I was totally exhausted my evening in Genoa, so I stayed close to my B&B for dinner I rounded the corner and ate salad and pesto pasta, getting the "for your own good, we will not serve you tap water" look (there was even a tap in the square I was sitting in where two people filled water bottles for the house). I opted for the B&B over the hostel, though it cost more, because the hostel was really far outside of the city centre and I wad there on a Sunday, when busses run less frequently. Fortunately, my B&B was right in the city centre. Unfortunately, my B&B was right in the city centre. In the alleys of the town, prostitutes were common, but it certainly wasn't an issue. I never felt "in danger" necessarily, in Genoa, though the tight streets can be a little uncomfortable.
In the morning, I ate my way though the huge breakfast left for me by the owner of the B&B, before exploring the city for a bit longer. I bought a pin, more focaccia, and pesto before taking the metro to the station.
Unfortunately I missed the train I originally wanted to take and had to wait a half an hour for the next one. I'm not too bummed about it though, on the platform I met a couple from New Zealand doing a European tour. And so I met some train buddies. And here I thought it would be difficult to find people to chat with on my trip!
I got to the town I'd be staying in in the Cinque Terre, Manarola, the second one, and hauled my luggage up to the hostel. After check in, I headed to the water. Though there isn't a beach, I had a great time swimming among the rocks. It's pretty sweet to be able to swim in this really clear, blue water, and have tiny fish swim around you. Afterwards, I explored the town, grabbing breakfast and lunch food. I had pesto pizza for dinner (what can I say, I'm in Liguria - I have to get a lifetime's worth of focaccia and pesto in), then chatted with three of my roommates, a set of sisters from Australia. They had finished a month of study in Florence and were planning a European tour. An early night for all of us, though, as we all wanted an early start on the trails the next day.
I had originally wanted to be on the trail for 7:30, but that didn't work out, and I started 15 minutes late. I had been planning to do the blue trail, which links all five towns, but a part was closed, so I started on the red trail. The red trail is a bit longer and goes into the mountains a ways, but really nice. The first two hours were the best for me. It was still cool (ish), and I didn't meet anyone on the trail. I walked though olive trees and grape vines, past rosemary and basil plants the size of small trees. I saw many local farmers picking fruit or working the land before it got extremely hot. The path was narrow, on the side of a steep hill. The villagers had built terraces and rock walls into the earth, creating the pathways. A more modern addition are the lines of a type of track for a cable car that would climb up and down, carrying a person and their fruit. (Ok that was a terrible description, I have a photo).
After about two hours I reached the third village, Corniglia (I started on the second). I briefly explored the town, had a snack, and continued onto the blue trail. It was starting to get warm by that point, and I considered not reapplying my sunscreen, but I'd seen enough very sunburnt tourists to decide otherwise. In the fourth village, Vernazza, I enjoyed some of the focaccia I'd packed for lunch, and wandered around the town. Then the last leg of the trail on that end. The trail was getting more crowded by that point (I felt bad for those who were just starting), and even hotter. I arrived at the final village, Monterosso al Mare, where I enjoyed the other half of my lunch, and had a quick swim.
Despite reapplying sunscreen frequently, doing my best to avoid the sun, and drinking lots of water, I was not feeling 100% - a cold granite really helped, and I took it easy for the afternoon.
I took the train to the first village, Riomaggiore, where I walked around, before taking the Via dell'Amore (way of love) back to Manarola. The Via dell'Amore was certainly the easiest part of the trail, it was smooth and paved while the others were certainly more... Rugged. Many people have left locks along the path, symbolising their love.
Back at Manarola, I went for one last swim before I went back to the hostel for a shower.
I was in bed early, hoping for an early start on my last day. If you are ever in the Cinque Terre, start early. You can wander the village and be nearly alone - except for the locals. You'll smell bread baking, see neighbours greet each other - it's really nice.
I confused the train schedule, so I hung around Manarola a little longer, before taking the train to the middle village. I climbed the four hundred steps to the town, explored the city, then took off for the fourth village. I walked around there for a little while, eating a focaccia con pesto, before going back to Manarola and getting my bags from the hostel. Then on the train again to Monterosso to do a little souvenir shopping, then the train again to Riomaggiore for a quick break before catching the train to La Spezia, where I'd connect to Pisa.
My host mom once told me that flying out of Pisa to Palermo is usually pretty funny - you can tell the flight is going south, the people on it are usually from there. I was quickly conversing with a pair of women going to Sicily for some sun.
These last days I've been looking forward to going home, to Palermo. I can't wait to sleep in my own bed, use a non-communal shower, to eat simple, homemade food. But it's strange - Palermo is only "home" for about a week - then I'll be heading back to Canada. I'm having a bit of a difficult time picturing it.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Torino and Genova
I arrived at Torino completely disorientated. I had fallen asleep for fifteen minutes, waking up the station before mine when a loud family came on, just totally confused. I stumbled to the info centre, grabbing a map, then buying a bus ticket. On the bus I asked for directions, then hauled my luggage up the hill to the hostel, wondering why on earth I had brought so much stuff. After checking in, I went back to the centre.
I'll admit, Torino didn't wow me at first. The buildings were beautiful, the streets wide and comfortable, but it felt closed, cold. Italy is currently celebrating 150 years of unification, and Torino was the capital for a brief amount of time (oh dear, at least I think so), so there were several events as I walked around, but I wasn't super interested. I made it to the castle, then the cathedral, where the famous shroud is kept. There were approximately one hundred tour groups and a wedding at the church, though, so I didn't stick around to see the copy for very long.
Then I stumbled upon the market. I knew I wanted to find it, but by then I was pretty turned around and confused. Torino was the birthplace of the Slow Food movement (the name is in English because it started out as the "anti-fast-food" movement), and the market is amazing. Narrow corridors between a maze of carts selling fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, meat, eggs, nuts and more. I was laughed at as I bought individual items ("one peach? Are you sure you don't want one kilo?"), as I stocked up on veggies and fruit for the next few days. I then wandered back to Via Accademia delle Scienze for gelato at the slow food affiliated Grom. I'll admit, it was the best gelato I've ever had (second place to the chocolate place in Milan, third to either Alba, near my house in Palermo, or the place I went to in Agrigento). I got extra dark chocolate and crema di Grom - both amazing. I then wandered to the Mole, planning to climb it. But the wait was at least an hour, and my time in Torino was limited, so I took off to see the Egyptian museum. It was nice to see old stuff that wasn't Roman or Greek, the mummies were super cool, and I enjoyed seeing the ancient texts and sarcophagi. After the museum, I walked along via Po, then circled Piazza Vittorio Veneto, before stopping for dinner. I went the aperitivo route in Torino, paying €10 for a glass of local wine and buffet. Aperitivi are great. Sometimes you pay for a drink, and they'll have something available to snack on, other times you pay something like €6 for the buffet, then more for a drink. I feasted on fresh salads, cooked veggies, pizza, foccacia, fruit and dessert, but there were also meats, fries, pasta and risotto. After dinner I walked along the river and back to my hostel.
