my dad in Florence!  A more lengthy post coming soon! 

My dad and I near the Ponte Vecchio.