Thank god for free wifi...
Spring break started on Friday for me with Laura and I taking a very long train to Rome. We were flying out of Rome to Athens the following morning. Now, I am a big fan of airports because of the natural order and flow that comes with transportation of that magnitude. Terminal 2 of Rome's airport is not like this at all. So instead of a relaxing 10-hour wait in the airport, which I was a big supporter of, we found that to stay in the terminal all night would be a really dumb idea. Oops. We checked into a Hilton for the night, which wasn't as expensive as I thought it was going to be.
Flash forward to Athens. I've long been told to not expect anything from Athens, the modern city. In fact, most travel guides suggest staying at a hotel in Plaka, the downtown historic area, despite high costs. We stayed at a cheap (25 Euro per each) Best Western for the night a little ways outside of the center. We were by the National Archeological Museum, which boasts the title of best museum in Athens (mind you we walked through a homeless ridden, poop-filled, and generally shifty park to get to it). And the museum is rather extensive, although we were ushered out promptly at 3 because it was closing. I took some photographs of bronze work, so that was neat.
Dinner in Plaka, a 5 minute metro ride away, was delicious. I had lamb and rice pilaf; Laura had an exceptional Greek salad: we split a side of roasted potatoes. Plus baklavah and authentic Greek wine (which I absolutely love). We then strolled around the area for a bit.
This morning we went to the ruins. If Athens has any redeeming quality, it's the ruins. The walk up is gorgeous, and once at the top there are the Parthenon, a temple devoted to Athena and Poseidon, and some other things that I can't remember the names of. And it's free. And it was great weather. And we saw after that the Temple of Zeus, Hadrian's Arch, the stadium, and ancient Agora! So that was pretty neat.
Now we're in the airport waiting for our flight to... Santorini! Time for some relaxing pool/beach time (weather premitting), long island walks, and lots of good food! Will I transform into an old lady on a holiday to the Greek isles? You freaking betcha' I'm putting on my straw sun hat as I type...
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Sunday, March 13, 2011
17: Being a Jew, Rain, David, and Wine
My parents arrived yesterday for the week to visit! And while I am ecstatic that I get to show Florence to them, I'm overwhelmed by the stress of the situation; not only are they here, but it's midterms week and I find that I have a lot of studying to do (something I'm not used to being a design major and consequently having project due at the midterm rather than examinations). But this is a one-time deal, I think, and I'm going to make the most of it :)
Today the rain started off soft and sparse only to collect heavier around noon, then it kind of lingered for a bit. During this time we walked to the Great Synagog of Florence, something I'd been meaning to see but never got around to beforehand. For starters, the synagog is impressive and a description plaque outside explains that instead of hiding that the building is a place for Jewish worship, the architect, designer, and commissioner wanted to showcase the Judaism of it. It's also pink and white striped, which is always dig-able in my book. Inside there is moorish geometric painted walls, with Stars of David placed in the windows and floors. Once inside the place of worship men have to wear a kippah. My brother looks ridiculous in his yellow leather one, while I looked pretty snazzy in my crimson checkered one. I hadn't been in a synagog in a very long time, not since middle school when I stopped attending Sunday School at Temple Shalom. With the constant and ever present Jesus and the Virgin, Christian art on top of more Christian art, it was kind of a relief to find some notable place that wasn't devoted to the Cross.
We then lunched at Ruth's Kosher and Vegetarian Restaurant. This is the place to go for the best falafel in Florence!
Afterwards I got us a little lost and over-shot my way to the Galleria d'Academia, where there are so many astounding paintings and sculptures, but the only real reason anybody visits this gallery is because of Michaelangelo's David. He's a big guy and a sculptural triumph. While most people were trying to sneak photographs or staring intently at his well-formed musculature (especially his incredibly executed legs), I was captivated by the realism of his hands. There are indications of tendons working to grasp the strap he is holding, the veining is sublet and controlled, the composition of both hands is anatomically flooring. And I got in for free with my student museum pass.
