I have never been prouder to be an American as I was on election day and more so the day after! Since arriving in Rome, I have been trying my hardest to fit in, to look and act and speak like an Italian. But November 4th and 5th, I wanted everyone to know I was an American. And still, I am so proud of my country and the change that will hopefully come to our country and world.
I was able to vote absentee, which was very important to me. This was my first election that I was eligible to vote, and I feel it is our duty to do so. I was only able to watch coverage on my computer, with my terrible internet connection, but I tried to keep up with it throughout the day. It didn't help that I had a huge Art History exam the next day. The time difference also made it next to impossible to stay up and watch all of the coverage. But I'll never forget the feeling of waking up to my roommates telling me "WE did it! HE did it!" We all gathered around my tiny bed and watched his acceptance speech from Chicago, and looked at the map of the states, colored red and blue.
Anyway, I just feel so fortunate, so blessed to have been born in America and have the privilege to vote and participate in our government and more importantly our future. Whatever your beliefs or opinions, it seems to be a consensus around the world that this is a monumental, historical day in our history, and I can't believe I was a part of it. I do wish I could have been in the states for the election, to feel the excitement and intensity of the moment. It is an interesting perspective for my brother Justin and I to be abroad at this time, and to watch the world's interest and reaction to our country's election. My hope now is that these promises for change will be carried out in political, economic, social, domestic and foreign policy in our country. Watching the coverage, I couldn't help but think about Tim Russert, and how much he would have loved this. He was such a role model for me, and hearing him speak about it in person last April, you knew that this would be one of the highlights of his career. I loved Tom Brokaw's reflection when he said that the election of Barack Obama and the subsequent effects of his presidency are sweeping and the magnitude still not comprehensible to us. Obama's campaign and election has instilled in all Americans the desire for "a re-enlistment of citizenship," that anyone can become president (even Justin!!) if they work hard enough, that nothing is impossible. As a young adult, there is nothing more exciting than that prospect!!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Il Viaggio a Sud d'Italia
Allora, its been far too long since I've written an entry, so here we go! So much has happened in the last week or two --- lots of adventures in Italia. As a sort of fall break/class field trip, the St. Mary's program has a trip to Southern Italy every fall semester. Mostly, the focus is on the ancient ruins of the area, but we also got in some great sightseeing as well.
The trip began Tuesday the 28th at 6am in the morning...or at least that's when we had to be on the bus. The program is anal about promptness, which often doesn't bode well with my constant tardiness! (Thanks mom and dad!!) But I made it to our Mercedes coach bus, half-asleep but present. Our first stop of the trip was the amazingly rich and incredibly Pompeii, the ruined and still partially buried Roman city, dating back to the 7th-6th century BC. As some may know, Pompeii was completely destroyed and covered in AD 79, when Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried Pompeii under many meters of ash. However, it is to our great advantage today that Vesuvius erupted, because the burial of the city preserved much of the ancient city, until its rediscovery in the the 18th century. Today, when you visit Pompeii, you can still see original frescoes, architecture, mosaics, and most amazingly.....plaster casts of human and animal figures. Giuseppe Fiorelli, an archaeologist in charge of the excavations in the mid-1800's, discovered voids in the ash layer that contained remains of decomposed bodies. He came up with the idea to inject plaster into the areas to perfectly recreate the forms of the volcano's victims. The plaster casts are scattered throughout the premise, and can also be found in the Archaeological Museum in Naples; its somewhat haunting to see the human forms in twisted, helpless positions, capturing the moment of their almost instantaneous death.
In art history and archeology class in Rome, much of our study thus far has been focused on the ancient culture of Rome, including the Etruscans and the Pompeians. Many of us were assigned oral, on-site presentations at many of these locations. My presentation was on the House of the Faun (Casa del Fauno), one of the largest private complexes in the city, rich and glorious in its day. It once housed the famous Alexander the Great Mosaic, as well as the bronze Dancing Faun, which the house is named after. I had to take my group on a tour of the house, which stretched more than 3000 square meters. An interesting fact, the word casa is used only for homes within the city. Villa is used only for the homes outside the city. Many rich families would have both a casa and villa, the equivalent of a vacation home and permanent residence. This can be seen all over Rome today. The area I live in (Cuore della citta a Roma) is like the Beverly Hills or Brentwood of Rome, so many of the residents live in their city flat for the week and escape to their villa for the weekend. Just an example of how people really haven't changed much since antiquity!!
