Dear Friends and Family,
Well, here I am in my very own bedroom, sending you all my last issue of Italian Sand Through the American Hourglass. I could tell you that I am shocked and sad to be back in the States, but honestly, it feels great. I got home last night to see that the downstairs part of my house had been completely repainted, we have a new refridgerator, and Thanksgiving plans are truly underway. I was smart enough to leave my room clean when I left, so I arrived to a luxurious space. My bed was amazing last night. My parents were kind enough to put my new couch in my room that Jenn and Jason gave me for my bday. See J squared, it only took 6 months to complete the transaction!
My last few days in Florence were packed. It rained a lot, but I kept on trucking, getting in all the last minute things I had not done: The Accademia, the Bapistry, and the Bargello. Michaelangelo's David is in the Accademia. He is quite striking. While all of him looks like a big beautiful man, there are still a few parts that make it clear he is only a little boy. I wish I could have taken pics. The bapistry at Santa Maria Del Fiore (the Duomo) was also amazing. It holds some of my favorite mosaics of hell and monsters eating people. Awesome! The Bargello museum, however, is truly amazing. It holds Donatello's David, which is much different than Michaelangelo's. He looks like a little hippie boy with a frilly hat, long locks, and a relaxed stance. It is beautiful. The museum also had a lot of the old coins, weapons, armor, and china of Florence. It also holds a huge collection of Della Robbia's work. His work is all in ceramic and is very colorful. I am sure if you all saw it, you would recognize it. Personally, I don't really love his work, but it is very famous and you can buy reproductions of it all over Italy.
On Saturday night, Alex and I planned a big night out. We called Acqua Al' Due ( I turned him onto it) for a reservation. They could not take us until 11pm! So, we went to Colle Beretto (the place with awesome appetizers) and started out at about 8PM. I was already starving, so we filled up and had cocktails. It was nice. There was a couple in their with their baby. Yes, a baby in a bar. Well, she was really 3 or 4 and quite spunky. She was dancing her heart out and it was really adorable. It did not take long to notice that her flamboyance was her attempt to get attentioon from her folks who sat and talked, completely ignoring her. After a while, she began smoking her straw. She had it down, taking the straw and inhailing and then blowing it out like a little diva. She even had her hand on her hip. Immediatly I flashed to her home with her parents drinking wine in the other room while she sat in front of the TV for hours. All of her behavior was so stylized and practiced. It was wierd. Really, it was cute, minus the smoking part. I bet she's going to be an awesome teen!
We finally made it to dinner, at which point I was so hungry I thought I would die. We had the pleasure of sitting next to the most annoying people from Chicago. I am sorry guys, but there are, as K calls them, "Ugly Americans" out there. One of them, who was engaged, was flirting with Alex so hard core that I thought her man would jump over and smack him! She was being really nosey too, trying to figure out how the two of us came to be eating together. We started out by joking. I told her I was a mail order bride from the US and he was a rich, Italian tycoon. She actually believed it for a second. However, once our dinner came, they finally left us alone and all the unpleasantness was erased as we ate out chicken with port sauce and laughed and joked all through the meal. Alex asked the waiter, who is his friend, what was in the sauce. The guy, Stefano, just laughed. Oh well. Someday I will figure it out!
On Sunday night we just enjoyed a meal in as I stressed about packing and finishing up a project for Alex's uncle, Carlo. You guys are talking to the newest model of Bargello Leather! They have a website and asked me to model a bunch of their jackets for pics to put up on the site. They are not up yet, but I will keep you posted! It was a great move, as I was given a very good deal on a jacket to bring home with me. Look out, because I am going to look hot!
The trip home was fine. Even though the flight home was three hours longer, it seemed shorter. I had an aisle seat this time with no one in the middle, so I had much more room. I sat with an older gentleman who had quite an interesting life. I heard the story a few times because he seemed to keep forgetting he had already told me. The worst part of the trip was waiting for luggage. Why is it that people have to crowd around the baggage claim and stand so close to it that you can't see your luggage, and if you do, you have to punch through them to grab it and swing it off without crushing someone's foot. I hate that! It finally got it though, and customs was a breeze!
This morning I rose at 10 and enjoyed my first cup of American coffee in 5 weeks. It was fabulous. I looked out the window at our beautiful yard with the fall colors and familiar trees. I love home. What this trip taught me the most is that there are beautiful places all over the world and I will continue to visit them and maybe live somewhere else someday, but a place is nothing without your friends, family, and community. I am happy to be back on my turf and hope that the experiences I had without all of you can still be a part of your life as I share them. I want the same from all of you too! I look forward to seeing everyone over the holidays and sharing more pics with anyone who wants to see them.
Ci Voglio Bene. Arrivaderci e ci vediamo. Oh, and, of course, Tanti Baci!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Friday, November 17, 2006
Italian Sand Through The American Eyeglass: 11/17/06
Caro AMici e Famiglia,
I wanted to write today because I was really distracted when I wrote my email and I felt so detached. Here I am in the Internet Train and one of the all time greatest songs just came on: Neverending Story. So Sweet. Now I am motivated to write.
So, how do I feel about coming home? Well, I have very mixed feelings. I do not want to deal with the extra luggage I will be returning with. I do NOT want to sit on a plane from Frankfurt for 12 hours. I am afraid I will have to wear my pajama pants, as I have finally gone over the limit of which my jeans can hold. I mean, they work, but if I am sitting in them for too long, I fear my legs will have to be amputated upon exiting the plane due to lack of circulation. It does not help that Thanksgiving is only three days after my return, so my diet, or fasting, cannot start until Friday at the earliest! Of course, the holidays are coming, so I suppose I will end up putting it off for a New Year's resolution. Ok, I figured it out, diet starts Jan.2, 2007.
As I told you guys, I had an amazing trip to the Cinque Terre. I think that is where I got some of my best photos too. Overall, I have had a nice week. On Tuesday night I decided to wander in search of a new restaurant. I found a place, Ristorante Ricchi that seemed a little pricey, but looked nice and a little different. It was the most amazing meal I have EVER had. I could not decide what to eat, so I asked the waiter to choose for me, even though that is sometimes a bad idea. He did a great job. I started with this soup made from orange squash. It had a small fillet of cod in it, as well as a few clams and rosemary. Sounds kind of iffy, definitely not something I would order. It was awesome. I could have licked the bowl and asked for more. Then I got a fillet of seared ahi served with a homemade tartar sauce and fresh diced tomatoes. Um, awesome. Since everything was so good, I HAD to order dessert.
Being on your own in a restaurant can have some great advantages. Sometimes the staff really warms up to you. Maybe they feel like you are lonely, or maybe it is easier to pamper one person. Either way, they were great. I sat by the kitchen and was adorned with great service, free tasters, and even got to be the subject of a dessert experiment. The chef gave me little tastes of three desserts and they all bet on which one I would like the best. Tiramisu, cheesecake, and hazlenut gelato. Suprisingly, the tiramisu was the best and the owner was pleased, as she knew I would choose her pick. Honestly, I think they thought I was a travel writer or a food critic. Everything was served immaculately. Or, maybe it was because for one person I did qquite a bit of damage on the bill. Everything was so good that I wasn't too upset that I made a wine mistake: The menu said, I thought, that the bottle I chose was 25 Euro. However, I got a small bottle, a half bottle. Oops, the price was 25 Euro for a half bottle. It tasted great and upon doing some research found that it is a really good wine from Montepulciano. The night was a splurge, but worth it!