At the hostel, I met my roommates, a Polish girl and a pair of young Irish women, then struggled with my door, then went to bed.
In the morning, I slept in (till 8:15), then breakfasted, then searched for somewhere to find a bus ticket on a Sunday. At the train station, I got on my train to Genova. I'll update later from Genova.
My day in Genova can be described in one word: confusion. I got off the train and I was immediately confused. I got directions to the info centre, the took the metro. The info centre was closed, though, so I did what I always do: got out my guide book (a prop, the maps in there are useless), and the information on the b and b I'd be staying at, looked confused, and began asking for directions. A note on Genoa: it is not like a normal city. Most of the streets are narrow, steep passageways. The third person I asked said, "Do you have the phone number, I'll call them". And I decided I liked Genoa. The owner of the b and b picked me up, let me leave my bags, showed me where we were on the useless map in my guide book and gave me directions. Then I went back to the info centre for a real map, and took off. I walked along a street designated as a historical sight, enjoying the architecture. It seems that most of Genoa is in chiaroscuro - painted to seem like sculpture.
I had one museum in mind in Genoa - the Museo delle Culture del Monde - and had to take an elevator to get there. (This sounds stupid, but I was pretty excited to use the elevator. It was essentially a bus/gondola that went straight up). The museum is actually in the house/castle of Capitano Enrico D'Albertis - an explorer that went out and stole a bunch of stuff so when he died they made it into a museum. So there were all kinds of things from all over the world - stuffed animals, native art and clothing, sand, weapons. I was essentially the only one there, so one of the museum workers always showed me random things or showed me around. There was a totem pole (a very small one) from British Columbia, which I was pretty excited about.
They also had a statue of Christopher Columbus overlooking the port. I should mention, Italians are very proud that their son "discovered" America. I have told many people, many many times, that in fact, Vikings inhabited Newfoundland for a period of time some couple of hundred years before Columbus came along, and that the Americas didn't need any "discovering" anyhow - there were already people there. But I can't win. All the text books say that Columbus discovered America, and I think that Italians rather like that he gets the credit.
After the museum, I wandered more of the caruggi - the tiny streets - stopping to buy some focaccia (one of my two food goals for the town), before continuing to the port. I saw an old ship, then headed up toward the cathedral.
I'm taking a break before dinner at the b and b before I head out to find dinner (second food goal: pesto). Tomorrow mid day, I'll be going on to the Cinque Terre, so I'll have a few hours in Genoa tomorrow morning as well.
I'll admit, Torino didn't wow me at first. The buildings were beautiful, the streets wide and comfortable, but it felt closed, cold. Italy is currently celebrating 150 years of unification, and Torino was the capital for a brief amount of time (oh dear, at least I think so), so there were several events as I walked around, but I wasn't super interested. I made it to the castle, then the cathedral, where the famous shroud is kept. There were approximately one hundred tour groups and a wedding at the church, though, so I didn't stick around to see the copy for very long.
Then I stumbled upon the market. I knew I wanted to find it, but by then I was pretty turned around and confused. Torino was the birthplace of the Slow Food movement (the name is in English because it started out as the "anti-fast-food" movement), and the market is amazing. Narrow corridors between a maze of carts selling fresh fruit and vegetables, cheese, meat, eggs, nuts and more. I was laughed at as I bought individual items ("one peach? Are you sure you don't want one kilo?"), as I stocked up on veggies and fruit for the next few days. I then wandered back to Via Accademia delle Scienze for gelato at the slow food affiliated Grom. I'll admit, it was the best gelato I've ever had (second place to the chocolate place in Milan, third to either Alba, near my house in Palermo, or the place I went to in Agrigento). I got extra dark chocolate and crema di Grom - both amazing. I then wandered to the Mole, planning to climb it. But the wait was at least an hour, and my time in Torino was limited, so I took off to see the Egyptian museum. It was nice to see old stuff that wasn't Roman or Greek, the mummies were super cool, and I enjoyed seeing the ancient texts and sarcophagi. After the museum, I walked along via Po, then circled Piazza Vittorio Veneto, before stopping for dinner. I went the aperitivo route in Torino, paying €10 for a glass of local wine and buffet. Aperitivi are great. Sometimes you pay for a drink, and they'll have something available to snack on, other times you pay something like €6 for the buffet, then more for a drink. I feasted on fresh salads, cooked veggies, pizza, foccacia, fruit and dessert, but there were also meats, fries, pasta and risotto. After dinner I walked along the river and back to my hostel.
At the hostel, I met my roommates, a Polish girl and a pair of young Irish women, then struggled with my door, then went to bed.
In the morning, I slept in (till 8:15), then breakfasted, then searched for somewhere to find a bus ticket on a Sunday. At the train station, I got on my train to Genova. I'll update later from Genova.
My day in Genova can be described in one word: confusion. I got off the train and I was immediately confused. I got directions to the info centre, the took the metro. The info centre was closed, though, so I did what I always do: got out my guide book (a prop, the maps in there are useless), and the information on the b and b I'd be staying at, looked confused, and began asking for directions. A note on Genoa: it is not like a normal city. Most of the streets are narrow, steep passageways. The third person I asked said, "Do you have the phone number, I'll call them". And I decided I liked Genoa. The owner of the b and b picked me up, let me leave my bags, showed me where we were on the useless map in my guide book and gave me directions. Then I went back to the info centre for a real map, and took off. I walked along a street designated as a historical sight, enjoying the architecture. It seems that most of Genoa is in chiaroscuro - painted to seem like sculpture.
I had one museum in mind in Genoa - the Museo delle Culture del Monde - and had to take an elevator to get there. (This sounds stupid, but I was pretty excited to use the elevator. It was essentially a bus/gondola that went straight up). The museum is actually in the house/castle of Capitano Enrico D'Albertis - an explorer that went out and stole a bunch of stuff so when he died they made it into a museum. So there were all kinds of things from all over the world - stuffed animals, native art and clothing, sand, weapons. I was essentially the only one there, so one of the museum workers always showed me random things or showed me around. There was a totem pole (a very small one) from British Columbia, which I was pretty excited about.
They also had a statue of Christopher Columbus overlooking the port. I should mention, Italians are very proud that their son "discovered" America. I have told many people, many many times, that in fact, Vikings inhabited Newfoundland for a period of time some couple of hundred years before Columbus came along, and that the Americas didn't need any "discovering" anyhow - there were already people there. But I can't win. All the text books say that Columbus discovered America, and I think that Italians rather like that he gets the credit.
After the museum, I wandered more of the caruggi - the tiny streets - stopping to buy some focaccia (one of my two food goals for the town), before continuing to the port. I saw an old ship, then headed up toward the cathedral.
I'm taking a break before dinner at the b and b before I head out to find dinner (second food goal: pesto). Tomorrow mid day, I'll be going on to the Cinque Terre, so I'll have a few hours in Genoa tomorrow morning as well.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Trento and Como
Trento is actually really nice. It's in the mountains, the streets are clean, pedestrian friendly, the buildings are really pretty. As soon as I got there, I ate my packed lunch in a green park, next to a bunch of ducks.