So after all that fun, I returned home to my apartment to study for my Exploration of Wine Culture in Italy, which I will do not so well on. 13 short answers, 2 essays, 1 wine-tasting. We have to know all facts and dates about Valle d'Aosta, Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Tuscany. Not to mention the general history of Italian viticulture.
Just thinking about it makes me need a glass!
Today the rain started off soft and sparse only to collect heavier around noon, then it kind of lingered for a bit. During this time we walked to the Great Synagog of Florence, something I'd been meaning to see but never got around to beforehand. For starters, the synagog is impressive and a description plaque outside explains that instead of hiding that the building is a place for Jewish worship, the architect, designer, and commissioner wanted to showcase the Judaism of it. It's also pink and white striped, which is always dig-able in my book. Inside there is moorish geometric painted walls, with Stars of David placed in the windows and floors. Once inside the place of worship men have to wear a kippah. My brother looks ridiculous in his yellow leather one, while I looked pretty snazzy in my crimson checkered one. I hadn't been in a synagog in a very long time, not since middle school when I stopped attending Sunday School at Temple Shalom. With the constant and ever present Jesus and the Virgin, Christian art on top of more Christian art, it was kind of a relief to find some notable place that wasn't devoted to the Cross.
We then lunched at Ruth's Kosher and Vegetarian Restaurant. This is the place to go for the best falafel in Florence!
Afterwards I got us a little lost and over-shot my way to the Galleria d'Academia, where there are so many astounding paintings and sculptures, but the only real reason anybody visits this gallery is because of Michaelangelo's David. He's a big guy and a sculptural triumph. While most people were trying to sneak photographs or staring intently at his well-formed musculature (especially his incredibly executed legs), I was captivated by the realism of his hands. There are indications of tendons working to grasp the strap he is holding, the veining is sublet and controlled, the composition of both hands is anatomically flooring. And I got in for free with my student museum pass.
So after all that fun, I returned home to my apartment to study for my Exploration of Wine Culture in Italy, which I will do not so well on. 13 short answers, 2 essays, 1 wine-tasting. We have to know all facts and dates about Valle d'Aosta, Piedmont, Lombardy, Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia, and Tuscany. Not to mention the general history of Italian viticulture.
Just thinking about it makes me need a glass!
Friday, March 11, 2011
16: Rome if you want to
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do," is a common phrase I've heard here in Italy. Actually it's been a shortened phrase in today's fast-and-loose vernacular to "When in Rome," and the rest is implied. I'm not sure what this means, really.
If Romans walk a lot, then I did as they did. If Romans take a lot of pictures of things, then I did as they did, too. When you're in Rome, I think, it's best to do as you'd do.
Things I like about Rome:
1. Everything
2. The metro system
3. The abundance of food places
4. Our hotel5. The way that the city is built
Things I dislike about Rome:
1. It's too big.
The city is a pretty spectacular thing to behold. Driving in you get a sense that this place is pretty cosmopolitan and connected to the rest of the world. There aren't a whole lot of, "oh, that's quaint" thoughts like you'd have when visiting places around Tuscany. In fact, Rome is sprawling. And not just an expanse of the once-empire-capital, the modern city sprouts up around all the ruins. At night, they are lit and there's some sort of Italian magic that works its way through you. So much, in fact, that even though you scoffed and mocked the numerous tourists throwing their coins into the Trevi Fountain during the day, passing by this illuminated wonder at night compels you to just give in.
As we were driving down one of the main streets, someone in the back of the bus gasped. I turned to see a partial view of The Colosseum lit in green at the end of the road.
Before the weekend trip I'd been warned countless times about the various schemes and pickpockets that lurk the streets, but I was surprised and relived to find that there were little to none of these characters about. It was possibly due to the rather blah weather, though. Walking around, and there was a lot of that, I never felt unsafe or targeted. There's a shyness about Rome that I didn't expect; as if the city knows of the various places and things that would make you gasp but doesn't want you to outright see them; you have to find your own "Rome" I think. Sort of a kin to the way that the Trevi Fountain isn't in a main piazza, but rather you navigate through a set of twisting side-streets to get to it (although there are signs that clearly mark the way). I liked Rome, a lot.
