by Haley Conway

Hello everyone! It’s been 7 days since we’ve been in Indiana and we are having a blast exploring everything that Florence has to offer. I’ve gotten to know my travel buddies a lot better and I thought I would share some of the fun things I’ve learned about them and some of the fun things we have done.

First off, I’ve learned that Grace absolutely LOVES bread with lots of balsamic vinegar. She is the foodie of the group! Shannon is a great photographer and you can catch her taking pictures of almost anything. Meagan is obsessed with the Coach store that she spotted, even though she hasn’t been in it yet (she will probably go eventually). Laura is the comedian of the group. She is constantly making me laugh. I also love playing the dice game Farkle at night with my roommates, who are Laura and Meagan. So far we’ve had some good food, fun times, amazing memories, and a TON of gelato together.

Grace and I are taking a class called “Health and Fitness in the Mediterranean.” Basically, that class involves learning about the Mediterranean diet and the different types of exercise that are good for your body. Our professor is very involved. He is an ex-professional soccer player, so he is super into fitness. During our time in class we will get to go on power walks, ride bikes, paddle a boat, visit a complex where the national soccer team works out, visit San Fillipo (a hot spring/spa), and cook food. It sounds like it’s going to be an amazing experience! Below is a picture of our class doing a plank in front of Palazzo Pitti:

Palazzo Pitti (May 18, 2018)

The Palazzo Pitti was the residence of the Medici family in 1550. Today, it is split into different rooms and galleries. The Palatine Gallery includes amazing frescoes completed by Florentine artists and portraits of the Medici family painted by Justus Sustermans. The Royal Apartments are located on the 2^nd floor of the south wing and were built in the 17^th century. These rooms are gorgeous. If I could live anywhere in the world, I would want to room in the Royal Apartments in the Palazzo Pitti. To get a feel for the beauty of the rooms here are some pictures of the Palatine Gallery and the Royal Apartments:

 

Boboli Gardens (May 18, 2018)

The Boboli Gardens were probably my absolute favorite thing in Florence that we got to see so far. The Boboli Gardens are a collection of different gardens. It includes things such as trees, flowers, fountains, and sculptures. These gardens are right outside of the Palazzo Pitti and belonged to Cosimo I de’ Medici and his wife, who purchased it. One of my favorite parts of the Boboli Gardens was a fountain called “Isolotto,” which is a pond that was started around 1618. To get there you had to take a treacherous hike down a long downward path named “Viottolone.” The beauty of the trees and sculptures that lined the path made the walk a little less terrible. Below is a picture of me by “Isolotto” (the pond):

There were so many other breathtakingly beautiful views, but it is hard to write about all of them, so below are pictures of some of my favorite things and views from the Boboli Gardens:

Side note:

The gelato here is delicious. I found my new favorite gelato flavor combination today, which is chocolate and pistachio. Enjoy this mouth-watering picture of my favorite treat: