So Crazy!

I cannot believe it… it is the last day of November! What a busy month, full of trips and lots of fun! I have experience and learned a lot these past 30 days and like every month, I would like to share them with you!

So here it goes – lessons learned during November:

- Italians LOVE their stairs… walking up and down St. Patrick’s well in the hill town Orvieto (which I will write a blog about sometime…) was torture. It was 274 steps down which means there were 274 steps up – you know you are out of shape when a grandmother passes you and is not even breathing hard.

- Flushing a toilet takes about two people (one should preferably be a rocket scientist).

- My cooking skills are not that amazing – at the cooking class, the instructor told me that American girls couldn’t cook.

- The Uffizi and the Louvre are the two biggest museums I have ever seen… I would need to camp out in them for at least 6 weeks to be able to see everything.

- Gelato is still amazing, even if it is raining and freezing cold outside.

- Soccer is not a pastime here; it is a way of life. You dedicate your loyalties to one team only and you are then the sworn enemy of an opposing team’s fan base.

- Movie theaters have intermission…

- You know when you are becoming a true Italian when the first language that comes out of your mouth is Italian, even when you are trying to talk French to Parisians.

- The American diner in Florence makes great milkshakes – they make long study sessions a little more bearable.

- The Mercato Centrale is officially my favorite place in Florence.

- Dublin is a gothic wonderland, Paris is a metropolitan epicenter, and Florence is an old soul – all so different but all so amazing.

- The Florentine city Christmas tree has a security detail that protects it from vandals.

- Italy is a great place to live! I can’t believe I only have less than three weeks left!

Ciao!

The City of Lights

I just got back from my whirlwind weekend in Paris with one of my good friends from Florence. As some of you know, I tried to go to Paris in the middle of October but cancelled due to the riots – the riots were the French protesting a new pension policy being put into place. But I was happy that I finally had a chance to go with my good friend and see the famed City of Lights.

We landed in Paris at about six at night on Friday. It was already dark out and as we made our way out of the airport, it began to lightly snow (yay!). Piling into the waiting bus, we pulled out into the darkened highways surrounding Paris. As my friend fell asleep, I gazed out onto darken fields and farmsteads. Then in an instant, the scenery changed. Cows and crops turned into cities. After another hour, we entered into Paris city proper and were greeted by its most notable landmark, the Eiffel Tower. The symbol of France was all lit up and it was breathtaking (I had to wake up my friend – it was too cool not to see).

We had a rude awakening as we left the warm bus and entered the frigid Paris cold (Florence is a good ten degrees warmer). We gathered our luggage and made the trek to our hostel. When we were got there, we were greeted with a warm reception and our room key. We made our way to our room, dropped off our luggage and headed to the bar/restaurant downstairs (it was now approaching 9pm) and got some dinner. After dinner, we headed back upstairs and climbed into bed and fell asleep, anticipating the day ahead.

Saturday dawned bright and chilly and full of promise. Filling ourselves up with fresh baguette (the French are locavores too!), we bundled up and headed out. Our hostel recommended a free walking tour and we decided that since we had limited time in the City of Lights, that it would be a good idea to have a guided tour that showed us all the sights. A native English-speaker (he was from Canada) who was studying in Paris led our tour – he was AMAZING!

We got the meeting point a bit early so we explored a famous landmark that was nearby – Notre Dame. It looked smaller than I expected, but I was so wrong when I walked into it. The façade makes it appear small, but the church is very long. There were stain glass windows everywhere, all done in brilliant pinks, purples, and blues. It was awe-inspiring. What made it even cooler was that they were setting up all their Christmas decorations; it gave the whole day a festive vibe. I have never seen anything more beautiful in my life.

Notre Dame

Our tour meeting time came around and we began our epic walk around Paris. We saw famous buildings (like the judicial building that the French people took back from the Nazis) and the site where a Templar Knight grand master placed a curse upon a King and a Pope (they tried to steal all the Templar’s money by convicting them of heresy but the curse led the King and Pope to their deaths… never ever make a Templar Knight angry). We saw where the Institute of French language, where all words are entered into the French dictionary. We saw the outside of the Louvre (so exciting!) and the infamous glass pyramid. Seeing the Louvre fulfilled a lifelong dream and I was so happy that I actually got to see it. After there, we saw a palace where the French Revolution was started (Let them eat cake!) and the opera house where a famous play is based.

Our last stop was the Eiffel Tower. Apparently the French did not want to build it because it is ugly (thank goodness the architect did not listen). It was the most beautiful skyscraper that I have ever seen in my life. I have always thought that the tower was painted black, but it actually is bronze in color. It was really interesting to see that it was actually a different color than I thought. As we were about to leave, the lights were turned on, and we stayed to take pictures with it all lit up.

