Monday, October 27, 2008
Off to Southern Italy
I'm leaving in just a few short hours for Southern Italy....Napoli, Pompeii, Paestum, Amalfi Coast, and Capri!! It is a class trip, with tours, lectures, and the occasional free time. Unfortunately, the bad weather has spread from the states to Italy, and it is supposed to rain all week long. Usually the forecasters are wrong over here, so hopefully that trend will continue. I will write all about my journey when I return home to Roma. Thanks again to everyone keeping up with my long, detailed stories on here. Stay warm in the snow!! Love to all. Ciao Ciao
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Firenze e Siena
Ciao...I'm back from a short, yet wonderful weekend away in Florence and Siena. We were only in Florence for exactly 24 hours, but with that small taste of the grandeur and beauty of art and culture in this Renaissance town, I am already anxious to go back.
My first train ride in Italia was quite the experience. We had the train to ourselves for the first half of the trip, so we unknowingly chose the first class seats, in the rooms with sliding doors. It was perfect, we could stretch out and relax in a little room by ourself, with 3 seats facing 3 seats. Well, this backfired when the train got busier and busier as we inched through Toscana. First came the creepy man who sat down across from Caroline with his fanny pack...more about him later. Then, I was abruptly awaken by an old Italian lady, who smelled of cheap perfume and beans, who wanted me to schooch over so she had more room. All my hopes at sleep were completely dashed when another large Italian mamma sat across from me, staring at me the rest of the way to Firenze. Ok, so back to the creepy man, this is a little gross, but I have to share it because it was part of my first European train experience. As I was squished in the middle seat, I looked around and noticed that this man (not necessarily an Italian, but definitely European) was rubbing his belly - gross to begin with. Upon a second glance, it was not his belly, but a little south of there!!!!! I was absolutely mortified and disgusted...so I tried to turn away and look out the window, but every time we went through a tunnel, I could see him through the reflection! I decided to just close my eyes, imagine not being on this terrible train and just hope to get to Firenze as soon as possible. Hank and Caroline were oblivious somehow, so it wasn't until after I got off the train that I could vent to someone. AHHH I really don't know what people are thinking sometimes. So let's just say it wasn't the most elegant way to enter Florence, but the trip had nowhere to go but up from there.
Some other St. Mary's girls were on our train and were staying at the same hostel, so we all navigated our way out of the station and through the streets to Plus Florence, a new hostel and one of many in Italy and Europe. It was surprisingly clean and offered all sorts of activities and amenities, especially for people staying throughout the week. I felt like I was at a dorm...with nightly themed parties (Wednesday Toga Party, Spaghetti Saturday, etc.), internet cafe downstairs, pool tables, daily outings in the city and throughout Toscana, even a spa (hostel-style, mind you). We obviously didn't have time to spend in the hostel, with only 24 hours to explore this amazing city, but it was nice not to have a horror of a terrible hostel, especially my first experience in one. I forgot to take a picture of it, but we were able to get a 3-person private room with a bathroom, for only 15 euro a night! It was clean (most important thing), comfortable (relatively), and safe.
After dropping off our backpacks, we set out for the David! The Accademia is the museum where the David is housed, but we were told we would need a reservation in order to get in. We decided to wing it, and just stand in line. It only took about a half hour, before we paid the steep 10 euro admission fee. One downside to Florence...you pay to go in just about anywhere....churches, museums, towers, etc. But I definitely thought it was worth it, to see such an amazing piece of sculpture and beauty. The first room of the Accademia (a very small museum) is filled with Renaissance paintings and Giambologna's beautiful Rape of Sabine Women (another copy is also outside in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence...I saw it as well). However, the excitement of everyone in the museum to see the David is clearly apparent. Everyone, including me, seemed to browse past the paintings, feeling the necessity to pay them respect; meanwhile, the mind is consumed by the anticipation of the grandeur that awaits in the next room. When you walk into the next room, Michelangelo's David looms in the vaulted room, standing 17 glorious marble feet tall. His sheer size, as well as Michelangelo's incredible genius are unimaginable until you see him up close, from all angles. As one girl in the museum said, you wonder how huge Goliath must have been :) All around him stood beastly women guards shouting "no foto!!". Well I believe that Michelangelo would have wanted his audience to come home with a visual memory of his masterpiece...which is why I secretly took 2 pictures!! I couldn't help myself!
After the Galleria dell'Accademia, we wandered (getting lost many times) to the Duomo, Piazza San Giovanni, and Giotto's Bell Tower. We went in the Duomo, which is mostly void of artifacts because they are housed in museums now, but it was still beautiful. The outside is overwhelming, as there are too many focal points, too much to look at, a feast for the eyes!! We opted not to climb the tower and the dome, which I now regret. But maybe next time. Brunelleschi's dome is unbelievable, and the Duomo is one of the world's largest churches. Michelangelo's dome over San Pietro was modeled after Brunelleschi's. The whole masterpiece is a wonderful example of the mastery and accomplishment of the Florentine Gothic period. It is the jewel of la citta.
From there, we stumbled upon an open-air market (il mio favorito!!) with stands devoted solely to apples, wine, cheese, meats, other fresh fruits, clothes, etc. It was late in the day, and the Florentine shop owners looked weary and overheated, yet they still offered samples and engaged in broken Italian with us. The apples were unbelievable, definitely as good as or better than the Wisconsin varieties back home. Something about their sweetness and texture - not tart, not sweet...perfectly juicy and delicious. A table with pasta sauces was giving out samples, which were wonderful, homemade and jarred by the women sitting in front of me. The wines were abounding, which was to be expected being in the Toscana region. An old woman gave us sample cups and continued to refill them until we purchased a bottle. Luckily, Hank and Caroline are fans of vino rosso (red wine), my favorite! We got a local variety for only 3 euro (1 euro each!!), and enjoyed it later that night. Santa Croce stood at the end of this piazza, and we ventured over to the famous church after our purchases at the market.
Resting at Piazza della Signoria for an afternoon siesta, we people-watched among famous sculptures and fountains in one of Italy's most beautiful squares. Michelangelo's David once stood in this square, but was moved inside to prevent damage. An inferior copy stands in the square today, but is under renovation currently. In the Loggia della Signoria, we sat on the steps surrounded by a gallery of sculpture, protected only by an overhang.
Its an amazing feeling to be sitting among such famous pieces of art and architecture, to walk where the greatest artists, politicians, royalty, writers, scientists once strolled, even to visit a place where millions of people throughout the world have been, and where millions more will someday come. In the same moment, you feel important and grateful, but also so insignificant and small in the scope of the world - present, past and future. Its a feeling unknown, at least to me, in the States; but it is an altogether necessary feeling, putting your life in perspective. As Americans (especially young Americans), you feel as though the world revolves around you and your every move, and there is often little sense of what came before this very day, before your lifetime. But here in Florence and Roma, and throughout Europe, if you open your eyes and truly see, you understand and appreciate history and your existence in it. Rather than becoming overwhelmed and disheartened by the reality of your small place in the world, I have found it encouraging. Yes, so many greats have come before me, but so many are still to come....and I could be one of them, in large and small ways.
Ok sorry to be philosophical...anyway, back to Florence. The nighttime in Firenze was definitely my favorite. The city seems to come alive. All the filth, all the tourists, all the vendors, all the traffic seem to disappear with the sunset over the Arno; the sparkle of street lights, the musicians playing on street corners, the small cafes opening for dinner, the lovers sitting on the Ponte Vecchio, the Italians taking their passeggiatas....amongst the commotion, there is a serenity about it. We ate dinner at Trattoria Buzziono, a small restaurant hidden on a small street we just happened to pass by. Not only was it delicious, but the atmosphere made it a perfect end to the day, red-checkered table cloths, an old man taking our orders (speaking only Italian) while his wife cooks our food and clears our tables in the back, and a younger man (maybe their son) seats people and socializes. Many locals came in for dinner while we were there, kissing the old man on the cheeks and sitting in their "usual" spot. After a long day of tourism and exploration, I felt so at ease here...I felt at home.
Taking our wine from the market to the Ponte Vecchio after dinner, we found a great spot among the couples, young and old, on the center of the bridge. The Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) is one of the only original bridges which survived the Nazi invasions and bombings during WWII. During the day, it is flanked with shops and vendors, selling everything from the finest leather and jewelry, to cheap Florentine souvenirs. However, at night, everything is closed, and the bridge is filled with some tourists, but also locals, enjoying the romance and beauty of the view of the Arno and the city from the bridge. A middle-aged man sat down and set up his guitar and played the most beautiful music throughout the night, including Andrea Bocelli (my favorite). However, being there amongst the beauty of the city, the serene river, the music, the vino, you can't help but want to be with the one you love. I can't wait to come back here with you some day sweetheart. But until then, my friends made for great company, and put up with my singing! I couldn't help but sing along with Andrea Bocelli!!
Getting up the next morning for mass was difficult, but we did it! We went to Santa Maria Novella, located near the train station, for 8:30 mass. Its a beautiful church, with black and white zebra stripes on the outside, and ornate frescos and statues inside. I was surprised by how few people were in mass, but I guess that Italians aren't really the best mass-goers. It was all said in Italian, and I found myself so tired, trying to translate everything in my head. But, its always a cool experience to go to mass when you travel, especially in Italy (as mamma always said!)
Then, we were off to Siena, a short train ride along the Chianti Road (the region producing the delicious wine). It was beautiful, looking out the window to rolling hills of grape vineyards and villas scattered throughout. The colors are like nothing you've seen...its actually fall here, despite the warm weather. But autumn here is much different. The colors are vibrant, but there is still so much green, with spotted purples from the vineyards. Some areas reminded me of the Midwest, but electrified with color, lit on fire by the warm sun. I definitely want to travel back to Italia one day, and devote my entire visit to the rolling hills of Toscana. Renting a villa and wandering the countryside would be perfect. Better yet, moving there permanently would be perfect!! Don't worry mom and dad, I know nothing about running a winery, but the idea sounds wonderful.
Arriving in Siena, we had to take another bus to get to the heart of the city (uphill). We got off the bus too early though, so we found the rest of our way up on foot. It worked out nicely though, seeing some of the neighborhoods, the soccer stadium for A.C. Siena and then visiting Basilica di San Domenico. The soccer stadium was pretty pathetic, about the size of a high school football stadium/track. But we were able to walk right in and stand in the stadium! Despite my disappointment at its size and glory, it was exciting to be able to see it up close. There was barbed wire in front of the seats, to prevent the psycho fans from storming the field. If you didn't know, futbol is a pretty big thing here, and it can get very violent and competitive, very quickly. I'm trying to see a A.S. Roma game, but tickets are expensive, unless you buy them outside the stadium....but there is no guarantee you'll get a real ticket. It would be a great experience, but we would definitely need to bring Hank for protection. Roma fans are some of the worst/most notorious.
