Sicilia - the island of volcanoes, good food and a wonderful friendly environment for travellers

Ciao ragazzi!

Last week's program was all about hosting a friend's friend at my apartment and in the mean time having a perfect experience of going and visiting art exhibitions and Italian play's with someone who can really identify the details and meanings more thoroughly (the friend's friend was a movie director student).

Catania with Mt. Etna on the background

But the most exciting thing that I went through last week was the weekend trip to Sicily with one Korean girl and a Finnish guy. We flew to Catania, in the East coast of Sicily, and met my Finnish friend there who is conducting his exchange there - this of course resulted to a heavy drinking night on Friday, but it really was worth it. On Saturday (with a bit of hangover) we took the bus North to Siracusa, an old Greeck city with a rich history, and smell of fish...

Siracusa provided us with a nice cultural experience of an Italian coastal city with its idyllic port and ancient ruins overlooking the sea.

Siracusa

After some nightly round in Catania on Saturday, again, we travelled to Taormina on Sunday to witness some of the most spectacular views that can be seen in Italy. I have to admit that it might host the most beautiful locations for a theatre in the world, an ancient Greeck theatre on top of a very high hill, from where you can see Sicily's greatest sites - Etna, the sea and the beautiful landscape of Taormina. Words really can't properly describe the awesomeness of the area. For that, you can enjoy the pictures posted here.

So Sicily was a complete success, and I really have to recommend to everyone. The mysterious island of Mafia and kind Italian people should be more popular among travellers who wish to experience the proper Italy.

As I write this I am again accepting the reality of studying abroad, that said lectures and upcoming exams...

Until next time!

Siracusa

Taormina

Taormina with a Greek theatre

Taormina

Mid-term stress conquered and finding peace at Assisi

Ciao ragazzi!

I know I haven't written anything in a while, but that is due to a huge amount of studying (and partying). During the last two weeks I had a couple of mid-term exams which usually contain almost 50% of the overall grade of the particular course. So I had a huge motivation to study for those.

In the end I don't have too much to tell you about the last two weeks due to intense studying but I must admit that the way of Italian lifestyle is already getting a grip on me. Sometimes I have started to take less stress on studying and arriving on time to classes. I also must admit that I have begun to speak better Italian...

For drinking and partying, I have managed to enjoy inter-cultural liquids almost too much. Korean Soju, Finnish Koskenkorva, Italian sparkling wine, and especially Dutch beer have been a very important factor the last couple of weeks.

At the same time, I have begun to feel the approaching return back to Finland more intriguing (despite the fact that snow and darkness have once again covered the country). But before that I will still visit the hopefully warm Sicily (next week) and the Second (maybe better?) Rome, which was once called Constantinopole, and nowadays know as Istanbul.

My most enlightening days during this exchange happened last Friday, when I decide to travel alone to Assisi - also know as the "City of Peace". Assisi is home to an old monastery of Franciscan monks (some people may identify the similarity of the names with the famous weisbier). The town is very beautiful with its quiet and delicate streets and churches. You can also get a nice exercise by climbing up the hill to the center. It was also my first trip ever alone, and actually I kind of enjoyed it. For the first time I really could have my own schedule for everything I wanted to do. But of course drinking a beer or having a gelato is always better with company...

All that said, next weekend I am off to Sicilia, and so I will have my next text written about that (providing the supposed heat wont exhaust me first).

By for now! And enjoy some spectacular views of Citta del pace...