The Eiffel Tower

Our marathon day was completed with a trip to a little café where we ordered bowls of French onion soup (minus the cheese for me) and glasses of champagne. We went back to the hostel to change and relax for a little bit and then we were off to see the Moulin Rouge theater and we ate crepes at a little restaurant (chocolate-filled and sugar coated, yum to the extreme). It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

Waking up early the next day, we ate breakfast, checked out of the hostel, and put our luggage into lockers. Then we headed off to the Louvre! Since it was Sunday at 10am, the line was short and we were through security in a jiffy. My friend and I got in for free by showing our visas – EU residents between the ages of 18 and 25 (including temporary ones) get to go into the Louvre for free! It was a very exciting day. Due to the lack of time, we did the speedy Louvre tour, which meant only one thing – the Mona Lisa!

As we walked through the Italian wing of the Louvre (which is HUGE), we stopped and admired the beautiful art adorning the walls. It was incredible to see canvases the size of whole walls and think how the artist painted it. It was also cool to see other painting done by famed Italian artists, like Giotto. My friend and I had just gone to the Uffizi the week before, so it was cool to see more works by these famed painters.

We finally made it to the room holding the most famous painting in the world. And there she was. She is not as small as I had heard. What makes her seem small is that about 15 feet and some glass separate the public from that famous smile. It was really incredible to gaze upon the face that has brought about so many queries about its creator. It was so cool.

Hello Ms. Mona Lisa!

Sadly, we had to wrap up the museum tour and head back to the airport to go back to Florence. I was really sad to leave Paris. I had an amazing time and saw some incredible things! I can’t wait to go back!

Au revior (or as I like to say, Ciao!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day, my dear blog readers! Today is a day filled with family, food, football, and of course, turkey. I am a big fan of Thanksgiving. I love apple pie and butternut squash. I love being around my family and just hanging out. It is the perfect low-key holiday. But as you know, I’m in Florence, where Thanksgiving does not exist. But that did not stop my program advisors from throwing us a wonderful dinner party (complete with turkey, mashed potatoes, and apple pie). I had a fabulous time with all my friends, sitting around a big table and eating great food and sharing stories. The one thing I missed was what my family does at the dinner table. We go around the table and say what we are thankful for. So I decided to share my thoughts with you!

- I am thankful for my family and friends, both at home and in Florence, for all their love and support.

- I am thankful for my wonderful roommates, who provide endless laughs and fun times!

- I am thankful that all my classes are going well (especially Italian).

- I am thankful for my Mercato Centrale vendors (mother/daughter grocer and grandpa butcher) for their patience and help with my Italian language skils – I have learned so much from them.

- I am thankful for Mercato Centrale itself (it has helped me become a locavore).

- I am thankful for comfortable walking shoes.

- I am thankful that my mom and grandma taught me how to cook… without those skills, I would starve/live on pasta for my whole time here in Florence.

- Finally, I am thankful for you, my dear blog readers, for sharing in this experience with me!

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Ciao!

Running Against the Clock

Hello again, my dear readers! My Orvieto blog will come soon (sometime early next week…). It is that time of year again – we are leading up to finals and it is the last push to get in projects and papers. I have successfully turned in 2 papers, given three presentations, and have one presentation, one paper, and one huge project due next week and then I can sit back and enjoy my last few weeks in my beautiful Florence (until finals, that is).

The big news of this week is that I became a permanent temporary resident of Florence! I am very excited! To stay in Florence for an extended period of time, one needs to get a permit-to-stay. I applied for mine the day my feet touched the cobblestones of Florence and got a piece of paper 30 days later. I thought that I was done after that. Apparently not because 30 days after that, I was taken with my program to be fingerprinted (my fingerprints are now in the Italian system… which is kind of cool). I was given an appointment in the next 30 days (so the Italians love two things – stairs and 30-day waiting periods) to come back and pick-up my official card.

So that is what I got to do today… I got to experience Italian immigrations! I also got a lesson in patience. My appointment was at 2pm and my program told me that I should arrive an hour early to get a ticket. Being the worrier that I am, I got there an hour and a half early. As I waited on line, I studied for my Italian quiz that I would take at 3. I felt much more relieved when a girl from my program finally appeared – we waited in line and finally got our numbers and sat down to wait (it is always better to wait with someone, especially when you do not know the language).