Basilica di San Domenico is a beautiful 13th Century church, with a chapel dedicated to St. Catherine of Siena. Inside, Santa Caterina's head and thumb are kept in glass cases on display for visitors. Her head is covered in a wax recreation of what she would have looked like, but it is still slightly creepy. There are frescoes, stained glass, paintings, and sculptures, many of which depict the life of Santa Caterina. We also visited the Casa di Santa Caterina, where she lived most of her life, before dying in Roma in her thirties. It is a simple home, however, decorative elements have been added throughout the years, including paintings and sculpture. In the square outside of her home are several of past pope's busts, including JP II!
From there, we made our way into the center of the city, which resembles Assisi, being built on mountainous ground, and is a perfectly maintain example of the Renaissance life. Because Siena was conquered and economically/politically destroyed by the Florentines during the Renaissance, the city never recovered, and therefore, never progressed architecturally, academically, politically, etc. Because of this, the city is one of the best preserved Renaissance cities. Its beauty is very subtle, yet powerful at the same time. The famous Duomo is an architectural fantasy, known for its black and white zebra interior. From the outside, its similar to its Florentine counterpart, in that it is a feast for the eyes, with a dramatic facade reflecting the Italian Gothic and Romanesque period.
For lunch, we stopped at a bar for panini and coca cola light, and sat on Il Campo and relaxed. Piazza del Campo is shaped like a scalloped shell and slopes downward toward the city's town building. Its has been called the finest of any city in the world, probably because of the harmony with which it fits in to the city and with the people. All day long you'll see couples, families, friends, young children lounging on the Campo, relaxing, people watching, snacking and enjoying the city. We spent about 2 hours there, but I could have sat there all day...plus it helps that the sun was out and its still in the 70's throughout Italia!
I started a book on the way home, Four Seasons in Rome, by Anthony Doerr.....and I read 120 pages just on the train! I couldn't put it down, it was so good. Its a true story about this man and his family who move to Roma for a year while he works at the American Academy for Arts and Sciences, writing his third book. The catch is, he and his wife have just had twins 4 months prior, and they are picking up their entire life in Idaho and moving to a foreign country. The place they lived is right near my location is Roma, and many of the places he writes about I have seen or plan to visit. I definitely suggest it to anyone...its an easy read and very well-written.
Since being home, I've been super busy and trying to catch up on school work. But I'm HOME...yep that's what I called it...HOME! Its been 4 weeks, and I finally feel comfortable here, no longer a tourist. Its a great feeling, almost an accomplishment. Anyway, this week has started off quickly, with exams and papers and projects piling up. I have my first philosophy exam tomorrow morning, my Italian cinema exam Friday, as well as a theology quiz Friday! Tomorrow is my one night to go out....so I think we're going to go to a bar and watch the Roma vs. Chelsea game with some locals!!
Ok well that's enough for now. I'm going to try to get my pictures up tonight, but if not, tomorrow then. Sorry to be so long and wordy! Hope everyone is well.
P.S. Mom and Dad are on facebook...what has the world come to?!?!?!
My first train ride in Italia was quite the experience. We had the train to ourselves for the first half of the trip, so we unknowingly chose the first class seats, in the rooms with sliding doors. It was perfect, we could stretch out and relax in a little room by ourself, with 3 seats facing 3 seats. Well, this backfired when the train got busier and busier as we inched through Toscana. First came the creepy man who sat down across from Caroline with his fanny pack...more about him later. Then, I was abruptly awaken by an old Italian lady, who smelled of cheap perfume and beans, who wanted me to schooch over so she had more room. All my hopes at sleep were completely dashed when another large Italian mamma sat across from me, staring at me the rest of the way to Firenze. Ok, so back to the creepy man, this is a little gross, but I have to share it because it was part of my first European train experience. As I was squished in the middle seat, I looked around and noticed that this man (not necessarily an Italian, but definitely European) was rubbing his belly - gross to begin with. Upon a second glance, it was not his belly, but a little south of there!!!!! I was absolutely mortified and disgusted...so I tried to turn away and look out the window, but every time we went through a tunnel, I could see him through the reflection! I decided to just close my eyes, imagine not being on this terrible train and just hope to get to Firenze as soon as possible. Hank and Caroline were oblivious somehow, so it wasn't until after I got off the train that I could vent to someone. AHHH I really don't know what people are thinking sometimes. So let's just say it wasn't the most elegant way to enter Florence, but the trip had nowhere to go but up from there.
Some other St. Mary's girls were on our train and were staying at the same hostel, so we all navigated our way out of the station and through the streets to Plus Florence, a new hostel and one of many in Italy and Europe. It was surprisingly clean and offered all sorts of activities and amenities, especially for people staying throughout the week. I felt like I was at a dorm...with nightly themed parties (Wednesday Toga Party, Spaghetti Saturday, etc.), internet cafe downstairs, pool tables, daily outings in the city and throughout Toscana, even a spa (hostel-style, mind you). We obviously didn't have time to spend in the hostel, with only 24 hours to explore this amazing city, but it was nice not to have a horror of a terrible hostel, especially my first experience in one. I forgot to take a picture of it, but we were able to get a 3-person private room with a bathroom, for only 15 euro a night! It was clean (most important thing), comfortable (relatively), and safe.
After dropping off our backpacks, we set out for the David! The Accademia is the museum where the David is housed, but we were told we would need a reservation in order to get in. We decided to wing it, and just stand in line. It only took about a half hour, before we paid the steep 10 euro admission fee. One downside to Florence...you pay to go in just about anywhere....churches, museums, towers, etc. But I definitely thought it was worth it, to see such an amazing piece of sculpture and beauty. The first room of the Accademia (a very small museum) is filled with Renaissance paintings and Giambologna's beautiful Rape of Sabine Women (another copy is also outside in the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence...I saw it as well). However, the excitement of everyone in the museum to see the David is clearly apparent. Everyone, including me, seemed to browse past the paintings, feeling the necessity to pay them respect; meanwhile, the mind is consumed by the anticipation of the grandeur that awaits in the next room. When you walk into the next room, Michelangelo's David looms in the vaulted room, standing 17 glorious marble feet tall. His sheer size, as well as Michelangelo's incredible genius are unimaginable until you see him up close, from all angles. As one girl in the museum said, you wonder how huge Goliath must have been :) All around him stood beastly women guards shouting "no foto!!". Well I believe that Michelangelo would have wanted his audience to come home with a visual memory of his masterpiece...which is why I secretly took 2 pictures!! I couldn't help myself!
After the Galleria dell'Accademia, we wandered (getting lost many times) to the Duomo, Piazza San Giovanni, and Giotto's Bell Tower. We went in the Duomo, which is mostly void of artifacts because they are housed in museums now, but it was still beautiful. The outside is overwhelming, as there are too many focal points, too much to look at, a feast for the eyes!! We opted not to climb the tower and the dome, which I now regret. But maybe next time. Brunelleschi's dome is unbelievable, and the Duomo is one of the world's largest churches. Michelangelo's dome over San Pietro was modeled after Brunelleschi's. The whole masterpiece is a wonderful example of the mastery and accomplishment of the Florentine Gothic period. It is the jewel of la citta.
From there, we stumbled upon an open-air market (il mio favorito!!) with stands devoted solely to apples, wine, cheese, meats, other fresh fruits, clothes, etc. It was late in the day, and the Florentine shop owners looked weary and overheated, yet they still offered samples and engaged in broken Italian with us. The apples were unbelievable, definitely as good as or better than the Wisconsin varieties back home. Something about their sweetness and texture - not tart, not sweet...perfectly juicy and delicious. A table with pasta sauces was giving out samples, which were wonderful, homemade and jarred by the women sitting in front of me. The wines were abounding, which was to be expected being in the Toscana region. An old woman gave us sample cups and continued to refill them until we purchased a bottle. Luckily, Hank and Caroline are fans of vino rosso (red wine), my favorite! We got a local variety for only 3 euro (1 euro each!!), and enjoyed it later that night. Santa Croce stood at the end of this piazza, and we ventured over to the famous church after our purchases at the market.
Resting at Piazza della Signoria for an afternoon siesta, we people-watched among famous sculptures and fountains in one of Italy's most beautiful squares. Michelangelo's David once stood in this square, but was moved inside to prevent damage. An inferior copy stands in the square today, but is under renovation currently. In the Loggia della Signoria, we sat on the steps surrounded by a gallery of sculpture, protected only by an overhang.
Its an amazing feeling to be sitting among such famous pieces of art and architecture, to walk where the greatest artists, politicians, royalty, writers, scientists once strolled, even to visit a place where millions of people throughout the world have been, and where millions more will someday come. In the same moment, you feel important and grateful, but also so insignificant and small in the scope of the world - present, past and future. Its a feeling unknown, at least to me, in the States; but it is an altogether necessary feeling, putting your life in perspective. As Americans (especially young Americans), you feel as though the world revolves around you and your every move, and there is often little sense of what came before this very day, before your lifetime. But here in Florence and Roma, and throughout Europe, if you open your eyes and truly see, you understand and appreciate history and your existence in it. Rather than becoming overwhelmed and disheartened by the reality of your small place in the world, I have found it encouraging. Yes, so many greats have come before me, but so many are still to come....and I could be one of them, in large and small ways.
Ok sorry to be philosophical...anyway, back to Florence. The nighttime in Firenze was definitely my favorite. The city seems to come alive. All the filth, all the tourists, all the vendors, all the traffic seem to disappear with the sunset over the Arno; the sparkle of street lights, the musicians playing on street corners, the small cafes opening for dinner, the lovers sitting on the Ponte Vecchio, the Italians taking their passeggiatas....amongst the commotion, there is a serenity about it. We ate dinner at Trattoria Buzziono, a small restaurant hidden on a small street we just happened to pass by. Not only was it delicious, but the atmosphere made it a perfect end to the day, red-checkered table cloths, an old man taking our orders (speaking only Italian) while his wife cooks our food and clears our tables in the back, and a younger man (maybe their son) seats people and socializes. Many locals came in for dinner while we were there, kissing the old man on the cheeks and sitting in their "usual" spot. After a long day of tourism and exploration, I felt so at ease here...I felt at home.
Taking our wine from the market to the Ponte Vecchio after dinner, we found a great spot among the couples, young and old, on the center of the bridge. The Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) is one of the only original bridges which survived the Nazi invasions and bombings during WWII. During the day, it is flanked with shops and vendors, selling everything from the finest leather and jewelry, to cheap Florentine souvenirs. However, at night, everything is closed, and the bridge is filled with some tourists, but also locals, enjoying the romance and beauty of the view of the Arno and the city from the bridge. A middle-aged man sat down and set up his guitar and played the most beautiful music throughout the night, including Andrea Bocelli (my favorite). However, being there amongst the beauty of the city, the serene river, the music, the vino, you can't help but want to be with the one you love. I can't wait to come back here with you some day sweetheart. But until then, my friends made for great company, and put up with my singing! I couldn't help but sing along with Andrea Bocelli!!