This brings me to Vatican City, which is part of Rome but not really...it's confusing to me, ergo not that important. Being a non-religious person I wanted to see the Vatican for the artistic reason; the architecture, the paintings, The Sistine Chapel. There were a lot of people packed into the chapel space, but even then I felt like I had enough room. Most people stare at the Creation of Adam panel, which I stood directly under, straining my neck upwards to see and feeling completely overwhelmed by how close those two fingertips are. But while the Creation of Adam panel brought a swell of tears to my eyes (yeah, I'm a nerd), it was the Cimmerian Sibyl that I stared at for a solid fifteen minutes. She was the part of the ceiling I'd waited to see.
Other sites I saw were The Pantheon, which would have been mind-blowing (considering Donatello's casket is there), but it was raining and cold and dark. The Roman Forum proved to have some really cool ruins. The Colosseum was pretty grand, despite it's shabby shape. The Capuchin Crypt/Bone Church was a really awesome idea, and then we got to it and I'll be honest, I was a little hungover, and looking at bones that are arranged into decorative patterns, with mummified remains propped into positions...it was fun in theory and maybe without the personal context.
We also went to Tivoli, which is carved into the side of a mountain. There is a villa there, Villa D'Este, which used to belong to a very prominent family. And in that villa is a garden that has over 800 natural fountains, springs, waterfalls, etc. Yeah, there's a lot of water in Rome and the surrounding areas. Arguably the best drinking-tap water I've had.
If Romans walk a lot, then I did as they did. If Romans take a lot of pictures of things, then I did as they did, too. When you're in Rome, I think, it's best to do as you'd do.
Things I like about Rome:
1. Everything
2. The metro system
3. The abundance of food places
4. Our hotel5. The way that the city is built
Things I dislike about Rome:
1. It's too big.
The city is a pretty spectacular thing to behold. Driving in you get a sense that this place is pretty cosmopolitan and connected to the rest of the world. There aren't a whole lot of, "oh, that's quaint" thoughts like you'd have when visiting places around Tuscany. In fact, Rome is sprawling. And not just an expanse of the once-empire-capital, the modern city sprouts up around all the ruins. At night, they are lit and there's some sort of Italian magic that works its way through you. So much, in fact, that even though you scoffed and mocked the numerous tourists throwing their coins into the Trevi Fountain during the day, passing by this illuminated wonder at night compels you to just give in.
As we were driving down one of the main streets, someone in the back of the bus gasped. I turned to see a partial view of The Colosseum lit in green at the end of the road.
Before the weekend trip I'd been warned countless times about the various schemes and pickpockets that lurk the streets, but I was surprised and relived to find that there were little to none of these characters about. It was possibly due to the rather blah weather, though. Walking around, and there was a lot of that, I never felt unsafe or targeted. There's a shyness about Rome that I didn't expect; as if the city knows of the various places and things that would make you gasp but doesn't want you to outright see them; you have to find your own "Rome" I think. Sort of a kin to the way that the Trevi Fountain isn't in a main piazza, but rather you navigate through a set of twisting side-streets to get to it (although there are signs that clearly mark the way). I liked Rome, a lot.
This brings me to Vatican City, which is part of Rome but not really...it's confusing to me, ergo not that important. Being a non-religious person I wanted to see the Vatican for the artistic reason; the architecture, the paintings, The Sistine Chapel. There were a lot of people packed into the chapel space, but even then I felt like I had enough room. Most people stare at the Creation of Adam panel, which I stood directly under, straining my neck upwards to see and feeling completely overwhelmed by how close those two fingertips are. But while the Creation of Adam panel brought a swell of tears to my eyes (yeah, I'm a nerd), it was the Cimmerian Sibyl that I stared at for a solid fifteen minutes. She was the part of the ceiling I'd waited to see.