Today I finalized all my packing. My stuff is sitting in my apartment waiting for Alex to help me shove it in a cab and head to his house. I had to stay in my apartment and extra night because Alex's Mom has been on a neverending visit, taking up the guest room. However, she FINALLY left today. Mom, if you ever want to surprise visit me, please do not do it for 3 weeks. Love you!
I really feel for sorry for Alex though. Last night I had to help do some internet research on luggage and flights. You see, in the three weeks his mom was here, she bought a small store to take home with her. She lives in Paris with her husband and youngest son, plus there is another son in Paris. For each of the three, she bought a leather jacket, pair of shoes, a dress shirt, and two T shirts. For herself, she got a jacket, shoes and other clothes. For friends she bought a total of 4 purses and 20!!!!!!!!!! bottles of parfume. I am sure there is more, but I cannot remember. Now, I know Flroence is a great place to shop, but she lives in Paris!! Don't they have great shopping there? I am just kidding, I think it is hillarious. So, she is leaving with two GIANT bags, a big carryon and her purse. The problem arose when her brother, Carlo, told her she would have to pay a ton of money because her stuff is so heavy. He said his friend was charged 700 Euro for a bag that was too heavy. It made her stomach hurt. However, upon my research, I found that if his friends really got charged that much at 6 Euro per KG over, then his bag weighed about 150 KG. Ummm, that is a really heavy bag. Either he is exaggerating or his friend was transporting gold bars, maybe? Who knows. In the end, Alex had to deal with all of that last night, get up at 6 to drive her 3 hours to Rome for her flight, unload it all, only to come back and find the car had been towed. He is currently on his way back to Florence to come to my house, get all my crap and cab it to his house, then come back to finish out the afternoon/evening at work. Poor guy with a heart of gold. Now I don't feel so bad about my two mediumish, not so heavy bags.
I guess I will spend this weekend closing out and seeing the stuff I have yet to see. There are plenty. On Sunday, Alex is going to follow me around the city for a picture marathon, allowing me to finally get pictures of me in Firenze!
I hope you are all well! Miss you tons!
Tanti Baci,
I wanted to write today because I was really distracted when I wrote my email and I felt so detached. Here I am in the Internet Train and one of the all time greatest songs just came on: Neverending Story. So Sweet. Now I am motivated to write.
So, how do I feel about coming home? Well, I have very mixed feelings. I do not want to deal with the extra luggage I will be returning with. I do NOT want to sit on a plane from Frankfurt for 12 hours. I am afraid I will have to wear my pajama pants, as I have finally gone over the limit of which my jeans can hold. I mean, they work, but if I am sitting in them for too long, I fear my legs will have to be amputated upon exiting the plane due to lack of circulation. It does not help that Thanksgiving is only three days after my return, so my diet, or fasting, cannot start until Friday at the earliest! Of course, the holidays are coming, so I suppose I will end up putting it off for a New Year's resolution. Ok, I figured it out, diet starts Jan.2, 2007.
As I told you guys, I had an amazing trip to the Cinque Terre. I think that is where I got some of my best photos too. Overall, I have had a nice week. On Tuesday night I decided to wander in search of a new restaurant. I found a place, Ristorante Ricchi that seemed a little pricey, but looked nice and a little different. It was the most amazing meal I have EVER had. I could not decide what to eat, so I asked the waiter to choose for me, even though that is sometimes a bad idea. He did a great job. I started with this soup made from orange squash. It had a small fillet of cod in it, as well as a few clams and rosemary. Sounds kind of iffy, definitely not something I would order. It was awesome. I could have licked the bowl and asked for more. Then I got a fillet of seared ahi served with a homemade tartar sauce and fresh diced tomatoes. Um, awesome. Since everything was so good, I HAD to order dessert.
Being on your own in a restaurant can have some great advantages. Sometimes the staff really warms up to you. Maybe they feel like you are lonely, or maybe it is easier to pamper one person. Either way, they were great. I sat by the kitchen and was adorned with great service, free tasters, and even got to be the subject of a dessert experiment. The chef gave me little tastes of three desserts and they all bet on which one I would like the best. Tiramisu, cheesecake, and hazlenut gelato. Suprisingly, the tiramisu was the best and the owner was pleased, as she knew I would choose her pick. Honestly, I think they thought I was a travel writer or a food critic. Everything was served immaculately. Or, maybe it was because for one person I did qquite a bit of damage on the bill. Everything was so good that I wasn't too upset that I made a wine mistake: The menu said, I thought, that the bottle I chose was 25 Euro. However, I got a small bottle, a half bottle. Oops, the price was 25 Euro for a half bottle. It tasted great and upon doing some research found that it is a really good wine from Montepulciano. The night was a splurge, but worth it!
Today I finalized all my packing. My stuff is sitting in my apartment waiting for Alex to help me shove it in a cab and head to his house. I had to stay in my apartment and extra night because Alex's Mom has been on a neverending visit, taking up the guest room. However, she FINALLY left today. Mom, if you ever want to surprise visit me, please do not do it for 3 weeks. Love you!
I really feel for sorry for Alex though. Last night I had to help do some internet research on luggage and flights. You see, in the three weeks his mom was here, she bought a small store to take home with her. She lives in Paris with her husband and youngest son, plus there is another son in Paris. For each of the three, she bought a leather jacket, pair of shoes, a dress shirt, and two T shirts. For herself, she got a jacket, shoes and other clothes. For friends she bought a total of 4 purses and 20!!!!!!!!!! bottles of parfume. I am sure there is more, but I cannot remember. Now, I know Flroence is a great place to shop, but she lives in Paris!! Don't they have great shopping there? I am just kidding, I think it is hillarious. So, she is leaving with two GIANT bags, a big carryon and her purse. The problem arose when her brother, Carlo, told her she would have to pay a ton of money because her stuff is so heavy. He said his friend was charged 700 Euro for a bag that was too heavy. It made her stomach hurt. However, upon my research, I found that if his friends really got charged that much at 6 Euro per KG over, then his bag weighed about 150 KG. Ummm, that is a really heavy bag. Either he is exaggerating or his friend was transporting gold bars, maybe? Who knows. In the end, Alex had to deal with all of that last night, get up at 6 to drive her 3 hours to Rome for her flight, unload it all, only to come back and find the car had been towed. He is currently on his way back to Florence to come to my house, get all my crap and cab it to his house, then come back to finish out the afternoon/evening at work. Poor guy with a heart of gold. Now I don't feel so bad about my two mediumish, not so heavy bags.