Getting up the next morning for mass was difficult, but we did it! We went to Santa Maria Novella, located near the train station, for 8:30 mass. Its a beautiful church, with black and white zebra stripes on the outside, and ornate frescos and statues inside. I was surprised by how few people were in mass, but I guess that Italians aren't really the best mass-goers. It was all said in Italian, and I found myself so tired, trying to translate everything in my head. But, its always a cool experience to go to mass when you travel, especially in Italy (as mamma always said!)
Then, we were off to Siena, a short train ride along the Chianti Road (the region producing the delicious wine). It was beautiful, looking out the window to rolling hills of grape vineyards and villas scattered throughout. The colors are like nothing you've seen...its actually fall here, despite the warm weather. But autumn here is much different. The colors are vibrant, but there is still so much green, with spotted purples from the vineyards. Some areas reminded me of the Midwest, but electrified with color, lit on fire by the warm sun. I definitely want to travel back to Italia one day, and devote my entire visit to the rolling hills of Toscana. Renting a villa and wandering the countryside would be perfect. Better yet, moving there permanently would be perfect!! Don't worry mom and dad, I know nothing about running a winery, but the idea sounds wonderful.
Arriving in Siena, we had to take another bus to get to the heart of the city (uphill). We got off the bus too early though, so we found the rest of our way up on foot. It worked out nicely though, seeing some of the neighborhoods, the soccer stadium for A.C. Siena and then visiting Basilica di San Domenico. The soccer stadium was pretty pathetic, about the size of a high school football stadium/track. But we were able to walk right in and stand in the stadium! Despite my disappointment at its size and glory, it was exciting to be able to see it up close. There was barbed wire in front of the seats, to prevent the psycho fans from storming the field. If you didn't know, futbol is a pretty big thing here, and it can get very violent and competitive, very quickly. I'm trying to see a A.S. Roma game, but tickets are expensive, unless you buy them outside the stadium....but there is no guarantee you'll get a real ticket. It would be a great experience, but we would definitely need to bring Hank for protection. Roma fans are some of the worst/most notorious.
Basilica di San Domenico is a beautiful 13th Century church, with a chapel dedicated to St. Catherine of Siena. Inside, Santa Caterina's head and thumb are kept in glass cases on display for visitors. Her head is covered in a wax recreation of what she would have looked like, but it is still slightly creepy. There are frescoes, stained glass, paintings, and sculptures, many of which depict the life of Santa Caterina. We also visited the Casa di Santa Caterina, where she lived most of her life, before dying in Roma in her thirties. It is a simple home, however, decorative elements have been added throughout the years, including paintings and sculpture. In the square outside of her home are several of past pope's busts, including JP II!
From there, we made our way into the center of the city, which resembles Assisi, being built on mountainous ground, and is a perfectly maintain example of the Renaissance life. Because Siena was conquered and economically/politically destroyed by the Florentines during the Renaissance, the city never recovered, and therefore, never progressed architecturally, academically, politically, etc. Because of this, the city is one of the best preserved Renaissance cities. Its beauty is very subtle, yet powerful at the same time. The famous Duomo is an architectural fantasy, known for its black and white zebra interior. From the outside, its similar to its Florentine counterpart, in that it is a feast for the eyes, with a dramatic facade reflecting the Italian Gothic and Romanesque period.
For lunch, we stopped at a bar for panini and coca cola light, and sat on Il Campo and relaxed. Piazza del Campo is shaped like a scalloped shell and slopes downward toward the city's town building. Its has been called the finest of any city in the world, probably because of the harmony with which it fits in to the city and with the people. All day long you'll see couples, families, friends, young children lounging on the Campo, relaxing, people watching, snacking and enjoying the city. We spent about 2 hours there, but I could have sat there all day...plus it helps that the sun was out and its still in the 70's throughout Italia!
I started a book on the way home, Four Seasons in Rome, by Anthony Doerr.....and I read 120 pages just on the train! I couldn't put it down, it was so good. Its a true story about this man and his family who move to Roma for a year while he works at the American Academy for Arts and Sciences, writing his third book. The catch is, he and his wife have just had twins 4 months prior, and they are picking up their entire life in Idaho and moving to a foreign country. The place they lived is right near my location is Roma, and many of the places he writes about I have seen or plan to visit. I definitely suggest it to anyone...its an easy read and very well-written.
Since being home, I've been super busy and trying to catch up on school work. But I'm HOME...yep that's what I called it...HOME! Its been 4 weeks, and I finally feel comfortable here, no longer a tourist. Its a great feeling, almost an accomplishment. Anyway, this week has started off quickly, with exams and papers and projects piling up. I have my first philosophy exam tomorrow morning, my Italian cinema exam Friday, as well as a theology quiz Friday! Tomorrow is my one night to go out....so I think we're going to go to a bar and watch the Roma vs. Chelsea game with some locals!!
Ok well that's enough for now. I'm going to try to get my pictures up tonight, but if not, tomorrow then. Sorry to be so long and wordy! Hope everyone is well.
P.S. Mom and Dad are on facebook...what has the world come to?!?!?!
Friday, October 17, 2008
Il sciopero trasporto...AHHHHH
Ok, so not to be cynical and all critical of Italia, but these strikes have got to go!! We found out yesterday at dinner that a transportation strike was planned for all day today! Yes, they plan the strikes here, about a month or two in advance, go on strike for a day, and then go back to work the next day, with nothing accomplished but a day off. So I should be on a train to Firenze right now, but it was canceled. I guess it has worked out for the best though; we get to relax tonight, have a free dinner at the hotel, save money by not staying at a hostel tonight, and have a good night sleep. But, now we're leaving on a 6am train from Termini and we arrive in Firenze at 9:51, just in time for a great day in the city. We're still visiting Siena on the way home on Sunday, but just a quick trip. The whole trip is quick, but I'm still excited to explore the two cities. Buon fine settimana!! Ciao ciao xoxo
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Quasi il fine settimana!!
The school week is almost over...only one more class tonight and one more in the morning......and then I'm off to Firenze! I'm so excited for my first real weekend trip outside of Roma. Don't get me wrong, I love Roma, but it will be nice to explore other parts of Italia as well. We are leaving tomorrow evening after Hank's class, and we get into Firenze around 9pm...just in time for a glass of wine and dessert!! We're staying in a hostel with some other girls from St. Mary's, called Plus Florence (creative name!) , but we have a private room for the 3 of us with a bathroom for only 15,20 euro a night. Not too bad for booking a day before. Unfortunately, we don't have train tickets because the website won't take our credit cards, and the travel agency is ridiculous and has not had internet for two days! Can you imagine something like that at home....losing 2+ days of business because of internet?! It doesn't make sense to me. So we'll just buy tickets at the station tomorrow.
We're spending all day Saturday in Firenze, and then Sunday morning we are taking the train to Siena (just an hour south of Firenze). In order to get to Siena by train, you have to always go through Firenze, so we decided to combine the trips. Siena is home to Italia's patron saint and my Confirmation saint, Catherine of Siena. So I'm excited to see her sanctuary and house (Santuario e Casa di Santa Caterina) as well as Basilica di San Domenico, where a chapel is dedicated to her and her head is buried. Myth says that when she died in Roma of a stroke at a young age, the people of Siena wanted her body, but they didn't think they could get past the Roman guards with her entire body. So, they just took her head and carried it in a bag. The guards still stopped them, so the people prayed to St. Catherine; when the guards opened the bag, all they saw were rose petals. When the people arrived in Siena, her head reappeared in the bag. Kinda spooky! So anyway, Siena is where her head was buried. Her body is buried in the Basilica di Santa Maria sopra Minerva - near the Pantheon. I haven't been there yet, but its on my ever-growing list of places to visit. Anyway, it should be a great weekend. Sam isn't coming because she left today with her boyfriend Brett for a weekend in Capri. We'll all be visiting southern Italia as a class in a week and half.
The week here in Roma has been good, but busy. Everyone is still sick and I am trying to fight a cold. I am feeling a little overwhelmed, because there is so much I want to see and do here, but sometimes I just want to relax and rest during the day. Its the constant balancing act, that after 3 weeks I'm still trying to master. Its like my mom said the other day....Its as if you were trying to go to school and work hard at Notre Dame, while also trying to explore South Bend....only this is on a much bigger scale!!! I just have to take it day by day.
So, tonight I'm hopefully going to go out for a few drinks and enjoy myself since I've been staying in most of the week getting work done. I saw a friend, Melissa, from ND who is in the Architecture program and we're hopefully going to try to meet up later. The girls in my program are hooked on this bar Scholars (an Irish pub...but really just your average American bar) where you will only find the American college students who are studying in Rome. I feel like I can get that same experience back in South Bend at Corby's or the Backer....so why limit myself to that here. Most of the girls in the program are only 18 or 19, so this is their first real experience at a bar. For me, I rather go to Italian bars, sip vino rosso and prova a parlare con gli italiani!!
OK, well I'll write more after my Firenze adventure!! Ciao Ciao
We're spending all day Saturday in Firenze, and then Sunday morning we are taking the train to Siena (just an hour south of Firenze). In order to get to Siena by train, you have to always go through Firenze, so we decided to combine the trips. Siena is home to Italia's patron saint and my Confirmation saint, Catherine of Siena. So I'm excited to see her sanctuary and house (Santuario e Casa di Santa Caterina) as well as Basilica di San Domenico, where a chapel is dedicated to her and her head is buried. Myth says that when she died in Roma of a stroke at a young age, the people of Siena wanted her body, but they didn't think they could get past the Roman guards with her entire body. So, they just took her head and carried it in a bag. The guards still stopped them, so the people prayed to St. Catherine; when the guards opened the bag, all they saw were rose petals. When the people arrived in Siena, her head reappeared in the bag. Kinda spooky! So anyway, Siena is where her head was buried. Her body is buried in the Basilica di Santa Maria sopra Minerva - near the Pantheon. I haven't been there yet, but its on my ever-growing list of places to visit. Anyway, it should be a great weekend. Sam isn't coming because she left today with her boyfriend Brett for a weekend in Capri. We'll all be visiting southern Italia as a class in a week and half.
The week here in Roma has been good, but busy. Everyone is still sick and I am trying to fight a cold. I am feeling a little overwhelmed, because there is so much I want to see and do here, but sometimes I just want to relax and rest during the day. Its the constant balancing act, that after 3 weeks I'm still trying to master. Its like my mom said the other day....Its as if you were trying to go to school and work hard at Notre Dame, while also trying to explore South Bend....only this is on a much bigger scale!!! I just have to take it day by day.
So, tonight I'm hopefully going to go out for a few drinks and enjoy myself since I've been staying in most of the week getting work done. I saw a friend, Melissa, from ND who is in the Architecture program and we're hopefully going to try to meet up later. The girls in my program are hooked on this bar Scholars (an Irish pub...but really just your average American bar) where you will only find the American college students who are studying in Rome. I feel like I can get that same experience back in South Bend at Corby's or the Backer....so why limit myself to that here. Most of the girls in the program are only 18 or 19, so this is their first real experience at a bar. For me, I rather go to Italian bars, sip vino rosso and prova a parlare con gli italiani!!
