Ravenna.

This is number two out of the places I have visited so far...

We asked around before deciding and lots of people had said that Ravenna was a nice pretty town, similar to Ferrara. As the trains were easy and quick, we thought why not?! Also, this is where Dante is buried so we could get extra cultural points and a good conversation starter for our favorite Italian lecturers back in Exeter. Luciano will be proud :)

We arrived at lunchtime, and so naturally followed our noses to the nearest restaurant which happened to be in the main square. We sat down at a very busy restaurant and again, naturally, waited a good 30 minutes before being asked what we wanted (efficiency at restaurants is not a strong point here although the waiters are generally lovely so you never have the heart to say anything. Couldn't possibly complain of course, we're British) After a lovely plate of pasta and deciding that we wouldn't eat for the next week and the diet would start tomorrow, but we turned the corner to find a gelateria...
would have been rude not to... and WHAT a good decision that was. I'm not kidding it was the best ice cream I have ever eaten. and I have eaten a fair amount in my time, so big claim!

This is the website: Papilla Gelateria

We were definitely full by then as so decided to take a little stroll to find out what there was to visit/see. Ravenna is very cute and there are various monuments/museums but everything cost money and being the stingy students that we are, we decided to just have a look from the outside. We then went to find Dantes tomb which is free!! Yay! We then went to the 'Mosaic museum' where the have a nice terrace/garden but to be honest there wasn't much of a panoramic view! Also, make sure you find the Duomo as its a really beautiful building!


We decided that we really liked Ravenna. It has a really nice feel to it, and definitely felt similar to Ferrara! A great place to visit for the day, but don't be stingy like us! I would pay to have a look around everything, I know I will next time...

Dante's Grave

Mosaic Museum Terrace

Duomo

Broccoli and Leek Omelette.

I have decided to start writing down and sharing some of the things I cook here in Italy. I am trying to eat a low gluten diet. In Italy. (Yes I do know how crazy that sounds)... Obviously there will be cheat days/moments but I'm only human and obviously find it impossible to resist the fresh smell of a melted cheese smothered pizza... mmmm


So first one on the list is this great quick, YUMMY omelette recipe:

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1/2 leek
A handful of broccoli florets
30g (a handful) of Feta
2 slices of ham roughly torn into pieces
Salt and Pepper
Pinch of parmesan

-Fry the leek and broccoli in a pan in olive oil over a medium heat until golden and tender.
-In a separate bowl whisk eggs with salt, pepper and Parmesan to season.
-Add feta to the broccoli and leeks in the frying pan.
-Immediately pour the egg mixture over the feta/broccoli/leeks
-Add ham pieces to pan
-Wait 3 mins then fold in half in pan.
-Wait further 3 mins
-Serve.

Buon Appetito!

Bologna.

I haven't written on this blog for well over a month now. Oooops!
But I like to think of this as a good sign as it means that I have just been far too busy doing fun things to write any of it down. But maybe I should start...

So I have fallen into a kind of routine here in Ferrara. A normal day during the week would consist of: run, lessons, lunch, lessons, coffee/pastry, dinner, bar/piazza. Not bad hey?! But all this can obviously be done anywhere (although the setting/scenery wouldn't be quite the same) so I have vowed, along with my pals, to try and visit as many places as we can each weekend.

So far we have been somewhere different every weekend and its been amazing!

 I am going to do a post on each place I have visited. I'll try to give a good idea of what to do/ what not to do after my experience in each place and show you some pretty pictures along the way :)



So first of all we went  to Bologna. That city that everyone in Britain would associate with spaghetti Bolognese, which I didn't even eat there *shock horror* and which isn't even technically what its called. I'm really not sure why we Brits don't just call it Ragu like they do here. It's not like its harder to pronounce...

Anywayyyy, Bologna is only 30 mins from Ferrara, so a 3€ train ride later, we arrived only to be greeted by fog, rain and a McDonalds outside the station. Good start.

Butttt after a walk to the shopping street, a scarf/hat purchase and a Piadina lunch stop, (amazing Italian flatbread sandwiches) we met up with our friends from back in Exeter.  Our B&B was great and the woman who owned it was lovely and because we had taken it over, it felt like we were having a big girlie sleepover at her house! (Although a word of warning, it looks NOTHING like the advertised pictures.)

After a quick change, we went for dinner at this amazing Pizzaria near our hostel with huuuuge pizzas for a bargain (share one though!) and creamy, delicious risotto.
Then it was off out to a 'pub' bar and club in the centre called Kinky's. Enough said about that the better haha.

