This past week I experienced my first Italian thunderstorm- well, actually we had several! It rained and thundered Monday through Friday and although I do love that kind of weather I was very happy to get up this morning and see sunshine coming through my window. I originally planned to stay in, rest, and get some work done today, but the sunshine is calling me so maybe I will have to go out. In honor of the return of the sunshine I thought I would post some pictures of a day trip I took a few weeks ago with some of the girls from the program. We got up early one Friday morning and caught an 8am train to a place not far from Siena called Rapolano. It is a small town well-known for its hot springs, which were our reason for going. The train ride only took about 30 minutes, and then it was another 20-30 minute walk to a large hotel/spa. The day was so beautiful and sunny and the countryside so lovely that I didn't mind the walk there. When we arrived we each paid 13 euro and had access to the spa's hot spring pools for the entire day. It was such a great, relaxing way to spend a day off! There were a series of pools, each with a different temperature, and there was even a mud pit where you could cover yourself in a white, chalky residue, wait for it to dry, and then rinse it off. I am not sure exactly what it was supposed to do for the skin but it felt good! Anyway, we swam, soaked, slept, and relaxed the day away until around 5pm, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. (The only downside was the major sunburn I got on my legs - blisters and everything! But it wasn't from lack of responsibility; I mean, my legs were in the shade when I fell asleep, it's just that pesky moving sun!) After a long walk back to the tiny train station we all collapsed on the train - an entire day of sunshine and soaking in the water left us pretty exhausted, but in a good way. It was my first hot springs experience and it was a success!

Me, Julia, and Sahar walking to the hotel/spa.

A view of the spa and some of the pools. The warmest pool was inside the closest building in the picture and it connected to one of outdoor pools (the one that the waterfall is coming from).

The coolest pool, with the town of Rapolano on the hill in the background.

See Mom? Proof that I was there!

More proof. (Please ignore my hideous tan lines!)

It felt so good to stand under the waterfall and let it hit my shoulders and back!

Waiting for the train home at the little train station. Isn't it cute?