Early in the morning we drove to Ancient Corinth, and saw where St. Paul would have preached.
Then we got on the ferry for the long voyage home. The rattling of this boat's engines was worse, but I wasn't sick at all. The ferry headed west toward the setting sun, and the seagulls flew inches above the waves. The islands started to appear in splendor. I finished Kipling, which was wonderful, if not a little sad and scary. At the line for dinner there was an incident. Some Italian girls tried to cut in front of us, and we edged ourselves in front of them. One turned to us and said, "You speak English?" I replied, "Yeah". They turned to each other and began to giggle and speak in Italian. Then she turned back to stare at me, inches from my face. I didn't flinch, and she turned away first. We got up to where our RA Steve was handing out meal vouchers, and he told them they would have to go to the back of the line. They attempted flirting with him, but we got our spot in line and chuckled to ourselves. After dinner we went on deck. The wind blew our hair into disarray, and the waves leaped. At the very back we stood for at least an hour, watching the near-full moon shine on the waves. The ship's path created large foamy swells.
Finally we arrived in Italy, and drove towards Due Santi. We got there at dusk and lugged our suitcases up to the third floor. I got to bed late, but happy that I got a chance to talk to the folks back home ;) and glad to be in my Roman home.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Theater and the Castle
Friday, October 10th, was one of the best days of the Greece trip. The bus ride to Epidaurus was a little nauseating as we careened up and down hills and made sudden stops, but I instantly felt better as I saw the sun rise over the huge theater. I took the steps two at a time and went up to a high seat. Even from the top I could hear Dr. Hatlie and Dr. Roper speak from the middle of the stage, because of the perfect acoustics of the theater. All of us got a chance to speak from the stone in the middle of the stage. There was the Gettysburg Address, the speech from Braveheart and all kinds of poetry and song. After the Jabberwocky and some Henry V, I did a short poem from Much Ado About Nothing. The sun shone blindingly, and you really can hear and feel your voice fill the whole theater. It was very fun.
Back at the hotel we got into our swimsuits and took the bus up the mountain to the Palamidi Fortress. We learned this awesome song from our bus driver about Rasputin. Anyway, the castle was amazing, and the view of the sea was beyond belief. The castle was huge and extended over the whole mountain, with at least three levels. It made me want to be a princess or a soldier or something. Then the bus took us back down, and we made the long walk to the beach. It was covered in large pebbles and felt really hard to walk on. At dinner that night we got to talking about our Christmas traditions and got all excited for when we come home for Christmas.
Back at the hotel we got into our swimsuits and took the bus up the mountain to the Palamidi Fortress. We learned this awesome song from our bus driver about Rasputin. Anyway, the castle was amazing, and the view of the sea was beyond belief. The castle was huge and extended over the whole mountain, with at least three levels. It made me want to be a princess or a soldier or something. Then the bus took us back down, and we made the long walk to the beach. It was covered in large pebbles and felt really hard to walk on. At dinner that night we got to talking about our Christmas traditions and got all excited for when we come home for Christmas.
Mycenae and Nafplion
We drove to a palace on a small hill, in the ancient town of Mycenae. We heard stories about the man who rediscovered it, Heinrich Schliemann, who sounds like a cross between the characters in Indiana Jones and Secondhand Lions. This city is where Agamemnon would have lived, one of the great leaders of the Greeks at Troy. We went down into one of the tombs, called tholos because they are shaped like beehives, and read a scene from the Greek tragedy Agamemnon. Then we hiked up to the summit, passing under the famous entrance called the Lion's Gate.
Then we traveled to Nafplion, a cute seaside resort town. It took some doing to find the beach, for it is all the way around the other side of a large cliff, past the docks. I didn't bother going all the way to the beach but clambered down to the white rocks hanging a few feet above the sea and sat reading my book. The rocks were riddled with small holes through which one could see the waves. The sun was warm, but the breeze felt good on my skin. The mountains are purple in the distance, sailboats pass by, and up on the cliff is a fortress.
Then we traveled to Nafplion, a cute seaside resort town. It took some doing to find the beach, for it is all the way around the other side of a large cliff, past the docks. I didn't bother going all the way to the beach but clambered down to the white rocks hanging a few feet above the sea and sat reading my book. The rocks were riddled with small holes through which one could see the waves. The sun was warm, but the breeze felt good on my skin. The mountains are purple in the distance, sailboats pass by, and up on the cliff is a fortress.
