Tiny Italian Towns

As I mentioned in my post about Rome, I didn't go to Vatican City in the four days I was there, but instead took Monday of my trip to go to a couple of small towns in the hills outside of Rome. I meant to go to the Vatican on Monday, but when we were unable to buy tickets online the night before, we didn't hesitate to scrap the plan. (The line for the Vatican is meant to take 2-3 hours, and I'm sorry, I'm sure it's worth it, but I am not one to wait in line on a hot day.) So Camilla said we could go check out Frascati in the morning, pick up some pizza for lunch, and then spend the afternoon in Nemi. Perfect sounding plan!

I'd heard about Frascati before we went, mainly because the town is widely-known for their symbol: the three-titted woman. They say she's got two for milk, and one for wine. Now, I'm not the biggest wine drinker, but I enjoy a glass or two with some good food and conversation, and I definitely love any place that's given women another nipple just for this purpose! May I present to you Frascati and their "I've got it all covered" lady...

After picking up some pizza to take home for lunch from a place that apparently has the best pizza in the town, buying Camilla's favorite cake in the world, talking a quick stroll, hitting the grocery store so I could stock up on Italian goodies to bring back with me, and spending a looong time talking to the parking lot attendant, we headed home for lunch. I wish I'd taken pictures of all the meals that her mom prepared/laid out. It was quite the impressive and delicious event. So many different dishes were on the table, even the pickiest of eaters would walk away stuff from various things. Amazing. I love Italy. (Even though her mother is New Zealand born, English raised, and has been living in Italy for 25 years. I asked her if she now feels herself more Italian than anything, and she said she doesn't really feel her self as anything. I wonder what I'll feel like in another 23.5 years when I've spent the majority of my time away from where I was born and raised...)

I feel like I'm cutting everything here a little bit short, but it's because I really freakin' can't wait to tell you guys about Nemi! So I'm just going to get to it, because I am so in love with this teeny, tiny town, and I want you all to know about it. (Now watch, I'll go back to Nemi in 10 years, and it'll be seeming with people like Rome, and I'll be saying, "Blasted tourists! They've ruined my calm haven of delicious flavors and beautiful sights!" Hahaha.)

Nemi is a small town outside of Rome, one in which you MUST visit if you are in the city for a while. Give up a day to go there, it's worth it. I gave up Vatican City for it, and I don't regret anything about the choice. Seriously.

It's in the mountains, looking down on a lake and at another small village all the way across the lake, and is known for a few things: truffles, wild berries (namely strawberries), and wine. I mean, do you need to hear more words? Maybe you do, but maybe what you need to be further convinced are pictures. So, here you are...

Falling in love yet? Well, I've got a bit more to show you before we're through here!

Camilla enjoying some gelato with fragolini (little, wild forest strawberries), and myself freaking out over how delicious this strawberry tiramisu was! And of course, the view of Lake Nemi :)

Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, yum!!!!

I don't think I can ever eat a regular-sized strawberry again after the experience of these tiny forest delights!

And let's not forget about the impromptu wine tasting session we enjoyed at this, quite literally, hole in the wall place..

I recommend going to the shop next door to this, too, and trying some of their crazy-good truffle dips and stuff. Buy in bulk, then send me some. ;)

Nemi is completely designed for tourists, and we were both equally shocked to find out that Russian tourists are those that most-visit Nemi. But in spite of the place looking like a catalog offer, it's still so calm, the people so kind, and every gastronomical offering so divine. Tiny but mighty, I say! Go, go, I say! Enjoy it and let me know what gems you found while you were there. I know I'm going back when I get the chance! 

Sending lots and lots of love to you all! As I become more serious and dedicated to writing my first book, I ask that you please send me encouraging, motivating vibes, and pray for me to believe in myself, and get this thing finished, edited, and self-published before New Year's! I believe it can be done, and believe God's got my back, would be great to add your support to the pile! :)

I love you fam_{{ily}}, have a blessed and beautiful week!