We spent about 8 hours at Pompeii, walking the whole complex, with occasional student presentations, but mostly just listening to our professor speak about the complex and the history of it. Professor De Sena, the archeology professor, was my guide; this trip was his 3rd time to Pompeii in 3 weeks! Its safe to say he is an expert on the topic.
When it was time to leave Pompeii, I couldn't have been happier to see our Mercedes autobus!! We all fell asleep on the ride to Napoli, only to awake to one of the most dirty cities I've ever seen!! Before getting off the bus, our professors warned us numerous times to get off and get our bags as quickly as possible, because there will be gypsies and pickpockets just waiting for us!! Oh great...I can't wait!! We stayed at Hotel Prati, located right near the Stazione. Now in most cities in Europe, the area around the train station is never the nicest, but this was about as far from our "cuore della Roma" at Hotel Tiziano as possible. We were told not to leave the hotel alone, for good reason. Looking for dinner that night in the rain, we literally ran to "Ciao Pizza" for a quick slice of the famous Neapolitan pizza, and then ran home, amongst the countless homeless, staring, eerie groups of young men, and wandering gypsies. I would like to say that I am somewhat cultured and familiar with city life, especially after living in LA and now Roma. But I was not prepared for Napoli!! As the third most populated city in Italy, behind Rome and Milan, with its rich culture, history, and gastronomy, I expected Napoli to be much different. However, the idealized image of Naples is one of the past. Today, Naples suffers with many problems, including the extremely prevalent Camorra, a mafia group originating in the city and the region of Calabria. The camorra has infiltrated much of Neapolitan life, affecting the city and the people in numerous ways. The trash is another huge problem for Napoli; as we drove out of the city on day 2, I looked out the window to see underpasses filled at least 10 feet high with mounds of trash, with a young family helplessly fishing through the piles. So very sad to see the realities of life for many people.
Day 2 of the southern Italy trip was amazing, even though we were on the bus for over 6 hours! We did the famous drive down the Amalfi Coast of Southern Italy, which takes about 3 hours in the bus. Most bus drivers won't even do it, because the roads are incredibly small and winding, but we were lucky enough to be able to experience the beauty of the drive. I have never in my life seen anything so beautiful; God truly kissed this area with the utmost splendor and striking magnificence. California looks so pathetic in comparison to the beautifully blue and green and white Mediterranean sea, complimented by the rocky cliff-sides spotted with white and yellow villas and small towns. Its a place most people only dream about....and I experienced it first hand! There is nothing like driving along the edge of the cliffs, hundreds of feet high, to look out at endless blue, the sea meeting the sky at the horizon almost seamlessly, creating an eternal fusion of beauty and life. We were able to have a few hours in the small sea town of Amalfi, to get lunch, visit the Duomo, and shop! Amalfi is one of the original and primary towns producing Limoncello!! For those unfamiliar with the potent liquid, its a lemon flavored liquor, produced from the rind of the lemons, which grow fruitfully on all the trees in the area. Che bello!! To be quite honest, I hate the stuff! Its way to strong for my tastes, but I'm told that its an acquired taste, like grappa and sambucca. But I don't think I'm here long enough to acquire the taste....nor do I want to. Il vino is all I need! I did bring some back as souvenirs, just for fun. We only had an hour and half or so....far too short a time for such a beautiful place. I could have stayed there for weeks, taking in the scene, eating gelato and lounging at the Mediterranean. If only....
We continued our way down the coast, heading for our next site of ancient ruins...Paestum. In Paestum are the most well-preserved Greek temples, created by the Etrucans in the Greek style....think Parthenon!! We toured the museum at the site, housing many of the artifacts from this complex, of which only about 10% has been excavated. Its an archaeologist's heaven...with so much to be discovered. Both here and in Pompeii, many archaeological digs have been stopped, reserving the remaining areas for later generations to investigate with their greater technological advances. It was amazing to see these temples up close....so well-preserved. Since I probably won't make it to Athens, this was a nice alternative for now.
Day 3 ---- Finally to the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. I can't tell you how many slides I have seen of artifacts, statues, paintings, etc housed in this famous museum. Breaking up into 3 groups, we each rotated through the 3 professors, lecturing on their specialty (painting, sculpture, and all the rest!!). The morning was jam-packed with hundreds of things to see, including the famous Doryphorus (Spear-bearer), which was on my Art History exam the following week!! Visiting these museums really brings the art history books to life, making all my studying of history and art the past 10 years or so well worth it.