I guess I will spend this weekend closing out and seeing the stuff I have yet to see. There are plenty. On Sunday, Alex is going to follow me around the city for a picture marathon, allowing me to finally get pictures of me in Firenze!
I hope you are all well! Miss you tons!
Tanti Baci,
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Italian Sand Through The American Eyeglass: 11/16/06
Hello to all!
Well, my friends, we are getting down to the wire. I will probably try to send a last update on Sat. or Sun., but this will probably be the last email with pics. Enjoy them.
I have had a great few days. I FINALLY climbed the dome at sunset on Tuesday, only to find there was a big fire near Florence that caused a ton of smoke, so no orange sun was visible. I later I found out they were burning to kill the mosquitoes. Aren't mosquitoes supposed to die when it gets cold? I swear, I cannot wait to get away from them. I did get some great sunset pics the day before, however. I was getting frustrated because the pics did not have same color I saw when looking at the sky and the buildings. Then I realized that my sunglasses are tinted a yellowish brown. Duh. It is nice looking at the world through rose colored glasses.
I also went to the Museo del Duomo. This is the museum that houses a lot of the original stonework, art, and such that originally hung in Santa Maria Del Fiore, the Duomo. It really is an amazing museum. It also holds Donatello's Mary Magdelene, which is a favorite of my friend, Rose. Mrs. Metivier, I hope you enjoy the pic I threw in for you!
Yesterday was really the best day, perhaps on this whole trip. I decided to go up to the Cinque Terre for the day. The Cinque Terre is now a National Park that consists of 5 tiny towns balnced on the Northern Italian Coast. Each town is connected by train, or hiking paths that go along the mountains that run between each town. I started at the most northern city, Monterosso. I made really good time and as it was off season, there was not much happening, nor sun to enjoy on the beach. Even though I had not planned it, I decided to hike to Vernazza. I am not sure how far it is miles, maybe 3 or 4 miles, but let me tell you, there are some stairs! I was not wearing the proper attire at all. It was rainy, but humid and pretty warm. I had on a tshirt, jeans and my stylish down jacket with a fur collar. I made it though and got some amazing pictures, as well as inspiration on my journey. Only in Italy can you buy a bottle of homemade booze (limoncello) from an old guy named Giuseppe on the middle of a mountain hiking path and feel alright about drinking it. I know I said I hate limoncello, but it was hard to say no to this guy. Plus, throughout the day I sipped a little. Somehow it was all gone by the time I got ack to Florence. Sorry, Kay, your warning came too late! I definitely did not feel so hot last night when I went to bed at 8:30.
In one moment, things can happen to you to change everything. Our moods are dancing a fine line between bad and good on a daily basis. While it may only take a moment to fall into the bad or nervous moods, sometimes all it takes is a day to put it right. In one day you can find yourself again, your faith in something bigger can be renewed, and you can discover a whole other resource for motivation. yesterday was one of those days for me. I enjoyed nature, saw the ocean, met a great couple from Minnesota, and had a steaming bowl of Trofie al Pesto, just for my mom. It was a magical day. The pics will give you an idea of how beautiful the Cinque Terre is. It is my favorite place in the world aside from jackson Lake. When I die, I want part of me to be there forever.
The ride home was very peaceful as I realized I was exhausted. We passed a mountain that looked like it was covered in snow, but it was actually a marble quarry. Imagine: that very mountain is where Michaelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo Da VInci, and many others got their marble for their sculptures. Today it is still being mined for artists to transform. After that I fell into a lovely sleep on the smooth train ride. I had gotten up at 6:30am to head out and the hike did me in. I came home, packed a little, and fell into my bed.
The next few days will be full of stress as I pack. Florence definitely understands that people come here to shop, making it easy to find cheap luggage to buy on the street. I had to do it. I bought a big red rolling bag for 10Euro that will hold all the stuff I bought (funny, I really did not feel like I shopped thhat much!). Coming to Florence close to xmas is a bad idea!
I hope you are all well and enjoy these last pics. I miss you all.
Picture From the Cinque Terre
Museo Del'Opera Del Duoma: Mary Magdalene and Michaelangelo's Unfinished Pieta
Well, my friends, we are getting down to the wire. I will probably try to send a last update on Sat. or Sun., but this will probably be the last email with pics. Enjoy them.
I have had a great few days. I FINALLY climbed the dome at sunset on Tuesday, only to find there was a big fire near Florence that caused a ton of smoke, so no orange sun was visible. I later I found out they were burning to kill the mosquitoes. Aren't mosquitoes supposed to die when it gets cold? I swear, I cannot wait to get away from them. I did get some great sunset pics the day before, however. I was getting frustrated because the pics did not have same color I saw when looking at the sky and the buildings. Then I realized that my sunglasses are tinted a yellowish brown. Duh. It is nice looking at the world through rose colored glasses.
I also went to the Museo del Duomo. This is the museum that houses a lot of the original stonework, art, and such that originally hung in Santa Maria Del Fiore, the Duomo. It really is an amazing museum. It also holds Donatello's Mary Magdelene, which is a favorite of my friend, Rose. Mrs. Metivier, I hope you enjoy the pic I threw in for you!
Yesterday was really the best day, perhaps on this whole trip. I decided to go up to the Cinque Terre for the day. The Cinque Terre is now a National Park that consists of 5 tiny towns balnced on the Northern Italian Coast. Each town is connected by train, or hiking paths that go along the mountains that run between each town. I started at the most northern city, Monterosso. I made really good time and as it was off season, there was not much happening, nor sun to enjoy on the beach. Even though I had not planned it, I decided to hike to Vernazza. I am not sure how far it is miles, maybe 3 or 4 miles, but let me tell you, there are some stairs! I was not wearing the proper attire at all. It was rainy, but humid and pretty warm. I had on a tshirt, jeans and my stylish down jacket with a fur collar. I made it though and got some amazing pictures, as well as inspiration on my journey. Only in Italy can you buy a bottle of homemade booze (limoncello) from an old guy named Giuseppe on the middle of a mountain hiking path and feel alright about drinking it. I know I said I hate limoncello, but it was hard to say no to this guy. Plus, throughout the day I sipped a little. Somehow it was all gone by the time I got ack to Florence. Sorry, Kay, your warning came too late! I definitely did not feel so hot last night when I went to bed at 8:30.
In one moment, things can happen to you to change everything. Our moods are dancing a fine line between bad and good on a daily basis. While it may only take a moment to fall into the bad or nervous moods, sometimes all it takes is a day to put it right. In one day you can find yourself again, your faith in something bigger can be renewed, and you can discover a whole other resource for motivation. yesterday was one of those days for me. I enjoyed nature, saw the ocean, met a great couple from Minnesota, and had a steaming bowl of Trofie al Pesto, just for my mom. It was a magical day. The pics will give you an idea of how beautiful the Cinque Terre is. It is my favorite place in the world aside from jackson Lake. When I die, I want part of me to be there forever.