At around 2:15pm, I started to get panicky. It takes 20 minutes to walk to class and I would have to leave soon to get there in time for my quiz. I was instructed not to leave without my appointment paper (a sheet with my information on it – name, appointment time, immigration officer’s signature, etc). So I walked up to the guard who took it away from me (so I could get my number). I politely asked for it back and he said, “I don’t speak English very well. I’m sorry” and walked away (I thought his English was really good, but apparently he thinks not). Frustrated and running out of time, I called my program advisor and asked for advice. She told me to give the guard my phone (which I did) and he began to rapidly talk to her in Italian. He then gave me the phone back – my advisor told me that the people working in immigration decided to have a lunch break at 2pm and would not be back until 3pm and my number would be called at around 4pm. Oh no! I did not know what I should do…

After a couple minutes of consideration, I headed over to my Italian class. My first order of business upon arrival was to talk to my professor, who upon hearing my story let me take my quiz first thing and miss the rest of the lesson (“You never keep the State waiting!” she said). After my quiz (which went really well), I ran back to the immigration office. Stepping in the door at 3:58pm, I saw that they were on number 40 and I was number 131. Slightly miffed, I made my way to where my friends were still sitting and sat until they called my name. A little more than an hour later and my number was called. I walked up to window and presented my documents. Then the immigrations officer slid a colorful card under the window. It was my permanent permit to stay card! I was so excited! I am finally recognized by the Florentine government as a temporary resident!

It was a long day (it ended up being about four and a half hours at immigrations including a break to take my quiz) and I had to be patient. I now know that a little patience (about 90 days worth) will bring about great rewards!

Ciao!

The Art of Art and Cooking

Today was a day that I had been waiting for since I stepped foot in Florence – we went to the magnificent Uffizi Gallery! I was really excited and waited so long to go; waiting was very hard but necessary because the line is usually really long (all the tourists trying to get in) and I wanted a guided tour (the guides usually have some really cool stories). It is the coolest museum I have ever been to.

The Uffizi used to be the offices for the Medici’s government way back when. The first floor was for the highest ranking officials (like the Minister of War) and the second floor is for less important people. Finally the third floor was empty for many years, until the Medici realized they had a problem. Their obsession with art was becoming a little ridiculous because they were running out of space in their 40 villas and palaces to put everything (they had a mere 40,000 pieces of art). So one of the Medici sons decided to use the top floor of the Uffizi as a storage warehouse for some of the family’s art collection. After a while, he decided to open it up to the public to come and view it (thus the creation of the very first museum!). Now the Uffizi is home to only about 30% of the original Medici collection, but let me tell you, they got the most amazing pieces!

The permanent collection still resides on the third floor of the Uffizi, so we walked up the 150 stairs to the third floor (I say it all the time – the Italians love their stairs!). As we got up to the top of the floor, we were asked to present our tickets. Most of the time, our program advisors just get one ticket for the whole group, but that was not the case today. So my roommate, a couple other people, and I took the elevator back downstairs to go get the tickets from one of our program advisors. When we got there, we saw her group walking up the stairs. Frantically, we ran up the stairs (again!) to get our tickets. We finally got our tickets (and a workout) and were ushered into the magical world of art.

The Uffizi Gallery is a work of art in-itself. The walls are lined with statues and painting of art patrons. The ceilings are all painted and gold-leafed. One can really tell the time and effort it took to create the frescos on the walls. You could take a good two or three hours and just explore the hallways.

We entered the first few rooms, predominately filled with religious art. It was really cool because you can see the transition from the Byzantine style of art to the more “modern” Renaissance style (2D to 3D). It was really cool. We wandered around with our guide until we came to the room that made the Uffizi famous. It is the Botticelli room. He is famous for his paintings, The Birth of Venus and La Primavera. These paintings are important because they are really a break in art at the time. During the Renaissance, really only religious art was commissioned, not art that was for “display” (aka something that you can hang on your wall in your villa, not in your chapel). A cardinal refused to eat dinner at a Medici chapel because The Birth of Venus was one of the first paintings with a naked woman in it – he told them the only way he would eat with them was if the Medici removed it. The Medici turned around and kicked him out. This controversial piece, in turn, has become one of the most famous pieces of art known to mankind.

We saw another controversial art piece but it was Michelangelo who created this one (who I learned was greedy, angry, arrogant, and mean – it made me so sad that a man who made such beautiful art could be such a horrible person). He was asked to paint a scene of the Holy Family (Jesus, Mary, and Joseph) for a wealthy merchant. Michelangelo did so, but he did it in a way that was very different. Mary is not covered up (her arms are bare and she does not have a veil on). Joseph looks like he is 100 years old. Baby Jesus is climbing all over his mother and looks like a baby (in religious art up to this point, Baby Jesus acts like a little adult, not the baby that he is). To top it all off, Michelangelo decided to add naked people to the background (why? Who knows?). Despite it being a break from the norms of religious art at the time, it is a breathtaking piece of work.

After our speedy tour of the Uffizi, we were whisked off to a cooking class at a cute little cooking school. It was very exciting because I did not know what we were going to make. As I donned my apron and washed my hands, I tried to figure out what we were going to make (what can you make with eggplants, potatoes, tomatoes and flour…). We were told when we met our teacher – tiramisu, spinach ravioli, pasta in red sauce, and an eggplant appetizer. I was really excited.