After visiting the museum, we were able to explore this area of Naples and get lunch....more Neapolitan pizza! Side note on the famous pizza...they are known for the use of buffalo mozzarella (produced by the water buffalo in the area), and the amazing red sauces used. The pizza is usually swimming in the perfectly seasoned pomodori sauce with about 4 or 5 small balls of mozzarella quickly melting into the sauce. Molto delizioso!! From downtown Napoli, we drove to Cumae, the first, ancient Greek settlement on the mainland of Italy, most notably known for being the seat of the Cumaean Sibyl. Its greatest significance is in Roman mythology, containing the route that Aeneas used to descend to the Underworld. Because of the references in mythology, the mythology class in the program presented on Virgil's Aeneid , as we all stood in the rain in the Cave of the Sibyl. It was slightly eerie, but a very cool experience, all of us bundled up together, listening to stories of Roman mythology.
That night, we found a restaurant close to our hotel, serving delicious southern Italian fare for fairly cheap....actually so cheap, my meal wasn't even included on the bill. I decided to help pay for the service charge instead! I got pasta all'arrabbiata, my new favorite dish here...its usually with linguine or my favorite, penne, and its super spicy!! I've had it at home, but honestly, the flavors are beyond comparison. The dish, with all its flavor and spice, embodies Italian cooking....richness of flavor, freshness, perfection of the art. One of the most upsetting things about Napoli was the lack of gelaterie! Usually after dinner, it is customary (at least in my life here) to get a few scoops of gelato, to finish off the celebration of food that I call a meal. Napoli = no gelato! I was deprived of the smooth delicacy most of the week, and I realized how painful unsatisfactory "fro-yo" will be when I return to school.
Day4 ---- Happy Halloween!! The last of our museums/on-site tours....which I admittedly was thrilled about. The density with which we saw ruin after ruin became all too monotonous for my taste. But we definitely ended on a high note, with our visit to Museo e Palazzo di Capodimonte, the former palazzo of the kings of Sicilia. It has been proclaimed as the most beautiful museum in all of Italy, and possibly of all of Europe. You can feel the grandeur of the place the minute you arrive, with overwhelming architecture and rich color on the exterior. The interior has fabric covered walls in rich reds and blues, with original wall paintings, gold decorations, and 18th century antique furniture. The framework of the palazzo/museo is complimented by the richness of paintings and sculpture which line the walls and halls of the former residence. Major works of Raphael, Caravaggio, El Greco, Martini, and Titian (for whom our Hotel Tiziano is named after...his former residence) are all contained in the Capodimonte. We got dressed up to visit this museum, as it is definitely a significant place.
The rest of the day was ours to explore....the port of Naples and the fancier areas of the city. It was like I was in a whole new city, with Prada, Gucci, and Louis flanking the streets, with fancy cafes and beautiful buildings containing the flats of the rich and famous everywhere we looked. We stopped in for lunch at the first place we saw, only to be completely ignored and pushed off to the side by the waiter, in favor of the wealthy Italian ladies at the table next to us. Well, we immediately got up and left...finding a cafe more our style, with fun waiters and (relatively) cheaper food. I didn't dare venture into any of the designer stores...knowing even the grandest of budgets would not allow for purchases there. We window shopped, practiced our Italian on the locals, and watched little bambini run around in their Halloween costumes asking for candy. It made me miss home though, thinking of all the Halloweens mom would make me wear turtlenecks because it was too cold (aka 60 degrees), we would grab the largest pillowcase we could find, and head out with Dad and Mario for the bluff to get the huge candy bars and then to the Mini Mansion! Time really does fly by!
5th and Final Day --- CAPRI This was the day most everyone was looking forward to the whole trip. The weather had been bad the past few days, so we weren't sure the boats would make it over, but when we arrived at 7, the trip was a go! Capri is the small island off the coast of Napoli....about a 45 minute boat ride across. Doesn't sound too bad, right? WRONG! I've never been sea sick until this death cruise across the port to the island. It started out funny, rocking up and down, but turned bad quickly. I should have known when they passed out trash bags to everyone and wouldn't let passengers sit in the front half of the boat. The sea was so rough, the hydrofoil was flying up in the air and crashing down into the waves every few seconds. I tried my best to stay calm, but nothing worked. Half the boat got sick! When I got off, I was about as white as a ghost, and I kept telling the girls that I refused to get back on....I was staying in Capri! At this point, the day had nowhere to go but up!!
