Today is my last day in la città eterna. I'm full of so many mixed feelings. On the one hand I miss my family and I'm excited for the fall semester, but on the other I really don't want to have to say goodbye to Rome. I've spent six weeks getting to know this city, but it doesn't feel like enough time.
I've spent the last few days finishing off my Rome bucket list. I saw the Ara Pacis Augustae on Tuesday with my classics class. It was amazing to once again see in person something I have learned about in class. The detail on the outside is incredible, and I was even able to spot some of the smaller details in the vine patterns on the sides. Through the windows of the museum I was able to see the Mausoleum of Augustus, who is the emperor I know the most about.
Mostly I have been trying to take pictures documenting the places I spent the most time. I took pictures of the classroom building, as well as around my apartment. I've tried not to think about how every day I do or see something for the last time, but the reality is it may be the last time I do many things here in Rome. I bought my last panino from the sandwich shop across from school today, and I have my last dinner in a little bit. I saw the Pantheon for the last time yesterday and did the last bit of souvenir shopping (not really a sad event, but still). I took my last exams and had my last Italian class ever. I still need to eat my last gelato and say my last goodbyes to some friends who I won't get to see after this summer.
I finished packing my bags and now I need to start cleaning up the apartment. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here in Italy. I have made so many memories and gone on more adventures than I have been able to post about. Tomorrow I have an extra long day of travel, but by this time tomorrow (Rome time) I will be back in the U.S. A big thank-you for reading about all of my adventures here in Italy. I've enjoyed typing up my stories and sharing my pictures with you.
I may be leaving tomorrow, but I know that I will come back to Rome someday. Until then I have plenty of pictures and memories to hold on to.
Allison Kane
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Monday, August 4, 2014
Week Five: Museums, Ancient Sites, and Papa Francesco
As I get closer to the end of my trip I have been trying to squeeze in every experience that I can. This past week was one of the busiest I've had. I saw the Borghese Gallery and the Capitoline Museums with everyone on the program on Tuesday and Wednesday. I travelled to Ostia Antica on Friday and walked part of the Appia Antica on Saturday. On Sunday I attended mass in St. Peter's and then received a blessing from the Pope. In between all of my excursions I have had class, including studying for an exam and preparing for an Italian interview project.
After Italian class ended on Tuesday I had a few hours to kill before we were to meet at the Borghese Gallery, which is located in Villa Borghese, a beautiful park. My friends Emily and Lindsey and I decided it was the perfect opportunity to visit Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps. We walked from the classroom building to the Spanish Steps with a little help from Google Maps. I was disappointed to see that both the fountain at the bottom of the steps and the hotel at the top were under scaffolding. However, I still took plenty of pictures, including one where I was eating gelato on the steps, and I climbed to the top. Lindsey, Emily, and I spent some time talking while sitting at the top of the steps looking out at the city.
Villa Borghese is pretty close to the Spanish Steps so we walked from them to the park. We were there very early so we decided to explore the park for a bit. We took pictures in a gazebo that had a column base in the middle of it. We found an interesting statue of a man on a horse that we weren't able to identify. When it was almost time to meet the rest of the group we found the Borghese Gallery and sat on a bench outside of it.
The Borghese Gallery was once the home of a prominent family in Rome during the 15th century. The gallery houses the family's collection of art, including four sculptures by Bernini. While all of the art was beautiful, I was most interested in the four Bernini sculptures. The first of the four that we saw was a sculpture of David before he slays Goliath. David's face had a look of intense concentration that is actually a self portrait of Bernini's face. The next sculpture depicted the transformation of Daphne as Apollo is trying to grasp her. According to classical mythology, Daphne was a nymph who caught the eye of Apollo because he was shot with a love arrow by Cupid. Cupid shot Daphne with the opposing hate arrow, causing Daphne to be repulsed by Apollo's advances. Apollo chased Daphne and as he got close to catching her she prayed to her father, a river god, who turned her into the laurel tree. In The Metamorphoses, the poet Ovid describes the transformation as occurring at the exact moment that Apollo grasped Daphne. The statue perfectly depicts the transformation: half of Daphne is already the tree, her face is one of horror as a man she hates tries to grasp her, and Apollo's fingers are just grazing her skin as it turns into bark. The third statue was by far my favorite one: The Rape of Persephone. The statue depicted Pluto as he is taking Persephone down to the Underworld to be his queen. Bernini sculpted her struggle against her captor and made the marble look like flesh. I could see Pluto's finger indentations on her skin as he pressed his hands against her. I was captivated by how realistic the marble looked. Although it depicted a tragic scene, the statue was beautiful. The final Bernini statue was of Aeneas with his father, Anchises, on his shoulder, and his son, Ascanius, by his side. I appreciated the depiction of the Penates in Anchises' hands that I read about in the Aeneid.
On Wednesday afternoon we toured the Capitoline Museums. They contained many classical sculptures, including busts of the emperors and their families. I also got to see the statue of the wolf nursing Romulus and Remus. One of my favorite parts of the tour was getting to look out over the Roman Forum. It was nice to imagine what the Forum would have looked like in ancient times, as seen from the Capitoline hill.
On Friday I wanted to go to Ostia Antica, which was the port of ancient Rome. I met my friend Jared in the morning and we bought bus/metro tickets. I knew exactly how to get to Ostia, but I accidentally had us get on the wrong bus. Fortunately the bus we got on stopped at Piramide, our metro stop. Unfortunately, I missed the stop and by the time I realized my mistake I had no idea where we were. Jared and I decided to try and ride the bus around until it got back near Piramide, but after over an hour on the bus we had to concede that our plan wasn't working. We finally got off the bus and walked around for a bit before catching a taxi to Piramide. Once there we boarded the correct metro and were finally on our way to Ostia. I felt terrible about getting us lost and delaying our trip to Ostia, but Jared was very nice about it, reassuring me that he was enjoying the experience of getting lost.
Eventually we made it to Ostia Antica. Ostia Antica is one of the best preserved ancient sites, so it looks a lot like Pompeii. Jared and I had a good time climbing through all of the ruins. We saw a set of Roman baths, a temple, and a theater in addition to many, many houses. Jared and I discussed classics and books while we explored, and it was a wonderful afternoon. At one point I turned a corner in a house and let out an "Oh my gosh!" Jared rushed around the corner, expecting to see a statue or another work of art. When he saw that it was just a toilet he almost fell down because he was laughing so hard. I happen to have an appreciation for Roman plumbing, so I thought it was really cool to find a toilet just sitting there in a house. Once Jared recovered, I had him take a picture of me on the toilet, because, why not? It was so amazing to be able to explore Ostia. There weren't a lot of barriers, so we were able to climb around in places I hadn't expected to be able to climb.
Saturday morning I walked from my apartment to the Appian Antica with Sherrie. It was quite an adventure because we were walking along a road that had a fair amount of traffic and no sidewalks. Several times we had to wait for a break in traffic to walk around vines that were blocking our line of site. Although we didn't make it all the way to the ancient stones, it was still nice to walk along what was one of the most famous roads in Rome. I think that we walked about 7 miles total (based on my best Google Maps estimate).
Sunday morning I went to mass in St. Peter's Basilica. Although it was rainy, a group of us walked from Piazza Belli, which is right down the street from my dorm, to the Vatican. The mass was in Italian, but I was able to understand small amounts of it. I am proud to say that I recognized the Gospel passage as the one about the loaves and fishes. After mass we explored some of the souvenir shops to kill time before the Papal Blessing. At 11 we went back into St. Peter's Square and found a spot to stand that had a good view of the Papal Apartment. At noon we got to see Pope Francis stand in his window and we listened to him give a blessing. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime ind of experience. I felt very lucky to have been able to see him, as I think he is a great Pope.
I only have a few more days in Rome, which makes me sad and yet happy. There are things I miss about the United States, but I also don't want to have to leave Rome. I'm hoping to be able to squeeze in a few more experiences before I leave Friday morning. I have fallen in love with this city. I hope to post one more time before I leave, so be on the lookout for my final post from Rome.
Allison
After Italian class ended on Tuesday I had a few hours to kill before we were to meet at the Borghese Gallery, which is located in Villa Borghese, a beautiful park. My friends Emily and Lindsey and I decided it was the perfect opportunity to visit Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps. We walked from the classroom building to the Spanish Steps with a little help from Google Maps. I was disappointed to see that both the fountain at the bottom of the steps and the hotel at the top were under scaffolding. However, I still took plenty of pictures, including one where I was eating gelato on the steps, and I climbed to the top. Lindsey, Emily, and I spent some time talking while sitting at the top of the steps looking out at the city.
Villa Borghese is pretty close to the Spanish Steps so we walked from them to the park. We were there very early so we decided to explore the park for a bit. We took pictures in a gazebo that had a column base in the middle of it. We found an interesting statue of a man on a horse that we weren't able to identify. When it was almost time to meet the rest of the group we found the Borghese Gallery and sat on a bench outside of it.
The Borghese Gallery was once the home of a prominent family in Rome during the 15th century. The gallery houses the family's collection of art, including four sculptures by Bernini. While all of the art was beautiful, I was most interested in the four Bernini sculptures. The first of the four that we saw was a sculpture of David before he slays Goliath. David's face had a look of intense concentration that is actually a self portrait of Bernini's face. The next sculpture depicted the transformation of Daphne as Apollo is trying to grasp her. According to classical mythology, Daphne was a nymph who caught the eye of Apollo because he was shot with a love arrow by Cupid. Cupid shot Daphne with the opposing hate arrow, causing Daphne to be repulsed by Apollo's advances. Apollo chased Daphne and as he got close to catching her she prayed to her father, a river god, who turned her into the laurel tree. In The Metamorphoses, the poet Ovid describes the transformation as occurring at the exact moment that Apollo grasped Daphne. The statue perfectly depicts the transformation: half of Daphne is already the tree, her face is one of horror as a man she hates tries to grasp her, and Apollo's fingers are just grazing her skin as it turns into bark. The third statue was by far my favorite one: The Rape of Persephone. The statue depicted Pluto as he is taking Persephone down to the Underworld to be his queen. Bernini sculpted her struggle against her captor and made the marble look like flesh. I could see Pluto's finger indentations on her skin as he pressed his hands against her. I was captivated by how realistic the marble looked. Although it depicted a tragic scene, the statue was beautiful. The final Bernini statue was of Aeneas with his father, Anchises, on his shoulder, and his son, Ascanius, by his side. I appreciated the depiction of the Penates in Anchises' hands that I read about in the Aeneid.
On Wednesday afternoon we toured the Capitoline Museums. They contained many classical sculptures, including busts of the emperors and their families. I also got to see the statue of the wolf nursing Romulus and Remus. One of my favorite parts of the tour was getting to look out over the Roman Forum. It was nice to imagine what the Forum would have looked like in ancient times, as seen from the Capitoline hill.
On Friday I wanted to go to Ostia Antica, which was the port of ancient Rome. I met my friend Jared in the morning and we bought bus/metro tickets. I knew exactly how to get to Ostia, but I accidentally had us get on the wrong bus. Fortunately the bus we got on stopped at Piramide, our metro stop. Unfortunately, I missed the stop and by the time I realized my mistake I had no idea where we were. Jared and I decided to try and ride the bus around until it got back near Piramide, but after over an hour on the bus we had to concede that our plan wasn't working. We finally got off the bus and walked around for a bit before catching a taxi to Piramide. Once there we boarded the correct metro and were finally on our way to Ostia. I felt terrible about getting us lost and delaying our trip to Ostia, but Jared was very nice about it, reassuring me that he was enjoying the experience of getting lost.
Eventually we made it to Ostia Antica. Ostia Antica is one of the best preserved ancient sites, so it looks a lot like Pompeii. Jared and I had a good time climbing through all of the ruins. We saw a set of Roman baths, a temple, and a theater in addition to many, many houses. Jared and I discussed classics and books while we explored, and it was a wonderful afternoon. At one point I turned a corner in a house and let out an "Oh my gosh!" Jared rushed around the corner, expecting to see a statue or another work of art. When he saw that it was just a toilet he almost fell down because he was laughing so hard. I happen to have an appreciation for Roman plumbing, so I thought it was really cool to find a toilet just sitting there in a house. Once Jared recovered, I had him take a picture of me on the toilet, because, why not? It was so amazing to be able to explore Ostia. There weren't a lot of barriers, so we were able to climb around in places I hadn't expected to be able to climb.
Saturday morning I walked from my apartment to the Appian Antica with Sherrie. It was quite an adventure because we were walking along a road that had a fair amount of traffic and no sidewalks. Several times we had to wait for a break in traffic to walk around vines that were blocking our line of site. Although we didn't make it all the way to the ancient stones, it was still nice to walk along what was one of the most famous roads in Rome. I think that we walked about 7 miles total (based on my best Google Maps estimate).
Sunday morning I went to mass in St. Peter's Basilica. Although it was rainy, a group of us walked from Piazza Belli, which is right down the street from my dorm, to the Vatican. The mass was in Italian, but I was able to understand small amounts of it. I am proud to say that I recognized the Gospel passage as the one about the loaves and fishes. After mass we explored some of the souvenir shops to kill time before the Papal Blessing. At 11 we went back into St. Peter's Square and found a spot to stand that had a good view of the Papal Apartment. At noon we got to see Pope Francis stand in his window and we listened to him give a blessing. It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime ind of experience. I felt very lucky to have been able to see him, as I think he is a great Pope.
I only have a few more days in Rome, which makes me sad and yet happy. There are things I miss about the United States, but I also don't want to have to leave Rome. I'm hoping to be able to squeeze in a few more experiences before I leave Friday morning. I have fallen in love with this city. I hope to post one more time before I leave, so be on the lookout for my final post from Rome.
Allison
On the Spanish Steps
Galleria Borghese
We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the building.
Statue of Lupa nursing Romulus and Remus
In Ostia I climbed a stairway to nowhere
At the beginning of the Appia Antica
Papa Francesco
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Pompeii and Ischia
Last Thursday I was able to fulfill a longtime dream: visiting Pompeii. We woke up early in the morning and boarded a charter bus at 6:30 a.m. I slept for much of the bus ride, but was woken up by the sound of rain about halfway through the drive. Everyone was worried that the rain wouldn't stop because no one had thought to bring umbrellas or rain coats. It's supposedly the "dry season" in Italy right now, but we have had a fair amount of rain over the last two weeks. Still, we all figured Pompeii was going to be sunny and unbearably hot, as it usually is. Fortunately by the time we got to Pompeii the rain had passed. We were even lucky enough to have some cloud cover, which meant a slightly cooler temperature.
Pompeii was almost exactly as I had pictured it with one exception: it wasn't flat. I don't know why, but I always pictured Pompeii as this totally flat area beneath Mt. Vesuvius. However, Pompeii actually has a fair amount of hills. I was amazed with how well preserved Pompeii is. Many of the buildings are complete minus their roofs. The roads are still in decent shape, and the stepping stones are still in place. I even had some fun posing with friends as we were crossing the street via the stepping stones. It was my personal version of recreating the Beatles' Abby Road album cover.
We visited the amphitheater and the larger of the two theaters in Pompeii, which were both popular places for public entertainment. Dr. Rea, who was serving as our guide, showed us the "cat's eyes" in the sidewalk, which are pieces of broken pottery that the Pompeiians mixed into the concrete to create reflective spots that make it easier to see the sidewalk at night. We walked through an ancient brothel, where the rather graphic pictures are still visible. We visited a set of public baths and saw the Forum, which used to be surrounded by a two story colonnade.
As with many of the ruins I have seen on this trip I found it impossible to picture what Pompeii would have looked like whole and filled with life. All I could picture were the crowds of tourists who were climbing over everything and dripping sweat everywhere. It's really easy to forget that Pompeii was the site of an enormous tragedy where thousands died. According to Dr. Rea, most of the citizens of Pompeii escaped, but even those who made it out lost everything. We could see Vesuvius from the Forum, sitting in the distance looking peaceful. I can imagine what a surprise it would have been to the Pompeiians when it erupted because Vesuvius doesn't look any different from a normal mountain.
While I wasn't able to climb Vesuvius, I did mutter "something's happening to the mountain," a reference to a BBC documentary about the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Someday I will return to Pompeii, climb Vesuvius, and announce that line, said in my best imitation of the documentary.
After we finished touring Pompeii we ate lunch at a restaurant, then boarded the bus to go to Naples. We toured the National Archeological Museum in Naples, which houses a lot of the relics found in Pompeii. Many of the exhibits were closed, so we didn't get to see everything that Dr. Rea had described in class. We did get to see the mosaic of Alexander the Great that was once in the dining room of the House of the Faun in Pompeii, a very impressive and detailed mosaic. We saw lots of shards of pottery and several other mosaics that have been removed from Pompeii to preserve them.
We finished touring the museum and then boarded the bus once more, which took us to the docks where we were to catch a fairy to Ischia. Ischia is a small island off the coast of Naples that is the birthplace of one of the instructors on my trip. It's a very laid back place, with lots of beaches and fresh seafood. The hotel we stayed in on Ischia is this very cute little place called Villa Cecilia. The owners grew up with Gianfranco, the Italian Cinema and Culture instructor. The hotel was beautiful, with much of it decorated in shades of purple, my favorite color.
I took a quick shower and changed out of my smelly Pompeii clothes before going to dinner with a group of friends. We found a restaurant on the water and I enjoyed a plate of pesto and seafood gnocchi while watching the sun set. We finished the evening playing ping pong with some of the kids of the hotel staff.
Our trip to Ischia was a sort of Spring Break for the program, meant to be a relaxing distraction from the stress of our classes. In keeping with that theme we went to a spa on Friday called the Gardens of Poseidon. When we entered we were given a map and instructions as to the proper course of the many pools placed throughout the spa. We decided to follow the instructions and went in search of the first pool. Each successive pool is slightly warmer when you follow the correct order. The final pool had two types of water: water that was 15 degrees Celsius and hot water. According to the instructions you are supposed to submerge to your neck in the cold water for 15 seconds and then go into the hot water. Most of my friends weren't able to stay in the cold water for that long, but I was able to. To my surprise, it actually felt nice to go from the icy water to the hot water.
After we finished the course of the pools we all felt very relaxed and ready for lunch. I chose to eat an Ischia delicacy: rabbit. Oh my goodness was it tasty! I also enjoyed some fresh cherries. Italian cherries, or ciliegie, are huge and taste more like grapes than cherries. I can't get enough of them.
In the afternoon we went to the beach at Poseidon's Gardens. We all swam out to a rock that was shaped like a conch shell. It was a fairly long swim, but once there we climbed on the rock to bask in the sun before jumping off and swimming back to shore. I spent the remainder of the afternoon reading under a beach umbrella. By the time we needed to leave I was quite sleepy and sad to go.
I spent the evening eating dinner at a restaurant that Gainfranco recommended and walking around town. My friend Lindsey and I enjoyed exploring a small bookstore. We found some of our favorite books in Italian, including The Fault in Our Stars and Harry Potter. I know those books so well that I was able to understand some of the Italian when I opened them. We eventually returned to the hotel and played cards with some of the people on our trip. I slept very well that night.
In the morning many of us had plans to go cliff jumping, but unfortunately it started raining. Not wanting to waste the day we decided to tour Castello Aragonese, which is a castle on Ischia that has history going as far back as the fifth century B.C. The castle was enormous and we explored all of it that we could, despite the rain. By the time we finished touring and ate lunch, the rain was almost finished.
Once the rain was over I set off with some friends to go cliff jumping. Now, I say cliff jumping, but really we were swimming out to rocks, climbing them, and jumping off. It would be more accurate to call it rock jumping. The rock we chose to jump from had a white rope to help you climb onto it and a nice flat surface to jump from. Some of the guys with us, however, decided they wanted to climb higher on the rock and jump from there. They didn't think any of the girls would want to do it because the climb took a fair amount of upper body strength. After watching the boys climb up several times, I figured that I would be able to make it up there. I'm proud to say that I made it to the top no problem, right behind another girl who was with us.
When it was my turn to jump I had a hard time. I didn't mind the height, but when I stood I couldn't get myself comfortable near the edge. I didn't want to hurt myself by falling or not jumping far enough. Bryan, who had jumped the most, climbed up and helped me figure out how to place my feet. He described, in detail, how to jump safely and then demonstrated it for me. While I was still slightly terrified, I didn't want to have to climb back down, so I slowly stood, placed my feet, counted to three, and jumped. I landed in the water safely, very glad that I had actually jumped. While it was exciting, I am not sure that it's something I would ever need to do again.
That evening was the festival for Saint Anna, the patron saint of Ischia. The town was packed with people and every restaurant had a line to be seated. The culmination of the festival was a fireworks show that took place over the castle. I sat on the roof of our hotel with most of the group to watch. The fireworks weren't anything unique, but the effect of the smoke and the lights of the castle was spectacular. The castle lit up with red light, and through the smoke from the fireworks it looked as if it were on fire. The music set an eery mood that was simultaneously beautiful. When someone in the crowd below the castle released a floating lantern I couldn't help but think of the movie Tangled. I may have missed fireworks on the Fourth of July, but I got to see the equivalent on Ischia. It was a wonderful night and a perfect end to our weekend there.
Sunday morning we said our goodbyes to Ischia, boarded the fairy, and headed home to Rome. I had a marvelous time in Ischia, but once again I was glad to be back in Rome. Rome has become a home to me and the closer I get to leaving the more I want to stay. I still have places to go and things to see in Rome. I don't want to have to say goodbye to it. I only have a week and a half left here and I plan on making the most of it.
-Allison
Pompeii was almost exactly as I had pictured it with one exception: it wasn't flat. I don't know why, but I always pictured Pompeii as this totally flat area beneath Mt. Vesuvius. However, Pompeii actually has a fair amount of hills. I was amazed with how well preserved Pompeii is. Many of the buildings are complete minus their roofs. The roads are still in decent shape, and the stepping stones are still in place. I even had some fun posing with friends as we were crossing the street via the stepping stones. It was my personal version of recreating the Beatles' Abby Road album cover.
We visited the amphitheater and the larger of the two theaters in Pompeii, which were both popular places for public entertainment. Dr. Rea, who was serving as our guide, showed us the "cat's eyes" in the sidewalk, which are pieces of broken pottery that the Pompeiians mixed into the concrete to create reflective spots that make it easier to see the sidewalk at night. We walked through an ancient brothel, where the rather graphic pictures are still visible. We visited a set of public baths and saw the Forum, which used to be surrounded by a two story colonnade.
As with many of the ruins I have seen on this trip I found it impossible to picture what Pompeii would have looked like whole and filled with life. All I could picture were the crowds of tourists who were climbing over everything and dripping sweat everywhere. It's really easy to forget that Pompeii was the site of an enormous tragedy where thousands died. According to Dr. Rea, most of the citizens of Pompeii escaped, but even those who made it out lost everything. We could see Vesuvius from the Forum, sitting in the distance looking peaceful. I can imagine what a surprise it would have been to the Pompeiians when it erupted because Vesuvius doesn't look any different from a normal mountain.
While I wasn't able to climb Vesuvius, I did mutter "something's happening to the mountain," a reference to a BBC documentary about the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Someday I will return to Pompeii, climb Vesuvius, and announce that line, said in my best imitation of the documentary.
After we finished touring Pompeii we ate lunch at a restaurant, then boarded the bus to go to Naples. We toured the National Archeological Museum in Naples, which houses a lot of the relics found in Pompeii. Many of the exhibits were closed, so we didn't get to see everything that Dr. Rea had described in class. We did get to see the mosaic of Alexander the Great that was once in the dining room of the House of the Faun in Pompeii, a very impressive and detailed mosaic. We saw lots of shards of pottery and several other mosaics that have been removed from Pompeii to preserve them.
We finished touring the museum and then boarded the bus once more, which took us to the docks where we were to catch a fairy to Ischia. Ischia is a small island off the coast of Naples that is the birthplace of one of the instructors on my trip. It's a very laid back place, with lots of beaches and fresh seafood. The hotel we stayed in on Ischia is this very cute little place called Villa Cecilia. The owners grew up with Gianfranco, the Italian Cinema and Culture instructor. The hotel was beautiful, with much of it decorated in shades of purple, my favorite color.
I took a quick shower and changed out of my smelly Pompeii clothes before going to dinner with a group of friends. We found a restaurant on the water and I enjoyed a plate of pesto and seafood gnocchi while watching the sun set. We finished the evening playing ping pong with some of the kids of the hotel staff.
Our trip to Ischia was a sort of Spring Break for the program, meant to be a relaxing distraction from the stress of our classes. In keeping with that theme we went to a spa on Friday called the Gardens of Poseidon. When we entered we were given a map and instructions as to the proper course of the many pools placed throughout the spa. We decided to follow the instructions and went in search of the first pool. Each successive pool is slightly warmer when you follow the correct order. The final pool had two types of water: water that was 15 degrees Celsius and hot water. According to the instructions you are supposed to submerge to your neck in the cold water for 15 seconds and then go into the hot water. Most of my friends weren't able to stay in the cold water for that long, but I was able to. To my surprise, it actually felt nice to go from the icy water to the hot water.
After we finished the course of the pools we all felt very relaxed and ready for lunch. I chose to eat an Ischia delicacy: rabbit. Oh my goodness was it tasty! I also enjoyed some fresh cherries. Italian cherries, or ciliegie, are huge and taste more like grapes than cherries. I can't get enough of them.
In the afternoon we went to the beach at Poseidon's Gardens. We all swam out to a rock that was shaped like a conch shell. It was a fairly long swim, but once there we climbed on the rock to bask in the sun before jumping off and swimming back to shore. I spent the remainder of the afternoon reading under a beach umbrella. By the time we needed to leave I was quite sleepy and sad to go.
I spent the evening eating dinner at a restaurant that Gainfranco recommended and walking around town. My friend Lindsey and I enjoyed exploring a small bookstore. We found some of our favorite books in Italian, including The Fault in Our Stars and Harry Potter. I know those books so well that I was able to understand some of the Italian when I opened them. We eventually returned to the hotel and played cards with some of the people on our trip. I slept very well that night.
In the morning many of us had plans to go cliff jumping, but unfortunately it started raining. Not wanting to waste the day we decided to tour Castello Aragonese, which is a castle on Ischia that has history going as far back as the fifth century B.C. The castle was enormous and we explored all of it that we could, despite the rain. By the time we finished touring and ate lunch, the rain was almost finished.
Once the rain was over I set off with some friends to go cliff jumping. Now, I say cliff jumping, but really we were swimming out to rocks, climbing them, and jumping off. It would be more accurate to call it rock jumping. The rock we chose to jump from had a white rope to help you climb onto it and a nice flat surface to jump from. Some of the guys with us, however, decided they wanted to climb higher on the rock and jump from there. They didn't think any of the girls would want to do it because the climb took a fair amount of upper body strength. After watching the boys climb up several times, I figured that I would be able to make it up there. I'm proud to say that I made it to the top no problem, right behind another girl who was with us.
When it was my turn to jump I had a hard time. I didn't mind the height, but when I stood I couldn't get myself comfortable near the edge. I didn't want to hurt myself by falling or not jumping far enough. Bryan, who had jumped the most, climbed up and helped me figure out how to place my feet. He described, in detail, how to jump safely and then demonstrated it for me. While I was still slightly terrified, I didn't want to have to climb back down, so I slowly stood, placed my feet, counted to three, and jumped. I landed in the water safely, very glad that I had actually jumped. While it was exciting, I am not sure that it's something I would ever need to do again.
That evening was the festival for Saint Anna, the patron saint of Ischia. The town was packed with people and every restaurant had a line to be seated. The culmination of the festival was a fireworks show that took place over the castle. I sat on the roof of our hotel with most of the group to watch. The fireworks weren't anything unique, but the effect of the smoke and the lights of the castle was spectacular. The castle lit up with red light, and through the smoke from the fireworks it looked as if it were on fire. The music set an eery mood that was simultaneously beautiful. When someone in the crowd below the castle released a floating lantern I couldn't help but think of the movie Tangled. I may have missed fireworks on the Fourth of July, but I got to see the equivalent on Ischia. It was a wonderful night and a perfect end to our weekend there.
Sunday morning we said our goodbyes to Ischia, boarded the fairy, and headed home to Rome. I had a marvelous time in Ischia, but once again I was glad to be back in Rome. Rome has become a home to me and the closer I get to leaving the more I want to stay. I still have places to go and things to see in Rome. I don't want to have to say goodbye to it. I only have a week and a half left here and I plan on making the most of it.
-Allison
My friends and I thought it would be funny to take a picture on a prostitute's bed in the brothel.
Nothing's happening to the mountain!
The Gardens of Poseidon
We swam to and climbed the rock in the background.
Ischia from Castello Aragonese
If you look closely you can see the white rope. I also jumped from the next highest flat place, between the rope and the tree.
The "burning" castle after the fireworks
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
The Trash Saga
The greatest part of doing a study abroad programming is experiencing living in a new place. One of the worst parts is trying to adjust to a different culture. Most of the transition to Italian life has gone well for me. I miss certain things about the U.S., such as air conditioning everywhere you go and peanut butter, but there are perks of being in Italy that make up for things I miss. Gelato, for example, is everywhere and I have been eating more of it than I should. Fresh fruit is cheaper and tastes better, and my legs are in great shape from all the walking.
One aspect of Italian life that I will not miss and have had the most trouble adjusting to is the trash schedule. Recycling is very important here, and recyclables need to be sorted and put out in different trash bags on different days. Glass, plastic, and metal goes in one bag. Paper and cardboard goes in another. Organic waste has a different bag from all other non-recyclable materials. It should be a simple matter of sorting as you throw things away and then remembering what goes down on which day. If only it were that simple.
I expected that there would be an awkward period learning the trash schedule. What I didn't count on was that none of the instructions we were given seem to be correct. The company that owns our apartments put a binder full of instructions and useful information in each apartment. In it there is a schedule for the trash. However, above our trash cans in the kitchen there is another set of instructions for the garbage. This set is different from the one in the binder. My roommates and I discovered that the schedule in the kitchen was the correct one. That is, it was correct until last Thursday when apparently the trash schedule was changed. We didn't realize it at first, because we missed the instructions posted downstairs at the entrance to the building. Because we hadn't noticed we were putting the wrong trash outside for a few days. It wasn't picked up and then we had to carry it back upstairs where it sat, smelling pretty disgusting because of the lack of a.c., until I noticed the new instructions. (The instructions were always posted downstairs, so we hadn't realized they were any different.)
I think that we finally have the schedule down, but in the meantime I have had to carry trash up and down the stairs more times than I would like to admit. My roommates and I have started referring to the situation as the "Trash Saga" because every day we have some new story about taking out the trash. Sometimes it's a comment on whether the trash was picked up on time or whether we saw trash from anyone else in the building. (Sometimes I swear we are the only apartment to put out our trash.) Other times we have a story about our trash bags being cut open to determine if we have the right kind of garbage in there (it has happened, I promise). The other day someone actually came to our apartment to tell us we did something wrong with the trash.
I appreciate that the Italians want to recycle as much as possible, and we are trying to do it correctly. All of our mistakes have been due to misunderstandings, not laziness, as we have been checking the posted schedules (just not the correct ones apparently). Every other apartment has had no problems with their trash schedule as far as I can tell. My roommates and I laugh about it, but it's rather embarrassing that we can't seem to master what should be a simple task. I definitely have a new appreciation for the simplicity of taking out the garbage back home. I won't miss the crazy collection schedule when I am back in Florida, or the pressure of potential fines for putting out the trash at the wrong time of day. I think part of the issue is that I'm not used to living in an apartment, although I have to sort my recyclables in the dorms at UF.
Hopefully from now on there will be no more to add to the Trash Saga.
Allison
One aspect of Italian life that I will not miss and have had the most trouble adjusting to is the trash schedule. Recycling is very important here, and recyclables need to be sorted and put out in different trash bags on different days. Glass, plastic, and metal goes in one bag. Paper and cardboard goes in another. Organic waste has a different bag from all other non-recyclable materials. It should be a simple matter of sorting as you throw things away and then remembering what goes down on which day. If only it were that simple.
I expected that there would be an awkward period learning the trash schedule. What I didn't count on was that none of the instructions we were given seem to be correct. The company that owns our apartments put a binder full of instructions and useful information in each apartment. In it there is a schedule for the trash. However, above our trash cans in the kitchen there is another set of instructions for the garbage. This set is different from the one in the binder. My roommates and I discovered that the schedule in the kitchen was the correct one. That is, it was correct until last Thursday when apparently the trash schedule was changed. We didn't realize it at first, because we missed the instructions posted downstairs at the entrance to the building. Because we hadn't noticed we were putting the wrong trash outside for a few days. It wasn't picked up and then we had to carry it back upstairs where it sat, smelling pretty disgusting because of the lack of a.c., until I noticed the new instructions. (The instructions were always posted downstairs, so we hadn't realized they were any different.)
I think that we finally have the schedule down, but in the meantime I have had to carry trash up and down the stairs more times than I would like to admit. My roommates and I have started referring to the situation as the "Trash Saga" because every day we have some new story about taking out the trash. Sometimes it's a comment on whether the trash was picked up on time or whether we saw trash from anyone else in the building. (Sometimes I swear we are the only apartment to put out our trash.) Other times we have a story about our trash bags being cut open to determine if we have the right kind of garbage in there (it has happened, I promise). The other day someone actually came to our apartment to tell us we did something wrong with the trash.
I appreciate that the Italians want to recycle as much as possible, and we are trying to do it correctly. All of our mistakes have been due to misunderstandings, not laziness, as we have been checking the posted schedules (just not the correct ones apparently). Every other apartment has had no problems with their trash schedule as far as I can tell. My roommates and I laugh about it, but it's rather embarrassing that we can't seem to master what should be a simple task. I definitely have a new appreciation for the simplicity of taking out the garbage back home. I won't miss the crazy collection schedule when I am back in Florida, or the pressure of potential fines for putting out the trash at the wrong time of day. I think part of the issue is that I'm not used to living in an apartment, although I have to sort my recyclables in the dorms at UF.
Hopefully from now on there will be no more to add to the Trash Saga.
Allison
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Week Three: The Vatican, The Beach, and Catacombs
I am now halfway through my study abroad trip. I have seen and done so much that it feels like I have been here much longer than three weeks. It's been a crazy busy week filled with a trip to Vatican City, an Italian exam, daily class excursions, a trip to the beach at Ostia, and a trip to the catacombs.
On Tuesday we went on a trip to the Vatican City Museum and Saint Peter's Basilica. My roommates and I decided to walk to the museum instead of taking a cab. It was a good thing we allowed a lot of time to get there because it took us 45 minutes and several stops for directions to get there. (The two most important Italian words I have learned are "dove," meaning "where," and "grazie," meaning "thank-you.") It was a nice walk, despite the distance because we got to walk along the Tiber River.
Once in the museum we received headsets so we could hear our tour guide. She took us to a courtyard where I got to see a giant sculpture of Augustus' head as well as a bronze sculpture that was a gift to Saint John Paul II. Our guide told us all about the Sistine Chapel and explained why we can't take pictures in there. Apparently when the Sistine Chapel needed to be cleaned the Vatican received the funding from Japanese television companies who to this day own all video and photographic rights for the chapel. From there we started to walk through some of the galleries. The Vatican Museum is enormous, and there are always some exhibits closed for restorations.
We saw many works of art from the classical period. I was able to see my favorite classical sculpture, which depicts the priest Laocoon and his sons as they are being attacked by a sea monster. The scene it depicts is from the Aeneid, which I studied senior year of high school as well as this past spring. Everything in the museum was beautiful, from the mosaic floors to the painted ceilings that looked three-dimensional. I loved seeing the classical art preserved in the same building as Christian works of art. It was a reminder that despite different beliefs, everyone appreciates beautiful things. Preserving the past of other cultures is much better than simply destroying anything that represents something different from us.
Our tour of the museum ended in the Sistine Chapel. I wish that I could have taken pictures, but even then there is no way to capture the magnificence of the paintings. I can't imagine the amount of work that Michelangelo put into that masterpiece. The ceiling has the power to make you feel so insignificant as you try in vain to see the whole of it at once. The Sistine Chapel was so captivating that I didn't even notice the crowds that normally would have made me uncomfortable.
From there we went to Saint Peter's Basilica. Saint Peter's is a work of art, and a very large one at that. The building is enormous and is elaborately decorated with mosaics composed of tiny pieces of stone. After seeing the inside, we were able to climb the dome on top of the basilica. Some of the group opted to take an elevator part of the way up, but I wanted to climb all of the stairs, despite the fact that I was wearing a maxi dress. The climb was totally worth it as the view from the top is spectacular. I could see all of Rome, including some of the sites I have been to on my class excursions. It made me appreciate living in Rome even more because I get to explore the city I was seeing from high up on the dome.
I don't have any classes on Friday and there was no planned excursion for this weekend, so on Friday I decided to go to the beach with some of my friends. We caught a bus to the metro station in the morning, and from there we caught a train to Ostia. Ostia was the port of Rome in ancient times, and I hope to be able to make a trip to Ostia Antica before leaving Rome. The beach at Ostia was beautiful, but the sand was unbearably hot. I felt like I was burning my feet when I would dash from my beach towel to the cold water. I alternated between cooling off in the water and reading a book in the hot sun while laying on my beach towel. I made sure to apply sunscreen every hour and I managed to avoid getting badly sunburnt despite being out there for a few hours.
A friend who has been to Rome before recommended to me that I visit the catacombs, and others on the trip had been wanting to visit them, so on Saturday a group of us went to the Catacombs of Priscilla. Priscilla was a noblewoman who converted to Christianity and donated her home to the Christians to be used as a burial site. Thousands of Christians were buried there from the 2nd to 5th centuries. The catacombs were carved out of volcanic rock that is radioactive, so we were limited to 30 minutes on our tour. Most of the bodies have decayed to dust by now and most of the remaining bones have been removed since the tombs were vandalized for the marble after the rediscovery of the catacombs.
The catacombs were rather creepy and smelled awful, and I felt like I was intruding on people's final resting place, even though most of the bodies are gone. Nevertheless it was an interesting experience. The catacombs contained several frescoes that are still visible. One of the images is the oldest depiction of the Virgin Mary, which is dated to around 220 a.d. Other images were of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the Three Wise Men visiting baby Jesus. I was very glad I made the trip to the catacombs, as I got to see something that not many people who visit Rome get to see.
This week I have two midterm exams for which I have spent all of today studying. This weekend, however, I get to travel to Pompeii! I have been looking forward to visiting Pompeii all summer, so be on the lookout for a lengthy post about my experiences there.
Until then,
Allison
On Tuesday we went on a trip to the Vatican City Museum and Saint Peter's Basilica. My roommates and I decided to walk to the museum instead of taking a cab. It was a good thing we allowed a lot of time to get there because it took us 45 minutes and several stops for directions to get there. (The two most important Italian words I have learned are "dove," meaning "where," and "grazie," meaning "thank-you.") It was a nice walk, despite the distance because we got to walk along the Tiber River.