After I checked into my hostel, I explored the city, seeing the cathedral, the underground city, the castle, and the galleries. I wanted to take the cable car, but it was closed due to wind. The galleries were in two old transport tunnels, where they had information about the region, which has changed hands several times, including switching into Italian control after the first world war. There was also an incredibly powerful photographs of war exhibit showing pictures from wars in Yugoslavia, the Suez, Israel, Africa, Cambodia, and more. The galleries also included a museum with information about the history of the region. Then I went back to the city, looking for a pin for my jacket, and a recommendation for dinner. I ate early, around 7:30, trying to eat my way through a plate of gnocchi (I failed, it was so good, but so much food). I wandered around the city a little longer before going back to the hostel to go to bed.
The hostel I stayed at got fairly low reviews everywhere I looked - nothing higher than a 6.5 out of 10 - but it was only €16, so I took it. The reviews said that the atmosphere was cold, breakfast pathetic, and there was a lack of customer service. I'd agree for the most part. The hostel was large, but it was rare to meet anyone outside of your room. The breakfast was coffee, juice, a bun, jam and margarine, but I wasn't expecting much more considering how much I paid. The service was fine, they helped me find somewhere to eat and gave me a map. Like in other hostels I've stayed at, I had to make my own bed and bring the sheets down when I had finished my stay, and no toiletries or towels were provided. The room itself was very bare. I shared my room with seven other women - a pair of German bike tourists, another pair of women, and three others travelling on their own. Generally very polite and friendly.
I saw many Germans while in Trento, and it was normal to see menus and signs in Italian and German (rather than Italian and English that I've seen). I also saw more sporting goods stores, and people wore semi athletic clothing for every day - I didn't stand out as much in my quick dry shorts and sweater like I normally do.
I could picture living in Trento a lot more than I could in Palermo - the city is less chaotic and noisy, cleaner, I'd be out hiking in the mountains all the time. It sometimes makes me wish that I'd been placed in a northern city. But then I remember why I went on exchange. Trento reminds me of Rossland, or maybe Nelson or Fernie. If I wanted to spend a year in a place just like where I'd came from, I could have stayed in British Columbia. I went on exchange to immerse myself in another culture, another life. I did it to step outside of my comfort zone, to learn. And I think Palermo and Sicily have done that for me. I hated the noise, the heat, the trash, the cityness, but I dealt with what I hated and found things to love. I will miss the energy and friendliness among much more.
Como was another nice city. No cars in the centre, next to the lake and between mountains, lots of green space. I saw the war memorial, the cathedral, the two basiliche, ate my lunch on a bench facing the lake, then went to find the railroad to the city on the hill above. The railroad was closed for repairs, so I climbed partway before giving up (all those gelati and cannoli weighing me down, and that Palermo is flat and I'm out of shape). Then back down and to a photography exhibit that I stumbled upon. The artist took polaroids, then while the photo was still developing made impressions and drew lines, shifting the ink. Then to the cathedral again to see inside. Then I ran back to the station to get my luggage and haul it across town to the bus station (without stopping to think about whether the bus would stop at the station - it did). I was unable to find a spot to stay in Como, so I'm staying in Menaggio (hence the bus ride).
The hostel I stayed at was really nice and friendly. I met two other young women as soon as I stepped off the bus going to the same place, so we immediately started chatting. I stayed in a room with two English girls, an Australian and someone from New Zealand - all in various stages of Italian or European tours. I ate dinner with an American girl who was teaching in Parma and travels each weekend. After dinner we watched fireworks from the railing of the dining room.
My shower in the morning was cold for unknown reasons, but breakfast included fresh bread, and that made up for it.
I said goodbye to my companions, then bussed back to Como, where I'd be taking the train to Milano, then Torino. It was easy to leave Lake Como, despite its beauty, because it was a lot like BC, and I'm going back to BC so soon.
And that was my day in Como! Next stop: Torino!
After I checked into my hostel, I explored the city, seeing the cathedral, the underground city, the castle, and the galleries. I wanted to take the cable car, but it was closed due to wind. The galleries were in two old transport tunnels, where they had information about the region, which has changed hands several times, including switching into Italian control after the first world war. There was also an incredibly powerful photographs of war exhibit showing pictures from wars in Yugoslavia, the Suez, Israel, Africa, Cambodia, and more. The galleries also included a museum with information about the history of the region. Then I went back to the city, looking for a pin for my jacket, and a recommendation for dinner. I ate early, around 7:30, trying to eat my way through a plate of gnocchi (I failed, it was so good, but so much food). I wandered around the city a little longer before going back to the hostel to go to bed.
The hostel I stayed at got fairly low reviews everywhere I looked - nothing higher than a 6.5 out of 10 - but it was only €16, so I took it. The reviews said that the atmosphere was cold, breakfast pathetic, and there was a lack of customer service. I'd agree for the most part. The hostel was large, but it was rare to meet anyone outside of your room. The breakfast was coffee, juice, a bun, jam and margarine, but I wasn't expecting much more considering how much I paid. The service was fine, they helped me find somewhere to eat and gave me a map. Like in other hostels I've stayed at, I had to make my own bed and bring the sheets down when I had finished my stay, and no toiletries or towels were provided. The room itself was very bare. I shared my room with seven other women - a pair of German bike tourists, another pair of women, and three others travelling on their own. Generally very polite and friendly.
I saw many Germans while in Trento, and it was normal to see menus and signs in Italian and German (rather than Italian and English that I've seen). I also saw more sporting goods stores, and people wore semi athletic clothing for every day - I didn't stand out as much in my quick dry shorts and sweater like I normally do.
I could picture living in Trento a lot more than I could in Palermo - the city is less chaotic and noisy, cleaner, I'd be out hiking in the mountains all the time. It sometimes makes me wish that I'd been placed in a northern city. But then I remember why I went on exchange. Trento reminds me of Rossland, or maybe Nelson or Fernie. If I wanted to spend a year in a place just like where I'd came from, I could have stayed in British Columbia. I went on exchange to immerse myself in another culture, another life. I did it to step outside of my comfort zone, to learn. And I think Palermo and Sicily have done that for me. I hated the noise, the heat, the trash, the cityness, but I dealt with what I hated and found things to love. I will miss the energy and friendliness among much more.
Como was another nice city. No cars in the centre, next to the lake and between mountains, lots of green space. I saw the war memorial, the cathedral, the two basiliche, ate my lunch on a bench facing the lake, then went to find the railroad to the city on the hill above. The railroad was closed for repairs, so I climbed partway before giving up (all those gelati and cannoli weighing me down, and that Palermo is flat and I'm out of shape). Then back down and to a photography exhibit that I stumbled upon. The artist took polaroids, then while the photo was still developing made impressions and drew lines, shifting the ink. Then to the cathedral again to see inside. Then I ran back to the station to get my luggage and haul it across town to the bus station (without stopping to think about whether the bus would stop at the station - it did). I was unable to find a spot to stay in Como, so I'm staying in Menaggio (hence the bus ride).