The ride home was very peaceful as I realized I was exhausted. We passed a mountain that looked like it was covered in snow, but it was actually a marble quarry. Imagine: that very mountain is where Michaelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo Da VInci, and many others got their marble for their sculptures. Today it is still being mined for artists to transform. After that I fell into a lovely sleep on the smooth train ride. I had gotten up at 6:30am to head out and the hike did me in. I came home, packed a little, and fell into my bed.
The next few days will be full of stress as I pack. Florence definitely understands that people come here to shop, making it easy to find cheap luggage to buy on the street. I had to do it. I bought a big red rolling bag for 10Euro that will hold all the stuff I bought (funny, I really did not feel like I shopped thhat much!). Coming to Florence close to xmas is a bad idea!
I hope you are all well and enjoy these last pics. I miss you all.
Picture From the Cinque Terre
Museo Del'Opera Del Duoma: Mary Magdalene and Michaelangelo's Unfinished Pieta
Italian Sand Through The American Eyeglass: 11/16/06
Hello to all!
Well, my friends, we are getting down to the wire. I will probably try to send a last update on Sat. or Sun., but this will probably be the last email with pics. Enjoy them.
I have had a great few days. I FINALLY climbed the dome at sunset on Tuesday, only to find there was a big fire near Florence that caused a ton of smoke, so no orange sun was visible. I later I found out they were burning to kill the mosquitoes. Aren't mosquitoes supposed to die when it gets cold? I swear, I cannot wait to get away from them. I did get some great sunset pics the day before, however. I was getting frustrated because the pics did not have same color I saw when looking at the sky and the buildings. Then I realized that my sunglasses are tinted a yellowish brown. Duh. It is nice looking at the world through rose colored glasses.
I also went to the Museo del Duomo. This is the museum that houses a lot of the original stonework, art, and such that originally hung in Santa Maria Del Fiore, the Duomo. It really is an amazing museum. It also holds Donatello's Mary Magdelene, which is a favorite of my friend, Rose. Mrs. Metivier, I hope you enjoy the pic I threw in for you!
Yesterday was really the best day, perhaps on this whole trip. I decided to go up to the Cinque Terre for the day. The Cinque Terre is now a National Park that consists of 5 tiny towns balnced on the Northern Italian Coast. Each town is connected by train, or hiking paths that go along the mountains that run between each town. I started at the most northern city, Monterosso. I made really good time and as it was off season, there was not much happening, nor sun to enjoy on the beach. Even though I had not planned it, I decided to hike to Vernazza. I am not sure how far it is miles, maybe 3 or 4 miles, but let me tell you, there are some stairs! I was not wearing the proper attire at all. It was rainy, but humid and pretty warm. I had on a tshirt, jeans and my stylish down jacket with a fur collar. I made it though and got some amazing pictures, as well as inspiration on my journey. Only in Italy can you buy a bottle of homemade booze (limoncello) from an old guy named Giuseppe on the middle of a mountain hiking path and feel alright about drinking it. I know I said I hate limoncello, but it was hard to say no to this guy. Plus, throughout the day I sipped a little. Somehow it was all gone by the time I got ack to Florence. Sorry, Kay, your warning came too late! I definitely did not feel so hot last night when I went to bed at 8:30.
In one moment, things can happen to you to change everything. Our moods are dancing a fine line between bad and good on a daily basis. While it may only take a moment to fall into the bad or nervous moods, sometimes all it takes is a day to put it right. In one day you can find yourself again, your faith in something bigger can be renewed, and you can discover a whole other resource for motivation. yesterday was one of those days for me. I enjoyed nature, saw the ocean, met a great couple from Minnesota, and had a steaming bowl of Trofie al Pesto, just for my mom. It was a magical day. The pics will give you an idea of how beautiful the Cinque Terre is. It is my favorite place in the world aside from jackson Lake. When I die, I want part of me to be there forever.
The ride home was very peaceful as I realized I was exhausted. We passed a mountain that looked like it was covered in snow, but it was actually a marble quarry. Imagine: that very mountain is where Michaelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo Da VInci, and many others got their marble for their sculptures. Today it is still being mined for artists to transform. After that I fell into a lovely sleep on the smooth train ride. I had gotten up at 6:30am to head out and the hike did me in. I came home, packed a little, and fell into my bed.
The next few days will be full of stress as I pack. Florence definitely understands that people come here to shop, making it easy to find cheap luggage to buy on the street. I had to do it. I bought a big red rolling bag for 10Euro that will hold all the stuff I bought (funny, I really did not feel like I shopped thhat much!). Coming to Florence close to xmas is a bad idea!
I hope you are all well and enjoy these last pics. I miss you all.
Well, my friends, we are getting down to the wire. I will probably try to send a last update on Sat. or Sun., but this will probably be the last email with pics. Enjoy them.
I have had a great few days. I FINALLY climbed the dome at sunset on Tuesday, only to find there was a big fire near Florence that caused a ton of smoke, so no orange sun was visible. I later I found out they were burning to kill the mosquitoes. Aren't mosquitoes supposed to die when it gets cold? I swear, I cannot wait to get away from them. I did get some great sunset pics the day before, however. I was getting frustrated because the pics did not have same color I saw when looking at the sky and the buildings. Then I realized that my sunglasses are tinted a yellowish brown. Duh. It is nice looking at the world through rose colored glasses.
I also went to the Museo del Duomo. This is the museum that houses a lot of the original stonework, art, and such that originally hung in Santa Maria Del Fiore, the Duomo. It really is an amazing museum. It also holds Donatello's Mary Magdelene, which is a favorite of my friend, Rose. Mrs. Metivier, I hope you enjoy the pic I threw in for you!
Yesterday was really the best day, perhaps on this whole trip. I decided to go up to the Cinque Terre for the day. The Cinque Terre is now a National Park that consists of 5 tiny towns balnced on the Northern Italian Coast. Each town is connected by train, or hiking paths that go along the mountains that run between each town. I started at the most northern city, Monterosso. I made really good time and as it was off season, there was not much happening, nor sun to enjoy on the beach. Even though I had not planned it, I decided to hike to Vernazza. I am not sure how far it is miles, maybe 3 or 4 miles, but let me tell you, there are some stairs! I was not wearing the proper attire at all. It was rainy, but humid and pretty warm. I had on a tshirt, jeans and my stylish down jacket with a fur collar. I made it though and got some amazing pictures, as well as inspiration on my journey. Only in Italy can you buy a bottle of homemade booze (limoncello) from an old guy named Giuseppe on the middle of a mountain hiking path and feel alright about drinking it. I know I said I hate limoncello, but it was hard to say no to this guy. Plus, throughout the day I sipped a little. Somehow it was all gone by the time I got ack to Florence. Sorry, Kay, your warning came too late! I definitely did not feel so hot last night when I went to bed at 8:30.