Blessings, Love, Light & Wonder

Raining down

From Above

-Allie-Sun <3 

9 Things I Learned in Napoli

I feel like my eyes were opened to a great many things while in Italy. It was my first time in the country, and to have started my lifelong love affair with the country in the south was, at first, unconventional (most people would visit Rome, Milan, or Venice on their first trip to Italy), but for me, it turned out to be an incredible decision! I was treated well, fed well, and my eyes were bursting with each new sight. But not only were my senses fully stimulated, so was my brain! (Always a great thing!) Yes, the south taught me and showed me a lot of different stuff. Some things such as...

1. Don’t trust maps, not even Google’s. If you want to get anywhere, ask directions. Trust the locals to tell you how to get there.
2. It’s hard to get bad food, and easy to get good, cheap food. (And cheaper if you ask for it “da potare” or, “to go.”)
3. Blasting your music doesn't seem to bother any of your neighbors, and if you’re singing along loudly to it, all the better.
4. There’s actually no bad time to have limoncello, though they might think you strange if you are drinking it casually. (It’s usually had as a shot after a meal to aid digestion.)
5. Nor is there such a thing as too many coffees in one day. (Although, due to my lent I didn't have any. Dang.)
6. And there also isn't really such a thing as talking too loudly.
7. Displaying (hanging) your panties to dry on the dry rack that’s placed on the side walk outside your door for all passerbyers to see is not unusual. And surprisingly, it's not going to get stolen.
8. People appreciate you appreciating life, and will smile right along with you as you embrace life. Also, decrepit doesn't equal lifeless.
9. Doble Mozzarella. (Double mozzarella). Just do it. (Pizza talk)

10 Things I Love About the Feria de Sevilla

1. I love seeing the streets overflowing with women in flamenco dresses, with bright fake flowers decorating their heads, fans flapping in their faces, and giant, normally tacky jewelry that matches everything else on their bodies. 
2. I love watching said women dance around in sync (or not) endlessly to the Sevillanas that are playing in the hundreds of casetas (Easy-Ups that have been converted into restaurants/dance floors).
3. I love the morning after, see fake flowers, over-sized necklaces, earrings, and hair pieces, and fans laying around the house.
4. I love seeing the dapper men and women riding around in horse drawn carriages that are being pulled by horses who are decorated with flowers, bells, and pompoms.
5. I love drinking rebujito (white apple wine mixed with 7UP) out of tiny little plastic cups, causing you to drink it too fast, and then swirl around dancing too much.
6. I love walking around the Feria at night, when everything is lit up; thousands of red and white paper lanterns lining every one of the streets they create in this small city that only exists one week each year,  and long strings of bulb lights strung everywhere you look.
7. I love seeing the little girls dressed up like women, walking around like little puffs of color and material, not even aware of how unique they are in the world.
8. I love putting 10 euros in a pot with a group of friends, and being able to eat and drink for hours on end, without thinking about lacking anything.
9. I love that we get days off from work, and that, even though I believe it sets a bad example for their children, parents allow their kids to miss class the entire week so they can go to the fair.
10. I love how beautiful it is, and that it's so hard to explain, because to know it is to see it, and everything else is not doing it justice.

What's the Scoop with the Poop?

You know when you move to a country with an open-mind, trying to accept everything as being "part of their culture," new, and somehow exciting because it's different? Well, you know how sometimes that just doesn't work out no matter how hard you try to accept it and just think of it as a cultural difference? That's exactly how I feel about the Spaniards tendency to let their dogs "caca" anywhere and everywhere they dang well please. Walking down the street is like playing a never-ending game of hopscotch, or a real-life version of Super Mario! Walk with your head up at your own risk! 

These dogs have the run of the mill over here, and it doesn't seem to phase many of the locals as much as I think it should. In the States, if someone doesn't have a little bag with them and pick up the poop of their dog from the sidewalk, you glare. You automatically categorize them as a douche or jerk, and hope they catch your scolding look. Here, it doesn't matter. Here, everyone does it.