The hostel I stayed at was really nice and friendly. I met two other young women as soon as I stepped off the bus going to the same place, so we immediately started chatting. I stayed in a room with two English girls, an Australian and someone from New Zealand - all in various stages of Italian or European tours. I ate dinner with an American girl who was teaching in Parma and travels each weekend. After dinner we watched fireworks from the railing of the dining room.
My shower in the morning was cold for unknown reasons, but breakfast included fresh bread, and that made up for it.
I said goodbye to my companions, then bussed back to Como, where I'd be taking the train to Milano, then Torino. It was easy to leave Lake Como, despite its beauty, because it was a lot like BC, and I'm going back to BC so soon.
And that was my day in Como! Next stop: Torino!
Naples and Bologna
(Please ignore the bizarreness of tenses, I wrote this in several parts)
We haven't actually finished our day in Naples, but we're taking a break in the hotel, so I thought I'd get started.
Yesterday, we arrived at the station, then walked to our hotel, nearby. We had an hour before dinner, so some of the group went out for a walk, coming back and saying that they felt uncomfortable here - like everyone was watching. I pretty much ignored these comments - they sounded like Sicily. We stand out - we're too blond/tall/accented/etc - and so we get a few stares. In Sicily, I've mostly gotten used to the stares, they don't bother me the same way they used to. I'm not sure the students from Sardinia had felt the same.
We ate at the hotel, including champagne and a cake for the Japanese student's 18 birthday. We also had to say goodbye to our previous chaperone, he was returning to the north, and we'd be meeting our new chaperone in the afternoon. I'll admit, our chaperone was good. As long as we were on the train or with the guide at the right time, he let us do whatever we wanted.
In the morning, we were on our own with the guide. So we saw the cathedral, the streets, underground Naples, and much more. We were also informed of how to drink coffee in the Napolitanan way - first cool water, the boiling hot coffee all in one shot. The guide told us that you can essentially play soccer in the underground city, but I felt a bit of claustrophobia inside the narrower tunnels - particularly when one of the pranksters blew out my candle (oh yes, we were using candles). We also saw photos and items from the war when people hid during the bombing. After the underground part, we saw a part of an old roman theatre. When the Spanish were in Naples, they told the citizens they couldn't build outside of the walls, so the people built up, covering up the old buildings. Some of the places we saw were being lived in as short ago as six years, others had been discovered just six months ago.
Then time for some pizza (we're in Naples after all, the birthplace of pizza). Probably the best pizza margherita I've ever had, the crust chewy and flavourful, tomatoes so sweet, basil fresh and slightly peppery, lovely mozzarella. After our lunch, we saw the gallery, and several monuments. We said goodbye to our guide, who had been awesome, staying longer than he was originally booked for. We had time for a walk to the sea, before we met up with our new chaperone, a young woman from Trieste.
Now we're back at the hotel, hanging out and avoiding the strong heat, so we'll be ready to go out again a little later on.
I'll admit, I've been telling all my friends that Naples is just like Palermo, but that's not really true. It's dirtier - the garbage problem is evident. The driving is a combination of the north and the south - crazy like Palermo, but impatient like Milan. The people selling things on the street are more aggressive. It's a different feeling, perhaps because I don't know the city as well, but I don't feel as comfortable. The garbage problem is a real pity, because it should be an absolutely gorgeous city.
Tonight we'll be finding souvenirs before dinner, then afterward finding a way to celebrate our friend's birthday.
Well, I couldn't connect to the wifi in Naples so I'm tacking Bologna on the end of this:
Our last night in Naples, we stayed in, borrowing a guitar from the hotel, and hanging out in the lobby. The next day we left early for Bologna. The train stopped in Rome, so we spent the ride to Rome signing flags for each other. We said goodbye to Azmon in Rome, I cried. I was sad that we hadn't met each other sooner, that we (probably) won't meet each other again.
The rest of us continued to Bologna. Bologna was hot. So hot. We ate piadini, then met our guide. We saw the university, including a room where they performed autopsies to learn more about the human body, many other notable buildings, enjoying the architecture and style of the city. We then went to the two towers - one unfinished due to a lean - where we climbed the tower. Five hundred steps, worn and wooden, leading to a small space at the top where we enjoyed the panorama of the city.
Then back down, when we had free time. We got ice-cream from McDonalds (McFlurries here are so strange. I got "brownie" which meant dry brownie mix dumped on top of soft serve). We got souvenirs, then met up for coffee with the exchange student in Bologna. Then dinner, our last dinner all together. And then out.
In the morning, I mixed up the time we had to get up so was ready early, so I simply harassed everyone into signing my book. Unfortunately, we had bus problems, so we ended up running to the station, so our goodbyes were brief (but tearful, in my case, I solidly established myself as the cryer). Six students went back to Venice, my train to Trento leaving a few minutes later, while another student went to Rome and the remaining three leaving from Bologna later in the day. Trains are inherently more romantic to me. You wait until they blow the whistle, walking through the carriage as it starts moving, watching out the window until the final wave.
They were an amazing eleven days, with eleven amazing people. I will never forget how great it was. In the beginning, we didn't know each other well, our train rides were quiet, conversations more about simple topics. By the third day, we slept heads on each others shoulders, holding hands in long lines through the streets. I feel closer to these people than I do to many of my classmates. It was hard to leave, knowing we will likely never see each other again.
But it's time to move on. My train is about to arrive in Trento where I'll be spending tonight. It already looks so much different, even with respect to Bologna. We've been riding through forest covered mountains, orchards - I've missed that.
We haven't actually finished our day in Naples, but we're taking a break in the hotel, so I thought I'd get started.
Yesterday, we arrived at the station, then walked to our hotel, nearby. We had an hour before dinner, so some of the group went out for a walk, coming back and saying that they felt uncomfortable here - like everyone was watching. I pretty much ignored these comments - they sounded like Sicily. We stand out - we're too blond/tall/accented/etc - and so we get a few stares. In Sicily, I've mostly gotten used to the stares, they don't bother me the same way they used to. I'm not sure the students from Sardinia had felt the same.
We ate at the hotel, including champagne and a cake for the Japanese student's 18 birthday. We also had to say goodbye to our previous chaperone, he was returning to the north, and we'd be meeting our new chaperone in the afternoon. I'll admit, our chaperone was good. As long as we were on the train or with the guide at the right time, he let us do whatever we wanted.
In the morning, we were on our own with the guide. So we saw the cathedral, the streets, underground Naples, and much more. We were also informed of how to drink coffee in the Napolitanan way - first cool water, the boiling hot coffee all in one shot. The guide told us that you can essentially play soccer in the underground city, but I felt a bit of claustrophobia inside the narrower tunnels - particularly when one of the pranksters blew out my candle (oh yes, we were using candles). We also saw photos and items from the war when people hid during the bombing. After the underground part, we saw a part of an old roman theatre. When the Spanish were in Naples, they told the citizens they couldn't build outside of the walls, so the people built up, covering up the old buildings. Some of the places we saw were being lived in as short ago as six years, others had been discovered just six months ago.
