One thing that I love about being here is how it's possible to have so many diverse experiences in a very short amount of time. For me, this past week was like that.
Last weekend, I returned to Spain for the third time (I just can't stay away from the place!) to see the beginning of the Las Fallas celebration, which a fiesta that happens every year in Valencia during Semana Santa (Holy Week). The fiesta has religious origins, but nowadays it's more about the party, it seems. For a week, the streets of Valencia are filled with people and huge, colorful statues made of a papier-mache like material. People spend massive amounts of time and money building these things and then at the end of the week, in one evening, they burn them all to the ground and it's like the city is on fire. Crazy.
I wasn't there for the burning, unfortunately, but I did get to see some amazing fireworks shows, a good concert, crazy parade, and the "mascleta," which is another Fallas tradition: each afternoon in the main plaza of the city, there is a ten-minute or so volley of firecrackers shot into the sky. It seems to go on forever, especially to the ears! So loud. I have never seen anything like it before.
Another thing that made Fallas fun for me though, was visiting some friends that I made during the summer when I studied Spanish at the Adventist college that is very close to Valencia. I stayed at my friend Elias' house for the weekend, near Valencia, and spent my time with him and his friends. It was cool to be able to experience the fiesta with locals, although it was a little difficult trying to keep up with them with my not-so-great Spanish. I have forgotten so much since the summer, and now Italian has taken over my brain! It was definitely a challenge, since not many of the Spanish people speak English, but it didn't damper my fun too much.
After I returned from Fallas, we had our last day of classes for almost a month! And then headed to Rome for two days. I had been waiting for this trip for so long. Since I was little, I've had this obsessive fascination with Rome, particularly the Rome of the ancient Romans: Coliseum, forum, Circus Maximus, the whole bit. And finally my dream of seeing it all came true! Standing inside the Coliseum was so surreal. Not to mention seeing the ruins of the ancient Forum, the arch of Constantine, and a prison where the apostles Paul and Peter were legendarily imprisoned. After that there were famous piazzas, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and Santa Maria Maggiore, another important church. Rome has so much to offer! It is so big, there was nowhere near enough to see half of what there is there, so I know that in my life I will go back. One disappointment: we weren't able to go inside the Vatican Museum and see the Sistine Chapel or the famous Raphael paintings. So I contented myself with St. Peter's Square and the Basilica. The Vatican City is rather amazing. St. Peter's is so huge and intimidating. While I was there, the new pope was giving a mass. The place was crowded, since it is just a few days before Easter.
So Rome was a good experience. It has a different feel from Florence, that is for sure, but I definitely loved a lot of things about it, and I will be back. I threw money in the Trevi Fountain, so that means my return should be guaranteed!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
Coffee With the Italians
One of the things that I find so interesting about Italy is the people, I have to say. I had a long break between classes this morning, so I decided to make the ten-minute walk to the Piazza Dalmazia near the school. I had a few things I needed to do, like withdraw money and mail some postcards, and I also wanted a coffee, so Piazza Dalmazia, a pretty big shopping area, was the perfect place to kill two birds with one stone (or as the Italians say, "Prendere due piccioni con una fava," which literally means "to keep two pigeons with one bean," a little bit kinder version of our saying!) I made it to the bar, after being stopped in front of the Careggi university by a young man giving out pamphlets about a series of meetings on the Catholic church. He and I spoke for a few minutes, and it wasn't until after I had walked on that I realized "hey, that whole conversation was in Italian!" It's always exciting to have those moments when you really feel like you have a grasp of the language and are more a part of the culture, instead of being the "stupid American" on the outside looking in.
But anyway, I made it to the bar, ordered my caffe latte (only acceptable to drink before noon), and then started observing the other people. There was one older man who looked exactly like Mark Twain, complete with white hair and big bushy white eyebrows. He ordered a drink that turned out to be white wine mixed with Campari, a type of liquor that is a bright red color. At ten in the morning! And no one even glanced his way. He took the drink, had a long gulp, and then walked over to the mirror that took up a good part of one wall of the bar. He looked in the mirror, smoothed his burly white moustache a little, and then drank the rest of his drink. I laughed a little bit inside.
My other favorite characters of Italy are the older women. They all seem to be the same: short, still fashionable with their nice black or brown leather heels and pretty jackets. They travel in groups, carrying large leather bags and talking rapidly to each other, using lots of hand motions, their fingers always bedecked with gold rings. They are adorable and I love to watch them.
I think there is a lot to be learned about a country or city just by observing the people. It is something I have learned to do more while I've been here: just quietly observe people-and life.