OK, well I'll write more after my Firenze adventure!! Ciao Ciao
Monday, October 13, 2008
Pictures
FYI: My slide show of pictures on the sidebar just shows a few. If you click on the pictures, I have 3 albums of pictures of my trip thus far. Click on my pictures at the top of the Picasa Web Album page to see all 3 albums. Divertitevi!!
More Adventures in Roma and Lazio
Its been awhile since I last wrote. The days fill up so quickly here and I just don't have enough hours to get everything done! This past school week was good, but assignments and papers are starting up and we're getting into the full swing of things...although, I can't complain, everyone back home is taking midterms this week! My classes are interesting, but its hard to motivate myself to sit in the classroom when all I want to do is be out in Roma.
I usually try to find some time in between my classes to go out exploring, usually with one of my friends, to a different area of Rome at least a few times a week. Hank and I visited the Maritime Prison where St. Peter and Paul were supposedly kept before being killed. Its a small prison, but the downstairs room contains a piece of the column that San Pietro was chained to, and the altar has the upside down cross on it, since he asked to be hung upside down when he was martyred. Also, legend says that a spring of water came up inside the tomb, and Peter and Paul converted the prisoners before they died. It was a cool little site, that if I weren't staying here for 3 months, I probably would have never had time to visit. Hank is really good about getting out in the city and finding interesting places to visit....so I usually tag along.
My roomies, Hank and I all attempted to visit the ND students at their apartments last Thursday, but our friend Patrick forgot to tell us we needed passports to get in. Its a long trip to their neighborhood...kind of the suburbs of Rome. I don't know how they do it everyday, taking the buses (which aren't always reliable). I am spoiled being so close to the classroom and so close to everything and anything you could want in the city!! I'm going to try to go visit again this week, and some of my friends from school are visiting for fall break, so I hope to see them as well.
This past weekend, we had an all day excursion to Tarquinia and Cerveteri, about an hour and half to two hours outside Roma, in Lazio. We left the hotel at 7 and drove about an hour and half to Tarquinia to the site of an ancient Etruscan necropolis. In art history, we have been focusing on the Etruscan peoples, who inhabited these areas in the 5th to 2nd (ish) centuries BC before being conquered by the Romans. So it was cool to see artifacts and tombs that we have been viewing on our boring slide lectures all week. The first site consisted of almost 600 tombs, most of which looked relatively similar, and we were only able to walk down and look through a window at the wall paintings. Then we went to the museum in town which houses much of the pottery, jewelry and other artifacts found in these tombs. Interesting fact, the Etruscans used fire to take all the oxygen out of the tombs, in order to perfectly preserve the bodies. However, when the archaeologists discovered the tombs, within seconds of finding perfectly preserved bodies....the bodies would immediately turn to dust after the exposure to oxygen. I'm not sure how that works...but its according to our professors! Must have been pretty cool to see that. Anyway, after that we went to thebeach of Tarquinia Mediterranean ! I just walked along the dark sandy beach and put my feet in the water. It felt like a california
After showering and getting the tombs off of me...we ventured out AGAIN! There was a free MTV concert south of the Colosseum, at Piazza San Giovanni, featuring John Legend and the Cure! Who can pass up a free concert?!?! It was sponsored by Coca Cola, so we got free sodas and waters as well. It was so amazing...you'll have to look at my pictures when I get them up. I look to my right and there is this huge Gothic basilica, lit up by the 21st century stage lights of the concert...the intertwining of old and new is amazing. We got pizza and beer and found a great spot close to the stage. The concert started with lots of Italian bands, including the Italian version of 'NSYNC....so terrible, even the Italians were booing them. Now I understand why everyone loves American popular music. John Legend, an R&B singer, was so awesome...great performer. I had never really heard any of his stuff, but I'm definitely a fan now. And of course, the Cure was just so cool...to see such a huge band for free at an amazing location is beyond cool!! Although the one down side to any event like that here in Roma is the constant smoking...EVERYWHERE!! Even at an outdoor event, there was a huge cloud of smoke over the entire venue. Italians blow the smoke right in your face or hair, and think nothing of it....because everyone does it. And weed too...everywhere. I guess this was technically my first real rock concert...I was a little bit in shock haha but it was a cool experience to be with the locals!
Yesterday, we were suppose to go to Perugia, in Umbria (Northeast of Lazio) for EuroChocolate...a huge chocolate festival. However, we got the dates wrong...its next weekend :( So we went to the train station at 6am, got our refunds, and went back to bed til 2:15. It was the best sleep I've had since getting here. I didn't realize how tired I really was until I let myself take a break, and now that my body has rested, I think I'm getting sick :( Everyone is coming down with colds and the flu, so I'm bound to get it. Its hard with the fast pace we keep here. I've rested a lot today, though, so hopefully I can fight it!
My roommate Sam's boyfriend arrived today for the week, during his fall break. We all just got back from a great dinner near the Pantheon. Only 6 euro!!! we've decided to search for the "specials"...usually consisting of bruschetta, a pizza or pasta, and a drink (hopefully a beer or wine). We found a great place tonight, right next door to our favorite gelateria (della Palma). Seeing Sam so happy with her boyfriend Brett makes me a little jealous...I miss my Kyle so much. Despite all the fun I've been having, I have been having "I miss America" days! The language barrier, the customs, the cost of everything...it weighs on you sometimes. Just little things, like having to pay extra for water and bread, is something I take advantage of at home (No endless Outback bread here!). The feeling comes and goes, and I'm doing ok tonight. I just miss everyone from home.
Ok well, buona notte to all! I'll try to keep the posts more regular. Ciao Ciao
I usually try to find some time in between my classes to go out exploring, usually with one of my friends, to a different area of Rome at least a few times a week. Hank and I visited the Maritime Prison where St. Peter and Paul were supposedly kept before being killed. Its a small prison, but the downstairs room contains a piece of the column that San Pietro was chained to, and the altar has the upside down cross on it, since he asked to be hung upside down when he was martyred. Also, legend says that a spring of water came up inside the tomb, and Peter and Paul converted the prisoners before they died. It was a cool little site, that if I weren't staying here for 3 months, I probably would have never had time to visit. Hank is really good about getting out in the city and finding interesting places to visit....so I usually tag along.
My roomies, Hank and I all attempted to visit the ND students at their apartments last Thursday, but our friend Patrick forgot to tell us we needed passports to get in. Its a long trip to their neighborhood...kind of the suburbs of Rome. I don't know how they do it everyday, taking the buses (which aren't always reliable). I am spoiled being so close to the classroom and so close to everything and anything you could want in the city!! I'm going to try to go visit again this week, and some of my friends from school are visiting for fall break, so I hope to see them as well.
This past weekend, we had an all day excursion to Tarquinia and Cerveteri, about an hour and half to two hours outside Roma, in Lazio. We left the hotel at 7 and drove about an hour and half to Tarquinia to the site of an ancient Etruscan necropolis. In art history, we have been focusing on the Etruscan peoples, who inhabited these areas in the 5th to 2nd (ish) centuries BC before being conquered by the Romans. So it was cool to see artifacts and tombs that we have been viewing on our boring slide lectures all week. The first site consisted of almost 600 tombs, most of which looked relatively similar, and we were only able to walk down and look through a window at the wall paintings. Then we went to the museum in town which houses much of the pottery, jewelry and other artifacts found in these tombs. Interesting fact, the Etruscans used fire to take all the oxygen out of the tombs, in order to perfectly preserve the bodies. However, when the archaeologists discovered the tombs, within seconds of finding perfectly preserved bodies....the bodies would immediately turn to dust after the exposure to oxygen. I'm not sure how that works...but its according to our professors! Must have been pretty cool to see that. Anyway, after that we went to the
After showering and getting the tombs off of me...we ventured out AGAIN! There was a free MTV concert south of the Colosseum, at Piazza San Giovanni, featuring John Legend and the Cure! Who can pass up a free concert?!?! It was sponsored by Coca Cola, so we got free sodas and waters as well. It was so amazing...you'll have to look at my pictures when I get them up. I look to my right and there is this huge Gothic basilica, lit up by the 21st century stage lights of the concert...the intertwining of old and new is amazing. We got pizza and beer and found a great spot close to the stage. The concert started with lots of Italian bands, including the Italian version of 'NSYNC....so terrible, even the Italians were booing them. Now I understand why everyone loves American popular music. John Legend, an R&B singer, was so awesome...great performer. I had never really heard any of his stuff, but I'm definitely a fan now. And of course, the Cure was just so cool...to see such a huge band for free at an amazing location is beyond cool!! Although the one down side to any event like that here in Roma is the constant smoking...EVERYWHERE!! Even at an outdoor event, there was a huge cloud of smoke over the entire venue. Italians blow the smoke right in your face or hair, and think nothing of it....because everyone does it. And weed too...everywhere. I guess this was technically my first real rock concert...I was a little bit in shock haha but it was a cool experience to be with the locals!
Yesterday, we were suppose to go to Perugia, in Umbria (Northeast of Lazio) for EuroChocolate...a huge chocolate festival. However, we got the dates wrong...its next weekend :( So we went to the train station at 6am, got our refunds, and went back to bed til 2:15. It was the best sleep I've had since getting here. I didn't realize how tired I really was until I let myself take a break, and now that my body has rested, I think I'm getting sick :( Everyone is coming down with colds and the flu, so I'm bound to get it. Its hard with the fast pace we keep here. I've rested a lot today, though, so hopefully I can fight it!
My roommate Sam's boyfriend arrived today for the week, during his fall break. We all just got back from a great dinner near the Pantheon. Only 6 euro!!! we've decided to search for the "specials"...usually consisting of bruschetta, a pizza or pasta, and a drink (hopefully a beer or wine). We found a great place tonight, right next door to our favorite gelateria (della Palma). Seeing Sam so happy with her boyfriend Brett makes me a little jealous...I miss my Kyle so much. Despite all the fun I've been having, I have been having "I miss America" days! The language barrier, the customs, the cost of everything...it weighs on you sometimes. Just little things, like having to pay extra for water and bread, is something I take advantage of at home (No endless Outback bread here!). The feeling comes and goes, and I'm doing ok tonight. I just miss everyone from home.
Ok well, buona notte to all! I'll try to keep the posts more regular. Ciao Ciao
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Il settimana 2
My second week of school has started off well, as I'm adjusting to my small, small classes over here in Roma. Its amazing the concentration that comes with being in class with one other person, and being forced to participate and pay attention!! Its normally great, except when class begins at 8am and you're still half asleep, trying to learn about Socrates and Plato. My philo professor is really great though, and he loves to teach over cappuccini e cornetti (my favorites!) He always arrives late, by about 20 minutes, but he says that's how Italians are....always late! My family would fit in perfectly here!! Professor Andrea also consistently goes off on tangents about life, culture, travel, etc....and somehow always finds his way back to philosophy. Yesterday, he was encouraging us to travel to several spots in Italia, including Pisa and a small area of Lazio, north of Roma. His family lives north of Lazio, and he has invited us to visit sometime this semester. I think it would be great to go to a small town and really see how Italians live outside of the major cities.