Once in the museum we received headsets so we could hear our tour guide. She took us to a courtyard where I got to see a giant sculpture of Augustus' head as well as a bronze sculpture that was a gift to Saint John Paul II. Our guide told us all about the Sistine Chapel and explained why we can't take pictures in there. Apparently when the Sistine Chapel needed to be cleaned the Vatican received the funding from Japanese television companies who to this day own all video and photographic rights for the chapel. From there we started to walk through some of the galleries. The Vatican Museum is enormous, and there are always some exhibits closed for restorations.
We saw many works of art from the classical period. I was able to see my favorite classical sculpture, which depicts the priest Laocoon and his sons as they are being attacked by a sea monster. The scene it depicts is from the Aeneid, which I studied senior year of high school as well as this past spring. Everything in the museum was beautiful, from the mosaic floors to the painted ceilings that looked three-dimensional. I loved seeing the classical art preserved in the same building as Christian works of art. It was a reminder that despite different beliefs, everyone appreciates beautiful things. Preserving the past of other cultures is much better than simply destroying anything that represents something different from us.
Our tour of the museum ended in the Sistine Chapel. I wish that I could have taken pictures, but even then there is no way to capture the magnificence of the paintings. I can't imagine the amount of work that Michelangelo put into that masterpiece. The ceiling has the power to make you feel so insignificant as you try in vain to see the whole of it at once. The Sistine Chapel was so captivating that I didn't even notice the crowds that normally would have made me uncomfortable.
From there we went to Saint Peter's Basilica. Saint Peter's is a work of art, and a very large one at that. The building is enormous and is elaborately decorated with mosaics composed of tiny pieces of stone. After seeing the inside, we were able to climb the dome on top of the basilica. Some of the group opted to take an elevator part of the way up, but I wanted to climb all of the stairs, despite the fact that I was wearing a maxi dress. The climb was totally worth it as the view from the top is spectacular. I could see all of Rome, including some of the sites I have been to on my class excursions. It made me appreciate living in Rome even more because I get to explore the city I was seeing from high up on the dome.
I don't have any classes on Friday and there was no planned excursion for this weekend, so on Friday I decided to go to the beach with some of my friends. We caught a bus to the metro station in the morning, and from there we caught a train to Ostia. Ostia was the port of Rome in ancient times, and I hope to be able to make a trip to Ostia Antica before leaving Rome. The beach at Ostia was beautiful, but the sand was unbearably hot. I felt like I was burning my feet when I would dash from my beach towel to the cold water. I alternated between cooling off in the water and reading a book in the hot sun while laying on my beach towel. I made sure to apply sunscreen every hour and I managed to avoid getting badly sunburnt despite being out there for a few hours.
A friend who has been to Rome before recommended to me that I visit the catacombs, and others on the trip had been wanting to visit them, so on Saturday a group of us went to the Catacombs of Priscilla. Priscilla was a noblewoman who converted to Christianity and donated her home to the Christians to be used as a burial site. Thousands of Christians were buried there from the 2nd to 5th centuries. The catacombs were carved out of volcanic rock that is radioactive, so we were limited to 30 minutes on our tour. Most of the bodies have decayed to dust by now and most of the remaining bones have been removed since the tombs were vandalized for the marble after the rediscovery of the catacombs.
The catacombs were rather creepy and smelled awful, and I felt like I was intruding on people's final resting place, even though most of the bodies are gone. Nevertheless it was an interesting experience. The catacombs contained several frescoes that are still visible. One of the images is the oldest depiction of the Virgin Mary, which is dated to around 220 a.d. Other images were of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and the Three Wise Men visiting baby Jesus. I was very glad I made the trip to the catacombs, as I got to see something that not many people who visit Rome get to see.
This week I have two midterm exams for which I have spent all of today studying. This weekend, however, I get to travel to Pompeii! I have been looking forward to visiting Pompeii all summer, so be on the lookout for a lengthy post about my experiences there.
Until then,
Allison
Laocoon and his sons being attacked by a sea serpent
I had to fight my way through a crowd of other tourists to get this picture.
St. Peter's Basilica
On top of the dome
I took off my shoulder wrap after the lengthy (and hot) climb.
The beach we went to in Ostia
Monday, July 14, 2014
Florence
Ciao!
This weekend I traveled to the charming Tuscan city of Florence. The entire group caught a train from Rome early Friday morning. It was a much shorter train ride than the one to Venice (1.5 hours versus almost 4). Once there we walked to our hotel to drop our bags off before heading to the Uffizi Gallery.
The Uffizi was once an office building for the powerful Medici family, who effectively started the Renaissance. The gallery contained many impressive works of art, including busts of all of the Roman emperors, Leonardo DaVinci's first painting, and Botticelli's Birth of Venus (which I have discussed in several of my classics courses). The museum was spectacular, even for someone who has never studied art.
After the Uffizi we were given time to eat lunch and relax. I opted for a gelato lunch (rum raisin and blackberry-yum!) before exploring the leather market in Florence. I was mesmerized by the maze of stalls containing leather purses, wallets, and belts of every style and color imaginable. There were also stalls containing stunning silk scarves in a myriad of patterns. The smell of leather was everywhere, putting the finishing touches on the market atmosphere.
When I had seen my fill of leather, Lindsey and I went back to our hotel to move our bags into our room and freshen up. I say hotel, but really the place we were staying was a converted castle, complete with a tower. It was very rustic, with uniquely shaped and furnished rooms and giant tassels on the room keys that had to be left at the desk when you went out. We didn't have time to explore the hotel, however, as we needed to meet the group to go to the Accademia Gallery.
The Accademia is better known as the home of Michelangelo's David. Although we saw other works of art there, including some other Michelangelo pieces, the majority of our time was spent looking at David. He was huge, and beautiful, and looked almost alive, especially his eyes. His pupils are heart-shaped instead of round, which makes his eyes appear to exhibit many different emotions depending on what you think you see, which makes them look more life-like. David is remarkably well-preserved, and I hope he will remain that way for many generations to come. I understand why he is such an important work of art; he really is very impressive.
After the Accademia we were given free time to explore and shop. I opted to explore while shopping, and returned to the leather market to do so. I also found the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence, and the Duomo and Campanile, both of which visitors can climb to get a spectacular view of the city. I climbed neither on Friday, and instead returned to the hotel to climb the tower there. I was breathless at the view of the city. I could see the Duomo, the Campanile, the clock tower near the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio, and basically all of Florence from the comfort of my hotel. It was absolutely mesmerizing. It was cooler than normal for July, and there was a steady breeze, so it felt like I was higher up than I really was. Florence is such a charming little city, with so much history and art. I fell in love with Florence on top of that tower.
That night we had a group dinner. I got to eat wild boar, which is a Tuscan specialty, and ate so much food because it all tasted heavenly. Afterwards I went to an Irish pub near the Duomo with some friends to finish the long, but exciting day.
Saturday began with a tour of two churches in Florence. The first, Santa Maria Novella, is home to the first painting by Michelangelo that he did when he was seven years old. The painting is part of a fantastic mural behind the altar. The second church, Santa Croce, contains the tombs of many famous people, including Michelangelo, Galileo, and Nicholas Machiavelli. It was quietly serene, but slightly creepy, as we were walking on people's tombs. We finished the morning with gelato near Santa Croce. I enjoyed my amaretto and coconut gelato, which I have decided are two of my favorite flavors.