Then time for some pizza (we're in Naples after all, the birthplace of pizza). Probably the best pizza margherita I've ever had, the crust chewy and flavourful, tomatoes so sweet, basil fresh and slightly peppery, lovely mozzarella. After our lunch, we saw the gallery, and several monuments. We said goodbye to our guide, who had been awesome, staying longer than he was originally booked for. We had time for a walk to the sea, before we met up with our new chaperone, a young woman from Trieste.
Now we're back at the hotel, hanging out and avoiding the strong heat, so we'll be ready to go out again a little later on.
I'll admit, I've been telling all my friends that Naples is just like Palermo, but that's not really true. It's dirtier - the garbage problem is evident. The driving is a combination of the north and the south - crazy like Palermo, but impatient like Milan. The people selling things on the street are more aggressive. It's a different feeling, perhaps because I don't know the city as well, but I don't feel as comfortable. The garbage problem is a real pity, because it should be an absolutely gorgeous city.
Tonight we'll be finding souvenirs before dinner, then afterward finding a way to celebrate our friend's birthday.
Well, I couldn't connect to the wifi in Naples so I'm tacking Bologna on the end of this:
Our last night in Naples, we stayed in, borrowing a guitar from the hotel, and hanging out in the lobby. The next day we left early for Bologna. The train stopped in Rome, so we spent the ride to Rome signing flags for each other. We said goodbye to Azmon in Rome, I cried. I was sad that we hadn't met each other sooner, that we (probably) won't meet each other again.
The rest of us continued to Bologna. Bologna was hot. So hot. We ate piadini, then met our guide. We saw the university, including a room where they performed autopsies to learn more about the human body, many other notable buildings, enjoying the architecture and style of the city. We then went to the two towers - one unfinished due to a lean - where we climbed the tower. Five hundred steps, worn and wooden, leading to a small space at the top where we enjoyed the panorama of the city.
Then back down, when we had free time. We got ice-cream from McDonalds (McFlurries here are so strange. I got "brownie" which meant dry brownie mix dumped on top of soft serve). We got souvenirs, then met up for coffee with the exchange student in Bologna. Then dinner, our last dinner all together. And then out.
In the morning, I mixed up the time we had to get up so was ready early, so I simply harassed everyone into signing my book. Unfortunately, we had bus problems, so we ended up running to the station, so our goodbyes were brief (but tearful, in my case, I solidly established myself as the cryer). Six students went back to Venice, my train to Trento leaving a few minutes later, while another student went to Rome and the remaining three leaving from Bologna later in the day. Trains are inherently more romantic to me. You wait until they blow the whistle, walking through the carriage as it starts moving, watching out the window until the final wave.
They were an amazing eleven days, with eleven amazing people. I will never forget how great it was. In the beginning, we didn't know each other well, our train rides were quiet, conversations more about simple topics. By the third day, we slept heads on each others shoulders, holding hands in long lines through the streets. I feel closer to these people than I do to many of my classmates. It was hard to leave, knowing we will likely never see each other again.
But it's time to move on. My train is about to arrive in Trento where I'll be spending tonight. It already looks so much different, even with respect to Bologna. We've been riding through forest covered mountains, orchards - I've missed that.
Monday, June 20, 2011
Pisa and Rome
Our last night in Florence, we had gone out to a disco, so we enjoyed a nice sleep on the train to Pisa, where we'd be spending the day. We met the guide at the station, walking through the town towards the tower and cathedral. Pisa isn't quite as cute or pretty as Siena or Florence, but it has several notable buildings, such as the science school, several churches, and we saw one of the three possible buildings that Galileo was born at. We finished at Campo dei Miracoli, seeing the inside of the duomo, before hanging out on the grass in front of the tower. Unfortunately our tour didn't include climbing it, and we were unable get tickets for early enough, but we still enjoyed our few hours in Pisa, lazing on the grass.
Then we went back to the train station, taking the train along the coast to Rome. In Rome we got settled in our hotel, meeting another exchange student there, before going out for dinner. After our meal Azmon, a student on the tour, took a small group of us for a quick tour of Rome. He had been living about 20 minutes by bus from the city centre, and knew it very well. We saw the colosseum, the Vittorio Emmanuele memorial, some of the ruins, and the Trevi Fountain, before heading up to the Spanish steps, enjoying the warm night.
We woke up early, meeting the guide to go to the colosseum. Unfortunately, our guide in Rome was not as good as our others have been. He was very knowledgable, but something between his accent and his way of speaking made him a little difficult to understand. He also gave us way to much information and after the third or fourth emperor, we got a little lost. After our tour, some of the guys wanted fast food, so we went to burger king, where I had some of the most disappointing onion rings of my life.
The afternoon, I wandered around Rome with a few of the others, checking out piazzas and fashion stores. I felt very out of place in Prada in Then back to the hotel for a nap before dinner. After eating I went out again with Azmon, going to Castel Sant' Angelo and San Pietro, as well as piazza Navona, among others.
In the morning we went to the Basilica di San Pietro. Once again, I was amazed by the scale of the building. It doesn't really feel big until you look closely. In other churches, there are more archways inside (I've forgotten what they are called - they divide the church into three parts), but Saint Peter's has five (I think), so it feels smaller. I loved seeing La Pieta again, as well as the wonderful mosaics and paintings. Outside we saw the castle again, then piazza Navona, then the church San Luigi dei Francesi (to see the Caravaggios - wow amazing a must see), to the Pantheon, and the Trevi fountain. After the tour, we split up, three students going to the Vatican museums, while the rest of us went for pizza a taglio and a nap in the park.
All in all, I'm happy I'd already seen Rome, because the tour and walking around for two days didn't see as much as it should. But I loved hanging out with a local, and my exchange student friends.
Today we got to Naples, looking forward to our tour tomorrow. Some of the other students are a little nervous about Naples - everyone says it's so dangerous. Perhaps Palermo has toughened me up a bit though, I'm not sure there's much to be afraid of.
That's all for now! I don't want this tour to end, but now it's just Naples and Bologna left. (Trying not to think about it).
Then we went back to the train station, taking the train along the coast to Rome. In Rome we got settled in our hotel, meeting another exchange student there, before going out for dinner. After our meal Azmon, a student on the tour, took a small group of us for a quick tour of Rome. He had been living about 20 minutes by bus from the city centre, and knew it very well. We saw the colosseum, the Vittorio Emmanuele memorial, some of the ruins, and the Trevi Fountain, before heading up to the Spanish steps, enjoying the warm night.
We woke up early, meeting the guide to go to the colosseum. Unfortunately, our guide in Rome was not as good as our others have been. He was very knowledgable, but something between his accent and his way of speaking made him a little difficult to understand. He also gave us way to much information and after the third or fourth emperor, we got a little lost. After our tour, some of the guys wanted fast food, so we went to burger king, where I had some of the most disappointing onion rings of my life.
The afternoon, I wandered around Rome with a few of the others, checking out piazzas and fashion stores. I felt very out of place in Prada in Then back to the hotel for a nap before dinner. After eating I went out again with Azmon, going to Castel Sant' Angelo and San Pietro, as well as piazza Navona, among others.