When you arrive in Capri, you have to take a shuttle up to the main part of the island. The view was spectacular, not a cloud in the sky...and if possible, even more beautiful than the Amalfi Coast. The town is so cute, with small cafes and gelaterie, and tons of touristy shops. But beyond all that is the pure beauty of the place, the lush vegetation, the blue Mediterranean as a backyard, the rocky cliffs that make up the island, and the small villas and shops which blend into the landscape of the island perfectly. The island is made up of two towns...Capri and Anacapri. I still don't know the difference, although I think Anacapri is more touristy and Capri is more locals. Just a short bus ride apart, we went to Anacapri first, for an amazing chair lift to the top of the island for the most spectacular views one could ever imagine. The ride up was a little scary, especially since I was so excited that I forgot to put down my safety bar until the very end!! But you are never very far from the ground. The chair lift goes right over the villas of the locals, with their small grape vineyards, and from the top, you have a bird's eye view of the island and the Mediterranean, stretching for miles. The soft clouds came over gradually when we got to the top of the island, and their reflection in the sea was beautiful. As you stand looking over the edge of the cliff, you feel the eternity of life, the endlessness of the world, and you feel like you're at the very top of it all!
We did a little shopping after the ride, but I refrained from buying the handmade leather sandals that the island is known for...molto caro!! One of my favorite things to get anywhere I go is postcards! There cheap (the stamps are more expensive) and they are great memories of where I've been. I like to send one to myself from everywhere I go too, another thing for my scrapbook! Most of my friends make fun of me when they see me making out a postcard to myself, but I'll be a great souvenir.
I decided to make gelato my lunch for the day, along with far too many cappuccini!! I was a little shaky by the end of the day, with all that sugar and caffeine! But I loved every minute of being able to just relax and take in the scenery and the Capri lifestyle. There is no better place to learn to live in the moment than in small Italian towns. The people understand that work is secondary to enjoying life to the fullest...hence the 3 or 4 hour "siestas" everyday during and after lunch. Tourists get so frustrated, but they must adapt and understand, not complain. You learn the importance of slowing down and savoring the moments, because they're gone before you know it.
Before boarding the death boat home, Caroline and I collected sea glass and dipped our feet in the water, trying to get our minds off the impending boat ride. When I finally forced myself onto the boat, we got comfortable seats near the back, in case we needed to get to the outside of the boat quickly!!! As we were about to leave, a team of soccer players stormed the boat, of course interested in our group of 50 girls....and vice versa!! They were only about 16 or 17, playing in the equivalent of a division 2 team in Napoli. Some decided to sit across from us on the boat, and talked the whole way back...a nice distraction to keep me from puking...although I did warn them I might get sick again! It was fun to practice Italian with them, and watch them struggle with their English....that must be what I sound like!
When I made it to land and boarded our bus home, my relief turned to exhaustion, and I slept the whole way home! Yes, home, home in ROME! I've never been so happy to see my beautiful city, to feel the comforts of familiar settings, familiar people, GELATO, the Tiziano, my room! I never thought that Rome could become a home, but it really has. I love it more and more each day. It ceases to amaze, excite, engage, encourage, and thrill me! Its my home away from home.
The trip began Tuesday the 28th at 6am in the morning...or at least that's when we had to be on the bus. The program is anal about promptness, which often doesn't bode well with my constant tardiness! (Thanks mom and dad!!) But I made it to our Mercedes coach bus, half-asleep but present. Our first stop of the trip was the amazingly rich and incredibly Pompeii, the ruined and still partially buried Roman city, dating back to the 7th-6th century BC. As some may know, Pompeii was completely destroyed and covered in AD 79, when Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried Pompeii under many meters of ash. However, it is to our great advantage today that Vesuvius erupted, because the burial of the city preserved much of the ancient city, until its rediscovery in the the 18th century. Today, when you visit Pompeii, you can still see original frescoes, architecture, mosaics, and most amazingly.....plaster casts of human and animal figures. Giuseppe Fiorelli, an archaeologist in charge of the excavations in the mid-1800's, discovered voids in the ash layer that contained remains of decomposed bodies. He came up with the idea to inject plaster into the areas to perfectly recreate the forms of the volcano's victims. The plaster casts are scattered throughout the premise, and can also be found in the Archaeological Museum in Naples; its somewhat haunting to see the human forms in twisted, helpless positions, capturing the moment of their almost instantaneous death.
