Lazy Sunday.... and Saturday

This weekend was very relaxed and we decided not to leave Florence. Yesterday I took a run (a very short and slow one) around the Ponte Vecchio in the morning. The streets were crowded but I still couldn't believe the spectacular buildings that cheered me on during my "run". Later on in the day I decided to get out of the house and take a walk, a hour and a half later I was still walking, past the Ponte Vecchio, past the Pitti Palace and past the Boboli Gardens. It was nice to finally have no plan in particular after days of planning different trips (even if it was just a walk). I tried to make it into the Boboli Gardens but the guard there said it was about to close.. I think. I will be going there soon because from what I got to see-- the gardens look absolutely brilliant.

Like I said, the last few days have been spent planning. I finally have three plane tickets to my name for my european excursion. Paris in 3 weeks, Sardegna and the Cinque Terre for Spring Break, and London in April. Its hard to sit here and only look at pictures of these places now and not turn my tickets in for the next flight there, but I can't stop thinking how lucky I am to be able to visit all of these places that I have been dreaming about since before I could remember. And of course, the excitement of the trips makes it even more fun.

Today was another relaxing day that began with a short (but a little longer) and slow (but a little faster) run around the Ponte vecchio. The sun was shining and the weather was beautiful. A perfect day! In the evening, Kaitlin, Anna, and I went to the euro store to get some really authentic notebooks (that have puppies and flowers on them) for school... that starts TOMORROW. But on the way there we saw a bunch of tents in the distance, so we had to see what was going on. It ended up being a flea market that happened every last sunday of the month. (At least I think thats what the man said...) There was everything from sweaters to chandeliers to jewelry to old postcards. (Which, I might add, is what I happened to purchase.) 

 It was a lucky find--- the flea market that is. I'd like to go back in four weeks, and the month after that, and the month after that.... so that I would have more time to look around. (When we got there everyone was beginning to pack their tents up.) All in all a very down to earth weekend-- which is something I personally needed. All of this get-up-and-going is really great but a weekend to balance things out was the perfect thing to do. Tomorrow, like I said, real classes start. I have Italian Cinema and Society at 4:30, so I really have the whole day to do anything I want! Maybe I'll finally go back to the market, visit a museum, go on another run, or just take a really long walk. The possibilities are endless. Mom-- I thought of you when i saw these sweaters! Identical to the one you bought in Italy when you where backpacking through Europe! (You know... these I continuously steal... maybe Ill just have to get one for myself.)