Io sono qui!

WE'RE HERE!!!!!
Oh my gosh.
It's fantastic.
Holy holy holy moley.
We're in a building from the 14th Century. HUGE, lofted ceilings. Gigantic windows that open into the street. Sound of the day: horse hooves clip-clopping on cobblestones below. I love European streets because they're so narrow. Buildings on either side of the street are a mere ten or so feet apart.
My favorite thing to do is stick my head out the window and people watch. The other night the girls and I were in our hotel with our windows open and were hear two men yelling at each other in Italian. I looked outside and watched the entire conflict - screaming, Italian curse words, harsh gestures, and a man briskly walking away from a ristorante and the owner. It was INTENSE. The best part was that as the argument heightened, the people in the apartments above opened their windows one-by-one and listened in on the verbal sparring...probably ten tenants were shaking their heads from above. I'm such a creeper, I even watched them creep. I think I belong to the Italian culture.
Our apartment is in the best location possible. Upscale stores everywhere. Only problem is that means that all the restaurants/gelaterias/stores around us are overpriced b/c it's a tourist trap. Kinda annoying.
But so so so great.
Last night was a blast. Went to dinner and ate family style. Walked around forever...went to the Trevi, the Piazza Novana, got lost, then ended up at a quaint little pub. Great time with Leyla, Jess, and our new friends Alexi and Alva. The boys are wonderful and protective of us. After making our way back to the hotel, Jess, Leyla and I had a heart to heart and shared about our lives. Bonding time. I'm really grateful for genuine roommates (and I'm not just saying that because they read this!). We made a decision to go get gelato...at one thirty at night. We sauntered over, and Jessica made a friend. An Italian man named Luga. Got his number (smart girl, she didn't give him hers!), and he has a friend with a vineyard. Really pushing her to take us there :) Haha, I'm joking.
This morning we got up, packed, ate breakfast, and got on the bus to Florence. The countryside was breathtaking. So many old fortresses and high walls. Sweet old villas. Sunflowers EVERYWHERE. Vineyards, olive trees. Take me back!
As I was mentioning earlier, Italians love to look out their windows. A few minutes ago, our across the ten feet stretch neighbor poked his body out his window. He saw Leyla and grabbed a towel. She freaked, turned around, told me, and I snapped some pictures. He resumed looking out the window with a towel wrapped solely around his waist. Now he's trying to shut the windows but can't get them to close...BAHAHAHAHHA. I love living here.
Buona Notte!