She's Miss California


Wow! Sooo much to write and so little time! Hmm... where to begin... where oh where?

Friday Akila was here! Ooooh my goodness we had so much fun! The day started with me missing her phone call while I was in the bathroom -- ooh the irony! (her telefonino wasn't working so I had no way to get in touch with here) but I got here message that she was in San Lorenzo. So I got ready to go out thinking, ah yes, perhaps I will be able to find her if I go to San Lorenzo! So I went. Of course I thought she was refering to San Lorenzo market when (as I would find out later) she really meant San Lorenzo church. Nevermind that it was also sort of ridiculous of me to think that I could find her in this huge outdoor multistreet market. But hey, I did get to look at lots of cute things.

And then after searching the streets unsuccessfully for my dear dear friend I decided that I would go to the Duomo (the cathedral) and see if I might happen to run into her there. Nevermind that the piazza is always filled with hundreds of tourists. So anyways I sat down on the steps of the Duomo and started to read my book. And then this guy sits down next to me on the steps and asks me if he can use my pen. So I give him my pen, which is apparently a sign that I want to talk to him instead of reading my book, because lo and behold he struck up a conversation with me. Wow, I sound so high and mighty. I swear it's not like I don't want to talk to guys, but seriously, if you knew what comes out of these guys' mouths most of the time... (just wait till the triangolo story). Anyways so I got to talking with this guy, Aleksandro. He is actually from Albania as opposed to Italy, and was very happy when I told him that I was from California in the United States. He proceeded to tell me that he has two sisters who live in California, and how can he get an American girlfriend so that he can go to California too?

Yeah. Anyways, Akila finally called and it turned out that she was right by the Duomo so that worked out perfectly! And so then she came over and found me and we made such a scene at the stairs of the Duomo, hugging and kissing and screaming and falling over each other! Aww yeah, California love! It was soooo happy to have Akila here in Florence! And oh yes, we totally rocked the town! I took them on the beautiful hike to Chiesa San Miniato and Piazole Michelangelo and it was so beautiful seeing the entire city from up the hill! And then we went down to Santa Croce and they went in to see the tombs of Michelangelo and Machiavelli and the beautiful museum while I was contentedly reading my book on the stairs and thankfully not getting into any more trouble with any more guys!

Oh, which reminds me that I haven't finished my story about Aleksandro. So we continued to talk on the steps of the Duomo while Akila and her friend Thai were inside. Which was actually nice because I could practice my italian which I really don't think that I get enough opportunity to do. The problem is when they become a little too friendly and putting their arms around you and asking you sei fidanzata? (are you engaged?) Yes, in fact, I do happen to be engaged. And I happen to have a picture of my fiance as well. --Davvero? Daverro? --Ma si si! Vuoi vedere la foto? Yes, so Eddy you are now my fiance, I hope that is okay with you! But you know, even that knowledge didn't sway Aleksandro from his quest of finding an American girl. I told him to check out the Syracuse program since they have 400 some students and he might have better luck with them. Heh heh... But even then! He wanted to see if he could come with me and Akila and Thai to Piazzole Michelangelo. Even though I told him he couldn't because I need time with my friend who I haven't seen for so long, he was soooo persistent! Finally he was convinced that I wasn't going to let him come, and so he gave me the number of his telefonino and then he wanted to have mine BUT, as you will be so happy to know, I told him "no!" I said that it was a rule of mine that I don't give out my number. Isn't that a good excuse? I was pretty pleased with myself.

Aaaanyways, after Santa Croce it was already dark. Akila and Thai and I went to the strada delle firme, a street with all the posh "signed" ie: marked, famous designer clothing to the Ponte Trinita to where Sarah was waiting. We sat with her on this part of the bridge over the railing that was jutting out over the river, looking at the lights from the Ponte Vecchio and the streets reflecting on the water and the little ripples in the lights. Oh it was so beautiful! We are going to go back some time with a bottle of wine and just enjoy the peace of the night and the perspective of reflection. So beautiful. There was also a girl from Germany there who spoke very loudly and complained a lot. But she was nice and we ended up getting together with her that night after dinner. We also met three Italian guys who came and joined us out overlooking the water. This was really funny because by this time it was me an Akila and Thai and the German girl, and I was the only one who spoke Italian and it was a huge garble of languages and accents and laughter and of course very loud since it's Akila, and the guys were from Calabria and the German girl and I was laughing the whole time!

When I finally had to leave I was so full of joy and this giddy happiness! I literally could not keep myself from having this huge smile take over my entire face, and I laughed to myself and I skipped on the way home. See I was just filled with this wonderful feeling of being young and free and happy! Such a wonderful feeling!

Well, the boys gave me their phone number and we were going to meet up with them after dinner. I met Akila and everybody at 10ish at the Duomo but I couldn't find the boys and I called but there was no answer so owell. Oh my goodness, you have nooo idea how hilarious it was to walk with Akila in just the few minutes from the Duomo to the Santa Croce area. Akila exudes this certain je ne sais quoi which is universally picked up by groups of Italian guys as "american girl." So literally in the span of a single minute, *five* different groups of guys approached us with the ever-popular lines: "Hallo! Beautiful ladies!" and one more bold guy kept saying the name of his hotel which I didn't understand what he meant until later that evening. Ew. (Incidentally, this same guy happened to be at the club where we ended up later that night.)

So we headed over to the Santa Croce area where there are lots of pubs and discoteca's and so we were looking for a pub and then all of a sudden comes this voice from a group of guys saying "Hey, California!" So I turn around at this group of guys thinking that it was just another of them. But as it turns out, I actually knew this guy! I met him on Thursday night at this club called XO, and he's nice and likes to dance too which is always a good thing. Yes so he was very kind and took us to this pub down the street where they had a guy playing a guitar and singing reeeally random old American music. Seriously random. From Oasis "Wonderwall" to Elvis "Blue Suede Shoes" which reeeally made me want to swing. I miss swing sooo-oooo much! I think I've said that before. Yes, so the pub was fun and loud and me having to translate everything because nobody understood anybody else and it was so funny! Except that Akila made me taste some of her beer and some of Claudio's too because they were apparently different (one was light and one was dark, whatever that means) and it was sooooooo nasty! Ugh! Never again. Blech!

Then we went back to XO and that is when the real party began. Akila and I *tore up* the club! Oohh yes! It was really OUR club! Oh yes. We had the best time dancing with each other! It was just so perfect to be able to relapse into high school and completely rock the dance floor! Of course we attracted this huge crowd of somewhat sketchy guys who were apparently intruiged by the show that we were putting on dancing with each other. So eventually we made our own stage so that the guys were below us and couldn't crowd us so much. Oh it was so wonderful! Oh my goodness... and then at one point I went into the bathroom to dry off and these two guys came in. And so I, surprised, started explaining in Italian that this was the bathroom for girls. They weren't really interested in that information, but they *were* interested in the fact that I was American. "Ah! Americana? Americana? Vuoi un triangolo? Triangolo?" And they pointed to the bathroom stall. Yes folks, I was propositioned for a threesome. I was soooo shocked and disgusted. I screamed "Whaaaat?" And had this absolute look of horror on my face. And then they laughed and walked out. Traumatizing. Let me tell you. Oye.

So anyways Akila and I continued to tear up the floor, Claudio let me have some of his really yummy drink with Kaluah and Bailey's and something else or other which was so nice since I was sooo hot. Yow! *wink wink, nudge nudge* Bea, you know what I mean. Hehee... So we were there until 3 in the morning at which point I realized that I had to catch a train at 8:30 that morning to Cinque Terre... Ahhh, it was so beautiful there! But that is a story for another day.