Junior year of high school I was fortunate enough to get involved in an international trip through the school. With an amazing group of students and three wonderful chaperones, I was able to spend nine unforgettable days in Italy. The trip consisted of home-made gelato, incredible pasta, and weather that was almost perfect. The best parts, however, were the various beautiful and, albeit some, odd sights throughout the country.

We walked through an archway into the famous courtyard below Juliet Capulet’s balcony. Green vines climbed the brick buildings surrounding the area. Her statue stood by the corner facing everyone in the courtyard. A woman on vacation stood looking down at us all assuming the role Juliet. Before long we were off on our way to the Queen of the Adriatic.

The gondolas floated peacefully in place along the side of the canal in Venice. We walked past a man in red so bright and vibrant. The water shimmered in the sunlight as it flowed. The canal was full of people taking the expected gondola ride through the city. The sky was a bit gray but the sun was still shining. Soft clouds passed over occasionally. There were puddles on the dark brick walkways throughout the plaza; Water tunneling its way up from the sea underneath the city. Looking to the right we saw a restaurant patio, bright blue umbrellas blocking the sun from the people laughing at the tables. To the left, a woman, with a cigarette in hand, walks her dog through the crowds. The furry animal walked politely alongside the owner. We walked further into the city, away from the water, to see what we could find. After turning a few corners we came across a street filled purely with shops. Each room filled with something different. One store we visited was all masks. Each mask was unique; one was shaped slightly like a butterfly that was made from a type of metal or wire. It was beautiful; shimmering black with a couple of gems on the wings. In no way could this hide anyone’s identity but if looks were what you were going for then it was perfect.

Next we visited Assisi. The city was built into the side of a mountain. The basilica stood tall, watching over the city as its protector. Roads winded and curved through the buildings, almost all made out of a dark brick worn from the weather over the years. It was quiet, very quiet. Occasionally we heard the rumble of a car as it made its way through the maze of pathways towards its destination. A few little shops were scattered through the streets and every once in a while we would pass by a kiosk type shop, standing free in an empty area.

Florence was beautiful, especially at night. The lights twinkled over our heads and the monumental buildings stood tall illuminated by spotlights. A few kids ran around the plaza area, laughing and tossing lit toys into the air to watch them sway back to the ground. Two boys raced back and forth with their father, squealing with excitement when they beat him to the other side. A dog bounded over to the boys, licking the smaller one on the face causing an eruption of laughter. We walked into a store and the smell of leather surrounded me. Bags hung from the walls and the display case showed an array of wallets. I saw a basket of leather bracelets and was intrigued. I picked out one, about an inch wide. It was a beautiful blue with a black border and a little button to fasten it tightly. We were able to have something engraved on it at no charge, so I had my initials put in with a nice silver font. The store attached was filled with gold. Bracelets, necklaces, rings, earrings, and more filled the cases placed throughout the shop. There was a scarf, as soft as cloth, made purely of silver. The jewelry sparkled when the sun shined through the windows.

We finished our trip with two nights in Rome, of course visiting the notorious Vatican City while we were in the area. The colosseum, although just a large circle of rocks, was an architectural masterpiece. It was easy to look down on the stage that was only halfway covered and see the workings of tunnels and passageways that once existed below. The most beautiful sight in Rome, however, was the Trevi Fountain. The wonderment of possible wishes overtook every being around the fountain. Occasionally there was a small splash from a coin tossed over the shoulder of someone closing their eyes and making their decided wish. With a hopeful toss while holding my breath, I joined the many well-wishers before continuing my journey through the city at night.

The next morning, we gathered our things and made our way to the airport. The trip home consisted of an eight-hour flight with little to no sleep and running through the airport trying to get through customs and still make our second flight on time. There were a couple bumps in the road, like getting stuck next to the boy whose shirt I was staring at for a good 10 on the plane home, but the journey was unforgettable nonetheless.