Jus' Chillin'

Main Piazza

The next day we decided that we should probably
do something touristy and see some of what Bologna has to offer. We started off with a wonder around the main piazza and the smart shopping area behind the duomo. Then, advised by Katie (a friend from Exeter who had already been to Bologna) we went to the Museo Civico
Archeologico which is lovely and they have an Egyptian exhibition with actual mummies and enough skeletons/Roman pottery to shake a stick at!!

After that we had a look around the duomo which was nice and duomo-y. As it was a sunday though, a lot of things were closed and it was very quiet!

Museo

We didnt go up the towers which is a popular attraction because, this may sound strange, but it's Italian superstition that if you go up before you graduate, you will fail your degree.

not taking any chances thankyouverymuch...

That was actually all we found we had time for as without a map we had spent a lot of time deciding what to do and not a lot of time doing.  But I think a part of us, after the night out, was in a hurry to get back to Ferrara, get into bed and warm up/sleep. :/








All in all it was a lovely trip and it was great to meet up with the other Exeter girls. However, I have to say that although parts are gorgeous, in the rain Bologna has probably been my least favourite city. I think we also learnt that it's good to do some research about where to visit and how much things cost as sometimes the places you think would be free, very much aren't.

I guess I'll just have to go back in the summer and change my mind...

 Oh what a pity!!!

 E-numbers? Go on then...

Cutest dog EVER!

Duomo

I have ARRIVED.

So I have been in Ferrara for two weeks now and it has FLOWN by.

But then it also feels like I have always lived here, in this white, Ikea furnished box. (see below)

Ferrara is gorgeous. A proper Italian town/city with a medieval centre where its very easy to get lost in the winding, cobbled streets. Doesn't it look like a film set?!

This is a photo from the day I arrived, with my dad. As per usual, when on holiday/anywhere with my dad, there was no time to sitting in the sun getting to know the Italian coffee because that would be too relaxing. So off we went to explore the place, map and camera in hand.

We walked the various 'walking routes' and then the next day, because that wasn't enough, we hired bikes and rode the length of the wall. To be fair it was really great and it meant I could work out my running route for the next 6 months *cough*cough*

With this path though, I might just have to...

Things I have done these two weeks:


-Crashed a bike into a wall.
-Vowed to never buy a bike as they are dangerous and awkward
-Bought a bike (Everyone rides bikes here, its like the Oxford of Italy)
-Eaten a strawberry and custard filled croissant at midnight
-Drunk copious amounts of Aperol spritz
-Seen a man propose to his girlfriend with a flash mob, whilst being filmed for tv. (I may have almost shed a tear) 
-Eaten the biggest olive I have ever seen.
-Cooked pasta, under strict Italian instructions.
-Lived in a hostel, found an appartment, moved into an appartment FINALLY.

SOME PIXXXX !

Lucky me :)

Packing List for Year Abroad.

 Some stuff for girls..... but guys you get the gist.

CLOTHING
-Underwear x14
-Bras
-Socks x7
-Jumpers
-T-shirts
-Pyjamas
-Tops
-Jeans/Trousers
-Shorts/Skirts
-Belts
-Workout Clothes
-Swimming Gear
-Coat/Lightweight Jacket
-Umbrella
-Formal Dress/Going Out Clothes
-Trainers/Boots/Sandals
-Scarf/Hat
-Slippers

TOILETRIES
-Hairbrush
-Razors
-Nail Clippers
-Make-up
-Medicine
-Tissues
-Nail Polish/Remover
-Moisturizer
-After Sun/Sun Cream
-Scissors
-Plasters
-Mosquito Repellent
-Tampax

EXTRAS
-Purse
-Documents
-Sunglasses/Glasses
-Mobile/Charger
-Laptop/Charger
-Camera/Charger
-Adapters/Extension Lead
-Sheets/Bedding
-Towels
-Rucksack
-Hangers
-Clock
-Photos
-Ipod
-Headphones
-Watch
-Batteries
-Dictaphone

Documents to pack for Year Abroad.

-Confirmation Letter/Email if going to University
-Any other important emails
-Medical info/Doctor info
-EHIC Card
-Insurance Card/Info
-Driving licence
-National Insurance Number
- Bank Details/Statements
-Credit/Debit Card
-Phone contract info
-Euro Card
-Rail Card
-Student Card
-Passport Photos (Lots)
-Birth Certificate
-Next of Kin details
-Passport photocopies
-International Student Card
-Exam Certificates

(For most of these you will only need photocopies, but in colour!)

Be Prepared.

I LEAVE FOR FERRARA IN 3 DAYS! I am both terrified and itching to get there (even though I will have to live in a hostel for the foreseeable future), and have decided it is probably wise to start the stressful, yet very vital, task of packing.