Other sites I saw were The Pantheon, which would have been mind-blowing (considering Donatello's casket is there), but it was raining and cold and dark. The Roman Forum proved to have some really cool ruins. The Colosseum was pretty grand, despite it's shabby shape. The Capuchin Crypt/Bone Church was a really awesome idea, and then we got to it and I'll be honest, I was a little hungover, and looking at bones that are arranged into decorative patterns, with mummified remains propped into positions...it was fun in theory and maybe without the personal context.
We also went to Tivoli, which is carved into the side of a mountain. There is a villa there, Villa D'Este, which used to belong to a very prominent family. And in that villa is a garden that has over 800 natural fountains, springs, waterfalls, etc. Yeah, there's a lot of water in Rome and the surrounding areas. Arguably the best drinking-tap water I've had.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
15: so I'm in class...
I'm not sure where it comes from or how I even developed this trait, but I am so glad I am the way I am. Ha!
I'm sure this trait of mine comes from a mix of dad's reason and reliability and mom's will-power and timeliness. I'm sitting in class right now and we had one of our first projects due today; just a powerpoint presentation of a handbag design inspired by a country. Our presentation had to include our initial sketches and notes, an inspiration board, technical drawings of the handbag, a mock-up advertisement, information about a target market, and other material variations of the bag. I was assigned Scandinavia. Here's my inspiration board:
Anyway we were given more than a week to complete the project and because it was due today, I red-flagged that date. Why wouldn't you finish an assignment when it's due? The option to half-complete an assignment is, well, not an option for me. That goes against my rationale. Granted there have been times when a project hasn't been completed to the best of my ability or how I had envisioned it, but I got it done.
Nobody in my class was finished, except me. And consequently because people weren't finished, we spent our lecture time finishing the projects and now continuing onto our hat assignment, which means that during our lab hour time when we are supposed to work on the new projects and assignments, people continued to work on their handbag projects. Being done with it, I've been on my computer for 2.5 hours, enjoying the school's speedy wifi and wasting a lot of time....I could be doing laundry, or packing for Rome.
So, thank you, Mom and Dad, for instilling me with a combination-feeling of dread, regret, terror, and satisfaction which has driven me to always finish projects on-time.
I swear, some people....
Side note: Rome this weekend! So. Freaking. Pumped.
I'm sure this trait of mine comes from a mix of dad's reason and reliability and mom's will-power and timeliness. I'm sitting in class right now and we had one of our first projects due today; just a powerpoint presentation of a handbag design inspired by a country. Our presentation had to include our initial sketches and notes, an inspiration board, technical drawings of the handbag, a mock-up advertisement, information about a target market, and other material variations of the bag. I was assigned Scandinavia. Here's my inspiration board:
Anyway we were given more than a week to complete the project and because it was due today, I red-flagged that date. Why wouldn't you finish an assignment when it's due? The option to half-complete an assignment is, well, not an option for me. That goes against my rationale. Granted there have been times when a project hasn't been completed to the best of my ability or how I had envisioned it, but I got it done.
Nobody in my class was finished, except me. And consequently because people weren't finished, we spent our lecture time finishing the projects and now continuing onto our hat assignment, which means that during our lab hour time when we are supposed to work on the new projects and assignments, people continued to work on their handbag projects. Being done with it, I've been on my computer for 2.5 hours, enjoying the school's speedy wifi and wasting a lot of time....I could be doing laundry, or packing for Rome.
So, thank you, Mom and Dad, for instilling me with a combination-feeling of dread, regret, terror, and satisfaction which has driven me to always finish projects on-time.
I swear, some people....
Side note: Rome this weekend! So. Freaking. Pumped.
Monday, February 28, 2011
14: Venezia
I've been lead to believe that Venice is an extraordinary city, that the water is a mist light blue-green that laps against the buildings that disappear right into the lagoon; that the city is a sprawling example of Italian opulence, and each twisty and narrow street holds an incredible find.
Venice during Carnivale is not like that though.
I'm sure that if I were to return to Venice (and actually stay in the city, not outside of it) Saint Marks Square would be breathtaking, similarly I'm positive that the Rialto would be exciting and beautiful. When there are thousands of people crowded onto the islands that make up Venice, it's not so fun. At one point we were gridlocked in a crowd for an hour. Imagine traffic but without the cars and instead of honking there were people screaming. Also, I discovered I have a weird shaped face that's not suited for masks...