In order to cure the Monday blues, I walked to il Campo with Caroline to take advantage of the open-air mercato! Its probably one of my favorite places in the city, so far. Its not too large, not too small....perfect size, offering the freshest vegetables and fruits you'll ever taste. I have made friends with some vendors...trying to bargain my way to lower prices. I walked away with 2 humongous peaches, 2 pears, and an apple for 1, 30. Then, I found a cheese and meat station that I like. The owner (or the lady behind the stand) reminds me of a typical Italian mamma.....constantly calling me cara (dear). She let me try some parmigiano, and I was sold at the first bite. Forget the stuff in the green shaker in the grocery stores back home.....this is the real deal! So much flavor, you only need a little bit to satisfy. I also indulged in some green olives...a whole bag for a euro. My philo professor told me about a forno (bakery) at the end of Il Campo, so Caroline and I tried it out. The choices are endless, but we settled on crispy baguettes. We, then proceeded to walk around the city munching and shopping in between classes. I'll definitely be back tomorrow morning :)
Last night, Hank, Caroline and I ventured over to the Spanish Steps for the first time, and brought along a bottle of wine (actually a jug)! The Steps are so fun, with so many different types of people from all over the world. A couple sitting next to us was from San Diego, and the crazy young kids on the other side were on a school trip from Holland. I couldn't believe it when I saw these kids who looked about 13, drinking beers and wine all night long. They started chanting things, almost like soccer/football cheers to some nearby students. I made friends with one boy, who told me they were yelling at the Germans....saying "All the Germans are Gay!" Strange...but they were cheap entertainment. European life is so so very different from American life!!
In order to cure the Monday blues, I walked to il Campo with Caroline to take advantage of the open-air mercato! Its probably one of my favorite places in the city, so far. Its not too large, not too small....perfect size, offering the freshest vegetables and fruits you'll ever taste. I have made friends with some vendors...trying to bargain my way to lower prices. I walked away with 2 humongous peaches, 2 pears, and an apple for 1, 30. Then, I found a cheese and meat station that I like. The owner (or the lady behind the stand) reminds me of a typical Italian mamma.....constantly calling me cara (dear). She let me try some parmigiano, and I was sold at the first bite. Forget the stuff in the green shaker in the grocery stores back home.....this is the real deal! So much flavor, you only need a little bit to satisfy. I also indulged in some green olives...a whole bag for a euro. My philo professor told me about a forno (bakery) at the end of Il Campo, so Caroline and I tried it out. The choices are endless, but we settled on crispy baguettes. We, then proceeded to walk around the city munching and shopping in between classes. I'll definitely be back tomorrow morning :)
Last night, Hank, Caroline and I ventured over to the Spanish Steps for the first time, and brought along a bottle of wine (actually a jug)! The Steps are so fun, with so many different types of people from all over the world. A couple sitting next to us was from San Diego, and the crazy young kids on the other side were on a school trip from Holland. I couldn't believe it when I saw these kids who looked about 13, drinking beers and wine all night long. They started chanting things, almost like soccer/football cheers to some nearby students. I made friends with one boy, who told me they were yelling at the Germans....saying "All the Germans are Gay!" Strange...but they were cheap entertainment. European life is so so very different from American life!!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Il mio giorno con Papa Benny 16
Sunday mass has never been so amazing as it is here in Roma. Two days ago, we went to St. Peter's Basilica for the weekly 10:30 mass at the back altar, behind the main altar. I hadn't yet made the 10 minute trip from our hotel to the Vatican, so I was so excited to see the Basilica di San Pietro, and hopefully get a glimpse of the Papa from his window. Walking into the Square, I was overwhelmed and awestruck by the grandeur, size and beauty of both the Basilica and the colonnade lining the Square. We stood in the center of St. Peter's Square, and Megan gave us a brief tour of what was around us, pointing out the impressive architecture and design that went into this masterpiece. The final product we all see today is actually the work of the most famous, artists of the 16th and 17th centuries, including Michelangelo, Bramante, and Bernini. Any one who was anyone in art at the time would have worked on the Basilica and the Piazza. Finished in 1628, it is seen as the most sacred, celebrated church in all of Christianity. Since as early as 4 AD there has been some form of a church on this site, modified and rebuilt many times until the final construction that we see today. The location use to be called Circus of Nero, and was a open field used for congregating and town activities during the reign of Nero. The obelisk that stands in the center of the square today, was originally standing in Circus of Nero, where San Pietro was later executed in 64 AD, hung UPSIDE DOWN (per his request). He was buried by his followers below Circus of Nero, and the Basilica was built atop his tomb, where he remains about 6 stories below the main altar of the church. If I get the chance (which it is very difficult) to visit the excavations below St. Peter's, you can see the burial of San Pietro.
Mass was wonderful, said by I think the Bishop of Rome. Only the Papa can say mass at the main altar, but they set up chairs behind the main altar for mass every Sunday. It was a much bigger mass than I had expected, with a large procession of the bishops and priests and a beautiful choir (singing mostly in Latin). The mass was primarily in Latin, but the readings were done in English and Italian. Most of the mass is chanted, which was really interesting; I tried to follow along in our booklets, but its hard to keep up! Some people at the mass definitely did not belong though. You could tell the tourists from the people who were really there to celebrate mass. Fortunately, the guards are very strict about taking pictures during mass. Although the chatty ladies behind me continued talking about their trip itinerary most of mass. I guess you can't expect everyone to understand the sanctity of the celebration, especially in St. Peter's.
I decided not to take too many pictures that day, but rather take in the experience and really enjoy where I was in the moment. Sometimes, worrying about getting pictures of everything takes away from truly seeing and participating. I am only a few minutes away, so I plan to come back and visit often, hopefully when it is less crowded as well. Megan told us the best time to visit is either 7 am or 7 pm. One time in January, she walked to the Square late at night, and she was the only person in the entire Piazza...pretty cool. And there is still so much I have to see! When I walked in to the Basilica for Mass, we had to get right to our seats. But I did get a moment to look at the Pieta, the most beautiful sculpture I have ever seen. Megan said it might move you to tears, and it really does. Its almost impossible to describe, but I found its beauty to be in the union of both power and grace, fluidly combining in a seamless way to create such a masterpiece. I can't wait to go back, and slowly walk through the Basilica, to more fully see the beauty around me. Its a feast for the eyes!
I also plan on taking the trip up the Basilica to the top of the Dome, where you can look out over the Piazza and get the best view of Roma (apparently!!). From the top, you can fully grasp the intent of Bernini, in his design of the Piazza San Pietro, as the colonnades appear to be the outstretched arms of St. Peter to his citta. Also, I am told that I need to visit the Vatican museums at least 2 or 3 times, since there is so much to see inside. In addition, the only way to visit the Sistine Chapel is by going through the museums; there is no separate entrance for the public. So these are all on my lists of things to do in Rome...which is continually growing longer and longer! Good thing I'm here for awhile.
Well, after Mass, we came out to a crowd of thousands, gathered in the Piazza, waiting for the Papa's weekly Angelus, which he delivers from his apartment window at noon. He speaks from the top floor, one window in from the corner, and he is just a tiny speck to those of us on the ground. They do set up large screens for an up-close view, but it was so cool to just be there hearing him speak. His Angelus is his weekly blessing upon the people, but also a short speech about what is happening that week. On Sunday, he spoke in about 5 or 6 languages, to the applauds and cheers of the crowd. His English was a little muffled by the crowd, so I'm not sure what he said, but I know that I was blessed by the Pope!!!!
I'm not sure where I'll go to Mass next weekend, because I want to visit several churches throughout the city while I'm here. But I am excited to go back for Mass there. At the end of our semester, we do get to go to a Papal audience, where we will be much closer to the Papa, which I'm looking forward to. Its amazing to have these opportunities at my age though. While in Mass and outside at the Angelus, I was looking around at the older people who have waited their whole lives to come to this place....and I'm here at 21! I have to pinch myself sometimes, and remember how fortunate I am to have this experience.
Mass was wonderful, said by I think the Bishop of Rome. Only the Papa can say mass at the main altar, but they set up chairs behind the main altar for mass every Sunday. It was a much bigger mass than I had expected, with a large procession of the bishops and priests and a beautiful choir (singing mostly in Latin). The mass was primarily in Latin, but the readings were done in English and Italian. Most of the mass is chanted, which was really interesting; I tried to follow along in our booklets, but its hard to keep up! Some people at the mass definitely did not belong though. You could tell the tourists from the people who were really there to celebrate mass. Fortunately, the guards are very strict about taking pictures during mass. Although the chatty ladies behind me continued talking about their trip itinerary most of mass. I guess you can't expect everyone to understand the sanctity of the celebration, especially in St. Peter's.
I decided not to take too many pictures that day, but rather take in the experience and really enjoy where I was in the moment. Sometimes, worrying about getting pictures of everything takes away from truly seeing and participating. I am only a few minutes away, so I plan to come back and visit often, hopefully when it is less crowded as well. Megan told us the best time to visit is either 7 am or 7 pm. One time in January, she walked to the Square late at night, and she was the only person in the entire Piazza...pretty cool. And there is still so much I have to see! When I walked in to the Basilica for Mass, we had to get right to our seats. But I did get a moment to look at the Pieta, the most beautiful sculpture I have ever seen. Megan said it might move you to tears, and it really does. Its almost impossible to describe, but I found its beauty to be in the union of both power and grace, fluidly combining in a seamless way to create such a masterpiece. I can't wait to go back, and slowly walk through the Basilica, to more fully see the beauty around me. Its a feast for the eyes!
I also plan on taking the trip up the Basilica to the top of the Dome, where you can look out over the Piazza and get the best view of Roma (apparently!!). From the top, you can fully grasp the intent of Bernini, in his design of the Piazza San Pietro, as the colonnades appear to be the outstretched arms of St. Peter to his citta. Also, I am told that I need to visit the Vatican museums at least 2 or 3 times, since there is so much to see inside. In addition, the only way to visit the Sistine Chapel is by going through the museums; there is no separate entrance for the public. So these are all on my lists of things to do in Rome...which is continually growing longer and longer! Good thing I'm here for awhile.
Well, after Mass, we came out to a crowd of thousands, gathered in the Piazza, waiting for the Papa's weekly Angelus, which he delivers from his apartment window at noon. He speaks from the top floor, one window in from the corner, and he is just a tiny speck to those of us on the ground. They do set up large screens for an up-close view, but it was so cool to just be there hearing him speak. His Angelus is his weekly blessing upon the people, but also a short speech about what is happening that week. On Sunday, he spoke in about 5 or 6 languages, to the applauds and cheers of the crowd. His English was a little muffled by the crowd, so I'm not sure what he said, but I know that I was blessed by the Pope!!!!