In art history and archeology class in Rome, much of our study thus far has been focused on the ancient culture of Rome, including the Etruscans and the Pompeians. Many of us were assigned oral, on-site presentations at many of these locations. My presentation was on the House of the Faun (Casa del Fauno), one of the largest private complexes in the city, rich and glorious in its day. It once housed the famous Alexander the Great Mosaic, as well as the bronze Dancing Faun, which the house is named after. I had to take my group on a tour of the house, which stretched more than 3000 square meters. An interesting fact, the word casa is used only for homes within the city. Villa is used only for the homes outside the city. Many rich families would have both a casa and villa, the equivalent of a vacation home and permanent residence. This can be seen all over Rome today. The area I live in (Cuore della citta a Roma) is like the Beverly Hills or Brentwood of Rome, so many of the residents live in their city flat for the week and escape to their villa for the weekend. Just an example of how people really haven't changed much since antiquity!!
We spent about 8 hours at Pompeii, walking the whole complex, with occasional student presentations, but mostly just listening to our professor speak about the complex and the history of it. Professor De Sena, the archeology professor, was my guide; this trip was his 3rd time to Pompeii in 3 weeks! Its safe to say he is an expert on the topic.
When it was time to leave Pompeii, I couldn't have been happier to see our Mercedes autobus!! We all fell asleep on the ride to Napoli, only to awake to one of the most dirty cities I've ever seen!! Before getting off the bus, our professors warned us numerous times to get off and get our bags as quickly as possible, because there will be gypsies and pickpockets just waiting for us!! Oh great...I can't wait!! We stayed at Hotel Prati, located right near the Stazione. Now in most cities in Europe, the area around the train station is never the nicest, but this was about as far from our "cuore della Roma" at Hotel Tiziano as possible. We were told not to leave the hotel alone, for good reason. Looking for dinner that night in the rain, we literally ran to "Ciao Pizza" for a quick slice of the famous Neapolitan pizza, and then ran home, amongst the countless homeless, staring, eerie groups of young men, and wandering gypsies. I would like to say that I am somewhat cultured and familiar with city life, especially after living in LA and now Roma. But I was not prepared for Napoli!! As the third most populated city in Italy, behind Rome and Milan, with its rich culture, history, and gastronomy, I expected Napoli to be much different. However, the idealized image of Naples is one of the past. Today, Naples suffers with many problems, including the extremely prevalent Camorra, a mafia group originating in the city and the region of Calabria. The camorra has infiltrated much of Neapolitan life, affecting the city and the people in numerous ways. The trash is another huge problem for Napoli; as we drove out of the city on day 2, I looked out the window to see underpasses filled at least 10 feet high with mounds of trash, with a young family helplessly fishing through the piles. So very sad to see the realities of life for many people.
Day 2 of the southern Italy trip was amazing, even though we were on the bus for over 6 hours! We did the famous drive down the Amalfi Coast of Southern Italy, which takes about 3 hours in the bus. Most bus drivers won't even do it, because the roads are incredibly small and winding, but we were lucky enough to be able to experience the beauty of the drive. I have never in my life seen anything so beautiful; God truly kissed this area with the utmost splendor and striking magnificence. California looks so pathetic in comparison to the beautifully blue and green and white Mediterranean sea, complimented by the rocky cliff-sides spotted with white and yellow villas and small towns. Its a place most people only dream about....and I experienced it first hand! There is nothing like driving along the edge of the cliffs, hundreds of feet high, to look out at endless blue, the sea meeting the sky at the horizon almost seamlessly, creating an eternal fusion of beauty and life. We were able to have a few hours in the small sea town of Amalfi, to get lunch, visit the Duomo, and shop! Amalfi is one of the original and primary towns producing Limoncello!! For those unfamiliar with the potent liquid, its a lemon flavored liquor, produced from the rind of the lemons, which grow fruitfully on all the trees in the area. Che bello!! To be quite honest, I hate the stuff! Its way to strong for my tastes, but I'm told that its an acquired taste, like grappa and sambucca. But I don't think I'm here long enough to acquire the taste....nor do I want to. Il vino is all I need! I did bring some back as souvenirs, just for fun. We only had an hour and half or so....far too short a time for such a beautiful place. I could have stayed there for weeks, taking in the scene, eating gelato and lounging at the Mediterranean. If only....
