Lately

Hi ya’ll
My internet connection is down right now.. I think it’s a sign that I need to take the time to write a blog entry.. and then maybe after I’m done the internet will come back…
So, how have you guys been ?( ya’ll should really get into the habit of answering.. the questions I write in the comment… It would make my blog a lot more interactive.. ) What have you been up to lately?
I’ve been alright, lets see since my last entry… which was a week and a half ago? I haven’t done anything amazing… I’ve been going to Uni -my exams are coming up soon, no pressure.. just the fact that if I fail them.. I’ll have wasted a semester for Uni … So I guess I should start reviewing for them soon : ) But I won’t fail them… because that would be very non Lorriane of me.. SO all positive thoughts and energy guys!
Last Saturday I went to my roommates concert ( she sings in two different choir, this one was the religious one.. next week it’s the school’s choir concert..) with a few friends, and we all decided to go out afterward… I stopped at the ATM to take out some cash ( since I dislike carrying a lot of cash on me.. because back in the states… I use my debit card everywhere..) I tried it once… and then the screen told me that the machine was out of order…. So I decided to try it in the next atm that was right next to it… and before I could push the withdraw button… that machine said.. “ Your card has been withheld ,Contact your bank. “ ….trying not to freak out.. because my only means of reaching my money had just vanish before my eyes…. I told my friends what happened.. and they started freaking out.. because they depended on their card to get money as well…. Fun times Fun times… Needless to say I had to wait till Sunday morning to try to figure out what had happened.. To make a long story short… Turns out that my bank back in the states had sent me a letter over a month ago explaining that they were blocking all debit cards , and re-issuing new ones to everyone… apparently I should have gotten my new card a few weeks ago… but…it wasn’t in my mail pile…So I long distant called my bank… spend over 20 mins on hold before I could talk to a representative.. and order a new card…which will be sent to ct… and then ill have to wait… till its send to me in Italy… Fun times.. oh yes… (in the mean time.. im looking for a place where I can get money orders….Its a working process.. )
Anyways… Sunday..with the same group of friends.. We had all decided ,way back when we were in venice.. to go visit a nearby lake in Umbria. So we did , we had a lovely little picnic there! It was nice ! Here’s some info about the lake: Lake Trasimeno (Trasimene, Lago Trasimeno) is the largest area of inland water in the Italian peninsula - 128 square km - and the fourth largest lake in Italy. It varies between 3 and 6 m deep and attracts a considerable variety of bird life in part because most of its shoreline is thick with reeds. There are three islands on the lake. The island of Polvese belongs to the local administration of Perugia. The Isola Maggiore covers an area of 23.2 hectares and is permanently inhabited, while the Isola Minore is uninhabited.
Lake Trasimeno and its surrounding lands were once part of the Etruscan domains. Remains of this civilisation are still visible today, particularly in the area around Castiglione del Lago. The area was later colonised by the Romans, who had a profound influence on the lake. With their extraordinary engineering skills, the Romans in fact built the first regulated outlet from the lake to control the water level and avoid flooding. But the clearest traces of past civilisations that remain to us today are from the Middle Ages, when a series of castles and fortified towns sprang up in the surrounding hills. Passignano, Monte del Lago and Castiglione del Lago have all remained virtually intact through the centuries. The remains of two castles survive on the Polvese and Maggiore islands. The manor of Castiglione del Lago is in better condition and is connected via a long covered walkway to the ducal palace of Ascanio della Cornia. -http://www.perugia.ch/lago_trasimeno.htm
We also drove to the castle.. through passignano, and Monte del Lago… Some pictures are up under Italy>Lago de trasimeno ! GO check them out!
Oh ..and I’ll put up some new pictures soon.. We had a going away dinner party for a friend from Venezuela last night.. He’s going back on Friday.. Time goes by so fast… honestly.. enjoy each and every day guys… because before you know it.. 20 years will have gone by..

Ps: I’m starting to do some christmas decorations for my apartment this weekend ! got any ideas ? I was thinking.. paper snowflakes, making a 2d christmas three out of green constuction paper… maybe some..paper candy canes? My budget is very small..but I think I can work it out !

Pps: Leave a comment telling me what you want from christmas.. I'm curious to know.!!

A WHOLE NEW ADVENTURE !