In one moment, things can happen to you to change everything. Our moods are dancing a fine line between bad and good on a daily basis. While it may only take a moment to fall into the bad or nervous moods, sometimes all it takes is a day to put it right. In one day you can find yourself again, your faith in something bigger can be renewed, and you can discover a whole other resource for motivation. yesterday was one of those days for me. I enjoyed nature, saw the ocean, met a great couple from Minnesota, and had a steaming bowl of Trofie al Pesto, just for my mom. It was a magical day. The pics will give you an idea of how beautiful the Cinque Terre is. It is my favorite place in the world aside from jackson Lake. When I die, I want part of me to be there forever.
The ride home was very peaceful as I realized I was exhausted. We passed a mountain that looked like it was covered in snow, but it was actually a marble quarry. Imagine: that very mountain is where Michaelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo Da VInci, and many others got their marble for their sculptures. Today it is still being mined for artists to transform. After that I fell into a lovely sleep on the smooth train ride. I had gotten up at 6:30am to head out and the hike did me in. I came home, packed a little, and fell into my bed.
The next few days will be full of stress as I pack. Florence definitely understands that people come here to shop, making it easy to find cheap luggage to buy on the street. I had to do it. I bought a big red rolling bag for 10Euro that will hold all the stuff I bought (funny, I really did not feel like I shopped thhat much!). Coming to Florence close to xmas is a bad idea!
I hope you are all well and enjoy these last pics. I miss you all.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Italian Sand Through The American Eyeglass: 11/13/06
Caro Amici e Famiglia,
How is everyone doing? I am sad and excited about coming home soon. To be honest, not working at all is a little boring, I don't care where you are. I am having a blast, though.
Yesterday was so great. Alex and I went to San Gimignano (Jim een ya no), a hill town outside of Florence. It was beautiful weather. San G is a Medieval city that was quite wealthy. Many nobles lived there and it was self sufficient and powerful. San G is refered to as Tuscany's Manhatten because of all the towers. There are 7 now, but in its heyday, there were many more. During the Plague, many of the rich nobles died, sending San G into a state of decline. The city was forced to "sell" itself to Florence for protection. This was quite sad because the power of the remaining nobles was underminded (sp?) never allowing the city to get back on its feet. Maybe that is somewhat for the good, as San G is still a small, beautiful, Medieval town. You can walk across it in minutes and there are countless vistas and breathtaking photo stops. We went NUTS with the camera.
We got there around 1:00 due to a little bus mixup. We walked a bit and had a glass of Vernacci wine overlooking the view of the Tuscan hills in front of us. Vernacci wine is a white wine grown only in San G, thus is the city's claim to fame, as well as their coveted wild boar salame. For lunch, we ducked into a little place with great atmosphere and ok food. The owner was really nice and we even got to sign a guest book! We spent the rest of the time mostly just walking around and taking pics. It was a beautiful and relaxing day.
So, it does not matter that I killed the big mosquito. They are everywhere and in the past 72 hours I have gotten about 12 more bites, three on my wrist. Last night I realize I had just gotten two on my chin. My chin, dudes. I swear, I do not know where they come from and you do not feel them bite. Rachel was unfortunate enough to battle with them too, getting about 6 or 7 while she was here. They suck... literally and figuratively.
Last night I went to dinner. Guess where...... you got it, at Acqua Al' Due. I was sat next to these Americans and I had to listen to a 15 minute converstion about someone trying to order more sauce for their Jumbalaya. It was really riveting. They also went on about how dirty it is here, how rude people are, blah blah. Sometimes I just wish that people could come to a new place and try to blend in with it. Things here are different because you are in another country. No they don't have Ranch dressing, yes peanut butter is 9 Euro for a tiny jar, yes most people drink their coffee standing up. Didn't you come for that reason? If it was like home, then what would be the point of coming to visit? Am I right? Who knows, maybe I am just a snob. Still love me?
I keep forgetting to tell everyone about the orange pants. Do they have these at home now? Apparently, orange pants for men are totally the thing. Not bright bright orange, but pumpkiny orange. And, headbands are so in for guys. I mean it, plastic ones, cloth ones, whatever. Boys wearing girl headbands! Things are so different here as far as style and self esteem go. I see kids getting out of Liceo (high school) and they are dressed so crazy, but in a really fun way. They all hold hands and walk together. They really do not seem to have the self esteem issues and cliques you see in the US. It is really great. Overall, everyone seems so happy and laid back. Another thing is that couples are waiting longer and longer to have kids. It is like this in the States too. Here, it seems people are having children into their forties. Or, should I say, child. Having more than one kid in Italy is no longer common. In fact, the birth rate is negative. By law, a parent is required to raise their child, pay for their education if they go to school after liceo, and then support them until the child finds a job in their field. On top of this, a parent is required to provide housing by way of house or apartment. That is why it is hard to buy apartments and houses in Italy. They are most likely saved for a child. The apartment I am renting now is one that is being saved for my landlord' daughter. When she is ready it is all hers. That is why he cannot sell it, nor wants to rent it out to anyone long term. Crazy!
Currently I am dowloading music from itunes. I have decided to make a mix of all the songs that are popular here now and that I have been listening to all month. If anyone wants a copy, let me know. I love itunes! Today I will be doing the Dome, finally. I tried the other day, but it got rainy! I think I will do a long walk too. Also, the mystery of the Mars bars has been solved. Leave it to my mom to send me a press releas, or report found on the internet, as well as to be in contact witht CA Mars bar representative. Yes mom, you can work for my tour company as a researcher. They do not have them in the US, so I will bring some home. You can all start thinking what you can do for me for a cany bar! Good luck. I hope you are all well and enjoy the pics. I know they have been lacking lately.
Amore e Tanti Baci
Our Trip to San Gimignano
How is everyone doing? I am sad and excited about coming home soon. To be honest, not working at all is a little boring, I don't care where you are. I am having a blast, though.
Yesterday was so great. Alex and I went to San Gimignano (Jim een ya no), a hill town outside of Florence. It was beautiful weather. San G is a Medieval city that was quite wealthy. Many nobles lived there and it was self sufficient and powerful. San G is refered to as Tuscany's Manhatten because of all the towers. There are 7 now, but in its heyday, there were many more. During the Plague, many of the rich nobles died, sending San G into a state of decline. The city was forced to "sell" itself to Florence for protection. This was quite sad because the power of the remaining nobles was underminded (sp?) never allowing the city to get back on its feet. Maybe that is somewhat for the good, as San G is still a small, beautiful, Medieval town. You can walk across it in minutes and there are countless vistas and breathtaking photo stops. We went NUTS with the camera.
We got there around 1:00 due to a little bus mixup. We walked a bit and had a glass of Vernacci wine overlooking the view of the Tuscan hills in front of us. Vernacci wine is a white wine grown only in San G, thus is the city's claim to fame, as well as their coveted wild boar salame. For lunch, we ducked into a little place with great atmosphere and ok food. The owner was really nice and we even got to sign a guest book! We spent the rest of the time mostly just walking around and taking pics. It was a beautiful and relaxing day.