Athens: The White City
I'm serious. Athens is the White City. Not quite like on LOTR; the only part on a hill is the Acropolis. Our hotel in Athens rose above the level of most of the buildings in the city, and breakfast was on the top floor. WHAT a view. The hill of the Acropolis is right in front of you, and is amazing. The city itself stretches for miles around, all across the valley to the slopes of the surrounding mountains. In the morning the sun rises and all the white buildings sparkle hazily. It is beautiful and huge. We started off through the city streets to the Pnyx, the low, rocky hill where the Athenian Assembly, or ekklesia met. Standing on the speaker's platform, the Acropolis is very close to one's right. Some kids in our class read parts of Pericles' Funeral Oration to get us all fired up for democracy. We climbed down to the agora, and explored the marketplace. Then back up to the Areopagus, on the slopes of the Acropolis. This was where court cases were held. The white rocks there were so slippery! After lunch we went to the Archaeological Museum of Athens, and it is probably the largest museum I've ever been in. There is no way I could have seen everything in there. There was Greek and Roman sculpture and even Egyptian artifacts. Then my roommate and I found our way across the city to our hotel, where we changed and went shopping on one of the main streets, where we bought new dresses.
I went up to breakfast on Wednesday for the same beautiful view. Again we walked through Athens, to the foot of the Acropolis, where we visited the colorful Theater of Dionysus. Then we started the slow trek up the hill, shuffling behind more and more tourists. The Parthenon itself is quiet and still among all the gaping tourists. It's under construction, as is one of the other temples on the hill, but it is still a wonder. The huge building is restored to its perfect proportions, but most of its decorations have been moved to England. We climbed down and bought some gyros, which are also delicious, and ate them on the go. I bought an Athens hoodie, and then we went to the hotel to change. The day was so warm; Greece in October still embraces summer. Then we had a quick stop at Socrates' prison, a cave in a green park. Then we caught a bus to Cape Sounion, where we walked to the top of the cliff to see the Temple of Poseidon overlooking the water. Visitors from the 1800s had carved their names all over the base of the temple. The view of the blue sea was amazing, and we couldn't wait to climb down to the beach. The water was cold, but so clear, and I got out to dry and read some. I was probably the only person to ever read Kipling at a beach.
The next morning we got one last view of the white city, then moved on.
I went up to breakfast on Wednesday for the same beautiful view. Again we walked through Athens, to the foot of the Acropolis, where we visited the colorful Theater of Dionysus. Then we started the slow trek up the hill, shuffling behind more and more tourists. The Parthenon itself is quiet and still among all the gaping tourists. It's under construction, as is one of the other temples on the hill, but it is still a wonder. The huge building is restored to its perfect proportions, but most of its decorations have been moved to England. We climbed down and bought some gyros, which are also delicious, and ate them on the go. I bought an Athens hoodie, and then we went to the hotel to change. The day was so warm; Greece in October still embraces summer. Then we had a quick stop at Socrates' prison, a cave in a green park. Then we caught a bus to Cape Sounion, where we walked to the top of the cliff to see the Temple of Poseidon overlooking the water. Visitors from the 1800s had carved their names all over the base of the temple. The view of the blue sea was amazing, and we couldn't wait to climb down to the beach. The water was cold, but so clear, and I got out to dry and read some. I was probably the only person to ever read Kipling at a beach.
The next morning we got one last view of the white city, then moved on.
The Oracle at Delphi
I woke up to a pink sunrise, and dressed quickly because of the cold. The site of Ancient Delphi is in ruins, but it is very interesting. The view is breathtaking from the mountains. The Temple of Apollo, where the Oracle would have prophesied, still has some of its columns. The museum is also very cool, I especially liked the stone statue of a sphinx which would have stood high on its own column close to the temple.
Speaking of sphinxes, Delphi is full of cats! Little kittens roam about everywhere. Most had brown tiger stripes, skinny bodies, and long tails, but one cute little kitten was all black. After lunch we packed up and drove on to a Greek Orthodox Monastery called Hosias Loukas. It's dedicated to Saint Luke, but not the Saint Luke the Evangelist. Rather it's for a local Greek Orthodox Saint. It's full of beautiful mosaics in the Byzantine style, and a small store sold hundreds of icons.
Then we drove on to Athens and arrived in the city by night. We could see the Acropolis lit up against the night sky! My cold was getting worse, but dinner was delicious. Moussaka is really...really....good. It's potatoes, and meat, and eggplant, and some kind of cream flavored with nutmeg so it tastes like pumpkin. Looks like lasagna, but it's delicious in a different way.
Speaking of sphinxes, Delphi is full of cats! Little kittens roam about everywhere. Most had brown tiger stripes, skinny bodies, and long tails, but one cute little kitten was all black. After lunch we packed up and drove on to a Greek Orthodox Monastery called Hosias Loukas. It's dedicated to Saint Luke, but not the Saint Luke the Evangelist. Rather it's for a local Greek Orthodox Saint. It's full of beautiful mosaics in the Byzantine style, and a small store sold hundreds of icons.