In the morning we went to the Basilica di San Pietro. Once again, I was amazed by the scale of the building. It doesn't really feel big until you look closely. In other churches, there are more archways inside (I've forgotten what they are called - they divide the church into three parts), but Saint Peter's has five (I think), so it feels smaller. I loved seeing La Pieta again, as well as the wonderful mosaics and paintings. Outside we saw the castle again, then piazza Navona, then the church San Luigi dei Francesi (to see the Caravaggios - wow amazing a must see), to the Pantheon, and the Trevi fountain. After the tour, we split up, three students going to the Vatican museums, while the rest of us went for pizza a taglio and a nap in the park.
All in all, I'm happy I'd already seen Rome, because the tour and walking around for two days didn't see as much as it should. But I loved hanging out with a local, and my exchange student friends.
Today we got to Naples, looking forward to our tour tomorrow. Some of the other students are a little nervous about Naples - everyone says it's so dangerous. Perhaps Palermo has toughened me up a bit though, I'm not sure there's much to be afraid of.
That's all for now! I don't want this tour to end, but now it's just Naples and Bologna left. (Trying not to think about it).
Friday, June 17, 2011
Florence and Siena
We got to Florence two nights ago, and had our guided tour the first morning. I had already seen many of the places but I enjoyed learning more about the history and the specifics of the city. After lunch I climbed the dome in the cathedral, getting to see the paintings right up close. The scale of the paintings on the ceiling of the dome is ridiculous. The people are several meters tall. Then up to the very top where we saw an amazing panorama.
Walking home after dinner, we came across a street performer. He had pulled volunteers from the audience and did a comedy show, totally hilarious. It was fantastic understanding both the Italian and the English parts of the show - he would speak in English to the mostly tourist crowd, but would add comments in Italian, usually poking fun at American tourists.
The following morning we went to Siena for the day. Our guided tour was in the early afternoon so we spent our morning wandering around, snacking and relaxing. The tour brought us to the church of San Domenico where we learned about the story of Saint Cattarina (?), then around the city to the cathedral. I loved the music room in the cathedral as well as the amazing marble. They had wanted to make it even larger but a plague hit the city and so they were unable to continue. They got as far as some parts of the walls. Then to Piazza del Campo where they have the horse races.
After our tour, some of us went to the torture museum, which I'll admit was mostly just really gory. Not sure I'd go back to that one. Then a walk to the train station to get back to Florence.
Tomorrow we leave for Pisa in the morning, then from there to Rome.
It's been really amazing being with the other exchange students. It's validating in many ways. There is more than one exchange experience, something that I frequently forgot in Palermo. It's ok to look forward to going home. It's ok that you struggled with the language, making friends, or getting along with your host family. I felt often that I was doing something wrong - that it was all my fault that I'm not the best in Italian or that I wasn't as close to my Italian friends as I wanted - but many others had the same experiences. My examples of exchange came from people that weren't necessarily like me - they spoke the language or learned quickly, or had a host family that they got along with immediately, or were better at making friends. So meeting the other students has helped me to feel a lot better about myself, knowing that others have experienced the same challenges, the same joys.
Anyhow, that's all for right now, I'll update again as soon as I can.
Walking home after dinner, we came across a street performer. He had pulled volunteers from the audience and did a comedy show, totally hilarious. It was fantastic understanding both the Italian and the English parts of the show - he would speak in English to the mostly tourist crowd, but would add comments in Italian, usually poking fun at American tourists.
The following morning we went to Siena for the day. Our guided tour was in the early afternoon so we spent our morning wandering around, snacking and relaxing. The tour brought us to the church of San Domenico where we learned about the story of Saint Cattarina (?), then around the city to the cathedral. I loved the music room in the cathedral as well as the amazing marble. They had wanted to make it even larger but a plague hit the city and so they were unable to continue. They got as far as some parts of the walls. Then to Piazza del Campo where they have the horse races.
After our tour, some of us went to the torture museum, which I'll admit was mostly just really gory. Not sure I'd go back to that one. Then a walk to the train station to get back to Florence.
Tomorrow we leave for Pisa in the morning, then from there to Rome.
It's been really amazing being with the other exchange students. It's validating in many ways. There is more than one exchange experience, something that I frequently forgot in Palermo. It's ok to look forward to going home. It's ok that you struggled with the language, making friends, or getting along with your host family. I felt often that I was doing something wrong - that it was all my fault that I'm not the best in Italian or that I wasn't as close to my Italian friends as I wanted - but many others had the same experiences. My examples of exchange came from people that weren't necessarily like me - they spoke the language or learned quickly, or had a host family that they got along with immediately, or were better at making friends. So meeting the other students has helped me to feel a lot better about myself, knowing that others have experienced the same challenges, the same joys.
Anyhow, that's all for right now, I'll update again as soon as I can.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Venezia, Verona and Milano
I had my first tour day today (13 June). The multidistrict organised a tour seeing Venice, Verona, Milan, Florence, Siena, Pisa, Rome, Naples and Bologna, and though we're a fairly small group of just 12 students, I already feel like we've been friends for ages. The students came from Sardinia, Rome, Bari and Sicily, and we represent several countries: Canada, Sweden, Germany, Japan, USA and Argentina. Minus the student from Argentina, we all speak English, but we speak Italian most of the time, because we value including everyone.
Kaley and I flew from Sicily, landing the evening of the 12, and we stayed at our team leader's house (where his wife essentially force fed us fresh fruit and gelato when we got there. I suffered.). This morning we met up with the other students and took of for our of Venice.
We wandered the streets, crossing on the small bridges. I noticed just how silent it was - without cars (and their horns, alarms, etc), the city is very quiet. We met our guide at Piazza San Marco, seeing the cathedral (wow - that's all I can say about the cathedral... Just... Wow.), various buildings, such as the leaning tower, the fallen (and rebuilt) bell tower, and many other places. Unfortunately we did not have the time to go on a gondola ride (and it was raining), and we were a little disappointed to miss out on that experience.
Then back to the hotel for dinner, and to go to bed. This morning we took off early for Verona! I'll try to update again as soon as I can.
Ok so I didn't find wifi, so I'm stuffing Verona and Milano on this one as well.
At Verona we saw the old city walls, the arena and Juliet's house. The arena is the second biggest after the colosseum, and we had a great time climbing the seats. They still hold operas and plays there, and the cheapest seats, those highest, are actually the best, and the acoustics are so that the sound rises. The house of Juliet (from Shakespeare) was packed with people, and you can tell as you approach because you see the signatures and messages of love on the walls. Inside the courtyard we got pictures with the bronze stature of Juliet, then we went to piazza delle Erbe. We had the afternoon free so we wandered around.
In the evening we rode to Milano. We had a great evening out, then up early for our tour of Milan. We saw the castle, the galleria, then the cathedral. Again, we had the afternoon off, so we did a little shopping, getting gelato at a chocolate shop, and saw a church with a room of bones. Our guide in the afternoon was a South African student living outside of Lecco on exchange. We even managed to meet up with the other Milanese students just to quickly chat and exchange information. I felt that had we lived in the same city, we would have instantly been friends, and I didn't want to say goodbye to our guide in the afternoon, promising to send letters, and keep up to date with each other through facebook and email.
