Vicenza
The Teatro Olimpico, another art history fan girl moment 'OMG I am in Palladio's theatre!'

A dwarf on the wall of the Villa ai Nani (nani mean dwarf). Cute.

Padua

This is the only photo I took, was so rainy and I was so grumpy.
I spent most of my time in the Pinacoteca (art gallery). I went to see Giotto's Arena Chapel, which was gorgeous. I was actually worried they wouldn't let me in as it is climate controlled, anti humidity etc and I was quite wet from the rain. But they didn't seem to notice/mind. It was really beautiful, I had studied it so extensively that I remembered all the stories and the important scenes. I then went into the art gallery and was probably the only person there with about 50 staff. They followed me around (out of boredom rather than suspicion I think) kept stopping me and telling me I hadn't looked at every picture, or hadn't spent enough time looking at one their finest masterpieces. Drives you crazy. In other news I have sussed out another lovely self serve restaurant for dinner.

Well I have been in Florence a week now and it is going o.k. I only had my first successful day of study today at one of the libraries. I tried to go yesterday but they would only join me up on Tuesdays or Thursdays (they are german so lots of rules!) But now I am in and it is a good place, lots of stuff I need. I didn't have as much luck yesterday at another library it was very confusing and I couldn't understand what they were telling me, I had thought my Italian was quite good but I am still having trouble understanding what people are saying to me. Nevermind. I am missing M so much, we haven't been able to ring each other either because I have no home phone and my telstra card isn't working here because Italian telecom switched them off.

I have been getting quite lonely and bored in the evenings too, hopefully in Rome I will have free internet access so I can come and chat on here more.

I have also been watching Italian t.v., so far I have watched 24, sex in the city and some star trek in Italian,

Luca Giordano frescoes at the Palazzo Medici Riccardi.

When you are flying somewhere, always take your goat.

Well I am in Italy, Florence to be precise. It is very nice and I am adjusting o.k. I was so stressed about this trip but now I am here I feel much more relaxed. The trip was sooooo long I think about 35 hours door to door, gah! I just conked out at about 5:30 on the day I arrived. Though that was after having to find a bus and catch it out into teh country side to go to Villa I Tatti to meet Joseph Connors. It is a villa turned research centre. I had lunch there, which was very nice. The walls are covered in 15th century art and the conversation veered between English and Italian and I think I sat there looking a bit shell shocked and mumbling. Joe Connors was lovely and set aside time to show me around the library.

I have caught up with one of my uni friends who is here though, it is funny in Melbourne he is just someone I see around and don't really hang out with but here in Italy I was really glad to see him.

Yup, definitely in Florence.

My room.

The apartment I am staying in is very nice and close to lots of stuff. I have been eating lots of pastries and pizza and drinking coffee, though I have also been walking everywhere so hopefully it will balance out.
Anyway I will update more stuff later as I am in an internet cafe with limited time and I want to catch up on other people's journals.