Then we drove on to Athens and arrived in the city by night. We could see the Acropolis lit up against the night sky! My cold was getting worse, but dinner was delicious. Moussaka is really...really....good. It's potatoes, and meat, and eggplant, and some kind of cream flavored with nutmeg so it tastes like pumpkin. Looks like lasagna, but it's delicious in a different way.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Olympia
On Sunday the 5th we went to Ancient Olympia, where we saw the site of, obviously, the first Olympics. The day before we had gone to the Olympia Archaeological Museum, which holds some interesting statues and other artifacts, among them the helmet of the Athenian hero of the Battle of Marathon, Miltiades. The town is in a valley surrounded by green hills, and it was early morning when we walked down the path and sat in the ruins of the gymnasium. Our Western Civilizations professor, Dr. Hatlie (who speaks seven languages and is amazing and we all love him) was giving a lecture on the proceedings of the Olympics when a Greek woman leading a tour interrupted him and started to argue with him in Greek, gesturing to us, and back to her group. Hatlie was polite, but you could tell he was pretty annoyed. Eventually she left, taking her group with her. Dr. Hatlie said, "Sorry about that. The Greeks think that the site is theirs, and no one else should have a right to visit it." And truly the Greeks are very possessive about their artifacts and places of historical interest. No one was allowed to clap or shout on the site, and posing in front of statues was strictly forbidden in museums.
Eventually we left the gym while the Greek tour guide glared at us, and we climbed up the ruins of the Temple of Zeus, which once held one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World! It was a HUGE statue of Zeus which was eventually captured, destroyed, and lost in Constantinople (I think). The temple itself must have been colossal, because we could see the drums of the columns lying on the ground, and they were as big around as the mammoth trees in California.
Everyone then went to the stadium where foot races took place. Everyone, even the teachers put on their running shoes, and the men went to the starting line. The most amusing runners were Steve, our RA, proudly displaying his American flag swim trunks, and Dr. Lowery, our Theology professor, sprinting at top speed. Then the girls ran, and it was not the best day for me, because I was sneezing, and in general had a bad cold. But I participated at a light jog, for how many times in your life will you get to compete in Olympia? The winners were crowned with olive branches, and then we all piled on the bus to Delphi.
I slept most of the way, trying to recover from my cold, but I woke up when we were crossing the Gulf of Corinth to see an amazing white bridge. The water was again blue and beautiful, and the landscape was green, with little islands and white houses dotting the shoreline. We started to wind around the Gulf through the mountains, and saw Delphi across the water, with Mt. Parnassus rising above it. (home of the Muses, Apollo, and Dionysus!)
When we were winding up the mountain to the town, the view of the valley below was gorgeous. The sun was setting and the fields of olive trees and grape branches cast shadows in the golden haze. Rays through the clouds lit up the tall pine trees, and we could see the sea far away. Our hotel was on the slope of a mountain, and we had a perfect view of the valley and neighboring mountain. At night we could see hundreds of stars in the little town, and the crescent moon shone silver and gold. Modern Delphi is a small little town, with steep, narrow streets, and Christmas lights everywhere. There are little cats everywhere, and as I was going back to the hotel from our restaurant, I'm sure I saw something that was not a cat, it looked like a ferret or a mongoose or something, so that was kind of weird.
Olympia was interesting, but Delphi was definitely one of my favorite places on the trip.
Eventually we left the gym while the Greek tour guide glared at us, and we climbed up the ruins of the Temple of Zeus, which once held one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World! It was a HUGE statue of Zeus which was eventually captured, destroyed, and lost in Constantinople (I think). The temple itself must have been colossal, because we could see the drums of the columns lying on the ground, and they were as big around as the mammoth trees in California.
Everyone then went to the stadium where foot races took place. Everyone, even the teachers put on their running shoes, and the men went to the starting line. The most amusing runners were Steve, our RA, proudly displaying his American flag swim trunks, and Dr. Lowery, our Theology professor, sprinting at top speed. Then the girls ran, and it was not the best day for me, because I was sneezing, and in general had a bad cold. But I participated at a light jog, for how many times in your life will you get to compete in Olympia? The winners were crowned with olive branches, and then we all piled on the bus to Delphi.
I slept most of the way, trying to recover from my cold, but I woke up when we were crossing the Gulf of Corinth to see an amazing white bridge. The water was again blue and beautiful, and the landscape was green, with little islands and white houses dotting the shoreline. We started to wind around the Gulf through the mountains, and saw Delphi across the water, with Mt. Parnassus rising above it. (home of the Muses, Apollo, and Dionysus!)
When we were winding up the mountain to the town, the view of the valley below was gorgeous. The sun was setting and the fields of olive trees and grape branches cast shadows in the golden haze. Rays through the clouds lit up the tall pine trees, and we could see the sea far away. Our hotel was on the slope of a mountain, and we had a perfect view of the valley and neighboring mountain. At night we could see hundreds of stars in the little town, and the crescent moon shone silver and gold. Modern Delphi is a small little town, with steep, narrow streets, and Christmas lights everywhere. There are little cats everywhere, and as I was going back to the hotel from our restaurant, I'm sure I saw something that was not a cat, it looked like a ferret or a mongoose or something, so that was kind of weird.
Olympia was interesting, but Delphi was definitely one of my favorite places on the trip.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Greece is the Word
To some people's delight, and other's annoyance, that song played about twenty times on the bus rides on our 10 Day Class Trip to Greece.