Then onto the fast train, heading to Florence! We have three nights in Florence, seeing Pisa and Siena during that time as well.
I'll update as soon as I can!
Kaley and I flew from Sicily, landing the evening of the 12, and we stayed at our team leader's house (where his wife essentially force fed us fresh fruit and gelato when we got there. I suffered.). This morning we met up with the other students and took of for our of Venice.
We wandered the streets, crossing on the small bridges. I noticed just how silent it was - without cars (and their horns, alarms, etc), the city is very quiet. We met our guide at Piazza San Marco, seeing the cathedral (wow - that's all I can say about the cathedral... Just... Wow.), various buildings, such as the leaning tower, the fallen (and rebuilt) bell tower, and many other places. Unfortunately we did not have the time to go on a gondola ride (and it was raining), and we were a little disappointed to miss out on that experience.
Then back to the hotel for dinner, and to go to bed. This morning we took off early for Verona! I'll try to update again as soon as I can.
Ok so I didn't find wifi, so I'm stuffing Verona and Milano on this one as well.
At Verona we saw the old city walls, the arena and Juliet's house. The arena is the second biggest after the colosseum, and we had a great time climbing the seats. They still hold operas and plays there, and the cheapest seats, those highest, are actually the best, and the acoustics are so that the sound rises. The house of Juliet (from Shakespeare) was packed with people, and you can tell as you approach because you see the signatures and messages of love on the walls. Inside the courtyard we got pictures with the bronze stature of Juliet, then we went to piazza delle Erbe. We had the afternoon free so we wandered around.
In the evening we rode to Milano. We had a great evening out, then up early for our tour of Milan. We saw the castle, the galleria, then the cathedral. Again, we had the afternoon off, so we did a little shopping, getting gelato at a chocolate shop, and saw a church with a room of bones. Our guide in the afternoon was a South African student living outside of Lecco on exchange. We even managed to meet up with the other Milanese students just to quickly chat and exchange information. I felt that had we lived in the same city, we would have instantly been friends, and I didn't want to say goodbye to our guide in the afternoon, promising to send letters, and keep up to date with each other through facebook and email.
Then onto the fast train, heading to Florence! We have three nights in Florence, seeing Pisa and Siena during that time as well.
I'll update as soon as I can!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
On Being an Exchange Student
This is the first of several posts I've been writing on Italian life, life as an exchange student, learning Italian, what I'll miss/not miss, etc. I leave today for my tour and I've realised how much I've been ignoring my return until after I get back from my tour. Pretty much "I don't go home until after the tour, and since I hadn't left for the tour yet, my return date is not approaching, and therefore I don't have to worry about saying goodbye". But I know the end is near, less than a month left, so I've been trying to organise for my departure a little.
Anyhow, here's something I wrote on being an exchange student.
I'll Miss...
The built in excuse
Anything, from language, to clothing, to cultural no-nos, is usually forgiven after a "sorry, I'm foreign/an exchange student". Brilliant. Of course, this is not to be abused, but it is handy for learning the culture or pronunciation.
Conversation Starter
Once I got better in Italian, I found myself chatting with so many people I would normally never say a word to - simply because they noticed I was foreign and asked where I was from. Before long I'm conversing, mentioning some differences between Italy and Canada, and they're telling me how much they want to go to Toronto - they have family there - and so on. On one hand, this fits into the "how do you know someone's an exchange student?... They'll tell you" category, but it's also an expression of the confidence I've gained through this experience.
Explaining Canada
Most people here don't know a lot about Canada... We mention the USA in English and history classes, but Canada rarely gets a mention. Fortunately that means I get to tell everyone all about it! Well, anyone that will listen...
Being Part of a Club
It's sort of elite... (kidding)... But it is really fun. You instantly have something in common and you can laugh about language issues, faux pas, all with someone you had just met.
But it's also really difficult...
Good friendships take time and energy to develop and when half of that time is spent speaking at baby level, it's even more difficult.
I'm not sure how normal this is, but I felt emotional extremes here more - one day I think of calling my family to send the rest of my stuff over, I'm living here forever, the next I'm wondering how soon I can get on a plane. I think I'm looking forward to having things cool down a bit.
Anyhow, here's something I wrote on being an exchange student.
I'll Miss...
The built in excuse
Anything, from language, to clothing, to cultural no-nos, is usually forgiven after a "sorry, I'm foreign/an exchange student". Brilliant. Of course, this is not to be abused, but it is handy for learning the culture or pronunciation.
Conversation Starter
Once I got better in Italian, I found myself chatting with so many people I would normally never say a word to - simply because they noticed I was foreign and asked where I was from. Before long I'm conversing, mentioning some differences between Italy and Canada, and they're telling me how much they want to go to Toronto - they have family there - and so on. On one hand, this fits into the "how do you know someone's an exchange student?... They'll tell you" category, but it's also an expression of the confidence I've gained through this experience.
Explaining Canada
Most people here don't know a lot about Canada... We mention the USA in English and history classes, but Canada rarely gets a mention. Fortunately that means I get to tell everyone all about it! Well, anyone that will listen...
Being Part of a Club
It's sort of elite... (kidding)... But it is really fun. You instantly have something in common and you can laugh about language issues, faux pas, all with someone you had just met.
But it's also really difficult...
Good friendships take time and energy to develop and when half of that time is spent speaking at baby level, it's even more difficult.
I'm not sure how normal this is, but I felt emotional extremes here more - one day I think of calling my family to send the rest of my stuff over, I'm living here forever, the next I'm wondering how soon I can get on a plane. I think I'm looking forward to having things cool down a bit.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Palermo
We flew from Pisa to Palermo, taking the bus into town. We stayed in an apartment building just steps from the mercato ballarò. In Palermo, we visited with my host family, making a "Canadian" dinner of salmon with soy, ginger and maple syrup. We also went to Mondello for a walk on the beach, and Monreale to see the cathedral, as well as exploring the city. We saw a few of the churches, the cathedral, the botanical gardens and the archaeological museum.
Il Duomo at Monreale
Inside il Duomo at Monreale.
Cacti at the garden.
I think my mom was jealous that things actually grow here...
In front of the cathedral in Palermo.
Ballarò
Mondello
Gelato
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Florence, Siena and Chianti
We took the train to Florence, arriving midday. We stayed again at a B and B, close to the station. Breakfast at this place gets a big thumbs up, as it included fresh fruit and baking, and really good yogurt. I was slightly disappointed by the coffee - good, but American style. Our host was more than happy to make us Italian coffee on request, however.
Saturday we saw the Galleria dell' Accademia, which is the house of Michelangelo's David, among other works. I was confused whether "finito-nonfinito" (finished-unfinished) was an actual style or not, as it seemed to me that Michelangelo just ran out of time or switched cities, leaving his statues behind.
