There is no jay-walking in Venice

Well hello there,

It has apparently been awhile. I just got to Rome for the last leg of my trip (I am coming home on Thursday!) and since I once again have access to a computer, I thought I would update you.

I spent last week in Florence which was fantastic. Shabbat there was sooo much nicer then Rome! The Chabad is really welcoming and hosts a big meal for everyone and I met all kinds of cool people. Many an Israeli, of course, but also a girl from Australia and two from Brazil. We all hung out Shabbat afternoon and then again Saturday night and I just couldnt believe what a huge difference it was from my experience in Rome.

I spent most of the week wandering around Florence (such a beautiful city) checking out churches and art museums :) The australian girl (Sharona) and I also took a daytrip out to Siena and got to see their amazing Cathedral- which was especially exciting because as opposed to all the frescoes cielings everywhere else, the big attraction here was the intricately mosaiced floors. It was a nice break for my neck since I spend so much time staring up.

I also got to enjoy some kosher restauranting and a night at the opera. It wasn't exactly the Kennedy Center, just a woman singing some arias in a church, but she was absolutely fantastic. The big bummer was that on Tuesday- the day I got a reservation for the Uffizi in one of my few moments of planning ahead- Florence went on strike and all the museums were closed. I almost cried when I saw the sign but then I saw everyone protesting and it seemed like it was something important so I gave them the benefit of the doubt and cheered on the unions or whoever they were. I did however have to cancel my daytrip to Cinque Terre since I only had one day left in Florence and there was no way I was not going to the Uffizi. (Where, by the way I spent 3.5 hours and it was worth every minute I had to wait in line).

From Florence I headed to Venice for Shabbat. I had about a 15 minute walk from the train station to my hostel and with my giant tbag on my back I felt like a teenage elephant in a neverending glass shop. My hostel was the most interesting one I have been in yet. It had very mixed reviews online but was the only one I could find in my price range near the synagogue so there wasnt really another option. The staff is very friendly and the environment is very open. So open in fact, that there aren't really doors anywhere within the hostel. Nor lockers in which to lock up your stuff. They had a very nice common area there and I met some very  ccool and interesting people, but I left my wallet and valuables with some of the Israeli girls I met last week in their hotel.

Anyway, Shabbat was fantastic. The chabad there hosts Shabbat meals in the one kosher (and fantastic) restaurant- Gam Gam. I ate dinner on the canal at a table with over 100 people. The food was amazing, the people (mostly Israeli) were very interesting and friendly and the Chabad people themselves were chatting and singing and really just encouraging a wonderful environment. I also enjoyed shul, as this was the first synagogue that wasnt built for 500 people and being used by 15. I could actually hear the chazzan! (who I had made friends with on Friday).

The only downside of this past weekend was that I dislocated my toe, and am now kind of limping. So I have a few more days in Rome and then I am headed back to Israel and I must admit, I am ready to come home. I feel that I have gained so much from this adventure and I am so happy with where I am right now, but I am ready to get back to my life, or rather get started in a new city, a new apartment, and a new school.