But anyway, I made it to the bar, ordered my caffe latte (only acceptable to drink before noon), and then started observing the other people. There was one older man who looked exactly like Mark Twain, complete with white hair and big bushy white eyebrows. He ordered a drink that turned out to be white wine mixed with Campari, a type of liquor that is a bright red color. At ten in the morning! And no one even glanced his way. He took the drink, had a long gulp, and then walked over to the mirror that took up a good part of one wall of the bar. He looked in the mirror, smoothed his burly white moustache a little, and then drank the rest of his drink. I laughed a little bit inside.
My other favorite characters of Italy are the older women. They all seem to be the same: short, still fashionable with their nice black or brown leather heels and pretty jackets. They travel in groups, carrying large leather bags and talking rapidly to each other, using lots of hand motions, their fingers always bedecked with gold rings. They are adorable and I love to watch them.
I think there is a lot to be learned about a country or city just by observing the people. It is something I have learned to do more while I've been here: just quietly observe people-and life.
Friday, February 29, 2008
Art, Art, Art
Before I came to Italy, I had probably an average amount of interest in Art and Art History. I had heard of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo and the other big names of the Renaissance, but I didn't really know very much about the their stories and was hardly able to identify any of their works, besides the Mona Lisa and the Sistine Chapel, of course. So when I began my Storia dell'Arte course last November, I was prepared to learn a lot. We started out with ancient Greece and the "classical" architecture of that time. It was really fun then to go to Greece and see for myself the types of structures I had studied. I loved being able to look at an ancient Greek temple and be able to distinguish which period it was built in based on the decorations on the capitals of the columns.
But it wasn't until about two weeks ago, when we got to the Renaissance in my class, when my interest suddenly intensified. I was struck by the realization that I am living in the very city where that period was born, and so many of the paintings that we look at on the projector screen in class are in churches and museums merely a 15-minute bus ride away. On top of that, I started reading (and am still reading) a fantastic book about Michelangelo and the painting of the Sistine Chapel. Reading it has given me a view of what the artists of the Renaissance were really like. It must have been such a fascinating time in history to be living, because everything was changing.
So with this newfound thirst for knowledge, I have decided to make the most of being in Florence, and am on a church/museum rampage. I went inside the Duomo for the fourth or fifth time, but this time actually paid attention to the architectural details. I've been to the Uffizi to see all the paintings by Giotto, Botticelli, da Vinci, and Michelangelo, among others. I've been to the Bargello Museum to see the famous sculptures by Donatello, Michelangelo, and Giambologna. I've been inside the church of Santa Maria Novella to see the amazing crucifix of Giotto, the "Trinita" by Masaccio, and the Tournabuoni Chapel frescoed by Ghirlandaio (Michelangelo was one of his apprentices; he is a new favorite artist of mine!) I've been to the church of Ognissanti (which means "all saints") to see some other works by Ghirlandaio. I've seen Michelangelo's "David." I've been to the church of Santa Croce to see Galileo's tomb, designed by Vasari. I've seen the famous statues under the loggia in the Piazza della Signoria, including my favorite, "The Rape of the Sabines" by Giambologna. And these are just a few of the many places yet to see in the city. Everywhere you turn there is art, art, and more art.
So although I still have more places to see and more to learn in class, already I am thankful that I have been able to learn what I have. I believe being able to have knowledge of the past and appreciate it for what it was allows us to also appreciate the present. And that is another one of the many things that Florence has taught me.
P.S. I have put some photos of the pieces of art that I was talking about on my Picasso album for anyone who is also interested in Art History!
But it wasn't until about two weeks ago, when we got to the Renaissance in my class, when my interest suddenly intensified. I was struck by the realization that I am living in the very city where that period was born, and so many of the paintings that we look at on the projector screen in class are in churches and museums merely a 15-minute bus ride away. On top of that, I started reading (and am still reading) a fantastic book about Michelangelo and the painting of the Sistine Chapel. Reading it has given me a view of what the artists of the Renaissance were really like. It must have been such a fascinating time in history to be living, because everything was changing.