I was set to the task of separating eggs for the tiramisu. As one of my friends whipped the egg yolks with sugar, I beat the egg whites until they formed stiff peaks. My other friends combined flour and eggs to make pasta (yes we made fresh pasta!). After they finished the pasta, I got to fold the two egg mixtures together and we got to make the tiramisu. It was good because we got to decide how much coffee to put into the dessert (my group really didn’t like coffee, so we put as little as possible which actually made it taste a lot better).

After the tiramisu was done, we began to work on veggie prep. I sliced eggplant and my friends chopped zucchini, riced potatoes, and peeled tomatoes. The zucchini and potatoes were mixed and put in between layers of eggplant (veggie napoleons – the only thing I can think to call them). They were topped with olive oil and put into the oven to bake. Then we proceeded to make fresh pasta, which was HARD! I have full respect for our teacher who did it quickly and efficiently. There were a few tense moments between us (the teacher and us), when we were not working quickly enough or not doing something correctly, but overall it was a good experience. I really appreciated my food so much more because we put so much time and effort into it. I had so much fun.

Fully stuffed, I went home and rested until the evening when I went out to a movie theater to see the newest movie in a popular series. My friends and I were really excited to get popcorn, sit in big seats and watch a movie on a big screen. It was a great movie until halfway through, the movie cut off and the word “Intermission” flashed onto the screen. The audience, which was predominantly American, screamed in protest. Thankfully, a short five minutes later, the movie resumed. It was very interesting. I never would have thought that there would have been an intermission. Although it was frustrating, it was really neat to see how the Italians see their movies. I felt like a real Italian!

I had an awesome day… off to Orvieto tomorrow! Stay tuned for another blog post!

Ciao!

PS – Crazy week! Blog posts are coming, promise!

Cheese

Another day, another blog post about my thoughts and observations of Italy. This one is special to me because it about something that I have been dealing with a lot of my life – my aversion of cheese (thanks Mom for the idea). I absolutely hate it. I think is smells gross, it looks gross, and I don’t understand why people eat it. But here in Italy, cheese is a staple. Grated over pasta, put into ravioli, or eaten for antipasti, cheese is a staple in the Italian diet.

Let me shed some background light on this topic. I am not lactose-intolerant (I can drink milk by the gallon and eat ice cream by the pint) and I actually used to eat cheese (apparently I used to eat mac-and-cheese twice a day when I was young). One day something changed. People have asked me what happened (i.e. why did you stop eating cheese) and I can tell you that I have no answer to that question (aka I have no idea what happened). I do eat mozzarella cheese (both fresh and melted onto pizza), but everything else really grosses me out…

… and here are my reasons why:

- I am perfectly happy without having cheese in my diet.

- I have not eaten it in SO long, that I am unsure if I will even like it anymore.

- My parents were betting that I would come home from Italy proclaiming my love of cheese… sorry Mom and Dad, not happening.

- I do regret my dislike of it… this pickiness of mine will adversely affect my future career as a FoodNetwork superstar (not really a reason why I don’t like it, just an observation).

- Watching people eat the American cheese singles straight (not in grilled cheese) really grosses me out.

- Some types smell like feet (no offense), which in turn makes my fridge and all the food in it smell like feet.

- I don’t get the appeal of eating cheese straight from the block…. No crackers??

- Why eat cheese when you could have a piece of cake instead (or ice cream or fruit salad, or…)?

- Why would you eat something that has mold on it (I am looking at you blue cheese)?

- I am way too set in my ways (and probably way too stubborn) to even consider trying cheese again.

For all the cheese lovers out there, I am sorry (I sincerely apologize if I have offended you). I know that we have some pretty fabulous cheese here in Italy and it is being totally wasted on me. The cheese making demonstration that I watched this weekend was really cool and I enjoyed watching it. But I have decided that cheese and I will never be friends, which is okay. Here’s to a (mostly) cheese-less study abroad!

Ciao!

Movie Star Wannabe

Today I got to be a movie star wannabe! How many movies have you seen that has Tuscany as its setting? I personally have seen a lot and I love them all! The rolling green hills, the tall evergreen trees, and the orderly rows of vineyards all seem to come to life in the big blockbuster movies (the HD quality doesn’t hurt). Luckily for me, I got to go see where these movies were filmed and they looked even more amazing in person (take that HD movies!).

Our first stop was to Montepulciano, a small medieval town that is situated in lower Tuscany, close to Siena. We walked up a tree-lined road to get to the big stone wall that surrounded the town. Montepulciano was an ally of Florence (not nearby Siena) during the Middle Ages, when the Dukes of Tuscany were fighting for land and control. Thus very thick walls were needed to protect the villagers from attack (being up on a hill did not hurt either). Walking through the gates of the town, we were greeted with a beautiful and quaint little village (so not a town that had to protect itself from attack). What added to the atmosphere was that all the local olive farmers, bakers, and wine makers lined the main street (yes there is only one main street – at least there are a few little side roads) with little stands selling their fresh (and organic!) products. Yay for environmentally friendly Italy!