Saturday afternoon was all free time. I went with a group of people a sandwich shop that is supposed to have the best sandwiches in Florence. I didn't get one, but they were huge-about the size of a person's face-and were full of fresh ingredients. All of my friends thoroughly enjoyed their sandwiches, so I guess the reputation is well-deserved. We then went and bought tickets to climb the bell tower (the Campanile). I really wanted to climb the Cupola of the dome, but the line was too long and I already had plans to go to Pisa afterward. I don't regret climbing the Campanile; it was an amazing view of Florence and I got a nice workout climbing the 414 steps (even though I only counted 412). I took a ton of pictures from the top, including a picture of the tower on our hotel that I was able to pick out even from that high up. In the distance we could see a line of storms heading toward Florence, and several times I saw lightning strike in the distance.
Once our feet were back on solid ground (and our legs stopped shaking from the stairs), Lindsey and I headed to the train station to catch a train to Pisa, which is about 50 minutes away from Florence. We bought our tickets with no problem, but had a hard time finding the train since it was in a side terminal. When we finally found it we weren't sure how to properly validate our ticket. We were all worked up because the train was supposed to leave soon when we finally got the tickets validated and found seats. We were on board in plenty of time, and I managed to catch a 50 minute nap while on board.
Lindsey and I erroneously thought that the tower would be right near the train station. Fortunately Pisa is a tiny little town and we found the Leaning Tower of Pisa with no problem. We took pictures, including a Gator Chomp pose, and several bad attempts at "holding up" the tower. By then it was dinner time so we got pizza in Pisa before catching a train back to Florence. As it turns out, we were lucky we left when we did. Less than an hour after our train left the trains went on strike and another group of students from our study abroad group was stranded in Pisa. Luckily they were able to get internet access to contact other members of the group, who found out there were buses from the airport in Pisa to the Florence train station. The stranded students made it back to Florence that night in one piece and with a great story to tell their friends and family back home.
That night I went up to the tower of the hotel and sat talking with a group of people on the trip. Florence is even more beautiful at night, with the moon shining over the red tile roofs of the city. It was so peaceful up there that I almost didn't want to leave to go to sleep.
The next morning we said goodbye to Florence and boarded a charter bus to Chianti. We toured the Castello di Verrazzano winery. The castle is the birthplace of Giovanni da Verrazzono, who explored the bay of New York and is the namesake for the Verrazzono Narrows Bridge. After the tour we got a lesson in wine tasting before eating yet another large and delicious meal. I particularly enjoyed dessert because I got to try another Tuscan delicacy: vino santo. Vino santo is basically biscotti dipped in a sweet wine. After lunch we spent a few minutes looking out at the Tuscan countryside. We were high on a mountain, so we had a great view of the vineyards below us and the surrounding land. It was another breathtaking view, and I could have spent forever looking out over the peaceful hills, but we had to get back on the bus to return to the train station.
We caught our train home and although I loved Florence, I was glad to be returning to Rome. I enjoyed the beauty and renaissance history of Florence, but I know much more about the history of Rome. Rome has become my home for the time being, and I'm starting to get more familiar with it. I'm looking forward to visiting the Vatican and St. Peter's tomorrow, as well as all of the almost daily excursions in my Ancient Rome class.
-Allison
This weekend I traveled to the charming Tuscan city of Florence. The entire group caught a train from Rome early Friday morning. It was a much shorter train ride than the one to Venice (1.5 hours versus almost 4). Once there we walked to our hotel to drop our bags off before heading to the Uffizi Gallery.
The Uffizi was once an office building for the powerful Medici family, who effectively started the Renaissance. The gallery contained many impressive works of art, including busts of all of the Roman emperors, Leonardo DaVinci's first painting, and Botticelli's Birth of Venus (which I have discussed in several of my classics courses). The museum was spectacular, even for someone who has never studied art.
After the Uffizi we were given time to eat lunch and relax. I opted for a gelato lunch (rum raisin and blackberry-yum!) before exploring the leather market in Florence. I was mesmerized by the maze of stalls containing leather purses, wallets, and belts of every style and color imaginable. There were also stalls containing stunning silk scarves in a myriad of patterns. The smell of leather was everywhere, putting the finishing touches on the market atmosphere.
When I had seen my fill of leather, Lindsey and I went back to our hotel to move our bags into our room and freshen up. I say hotel, but really the place we were staying was a converted castle, complete with a tower. It was very rustic, with uniquely shaped and furnished rooms and giant tassels on the room keys that had to be left at the desk when you went out. We didn't have time to explore the hotel, however, as we needed to meet the group to go to the Accademia Gallery.
The Accademia is better known as the home of Michelangelo's David. Although we saw other works of art there, including some other Michelangelo pieces, the majority of our time was spent looking at David. He was huge, and beautiful, and looked almost alive, especially his eyes. His pupils are heart-shaped instead of round, which makes his eyes appear to exhibit many different emotions depending on what you think you see, which makes them look more life-like. David is remarkably well-preserved, and I hope he will remain that way for many generations to come. I understand why he is such an important work of art; he really is very impressive.
After the Accademia we were given free time to explore and shop. I opted to explore while shopping, and returned to the leather market to do so. I also found the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in Florence, and the Duomo and Campanile, both of which visitors can climb to get a spectacular view of the city. I climbed neither on Friday, and instead returned to the hotel to climb the tower there. I was breathless at the view of the city. I could see the Duomo, the Campanile, the clock tower near the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio, and basically all of Florence from the comfort of my hotel. It was absolutely mesmerizing. It was cooler than normal for July, and there was a steady breeze, so it felt like I was higher up than I really was. Florence is such a charming little city, with so much history and art. I fell in love with Florence on top of that tower.
That night we had a group dinner. I got to eat wild boar, which is a Tuscan specialty, and ate so much food because it all tasted heavenly. Afterwards I went to an Irish pub near the Duomo with some friends to finish the long, but exciting day.
Saturday began with a tour of two churches in Florence. The first, Santa Maria Novella, is home to the first painting by Michelangelo that he did when he was seven years old. The painting is part of a fantastic mural behind the altar. The second church, Santa Croce, contains the tombs of many famous people, including Michelangelo, Galileo, and Nicholas Machiavelli. It was quietly serene, but slightly creepy, as we were walking on people's tombs. We finished the morning with gelato near Santa Croce. I enjoyed my amaretto and coconut gelato, which I have decided are two of my favorite flavors.
Saturday afternoon was all free time. I went with a group of people a sandwich shop that is supposed to have the best sandwiches in Florence. I didn't get one, but they were huge-about the size of a person's face-and were full of fresh ingredients. All of my friends thoroughly enjoyed their sandwiches, so I guess the reputation is well-deserved. We then went and bought tickets to climb the bell tower (the Campanile). I really wanted to climb the Cupola of the dome, but the line was too long and I already had plans to go to Pisa afterward. I don't regret climbing the Campanile; it was an amazing view of Florence and I got a nice workout climbing the 414 steps (even though I only counted 412). I took a ton of pictures from the top, including a picture of the tower on our hotel that I was able to pick out even from that high up. In the distance we could see a line of storms heading toward Florence, and several times I saw lightning strike in the distance.
Once our feet were back on solid ground (and our legs stopped shaking from the stairs), Lindsey and I headed to the train station to catch a train to Pisa, which is about 50 minutes away from Florence. We bought our tickets with no problem, but had a hard time finding the train since it was in a side terminal. When we finally found it we weren't sure how to properly validate our ticket. We were all worked up because the train was supposed to leave soon when we finally got the tickets validated and found seats. We were on board in plenty of time, and I managed to catch a 50 minute nap while on board.
Lindsey and I erroneously thought that the tower would be right near the train station. Fortunately Pisa is a tiny little town and we found the Leaning Tower of Pisa with no problem. We took pictures, including a Gator Chomp pose, and several bad attempts at "holding up" the tower. By then it was dinner time so we got pizza in Pisa before catching a train back to Florence. As it turns out, we were lucky we left when we did. Less than an hour after our train left the trains went on strike and another group of students from our study abroad group was stranded in Pisa. Luckily they were able to get internet access to contact other members of the group, who found out there were buses from the airport in Pisa to the Florence train station. The stranded students made it back to Florence that night in one piece and with a great story to tell their friends and family back home.
