Verona

Yesterday I went to an ice cream shop that claims to sell Italian gelato. As always, I was sorely disappointed. I don't know why it is, but I have never been able to find ice cream in the US that is as creamy and smooth as the ice cream in Italy!
At any rate, this experience did bring back memories of the afternoon I recently spent in Verona. There is a little gelateria near the bridge which crosses the Adige River to the Roman amphitheatre. This place had the most delicious ice cream I tasted all summer! It was really great because the owner liked to experiment with different flavors and it was evident that he put a lot of time and effort into his gelato. The most interesting flavor he had was saffron. After sampling it, Giovanni decided to order one scoop of saffron, and one scoop of mascarpone. Well... the look that the owner gave him, in addition to his firm but soft-spoken "I think the saffron goes better with cinnamon or chocolate" quickly made him change his order. We couldn't help but laugh about this the for rest of the afternoon. But still - the ice cream was delicious and I don't doubt his gelato-expertise!
More about Verona though... I had no idea that it is such a beautiful city. We only spent a few hours there (on our way back to Milan from Vicenza) but we really had a great time. The city offers free bicycles for rent and this was really wonderful for a short day-trip into the city. All we had to do was leave an ID at the tourist office in the train station. So, we rode the bikes into the center and had plenty of time to explore! We visited the famous Arena, Juliet's balcony, several stunning piazzas and cathedrals, and watched someone attempt to kayak down the Adige River. It was a beautiful day and I will definitely go back to Verona when I have the chance.

Our new friend

The cutest little cat followed us home yesterday! Then he came right into our house and just made himself at home! He is so friendly and sweet... we fell in love with him right away. I would love to keep him but I'm not sure if he already belongs to someone. He doesnt have a collar but he's just so friendly, uses a litterbox, etc. so I don't really think he is a stray cat. But maybe he's been abandoned? Anyway, we always leave the door open so he can leave anytime but he seems to like it here. If he goes outside for a bit he always comes back again very quickly. We also made him a little litterbox and he comes back whenever he needs to pee. I hope he doesnt belong to someone else!! We would love to keep him :)

Stone Mountain

Last weekend we took a much-needed break from studying and drove up to Stone Mountain State Park to go hiking/camping. What a beautiful place! This was definitely some of the best hiking I've done in North Carolina. The huge granite stone projecting out of the mountainside is really impressive and the trail which takes you there passes by a beautiful waterfall. Unfortunately we are in the middle of a drought so the pool at the bottom of the waterfall was too small to swim in. Next time I will definitely bring my bathing suit though! There is also an old 19th century homestead at the base of the mountain, which was really interesting to see, especially since the person working there was an old local whose mother had been born on the homestead.
The camping was nothing special but it was nice to grill and eat camping food again. Most of all though, it was great to get away for a weekend!

Pisa and Lucca

All these years of flying with United Airlines have finally paid off - I just checked my account and I've made it to 50,000 miles!! I am so excited and am already coming up with all kinds of vacation ideas. Right now I am thinking of using my free flight to go to Puerto Rico. or maybe Hawaii? I'm not sure... really I would like to go to Cuba but unfortunately I dont have enough time for that. It's very frustrating because the breaks during my semester are just much too short!
Anyway, before I start planning my upcoming trips, I want to finish writing about my summer. I spent a whole month in Italy but have only written about Livorno, so here goes...
Pisa: the Torre Pendente is incredible! I really had no idea that it would be so impressive. Of course I had seen it in tons of pictures, but it is really something else to turn the corner and suddenly see it looming right in front of you. The Campo dei Miracoli is overflowing with tourists though so it is also nice to get away and wander down some of the smaller streets and alleys of the historical center. There are several smaller piazzas that are really beautiful and much less crowded, especially around the university. Also, there is a market across the main bridge (towards the train station) where we bought some really great bread and cheese, and had a little picnic. This is something I really miss in the US - outdoor markets, and good bread and cheese! We do have the occasional farmers market but its really not the same experience.
Lucca: a really beautiful medieval town completely surrounded by walls, which also serve as a raised pathway for pedestriants and bicyclists. After walking through the small, winding roads of the city, we went up the Guingi Tower - this cost $5 but it was definitely worth it because the panoramic views are incredible! The piazza San Michele was another place I really enjoyed - not only because of the stunning church facade surrounded by shops and cafes but also because of the jazz musicians who happened to be playing in the square while we were there. It was the perfect place to sit in the shade and escape the noonday heat. The downside of Lucca was really the fact that there are so many tourists and some of the cafes/restaurants charge outrageous prices. Whatever you do don't go to the Cafe in Piazza San Guido (called Cafe San Guido I believe) - we paid almost 3 times more for a coffee than we ever had before.