We made our way towards the main piazza, stopping at the best wine shop/cellar in Tuscany. It is a small, family-owned winery and they had a great cellar. It was under the wine shop and the walls were a mix of natural stone and brick. The space felt cozy, even though we were underground. We got to taste two different wines, a table wine and a “dinner” wine (the wine that is more expensive – can’t explain it better, sorry). I then realized that I am not a good wine taster. One is supposed to look at the color of the wine, smell it, then drink it and see what kind of flavors it has. The winery owner was talking about plums and cherries and I was looking around thinking to myself, “Umm I don’t taste any of that” (I base what wine I drink on one thing, “Does it taste good?”). With my dreams of being a wine taster dashed, I turned my attention to the new olive oil tasting. This oil was pressed about a week ago (so it is so much more fresh than the bottled oil in the store) and it tastes really different than the oil that I have been using – it is more spicy and fresh than I would have imagined. It was so delicious drizzled onto thick slices of fresh bread.

After the wonderful wine tasting, we headed off to the main piazza of Montepulciano. This is where they filmed a major blockbuster film (which I, of course, have seen). It was really fun walking around the piazza and looking at all the places that the actors were. For the movie, the set creators built a huge fountain in the middle of the piazza (which has been removed since filming ceased). I had a great time with exploring a movie set and actually seeing what a movie star saw…

Our next stop was to a cheese factory, where a cheese-making demonstration and a cheese tasting were scheduled for us. As all of you know by now, I think cheese is gross. I refuse to eat it (except for mozzarella) and I knew that this side trip would take all of my self-control to get through. We pulled up to a charming little stone building surrounded by beautiful Tuscan countryside. This factory makes percorino cheese (which is sheep’s milk cheese) by hand, which is very different than traditional factory produced cheese.

I braced myself as I stepped into the building where the cheese was made. The smell assaulted me (percorino is a really strong cheese) and made me feel a little bit green. Forcing myself to calm down, I relaxed and took a deep breath, reassuring myself that what did not kill me would make me stronger (hopefully…). The owners personally showed us how to make the cheese, which is a backbreaking process if done by hand (which it is here). One hundred liters of milk are used to make a batch of cheese – the milk is boiled in one huge pot, which the master cheese maker lifted with ease (which comes from many years of practice). As we waited for something to come up to temperature or something to set, there was a cheese tasting (which I, of course, opted out of). It was amazing to see the difference in the appearance of the cheese as it aged. A fresh cheese is much lighter in color and crumbles easily, while an aged cheese is much more golden yellow and firm. The wife of the owner approached me and asked if I would like to try anything to which I politely declined. That descent apparently meant that I was lactose-intolerant (to her at least) and I was greatly relieved (if I hurt her feelings, I would have felt obligated to eat something). As we reached the two-hour mark, I began to feel antsy. I was starting to feel green again and was ready to leave. Mercifully, it was time to head off to our last town of the day! I thanked the owner and his wife for the wonderful experience and hopped onto the bus. Upon sitting, I realized that I reeked of cheese. Frantically, I looked for the cleaning instructions of my coat – machine wash only, the best thing I have heard all day. I was proud of myself though; I made it through a whole cheese demonstration without excusing myself or offending anyone (hooray for small victories).

Our last stop was to the town of Montalcino, where we went to a winery that produced the famous Brunello wine (which is apparently more sought after than the Chianti wine). We got to tour the museum/wine storehouse, which used to be an old convent (where pilgrams stayed when they were travelling from London to Rome back in the Middle Ages). It was cool to walk around and see all the little rooms and secret passages that made up the convent. We were finally ushered into a big room with long tables all set up for the wine tasting. We tried the red table wine they make, a normal Brunello, and a reserve Brunello (which was the best of the three). In between tastings, we ate fresh bread smothered in the new olive oil (so good!). We finished our meal with a taste of their grappa (I didn’t drink it, it smelt like paint thinner) and a little glass of vin santo (“holy wine” – wine used for Sunday mass) with little almond cookies (you dip the cookies into the vin santo). It was a wonderful tasting! I learned a lot about the wine, how to properly taste it, and got to eat the best olive oil in the world. It was the best time ever!

A sleepy bus ride home completed this perfect day off in the Tuscan countryside. I might not be a movie star, but I surely was treated like one. It was nice seeing a different side of Italy and be able to take in the gorgeous country in which I live.

Ciao!

Wow, it really is leaning...

Today I went on an adventure with my roommate. Our destinations were two places that I have been dying to see – Pisa and Lucca. It was very exciting to explore these two cities that display a different side of Italy.

My first thoughts about Pisa were that it was going to be a real tourist trap. I was expecting a parking lot, stands selling t-shirts with the Leaning Tower of Pisa on them, and the tower itself. I could not have been more wrong (thankfully). To get to the Tower from the train station, one needs to walk through the city center on a wide pedestrian street lined with shops, cafes, and little piazzas. It was the most charming place I have ever seen in the whole world. Also, there was a cute fair, where merchants were selling scarves, hats, and jewelry. I loved exploring the little side streets of Pisa and always stumbling onto a hidden treasure, like a street fair or a little fresh market (or the Leaning Tower of Pisa).