On Friday October 3rd, we took a seven hour bus ride to the coast, and departed from the town of Bari on a ferry to Greece. I had a cabin with three other girls, and it was very cute. The beds folded down from the walls, and the room had several desks and a large window. None of us spent much time in there, but we roamed around the ship in the shopping areas, lounges, and out on the deck.
That night it was chilly on deck, but it was worth it to watch the waves. We hung out and danced at the all night disco for about an hour, but eventually I was too tired, and the room was too smoky, so I went off to bed. Unfortunately, I couldn't sleep all night, because I reeked of cigarette smoke, the engines rattled the beds, and i was getting a sore throat.
In the morning I climbed off the top bunk, and immediately felt the rocking motion of the boat. "Uh-oh." I thought. The engines had quieted down, which was a plus, but the rolling of the waves was making me a little queasy. Breakfast didn't help, even though I was happy to see green islands out the windows. I walked cautiously down the narrow hallways, holding on to rails, and decided that going out on deck might help. Luckily, I immediately felt better as the wind hit me full in the face, and i saw the glittering of the sun on the waves. We saw rocky cliffs, with lighthouses perched on the top of islands. The ferry plowed cheerily through the waves, and the sapphire sea was just a shade darker than the sky. The white froth made a thousand different shapes, and as the boat tossed up spray, the droplets made rainbows.
The wind pushed us around, and even droplets of water on the deck struggled against its force.
Sailboats passed by now and then, and another ferry raced us across the sea.
We imagined we saw jellyfish, and wished for dolphins to leap alongside. Clouds rest on the tops of some of the islands, with the sun shining through them.
We got to Patras, Greece, and disembarked, marveling in the mountains. I was looking foward to Greece, but couldn't wait for the return ferry ride
On Friday October 3rd, we took a seven hour bus ride to the coast, and departed from the town of Bari on a ferry to Greece. I had a cabin with three other girls, and it was very cute. The beds folded down from the walls, and the room had several desks and a large window. None of us spent much time in there, but we roamed around the ship in the shopping areas, lounges, and out on the deck.
That night it was chilly on deck, but it was worth it to watch the waves. We hung out and danced at the all night disco for about an hour, but eventually I was too tired, and the room was too smoky, so I went off to bed. Unfortunately, I couldn't sleep all night, because I reeked of cigarette smoke, the engines rattled the beds, and i was getting a sore throat.
In the morning I climbed off the top bunk, and immediately felt the rocking motion of the boat. "Uh-oh." I thought. The engines had quieted down, which was a plus, but the rolling of the waves was making me a little queasy. Breakfast didn't help, even though I was happy to see green islands out the windows. I walked cautiously down the narrow hallways, holding on to rails, and decided that going out on deck might help. Luckily, I immediately felt better as the wind hit me full in the face, and i saw the glittering of the sun on the waves. We saw rocky cliffs, with lighthouses perched on the top of islands. The ferry plowed cheerily through the waves, and the sapphire sea was just a shade darker than the sky. The white froth made a thousand different shapes, and as the boat tossed up spray, the droplets made rainbows.
The wind pushed us around, and even droplets of water on the deck struggled against its force.
Sailboats passed by now and then, and another ferry raced us across the sea.
We imagined we saw jellyfish, and wished for dolphins to leap alongside. Clouds rest on the tops of some of the islands, with the sun shining through them.
We got to Patras, Greece, and disembarked, marveling in the mountains. I was looking foward to Greece, but couldn't wait for the return ferry ride
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Little town, It's a Quiet Village
On the first travel weekend of the semester, Claire, Deborah, Jamie and I took a bus ride to Siena. The Tuscan countryside was beautiful yet alien, with large fields full of nothing but gigantic sunflowers, drooping towards the ground from the lack of sunlight. Fields full of sheep were watched by shepherds in cloaks. Upon arriving in Siena we checked into our hostel. It was probably the most amazing hostel we'll ever stay at, and really cheap too! We had little cabins for two people with our own bathrooms, comfy blankets, really cute and clean, and even a mini fridge.
We walked back up to the bar at the site to get some snacks. It started to rain, and we lamented the fact that none of us had brought umbrellas, and I was the only one who had brought even a coat! We continued with our snacks, and noticed that the rain was now pounding unnaturally loud. Hail was now falling from the sky, and pounding against the wooden awning. I picked up some scattered pieces of hail, and the cold things were as big as large marbles. The day had been warm until then, and steam was rising from the ground from the freezing impact.
