free weekend!

so this weekend we had our first free weekend to go wherever and take pictures. so clare, our professor, was going to the ocean and invited who ever to tag along. about half of us end up going. we went to Follonica which was the most adorable little beach town. we all found an umbrella and swam in the mediterrian sea. we played volleyball, ate at a little restaurant on the beach and people watched. i think i spent like 5 hours in the water. i applied liberal amounts of sunscreen, but i still got a little sunburnt on my shoulders and lower back, but not bad at all, especially considering my last sunburn. i had such a wonderful time swimming and hanging out with everyone, it was such a good group of people who went. the water is so salty and warm with barely any waves, i couldnt believe how beautiful it was. we could see the island of elba in the distance too.

me and my roomies jewls and joysha bought a one way ticket there with the idea that if we find a place to stay we would buy a ticket for tomorrow and if we dont we will buy one later that day. we started to head into town around 4 or 5 and the third place we went into had a vaccancy. it was not super fancy, but next to the water and the main boardwalk. we took lots of pictures and i saw my first oleanders. we found another little italian restaurant on the beach and had some of the tastiest italian food ive had here so far, clams and noodles and stuff. we split a bottle of wine and watched the sunset. i just had the best time in follonica.

we found a night market in the centro and i bought awesome jewerly. we walked on the beach and i got some cheap sandals. it was so hard not to jump back into the water. next day we just wandered around until our bus came at 3.

do you know how much they try to charge for sunscreen? like 22 fucking euros!!! thats like.. 45 dollars and for SPF 8. so if anyone wants to send me a calling card, or waterproof sunblock SPF 75 or however high you can get it... i would not be opposed to recieving that. just a suggestion. haha.

when we got back we picked up clare's niece at the bus stop, she is staying with clare for a few weeks with her friend and wanted to go out for her 20th birthday. since the last bus to where they are staying is at 10, they brought sleeping bags to crash at our apartment. we rounded up some of the group still in town and went to two bars, then found people who knew of a contrada party nearby.

side note: siena has 17 contrada's, which take turns competing in the palio, the horse race on august 16th. they are like little districts with flags and very loyal to thier contrada. the porcipine contrada got disqualified from competing for several years after over 100 porcipine contrada members mobbed thier jockey after he lost. they put him in the hospital for several months. i guess he struck a deal with porcipines enemy contrada, the shewolf, to lose so they would win. obviously... they did not like it. so.. thats what i get to see in less than a week. the city is getting busier and busier as it gets closer and all the contradas are celebrating with giant dinner parties in the streets, and dance parties. its pretty crazy. 10 contradas are going to complete including the district my apartment is in, the nublina (the shell) contrada. so i think my roommates and i are going to buy the contrada scarfs everyone wears. its really exciting to be here at this time.

so we find the unicorn contrada party with 50's american music. the live italian band were italian but sang american songs. about... 12 of us just danced and danced until 230 in the morning. i just had so much fun dancing with all my friends and amanda said it was one of her best birthday's ever. i really enjoyed the free weekend and i miss follonica! im excited for when mom comes, i asked clare if she could come see all the final presentations of the portfolios, so she can see that now. i really wish we had internet at the apartment, i have so many photos to post and i cant do anything!

we have a night photography demo tonight and class tomorrow. im going to take a nice slow day and just take lots of photos. i really havent been doing much else though. haha.

on tuesday, my 22nd birthday, we are going to verona. im excited.

alright. im bored of internet cafe and need to shot some more.
much love.
jordan