It's March?!?

As upset as I am with March for its speedy arrival, it's certainly doing a good job earning my forgiveness.
I really can't believe it's already Marzo. Two months from Sunday I will be on a plane back to the states. But as long as the next two months are even half as great as today, I'll be happy.

I woke up around 9:30 to shower and finish a scholarship application that my dad kindly printed and sent from home. After an Italian test, I walked out to the dam with Jess.

I read for a while, then napped for 45 minutes. It was wonderful. In the middle of a city, there is calm — almost serenity. This picture doesn't begin to cover it:

At 3 p.m., I gathered myself, shoved my belongings into my bag and rose from the warm rock with a groan. Despite relatively minimal stress, my lower back has been in serious pain.

I met up with Caitlin, Michelle and Kristy at the school to climb the Duomo. Laura was walking out of class, ran into us and decided to join. I hadn't gone inside the Cathedral at all yet, and I've been starting to see the area get increasingly crowded. Tourist season is coming! I need to start doing these things while the lines are still short.
The stairs weren't as bad as I was expecting. After climbing the dome of St. Peter's, I can do most any stairs. We reached the base of the cupola and shuffled along the edge, tightly sandwiched between the wall and a dirty glass barrier. I couldn't see anything very well through the grimy glass.

After several dizzying spiral staircases, we reached the top. It was beyond words. And this city is mine.

Kristy and Michelle. This picture cracks me up more than necessary.

We climbed down, and Caitlin left to go to Maria's for family dinner. She was making dinner for all of the CCI students — my Firenze family. 

I walked around the Duomo with Michelle, Kristy and Laura. It looked pink under the sinking sun. We worked our way toward the Arno to see the sunset.

I had every intention of joining the CCI family at the apartment, but I ended up losing track of time.. We were sitting on Ponte a Santa Trinitá when I got ahold of Caitlin. They were just starting dinner. I still needed to go back to the school to get my things and would have had to drag the other three with me since they had the key. I decided to stay on the bridge and bypass family dinner.

After watching the sky turn from pale blue to pink to purple to a dark navy, we left the bridge and walked to Gusta Pizza. Michelle and Laura hadn't been there before, so since we were in the area, it was a must. We got there around 6:30 p.m., but it wasn't open for another half hour. We sat on the steps of the Basilica of Santa Maria del Santo Spirito and talked until it opened. It was a delicious end to a glorious day.

Ponte alla Carraia

Yes, stranger, please stand in the middle of my view. Well actually that's
becoming less sarcastic as your silhouette is working for this photo...

Ponte Vecchio

This has become the photo I take practically everywhere. I honestly didn't even think of "Titanic," although I see it in every picture now. Kristy and Michelle pointed it out on the top of the Duomo, and a man passing on his bike pointed it out here by screaming "Titanic Titanic Titanic!" Good day.

Tomorrow I'm going to Milan with CCI and business students. We have to meet at the train station at 6:30 a.m. That's in 7 hours. I'm going to bed.

March, don't let me down.