Meat, the mountains, and more biking

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The last week has been so crazy! Kuba and I have been biking almost every day. After Ferrara we went to Bologna, which was nice but pretty uneventful. Besides all the meat! So much meat! Their speciality is ham, and we spared no little piggies. We also visited a place that strangely reminded me of an Italian Horseshoe. This bar has served only alcohol, no water or food (people brought their own), since the 1300s. It was also slightly trashy, so we fit right in!
From Bologna we went through Modena and Parma, where we continued to eat like beasts. Modena is where balsamic vinegar comes from and Parma is where they make Parmasan cheese. I thought I would loose weight biking and everything, but I think I might come back obese instead.
All these biking trips were really flat, so it was a shock when we got out of Parma into the mountains. We were in the middle of nowhere outside Parma so we camped in some random field. The next morning we woke up and literally climbed up the side of a mountain. It was crazy; I've never biked so hard in my life. Not that we were going fast or anything because with all our stuff and the steepness we averaged about 4mph. It was a brutal crawling pace. The views made it worth it though. It was so beautiful to look out over the flatlands and mountain peaks. And the next day we got to go down the side of a mountain. We went so fast, keeping up with traffic and winding around the curves. I ended up having to get new brake pads after eating through mine!
Over the mountains we went to Cinque Terre, five towns built into the sea cliff. It was also very pretty, but kind of reminded me of Venice because of all the tourists and the impossibility of biking there. We had nice warm weather so we went swimming in the Mediterrean Ocean. Except I didn't have a swimsuit so I had to go topless like a real European wooohooo!
So that's the last week, which feels like so long. Today we biked to Parma in the rain and I think we're going to hang out here and rest until the rain passes. I think I might treat myself to real laundry yaaay! We've been washing our clothes in sinks and hanging them off the back of our bikes to dry. And I think I have to stop writing now before I share more ghetto details of our trip.

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Comments

[Mom]

Laundry
Come home and I promise I will do your laundry, wait on you and buy all your favorite foods. I will even pick up after you. . I am desperate here! Ha! Ha! Seriously sounds like you are having the time of your life! Thank goodness you are the adventurous type. I could not even imagine doing this even when I was your age! Can hardly wait to hear all your stories and look at your pictures. I loved the sketching Jessica brought back. Love reading your emails and your blog. I know it is a chore to do both but all of us are living vicariously through your travels. Stay safe and keep in touch. Love to you both!!

[smash]

Dubbb
Sounds so exciting. I love the internet for being able to follow your trip.. but it makes me want to have a European adventure of my own. I especially like the ghetto details... :D

[Dad]

Biking
Wow, sounds like a hard ride but worth it. Not like the STP I guess. Now you could make that in one day probably. Sounds like you are enjoying yourselves. I think I would have liked Bologna and that bar that serves nothing but alcohol. Thanks for the blog entry they are always very interesting and you write it in a fun way. Say hello to Kuba for me. Love, Dad