Most relaxing day!
After the
multiple weekend trips cancelled because of all the snow, today was an
extraordinary day! To start off the day, Tori, Jess, and I went to visit a
small town just 20 minutes away by public transportation called Viterbo. I
loved it, absolutely loved it! It was like Tuscania on steroids. Perfectly for
a day like today! It was around 55, the sun was beaming and the town was
bustling! We walked around the town from 9:00 am until around noon. We toured
many local churches, shops, and of course restaurants. We stopped at a local
caffe bar called “Antico Caffe Schenardi” which is known for having the best
cup of coffee in town, and man oh man did they ever! I had a piece of spinach
pizza and a ginseng cappuccino. It was delicious! So delicious in fact, the before we left I just HAD to buy
another cappuccino. I hope to bring Mom and Dad there sometime! I know both of
them would drool over this coffee. To end a lovely afternoon touring the town
of Viterbo Mei took us to the “Terme dei Papi” natural hot springs!
Let me tell you
this is my favorite place in all of Lazio! To die for! Mid February and I am in
a bikini lounging in a hot spring, it honestly can’t get any better than that!
The pool was huge! I am talking around the size of a football field! There was
a very shallow area where the water was around 120 degrees and a deep end where
the water averaged to about 110 degrees. I had to start off in the deep end
because the water was too hot for my sensitive skin (what else is new!) I had a
blast. There were 8 of us in total that went and I don’t think we left the
water for 3 straight hours. By looking at my fingers and toes you would have
thought I was 90 years old, so wrinkly! I had some interesting conversations
with locals all of whom were very kind and intrigued by the fact I was American.
I felt like a shark in the water, everyone was staring! It was expecting
someone to say “Look American in the water!” Julianne brought her underwater
camera so that occupied us for a good hour. We were all trying to make the most
ridiculous faces underwater and they looked even more ridiculous because I
refused to open my eyes in the sulfur water! It was one of the most relaxing
days here and I could not have enjoyed myself more!
After the hot
springs I explore my first Italian mall. That was interesting to say the least!
It was one large circle! There were about 25 shops in total, but pretty much
anything you possibly image. This was nice to see real supermarket for the
first time in over a month. I saw my first frozen Chinese food, but I told
myself no. So very very tempting! I did however find a hot already made
rotisserie chicken and yes I did buy it and eat the entire thing by
myself. Mind you it was a small
chicken, but yes I did eat it all. It made me feel like I was at home again! I
finally got my fix of protein that I had been looking for since I arrived. To
have the perfect ending to a perfect day on the way home Mei blast some
American soul music and sings her little Asian heart out. It was hilarious; she
was bobbing her head and belting the words while encouraging us all to sing
along. We all know I can’t say no to a sing-along in the car. I think the
entire town of Viterbo could here us through that car. “Ain’t no mountain high
enough!” was blaring through the cars walls. Today was a success!
After the
multiple weekend trips cancelled because of all the snow, today was an
extraordinary day! To start off the day, Tori, Jess, and I went to visit a
small town just 20 minutes away by public transportation called Viterbo. I
loved it, absolutely loved it! It was like Tuscania on steroids. Perfectly for
a day like today! It was around 55, the sun was beaming and the town was
bustling! We walked around the town from 9:00 am until around noon. We toured
many local churches, shops, and of course restaurants. We stopped at a local
caffe bar called “Antico Caffe Schenardi” which is known for having the best
cup of coffee in town, and man oh man did they ever! I had a piece of spinach
pizza and a ginseng cappuccino. It was delicious! So delicious in fact, the before we left I just HAD to buy
another cappuccino. I hope to bring Mom and Dad there sometime! I know both of
them would drool over this coffee. To end a lovely afternoon touring the town
of Viterbo Mei took us to the “Terme dei Papi” natural hot springs!
Let me tell you
this is my favorite place in all of Lazio! To die for! Mid February and I am in
a bikini lounging in a hot spring, it honestly can’t get any better than that!
The pool was huge! I am talking around the size of a football field! There was
a very shallow area where the water was around 120 degrees and a deep end where
the water averaged to about 110 degrees. I had to start off in the deep end
because the water was too hot for my sensitive skin (what else is new!) I had a
blast. There were 8 of us in total that went and I don’t think we left the
water for 3 straight hours. By looking at my fingers and toes you would have
thought I was 90 years old, so wrinkly! I had some interesting conversations
with locals all of whom were very kind and intrigued by the fact I was American.
I felt like a shark in the water, everyone was staring! It was expecting
someone to say “Look American in the water!” Julianne brought her underwater
camera so that occupied us for a good hour. We were all trying to make the most
ridiculous faces underwater and they looked even more ridiculous because I
refused to open my eyes in the sulfur water! It was one of the most relaxing
days here and I could not have enjoyed myself more! 
After the hot
springs I explore my first Italian mall. That was interesting to say the least!
It was one large circle! There were about 25 shops in total, but pretty much
anything you possibly image. This was nice to see real supermarket for the
first time in over a month. I saw my first frozen Chinese food, but I told
myself no. So very very tempting! I did however find a hot already made
rotisserie chicken and yes I did buy it and eat the entire thing by
myself. Mind you it was a small
chicken, but yes I did eat it all. It made me feel like I was at home again! I
finally got my fix of protein that I had been looking for since I arrived. To
have the perfect ending to a perfect day on the way home Mei blast some
American soul music and sings her little Asian heart out. It was hilarious; she
was bobbing her head and belting the words while encouraging us all to sing
along. We all know I can’t say no to a sing-along in the car. I think the
entire town of Viterbo could here us through that car. “Ain’t no mountain high
enough!” was blaring through the cars walls. Today was a success! 
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