Europe Week Sixteen: Goodbye Rome
I spent a weekend in Budapest with my best childhood friend Sharon. We stayed at an Airbnb near St. Stephen's Cathedral, and explored the city on foot for three days.
As one who obsesses over any place near a body of water and has coined the hashtag #waterandaview to memorialize every place I love, I couldn't wait to visit this floating gem of a city.
A few weeks after our class trip down South, we wandered up North, into Tuscany and the Veneto. It was the beginning of November, and fall was officially upon us. Vibrant golden leaves and nostalgic breezes welcomed us everywhere we went.
My project acknowledges reuse, and focuses on opening up the enclosed courtyard and introducing green space that would allow pedestrians to move through and explore the surrounding context, which include the old slaughterhouse, a portion of Rome's ancient Aurelian walls, and more.
I spend a lot of time daydreaming about beautiful places, and gardens are probably some of the most magical places that come to mind. When our class took a day trip to Tivoli last week, I couldn't contain my excitement as I pranced around gardens drooling at the view at every crevice of this water-filled and flawlessly landscaped city.
Compared to other major cities in Italy, Milan is so much more modern, elegant, and fashionable. With towering skyscrapers as well as beautiful royal historical landmarks, Milan is what I call a city.
These past two weeks our class went on little fieldtrips to different part of Rome, visiting archaeological sites, ancient landfills, the famous Roman aqueducts, and a former power station-turned-museum. I love being able to learn history standing at the exact place history was made.
Five picturesque seaside villages at the foot of terraced hills that face the Mediterranean Sea with the most colorful terraces and winding roads, the towns of Cinque Terre are a real-life Pinterest dream.
A city so full of Renaissance charm and fashion, Florence was romantic and an absolute delight to visit.
Escaping to the uncontaminated countryside was a much needed break from the daily hustle and bustle of city life. A breath of fresh air. A hike on a sunny day. A vista of rolling green hills. A taste of village life. These are the moments that have me pinching myself.
Walking through the streets and charming little alleyways, I feel like I'm in a movie. I can't believe it's actually happening. Here's a blog post diary entry journaling my first week living la dolce vita.
A bittersweet farewell to the experience of a lifetime.