Finally it cleared up, and we were able to venture into Siena. We saw the famous Piazza del Campo, where college students study, children run after pigeons, and tourists gawk at the high tower stretching for the blue sky. We grabbed a slice of pizza for a euro, and walked over to the Duomo, the beautiful Cathedral. Though it looks modern with its horizontal stripes, it is almost 1000 years old. The rainbow-colored mosaics on the facade of the church have not faded with age, and this Gothic church is one of the most beautiful I have seen, even with all of Rome's. As we were about to leave the Piazza, we heard the sound of drums and singing from a distance. We turned back and saw a parade of people with colored scarves and a large banner with a black horse and the Virgin on it. They waved flags and marched to the center of the Piazza. Siena has many ancient neighborhoods, and each year in August they compete in a horse race on the Piazza. This was the winning neighborhood in a victory celebration. This was a very welcome surprise to see a little bit of the fun of living in Siena.
The next morning we took the bus into Siena and went to the Church of San Domenico, which displays relics from the life of St. Catherine of Siena, among them her finger and her head. Then we stopped at her house, and rain started to pour into the courtyard. After we finished our visit I led the way into the cold rain, up and down the hills and alleys to the Duomo Museum. It displays beautiful artwork that used to be in the Cathedral itself, and was one of my favorite parts of the trip. We also saw the Baptistery, where we met some students from Benedictine College who were studying in Florence. The cathedral itself did not contain one inch that was not elaborately decorated. The floor was engraved with mythical figures and scenes from the Old Testament, and the chairs behind the altar had a different painted scene on the bright wood. The rest of the day we spent listening to a choir in the city hall below the tower of the Piazza del Campo, and walking about the rainy streets. We were soaked by the time we got home, and our shoes didn't dry until we got back to Rome the next afternoon.
I would highly recommend this city for a weekend trip, it's picturesque and small enough to visit everything in a day or two. The food is delicious, both the Italians and foreigners are pretty nice, and the medieval town is amazing.
We walked back up to the bar at the site to get some snacks. It started to rain, and we lamented the fact that none of us had brought umbrellas, and I was the only one who had brought even a coat! We continued with our snacks, and noticed that the rain was now pounding unnaturally loud. Hail was now falling from the sky, and pounding against the wooden awning. I picked up some scattered pieces of hail, and the cold things were as big as large marbles. The day had been warm until then, and steam was rising from the ground from the freezing impact.
Finally it cleared up, and we were able to venture into Siena. We saw the famous Piazza del Campo, where college students study, children run after pigeons, and tourists gawk at the high tower stretching for the blue sky. We grabbed a slice of pizza for a euro, and walked over to the Duomo, the beautiful Cathedral. Though it looks modern with its horizontal stripes, it is almost 1000 years old. The rainbow-colored mosaics on the facade of the church have not faded with age, and this Gothic church is one of the most beautiful I have seen, even with all of Rome's. As we were about to leave the Piazza, we heard the sound of drums and singing from a distance. We turned back and saw a parade of people with colored scarves and a large banner with a black horse and the Virgin on it. They waved flags and marched to the center of the Piazza. Siena has many ancient neighborhoods, and each year in August they compete in a horse race on the Piazza. This was the winning neighborhood in a victory celebration. This was a very welcome surprise to see a little bit of the fun of living in Siena.
The next morning we took the bus into Siena and went to the Church of San Domenico, which displays relics from the life of St. Catherine of Siena, among them her finger and her head. Then we stopped at her house, and rain started to pour into the courtyard. After we finished our visit I led the way into the cold rain, up and down the hills and alleys to the Duomo Museum. It displays beautiful artwork that used to be in the Cathedral itself, and was one of my favorite parts of the trip. We also saw the Baptistery, where we met some students from Benedictine College who were studying in Florence. The cathedral itself did not contain one inch that was not elaborately decorated. The floor was engraved with mythical figures and scenes from the Old Testament, and the chairs behind the altar had a different painted scene on the bright wood. The rest of the day we spent listening to a choir in the city hall below the tower of the Piazza del Campo, and walking about the rainy streets. We were soaked by the time we got home, and our shoes didn't dry until we got back to Rome the next afternoon.
I would highly recommend this city for a weekend trip, it's picturesque and small enough to visit everything in a day or two. The food is delicious, both the Italians and foreigners are pretty nice, and the medieval town is amazing.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Adventures in Roming
Just some short accounts of the two other trips I've made to Rome so far, and our trip to Lake Albano:
Not much to say about Lake Albano, except that for some reason it's a lot cooler to say you're swimming in a lake in Italy, than just going to any old lake in the states. It was pretty cool and refreshing, because it took us forever to walk uphill in the sun to the town of Albano. Way up on the hill above the lake is Castel Gandolfo. Who knows, the Pope could have been watching us swim! Now to get out into the lake, you have to trod your way through shin-deep mud. There was lots of screaming on the way into the water, but once the water came up to your neck, the lake bottom was solid, and the water was surprisingly clear! It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the blue skies and green hills. Then we padded across the black sand up to a little shop selling water bottles and gelato. The walk back to campus was much shorter since we now knew our way, and the only excitement was when someone saw a piece of bungee cord on the side of the road and thought it was a snake. Again, lots of screaming.