So, it does not matter that I killed the big mosquito. They are everywhere and in the past 72 hours I have gotten about 12 more bites, three on my wrist. Last night I realize I had just gotten two on my chin. My chin, dudes. I swear, I do not know where they come from and you do not feel them bite. Rachel was unfortunate enough to battle with them too, getting about 6 or 7 while she was here. They suck... literally and figuratively.
Last night I went to dinner. Guess where...... you got it, at Acqua Al' Due. I was sat next to these Americans and I had to listen to a 15 minute converstion about someone trying to order more sauce for their Jumbalaya. It was really riveting. They also went on about how dirty it is here, how rude people are, blah blah. Sometimes I just wish that people could come to a new place and try to blend in with it. Things here are different because you are in another country. No they don't have Ranch dressing, yes peanut butter is 9 Euro for a tiny jar, yes most people drink their coffee standing up. Didn't you come for that reason? If it was like home, then what would be the point of coming to visit? Am I right? Who knows, maybe I am just a snob. Still love me?
I keep forgetting to tell everyone about the orange pants. Do they have these at home now? Apparently, orange pants for men are totally the thing. Not bright bright orange, but pumpkiny orange. And, headbands are so in for guys. I mean it, plastic ones, cloth ones, whatever. Boys wearing girl headbands! Things are so different here as far as style and self esteem go. I see kids getting out of Liceo (high school) and they are dressed so crazy, but in a really fun way. They all hold hands and walk together. They really do not seem to have the self esteem issues and cliques you see in the US. It is really great. Overall, everyone seems so happy and laid back. Another thing is that couples are waiting longer and longer to have kids. It is like this in the States too. Here, it seems people are having children into their forties. Or, should I say, child. Having more than one kid in Italy is no longer common. In fact, the birth rate is negative. By law, a parent is required to raise their child, pay for their education if they go to school after liceo, and then support them until the child finds a job in their field. On top of this, a parent is required to provide housing by way of house or apartment. That is why it is hard to buy apartments and houses in Italy. They are most likely saved for a child. The apartment I am renting now is one that is being saved for my landlord' daughter. When she is ready it is all hers. That is why he cannot sell it, nor wants to rent it out to anyone long term. Crazy!
Currently I am dowloading music from itunes. I have decided to make a mix of all the songs that are popular here now and that I have been listening to all month. If anyone wants a copy, let me know. I love itunes! Today I will be doing the Dome, finally. I tried the other day, but it got rainy! I think I will do a long walk too. Also, the mystery of the Mars bars has been solved. Leave it to my mom to send me a press releas, or report found on the internet, as well as to be in contact witht CA Mars bar representative. Yes mom, you can work for my tour company as a researcher. They do not have them in the US, so I will bring some home. You can all start thinking what you can do for me for a cany bar! Good luck. I hope you are all well and enjoy the pics. I know they have been lacking lately.
Amore e Tanti Baci
Our Trip to San Gimignano
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Italian Sand Through The American Eyeglass: 11/11/06
Today is a gorgeous day in Florence. I have truly been blessed with amazing weather. I have actually been hot from walking in the cool, but humid air. Things here are going well, but I am afraid the end of my trip is coming too soon. I cannot believe I will be coming home in just a little over a week. I still have plenty to do, including trying to figure out the mystery of the post office so I can send some stuff home. It is crazy. You actually need an appointment to mail something unless you are just dropping it in the slot.
Rachel and her mom, Nora, arrived on Wednesday night and we have been having a lot of fun. On Wednesday I tried to take Rachel to Acqua Al' Due (it would have been my 4th trip there this week), but I failed to make a reservation, so we headed across the river to Open Bar. This place is really beautiful, offering a great view of the Arno and Ponte Vecchio. It is a little touristy, but worth it. Dinner was great because we were able to relax and talk. We had not seen each other in a year and a half. Our dinner took about 2.5-3 hours. I am so used to going to eat alone and the food comes out pretty quickly. I have really gotten used to it, though. To be honest when I first got here, I felt a littl shy going out to eat alone. Now it is nothing. I do not mind it a bit. Our waiter at Open Bar, Alessandro, loved us. After our dinner, he treated us to Limoncello, which is an Italian liquor made from lemons.
As many of you may know, I HATE LIMONCELLO! It tastes like cough syrup on steroids. It is wickedly sweet and has the burn of any alcohol. Rachel really did not like it either. However, we drank it so as not to offend our waiter who was so sweet in offering it to us. After we had downed our little glasses of Limoncello, Alessandro comes to our table with three more glasses and sits with us to sip on the next round. Rachel and I are scared that we will get sick at this point. About 3 sips in, Rachel "accidentally" spills her glass. "Great idea," I am thinking. Nope, all it did was prompt him to pour her yet another glass! By the time we left the restaurant, we were so full and borderline sick from all the sugar. We had a great walk home and super-sized headaches in the morning.
On Thursday we went to the synagogue because Rachel and Nora are Jewish. It was really cool to visit an orthodox (built in the 1800s) synagogue with someone who really understands everything. There were so many things to learn. After, we just walked a bit and checked out the church of San Lorenzo. It is one of my favorites and they really enjoyed it too.
On Thursday night I was lucky enough to be able to join Rachel and Nora's tour group for dinner. They had a dinner planned in a villa just outside Florence. Villa Viviani is used now for large events, such as weddings, conferences, and tour dinners. It was a really beautiful place with great city views. Unfortunately, it was dark, so we did not get to fully enjoy the grounds or a view of the city, but it was a great experience and lovely dinner. All the people thought I was a crack up because I was just having fun and telling them great stories about Florence. THis group was a little on the older side and it was the first tiime to Italy for all of them. They have a lot to learn!
I have decided that it would be great to start a tour company. I know when some people think of tours, it is not at all what they would want. Rachel and Nora are just about the youngest folks on their tour and the tour guide lacks enthusiasm at times. My tour company could be totally different. I would gear it toward younger people or just more active travelers who like to walk and explore on foot. Buses are great at times, but there is so much to see while walking too. I would not make a tour cumbersome either. Rachel's tour is nice because they have a lot of down time, allowing them to rest as needed, or go do other things that are not included. My goal would be, simply, to offer a bit of organization that can stress tourists out, as well as offer information and guidance through various sights, restaurants, bars, the language, and other aspects of Italian life. It would be a fun, kind of spunky tour, you know? It would also more affordable. I would strive to find modest hotels that are a good deal and comfortable, but not overly nice. A travller should spend as little time as possible in the hotel room. Plus, enjoying the tour from the perspective of young woman who enjoys exploring, fun, wine, and food. What do you all think? Would you come on my tour through Italy?
Yesterday afternoon, Rachel and I unleashed ourselves on the San Lorenzo market and a shopping tour of Florence. Unfortunately, Rachel did not find much of what she was looking for, so she says she will have to do her damage in Rome. We did, however, have a fun night out. After walking a while to find a great place, we ended up at Kikuya for a few drinks and then a bar called Salamanca, which I have heard about but had never been to. As we sat at the bar, an Italian next to me asked me if I could move so he could sit next to my beautiful friend. Since he was a cutie, and really nice, I allowed it. They seemed to like each other, but he REALLY did not speak English, so I was the translator. It was pretty hilarious. I really felt like him and I were on a date. In the end, I had to escort them while he escorted her home, for safety you know. I felt like I was in an 18th century novel, chaperoning two young folks on a courtship outing. I do realize now, that my Italian really is not bad. I took a cab home because I was exhausted!