There were some high point, though, that made me possibly return (I'd sooner go back to Milan or Siena, though). We saw a glass blowing factory, even though our itinerary said we'd be visiting the Island of Morano where the glass blowing production really takes place. I had the best lasagna since being here at a restaurant one night.
So in conclusion: for those who want to see Venice, don't go during Carnivale. If you go during the weekend of The Oscars, stay home for The Oscars...
Photographs in the next post!
Venice during Carnivale is not like that though.
I'm sure that if I were to return to Venice (and actually stay in the city, not outside of it) Saint Marks Square would be breathtaking, similarly I'm positive that the Rialto would be exciting and beautiful. When there are thousands of people crowded onto the islands that make up Venice, it's not so fun. At one point we were gridlocked in a crowd for an hour. Imagine traffic but without the cars and instead of honking there were people screaming. Also, I discovered I have a weird shaped face that's not suited for masks...
There were some high point, though, that made me possibly return (I'd sooner go back to Milan or Siena, though). We saw a glass blowing factory, even though our itinerary said we'd be visiting the Island of Morano where the glass blowing production really takes place. I had the best lasagna since being here at a restaurant one night.
So in conclusion: for those who want to see Venice, don't go during Carnivale. If you go during the weekend of The Oscars, stay home for The Oscars...
Photographs in the next post!
Monday, February 21, 2011
13: Excursion: Milan
Oh hey, Milan, did you know that you're the most amazing place in the world?
Superlatives aside, Milan was like no other city I've ever been to. Where most of the historically rich cities and towns I've been to have a very upfront attitude and appearance about their history as if to say, "here is who we are and what we did, and it's right in front of you," Milan is a more cosmopolitan metropolis that seems aware of its past but instead of making history it's catch-phrase Milan says, "we have old buildings here, you can go look at them if you'd like." First, Milan has a subway system! If there's one thing that I love about any given city it's the public subway transportation system. Florence has none; frowns all around. But Milan has an easy to navigate metro that we (Laura, Bess, Lydia, and I) utilized; I think my 2-day metro pass was starting to wear by the last day. Milan's history is one of industry and production, so it's no surprise that most of the city we went to had a sense of industrialization. Unlike Florence or Siena that "feel" Italian (in that Francis Mayes way), Milan feels connected to the rest of the world, that is, the city feels like it's turned outwards toward.
Milan Duomo is my favorite so far (see the picture above!). We exited the metro stop called "Duomo" only to find that once you surface the Duomo smacks you in the face with its splendor and glory. I gasped, and grabbed Bess' arm. It was immense and colossal, with gothic motifs and the sprawling white marble made this Duomo feel unworldly and unreal. The interior does not exactly match the exterior's amazement, but it was marvelous nonetheless.
To exit the Duomo's piazza, you must go through the grand Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. On our first day we walked through in awe of it all. The second day they were setting up for Fashion Week. Marvelous. Incredible. Other sites we saw:
Teatro alla Scala - This opera theater is really the first opera house that has given me shivers. The accompanying museum houses the old costumes and playbills from past shows as well as other opera-related art that, honestly, was lost on me.
Castello Sforzesco - A monumental castle with all the bells and whistles of other castles.
Pinacoteca di Brera - This art gallery has a lot of Jesus art. In fact, they have a whole room full of various paintings of the Virgin and Baby J. My highlight was the two Umberto Boccioni paintings on display. This Futurism artists was insane, but a color genius.
Museo Poldi Pezzoli - This was my museum highlight of the trip. There was an ongoing Botticelli exhibit of a few pieces, including his The Lamentation, which literally made me tear-up. And the rest of the museum boasts a super eclectic collection of paintings, jewelry, religious items, clocks, etc.