Sunday was the last day before classes started, so my roommate Jamie and I decided to travel to Rome. We waited at the bus stop with many other Romers and wished we had remembered to bring the bus schedule with us. Some students got bored and went to the bar across the street. A few minutes after they left, the bus pulled up. The bargoers were left behind. After a hot and sweaty ride, we reached the Metro. Jamie and I intended to go all the way to the Spanish Steps, so we got on the A line of the subway and settled in for the ride. We had gotten as far as San Giovanni when the lights on the car began to flicker. Suddenly everyone in every car got up and off the train and headed for the "uscita." Thinking we had better follow the crowd and hope these Italians knew what they were doing, we also headed for the exit. At the top of the stairs were some very angry Italians, and lines of buses. Weighing our options, we decided to stay where we were and visit San Giovanni en Laterano, a beautiful looking church we had passed on our way into Rome a few days before. The statues on the roof were enough to lure one close to the magnificent building. We crossed the threshold and I gasped at the beautiful statues of each of the apostles. Peter with the keys to heaven, and all the rest with various symbols of their lives and deaths. The church was adorned with scores of angels and cherubs, the most beautiful fixed on the ceilings above side altars. Then we went across the street to the Church of Scala Santa. Here the Emperor Constantine's mother brought the steps from Pontius Pilate's residence that Jesus walked upon. Pilgrims can only go up the stairs on their knees. At the top is the Pope's private chapel. We didn't climb the steps because we were tired and Jamie wasn't feeling well, but before we returned to the subway we visited the large statue of St. Francis which points to the Church of St. John Lateran. The subway wasn't working North of San Giovanni, but luckily there was no problem heading South to our stop. A little unexpected hitch in our trip turned out to be a very pleasant alternative.
Today we finally made it to the Spanish steps, and they were very impressive. Beautiful and stretching on up a hill, they are filled with people in the evening. Men and women of all ages, but I mostly noticed young people watching the tourists and shoppers alike. The church at the top was busy with mass but we were able to go in the back and see a few statues in the shadows created by the sunset. For the rest of the evening we wandered the streets, getting lost in the art and ancient twists and turns of the city. At dusk we found ourselves at the Tomb of Augustus, across the street from a large, modern looking cafe called Gusto. Andrew, who had the best knowledge of Italian, talked to the host and got us a table inside. We all had a pizza (yes, they serve each person a whole pizza). I don't remember the name of mine, but it was delicious. Black olives, artichokes, and my new favorite cheese, peccorino. Then we headed to the nearest Metro station, crossing the Piazza de Popolo, filled with sphinxes and obelisks, saxophone players and men handing out roses, and saints and churches. Then the subway and the bus, then a starry walk to the campus gates, and relief at the lights of home
Not much to say about Lake Albano, except that for some reason it's a lot cooler to say you're swimming in a lake in Italy, than just going to any old lake in the states. It was pretty cool and refreshing, because it took us forever to walk uphill in the sun to the town of Albano. Way up on the hill above the lake is Castel Gandolfo. Who knows, the Pope could have been watching us swim! Now to get out into the lake, you have to trod your way through shin-deep mud. There was lots of screaming on the way into the water, but once the water came up to your neck, the lake bottom was solid, and the water was surprisingly clear! It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the blue skies and green hills. Then we padded across the black sand up to a little shop selling water bottles and gelato. The walk back to campus was much shorter since we now knew our way, and the only excitement was when someone saw a piece of bungee cord on the side of the road and thought it was a snake. Again, lots of screaming.
Sunday was the last day before classes started, so my roommate Jamie and I decided to travel to Rome. We waited at the bus stop with many other Romers and wished we had remembered to bring the bus schedule with us. Some students got bored and went to the bar across the street. A few minutes after they left, the bus pulled up. The bargoers were left behind. After a hot and sweaty ride, we reached the Metro. Jamie and I intended to go all the way to the Spanish Steps, so we got on the A line of the subway and settled in for the ride. We had gotten as far as San Giovanni when the lights on the car began to flicker. Suddenly everyone in every car got up and off the train and headed for the "uscita." Thinking we had better follow the crowd and hope these Italians knew what they were doing, we also headed for the exit. At the top of the stairs were some very angry Italians, and lines of buses. Weighing our options, we decided to stay where we were and visit San Giovanni en Laterano, a beautiful looking church we had passed on our way into Rome a few days before. The statues on the roof were enough to lure one close to the magnificent building. We crossed the threshold and I gasped at the beautiful statues of each of the apostles. Peter with the keys to heaven, and all the rest with various symbols of their lives and deaths. The church was adorned with scores of angels and cherubs, the most beautiful fixed on the ceilings above side altars. Then we went across the street to the Church of Scala Santa. Here the Emperor Constantine's mother brought the steps from Pontius Pilate's residence that Jesus walked upon. Pilgrims can only go up the stairs on their knees. At the top is the Pope's private chapel. We didn't climb the steps because we were tired and Jamie wasn't feeling well, but before we returned to the subway we visited the large statue of St. Francis which points to the Church of St. John Lateran. The subway wasn't working North of San Giovanni, but luckily there was no problem heading South to our stop. A little unexpected hitch in our trip turned out to be a very pleasant alternative.
