i have said it before (10.05.07)

here we are again. another week has passed, and my prediction has proved accurate. this past week flew even more rapidly then the last, and i fear that soon it will all escalate into unstopable momentum that will land me in the second week of december before i am ready.
But i can do to remedey that fear by taking each day for what i can and ensuring that i am doing what i want to, regardless of what others spend their time with. I learned strongly the value of this last Sunday, but more on that later.
The CAPA group is close knit. As one that has always attended large schools I am slowing becoming acustom to. Each week there are invitations for everyone to come to varying apt. and to share meals, or met for drinks. Thursday, was particularily fun, as we all gathered in the basment of some of the guys place for "Mexican night" and all devoured the much appreciated break from pasta.
I will also report, i finally drank my first italian espresso. Being late in the mornings kept me from stopping in a shop sooner for some, but eventually i found my way in one. And as much i would like to deny it, after a month from any coffee, the moment the espresso hit my lips was akin to the relief of a swimmer surfacing for air (heheheh)
I would also like to add, that once in awhile on the way to our destination to sketch, my drawing class stops at various famous gelato shops our instructor points out, and we use "class time" to buy and eat ice cream.
This past wkend was very full. On Saturday the whole of capa loaded into a bus and drove to both San Gimignano and our rival town, Siena. We heard the tale of the black cock and his crowing that alerted our knight to claim land for florence, we curved through the countryside and sleepy eyed fell out of the bus into a place meant for other things. other lives, other times. San Gimignano. The black plauge plummeted its population and slashed it in half, leaving the entire town at a near standstill when nearby Florence rose in the high rennasiance. Clattering over the streets and up the hill to the top of the old wall we looked over the countryside. At the end of a few hours we met again at the bus and continued to Siena. Splitting into smaller subgroups we were conjoined with tour guides and found our way through churchs greedily clutching relics of saints past, and humbled under ceilings ornate and thick with the baroque. The dome of Siena was halted when the plauge creeped its way into the city, and the conquring size it had dreampt of over the cathedral of my own city had to be sacrified. None the less, it is a sight to behold. im going to with hold any attept of describing the inside of the cathedral, because i will only fail. Imagine as strongly as you can, as wildly and as free...and you might glimpse it.
The trip was wonderful. The effect of having something planned for you and taken care of can not be underestimated, and when both of those things were the case for the wkend excursion it made the trip that much more relaxing. Despite the raining dreary weather, it was a wonderful time.
That evening upon returning to Florence, my roomates got on a midnight train to Germany to take part in Oktoberfest. With them gone the next morning, I took an oppurtunity that everyone else in the entirety of CAPA ignored. A nearby town, Impruneta was holding a harvest festival. Early that morning i woke, packed my bag for the day and managed my way through a bus station and got a lone ticket to the town. Once arriving i followed the slow and sproatic current of people to the center of town, where in the park vendors of all assortments were gathered. Gapping at the food and wine i meandered through the park for the whole of the morning, and eventually settled down in the shade for a lunch i had packed from my bag, accompanied by a few things i sampled from the vendors.
Later, at 3pm, the reason we all came began. With thundering applause, overpowering the loud music from the speakers, the neighborhood of San Marie, in time followed by 3 others took turns in the square and through the aisle leading to it. Hundreds of performers, in elaborate custums channeled through. More than just parading their attire, the floats that towers above us sung the tale of a plentiful harvest as even their gigantic size was no match for the amount of grapes used to handcover their surfaces. The members of each neighborhood wore different costomes to exclaim their tales through well learned dances. The afternoon was a progression of dance and movement and awe as each costume was more lovely then the last and each story more riviting as it was told through music and movement. Ships towering the people below, men blowing fire, exploding canons, and well rehearsed performers circled the spectators and spun the mind. Each neighborhood took around twenty minutes hypontizing the crowd with their magic, and by the time i left, it all felt like a beautiful, colorful, fanciful dream. The pride in the eys of those performing, along with the bold music and attire left a dramatic yet poetic sting in the air.
I left the crowd as the last of the ending neighborhood took stage. The last bus was leaving for the afternoon and had i stayed, i would have been stuck until much into the night. The entire day was just a few euros and it just goes to show that the world is full of wonder. Your only requirment is to keep your ears and eyes open to it.

On wed. morning, soon after i had written an email to my family proclaiming that while my roomates were sick i was not, i woke with a sore throat. determined to shake it before it got any worse, i spent my time making and eating soup, drinking tons of water and sleeping, along with a steady dose of vitamin c tablets. As of right now, friday night, i am feeling very well, the ghostly traces of the cold lingering just a bit.

Tomorrow morning, (I'm sure) i will be the driving force behind my roommates as we head to the Cinque Terre. (they insist on going out all the time and buying overpriced beers, of what interest i am unable yet to aquire, living in Italy, yet spending money so often on that???). I am looking forward to scampering about and am hoping the force of the tourist has lessend, although the weather is still warm and sunny.

I apologize for this note's tardiness, as Thursday afternoon came and went and i was too exhausted to compose it then. -corrie