Hey readers this .. is the last blog entry in”Lorriana in Italia” … or this the last one.. for the next two months .. my new blog is http://lorrianaineurope.blogspot.com/ … work with me.. and please add it to your favorites/bookmarks I felt it was only right to start a new blog.. since I’m starting a whole new adventure ! this is the plan:

START - Perugia
April 2 - Florence/ Genova
April 3-7 -Lyon , France
April 8-10 - Montpellier, France
April 11-14 - Barcelona , Spain
April 15-17 - Madrid, Spain
April 18-20- Nantes, France
April 20-22- The Loivre Valley, France
April 23-25- Besancon, France
April 26-29- Paris , France
April 30- May 3- Brussel, Namur, Charleroi , Belgium
May 4-8 – Amsterdam
May 9-12- Copenhagen, Denmark
May 13-16- Berlin, Germany
May 17-19- Munich, Germany
May 20-22- Innsbruck, Austria
May 23-25- Verona , Italy
May 26-27- Millano or Pisa, Italy
May 28-30 Perugia, Italy
May 31- June 2- Rome, Italy
And on the 2nd I flight back to NYC – END

For almost all of these placed I’m meeting up with friends, and staying with them.. So don’t worry about me.. just keep thinking positive thoughts and all will be great!

I’ll blog as much as possible…
I also plan on making.. a Pros and Cons on Italy at some point So look forward to that !!

Write to me ! Comment ! Emails.. let me know that you’re with me ! traveling with me for these next two months… !

Lots of love!

ps. dont forget to add my NEW blog http://lorrianaineurope.blogspot.com/

Momz Birthday Video

Napoli, Pompei & il Vesuvio

Last weekend I finally went to Napoli! y'all remember a few post ago.. back in march I was suppose to go.. but the trip got cancel ( because not enough people signed up for it ) but this time we were 50 on a couch bus waking up very early to be on the bus that left at 6 am to go to Napoli! We got to Napoli around noon.. and we were free to walk around until 7pm ( yay organized trips ? ) lol anyways.. a couple of friends of mine.. and I decide to start of out tour with Galleria Umberto

(this is a small mall with a glass ceiling at open air ? I mean.. theres no doors.. just arcs that lead strait outside.. thus.. its like being outside.. but protected from the rain ?)
then we walked down Via Toledo to Il Complesso di Santa Chiara
Pictures of the garden of Santa Chiara

( I know the original church of Santa Chiara is in Assisi.. but I guess they built a church here in her honor too.. ) then to Gesu Nuovo (a gothic stile church.. which we didn't get to go into because of the infamous "Pausa Italiana .. that causes everything to be closed from 1-3:30ish... you'd think they realize they loos bussniss during those hours.. but oh well... guess Italian.. are money obsessive people... its more important to eat a gigantic meal ..and tap a nap in the afternoon...for them ) then we walked to the "ghetto"

(lol I don't actually know if it was the ghetto.. but it could of fooled me... very dirrty.. part of napoli with a lot of sketchy street "vendors" ) to get to il Duomo di Napoli ..we got to walk into that one.. but there was a batism going on so I didn't take any pictures.. and then we walked back down town following the coast to Castel Nuovo and ending our tour with Piazza Plebiscito, where on that day there was a conference ? I'm not sure what the technical name for it is.. but Regional Elections in Napoli are at the end of March.. and there was some Political party making speeches.. and lots of people with flags ( with the party logo on them ) in the crowed cheering.. it was very interesting to see italian politics that close ..( no pics sorry.. my camera battery died.. )
After we left Napoli we went to our 4 star hotel.. got fed dinner and I went strait to sleep :) because the next day bright an early we were off to il Vesuvio. Il Vesuvio (pic) is an active volcano.. one of four in Italy... But this one special because in the year 77 AC it had it's strongest eruption.. and complete destroyed the Roman city called Pompei. I hiked up the volcano.. all the way to the top (pics) Why do we car you ask ?? well because The city of Pompei

was discovered like a 1000 plus years later... It had been covered in harden lava... and once they dig it all up... they found the remaining of the roman city. Paintings on the walls for that time period..mosaics, statues, ceramic bowls, the foundations of churches..houses and all its important buildings..are still there..still standing.. still visible to the naked eye... Can you imagine how much this discovery allowed archeologist to figure out about the Romans way of life .. and how far head they were. It was amazing to walk through the city.. imagining how they must of lived...
this is me in the Afiteatro after I climbed the wall to get up in the seating area.. hihi.. MOre Pictures can always be found in my photobucket under italy > Napoli, Pompei Volcano Go check them out.

