Pienza e Pecorino

Pienza was the destination of the day.
I woke up at 6:30 (most likely 12:30 AM your time), left the house at 7:25, and got lost around 7:40. I'm terrible with directions. But even the Italian man I asked for help didn't know where the street on my map was. Providentially, Meredith and Sabrina walked up at the next moment! The three of us found our way to our bus stop and headed to a multi-class field trip to the Renaissance town of Pienza.
It was beautiful, small, and cheery. Walking up the small streets, the smell of pecorino cheese, the delight of the area, beckoned you to enter the Mom and Pop shops. We had to wait until AFTER our tour of Pope Pius II and his family's palace, Palazzo Piccolomini. It was beautiful. Pius laid out the house and gave much attention to having each floor face the breath-taking views of the Tuscan countryside from the drop off of the hill the house is founded upon. The courtyard in the middle of the house has a view to the garden outside of the house as well as a huge opening in the roof to let in as much light as possible. He did this to symbolize light as divine inspiration. Who cares if he's on a list of the 25 most evil people of the Renaissance?
Anyway, he inspired me to live in a house of many windows to stream in light when I am older. Just being in the sun or being able to view the outside is so beneficial for the psyche; I'm a firm believer in that.
After that, we went to a cute chapel (which is slowly sliding off of the hill into the abyss in the next century...) and then heard some presentations. Yawn.
We looked around, bought some pecorino cheese (!), and found a sandwich shop to try out this famous sheep's milk cheese. De-lish. Then, we loaded up, I got out my book, and we were on our way home.
My contemporary Italian literature teacher was the OTHER teacher on the trip, so we ended up chatting about Calvino's "Invisible Cities." It's so much more complicated than can be explained. I love it, though. Type "structuralism" into Wikipedia to learn about one of it's themes. YIKES. Anyway, it was a total bonding moment.
Then, surprisingly, I took a nap on the bus. I woke up, turned my iPod on shuffle, and realized we were in Florence. What song was playing? "Home Sweet Home" by Lady Sunshine. Thanks, God.
I met a girl named Joy walking back from the bus and she was really cool and easy to talk to. Then, I headed over to Sabs, Olivia, and Meredith's to try and work out our plans for this weekend. We tried to schedule a visit to a vineyard tomorrow, but the man never got in touch with us again. Oh well. We may head to the Island of Elba or to Arezzo or Lucca. Somewhere close but beautiful.
I took a different route home and Hot Hot Heat's "Middle of Nowhere" came on my iPod. I laughed again. Went to the supermarket, thought I was buying zucchini and bought cucumbers (don't ask.), and then roasted a granny smith apple and ate it with a slice of pecorino cheese.
After that, I watched "How I Met Your Mother," and here I am now.
Mama is doing better, but PaJoe is not doing well. Please keep praying for both.
Tomorrow, my roommates head to Verona, and I am traveling around Tuscany with my "Wildcat" friends. It'll be interesting to sleep in this place alone, but it'll be a nice break from all my hustling. Not that kind of hustling. (Joke.) I'll be working on my Calvino presentation while they're gone (i.e., getting all philosophical and maybe writing about it).
I hope your day is full of adventure and light.