I'm not sure where I'll go to Mass next weekend, because I want to visit several churches throughout the city while I'm here. But I am excited to go back for Mass there. At the end of our semester, we do get to go to a Papal audience, where we will be much closer to the Papa, which I'm looking forward to. Its amazing to have these opportunities at my age though. While in Mass and outside at the Angelus, I was looking around at the older people who have waited their whole lives to come to this place....and I'm here at 21! I have to pinch myself sometimes, and remember how fortunate I am to have this experience.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Il Foro Romano, Palatino, Colosseo
I just got back from a long, busy day of sightseeing around Roma....in the rain!!! We started our day around 8:45 with cappuccini at Pascucci's, and then broke off into small groups to tour Il Foro Romano (the Forum) and il Palatino (Palatine Hill) with our professors from Art History and Archeology class. Professor De Sena, the anthropology teacher, was my tour guide for the day, and he was a wealth of knowledge at each of the sites. He specializes in Ancient Roman and Greek architecture and art, and it was like listening to a human history book as he told us the background story behind each temple, landscape, and artifact. The Forum is absolutely amazing, spanning a huge area with remains dating back thousands and thousands of years ago. It is so cool to be able to walk around and see these sites with such great history, that until now, I have only read about in text books. Because we started our tours early in the morning, (and most Romans aren't out and about until later in the morning) we had the Forum to ourselves for awhile. The view from the top of the Palatine Hill is spectacular, looking over all the valleys and hills of the city of Roma. Throughout the city, there are about 7 or 8 major hills spread across the city, with low-lying valleys where most of the central areas of Rome are located. From atop the Palatino, I was able to get a better understanding of the layout of the city, and take some great pictures of the view.
However, we were forced to run home when the sky turned black and it began to thunder and rain....out of nowhere! The weather tends to be very strange here. It was hot and sunny early this morning, and then quickly became windy, cold and rainy in a few short hours. We were lucky enough to see everything before the rain came, and we hurried back to the hotel for a delicious Tiziano lunch. We were served a gnocchi pomodoro, an antipasto of meats, cheeses and olives, and fresh salad from Mr. Molinari's garden (the owner). He actually has hired someone to go to his garden outside the city and pick fresh vegetables everyday and bring them to the hotel for lunch and dinner! Fabulous!!
Immediately after lunch, we went back out for our second tour of the day...il Colosseo!! Both the Forum and the Colosseum are only about a 5 to 10 minute walk from our hotel (depending on how many slow walking people are on the streets). Looking up at the Colosseum, I could barely believe I was finally there. We were able to get in for free and walk past the long lines of tourists waiting in the rain. The Colosseum was kinda eerie inside, especially when I started to think about what this amphitheater was used for thousands of years ago. Dr. De Sena went through the architecture and construction of the Colosseum, as well as explaining all the various functions it served. He was such good tour guide, that wherever we went, anyone who walked by and spoke English stopped to listen in to what he was saying. We were able to ask questions and have discussions about the places we visited, with Dr. De Sena as a great source of knowledge and insight. Meanwhile, everyone else is walking around with their audio tour guides, getting a basic overview of the Colosseum. I feel very fortunate to be in such a well organized, informational, exciting program.
One interesting fact and a little history lesson I learned from one of my friends, Emily, at the Colosseum was about the last gladiator fight to take place in the amphitheater. When paganism began to take a backseat to Christianity in the Empire, bans were put on gladiator fighting and executions in the Colosseum. However, by Theodoseios' (sp?) reign, fighting finally came to an end. However, the pivotal moment occurred when a monk from another country in the Europe learned of the fights and insisted on putting an end to it. He walked for days to Rome, and arrived at the Colosseum during a gladiator fight. He walked onto the floor of the amphitheater during the fight, and began to speak out about the savagery and evil of these "games". The audience's first reaction was to yell and boo, but slowly people started to listen to what he had to say. He spoke of human rights and equality, demanding the end of the fighting.....until a gladiator came up behind in and stabbed him to death. Now, although the story doesn't seem to end well, (for the monk) this fight was the last to ever take place in the Colosseum.
Ok, well that's everyone's history lesson for the day! I will post pictures from my day as soon as I can. For now, I'm off to a local sports bar, to see if we can watch the Notre Dame/Stanford game! Go Irish!!
However, we were forced to run home when the sky turned black and it began to thunder and rain....out of nowhere! The weather tends to be very strange here. It was hot and sunny early this morning, and then quickly became windy, cold and rainy in a few short hours. We were lucky enough to see everything before the rain came, and we hurried back to the hotel for a delicious Tiziano lunch. We were served a gnocchi pomodoro, an antipasto of meats, cheeses and olives, and fresh salad from Mr. Molinari's garden (the owner). He actually has hired someone to go to his garden outside the city and pick fresh vegetables everyday and bring them to the hotel for lunch and dinner! Fabulous!!
Immediately after lunch, we went back out for our second tour of the day...il Colosseo!! Both the Forum and the Colosseum are only about a 5 to 10 minute walk from our hotel (depending on how many slow walking people are on the streets). Looking up at the Colosseum, I could barely believe I was finally there. We were able to get in for free and walk past the long lines of tourists waiting in the rain. The Colosseum was kinda eerie inside, especially when I started to think about what this amphitheater was used for thousands of years ago. Dr. De Sena went through the architecture and construction of the Colosseum, as well as explaining all the various functions it served. He was such good tour guide, that wherever we went, anyone who walked by and spoke English stopped to listen in to what he was saying. We were able to ask questions and have discussions about the places we visited, with Dr. De Sena as a great source of knowledge and insight. Meanwhile, everyone else is walking around with their audio tour guides, getting a basic overview of the Colosseum. I feel very fortunate to be in such a well organized, informational, exciting program.
One interesting fact and a little history lesson I learned from one of my friends, Emily, at the Colosseum was about the last gladiator fight to take place in the amphitheater. When paganism began to take a backseat to Christianity in the Empire, bans were put on gladiator fighting and executions in the Colosseum. However, by Theodoseios' (sp?) reign, fighting finally came to an end. However, the pivotal moment occurred when a monk from another country in the Europe learned of the fights and insisted on putting an end to it. He walked for days to Rome, and arrived at the Colosseum during a gladiator fight. He walked onto the floor of the amphitheater during the fight, and began to speak out about the savagery and evil of these "games". The audience's first reaction was to yell and boo, but slowly people started to listen to what he had to say. He spoke of human rights and equality, demanding the end of the fighting.....until a gladiator came up behind in and stabbed him to death. Now, although the story doesn't seem to end well, (for the monk) this fight was the last to ever take place in the Colosseum.
Ok, well that's everyone's history lesson for the day! I will post pictures from my day as soon as I can. For now, I'm off to a local sports bar, to see if we can watch the Notre Dame/Stanford game! Go Irish!!
First Week in Roma
First week of classes are over, and I feel like Roma is becoming my home away from home. I'm finding my way around the city and loving living the Italian lifestyle. For example, instead of a traditional bowl of cereal for breakfast, I walked to Campo dei Fiori, a large open air market full of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, breads, chocolates, pastries, and even clothing, and I bought a loaf of bread and fresh fruits. I walked around town eating my delicious peach and warm bread, stopping on the benches near il Teatro Marcello to read and do homework. Days couldn't start any more perfectly than they do here in Roma. Italians seem to get late starts in the morning, probably because of their crazy nightlife, so the city has a peaceful quiet in the morning, before tourists and locals are out and about. Definitely my favorite time of the day.
Many of the girls and I got all dressed up and went to Scholars, a local bar, to have some drinks and go dancing. Scholars turned out to be a favorite of American college students and was no different from any bar in South Bend :( I met up with some of the Notre Dame students studying in Rome, and had a few too many glasses of wine!! I've learned that it is much more economical to buy local wines at the supermercato and enjoy it beforehand in our hotel, since drinks at the bars are too pricey for my starving student budget. From now on, we're definitely going to try to branch out and find bars frequented by the locals, for a more authentic idea of the Italian nightlife!
Classes have been very interesting, especially since they are so small and easy going, not anything like the intense academic feeling in the Notre Dame lecture halls. My favorite professor is my Theology teacher, a old priest originally from Malta, who, in our last class, told us the story of Jesus' life from beginning to end. Now obviously I've heard this story hundreds of times throughout my 21 years, but never has it been told so well as he told it. I found myself hanging on his every word, just because he is such a great story teller and has such great insight into the truth behind many of the common parables. The class is Christian Moral Theology, and he has outlined several topics for the course, including discussions on important issues in our lives, such as in vitro, death penalty, abortion, etc. Its great to experience professors outside of the Notre Dame network, especially since most are from Europe and have an interesting perspective to bring to the classroom.
Tonight, Sam, Caroline, Hank, Laurel and I went to a cafe in the piazza where the Pantheon sits, and had a delicious Italian meal. We saw the word SPECIAL...and immediately chose this restaurant. Its funny, as you walk around past trattorias, the hosts or hostesses try to convince you to come in and try their restaurant. "Ragazze, Pizza, Pasta, venate!!" They all want our business, but most are too expensive for our budget. Sam said that she always compares the price of gnocchi at the different restaurants to see which is cheapest. So anyway, one restaurant was advertising a drink, bruschetta, and either pizza or pasta for 12 euro! It was fabulous. The owner/chef was a woman from Napoli (therefore...an expert at pizza making) and she loved talking to us, even though she spoke NO Italian. I had spaghetti pomodoro, Coca Cola Light, and a piece of bruschetta....and by the end of the meal, I could barely move. I've been told your stomach will adjust to the large quantities of food, but my stomach is not there yet! Then we went to the most amazing gelateria, offering 140 flavors of gelato!!!! I recommend this place to anyone who ever visits Roma. Its right near the Pantheon and its overwhelming and quite a sight for the eyes and mouth!! Its hard to believe they can come up with that many flavors, but they come up with new ones everyday. As we were leaving, they put out pinenut flavor!! Let's just say some are better than others. I tried Grapefruit, Chocolate Strawberry, and Cappuccino....I wanted some variety. Our goal is to try all of them, if my stomach allows.
When we were ready to head home, it started pouring outside and out of nowhere, men came out selling umbrellas everywhere. We decided to just make a run for it and enjoy walking in the rain in Roma. Sam, Caroline and I have been searching online all night, planning our trips throughout Europe, trying to find the cheapest flights and hostels. I'm finding it a little overwhelming, with the high costs of fuel and the terrible dollar, but we are going to try to do/see as much as possible. A long weekend in Paris over Thanksgiving weekend is definitely on our list. We're also looking to travel to London, Dublin, Prague, maybe Amsterdam, Firenze, Pisa, Venezia, and Cinqueterre. The list is ambitious, but we'll do what we can.
Tomorrow, we have group tours of the Colosseo, Palatine Hill, and the Forum, starting at 9am and not finishing until late in the afternoon. This visit is part of our lectures and tours class, so we'll be studying and discussing many of the sites as we visit them. I have to get up early, so I'm off to bed. Look for more pictures tomorrow!! Ciao xoxo
Many of the girls and I got all dressed up and went to Scholars, a local bar, to have some drinks and go dancing. Scholars turned out to be a favorite of American college students and was no different from any bar in South Bend :( I met up with some of the Notre Dame students studying in Rome, and had a few too many glasses of wine!! I've learned that it is much more economical to buy local wines at the supermercato and enjoy it beforehand in our hotel, since drinks at the bars are too pricey for my starving student budget. From now on, we're definitely going to try to branch out and find bars frequented by the locals, for a more authentic idea of the Italian nightlife!