The Leaning Tower of Pisa (I am going to call it the Tower from now on) sits on a plot of land, which also contains the Duomo and Baptistery of Pisa. Pisa, like Siena, has buildings that are predominantly built with red bricks, but the Tower, Duomo, and Baptistery are all built out of white marble. The contrast is incredible – the white marble glows in the sunlight, making the monuments look absolutely incredible. It is a wonderful sight.

Of course, my roommate and I had to do the typical tourist photo – the one where you pretend to hold up the Tower to keep it from falling (when in Pisa…). It took many takes, but we got finally got one! I do not think that I have laughed so hard in my life (you learn very quickly that the only way not to feel like a fool is to laugh at yourself). It was fun trying to get into the best pose to “hold up the Tower” and it was also funny to see other people trying to get a perfect picture as well. The locals must think we are all pazzo (crazy)!

Holding up the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

In my Galileo and the Scientific Renaissance class, we talk about Pisa A LOT! Galileo’s career as an inventor and a mathematician started at the University of Pisa. It was really cool to actually see the monuments that inspired Galileo and his discoveries. Apparently Galileo threw cannon balls of different weights off the top of the Tower, trying to disprove Aristotle’s theory that lighter objects fall slower than heavier ones (historians still debate if Galileo actually performed this experiment). He also discovered the pendulum while sitting in the Baptistery of Pisa. He was apparently really bored in Mass one day and was observing the moving chandelier. He timed its movements with his pulse and many, many calculations later (plus several years) he discovered the pendulum. This discovery led to the very first clock (which, in my opinion, is one of the most important inventions of mankind). It was so much fun discovering the sights of some of Galileo’s most famous discoveries!

After walking around beautiful Pisa, we went off to wonderful Lucca. I heard lots of amazing things about Lucca. I was told how cool it is and how beautiful it is. It was even more beautiful than I expected! It is a medieval walled city and the walls have turned a beautiful, deep chocolate brown color with time, which makes them more welcoming than imposing. Climbing up some stairs, we found ourselves on the ramparts (the top of the walls where the guards stood to protect the city). There was a paved bike path and patches of grass and trees where the guards once stood. The path was filled with people and for once, it felt like it was mostly locals. It was nice to be immersed in a very non-tourist area. It forced me to practice my Italian. For instance, we were looking for a good pizza place (I was told Lucca had the best pizza outside of Naples) and I asked a merchant in English if he knew one close by. He said, “Non capisco” or “I don’t understand”. Slightly frustrated with my extremely limited Italian vocabulary, I tried to string together a semi-coherent sentence. Thankfully my point got across and he gave us directions. As we went to find this pizzeria, we stumbled upon a cute little restaurant and decided to go there instead.

The restaurant was really rustic, with exposed beams and brick walls. We sat in a corner and ordered some amazing pizza (I got sausage and onion, so yummy). Our waiter was very chatty (we were basically the only ones eating there) and asked me if I spoke Spanish. I said that I spoke very little and he asked me where I am from. I said the United States and he said, “Oh, that is why you have amazing English”. We realized that the waiter thought that we were Spanish and we studied in the USA. I had to laugh because I usually blend into the sea of Florentines, where blonde and blue-eyed college students and tourists abound. But in Lucca, where it is very local, I stick out as a tourist too. It was very different, for I have been able to pass as a “local” in Florence for a while now.

After our lovely meal, we walked back to the train and headed back to Florence. It was a great day filled with adventures and amazing sights. Italy keeps amazing me – every town we visit is so unique and has its own character. Pisa and Lucca were amazing and I can’t wait to go back and visit them again!

Ciao!

I Love Soccer

Today was an exciting day – today we got to participate in one of Italy’s favorite pastimes, watching soccer! We got to go to a home match at the stadium in Florence and it was one of the coolest experiences I have had here.

Our team colors are white and purple, so I went across the street with my roommates to a guy selling Florence souvenirs (alas, to have a closet full of clothes and nothing to wear). I got a t-shirt that had the Florentine symbol on it (a purple fleur-de-lis), one roommate got a ball cap, and the other got a scarf. After getting all suited up, we headed off to the meeting point to walk to the stadium (looking quite festive, if I do say so myself).

As we walked to the meeting spot, we walked past Piazza Santa Croce. I almost lost my bearings because instead of being filled with tourists and leather merchants, the piazza was stuffed with military trucks, tanks, and good-looking service men. It seemed to be like a recruiting day because there were representatives from many different Italian military groups (like the Naval Academy). Even if it was a recruiting weekend, it was set up like a carnival; little kids scrabbled in and out of tanks, vendos were selling kebab and roasted chestnuts, and a military band was playing peppy tunes. It was something that you rarely see in Florence, which in turn made it really awesome.

