Student Bloggers

My travel habits continue with a weekend adventure to Italy. Audrey and I find ourselves soaking up the sun among some of the best architecture, food, and fashion in the world. This time around, we decided to skip the night in Dublin and the hostels, opting for a 2:15am bus straight to the airport and an apartment through Airbnb. It was nice being able to have all of Thursday to get ahead on school work, eat dinner at home, and take a nap before heading out. I think I am subconsciously following the sun. It was a beautiful weekend of mid-seventies weather. My housemate even commented that I came home with a tan. Milan itself was an easy city to navigate by metro and bus, saving us a fortune on taxis. We were able to find our apartment in a quiet residential area surrounded by little shops and bakeries with fresh chocolate croissants that we had to try.

Our first day in the city we found a nice restaurant that served us the largest plates of spaghetti I have ever seen and then we ventured off to the Duomo. Holy cow, I did not expect to see the most breathtaking cathedral within a few hours of landing. It was the most stunning building I have ever seen with its pointed arches, stained-glass windows, and statues. Audrey and I were able to climb to the rooftop terraces and take in a panoramic view of the city (we would’ve sworn we could see all the way to Rome). By sheer luck, we ended up on the roof just as the sun was setting and we were witness to perfect clouds in a cotton candy pink sky followed by the sparkling lights as Milan came to life for the night. I had never truly understood what it meant to say something is “devastatingly beautiful” until I was overlooking Italy from atop the most gorgeous cathedral at sunset. It just does not get better than that.

Eventually we did peel ourselves away from the Duomo terraces and spent our second day at the Castello castle. Little did we know that the Castello is home to Michelangelo’s unfinished final piece “La Pieta” and the current restoration of a ceiling mural designed and created by Leonardo Da Vinci. Talk about a pleasant surprise. Last week we found ourselves in the ranks of Dali and Picasso and this week were amongst the best Renaissance artists ever known. If that does not make you appreciate the opportunities Europe has to offer, I have no idea what will. After our morning with these magnificent men, we decided to hit the shopping district, because is it really a trip to Milan if you don’t stop into some stores? I am calling this weekend the trip of perfect timing and happy accidents. As we were searching for an outlet shopping center, we stumbled upon a little archway in the middle of a strip of restaurants and decided to check it out. Inside we found a boutique with vintage couture gowns and jewelry, a book shop cataloging fashion through history, a photo gallery, and a rooftop garden. Moral of the story: always follow unmarked arches.

During our weekend, we made our way to the edge of Milan to visit the World Expo on Food. Nearly 100 countries were represented with pavilions showcasing their food and culture. I think Audrey and I may have been a bit worn out by our third afternoon, because the lines did not appeal to us the way they normally would have. We were very content to people watch with our plates and let the sun warm us up before we headed to the airport. Despite the exhaustion of getting home at 3:30am, Milan was worth every second. I cannot wait to head back to Italy at the end of the semester.

But life hasn’t been solely about travel. It’s postseason in Major League Baseball and the Royals are taking on the Astros to see who will advance. As I write, I am currently yelling/cheering as the Royals head the ninth inning of what could be (but hopefully won’t be) their last game of the season. I don’t get worked up about much, but Royals baseball is definitely towards the top of my list when it comes to enthusiasm. It is also time for midterms, but how can the world expect me to concentrate on essays when the Royals just took the lead?! So tonight, we take a study break to bake cookies, watch baseball, and feel a connection with Kansas City.

Here’s to Artists, Baseball, and Castles, the ABCs of my week.