Still not tan but getting closer

We have been very busy this weekend. The first taste of it came on Thursday when we had our first free day. Although the afternoon was consumed with homework, but we spent the morning wandering around the San Benedetto Market. There were two floors with farm stands selling fruit; fishermen selling all kinds of fish, most still with eyes; butchers selling apple stuffed pigs and chickens with the fur (with the fur**); and all the bakers bread you could imagine. It was magical. I spent €5 and got days worth of fruit, bread, and cookies... that lasted me 3 day... I feel silly, but I was so in awe that I forgot to take pictures. I will definitely be returning and will be sure to post some then.

We were back in the classrooms on Friday. We began with a lecture then spent a few hours in the lab before lunch, which was followed by a guest speaker. In the lab, we practiced collecting a representative waste sample. Solid waste engineers take samples of waste and need to make sure these are representative of the entire population. To do this, they basically mix it up, quarter it, mix it again, and quarter it again. You have to do this a few times until you can begin other calculations, but I will leave you with that. Other cool things about the lab: we got to wear lab coats, rubber gloves that went up past our wrists, and there was a sweet view... Check it out!

Future doctors of engineering

Our wonderful TA, Anna Murphy!

The world famous Annalisa Onnis-Hayden

The view from the lab is not bad at all... Much better than Snell Basement

Friday night we did laundry for the first time. I got delicious kebab from and the owner was so nice he gave me free french fries... He will have our business tomorrow night for dinner if we can find him again...

This weekend was our second cultural excursion. We were picked up from where we were staying Saturday morning and went to the mines. I didn't know I was afraid of heights until this weekend. We came around a bend in a rickety, old (ok not that old) coach bus onto a cliff with a SPECTACULAR view of the west coast. Dad, for real, you could have done some work on that beach. There was a beautiful chest high set rolling in, great break, and not a soul in the water. Apparently it is too cold for people here, but not us!

A little blurry but here you go, Dad.

Our first stop was a geomining park called Porto Flavia. We got a tour of the mine with more spectacular views of a rock called Pan di Zucchero, which translates to "bread of sugar." I can't say I was tempted to taste it but it was beautiful. On the tour, we learned about the mines and some specific history of Porto Flavia. We learned the Flavia is the daughter of the engineer who decided to make the mine a port for easy transport of the mined minerals. We also learned that this decision, which put many workers out of a job, also caused the first strike in Italy to spread nationwide. We ended this stop with some pictures by the water for good measure. 

Pan di Zucchero

And again...

It was a hard walk back from the bus.

Hair flip...

The entrance to the mine.

The view from inside the mine.

I think this picture rocks.

The second stop of the day was for lunch somewhere else on the west coast of Sardinia. There was also a surfer paddling out in a wet suit when we arrived but by the time we got off the bus and to the front door he had turned back. We had a delicious X (X=unknown because it was so many) course meal followed by my second cappuccino ever. I like them which is scary because I have never liked coffee before. 

The third stop of the day led us to doing handstands on an ancient Roman temple. The photos are on someone else's camera so hopefully I will find them for you later. There was an adorable puppy there as well that Audriana tried, unsuccessfully to take home.

Some ruins...

...that got ruined..

Audriana's almost puppy...

The final stop of Saturday was where we spent the night. We stayed Agriturismo Sa Perda Marcada, a beautiful farm not too far from the west coast. It felt so good to unplug a little bit. We had a delicious meal and spent the night chatting with our professor, star gazing, and playing camp games... what more could you ask for?

This morning, we had eggs for the first time since we've been here. I am disappointed I didn't have a nice brunch before I left the United States because they are hard to come by here. The wonderful people of Agriturismo Sa Perda Marcada used fresh eggs from their chickens and scrambled them up just right. There was also fresh oranges and marmalade... Eating is a major theme of this trip. We also met another guest of Agriturismo who was an architecture professor from the Netherlands! He is from the Haag which I will be visiting in July. I love when small world connects.

After breakfast, we packed up and got ready for our main activity at the agriturismo: cooking! We made malloreddus, which is Sardinian gnocchetti, and seadas, a traditionally Sardinian dessert. I saved the recipes to bring home so we can try it out again State-side! The best part is we ate our creations for lunch, followed by delicious cherries. I may or may not (hint: I totally did) fill my plate with pits because they were so good.

Meme, there are geraniums year round here!

SWINGS!

Seadas before...

...seadas being cooked...

...seadas after!

This afternoon we went to the Piscinas sand dunes (cheers in the background). I have never swam in stronger waves. There was a crazy undertow that we got beat up by. Fortu-neat-ly, we had Matt Knapik with us to save anyone that got swept away. Everyone made it back ok and the biggest casualty was a suntan, or slightly rosy cheeks and burnt lips. I also did not get any pictures of this... but there will be more to come.

We are back now working on a presentation for tomorrow. Things were getting a little heated so stay tuned to the Matt Murders Ted Murder Mystery...

**Mr. Matthew James Knapik has reminded me that birds do not have fur, however, I refuse to make this change so it fits with the song "Low" by Flo Rida