top 5 of firenze

I've been here officially 6 weeks so I figured I'd go ahead and make a list of my top 5 favorite things, in no particular order, thus far:

1. The Arno - This river, which flows for 241 km, runs straight through the heart of Firenze. It never looks the same two days in a row, whether it be a difference in the color of the water or the size of the ripples. Living in the Oltrarno area [literally translated to 'beyond the arno], I've had the opportunity to marvel at its beauty daily.

2. The Mercato Centrale - I literally love this market. Fresh fruits and veggies are abounding [as are very dead rabbits, horses, deer and pigs] and the prices are unbeatable. I'll never forget the first day I went and bought 4 huge bell peppers for 1 Euro. From what I've been told, most students find the market too overwhelming and thus settle for smaller grocery stores. But to me, this massive indoor building is a gastronomic heaven just waiting to be explored. 

                            

3. The Gelato - Need I say more? You know how in America there is a Starbucks on every corner? Well in Italy, there is a gelateria on literally every corner. So far my favorite flavors are Fondente [dark chocolate], Caramello [caramel] and Cookies [apparently there isn't an Italian word for cookie?]. I've gotten into a [bad] habit of getting a 2 Euro cup of gelato every day after lunch - can you say highlight of my day? I also just discovered that they sell gelato by the kilo...this could be dangerous. 

4. The Sunsets- I know I know...there are beautiful sunsets all over the world. But I swear there is something magical about looking over the entire city and seeing the sun set behind the Duomo. There are 2 things I check every morning on my computer before going to class: weather.com [which incidentally is wrong 90% of the time] and the time of the sunset. If I'm lucky, I can time my evening walk perfectly and catch the sun setting as I cross the Arno to get to my apartment. 

5. The Duomo- The Duomo, which literally means Cathedral, is one of the most spectacular buildings I've ever laid eyes on. It's incredibly large and the detail on both the interior and exterior is unbelievably impressive. I've studied the piece of architecture before and now, as I walk past it daily, the history behind the building comes alive right before my eyes. I just imagine Brunelleschi, Giotto and many other famous architects slaving away together on this masterpiece. The focal point of the city, my list would not be complete without mention of Il Duomo. 

And with that, I'm off to Venice for Carnival! I'll update when I return but I'm anticipating some really crazy stories and photos. Until next time... Arrivederci!