So with this newfound thirst for knowledge, I have decided to make the most of being in Florence, and am on a church/museum rampage. I went inside the Duomo for the fourth or fifth time, but this time actually paid attention to the architectural details. I've been to the Uffizi to see all the paintings by Giotto, Botticelli, da Vinci, and Michelangelo, among others. I've been to the Bargello Museum to see the famous sculptures by Donatello, Michelangelo, and Giambologna. I've been inside the church of Santa Maria Novella to see the amazing crucifix of Giotto, the "Trinita" by Masaccio, and the Tournabuoni Chapel frescoed by Ghirlandaio (Michelangelo was one of his apprentices; he is a new favorite artist of mine!) I've been to the church of Ognissanti (which means "all saints") to see some other works by Ghirlandaio. I've seen Michelangelo's "David." I've been to the church of Santa Croce to see Galileo's tomb, designed by Vasari. I've seen the famous statues under the loggia in the Piazza della Signoria, including my favorite, "The Rape of the Sabines" by Giambologna. And these are just a few of the many places yet to see in the city. Everywhere you turn there is art, art, and more art.
So although I still have more places to see and more to learn in class, already I am thankful that I have been able to learn what I have. I believe being able to have knowledge of the past and appreciate it for what it was allows us to also appreciate the present. And that is another one of the many things that Florence has taught me.
P.S. I have put some photos of the pieces of art that I was talking about on my Picasso album for anyone who is also interested in Art History!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Spring Is In the Air
This seems like a strange title, considering that it is still February, but the last few days have really felt like spring is on its way. The mornings and evenings are still a bit brisk, but when the sun is out and the sky is blue and the birds are going crazy singing in the mornings, it's hard not to feel that it's almost time.
For this, I am thrilled. I heard an Italian say the other day: "If you think Italy is pretty now, wait till the springtime." I was excited to hear that at least this conception that we Americans have about Tuscany is true (many of my other beliefs about the region, and really all of Italy have been disproved since I've experienced it for myself!).
Yesterday was Sunday, one of those blissful days when there are no responsibilities. Most businesses are closed, so there's little temptation to go out and spend money. Instead, the girls and I put on our tank tops and put our hair in ponytails and went for a walk up the hill past the school where there are nice views of the city. It was such a beautiful day, probably the nicest we've had in months. We walked up the narrow road, past the pretty little houses, sometimes peeking through the back gates and the impossibly perfect gardens and backyards. A little old man was out tilling the ground in his olive grove and garden. We sat in the sun and looked out over the city, the Duomo seeming so small from so far away. We talked about the future and plans and wishes and hopes.
It was really an almost perfect day.
For this, I am thrilled. I heard an Italian say the other day: "If you think Italy is pretty now, wait till the springtime." I was excited to hear that at least this conception that we Americans have about Tuscany is true (many of my other beliefs about the region, and really all of Italy have been disproved since I've experienced it for myself!).
Yesterday was Sunday, one of those blissful days when there are no responsibilities. Most businesses are closed, so there's little temptation to go out and spend money. Instead, the girls and I put on our tank tops and put our hair in ponytails and went for a walk up the hill past the school where there are nice views of the city. It was such a beautiful day, probably the nicest we've had in months. We walked up the narrow road, past the pretty little houses, sometimes peeking through the back gates and the impossibly perfect gardens and backyards. A little old man was out tilling the ground in his olive grove and garden. We sat in the sun and looked out over the city, the Duomo seeming so small from so far away. We talked about the future and plans and wishes and hopes.
It was really an almost perfect day.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Trips Galore!
It's been a busy few weeks! I do go to classes, I swear, though it made not seem like it sometimes :-)
About two weeks ago, on January 31, we went to Venice with the whole school to participate in Carnevale, which is a huge citywide (countrywide in Italy, actually) party that is famous throughout the world. It was just a day trip, and it was a little bit before the actual festivities began, so it wasn't quite as crowded as I was expecting, especially after experiencing it at New Years! But it was a lot of fun to see the people roaming around in costumes. There were lots of masks, full-body costumes, and painted faces. My friends and I had our faces painted with pretty colors and lots of sparkles, so that we would blend in. We saw the Basilica, spent some time feeding those wild pigeons in Piazza San Marco, and just enjoyed some time walking around the city. It is so beautiful, and was no less so on my second trip there than the first.
The next big thing then was this past weekend when I took a trip to Barcelona, Spain with three of my girl friends from school. It was my second time visiting the city (I went there over the summer when I studied in Spain), and I loved it just as much this time. It is such a fun city, with the amazing architecture (Antonio Gaudi, a very unique modern architect who created a lot of interesting buildings in the city), like Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia and La Casa Mila, a really cool park where we watched the sunset, and a beautiful harbor. There were lots of people everywhere, especially on the main pedestrian street, Las Ramblas. The weather was beautiful, we got to see a few museums, and have some great Spanish food. It made me realize that I really really love Spain. It is definitely a place I want to go back to in the future, and I want to learn to speak Spanish better! One language at a time, though. So altogether, it was a successful weekend.