In the total of 10 months I've lived in Spain (nine in the north in Bilbao, and now one so far here in the south in Sevilla), I have seen one person pick up their dogs poop (that I can remember), and it was a couple weeks ago. (Thank goodness too, because he had a German Shepherd, and those big dogs, man, they leave a nice pile for ya!) I've even watched people kick their dogs poop into the garden box where the tree grows on the sidewalk! But bend down and put it in the trash bin that's undoubtedly ten steps away? Not going to happen. I guess it can be explained by the fact that in many places they actually come through at night with high-pressure water sprayers and clean the streets, but not every single little street all over the city! Certain areas, sure, if it's going to be washed away by the morn', I suppose I can accept that, but in those areas where it will just sit and go through each and every phase of decomposition, and then still remain there, NO. Unacceptable. I just can't.

I have actually taken to avoiding certain parts of Mairena (the village that I am working in about 35 minutes outside Sevilla) because 10's of land mines is not on my "To-See In The Mornings" list. It's gross, and there's no other way to say it. I am not trying to turn you off to Spain, but just beware, if you come, pay attention where you're going. It's so hard, because you want to walk around with your head up, looking at all the splendor there is to see, but you also run the risk of returning to your sleeping quarters with some stanky feets.

I've even asked some locals, "Ok, so I just have to know, why is it that Spanish people let their dogs poop all over the sidewalks?" They didn't even know. It really is just a part of la vida Espanola. I think this explains a lot about humans in general and our behavior -- we do things, and we don't even know why. Could be anything. I know a lot of times I'll think, say, do, or want to do something, and think to myself, "Why? What the heck??" Human nature, gotta love it!

Today's Thoughts: Now I'm trying to think of things that people might go to our country and think, "I just don't understand why they do that." I'm thinking...obesity. And the tendency to live a tasteless life. ;-) Live it large, live it good, pay it forward, and as always... MAKE YOUR OWN REALITY! <3 

(Also, if anyone can shed some light on this grave mystery, please comment below. I'm always looking to understand those things that I don't, especially if you are coming from a local perspective! P&L)

CALIforeign

I'm sure you're all thinking to yourselves, "my, what a clever title that is," and I assure you it is. But while I wish I could take the credit, I must be sure to give it to its rightful source, my little sister, Katie Marie. My family and I were driving in our lovely red rental coming back from the Grand Canyon a few weeks ago and I mentioned that we are "foreign" in Arizona. She then proceeded to come up with "Califoreign," which is very suiting. While the people don't speak with some sort of unknown accent, there are many differences between California and Arizona (I can only speak of the places I have seen: Scottsdale, Phoenix, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon). These differences include, but are not limited to the following:


+The speed limit on most of the freeways we drove was 75mph v. 65 or 70. This was SUCH an amazing thing and I highly suggest that California follow up and do the same. The pace of life has changed and sped up, it's time the speed limits follow in suit!
+People tend to follow the traffic laws, both driving and pedestrian (ie. Actually waiting to cross the street till the pedestrian crossing light comes on, slowing down when the speed limit sign instructs, and etc).
+Where we have weeds and generally ugly shrubs, they have impressive, interesting, and oh-so-cool looking cactus.
+The terrain in general has red rock and random rock/mountain mounds/formations scattered about instead of farm land or vast expanses of, nothingness.
+The climate is generally warmer, and drier.
+The people are much more natural. They wear less make-up and just "do less."
+You can be driving in the desert one hour, and in a place covered with snow the next.


Overall, I LOVED the Arizona that I saw. Especially Scottsdale and Sedona. But as I previously mentioned, my parents took me to a movie right after picking me up, so my experience in Phoenix was minimal, but very good seeing as Sherlock Holmes was so great. Excellent cinematography, story, and acting. I can't express how excited I was to see Noomi Rapace of the Swedish ( and original) version of Girl With the Dragon Tattoo! She was phenomenal. The film was full of very artistic scenes and the expected/unexpected twists you expect from Holmes. And let's be real...how could I not be happy when I got to look at ginormous Robert Downey Jr.'s and Jude Law's beautiful faces!?! But onto the travels!


We drove from Scottsdale to the Grand Canyon, and while it was a 4 hour drive (of which approximately 2.5 I slept =/), it was incredible! The scenery was picturesque and so different from what I am used to seeing in the Golden State. 

 Sis and I getting our nap on :) 

Pinkie & Brain

 Just so you understand my family-- We flipped a U-turn on the highway so we could go back and snap this pic. And yes, I did insist that we do so. I'm sorry...

