February 22: ... Oh. My. Word. I am so tired/sore/cold; today was the longest day(/s?) of my life, I think. But I'm finally in Italy, one sleepless night, 3 plane flights of seemingly interminable duration, and a bus ride that was comfortable and despite the afforementioned flights seemed too short, later.

The nuns don't speak English. Argh. I feel bad for invading. Tired. So tired. Twitching-my-eyes-are-drt-but-I-dont-dare-close-them-sore-all-over-and-exhausted tired. My feet hurt from hours of being in semi-comfortable, packing-resistant shoes and doing too much fast walking. My legs feel cramped from too many long hours with no legroom. My lower back hurts from sitting and standing for too long. My neck and shoulders hurt from too much heavy lifting. My palms and fingers hurt from luggage handles. My eyes need sleep. It's only 6:05 here. Bedtime's at 8. Can't survive... *yawn*

The town is part industrial area (the scala, which is at the base of the rock known as Orvieto) and part medieval buildings and cobbled streets (the actual city on the hill). The convent we live in is really old and 4 nuns lfe there. The layout is sprawling and confusing, but because the building is up on the side of a cliff, we have some magnificent views. There's a central staircase of white marbel. Dangit, I just forgot how to spell. MARBLE. Too tired.

I bought a postcard in Frankfurt with Euros. Very easy.

I had chocolate gelato today. Nevermind that all the stairs in this place (which I'll surely climb a LOT in the months to come) will definitely burn THAT off... I'm tellin' ya... If I don't lose weight rather than gaining it in Italy, I'll be surprised.

I'm in Italy. Aieee.

***

February 23:... Other than being sore in places and still feeling more than a little like an intruder here, I am now starting to enjoy this idea of looking around and seeing what there is. Haven't taken any pictures yet -- I'm waiting for sunbreaks -- but the view is spectacular. I can understand how the great masters found their inspiration.

Feeling better about this whole thing. Still bewildered despite the fact that I think I've learned more Italian today than in all the times I've actually looked at my books. However, I'm hoping to explore, as well as pick up some things on my grocery list, fairly soon after learning a few basic survival phrases. I'm not AS tired as last night, but still a bit tired. However, I'm at least twice as sore. Wow, it's really windy outside.

***

February 24 We had our first Italian class today. Among other things, we learned the ever-important phrase "quanto costa" which means "how much"? We'd later put that into practice but not before Peter (our RA) took us for a little 'walk'.

You see, on a neighboring hill, there is a monastery which he wanted to show us. So we exited the convent through a tunnel system, and started out over the countryside. Going down our hill was fine. Going up the other side was torture. I think I nearly died. The steep angle of the hill was ridiculous, but it was trying to keep pace with the rest of the group that was really hard.

When we reached the place, we were greeted by two dogs: a German Shepherd and an Irish Setter. Other than never ceasing to move for more than four seconds, they were quite friendly. They were particularly fond of playing with a water fountain. If you smacked the button, water would spurt down from a spigot and into a basin, and the dogs, particularly the German Shepherd, liked to try to 'catch' the water by biting at it.

Later that afternoon/evening, and after recovering from the 'walk', everyone went out to explore the town on the last day of Carnivale. It was kinda weird with all the confetti in the streets and the kids running around coated in shaving cream or some nasty spray gunk. Some had costumes.

It took some doing to avoid them, but Gwen and I managed to take a look around. We used our phrase -- 'quanto costa' -- to buy scarves, some pizza, and some gelati. We tried looking for the super market so I could buy some shampoo, but we got really lost and didn't find it until it closed. I used my travel sized toiletries in the shower that night. I hate the short European 'showers'.

***

February 25:... John Skillen sure can ramble. We were told today at colazione (breakfast) that because it's Wednesday (Mercoledi) and Ash Wednesday at that, most stores probably won't be open at all during the afternoon. We figured that meant no way to get dinner. Gwen and I were sad. (and hungry)

We went on a whim at about 8 pm, and discovered that "I Dolci di Moscatelli", a local sweets and pizza shop, was open. We had pizza and lived. I Dolci is now the patron saint of Wednesday Night dinners.

***

February 26:... Not a terribly eventful day, but an ugly (brutto) one, as far as weather goes. This morning I dared to try making cocoa with what I had around the reffetorio (dining room). It didn't work so well... it wasn't bad, but it was a bit lukewarm and a bit less chocolatey than I wanted.

I went grocery shopping today. I got Nutella (I am now an addict), cookies, tomatoes, cocoa for when I NEED some, and shampoo and conditioner. They sell Mach3 razor blades here for the same price as in the states. Argh. But I found a notebook. Kind of. It's actually grid paper and it has a cheesy looking European superhero (?) on it. But it'll do. I am so going to buy a bottle of wine.

