Day #3 and Day #4 in Orvieto

February 25, 2013

- Went on a pilgrimage outside the walls of Orvieto and into the duormo (I NEED to write a different post on this experience – it was amazing).

- Pesto pasta, meatballs, and spinach for lunch

- Walked with Sara from 2-4 down to lower Orvieto, trying to find a phone store

- We went on a tour with our RA, Hannah, around town. Learned about where the post office and convenience stores were located, good and bad bars and restaurants, etc.

- Went into a pastry shop where the shop owner took us below the shop where there are huge Etruscan caves (I KNOW. CRAZY). These caves are from around 5 BC. Once again, I will write another post on this experience. I didn’t even have my camera because I thought we were just going to a café for coffee. Apparently the shop owner’s grandfather discovered the caves beneath his shop when he was remodeling, 40 years ago.

- Had a dinner of prosciutto, mozzarella, foccacia, egg and spinach “omelettes,” and fresh red oranges.

- Walked back from the palazzo (where we have wifi) with Rebekah and Laura when we saw the duormo at night. It was seriously breathtaking.

I have a better idea of the city now after getting lost and then later going on a tour, but I’m still not sure how to find a few of the restaurants! When Sara and I were walking back from lower Ovieto, a family (they looked Italian) stopped us to ask us in Italian for directions to the duormo. We stuttered and tried to explain that we don’t understand, and the father said “Oh sorry, we thought you were locals. We were just looking for the duormo.” What a compliment on Day #3!

February 26, 2013

- First class today (read over the syllabus, had some pastries and stood out in the sun during the break, went over some “introduction” sheets where Prof. Doll read the paper and then we had to guess who wrote it. I’m a little nervous about class because I had an awful time working on the homework. The only instructions were to “draw something” but somehow I had the worst time with it!

- Spaghetti, fennel, and chicken for lunch

- Ventured down to lower Orvieto for Round #2 of the “phone store” hunt. We finally made it after getting lost again, only to remember that the employees at the phone store only spoke Italian. After a lot of gesturing and a little bit of Spanish, Sara and I successfully bought her a data plan for her iPhone. She did most of the Italian/Spanish/English phrases while I stood there and smiled, hoping that I was being supportive. It was definitely interesting. All of the Italian shop owners or employees that we’ve met have been so open and they really want to help us with our directions, finding a bathroom, finding stores, etc. So that’s nice.

- Hiked back up to upper Orvieto for the next 45 minutes – had to take off my peacoat and my two sweaters – it suddenly went from SO COLD to boiling hot as we hiked up the hill

- Went to draw on the steps… ugh.

- Irish coffee at Mantanucci’s with Katherine, Sara, and Laura.

- Soup and pineapple cake for dinner. So delicious!

- Went back to the Villa instead of the Palazzo to use the wifi. It was nice to be quiet for a while and relax. I loved spending time in Jenna and Rebekah’s room. It’s so nice to be able to talk to people that I already knew before this trip to Orvieto. I definitely admire the students that came into the program and don’t know anyone, but it’s definitely nice to be able to go to Jenna or Laura (and a few other people) if I need anyone to really talk to someone who knows me outside of this place!

Irish coffee