Beautiful white Birch Trees are all over

And then, we got the the South Rim of the Grand Canyon! It was one hell of a sight to see and leaves no doubt in my mind that it is one of the seven wonders of the world. It expands as far as the eye can see (here's a little perspective: to DRIVE from the South Rim to the North Rim would take about 5 hours 8-O ) and in order to get the true experience you have to stay for at least a couple hours, which is easy to do. We arrived around 12:30pm and spent the afternoon walking to the different view points and driving to the different look-outs. The colors change as the day passes, and when the shadows start to set in you can really see the details of its geography. 

 ~12:30pm

 ~2:30pm

I think that it is only after leaving the Canyon that you really start to appreciate its beauty and realize just how exquisite it really is. It took my family and I 10+ years to go see it, but I am glad that we went at a point in my life where I will always remember what I saw, and I have no doubt I will return. After all, I still have to take a helicopter ride above/through it. :) I highly suggest that everyone make it a goal to go see one of the wonders of the world that we happen to have right here in the U.S. Quite amazing to think about! 

Sedona was a true gem. The town is known for its red rock formations, and has the cutest area full of shops and places to dine. We had the most amazing buffalo nachos as an appetizer (I'm now hooked on buffalo meat!) in the Cowboy Club's Silver Saddle Room. I recommend stopping in to grab a bite and sip on a delicious, scrumptious, flavorful local Arizona brew if you ever find yourself in the neighborhood! I anxiously await the day I can return to Sedona and spend a bit more time there exploring all it has to offer.

The final city that I was blessed enough to see for a little while was Scottsdale. As soon as I found out that the giant "LOVE" was there, I made it my mission not to leave without getting a photo. And so I did :)

 Tried my darndest to get up in that "L"

 What can I say? They get it from their mama ;)

Sisters by chance, lovers by choice

And while the family vacation wasn't all lollipops and gum drops (but let's face it, when your family is in a car together/living together for that long, something is going to break out at some point), it was so much more fun than I could have ever expected, no offense fam! It was such a laugh-filled time and I am very excited to return to Arizona sometime and see more of what they've got to offer! 

Today's Quote: “No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.” –Lin Yutang

Motivation Statement!

Alright, alright, so I have to change my deadline for when I will have this application turned in for going to Spain. I requested an official transcript today (one of the documents I need to submit), and it won't be ready until December 7th. Which I figure isn't far off, and will give whoever I decide to ask to write the letter of recommendation, some time to do so. 

I thought I would share with you all another little part of the application. I was instructed to write, in 300 words or less, a statement that explains my motivation for wanting to participate in the program. And since I will be taking all of you along for this lovely ride, I figured you might want to know also! So without further a due, here is my motivation statement...

             I was blessed enough to be able to take my third year of university abroad in Bilbao, Spain, where I lived and studied for nine months. During that time I developed strong and real relationships with locals in Spain, as well as the other countries that I traveled. I gained a more global perspective, appreciation for all the differences in life, and realization of just how great and big the world around me is. Ever since my return to the United States I’ve known that my time abroad isn’t over quite yet.

Deep down I know that there is more for me to accomplish before I can be satisfied and settled in the U.S. I did not master Spanish in the way I expected, and need to go back so I can become fluent. Submersion is the key to learning a language and this program provides the perfect opportunity for me to do so. As well as a desire to become bilingual, studying abroad left me with a hunger for travel and thirst for culture. There is nothing in the world like learning about someone else’s culture and experiencing it.

I want to be involved in this program in order to share my language and culture with the students in the way that everyone I met abroad did with me. I think that when we have experienced other cultures and understand them, we develop respect for them. This respect is invaluable because it will help a person to be open-minded. With all that is going on in the world, we need to teach the young minds to appreciate and accept different languages, cultures, and people. I want to make a positive change in the world and help bring people together through learning about one another.

Enjoy the rest of your night, or day depending on where in the world you are reading this :) 




Today's Quote: "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." -Mark Twain

"Art After Dark" at the Guggenheim Museum, one of my first weekends in Bilbao