Today we finally made it to the Spanish steps, and they were very impressive. Beautiful and stretching on up a hill, they are filled with people in the evening. Men and women of all ages, but I mostly noticed young people watching the tourists and shoppers alike. The church at the top was busy with mass but we were able to go in the back and see a few statues in the shadows created by the sunset. For the rest of the evening we wandered the streets, getting lost in the art and ancient twists and turns of the city. At dusk we found ourselves at the Tomb of Augustus, across the street from a large, modern looking cafe called Gusto. Andrew, who had the best knowledge of Italian, talked to the host and got us a table inside. We all had a pizza (yes, they serve each person a whole pizza). I don't remember the name of mine, but it was delicious. Black olives, artichokes, and my new favorite cheese, peccorino. Then we headed to the nearest Metro station, crossing the Piazza de Popolo, filled with sphinxes and obelisks, saxophone players and men handing out roses, and saints and churches. Then the subway and the bus, then a starry walk to the campus gates, and relief at the lights of home
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Overwhelmed
As I wrote that title I started cracking up internally thinking of that line from the movie 10 Things I Hate About You. "Can you ever just be whelmed?" "I think you can in Europe."
Anyway last Friday, I was very overwhelmed. Still recovering from jet lag, UD woke us up at five in the morning and we piled into buses, dressed in our very best. We knew we were nearing Rome when we began to see aqueducts running parallel to our route along the Appia. Then we passed through the walls of the City and saw St. John Lateran on our left, a Church with amazing huge statues on the roof. We made our way northwest past more and more ancient landmarks, stopping just outside the Vatican. As soon as I got off the bus I linked arms with several other girls, and we strolled briskly under arches and past impressive embassies, squealing with delight at our first steps in a city more ancient than any in America. We entered the Piazza and passed the fountains and the ancient obelisk brought all the way from Egypt to rest in the Circus of Nero, where the Vatican is today. Luckily we all passed the Basilica's strict dress code, and then we arrived in perhaps the biggest building, and certainly the biggest church I have ever been in. There is no way to describe how big it is. You can't help but look up as you walk along, hoping you don't bump into an ancient nun or some young Italian priest. The ceiling is high, the floors are long, the statues are graceful giants, and the paintings show beautiful shadowy scenes on every wall.
We couldn't stop to take in any sights just yet. We hurried over to a side altar, the Chapel of San Giuseppe, where the bodies of Sts. Simon and Jude are buried. There the UD chaplain presided over mass for us, while we gazed in awe on the beautiful paintings and statues that surrounded us. After mass had ended, we walked around the church attempting to be able to remember even a small portion of the sights that covered every surface. The breaking dawn (heh heh) came through the eastern windows, lighting up the spirals of dust started by the shuffling tourists. Michelangelo's Pieta was behind glass, but you could still see how beautiful and calm the expression of Mary was. Out in St. Peter's Square we took a class picture and then began walking tours of Rome in small groups with different professors and RAs.
One of my favorite things to discover was all the public water fountains Rome has to offer. The water is cold and delicious, and spouts from water fountains both decorative and practical, some near every major landmark. My group wandered from the Vatican to the Castel St. Angelo, and down the Bridge of Angels, through beautiful side streets to the Piazza Navona with Bernini's famous Fountain of the Four Rivers (sadly it was under renovation, so we couldn't get a good view of it). We also saw the Pantheon in its strange juxtaposition of pagan and Christian, a church with a famous painting by Caravaggio, the Trevi Fountain with blue water flowing around beautiful white statues, and we ended up on the Capitoline Hill looking down on the Roman Forum. There we reunited with the rest of the class and passed by the towering walls of the Colosseum as we walked to try our first Italian pizza.
As you can tell from the title, it was too much. I can't remember half of the things I saw, and could appreciate them even less. I'm so thankful I have months to spend here to see these things again, even if I do miss my home. I can tell you that the highlight of the day was St. Peter's Basilica. It is gorgeous and gigantic and amazing.
That reminds me of another one of my favorite quotes.
"Crime?"
"Stampeding cattle."
"That's not much of a crime."
"Through the Vatican?"
Anyway last Friday, I was very overwhelmed. Still recovering from jet lag, UD woke us up at five in the morning and we piled into buses, dressed in our very best. We knew we were nearing Rome when we began to see aqueducts running parallel to our route along the Appia. Then we passed through the walls of the City and saw St. John Lateran on our left, a Church with amazing huge statues on the roof. We made our way northwest past more and more ancient landmarks, stopping just outside the Vatican. As soon as I got off the bus I linked arms with several other girls, and we strolled briskly under arches and past impressive embassies, squealing with delight at our first steps in a city more ancient than any in America. We entered the Piazza and passed the fountains and the ancient obelisk brought all the way from Egypt to rest in the Circus of Nero, where the Vatican is today. Luckily we all passed the Basilica's strict dress code, and then we arrived in perhaps the biggest building, and certainly the biggest church I have ever been in. There is no way to describe how big it is. You can't help but look up as you walk along, hoping you don't bump into an ancient nun or some young Italian priest. The ceiling is high, the floors are long, the statues are graceful giants, and the paintings show beautiful shadowy scenes on every wall.
