There are a lot of statue penises in Firenze

Firenze=Florence

Yesterday (Friday the 28th) we went inside the basilica for free. We had to put on pants and shirts that covered our shoulders though because clothing that we're used to wearing (like the currently accepted length of shorts and dresses) could elicit lust, and isn't accepted if you go to view the church. It was deadly hot, and I wore my lulu pants with my dress on top and then tried to strip them off when we got back outside (and got a lot of funny looks while we did). We weren't prepared for Florence as much as the other cities we've been to: neither of us had a guide book and baye only had a map. We didn't know what to see and spent a long time wandering around, through markets and shops, along the water. It's nice to see, but hard to know If you're doing it right.

We've been going to a gelato shop right outside our hostel, and tried to get as many of the flavors as possible. Up until now, I've tried passionfruit, raspberry, cheesecake, melon, caramel macchiato, and coconut. I may get the green tea and pistachio flavors tomorrow, but I also still want to get mango and lime. I keep having to remind myself that there'll be gelato in Rome and venice too!

Pasta last night was delicious, but a very small plate for 10 euro. It was under the 'first course' part of the menu, so I think you're meant to get more than one thing. We couldn't afford more than one though; this is tourist area and all prices are jacked up

Our feet killed after all our walking, and I took some photos of how that resulted with duck tape and exhausted faces.

Today we got up early and went to the galleria academia, an art museum containing a variety of artwork including the statue David by Michelangelo. Didn't think I would be as impressed as I was. The statue if David is MASSIVE and so accurate, right down to the veins in his forearm and the wrinkles/creases caused by the positioning of his hand. I stared at his face for a while, trying to decipher his emotion... I wish someone would have explained the sling he was holding... Is it a weapon? Is it what's left of his clothing? Anyways, I can look that up later. There were other cool paintings and tonnes of statues, including modern ones that were so realistic I thought there was actually a guy my age who crossed the rope to get a closer look at the art.
Unfortunately no photos were allowed, so we only have cheesy (and dead pan) shots of a cartoon version of david outside.

It wasn't too hot when we left the museum so we decided to head for the Michelangelo park, but of course it only took 5 minutes in that direction for the sun to decide To become scorching. We snapped a few photos from the top of the hill before realizing that there was 4 or 5 weddings/wedding photoshoots going on right below us. The couples seemed young, and we considered it might be prom, but the girls were in all white and very extravagant dresses. However, only the brides and grooms were dressed up, all the others in very casual clothes, but everyone wore a red bow thing on their front, over their hearts or something, even the brides and grooms. All of the marrying couples were Asian. We thought about asking if it was a coincidence or if they all knew each other, but didn't want to be rude, so now we'll never know.


After this we visited the school of leather making. We intended to try to use this school as a back door entrance to slip into a church (attached to it) free if charge, as our hostel desk man recommended, but there were signs all over the connected passage that you must hold a ticket, so I guess the church caught on... (we didnt end up paying to go in)... But it was still cool to see the making of Italian leather! We stopped at a shop on the way home to get leather bracelets, too :)

When we came back to the hostel for naps, I checked my bed again for bugs.
I had a few bites, not many, but I knew there weren't any Mosquitos out the night before so I was thinking about it all day. Baye thought I was just paranoid, and didn't see anything when she checked her side of the bed, but then I checked mine and found two MONSTEROUS bed bugs. The hotel cleaning lady and front desk man both dealt with it very efficiently, changing sheets, spraying the mattresses, and even replacing one mattress just in case. Our whole room was thoroughly cleaned and sprayed.

After running a few errands we were going to go out for dinner, but the three guys who manage the hostel are celebrating Ramadan, and were making lots of food for when the sun set. They invited us to eat with them and told us what each of the foods were in Arabic (though I forget most of them now). There was a breakfast drink that was psaesa, with a finely ground cereal mixed in olive oil, honey and some other things I can't remember. There was 'omlette' (not what you're thinking), actually a spicy dish with chicken that I can't remember the Arabic name (but you eat with bread, and despite my low heat tolerance it was scrumptious) and bhatih (or something like this? I feel like I'm way off but I know it starts with a b!): a scrambled egg with onion, parsley and something inside a thin deep fried shell. Then there were Tunisian dates, grapes, some special kind of melon that's white on the inside and orange like a pumpkin on the outside (Italian melon, not Tunisian) and pasta with pesto sauce and black olives (also an Italian dish). They really spoiled us. The food was so so so good, and they told us about the Ramadan and their cultural beliefs, and about their home back in Tunisia, as well as how to write our names in Arabic!

We went back to bed to read, and within 20 mins I had a creepy crawly bed bug going up my leg. I found a few others and went and got one of the night staff to help. He brought really strong pesticide spray and changed all our sheets again. I can still smell the spray in our room an hour later, with door and windows open and a standing and ceiling fan on. I've heard that spray doesn't get rid of them, they can live through a lot of extreme conditions, but I'm hoping that it'll at least hold them off if there are more and then it wont be our problem If they're not all really dead. I HOPE. I've also drenched myself in bug spray. Not really convinced that it'll ward them off but better than nothing.
I've searched my sleep sheets that I brought thoroughly, and done what I can to search my backpack (it's hard to with so many pockets and possible hiding spots) to make sure they're not coming from me... But so far I haven't seen signs.

2 am and im feeling like it's going to be a looooong paranoid night! I feel every movement of every hair.

Goodnight, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite

And if they do, chew a few, then they won't bother you!

Apparently...