Flash-forward to the best bits of my Milan experience. We ate dinner at Acquasala, a southern Italian cuisine ristorante. I ate horse. Yes, I ate horse. It was delicious. Throughout the meal we kept a mental list of the different animals we were eating, morbid yes, but really funny. Cow, octopus, squid, shrimp, pork, codfish, and horse. Hah! We then went to a bar called Il Elefante, which Lydia's guidebook said had a mix of chairs and fruity drinks, and it was gay-friendly. Turns out "gay-friendly" means the clientele is predominantly, if not exclusively, gay. But that's not all the gay fun we had because the club, Plastic, we were headed to is also gay-ish. The crowd outside was large and spilling carelessly into the street. Smokers drunkenly sashayed out of the club to a specific area to congregate. Their rectangular club-stamps unfaded and their unlimited pass to fun that our guidebook said was not to miss.
Pushing through the crowd we made it to the front, within earshot of the bouncer who lacked muscles, but compensated with sass. When he looked my direction I locked eye contact with him, signaled "four" with my fingers, pointing to Laura, Lydia, and a squished Bess. He nodded and gave me a quick smile. I was unsure if this was a polite, please wait smile, or an invitation to showcase my amazing flirting skills (note: I have none). When he looked my direction again, I winked at him, smiling coyly and what do you know? He pointed to us and we soon found ourselves getting through the crowd fast-tracked. When I passed him I said a polite, grazie, to which he replied, prego, China paired with the quintessential and in this case, necessary double-cheek-kiss. As if that weren't outrageous and memorable enough, there were a host of pseudo-drag dancers with amazing dance moves.
So yeah, Milan, you were great. Thanks
12: Excursions: Siena
For starters, let me say that my blues is kind of passing thing, coming and going in waves. Perspective is key in combatting those pesky homesick feelings.
Another remedy is travel. Enter Siena.
During orientation our advisors stressed how great a location Florence is in Italy. The central Tuscan-capital is literally a transit epicenter (by train, at least. To fly out of Florence, Pisa is the larger airport). So Laura, Carolyn, and I swing by the Santa Maria Novella train station Friday morning and catch the train to Siena. An hour and forty minutes later we find ourselves in this picture-perfect "Italian" town. And suddenly I felt better.
Siena is known for this huge horse race where jockeys from all the Sienese districts race it out for bragging rights and city-funded parties for their district. This race takes place twice a year, August and July. So, no, I didn't get to see that. But you can tell from the general set-up of the Piazza di Campo that something monumental has to happen there. Imagine a traditional piazza mashed up with an amphitheater and you'll have an idea of the shape. After lunch in the Piazza, we headed to the Duomo, which doesn't boast the most impressive exterior (still extravagant and highly detailed, though), but could arguably have the most beautiful interior I've seen.
Siena is also famous for their pastries. We tried 3: the first was a pine nut torta that had this incredible silky texture, but retained its cake-ness. The second was a nutella cake with hazelnut on top. The last was an anise flavored bun that looked like a bagel, but was my favorite by far.
Another remedy is travel. Enter Siena.
During orientation our advisors stressed how great a location Florence is in Italy. The central Tuscan-capital is literally a transit epicenter (by train, at least. To fly out of Florence, Pisa is the larger airport). So Laura, Carolyn, and I swing by the Santa Maria Novella train station Friday morning and catch the train to Siena. An hour and forty minutes later we find ourselves in this picture-perfect "Italian" town. And suddenly I felt better.
Siena is known for this huge horse race where jockeys from all the Sienese districts race it out for bragging rights and city-funded parties for their district. This race takes place twice a year, August and July. So, no, I didn't get to see that. But you can tell from the general set-up of the Piazza di Campo that something monumental has to happen there. Imagine a traditional piazza mashed up with an amphitheater and you'll have an idea of the shape. After lunch in the Piazza, we headed to the Duomo, which doesn't boast the most impressive exterior (still extravagant and highly detailed, though), but could arguably have the most beautiful interior I've seen.
Siena is also famous for their pastries. We tried 3: the first was a pine nut torta that had this incredible silky texture, but retained its cake-ness. The second was a nutella cake with hazelnut on top. The last was an anise flavored bun that looked like a bagel, but was my favorite by far.
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