My favorite thing ever happened today. My landlord, Roberto, had said he would tentatively be coming over this morning with his son, Giovanni, to figure out how to turn the heat on. I had forgotten about it and told him I would most likely be gone, but to come on in and do it. Well, they did come just about one minute after I had rolled out of bed. I had to open the door for them with pajamas, raccoon eyes, and sleep lines across my face. The kicker is that Giovanni, the son who I had yet to meet, is probably one of the most gorgeous guys I have ever seen. I really felt quite gross. It was an amazing way to start off my day.
And here I am today. The sky is perfect for a sunset climb up the Duomo. I have been putting it off because I want to get some great pics that are different from the ones I took from the tower. They would be pretty much the same pics. I was planning on going up to Piazza Michaelangelo sometime to take sunset pics, at Cristian's suggestion, but the sun sets in the opposite direction and I don't think the pics would be quite as great as they would be from the Duomo. We shall see! Other than that, I think I might stay in tonight. I feel like all I do is eat, so maybe a nice salad in. I have been out pretty late this week with Rachel in town and yesterday we walked so much. My feet are really sore. I may even start working on some packing =-(
I also need to start a new book or something. I very recently finished listening to an Audiobook called The Mephisto Club. Now girls, I have a suggestion: If you are traveling alone in Italy, don't listen to or read this book which is about a girl hiding throughout Italy as she runs from city to city to escape her cousin who is a demon. It was truly a creepy book, very gory. There were a few nights I had trouble getting to sleep.
I hope you are all doing well. I have included some pics from Lucca and such. I really miss you guys. Thanks to Judy for the phone call. It was so sweet and really made my day. Hope to see you and George soon for the Holidays. And can someone please tell me about the Mars bars?!
Love and Tanti Bacci
LUCCA
Rachel and Nora's Visit to Florence
Rachel and her mom, Nora, arrived on Wednesday night and we have been having a lot of fun. On Wednesday I tried to take Rachel to Acqua Al' Due (it would have been my 4th trip there this week), but I failed to make a reservation, so we headed across the river to Open Bar. This place is really beautiful, offering a great view of the Arno and Ponte Vecchio. It is a little touristy, but worth it. Dinner was great because we were able to relax and talk. We had not seen each other in a year and a half. Our dinner took about 2.5-3 hours. I am so used to going to eat alone and the food comes out pretty quickly. I have really gotten used to it, though. To be honest when I first got here, I felt a littl shy going out to eat alone. Now it is nothing. I do not mind it a bit. Our waiter at Open Bar, Alessandro, loved us. After our dinner, he treated us to Limoncello, which is an Italian liquor made from lemons.
As many of you may know, I HATE LIMONCELLO! It tastes like cough syrup on steroids. It is wickedly sweet and has the burn of any alcohol. Rachel really did not like it either. However, we drank it so as not to offend our waiter who was so sweet in offering it to us. After we had downed our little glasses of Limoncello, Alessandro comes to our table with three more glasses and sits with us to sip on the next round. Rachel and I are scared that we will get sick at this point. About 3 sips in, Rachel "accidentally" spills her glass. "Great idea," I am thinking. Nope, all it did was prompt him to pour her yet another glass! By the time we left the restaurant, we were so full and borderline sick from all the sugar. We had a great walk home and super-sized headaches in the morning.
On Thursday we went to the synagogue because Rachel and Nora are Jewish. It was really cool to visit an orthodox (built in the 1800s) synagogue with someone who really understands everything. There were so many things to learn. After, we just walked a bit and checked out the church of San Lorenzo. It is one of my favorites and they really enjoyed it too.
On Thursday night I was lucky enough to be able to join Rachel and Nora's tour group for dinner. They had a dinner planned in a villa just outside Florence. Villa Viviani is used now for large events, such as weddings, conferences, and tour dinners. It was a really beautiful place with great city views. Unfortunately, it was dark, so we did not get to fully enjoy the grounds or a view of the city, but it was a great experience and lovely dinner. All the people thought I was a crack up because I was just having fun and telling them great stories about Florence. THis group was a little on the older side and it was the first tiime to Italy for all of them. They have a lot to learn!
I have decided that it would be great to start a tour company. I know when some people think of tours, it is not at all what they would want. Rachel and Nora are just about the youngest folks on their tour and the tour guide lacks enthusiasm at times. My tour company could be totally different. I would gear it toward younger people or just more active travelers who like to walk and explore on foot. Buses are great at times, but there is so much to see while walking too. I would not make a tour cumbersome either. Rachel's tour is nice because they have a lot of down time, allowing them to rest as needed, or go do other things that are not included. My goal would be, simply, to offer a bit of organization that can stress tourists out, as well as offer information and guidance through various sights, restaurants, bars, the language, and other aspects of Italian life. It would be a fun, kind of spunky tour, you know? It would also more affordable. I would strive to find modest hotels that are a good deal and comfortable, but not overly nice. A travller should spend as little time as possible in the hotel room. Plus, enjoying the tour from the perspective of young woman who enjoys exploring, fun, wine, and food. What do you all think? Would you come on my tour through Italy?
Yesterday afternoon, Rachel and I unleashed ourselves on the San Lorenzo market and a shopping tour of Florence. Unfortunately, Rachel did not find much of what she was looking for, so she says she will have to do her damage in Rome. We did, however, have a fun night out. After walking a while to find a great place, we ended up at Kikuya for a few drinks and then a bar called Salamanca, which I have heard about but had never been to. As we sat at the bar, an Italian next to me asked me if I could move so he could sit next to my beautiful friend. Since he was a cutie, and really nice, I allowed it. They seemed to like each other, but he REALLY did not speak English, so I was the translator. It was pretty hilarious. I really felt like him and I were on a date. In the end, I had to escort them while he escorted her home, for safety you know. I felt like I was in an 18th century novel, chaperoning two young folks on a courtship outing. I do realize now, that my Italian really is not bad. I took a cab home because I was exhausted!
My favorite thing ever happened today. My landlord, Roberto, had said he would tentatively be coming over this morning with his son, Giovanni, to figure out how to turn the heat on. I had forgotten about it and told him I would most likely be gone, but to come on in and do it. Well, they did come just about one minute after I had rolled out of bed. I had to open the door for them with pajamas, raccoon eyes, and sleep lines across my face. The kicker is that Giovanni, the son who I had yet to meet, is probably one of the most gorgeous guys I have ever seen. I really felt quite gross. It was an amazing way to start off my day.