We couldn't stop to take in any sights just yet. We hurried over to a side altar, the Chapel of San Giuseppe, where the bodies of Sts. Simon and Jude are buried. There the UD chaplain presided over mass for us, while we gazed in awe on the beautiful paintings and statues that surrounded us. After mass had ended, we walked around the church attempting to be able to remember even a small portion of the sights that covered every surface. The breaking dawn (heh heh) came through the eastern windows, lighting up the spirals of dust started by the shuffling tourists. Michelangelo's Pieta was behind glass, but you could still see how beautiful and calm the expression of Mary was. Out in St. Peter's Square we took a class picture and then began walking tours of Rome in small groups with different professors and RAs.
One of my favorite things to discover was all the public water fountains Rome has to offer. The water is cold and delicious, and spouts from water fountains both decorative and practical, some near every major landmark. My group wandered from the Vatican to the Castel St. Angelo, and down the Bridge of Angels, through beautiful side streets to the Piazza Navona with Bernini's famous Fountain of the Four Rivers (sadly it was under renovation, so we couldn't get a good view of it). We also saw the Pantheon in its strange juxtaposition of pagan and Christian, a church with a famous painting by Caravaggio, the Trevi Fountain with blue water flowing around beautiful white statues, and we ended up on the Capitoline Hill looking down on the Roman Forum. There we reunited with the rest of the class and passed by the towering walls of the Colosseum as we walked to try our first Italian pizza.
As you can tell from the title, it was too much. I can't remember half of the things I saw, and could appreciate them even less. I'm so thankful I have months to spend here to see these things again, even if I do miss my home. I can tell you that the highlight of the day was St. Peter's Basilica. It is gorgeous and gigantic and amazing.
That reminds me of another one of my favorite quotes.
"Crime?"
"Stampeding cattle."
"That's not much of a crime."
"Through the Vatican?"
Friday, August 29, 2008
Leaving on a Jet Plane
First of all, I finally know what Jet Lag is. It means you're really really exhausted, but you can't go to sleep or you'll be messed up for the first week of your trip. The D.C. airport was full of people, and I went up to a United desk to ask the woman where my gate was. She was not very happy with me for some reason and seemed to think I was an idiot for not "checking in," whatever that means. How am I supposed to check in if I don't know where the gate is? So eventually I found the gate, reunited with all my friends, and was very happy to note that Shelley, my roommate from last year, was the owner of the Twilight book sitting on a suitcase, and that all the other girls were Edward fans. Parts of the flight were interesting, flying over Maine and Canada was really cool. After that there was nothing to see but clouds that changed shape every time you looked out the window. I couldn't sleep, though I tried, and even used my eye mask. Leatherheads is not that great of a movie, I wish they'd been showing Kung Fu Panda. So finally we saw Italy from above, it's pretty, but weird to see, looks like it could just be some farmland in the US in parts, but there are strange trees and differently shaped electrical towers in others.
Now I've never been out of the States before, but I thought that everyone had to go through customs. Well, none of us had to go through customs. We tried to ask an airport employee if we needed to get in the customs line, but all he would say was Prego (which in this instance meant "you're welcome to get out of the way of people who know what they're doing) and he didn't understand the word customs. So we just went on through, not having to do anyting but show our passport. My luggage arrived safely, and we were driven to the campus by a crazy bus driver who tried to run over the teeny tiny cars here. Oh, and Rome is COVERED in graffiti, the streets, the highways, the doors, everything. Anyway the cars are funny, I saw a Mercedes van, and there was a cute little Hyundai... oh, my Hyundai. I pine for you. There's also this car that's popular here with a lightning bolt insignia. I'll have to find out what that is. And then...we got to the campus. Pictures will come soon, and you'll see for yourself, that it is amazing!
Now I've never been out of the States before, but I thought that everyone had to go through customs. Well, none of us had to go through customs. We tried to ask an airport employee if we needed to get in the customs line, but all he would say was Prego (which in this instance meant "you're welcome to get out of the way of people who know what they're doing) and he didn't understand the word customs. So we just went on through, not having to do anyting but show our passport. My luggage arrived safely, and we were driven to the campus by a crazy bus driver who tried to run over the teeny tiny cars here. Oh, and Rome is COVERED in graffiti, the streets, the highways, the doors, everything. Anyway the cars are funny, I saw a Mercedes van, and there was a cute little Hyundai... oh, my Hyundai. I pine for you. There's also this car that's popular here with a lightning bolt insignia. I'll have to find out what that is. And then...we got to the campus. Pictures will come soon, and you'll see for yourself, that it is amazing!
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