The last few days have just been a blur of classes. Today though, we had another fun trip: to these thermal baths in a tiny town called Rapolano. There were natural hot springs there. We spent an afternoon just relaxing in the warm water. It was nice to relax, because in a few days we have finals coming up! Real school: it's hard to focus on it when you're surrounded by so many things to see and places to go!
Wish me luck on the tests. I'll put up pictures from Venice and Barcelona on the Picasa Album. Oh, and one more thing: Happy Valentine's Day!
About two weeks ago, on January 31, we went to Venice with the whole school to participate in Carnevale, which is a huge citywide (countrywide in Italy, actually) party that is famous throughout the world. It was just a day trip, and it was a little bit before the actual festivities began, so it wasn't quite as crowded as I was expecting, especially after experiencing it at New Years! But it was a lot of fun to see the people roaming around in costumes. There were lots of masks, full-body costumes, and painted faces. My friends and I had our faces painted with pretty colors and lots of sparkles, so that we would blend in. We saw the Basilica, spent some time feeding those wild pigeons in Piazza San Marco, and just enjoyed some time walking around the city. It is so beautiful, and was no less so on my second trip there than the first.
The next big thing then was this past weekend when I took a trip to Barcelona, Spain with three of my girl friends from school. It was my second time visiting the city (I went there over the summer when I studied in Spain), and I loved it just as much this time. It is such a fun city, with the amazing architecture (Antonio Gaudi, a very unique modern architect who created a lot of interesting buildings in the city), like Gaudi's La Sagrada Familia and La Casa Mila, a really cool park where we watched the sunset, and a beautiful harbor. There were lots of people everywhere, especially on the main pedestrian street, Las Ramblas. The weather was beautiful, we got to see a few museums, and have some great Spanish food. It made me realize that I really really love Spain. It is definitely a place I want to go back to in the future, and I want to learn to speak Spanish better! One language at a time, though. So altogether, it was a successful weekend.
The last few days have just been a blur of classes. Today though, we had another fun trip: to these thermal baths in a tiny town called Rapolano. There were natural hot springs there. We spent an afternoon just relaxing in the warm water. It was nice to relax, because in a few days we have finals coming up! Real school: it's hard to focus on it when you're surrounded by so many things to see and places to go!
Wish me luck on the tests. I'll put up pictures from Venice and Barcelona on the Picasa Album. Oh, and one more thing: Happy Valentine's Day!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Christmas Break Part 3 - Venice
Just a quick synopsis of the last few days of 2006, which I spent in one of the most unique and beautiful cities I have yet to visit! This was my first time in Venice, as well as the first time for my mom and brother. When we arrived on December 30th, it was dark and freezing, and we had an interesting time finding our hotel. First thing to do after a bus ride to one of the main piazzas from the airport, was figure out how to use the waterbuses. This first experience in Venice let us know that it is a city unlike anywhere else! There are no cars on the island. The way that people get around is on the waterbuses, or more expensive water taxis. The canals are extensive, and the water buses basically just circle the island on the Grand Canal.
We found our hotel on a little back canal, not too far away from the center. It was a beautiful place. Our first evening there we found a delicious pizzeria for dinner. The next day we spent seeing all the sights of the city: St. Mark's Square and Basilica, the Palazzo Ducale, Rialto Bridge. Venice is just beautiful, that's the only word I can think of to describe it. It was a perfect sunny day when were there, so we saw it at its height of beauty, I think. St. Mark's Basilica is breathtaking, and we had an hour or so's worth of fun feeding the crazy pigeons in the square. They will not hesitate to climb all over you, even landing on our heads sometimes! It was very entertaining. The thing I found myself feeling while I was there was how it felt so far away from the "real" world, with roads and vehicles and all those types of things. All the buildings in the city are old, all lining the canals. There are places where stairs just go down into the water. There are little back canals, like back alleys, all crossed with little bridges everywhere. It could be called enchanting.
That evening was New Year's Eve, and we had no idea what were in for. Italians have a tradition on New Year's Eve: they eat a really big meal called Cenone (which literally means "big dinner." The word is reserved for new year's eve only, though). Almost all the restaurants have special menus that evening, many require reservations, and some cost as much as 1000 euros a person!! We had a slice of take-away pizza instead. We made our way, along with the rest of Venice, to the Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square). There was a stage set up with musical entertainment and the place was packed with people. We strolled a bit, and waited until the midnight countdown. It was definitely a unique New Year's, especially afterwards, when we tried to get out of the piazza. Major traffic jam, not a good place to be if you are at all claustrophobic! It was an interesting experience, definitely!