I have allowance for two suitcases but looking at this pile of stuff (this is only half) that has swamped my bedroom, I can tell that this is going to be tricky.

I have written 2 lists being a control freak. One for documents/papers that I need or may need, and a packing list for everything else.

The documents have been put into a folder. Easy to carry and hopefully even I can't lose them.

So..... I will write down what I'm packing. Hopefully this will help, and let me know if you think I have forgotten something.

Diners in Paris.

You may think it criminal, but over the three weeks I spent in Paris I went to not one, but three diners. I didn't feel too bad seeing as I am not American and so don't get this kind of food/decor at home in Somerset. Well, that's what I kept telling myself.

I have high expectations from diners as I always expect them to feel like this scene in Grease, and am disappointed if they don't.

The first one was Coffee Parisien. There are two of these diners in Paris, one in the 6th and one in the 16th. (I went to the one in the 6th) These diners don't really feel typical 'dinery' as in the decor is pretty sombre, so not much over the top America 50's memorabilia. Having said that the burgers are scrummy.

We then ventured to Breakfast in America (the original one, south of the river) and here, the pancakes are bigger therefore getting more for your money. The staff were really friendly and the place had a really good vibe, with cool wall art and personal touches from previous visitors. This was our addition which got a post on their instagram:

 

 Coke Float >>>














Finally, we went to a Happy Days Diner. There is a total of 5 in Paris, and we went to the new one on Rivoli. Now this was 50's America, Grease style. With all the garish colours, retro posters and juke boxes that you would expect. YAY.

And the food was great with loads of choice. It also seemed to be a little cheaper than the others. Yet again the staff were really friendly, even offering my friend a job!

All these pictures are making me hungry...

Bars in Paris.

While in Paris, due to the amazing weather, we tended to chill by the Seine in the evening along with everyone else. Make sure you do this if you can, and bring a picnic/various bottles of wine to really feel like a local.

But at the weekend we did venture to some bars for a change of scene.
We just HAD to try some of the cocktails on offer (or the €3 wine if we had spent too much money in Zara that day).

 The first one we went to was Pont Ephemere near the Jaures metro stop.
This bar's terrace is right next to the canal but it's not huge so you might have to hover and wait to grab a table.

The deco inside makes it feel like an art gallery... probably because it is I have later found out. (look at the website for exhibition dates)

even the toilets are arty>>

 They also have concerts here but we failed to check the dates before went, so make sure you do!


This place is great for a chilled drink early evening on the terrace, then if you fancy it, throwing some shapes on the dance floor which gets busy a bit later on.








I was staying with a friend while in Paris, Lilys, who she is living there as an au-pair at the moment.

So we had a guide, although there is only really one bar that she goes to ALL THE TIME.

Looking at these, I'm sure you can see why! >>

It's called The Bottle Shop and its a favorite with the locals for its array of interesting cocktails and in-house DJ. It's owned by Cheap Blonde Bars so if you're staying a bit too far away from the Bastille area, check the other bars out which may be more convenient and just as good!

Happy Hour is 6-8 and I would recommend making the effort as the cocktails are amazing. The barman will pretty much make anything you want on request and who doesn't love some money off?  If you don't manage to get there early enough, get one anyway.

Starting at €8 they aren't cheap, but go on... TREAT YOURSELF. You've earnt it with all that walking I'm sure.

The sun has got his hat on... but it's too hot to play.

In case anyone hadn't noticed. Its really hot atm. Like REALLY hot.

So hot that we are currently passed out in my flat, lacking the energy to move.

Seeing as much of Paris as I can this weekend is going well...

Yesterday the Paris Plages opened! And although I haven't yet ventured onto them, I plan to asap next week. Then are open from 9am-midnight which will be perfect for a cooler, evening visit.
However, if you're in need of somewhere to rest, but can't face the thought of being covered in a sweaty/sandy combo, there is a great little park at Pont Neuf, opposite the beach called Vert Galant. This place would be the perfect spot to meet friends for a picnic and even on a Saturday it wasn't too busy.

Today, we went to the Breakfast In America south of the river for some hangover-curing pancakes (so daymm yummy)
and as we were in that direction we decided to pop into the Jardin des Plantes. This place is lovely, it feels like they have picked up a museum from the South of France and dropped it in Paris. The only downer was the park warden stopping anyone chilling on the grass... but in slightly cooler weather I would definitely recommend a trip there to escape the hustle and bustle.
Oh and there's a zoo for €9 pp. with a leopard and everything.

Happy Sunday!