Beautiful Ravenna

Ravenna is a city that is one hour south of Venice.  It is a city known for its mosaics.  My first day in Ravenna was Friday.  The Boccaccini's and I left Potenza Picena at 9am and arrived to their apartment in Ravenna at 11 am.  We all relaxed when we arrived to Ravenna.  Michela took Nina to the vet, and Gregorio and I hung out together playing playstation.  After lunch we did the usual.  Gregorio and I had our English lesson.  After our English lesson, Gregorio and I had a little adventure.

Our adventure consisted of Gregorio showing me around Ravenna.  Our first stop was to get gelato.  He was such a little gentleman because he asked me what I wanted, ordered, and payed for it.  While he was getting the gelato, Nina and I grabbed a table.  After we ate our scrumptious gelato, he showed be Piazza Popolo, his school, and he took me to meet his grandmother and aunt.  We walked all over Ravenna.  It isn't as big as I thought it was because things are close together.  We spent about an hour with his grandmother.  I understood a few things she said, but not much.  Gregorio helped out by translating for me.  When our visit ended, we headed back home.  The family and I went out to dinner at a nice restaurant near Piazza Popolo.  Michela ordered my dinner for me because she wanted me to have the best of Ravenna.  It was called cappelletti, a delicious pasta dish with meat and tomato sauce.  After dinner Michela showed me a few places I should check out for Saturday, and then we went home.  I felt like it was a really long day, but it wasn't.

This morning I headed out with a list of things to see.  Michela's friend, Marta, was kind enough to get me a travel book on Ravenna.  It had a map and a list of things for me to see.  Even though the whole book was in Italian, I was able to read the map.  You really need to use a map in Italy because many of the streets are not labeled.  I rode Michela's bike throughout Ravenna.  I was able to see a lot of things...

Dante's Tomb

Piazza Popolo

Garibaldi

Basilico Santuario Santa Maria in Porto Madonna Greca

Duomo

San Vitale

Tonight is just going to be me and Nina.  The Boccaccini's are headed to a wedding this evening, so I will be getting dinner at a little place that Michela pointed out to me last night.  I will be walking Nina around the town, and hopefully catching up with the family on Skype.  I must say Ravenna was absolutely beautiful, and I could totally see myself living here for a year :)