The next day we walked around the city a bit in the morning, and had a delicious lunch before grabbing a train to Florence (home again for me!) So that's the story of how I fell in love with Venice. And fortunately for me, I get to go back in four days for Carnivale! I'm sure it will be an experience to remember as well.
We found our hotel on a little back canal, not too far away from the center. It was a beautiful place. Our first evening there we found a delicious pizzeria for dinner. The next day we spent seeing all the sights of the city: St. Mark's Square and Basilica, the Palazzo Ducale, Rialto Bridge. Venice is just beautiful, that's the only word I can think of to describe it. It was a perfect sunny day when were there, so we saw it at its height of beauty, I think. St. Mark's Basilica is breathtaking, and we had an hour or so's worth of fun feeding the crazy pigeons in the square. They will not hesitate to climb all over you, even landing on our heads sometimes! It was very entertaining. The thing I found myself feeling while I was there was how it felt so far away from the "real" world, with roads and vehicles and all those types of things. All the buildings in the city are old, all lining the canals. There are places where stairs just go down into the water. There are little back canals, like back alleys, all crossed with little bridges everywhere. It could be called enchanting.
That evening was New Year's Eve, and we had no idea what were in for. Italians have a tradition on New Year's Eve: they eat a really big meal called Cenone (which literally means "big dinner." The word is reserved for new year's eve only, though). Almost all the restaurants have special menus that evening, many require reservations, and some cost as much as 1000 euros a person!! We had a slice of take-away pizza instead. We made our way, along with the rest of Venice, to the Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square). There was a stage set up with musical entertainment and the place was packed with people. We strolled a bit, and waited until the midnight countdown. It was definitely a unique New Year's, especially afterwards, when we tried to get out of the piazza. Major traffic jam, not a good place to be if you are at all claustrophobic! It was an interesting experience, definitely!
The next day we walked around the city a bit in the morning, and had a delicious lunch before grabbing a train to Florence (home again for me!) So that's the story of how I fell in love with Venice. And fortunately for me, I get to go back in four days for Carnivale! I'm sure it will be an experience to remember as well.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Simple Pleasures
Well, it's been a rather rough week. I remember when I first came here, I thought: "Nothing bad could happen here, I'm in Italy!!" But since then I have learned that it doesn't matter if you are in a beautiful place; you can feel lonely and despondent anywhere. There can be moments of sadness no matter how amazing the surroundings. I am still glad to be here, most definitely, but I have just seen in my life recently that sometimes it takes an enormous effort to make the most of your situation. I have five months left here, and I do want to make the absolute most of them.
So I have been indulging lately in simple pleasures that remind me that life is good, especially in Italy: going to town with my roommate, browsing through racks and racks of beautiful books, having a big cup of gelato (some of the best I've had yet!), reading my favorite book in bed, having a hot cup of tea in my friends' room, listening to a favorite song, taking a walk to the grocery store just because, writing a friend a postcard, little things like that. I like to remind myself often that I am experiencing an opportunity that not everyone has.
I felt the full force of that when I took a little trip to town today. I walked past the Duomo of Florence, huge, colorful, amazing to look at it. And it hit me how awesome this place is. And I remembered why I'm here. Also, sitting at dinner tonight and having a real conversation completely in Italian wasn't bad either! I feel like I can actually learn this language, that being here will produce not just great memories of great places, but also the knowledge of a new language and culture. And the memories of some awesome gelato, of course!
So I have been indulging lately in simple pleasures that remind me that life is good, especially in Italy: going to town with my roommate, browsing through racks and racks of beautiful books, having a big cup of gelato (some of the best I've had yet!), reading my favorite book in bed, having a hot cup of tea in my friends' room, listening to a favorite song, taking a walk to the grocery store just because, writing a friend a postcard, little things like that. I like to remind myself often that I am experiencing an opportunity that not everyone has.
I felt the full force of that when I took a little trip to town today. I walked past the Duomo of Florence, huge, colorful, amazing to look at it. And it hit me how awesome this place is. And I remembered why I'm here. Also, sitting at dinner tonight and having a real conversation completely in Italian wasn't bad either! I feel like I can actually learn this language, that being here will produce not just great memories of great places, but also the knowledge of a new language and culture. And the memories of some awesome gelato, of course!
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