After getting to the meeting point and getting my ticket (which had my name on it, which is a pretty good idea), my program leaders led us to the stadium. It was a little far (like a 40 minute walk), but it was cool because I got to see a side of Florence that I have not seen before. I found another train station! It was very exciting!

The soccer game was AMAZING! We sat in an uncovered section, right in front of the wall (it was clear, of course) that separated the spectators from the field. They were great seats (even if we got a little wet because it was raining) and some pretty diehard fans surrounded us. The game was between Florence and Verona and Florence won! It was amazing to watch our city’s soccer team play; watching them win was just a bonus.

This was my first time watching a live soccer game and what gave the game character were the fans surrounding us. It was so funny to hear them yelling at the ref when a bad call was given and talking to each other about how they could coach better than the paid, professional coach. It made me smile how sports fans are the same, no matter where they live. What was also cool is how the fans really care about their teams. For every event on the field, there was a song that the crowd began to sing. And if something did not have a special song, the “Florentina Fight Song” was sung. The fans also care about their team. Whenever a Florence soccer player got hit, the crowd would yell at the ref to sit the offender out and have the medic come look at the injured player (even though most of the time the player was perfectly fine). It was heartwarming to see the public care about their sports team so much.

After the soccer game, we all walked back to our apartments, excited and in a celebratory mood. The soccer game had been particularly dry (thankfully), but as we made our ways back to our apartments, it began to heavily pour (which dampened the celebratory mood). Arriving at my apartment, I was soaking wet and freezing cold, but so happy. I had the best time at the soccer game. It was great to be able to watch a sporting event with the locals and be able to rejoice with them in the victory of OUR team. It was truly a great day.

Ciao!

Midterm Holiday Fun

Happy November! I can’t believe that we have entered the month of turkeys, birthdays (at least for my family), and saying thanks. I entered this glorious month in a very beautiful place – Dublin, Ireland! Part of my midterm holiday was spent on the Emerald Isle and I had a blast! What did I do, you ask? Well, read ahead and find out…

We landed in Dublin International Airport at like 10pm on Wednesday. We (myself and my two friends) wandered through the airport, collecting luggage, passport stamps, and bus information. As we walked out of the airport proper and to the bus pickup, a light misty rain began to fall. I took a big deep breath, letting the freshness cleanse the stale airplane air out of my lungs. As we loaded our luggage onto the bus and start on our journey to Dublin City Center, I leaned against the window and looked at the surrounding scenery. It was so different than Florence – there were trees everywhere. Everything was green and so beautiful. I couldn’t wait to see what Dublin looked like in the morning.

In Dublin!

Thursday dawned gray, rainy, and chilly, but hey, it was vacation rain, so I really didn’t mind. As I ate my breakfast with one of my friends, we saw my best friend from home (or BFF) and my friend’s (from Florence) boyfriend appeared in the lobby of the hostel! It was very exciting to see them! With our group together finally, the five of us headed off to the Guinness beer storehouse. We walked to the storehouse and saw Dublin in the daylight for the very fist time! It is an incredible city – the people were all really nice and it was really easy to get around. I did not realize how big the storehouse was until I was actually standing in front of it. The building mixed Georgian brickwork, with masonry stone, and topped it all off with very modern glass and stainless steel. It was a very interesting building. We all hurried in to get out of the rain, which was starting to get worse by the second.

The storehouse was warm and dimly lit, making you instantly feel comfortable. As we walked into the main atrium (all made of glass and stainless steel), your eyes are draw upwards to the glass ceiling and the overcast Dublin sky. After marveling at the clouds, you are drawn to a display case in the floor. In this special case is the 9,000-year lease that Arthur Guinness signed for the land that the storehouse is standing on. What also makes the atrium really cool is that it is actually a huge pint glass (really, really cool). It is hard to see, but you get a great view a few floors up.

The first floor is all about the ingredients used to make Guinness (barley, yeast, hops and water). It was really cool to learn what makes Guinness so different than other beers (apparently it is the barley they use). The next floor was dedicated to the making of Guinness. It was full of the old machines that were used to make Guinness many years ago. There was a quote on the wall saying that the machines should be as beautiful as the product they make – these machines were absolutely gorgeous (and probably even more beautiful than the beer).

Floor after floor, we learned about every aspect of the Guinness business. At the end, we were given a unique opportunity. We got to pour our own pint of Guinness. If I do say myself, I am a very gifted pint pourer. It was really cool to learn something that all the bartenders know. So if anyone needs someone to pour them a pint of beer, I’m your girl! Dinner out (lamb stew with mashed potatoes, yum!) and a trip to a pub in the famed Temple Bar area rounded out our first, wonderful day in Dublin.