Perugia's Street Art

I just wanted to post some of Perugia street art.

This is Martino,http://martinopitture.blogspot.com/ you can find him on any dry sunny day on Corso Vanucci in Perugia ! Hes great! I spend my Sunday afternoon this past weekend with Nino playing some guitar, Martino doing one of his master piece ,Marriana….and Anastasia(they all have similar names.. huh.. lol I’m not making them up.. they’re all from different countries .. imagine they possibly or them all meeting up in Perugia and being friends ?funny how life works out ) Then this girl from Spain walked by ..with poi’s in her hands! And.. she let me use them! Yay! I miss the circus!

Anastasia was filming randomly.. ( fye i dont like the angle.. but i posted it anyways... just to give you give a inside veiw into a quiet.. Sunday afternoon.. on part of "Main Street" Perugia..

i walked by the same spot today(tuesday) .. and I saw him at work again.. this is what the piece has evolved into:

<3

quick hello

hi readers ..
All is well... keeping busy with the studying.. and planing my Eurotrip ( planning 2 months of traveling.. is defiantly not an easy task.. :-) I can now understand why people go to travel agencies.. but then again.. if I'm capable to pull this all together ( the train schedule, finding a place to sleep every night, what to visit, sightseeing, food..a plan B for everything..etc ) maybe I could open up a traveling agency on the side in the future.. ha.. I'd be interesting...


Tip of the moment: never burn international bridges, you never know when they'll come in handy.. ( I'm planning to go visit exchange students that I met when i was with Rotary International in Venezuela.. and a few other international people I've met here in Perugia within the last 5 months )

keep me in your positive thoughts..
and like always.. leave a comment below if you have any suggestions.. or positive encouragement.. all is welcome.

Ps: Nicole ... La famile qui vie a france.. pense tu que il aimerai ca si je les visite ? Si il veux.. peut tu me donnait leur adress.. je sera en france en avril.. ca serai une belle experience :)

Time flashes by my eyes..

These last two weeks passed by soo quickly .. They were the last two weeks maria ( the girl in the Rome pictures a few blog entries back Scroll down.. ) was spending in Italy before she had to go back to mexico.. thus we did a lot of “good bye “ dinners, parties, outings etc.. in her honor, but I could not miss one class due to the fact that this semester a lot more intense than the last one .. and that I actually need to start studying for my CI (finals for this semester ) exams ..right about now.. if I want to keep up my gpa.. SO in conclusion I was running on very little sleep.. WOW that was a bit confusing run on sentence.. hope it made sense to ya’ll…

On Thursday morning.. I helped Maria walk her Giant baggage to the bus station, a whole 24 hour before she actually had to leave the country.. Because there were no other buses that left later that allowed her to make her flight which was leaving at 6 am from the airport in Rome. She was excited to have to in an airport… ( lol I think I’m going to be doing a lot of that during my Eurotrip… between flights.. between trains.. etc.. ) I’m not sure how her flight and everything went since I haven’t heard from here yet.. but I’m sure she’s fine.. she had exams two days after she got back.. Way to smoothly ease back into college there huh ?

oh oh side comment.. before she left maria gave me a bunch of stuff that didn’t fit into her baggage.. including this cute puffy purple winter coat : ) hihi so now I finally have a winter coat!

Time is going by soo fast.. I woke up this morning, realizing that we were already in the middle of February.. and that I had about a month and a half before I’m supposed to be leaving to go on my EUROTRIP… I have to much to do to make it happened… AHHHH I have to:
-figure out a traveling schedule that allows me to visit all the places I want to visit.. with the budget I have…
-Secure a place to sleep for every night I won’t be traveling
- figure out where there’s youth hostels
-figure out what I actually want to do in the cities I’m planning to visit..
- Figure out what’s actually realistic..
-Grrrr so much to do…

If you guys have any advice, recommendation, ideas… that you think could benefit me.. Don’t hesitate to leave a comment bellow.. .

now I must bury my head in my books.. until next time readers…
Love you all xoxox

-Lorriana

ps. Happy Valentine’s day to you all