Pizza, Pasta and Prague

Hi all!

Sorry for the long break between posts, I had some technical difficulties last week! Last week was February vacation here in Dijon, and I decided to pack up my bags and head down to visit one of my good friends in Bologna, Italy, where she is studying for the year. As soon as I arrived in Bologna I found myself surrounded by groups of friends waiting at the train station, hands flying, and speaking in rapid-fire Italian. I felt immediately at home and felt even more excited when I saw my friend coming through the crowd to take me to one of her favorite pizza restaurants. Though it may go without saying, the pizza in Italy doesn’t disappoint. Caroline and I spent the next day touring around Bologna and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the city she’s come to call home (almost as much as I loved saying ‘buona giornata’ every time I left a store). The following day we took a train to Verona, the home of Romeo and Juliet, with an obligatory stop in the casa di Giulietta for a picture on the balcony. Despite the freezing rain, a delicious and warm lunch of pasta made the trip very much worthwhile.

After Verona, Caroline and I headed to Venice to see the magical floating city. Though there were hoards of tourists on St. Mark’s square, I was shocked by how quaint and quiet the small alleyways and hidden bridges were, giving the impression of being miles away from the chaos that rocked the main piazza. An ascent to the top of the bell tower provided commanding and impressive views of the rusty-red roofs contrasted against the dreamy blue-green of the lagoon. That night I was treated to a real Italian meal by Caroline’s host parents; I wish I spoke some Italian to show them how grateful I was for being welcomed into their home, but they seemed content to practice their English!

With one more pizza eaten in front of Bologna’s famed two towers, Caroline and I were off to Prague! A couple of quick flights and a little bit of confusion about a bus schedule completely in Czech, we found ourselves settling into our hostel and surrounded by some of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen. The next morning a heavy snow provided beautiful views of the many spires of the city, each one slowly fading into view as we approached. Many trips to the penny candy store and sausage stand later, Caroline and I found ourselves wandering the beautiful streets of the city, finding small treasures hidden behind the imposing cathedrals and castles. The last night in Prague, we thought reasoned that going to an opera in the beautiful Prague State Opera House would make for an unforgettable memory; luckily, we were not mistaken. The opera was one of the most beautiful rooms I have ever been in.

Now back in Dijon and slowly taking my time to unpack and reorganize my room, I’m looking forward to the adventures to come this semester. It’s hard to believe, but it’s been almost seven months since I touched down in Paris and, with only three months left to go, I’m definitely going to be moving around a lot in the coming months.

Stay tuned!

À la prochaine! 

Thomas

Pizza Casa was my valentine this year

Cannoli at 10 in the morning? Why not?

An impressive crowd at Juliet’s House despite the rain

Prague Opera House

Spires of Prague

Venice

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