My perfectly poured pint of Guinness 

The next day we woke up and headed to Dublin Castle. It is a beautiful building on a hill and it has a fascinating history. It kept being destroyed and rebuilt on the same spot, thus the new building is always being built upon the remnants of the old one. Now it is only used for ceremonies (the president is sworn into office here) and it was a hospital during the 1916 rebellion. It was cool to see all the old ballrooms and throne rooms and all of the period furniture. And it really was not like other castles I saw, which had dark colored walls. The rooms in this castle were painted in cheery seafoam green, bright coral, and butter yellow (which in  my opinion is a lot prettier). It was also really cool to explore the old Viking ruins and the old city walls that are buried under the castle. It was like you could explore history without leaving the premises of the castle. Lunch and a trip to a little bakery called the Queen of Tarts (I’ll talk about it in a little) preceded our visit to a place I really wanted to see. It started to rain lightly when we walked through a gate and into Trinity College. My cousin studied there last year and I was really excited to see his campus! It is spectacular. All the buildings are a grey marble color and there is a huge beautiful quad in the middle. We walked around, looked at the bookstore and looked at the replica of the famed Book of Kells. We finished up with dinner at a dinner at a place my cousin recommended. It was restaurant that was a converted bank! It was really cool. They put us in a private room and it must have been an office because it still had a safe in the corner. It was good food (a hamburger) and good company!

The ruins under Dublin Castle

We became real tourists the next day, participating in a Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour. It picked us up at St. Pat’s Cathedral, an absolutely beautiful church. It was amazing – so majestic and really fit into Dublin. As we rode around, our bus driver provided commentary that made me laugh so hard I could barely catch my breath. We got off at a beautiful park and walked around, looking at the monuments, the outside of Dublin Zoo, and the American ambassador’s house (which is next to the Irish President’s). It was so nice to see the fall colors; we do not have any trees in Florence and the few that we do are evergreens, so they don’t change color in the fall. It was a great break from the hustle and bustle of the city. Hopping back on the bus we rode to O’Connell Street, the main boulevard in Dublin. We grabbed lunch and walked to the Old Jameson Distillery (which makes whiskey). It was more of a museum than the Guinness storehouse, but still pretty cool. We got to learn how whiskey was made in the very beginning and we got to see a whiskey tasting (which was really cool and quite similar to a wine tasting). It was pretty cool to see and learn about! Dinner (thai chicken pizza) and a pub wrapped up the night. It was great spending time with my friends!

On our final day in Dublin, we went to Kiliman Gaol (jail). It is famous because it held the leaders of the 1916 rebellion, which was a very large moment of history for the Irish people. It was also where they were executed (which is really sad). It was my first time touring a jail, and to be perfectly honest, it really creeped me out. It was cold, dimly lit, and it smelt weird (like musty air mixed with fear, but that is just my opinion). The walls creaked and all of the cell doors had holes drilled into them (to let the guards look in on the prisoners). I was afraid that if I looked into the hole, something would be looking back at me. After looking around on the inside, we toured the courtyard where history was changed. The people of Ireland were upset when the British killed an injured leader (James Connolly) of the rebellion and it led to the Irish people getting their independence. It was a tale of sadness, sacrifice, and standing up for what you feel is right. This jail might creep me out, but it is a valuable piece of Irish history.

Right across from the jail is the Modern Art Museum of Dublin. It is in a beautiful old estate with a beautiful old chateau with tree-lined paths and a proper garden. It was so nice to walk around the building and look at the beautiful scenery (it is on a hill and you have a great view of the Irish country in the distance). The modern art museum was really cool. I expected really modern art, but it was mostly semi-abstract paintings – it was really cool to walk around and look at the exhibits. After a while, I started feeling hungry so we went off to lunch. We went to Queen of Tarts, a delightful bakery that had the best food I have eaten in Dublin. I had a wonderful sandwich filled with roast chicken with veggie stuffing (which was on homemade bread) served with a huge green salad. It was so wonderful to have something that reminded me of home (my mom makes awesome roast chicken). To wrap up my meal, I had an apple crumble tart with homemade cream. It was so yummy! I love Florence but they are greatly lacking in the baked good area. It was nice to have something that reminded me of home, Thanksgiving, fall, and family (and who really does not like a warm piece of apple pie with whipped cream). After lunch, we walked around a little bit more, exploring the cute little shops and streets of Grafton Street (the main shopping drag of Dublin). Dinner (Mexican! Something a little different than pub food) and bed followed shortly, for we had to get up early to get to the airport (like 3am…).

My apple crumble tart at Queen of Tarts

I had such a wonderful time in Dublin. I got to hang out with my good friends I met in Florence, and it was wonderful to see my BFF from home! Dublin is the total opposite of my beloved Florence, but it was just as wonderful. It was also really cool to explore the city that my cousin lived in when he did his study abroad. Dublin is a city full of warm, wonderful people and a rich history. I can’t wait to go back!

Slán a fhágáil ag duine (or Ciao!)