I liked the Galleria degli Uffizi a lot, though I made a bit of a fool of myself, confusing a Botticelli for a DaVinci. I enjoyed seeing as art progressed, adding in perspectives and scale. We got kicked out before I could see all the rooms, though. (I missed the Caravaggios - I was not impressed)
Sunday we went out to Siena, taking the bus. We had been told that if we had just one day for a trip out of Florence, to go to Siena, not Pisa. Other than the Piazza dei Miracoli (where the leaning tower and cathedral are), there isn't really much else. Whereas in Siena, much more if the style is preserved, plus it's fun and interesting to walk around.
Monday we did a bit of shopping at the Market downtown, buying scarves and leather items, before going on a wine tour in the Chianti region. We learned about wine and olive oil production, before sampling cheeses, wines and olive oils.
For our last day in Florence, we took the bus to the sight seeing spot above the town, before walking back down and seeing an exhibit of sketches.
Local cuisine includes:
Crostini Toscani - unsalted bread topped with a purée of chicken liver, capers, and onion. My host mom makes these when we have guests over, but I'll admit, I am not the biggest fan.
Ribollita - literally "reboiled", bean and bread soup
Bistecca alla fiorentina - Florentine steak, comes in two sizes, large and huge (500 g and 1kg, no joke). We wanted to know if we could get 250 g, not an option. However, we still wanted to try it, so we ordered the 500 g for all three if us, plus side dishes. (Unlike in North America, it is unusual for secondi piatti, main dishes, to come with vegetables, salad, potatoes, etc. If you order steak, veal, chicken, etc, that is all you get.)
Cantucci, or cantuccini - known as "biscotti" to North Americans, these dry, twice baked cookies are usually flavoured with almonds (mandorle), and served with vin santo. After trying one dipped in the strong, sweet wine, my mom said something along the lines of "I've been eating biscotti wrong my whole life".
Saturday we saw the Galleria dell' Accademia, which is the house of Michelangelo's David, among other works. I was confused whether "finito-nonfinito" (finished-unfinished) was an actual style or not, as it seemed to me that Michelangelo just ran out of time or switched cities, leaving his statues behind.
I liked the Galleria degli Uffizi a lot, though I made a bit of a fool of myself, confusing a Botticelli for a DaVinci. I enjoyed seeing as art progressed, adding in perspectives and scale. We got kicked out before I could see all the rooms, though. (I missed the Caravaggios - I was not impressed)
Il Campo
The Cathedral
Il Campo, near the end of the day.
From Fortezza di Santa Barbara, looking toward the city
Monday we did a bit of shopping at the Market downtown, buying scarves and leather items, before going on a wine tour in the Chianti region. We learned about wine and olive oil production, before sampling cheeses, wines and olive oils.
Above the city
Local cuisine includes:
Crostini Toscani - unsalted bread topped with a purée of chicken liver, capers, and onion. My host mom makes these when we have guests over, but I'll admit, I am not the biggest fan.
Ribollita - literally "reboiled", bean and bread soup
Bistecca alla fiorentina - Florentine steak, comes in two sizes, large and huge (500 g and 1kg, no joke). We wanted to know if we could get 250 g, not an option. However, we still wanted to try it, so we ordered the 500 g for all three if us, plus side dishes. (Unlike in North America, it is unusual for secondi piatti, main dishes, to come with vegetables, salad, potatoes, etc. If you order steak, veal, chicken, etc, that is all you get.)
Cantucci, or cantuccini - known as "biscotti" to North Americans, these dry, twice baked cookies are usually flavoured with almonds (mandorle), and served with vin santo. After trying one dipped in the strong, sweet wine, my mom said something along the lines of "I've been eating biscotti wrong my whole life".
Parent visit - Rome
My mom and step dad came to visit me for two weeks, which was certainly a lot of fun. We planned a three city tour, Rome, Florence and Palermo, as well as several guided tours. First stop: Rome.
Due to my parents missing their flight, I was in Rome by myself for the day. I walked around, visiting a few churches and sights nearby to our b and b. We stayed near the station, for its accessibility to the metro and trains, at a renovated older building, run by a really great pair of brothers.
The next day, early, my family arrived, and we revisited many sights that I had seen the day previous.
Tuesday we went to Vatican city for a guided tour. We splurged and got the "skip-the-line" as well, so we didn't have to wait outside for three hours. I learned a lot about the history of the Vatican, as well as all the art. Our tour guide was a young Irish woman taking time off from her Phd in archaeology, with a fun and energetic style.
Highlights included, well, a lot of things. In particular, Raphael's School of Athens, the Sistine chapel, Michelangelo's La Pietà, and St Peter's. I liked the stories associated with each place - how Michelangelo was known to throw things at people who bothered him, how they made St Peter's seem less big from the inside by using scale, how painters would being themselves and other artists into their work.
After lunch we saw some more of the sights including, but not limited to: Castel Sant' Angelo, the Spanish steps, a DaVinci exhibit, and Piazza del Popolo.
Wednesday we went to the colosseum and Roman forums, again with a guided tour. The site was possibly busier than the Vatican so I was very happy to skip the line here.
The colosseum has seen some better days, it lost a lot of its stone to other buildings, and the pollution of Rome hasn't helped for its colouring. I wouldn't have minded seeing below, but it's open only during the summer.
The Roman forums were interesting, but very difficult to visualise. They had been covered by dirt after a flood, and they are still excavating, and, like the collesseum, many pieces are missing. I was trying to picture the average roman standing where I was, as the forums were the centre of daily life during ancient Roman times.
After lunch we went to the Trevi Fountain, the pantheon, Piazza Navona, stopping to buy strawberries at the Campo dei Fiori, and seeing Michelangelo's Moses at San Pietro in Vincoli.
Food Highlights from Rome:
Classic roman dishes include Pasta Carbonara, and Carciofi (artichokes) alla Romana, both of which I was sure to enjoy. Pasta carbonara is pasta tossed with a mix of egg, pancetta (bacon), and cheese, usually Pecorino Romano. The key is freshly ground pepper.
Goodbye Sicily, I will miss you.
Hello, Rome! It actually looked really small from the air, I thought I'd taken the wrong flight.
Highlights included, well, a lot of things. In particular, Raphael's School of Athens, the Sistine chapel, Michelangelo's La Pietà, and St Peter's. I liked the stories associated with each place - how Michelangelo was known to throw things at people who bothered him, how they made St Peter's seem less big from the inside by using scale, how painters would being themselves and other artists into their work.
Our tourguide.
The hall of maps.
School of Athens.
La Pietà. Mary is shown as young and rediculously tall.
The Da Vinci exhibit had a 360° mirror...
Spanish steps.
Outside the Collesseum.
Cleaned, vs uncleaned.
Arch of Constantine
My mom and I throwing our coins into the fountain.
Apparently Michelangelo threw his hammer at the statue when he had finished, yelling, "But why don't you speak?"
For our last full day in Rome, we saw more of the sights, ending up far above the city, enjoying the lovely day.
Circo Massimo
Classic roman dishes include Pasta Carbonara, and Carciofi (artichokes) alla Romana, both of which I was sure to enjoy. Pasta carbonara is pasta tossed with a mix of egg, pancetta (bacon), and cheese, usually Pecorino Romano. The key is freshly ground pepper.
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