Classes have been very interesting, especially since they are so small and easy going, not anything like the intense academic feeling in the Notre Dame lecture halls. My favorite professor is my Theology teacher, a old priest originally from Malta, who, in our last class, told us the story of Jesus' life from beginning to end. Now obviously I've heard this story hundreds of times throughout my 21 years, but never has it been told so well as he told it. I found myself hanging on his every word, just because he is such a great story teller and has such great insight into the truth behind many of the common parables. The class is Christian Moral Theology, and he has outlined several topics for the course, including discussions on important issues in our lives, such as in vitro, death penalty, abortion, etc. Its great to experience professors outside of the Notre Dame network, especially since most are from Europe and have an interesting perspective to bring to the classroom.
Tonight, Sam, Caroline, Hank, Laurel and I went to a cafe in the piazza where the Pantheon sits, and had a delicious Italian meal. We saw the word SPECIAL...and immediately chose this restaurant. Its funny, as you walk around past trattorias, the hosts or hostesses try to convince you to come in and try their restaurant. "Ragazze, Pizza, Pasta, venate!!" They all want our business, but most are too expensive for our budget. Sam said that she always compares the price of gnocchi at the different restaurants to see which is cheapest. So anyway, one restaurant was advertising a drink, bruschetta, and either pizza or pasta for 12 euro! It was fabulous. The owner/chef was a woman from Napoli (therefore...an expert at pizza making) and she loved talking to us, even though she spoke NO Italian. I had spaghetti pomodoro, Coca Cola Light, and a piece of bruschetta....and by the end of the meal, I could barely move. I've been told your stomach will adjust to the large quantities of food, but my stomach is not there yet! Then we went to the most amazing gelateria, offering 140 flavors of gelato!!!! I recommend this place to anyone who ever visits Roma. Its right near the Pantheon and its overwhelming and quite a sight for the eyes and mouth!! Its hard to believe they can come up with that many flavors, but they come up with new ones everyday. As we were leaving, they put out pinenut flavor!! Let's just say some are better than others. I tried Grapefruit, Chocolate Strawberry, and Cappuccino....I wanted some variety. Our goal is to try all of them, if my stomach allows.
When we were ready to head home, it started pouring outside and out of nowhere, men came out selling umbrellas everywhere. We decided to just make a run for it and enjoy walking in the rain in Roma. Sam, Caroline and I have been searching online all night, planning our trips throughout Europe, trying to find the cheapest flights and hostels. I'm finding it a little overwhelming, with the high costs of fuel and the terrible dollar, but we are going to try to do/see as much as possible. A long weekend in Paris over Thanksgiving weekend is definitely on our list. We're also looking to travel to London, Dublin, Prague, maybe Amsterdam, Firenze, Pisa, Venezia, and Cinqueterre. The list is ambitious, but we'll do what we can.
Tomorrow, we have group tours of the Colosseo, Palatine Hill, and the Forum, starting at 9am and not finishing until late in the afternoon. This visit is part of our lectures and tours class, so we'll be studying and discussing many of the sites as we visit them. I have to get up early, so I'm off to bed. Look for more pictures tomorrow!! Ciao xoxo
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Finally in Roma
Ciao Family and Friends!!
Io sono a Roma, and I have finally started my blog, which will help me stay in contact with everyone more easily.
Italy is amazing!! And Rome has been unbelievably these past few days. I have fallen in love with the city, the people, and of course the food!! I've been told the best way to see la citta bella is to get lost in it, walking around and exploring. So that's what I've done...gotten lost a lot!! But I do feel very safe here (although I'm always very cautious), and I think I'm really starting to understand the layout of the city.
My trip began a little over a week ago, flying to Roma on Tuesday/Wednesday. The flight was so much better than I expected, and it helped that I met a great girl on the plane who I chatted with most of the flight. Abby is an American, but she moved to Spain shortly after studying abroad there in college. Who knows, that could be me one day!! After I said my goodbyes to Kyle and my family before we took off, Abby introduced herself and comforted me as I was crying, telling me all about her experience when she went abroad. She lives in Madrid now, and teaches English to young Spanish students. It was great to get her perspective on life in Europe, especially since she lived a significant amount of her life in America. We hit it off immediately and she invited me to come stay with her in Madrid if I make it there this semester. Definitely a great start to the trip.
Once arriving in Roma, we took a 3 hour bus trip to Assisi, a town in the mountains of the region of Umbria (northeast of Rome), where we had a 4 day retreat/orientation/visit. Assisi is an incredibly religious, peaceful place, home of San Francesco and Santa Chiara. Built on a mountain, Assisi is a walled city, with tiny, hilly streets, small piazzas everywhere you go, cobblestone roads, and tiny homes and buildings with rooftop terraces crammed into a relatively small area. Although 2 days in Assisi would be sufficient to visit the beautiful sites and basilicas, we stayed from Wednesday afternoon to Sunday afternoon, giving us lots of free time to wander the town and get to know one another. My roommate in Assisi was great (we were paired alphabetically) and most of the girls I've met have been very nice. Although at times, I feel like I'm back at Notre Dame Academy (all-girls high school) with the catty-ness (sp?) and the drama. A little drama is necessary every once in awhile...but this is a little too much. Anyway, I'm trying to make the most out of meeting new people, but I miss my girls back at school and home so much!
In Assisi, we lived in a religious community, Citta della Casa Franchi, with rooms half the size of a small dorm room at Notre Dame. It was only for a few days, so I made do...but the shower over the toilet was a little much for me after 4 days. The view from our room was unbelievably though (the best part of Casa Franchi) with views of the small city below and the rolling hillsides of Umbria in the distance. After about 28 hours of travel and homesickness setting in, looking out the window, everything felt just right for the moment. The sunset was amazing each night from our tiny window; I could have never imagined anything so beautiful.
We were fed a 4 course meal twice a day by the lay people at the residence(dinner and supper....aka lunch and dinner)! Food has never tasted so fresh and flavorful (no offense, mom) as it does here. They feed you until there is no more room...but with all the walking up and down hills in Assisi, I felt like each meal was well-deserved. For breakfast, some girls, Hank (the one boy and other ND student in our group), and I would try different cafes (or bars as they call them) for our daily cappuccini e cornetto (croissant) in the morning sun with all the locals. Definitely what I call living the good life!! One thing I love about eating here is the sense of enjoyment and relaxation that I don't recall ever feeling at home. Eating has taken on multiple meanings for me throughout the years, but here in Italia, I feel so content, so at peace when eating a meal. Meals are not to be rushed and they are definitely not to be taken on the go. The art of eating, as I'll call it, is so crucial to their culture, and I love it! Its amazing how much you miss, in taste, conversation, and fulfillment, when you don't truly enjoy a meal. Obviously, we don't all have time for an 4-course, hour long meal everyday.....but somehow (at least in the small towns) the Italians have mastered this. Also, another thing that surprised me in Assisi (you don't see it as much in Roma), is fare una siesta (to take a rest). Around 1 or 2 everyday, i negozi (stores) close up shop for a few hours to rest and recuperate before opening in the evening again. Side note to Polly: you should think about this for DCNW!!! :) haha I don't know how they do it, but this way of life seems to work for them. It obviously frustrates the American tourists, but they have to relax and adjust.
The highlight of the trip to Assisi (as far as sightseeing) was the visits to la Basilica di Santa Chiara e la Basilica di San Francesco (St. Francis and St. Claire). Both are amazing examples of accomplished architecture, sculpture and painting, dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries; but the basilicas are also very powerful places of prayer and faith. Both Santa Chiara and San Francesco's remains are located in the crypts of their basilicas, and preserved artifacts (documents, clothing, hair) and religious artwork is present all throughout. People from all over the world come to Assisi on pilgrimages and religious trips just to walk the same streets as St. Francis and experience the power of the place. Definitely a place I would suggest anyone (whether religious or not) to visit someday. Only a short train or bus trip from Roma.
Anyway, I could go on and on about those short 4 days, about the people I met, the great wine I had, the amazing sites I saw. I hope to visit again someday....maybe as my families tour guide!! By Sunday afternoon, though, I, and most everyone in the group, was ready to get to Roma and get settled in our hotel, The Hotel Tiziano. The trip back took twice as long, because a Lazio game was being held in the city that night, and the traffic in Rome to begin with is always pretty terrible (probably similar to LA). Driving into the city in our Mercedes buses (fancy cars everywhere....Justin would love it) one of our professors was out of breath, trying to point out important sites as we approached our hotel; however, just about every other building is important in Roma's history, so it was overwhelming, but so exciting.
Our hotel, the beautiful 4-star Tiziano is located on Corso Vittorio Emanuelle, a major street in the city, and centrally positioned near any important place in Roma. The Pantheon is a 3 minute walk across the street and down a block. The Trevi Fountain is 5 minutes past the Pantheon. The Vatican is less than a 15 minute walk. The Spanish steps are just north of us. Il Campo (Campo dei Fiori) is one block south of us. Its out of this world!!! Every time I walk into our hotel, I can't believe how lucky I am to be where I am. I couldn't ask for a better location, a nicer staff, a more beautiful hotel. E' semplicemente favoloso!!
I am rooming with 2 girls from Villanova actually (the only other people outside of St. Mary's) who are doing internships at the Vatican!! and are taking a few classes as well. Villanova is the only university in the country to offer internships at the Vatican, so they are very fortunate. ND needs to get on board with that if they call themselves the leading Catholic University in the world. Sam and Caroline are great and we get along great. Hank has been my buddy from the very beginning, since we both felt a little bit like outsiders, not being smcchicks. But people seem to gravitate toward our little group of 4 and we've met some great people. Although, everyone seems to be mooching off our wine a little more frequently than I would like :) Caroline is actually friends with one of Chrissy's friends from home (small world....even in Rome). Our room is great...probably the biggest of the group, with our own bathroom and desks for each one of us. I got #2 room pick number so we definitely lucked out.
We went out for the most delicious pizza in Piazza Navona the first night here, and sat outside drinking wine, listening to a man playing music, people watching, soaking up la vita bella!! We are fortunate enough to get one delicious meal a day here at the hotel! Once again, they go all out with the courses and the variety. Mr. Molineari (sp?), the owner, uses vegetables and fruits grown in his own garden for our food, and everything is fresh the day of. They have guaranteed us multiple times that we will never eat canned, frozen, or preserved while we are here. We also get meal tickets to a bar next to our classroom (and across the street from our hotel) called Pascuccis. Its really tiny, but the people love the St. Mary's group and they serve the most delicious panini e frulatto di frutta (fruit smoothies). The weekends we are free to explore and find our own places to eat (and pay for it), but its nice to have a little of both. I definitely will not go hungry in Italia....quite the opposite.