We continued our way down the coast, heading for our next site of ancient ruins...Paestum. In Paestum are the most well-preserved Greek temples, created by the Etrucans in the Greek style....think Parthenon!! We toured the museum at the site, housing many of the artifacts from this complex, of which only about 10% has been excavated. Its an archaeologist's heaven...with so much to be discovered. Both here and in Pompeii, many archaeological digs have been stopped, reserving the remaining areas for later generations to investigate with their greater technological advances. It was amazing to see these temples up close....so well-preserved. Since I probably won't make it to Athens, this was a nice alternative for now.
Day 3 ---- Finally to the National Archaeological Museum of Naples. I can't tell you how many slides I have seen of artifacts, statues, paintings, etc housed in this famous museum. Breaking up into 3 groups, we each rotated through the 3 professors, lecturing on their specialty (painting, sculpture, and all the rest!!). The morning was jam-packed with hundreds of things to see, including the famous Doryphorus (Spear-bearer), which was on my Art History exam the following week!! Visiting these museums really brings the art history books to life, making all my studying of history and art the past 10 years or so well worth it.
After visiting the museum, we were able to explore this area of Naples and get lunch....more Neapolitan pizza! Side note on the famous pizza...they are known for the use of buffalo mozzarella (produced by the water buffalo in the area), and the amazing red sauces used. The pizza is usually swimming in the perfectly seasoned pomodori sauce with about 4 or 5 small balls of mozzarella quickly melting into the sauce. Molto delizioso!! From downtown Napoli, we drove to Cumae, the first, ancient Greek settlement on the mainland of Italy, most notably known for being the seat of the Cumaean Sibyl. Its greatest significance is in Roman mythology, containing the route that Aeneas used to descend to the Underworld. Because of the references in mythology, the mythology class in the program presented on Virgil's Aeneid , as we all stood in the rain in the Cave of the Sibyl. It was slightly eerie, but a very cool experience, all of us bundled up together, listening to stories of Roman mythology.
That night, we found a restaurant close to our hotel, serving delicious southern Italian fare for fairly cheap....actually so cheap, my meal wasn't even included on the bill. I decided to help pay for the service charge instead! I got pasta all'arrabbiata, my new favorite dish here...its usually with linguine or my favorite, penne, and its super spicy!! I've had it at home, but honestly, the flavors are beyond comparison. The dish, with all its flavor and spice, embodies Italian cooking....richness of flavor, freshness, perfection of the art. One of the most upsetting things about Napoli was the lack of gelaterie! Usually after dinner, it is customary (at least in my life here) to get a few scoops of gelato, to finish off the celebration of food that I call a meal. Napoli = no gelato! I was deprived of the smooth delicacy most of the week, and I realized how painful unsatisfactory "fro-yo" will be when I return to school.
Day4 ---- Happy Halloween!! The last of our museums/on-site tours....which I admittedly was thrilled about. The density with which we saw ruin after ruin became all too monotonous for my taste. But we definitely ended on a high note, with our visit to Museo e Palazzo di Capodimonte, the former palazzo of the kings of Sicilia. It has been proclaimed as the most beautiful museum in all of Italy, and possibly of all of Europe. You can feel the grandeur of the place the minute you arrive, with overwhelming architecture and rich color on the exterior. The interior has fabric covered walls in rich reds and blues, with original wall paintings, gold decorations, and 18th century antique furniture. The framework of the palazzo/museo is complimented by the richness of paintings and sculpture which line the walls and halls of the former residence. Major works of Raphael, Caravaggio, El Greco, Martini, and Titian (for whom our Hotel Tiziano is named after...his former residence) are all contained in the Capodimonte. We got dressed up to visit this museum, as it is definitely a significant place.
The rest of the day was ours to explore....the port of Naples and the fancier areas of the city. It was like I was in a whole new city, with Prada, Gucci, and Louis flanking the streets, with fancy cafes and beautiful buildings containing the flats of the rich and famous everywhere we looked. We stopped in for lunch at the first place we saw, only to be completely ignored and pushed off to the side by the waiter, in favor of the wealthy Italian ladies at the table next to us. Well, we immediately got up and left...finding a cafe more our style, with fun waiters and (relatively) cheaper food. I didn't dare venture into any of the designer stores...knowing even the grandest of budgets would not allow for purchases there. We window shopped, practiced our Italian on the locals, and watched little bambini run around in their Halloween costumes asking for candy. It made me miss home though, thinking of all the Halloweens mom would make me wear turtlenecks because it was too cold (aka 60 degrees), we would grab the largest pillowcase we could find, and head out with Dad and Mario for the bluff to get the huge candy bars and then to the Mini Mansion! Time really does fly by!