***

February 27:... Today was freezing cold, rainy, and windy. Oh and also the day we went to Siena. Lucky us. I rode in Alessandro's van -- he's not a bad driver, considering the INSANE Italian drivers. But it's true, they have remarkable control over their cars. I brought my sketchbook, which turned out to be more or less a waste of time.

The first place we stopped was the church of the Virgin of Good Voyages. Got some great pictures there. At least I hope they were great. It certainly wouldn't be for lack of the subject matter. This was in the town of Chiaciano (I hope I spelled that right...). Then we stopped in Pienza. Small town. Learned about Pope Pius II and his connection with the Anaeaus of myth. I got some cash, some (hopefully) good pictures, got my hand mauled by a cat, and ate a piece of torta cioccolato. Not necessarily in that order.

The ride through Tuscany was gorgeous, even if being in the middle back of the van made me not feel so good. The impossibly beautiful, green, rolling hills were so sensual, so unspoiled... very Eden-like.

Siena was something else entirely. All cobbled. Cold. Wet. Windy. Lots of hills. Pigeons. Everywhere. We saw a lovely Baptismal font in a little (?!) chapel, whiere I did some very little, if well-meaning, sketching. No photos allowed. We also saw the old city hall with the "Good and Bad Gov't" murals (to say nothing of the thousand or so other murals in that huge building...), as well as the stripey Duomo with its obnoxiously ornate facade (think wedding cake), ornate floor, busts of dead popes ringing part of the ceiling, and the dome with its painted stars. Weird. Stripey on the inside, too.

Gwen and I managed a basic meal at a slightly overpriced tourist restaurant, and Gwen bemoaned having received a carbonated water even after she tried to ask for plain. I almost ordered a glass of wine, but thought better of it for the sake of time. Gwen (wisely, I thought) refrained from getting a gelato for the same reason.

The trip, despite its frigid nature, showed us some truly beautiful things, and I think my favorite was the Duccio display at the museum. The Maesta (eek!! Scary amounts of really fine detail!!) and the scenes from the Passion week were jaw-droppingly amazing. There were other successes that day as well, such as learning the legend of St. Christopher, rather than assuming a particular mural was a "really tall Jesus trying to smack an angel off of his shoulder with a fish", and demonstrationg my gift at making pigeon noises for the group. Gift-wise, I picked up a few trinkets -- including a small ceramic snail for Gwen and some real Siennese DIRT for Guy Kinnear. Now he'll be able to mix his own Siena Brown. *grin* Must ask Alessandro to recommend a good wine.

***

February 28:... Got up a tiny bit early and went to the police office on the other side of town (in the rain) to get legal permits to stay here. That was very simple, fortunately, and after, we were allowed to do what we wanted. Gwen and I wandered around town and found a nifty shop that sold ceramics and replicas of medieval weapons. Gwen got a small bowl, and I got a dagger letter opener. We're coming back for a trinket for Anna, though. Gwen also bought herself some small potted cacti today. She's been wanting them for a while.

We went back to the convent, where we watched the weather go insane, then when it cleared up, Gwen, Will, and I went out again. We had some grocery shopping to do, and Will needed to find a post office. On top of a frozen fish stick dinner and a bag of "Pan di Stelle" cookies, and a box of tic-tacs, I bought... My first bottle of WINE! Yay me! It's a red from Montepulciano, a wine and cheese town we passed on our outing day to Siena. Haven't tried it yet, but I want to.

Later, Gwen, Tommy, and Joseph persuaded me to come up onto the upper terraza and watch the sun set. It was SO COLD... (moment of silence) up there. And Windy, which didn't help. A few clouds turned pink. Whoop-de-freakin-doo. I went back inside. I got to check my email today. Sadly, half an hour doesn't go very far. I answered my sctlara mail, never got to my goldenmau account, and only got to read a PM on CoH. Argh. Must go to Montanucci's or hit up the nuns for internet.

After dinner (my tomatoes were good!) the plot was hatched to watch 'Pirates of the Caribbean' in the Sala on Gwen's laptop. Gwen and I watched the whole thing. Will watched it about halfway. Jessica (my roommate) was invited but never came. I ended up not going to bed until 1 am that evening...

***

February 29:... Leap year. And gee, there's, like, snow or something on the ground. Maybe it's leftover hail? Well, I did my homework today. Whoopee. But I also tried my wine. Peter had a horrible time getting it open -- talk about a well-sealed bottle-- but it tasted all right. Later, we had a small service with the nuns in a chapel downstairs. We all stumbled over introductions and our favorite verses in Italian. Crazy. Then there was a pizza party at Skillen's house. Alessandro brought his girlfriend. She's cute. It was all good except for when I spilled dessert on my shirt.

Wow. More snow. Or hail. Or something.