That night I went up to the tower of the hotel and sat talking with a group of people on the trip. Florence is even more beautiful at night, with the moon shining over the red tile roofs of the city. It was so peaceful up there that I almost didn't want to leave to go to sleep.
The next morning we said goodbye to Florence and boarded a charter bus to Chianti. We toured the Castello di Verrazzano winery. The castle is the birthplace of Giovanni da Verrazzono, who explored the bay of New York and is the namesake for the Verrazzono Narrows Bridge. After the tour we got a lesson in wine tasting before eating yet another large and delicious meal. I particularly enjoyed dessert because I got to try another Tuscan delicacy: vino santo. Vino santo is basically biscotti dipped in a sweet wine. After lunch we spent a few minutes looking out at the Tuscan countryside. We were high on a mountain, so we had a great view of the vineyards below us and the surrounding land. It was another breathtaking view, and I could have spent forever looking out over the peaceful hills, but we had to get back on the bus to return to the train station.
We caught our train home and although I loved Florence, I was glad to be returning to Rome. I enjoyed the beauty and renaissance history of Florence, but I know much more about the history of Rome. Rome has become my home for the time being, and I'm starting to get more familiar with it. I'm looking forward to visiting the Vatican and St. Peter's tomorrow, as well as all of the almost daily excursions in my Ancient Rome class.
-Allison
The David
If you look closely you can see his heart pupils.
The Ponte Vecchio
The Duomo and the Campanile, as seen from the tower of the hotel.
On top of the Campanile
The tower of the hotel, as seen from the top of the Campanile.
Doing the Gator Chomp in Pisa
Castello di Verrazzano
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Exploring Rome: The Colosseum and the Forum
Earlier this week I was able to visit two places I have been dying to see for years: the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Both are within walking distance of the classroom building (which I have come to realize is in the perfect location as everything is within walking distance of it).
On Monday the group walked to the Colosseum in the afternoon. I walk pretty quickly, and I had trouble keeping up with Sherrie and Dr. Rea, who were worried we would miss our appointment time at the Colosseum. We wove in and out of groups of people at a brisk pace all the way from the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (commonly referred to as the "Wedding Cake") up the street to the Colosseum. I could see it all the way down the street, and gradually more and more of it came into view. From my perspective the left half of it was covered in scaffolding, which is the part of the Colosseum that is the tallest and most intact. Once the group caught our breathe we listened to Dr. Rea as she explained the origins of the Colosseum to us. She also described the Arch of Constantine that was directly behind her as she spoke.
We then entered the Colosseum, which I think is aptly named as it is enormous even in its relatively dilapidated state. We climbed a set of steep stairs to the upper level, where we looked out at what remains of the stadium floor. I tried to imagine how impressive it would have looked back when it was first built, with the floor complete and covered in sand, white marble covering much of the stone, and retractable awnings to provide shade for those in attendance. I wish that it still looked as it did then because I am not sure I can truly imagine how magnificent it was. I was awed by the experience, and grateful that we still have the Colosseum as a testament to the achievements of the ancient Romans.
Tuesday afternoon we visited the Roman Forum, which is right next to the Colosseum. Whenever I heard about the Forum as it is today I pictured a flat, dusty rectangle with a few columns and the footprints of some buildings. What is actually there is much more complex. The ground is far from flat as much of the Forum was built on the Capitoline hill. While almost everything there is in ruins (with the exception of a few temples that were converted into churches) archeologists have unearthed many remnants of temples that are still identifiable as buildings. We saw the house of the Vestal Virgins, the Law Courts, and the Rostra, where orators would stand and speak (or have their heads and hands displayed after their deaths, as in the case of Cicero). I wrote down in my notebook as many descriptions and names of the sites as I could, but there was so much there to see that I know I missed some. I took a bunch of pictures, though, so that I can at least remember what everything looked like.
We also got to climb the Palatine Hill and see the remnants of the supposed Village of Romulus. We walked through the remains of the Imperial Palace, which was so incomprehensibly large that I have no idea how the Romans built it. As with the Colosseum, my mind is incapable of picturing the ruins as they used to be, even though much of it remains. The President of the United States lives in a shack in comparison, that is how large the palace was. Unfortunately we weren't able to go into the Palatine Museum because it is closed for renovations for Augustus' 2000 birthday.
It was a long, tiring afternoon and I forgot my sunscreen, but the weather was cooler than is usual for July and there was a nice breeze most of the time. I find the ruins to be beautiful, especially since they are what remains of buildings that truly were beautiful once upon a time. I enjoyed my afternoons walking where the Romans walked, imagining what they would have seen. I am so lucky to be able to spend the next few weeks continuing to explore ancient sites and living in the heart of Rome.
This weekend I am off to Florence with the entire group. I'll return to Rome on Sunday, with a post about the weekend to come shortly thereafter.
-Allison
On Monday the group walked to the Colosseum in the afternoon. I walk pretty quickly, and I had trouble keeping up with Sherrie and Dr. Rea, who were worried we would miss our appointment time at the Colosseum. We wove in and out of groups of people at a brisk pace all the way from the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (commonly referred to as the "Wedding Cake") up the street to the Colosseum. I could see it all the way down the street, and gradually more and more of it came into view. From my perspective the left half of it was covered in scaffolding, which is the part of the Colosseum that is the tallest and most intact. Once the group caught our breathe we listened to Dr. Rea as she explained the origins of the Colosseum to us. She also described the Arch of Constantine that was directly behind her as she spoke.
We then entered the Colosseum, which I think is aptly named as it is enormous even in its relatively dilapidated state. We climbed a set of steep stairs to the upper level, where we looked out at what remains of the stadium floor. I tried to imagine how impressive it would have looked back when it was first built, with the floor complete and covered in sand, white marble covering much of the stone, and retractable awnings to provide shade for those in attendance. I wish that it still looked as it did then because I am not sure I can truly imagine how magnificent it was. I was awed by the experience, and grateful that we still have the Colosseum as a testament to the achievements of the ancient Romans.
Tuesday afternoon we visited the Roman Forum, which is right next to the Colosseum. Whenever I heard about the Forum as it is today I pictured a flat, dusty rectangle with a few columns and the footprints of some buildings. What is actually there is much more complex. The ground is far from flat as much of the Forum was built on the Capitoline hill. While almost everything there is in ruins (with the exception of a few temples that were converted into churches) archeologists have unearthed many remnants of temples that are still identifiable as buildings. We saw the house of the Vestal Virgins, the Law Courts, and the Rostra, where orators would stand and speak (or have their heads and hands displayed after their deaths, as in the case of Cicero). I wrote down in my notebook as many descriptions and names of the sites as I could, but there was so much there to see that I know I missed some. I took a bunch of pictures, though, so that I can at least remember what everything looked like.
We also got to climb the Palatine Hill and see the remnants of the supposed Village of Romulus. We walked through the remains of the Imperial Palace, which was so incomprehensibly large that I have no idea how the Romans built it. As with the Colosseum, my mind is incapable of picturing the ruins as they used to be, even though much of it remains. The President of the United States lives in a shack in comparison, that is how large the palace was. Unfortunately we weren't able to go into the Palatine Museum because it is closed for renovations for Augustus' 2000 birthday.
It was a long, tiring afternoon and I forgot my sunscreen, but the weather was cooler than is usual for July and there was a nice breeze most of the time. I find the ruins to be beautiful, especially since they are what remains of buildings that truly were beautiful once upon a time. I enjoyed my afternoons walking where the Romans walked, imagining what they would have seen. I am so lucky to be able to spend the next few weeks continuing to explore ancient sites and living in the heart of Rome.
This weekend I am off to Florence with the entire group. I'll return to Rome on Sunday, with a post about the weekend to come shortly thereafter.
-Allison
Inside the Colosseum
View of the outside of the Colosseum
The Arch of Constantine
View of the Roman Forum from on the Palatine Hill
Domitian's Stadium, part of the Imperial Palace complex
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