Self-Traveling

After I returned from my adventures in Paris and London for the holidays, I decided to try traveling on my own for the first time. I needed time to reflect on my time in Europe and just take every moment to be grateful for all of my blessings. Being able to come to study in Europe, especially with my family's and my financial state, and still be able to see as much as I did and do, it truly is something that only God can provide. And He truly really does provide. 

I packed my bag and went out to explore more of Italy. After all, I am studying in Italy and what better way to practice my much forgotten Italian than by exploring more of Italy? I bought my train tickets and set out to see Bologna, Ravenna, Rimini, and the Republic of San Marino. 

As the train approached Bologna, I saw white, fluffy snow piled on top of the tracks. There must have been at least three inches of snow on the ground! Snow was falling on my head as I walked out of the station to find my hostel. IT IS NOT FUN LUGGING A DUFFEL BAG WHILE WALKING THROUGH SLUSHY SNOW! I had heard great things about Bologna. It was supposed to be Florence without the tourists and I was excited to see a true Italian city. But more importantly, Bologna is best known as a bustling metropolitan with lots of students due to one of the oldest universities being in Bologna and as the gastronomical capital of Italy. Bologna is the city where pasta alla Bolognese, ragu, and pesto come from. My friends had told me about the food stalls and food markets that fill the piazzas around Bologna but I guess the cold winter months made all the vendors close down. As I was exploring around Bologna, little balls of fluffy snow started to rain heavily down. I got so excited because this was my first time seeing snow fall from the sky (that I can remember) and started to take pictures. A passing Italian man looked at me taking pictures and he started to laugh at me, asking me why I was taking pictures. 

A snowy day in Bologna.

With the weather getting worse, I had to cut my travel plans short. The next day, I took a trip out to Ravenna to see the city of Byzantine art. Everything that I had learned during my first semester, I could apply in this city. For all those art history buffs out there, I SAW THE BASILICA OF SAN VITALE! Jesus pieced together by thousands of stones and gold on the ceiling of the dome was breathtaking. I only wish I had more time to see the tomb of the poet Dante Alighieri but sadly, I had a train to catch.

A street in Ravenna.

I have to say that Rimini was my favorite. Located on the Adriatic coast of Italy, it is the hometown of the renown Italian director Federico Fellini. Many Italians flock to Rimini during the warm summer months to relax along the coast and get their tan on. Rimini is your typical small Italian town where everything closes between the hours of 13:00 to 15:00. And since it rarely sees tourists, many of the local Italians in town are willing to help with a visitor! As I was walking along the streets, so many cars and passerbys would wave at me and smile! It felt so nice to be welcomed. 

A small boat docked in Rimini.