5th and Final Day --- CAPRI This was the day most everyone was looking forward to the whole trip. The weather had been bad the past few days, so we weren't sure the boats would make it over, but when we arrived at 7, the trip was a go! Capri is the small island off the coast of Napoli....about a 45 minute boat ride across. Doesn't sound too bad, right? WRONG! I've never been sea sick until this death cruise across the port to the island. It started out funny, rocking up and down, but turned bad quickly. I should have known when they passed out trash bags to everyone and wouldn't let passengers sit in the front half of the boat. The sea was so rough, the hydrofoil was flying up in the air and crashing down into the waves every few seconds. I tried my best to stay calm, but nothing worked. Half the boat got sick! When I got off, I was about as white as a ghost, and I kept telling the girls that I refused to get back on....I was staying in Capri! At this point, the day had nowhere to go but up!!
When you arrive in Capri, you have to take a shuttle up to the main part of the island. The view was spectacular, not a cloud in the sky...and if possible, even more beautiful than the Amalfi Coast. The town is so cute, with small cafes and gelaterie, and tons of touristy shops. But beyond all that is the pure beauty of the place, the lush vegetation, the blue Mediterranean as a backyard, the rocky cliffs that make up the island, and the small villas and shops which blend into the landscape of the island perfectly. The island is made up of two towns...Capri and Anacapri. I still don't know the difference, although I think Anacapri is more touristy and Capri is more locals. Just a short bus ride apart, we went to Anacapri first, for an amazing chair lift to the top of the island for the most spectacular views one could ever imagine. The ride up was a little scary, especially since I was so excited that I forgot to put down my safety bar until the very end!! But you are never very far from the ground. The chair lift goes right over the villas of the locals, with their small grape vineyards, and from the top, you have a bird's eye view of the island and the Mediterranean, stretching for miles. The soft clouds came over gradually when we got to the top of the island, and their reflection in the sea was beautiful. As you stand looking over the edge of the cliff, you feel the eternity of life, the endlessness of the world, and you feel like you're at the very top of it all!
We did a little shopping after the ride, but I refrained from buying the handmade leather sandals that the island is known for...molto caro!! One of my favorite things to get anywhere I go is postcards! There cheap (the stamps are more expensive) and they are great memories of where I've been. I like to send one to myself from everywhere I go too, another thing for my scrapbook! Most of my friends make fun of me when they see me making out a postcard to myself, but I'll be a great souvenir.
I decided to make gelato my lunch for the day, along with far too many cappuccini!! I was a little shaky by the end of the day, with all that sugar and caffeine! But I loved every minute of being able to just relax and take in the scenery and the Capri lifestyle. There is no better place to learn to live in the moment than in small Italian towns. The people understand that work is secondary to enjoying life to the fullest...hence the 3 or 4 hour "siestas" everyday during and after lunch. Tourists get so frustrated, but they must adapt and understand, not complain. You learn the importance of slowing down and savoring the moments, because they're gone before you know it.
Before boarding the death boat home, Caroline and I collected sea glass and dipped our feet in the water, trying to get our minds off the impending boat ride. When I finally forced myself onto the boat, we got comfortable seats near the back, in case we needed to get to the outside of the boat quickly!!! As we were about to leave, a team of soccer players stormed the boat, of course interested in our group of 50 girls....and vice versa!! They were only about 16 or 17, playing in the equivalent of a division 2 team in Napoli. Some decided to sit across from us on the boat, and talked the whole way back...a nice distraction to keep me from puking...although I did warn them I might get sick again! It was fun to practice Italian with them, and watch them struggle with their English....that must be what I sound like!
When I made it to land and boarded our bus home, my relief turned to exhaustion, and I slept the whole way home! Yes, home, home in ROME! I've never been so happy to see my beautiful city, to feel the comforts of familiar settings, familiar people, GELATO, the Tiziano, my room! I never thought that Rome could become a home, but it really has. I love it more and more each day. It ceases to amaze, excite, engage, encourage, and thrill me! Its my home away from home.
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