firenze.

The Olczak family came to visit Italy and we took a day trip to Florence! Long story short, we had a rented car but a broken GPS. Note to self: if you are lost in Italy and you decide to ask for directions, the million dollar answer with always be "go straight". This is typically followed by head nodding and extravagant hand gestures up, down, to the left, and to the right.
Ps. The David ain't my perfect man.

november is a rainy month.

My dear friend Claire visited Milano and magical things happened. We feasted on glorious paninis and went to the market at San Agostino. I bought a handful of olives.

cimitero monumentale di milano.

A bizarre visit on a bizarre day. Like a small city on its own. Creepy and morbid, yet eerily peaceful. Creepy in a melancholic way. I've already been here twice and think I'll come back soon. Does that make me weird?

i am sterdam.

Allora, I left for Amsterdam last Thursday and stayed till the following Wednesday. It was a strange feeling to be away for so long. I felt like I needed to come back to reality, but in reality, what kind of reality is it to be living in Milan for four months?

Amsterdam is unlike any other place I have ever experienced and completely different from other European cities, yet even before I arrived at my friend's apartment, I felt strangely comfortable. At home even. The weather was cold and rainy, yet the city (which seems more like a quaint town than a city) seemed joyful and welcoming.

Observations:
1. The Dutch are overtly friendly. Alarmingly friendly. Like smiling to strangers in the street, skipping and holding hands, dancing in the moonlight with flower garlands in your hair kind of friendly.

2. Everyone speaks English - in fact, I think I heard more English than Dutch. That's one thing I do not understand about Americans - why are we the only country that lacks a general knowledge of a language other than English? Laziness? Indifference? Ugh.

3. The people of Amsterdam, contrary to popular opinion, are not dazed and stumbling around the streets - those are the drug-happy tourists.

4. I thought Milan had an abnormal amount of bicyclists; Amsterdam's primary mode transportation is a bike. Bicycle to car ratio: 292,618:5.

5. Dutch is such a peculiar language. Most words are around 10 letters long and contain entirely too many consonants to vowels.

6. My primary caloric intake that week came from either stroopwafels or french fries a la mayonnaise. Sometimes both at once. I never thought something so simple would be something so delicious.

7. Red Light District = bizarre.

The Van Gogh museum was delightful, I had a lovely dinner with my friend's aunt and uncle, and I saw a presentation by transsexual guest speaker. I love Amsterdam.

once upon a time in amsterdam.

when i picked up and left for a week.