July 23rd
Ciaowdy everyone,
Today began as any other day, with an 8 AM breakfast. We met in the dining room for various fruit juices, cereals, yogurts, meats, and cheeses. We kicked off the morning with a briefing of Arezzo. The plan was to do that the night before, but we had a lesson on adaptability after no one had been able to sign up. We broke up after the briefing and headed in different directions.
The day continued unlike others in that we all went on different adventures. For Andrew and I, that consisted of a train ride to Castiglione Del Lago. Gabe and I came up with the idea last night, and thanks to some creative planning, we managed to get there. After gathering a group of eleven people, we made our way to the station to buy tickets at around 9. Unfortunately, as we had seen online, the earliest train was at 10:20. Thus, we bought the tickets there along with a return journey at 1:24. In our free time, we decided to explore and quickly arrived at the GalaSuperstore…..it was terrific. There was fresh fruit and 1.5-liter bottles of water for .25 cents (a sharp contrast to the 2 euro smaller bottles available in most places), and on top of that, excellent air conditioning.
Once we finished picking out an array of snacks, we jumped on the train for the quick 20-minute journey to Castiglione Del Lago. Upon arrival, we came to the realization that it would be a bit of a walk to the water, a 28-minute walk, to be exact. However, we had paid the 8 dollars for the train ticket, so there was no thought of turning back. There was, however, much talk of missing Uber and Lyft. When we made it to the old city, we knew we were close, and the top was demarcated by a beautiful fountain which, paired with the height, created a beautiful view. After taking a few quick photos, we continued to the water’s edge. We immediately spotted some beach chairs, which Garett and I were quick to snag. We were quickly informed that it would be 15 euros, and we were gone just as soon as we arrived. Next, we found a sand, jumped in, and started playing. It quickly became clear the sand was scorching. We were constantly running into the shade, burying our feet in the sand, or jumping in place to avoid the burning sand. Nevertheless, we got a great game going while constantly discussing the burning sand. Periodically, groups would peel away from the game to temporarily cool their feet off in the lake, which was a great feature. The lake was also interestingly shallow; you could see groups of locals more than 100 yards out with the water still below knee level.
After we finished up the game and rinsed off the sand, we felt that we didn’t have enough time to eat and arrive at the station on time. Fortunately, after stopping into a store and asking the workers for directions, we found a local pizza and sandwich shop called Faizaan Pizza e Kebab. After perusing the menu, Vishaka and Ananya’s language skills came into play, and they were able to make a great connection with the owners. By speaking in Hindi, they were able to learn that the owners had moved to Italy to support their families. While the menu was hugely varied, our group stuck to kebab calzones and falafel, both of which received tremendous praise. Gabe actually said that the calzone there surpassed the one from La Lanterna, which for those who went there know that is an incredibly high bar. Afterward, we hustled to the train station and fortunately made it with just a few minutes to spare. We rode the train back, and after moving to a car with very strong air conditioning, we had a pleasant journey back. We made it to the hotel with just enough time to kick back and relax for a few minutes before jumping on the tour.
Another group chose to attend Sunday mass. Service started at 10 AM, and it was in Italian. This service was shorter than the one in Assisi, being only 40 minutes and, thankfully, in the AC. The church also had a different feel than previous ones, as described by the students. It was a smaller and a more local church. This led to a unique interaction between the local priest and our group. The priest attempted to give the group shoutouts, but he only really shouted out Matthew. He kept referring to the group as Californians. It was the sentiment that counted.
Some of our Aggies decided to run after breakfast, going through the quiet streets of Castiglion Florentino. The morning is the best time to be out as they can beat the heat while enjoying the beautiful views. After their run, they decided to remain dedicated athletes, getting a quick lift in. After this lift, they had to refuel with some delicious pizza. At this place, the group saw a picture of the Aggie group from Fall of 2019.
For lunch, Mr. Rick and Mrs. Raye Leigh took another group to an iconic pizza shop, Ristorante Roggi. The cook for this particular pizza place is the husband of an Aggie. Unfortunately, that Aggie is back in Texas at the moment; nevertheless, the group was able to have great conversation and pizza. For those looking for some local olive oil, this is a great place to get it.
While one group went with Mr. Rick and Mrs. Raye Leigh, another decided to go to the supermarket for fuel. They went to Gala Superstore, where they got a wide range of food. Some chose to get pizza by the slice, and others opted for an assortment of snacks. This supermarket is more similar to the ones at home than others we visited in Italy. It featured multiple aisles, numerous checkout lanes, and a ready-made section. Some would call it the HEB of Castiglion, but nothing can ever replace a staple of Texas.
After lunch, we all met at 2 PM to head to Arezzo. The city was undoubtedly an interesting experience. Because we went on a Sunday evening, the town was all but closed down. In Arezzo, most businesses take off or have modified hours on Sundays. It’s kind of like every place is Chick Fil A. It was nice to walk around and not be crowded by other tourists. We were able to see the city’s highlights in a short amount of time.
Following an initial tour of the city, we split into two groups to experience the Basilica of San Francesco, which our time mainly focused on a beautiful series of frescoes painted by Piero della Francesca. These frescos, called “The Legend of the True Cross,” tell a tale in which wood from the Garden of Eden becomes the cross upon which Jesus was crucified. Giovanni, as always, was a wonderfully informative yet hilarious interpreter of the complexly laid out in front of us. I was continually amazed by his ability to distinguish between one dress’s perfect flowing lines and another that was just not right, something which the inexperienced eye could never catch.
Upon returning from Arezzo, we had time to do whatever we wanted. Two groups departed from the train station: Mrs. Raye Leigh’s supermarket crew and Giovani’s hotel group. To begin, the supermarket experience. Mrs. Raye Leigh led us to get stocked up on essentials. Personally, I loaded up on water and a new favorite of mine, peach and rose tea. Other students got snacks, such as new flavors of chips not available in the States. The supermarket had a plethora of items. Arda got plenty of coffee for his parents to enjoy once we got back. While shopping, the other group got a head start on the before-dinner free time. The main place to go was the rooftop pool area. This area is a phenomenal place, with a pool to cool us off, chairs to relax in, and a table to play games at. The Aggies used it all before dinner. The table group played a popular game called “Secret Hitler.” While I have never heard of it, it is a social deduction game by Goat, Wolf, and Cabbage LLC. Another group was “relaxing” in the pool. They played a game of their own creation and then Marco Polo. The first game consisted of two teams working to bounce the ball past the other. The third group just enjoyed the sun and chairs. After this, everyone went to dinner.
After such a long day, any food was greatly received. We had pasta with a meat sauce for our first course and a relatively lackluster burger for our main. However, I believe the dessert made up for the burger. It was a small cake with interwoven chocolate cream topped with vanilla ice cream and a peanut brittle square on top. Both extremely flashy and extremely delicious!
To conclude the night, a group of eight of us decided to play some basketball. We went to the court with a bouncy ball and goals to dunk like Jordan. Only one of us was able to achieve this goal. John, our fearless student leader, lept from the free-throw line and dunked on TJ. It was as if the world had slowed down. In all seriousness, it was a great time. We had two team captains split up the teams and went to work. Mason showed off his incredible handles and finishing. John and Evan showed heart like no other. Rett and Lucas were a dynamic duo, running a full-court press. Matthew was the ultimate team player, and TJ facilitated the offense.
Overall, it was another great day in Castiglion Florentino. Tomorrow will be more educationally focused, with multiple education sessions and some free time after lunch.
Andrew Kunz ‘27 and Ryan Mackereth ‘27