Classes have been good, but I am trying to figure out how to travel, see Rome, meet new people, learn the language....oh and go to school! I am taking interesting classes though, which definitely is a plus. My first class on Monday at 8am, Philosophy, ended up being probably the best class I'll ever attend in my life. Its just Hank and I and our Professore Andrea. He was late to class, somewhat flustered, and decided we needed to go get cappuccini and get out of the classroom. We sat and drank our coffees while he explained the syllabus and went off on several tangents about Roma, Italian history, and his own life. Then, he took us for a walk around the city, pointing out different cafes we should visit, museums, sculptures on buildings, taking us inside beautiful churches. He grew up in the neighborhood we are living in, so he knows it well. He recently moved, saying that he no longer can afford to live here, as it has become the Beverly Hills of Roma. All around us, the apartments and rooftop terraces are occupied by some of the most wealthy Italians, foreign diplomats, or celebrities of some kind or another. But the area still holds its charm, as Romans from all over flock into the city to the mercati all'aperto and the famous sites.
At night, we try to go visit different sites throughout the city...mainly to walk off our incredibly large dinners. One night we visited the Pantheon, which isn't far at all. The other night we went out drinking in il Campo (a popular nightlife area for young people) and last night we got gelato at the Trevi Fountain and I threw a 2 cent (euro) piece in and made a wish....just like the movies!! Perfetto!!
I will try to keep everyone updated more regularly on my travels and adventures in Roma(so these won't be so long!! Sorry). I miss you all and think about everyone back home often. Thank you all for your support, friendship and love, and for being such special people in my life. I am excited to share my trip with you...and I hope to hear from you whenever possible. Take care. Love to all! Ciao Ciao!
Io sono a Roma, and I have finally started my blog, which will help me stay in contact with everyone more easily.
Italy is amazing!! And Rome has been unbelievably these past few days. I have fallen in love with the city, the people, and of course the food!! I've been told the best way to see la citta bella is to get lost in it, walking around and exploring. So that's what I've done...gotten lost a lot!! But I do feel very safe here (although I'm always very cautious), and I think I'm really starting to understand the layout of the city.
My trip began a little over a week ago, flying to Roma on Tuesday/Wednesday. The flight was so much better than I expected, and it helped that I met a great girl on the plane who I chatted with most of the flight. Abby is an American, but she moved to Spain shortly after studying abroad there in college. Who knows, that could be me one day!! After I said my goodbyes to Kyle and my family before we took off, Abby introduced herself and comforted me as I was crying, telling me all about her experience when she went abroad. She lives in Madrid now, and teaches English to young Spanish students. It was great to get her perspective on life in Europe, especially since she lived a significant amount of her life in America. We hit it off immediately and she invited me to come stay with her in Madrid if I make it there this semester. Definitely a great start to the trip.
Once arriving in Roma, we took a 3 hour bus trip to Assisi, a town in the mountains of the region of Umbria (northeast of Rome), where we had a 4 day retreat/orientation/visit. Assisi is an incredibly religious, peaceful place, home of San Francesco and Santa Chiara. Built on a mountain, Assisi is a walled city, with tiny, hilly streets, small piazzas everywhere you go, cobblestone roads, and tiny homes and buildings with rooftop terraces crammed into a relatively small area. Although 2 days in Assisi would be sufficient to visit the beautiful sites and basilicas, we stayed from Wednesday afternoon to Sunday afternoon, giving us lots of free time to wander the town and get to know one another. My roommate in Assisi was great (we were paired alphabetically) and most of the girls I've met have been very nice. Although at times, I feel like I'm back at Notre Dame Academy (all-girls high school) with the catty-ness (sp?) and the drama. A little drama is necessary every once in awhile...but this is a little too much. Anyway, I'm trying to make the most out of meeting new people, but I miss my girls back at school and home so much!
In Assisi, we lived in a religious community, Citta della Casa Franchi, with rooms half the size of a small dorm room at Notre Dame. It was only for a few days, so I made do...but the shower over the toilet was a little much for me after 4 days. The view from our room was unbelievably though (the best part of Casa Franchi) with views of the small city below and the rolling hillsides of Umbria in the distance. After about 28 hours of travel and homesickness setting in, looking out the window, everything felt just right for the moment. The sunset was amazing each night from our tiny window; I could have never imagined anything so beautiful.
We were fed a 4 course meal twice a day by the lay people at the residence(dinner and supper....aka lunch and dinner)! Food has never tasted so fresh and flavorful (no offense, mom) as it does here. They feed you until there is no more room...but with all the walking up and down hills in Assisi, I felt like each meal was well-deserved. For breakfast, some girls, Hank (the one boy and other ND student in our group), and I would try different cafes (or bars as they call them) for our daily cappuccini e cornetto (croissant) in the morning sun with all the locals. Definitely what I call living the good life!! One thing I love about eating here is the sense of enjoyment and relaxation that I don't recall ever feeling at home. Eating has taken on multiple meanings for me throughout the years, but here in Italia, I feel so content, so at peace when eating a meal. Meals are not to be rushed and they are definitely not to be taken on the go. The art of eating, as I'll call it, is so crucial to their culture, and I love it! Its amazing how much you miss, in taste, conversation, and fulfillment, when you don't truly enjoy a meal. Obviously, we don't all have time for an 4-course, hour long meal everyday.....but somehow (at least in the small towns) the Italians have mastered this. Also, another thing that surprised me in Assisi (you don't see it as much in Roma), is fare una siesta (to take a rest). Around 1 or 2 everyday, i negozi (stores) close up shop for a few hours to rest and recuperate before opening in the evening again. Side note to Polly: you should think about this for DCNW!!! :) haha I don't know how they do it, but this way of life seems to work for them. It obviously frustrates the American tourists, but they have to relax and adjust.
The highlight of the trip to Assisi (as far as sightseeing) was the visits to la Basilica di Santa Chiara e la Basilica di San Francesco (St. Francis and St. Claire). Both are amazing examples of accomplished architecture, sculpture and painting, dating back to the 12th and 13th centuries; but the basilicas are also very powerful places of prayer and faith. Both Santa Chiara and San Francesco's remains are located in the crypts of their basilicas, and preserved artifacts (documents, clothing, hair) and religious artwork is present all throughout. People from all over the world come to Assisi on pilgrimages and religious trips just to walk the same streets as St. Francis and experience the power of the place. Definitely a place I would suggest anyone (whether religious or not) to visit someday. Only a short train or bus trip from Roma.
Anyway, I could go on and on about those short 4 days, about the people I met, the great wine I had, the amazing sites I saw. I hope to visit again someday....maybe as my families tour guide!! By Sunday afternoon, though, I, and most everyone in the group, was ready to get to Roma and get settled in our hotel, The Hotel Tiziano. The trip back took twice as long, because a Lazio game was being held in the city that night, and the traffic in Rome to begin with is always pretty terrible (probably similar to LA). Driving into the city in our Mercedes buses (fancy cars everywhere....Justin would love it) one of our professors was out of breath, trying to point out important sites as we approached our hotel; however, just about every other building is important in Roma's history, so it was overwhelming, but so exciting.
Our hotel, the beautiful 4-star Tiziano is located on Corso Vittorio Emanuelle, a major street in the city, and centrally positioned near any important place in Roma. The Pantheon is a 3 minute walk across the street and down a block. The Trevi Fountain is 5 minutes past the Pantheon. The Vatican is less than a 15 minute walk. The Spanish steps are just north of us. Il Campo (Campo dei Fiori) is one block south of us. Its out of this world!!! Every time I walk into our hotel, I can't believe how lucky I am to be where I am. I couldn't ask for a better location, a nicer staff, a more beautiful hotel. E' semplicemente favoloso!!
I am rooming with 2 girls from Villanova actually (the only other people outside of St. Mary's) who are doing internships at the Vatican!! and are taking a few classes as well. Villanova is the only university in the country to offer internships at the Vatican, so they are very fortunate. ND needs to get on board with that if they call themselves the leading Catholic University in the world. Sam and Caroline are great and we get along great. Hank has been my buddy from the very beginning, since we both felt a little bit like outsiders, not being smcchicks. But people seem to gravitate toward our little group of 4 and we've met some great people. Although, everyone seems to be mooching off our wine a little more frequently than I would like :) Caroline is actually friends with one of Chrissy's friends from home (small world....even in Rome). Our room is great...probably the biggest of the group, with our own bathroom and desks for each one of us. I got #2 room pick number so we definitely lucked out.
We went out for the most delicious pizza in Piazza Navona the first night here, and sat outside drinking wine, listening to a man playing music, people watching, soaking up la vita bella!! We are fortunate enough to get one delicious meal a day here at the hotel! Once again, they go all out with the courses and the variety. Mr. Molineari (sp?), the owner, uses vegetables and fruits grown in his own garden for our food, and everything is fresh the day of. They have guaranteed us multiple times that we will never eat canned, frozen, or preserved while we are here. We also get meal tickets to a bar next to our classroom (and across the street from our hotel) called Pascuccis. Its really tiny, but the people love the St. Mary's group and they serve the most delicious panini e frulatto di frutta (fruit smoothies). The weekends we are free to explore and find our own places to eat (and pay for it), but its nice to have a little of both. I definitely will not go hungry in Italia....quite the opposite.
Classes have been good, but I am trying to figure out how to travel, see Rome, meet new people, learn the language....oh and go to school! I am taking interesting classes though, which definitely is a plus. My first class on Monday at 8am, Philosophy, ended up being probably the best class I'll ever attend in my life. Its just Hank and I and our Professore Andrea. He was late to class, somewhat flustered, and decided we needed to go get cappuccini and get out of the classroom. We sat and drank our coffees while he explained the syllabus and went off on several tangents about Roma, Italian history, and his own life. Then, he took us for a walk around the city, pointing out different cafes we should visit, museums, sculptures on buildings, taking us inside beautiful churches. He grew up in the neighborhood we are living in, so he knows it well. He recently moved, saying that he no longer can afford to live here, as it has become the Beverly Hills of Roma. All around us, the apartments and rooftop terraces are occupied by some of the most wealthy Italians, foreign diplomats, or celebrities of some kind or another. But the area still holds its charm, as Romans from all over flock into the city to the mercati all'aperto and the famous sites.
At night, we try to go visit different sites throughout the city...mainly to walk off our incredibly large dinners. One night we visited the Pantheon, which isn't far at all. The other night we went out drinking in il Campo (a popular nightlife area for young people) and last night we got gelato at the Trevi Fountain and I threw a 2 cent (euro) piece in and made a wish....just like the movies!! Perfetto!!
I will try to keep everyone updated more regularly on my travels and adventures in Roma(so these won't be so long!! Sorry). I miss you all and think about everyone back home often. Thank you all for your support, friendship and love, and for being such special people in my life. I am excited to share my trip with you...and I hope to hear from you whenever possible. Take care. Love to all! Ciao Ciao!
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