And here I am today. The sky is perfect for a sunset climb up the Duomo. I have been putting it off because I want to get some great pics that are different from the ones I took from the tower. They would be pretty much the same pics. I was planning on going up to Piazza Michaelangelo sometime to take sunset pics, at Cristian's suggestion, but the sun sets in the opposite direction and I don't think the pics would be quite as great as they would be from the Duomo. We shall see! Other than that, I think I might stay in tonight. I feel like all I do is eat, so maybe a nice salad in. I have been out pretty late this week with Rachel in town and yesterday we walked so much. My feet are really sore. I may even start working on some packing =-(
I also need to start a new book or something. I very recently finished listening to an Audiobook called The Mephisto Club. Now girls, I have a suggestion: If you are traveling alone in Italy, don't listen to or read this book which is about a girl hiding throughout Italy as she runs from city to city to escape her cousin who is a demon. It was truly a creepy book, very gory. There were a few nights I had trouble getting to sleep.
I hope you are all doing well. I have included some pics from Lucca and such. I really miss you guys. Thanks to Judy for the phone call. It was so sweet and really made my day. Hope to see you and George soon for the Holidays. And can someone please tell me about the Mars bars?!
Love and Tanti Bacci
LUCCA
Rachel and Nora's Visit to Florence
Wednesday, November 8, 2006
Italian Sand Through The American Eyeglass: 11/08/06
Dear friends and Famiglia,
This was to be a grand update with pics and all, but I am afraid there are no pics for two reasons. One, The past few days have led me to places that don't allow photos to be taken. However, Rachel comes today (yayyyyy) so I assure you there will be plenty of pictures soon, with me in them no doubt! The second reason i cannot get pics to you at the moment is because my computer, along with all of my other belongings are locked in my apartment, safe and sound. I, however, am not with them. And here is my story:
Yesterday was very long. I finally got to Lucca. It turns out it may have been just as well that I missed the train on Saturday morning, as i was informed that this past weekend was a big one for Lucca: They were having a festival, well, convention of the comedy and cartoon sort. I was told it was about the equivalent of a Star Trek Convention. So, pictures of the Basilica with Japanimation characters in front of it may not have been quite what I was looking for. When I did get to Lucca, the only remnants of the gathering were large tents in all the Piazzas, which still sort of ruined my picture taking experience. It was very quiet, though. Two of the places I had planned on visiting were closed for construction, so it was a pretty mellow trip. My favorite part was walking the 2.5 mile walk arount the top of the city wall, also called the rampart. Fall was with me as I walked by beautiful oaks with changing leaves. It was an amazingly gorgeous day, sunny and quite warm for November.
Since i got up so early yesterday, I decided that for last night I would save my appetite for a great dinner and a bottle of wine, seeing as I could sleep in and have a luxuriously lazy day today before Rachel got into town. I got back to Florence around 6 last night and lounged around for a bit. Around nine, I got ready to go. I had everything I needed. I looked at my keys, remembering the thought I had had earlier in the day. You see, My inner door is always locked from the outside. Once it is closed, there is no getting in. I thought to myself as I walked in Lucca how glad I was I had never left my keys inside and how much it would suck if I did.
As I was about to grab the keys, my phone rang. I ran into the bedroom to grab it and realized I was starving and so ready for my wonderful dinner. I answered my phone, grabbed my coat, grabbed my purse and stepped out the door and let it shut. The minute I heard the door click shut, I knew what I had done. I got down on my knees, "No, no, no!" I may have thrown in some other not so pretty words. So, there I was, dressed for dinner, with my purse, THANK GOD, and locked out. On top of it, my cell phone was out of minutes, AGAIN, and I would not be able to get more until this morning. I had no phone and I did not know the number for my landlord. Whoever invented the internet is my hero, as all the info I needed was in an email from my landlord. I ran to the internet train, got the info and was even able to make a local call. "Message Gratuito. I am sorry. The person you are trying to reach cannot take calls. Please try again later."
In Italy, everyone has a cell phone, but but many do not have voicemail. The closest you can get is to choose an option that will have the phone you are trying to reach call you as soon as the line is available. It is likely that Roberto had his phone off, or it died. At this point, it was 9:30pm and I had three options: one, go to dinner, then go to a club and stay until 5 or 6 am and deal with it all in the morning. Two, find a hotel. Three, start crying and call Alex even though he is in the middle of a work crisis and has family in town and is most likely on his way to the factory that is 1.5 hours out of town. I opted for option 3 because, perhaps, I am selfish and I was really hungry. As most of you may know, I am not very nice or rational when I am hungry.
So, Alex, being the wonderful person he is, turned around and drove into the city to help me. He dropped everything, saying this was more important than anything. We used his phone to keep trying the landlord, to no avail. While waiting, we enjoyed a great dinner, and I drank some wine to ease my worries. Once 11pm rolled around, we realized there was no other option than to find a hotel room for me to stay the night. First we went to Hotel Cavour, a beautiful hotel far beyond my means for one night while I had a perfectly good apartment down the street. However, I enjoyed fantasizing about a night as a princess as I did the moonwalk in my Kitson's on the unbeliveably slick marble floors while Alex talked to the guy at the front desk. You guys, the moon walk is really all about what shoes you are wearing. Just call me Mr. Jackson. Now, as we all learned before kids, no documents, no room. Luckily, I was with an Italian, so the lady at the next hotel made an exception. I stayed in a tiny little room right around the corner from my house. Roberto called Alex this morning and arranged a meeting for us at my place at noon.
So, here I am killing some time and giving you my long overdue update!
Winter is officially on its way to Florence. The crisp, clean air is filled with the smell of roasting chestnuts, or should I say chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Christmas preparations are already underway, as they don't have Thanksgiving to worry about. There have also been a ton of great concerts going on in the various churches. On Sunday I went to a tenor and organ concert at the church of Santa Maria de' Ricci. The concert was entitled Ave Maria, so included many different composers version of the aria. My favorite is definitely Schubert's, the one you are probably all most familiar with. The organist also did a solo a Bach's, oh I forget what it is called. The one we all associate with Dracula, you know? It was amazing. I never realized how much work goes into playing the organ! I also went to a concert on Monday night at St. Mark's, where I saw La Boheme. It was a piano recital. The girl was from Japan, and quite famous, but I have her name written in the house, so I cannot recall it. Apparently she is a pretty big deal and donated her night to earn money for AMALA, a charity to help children in India. She played Chopin, Mozart, Listz (Sp?), and Ravel. It was amazing. She did not even use sheet music. She knew it all by heart.
Let's see. I went to the old Medici-Riccardi Palace. It was pretty cool. They have a display entitled Apoxyomenos. That is a title of an old Croation statue they found in a shipwreck. Apoxyomenos refers to an Olympian. This particular statue was most likey that of a wrestler. They had to do a lot of work to restore the statue. It told the whole process from start to finish. The statue was not actually there, just the story. I also visited the private chapel in the palace, with frescoes by Gelozzi. They were beautiful. No pics, though.
Well, I suppose that is all the update I have for you now. When I said that after Siena, my trip would have to be smooth sailing, I guess I was not quite right in light of last night's events. However, things could have been much worse. At least I had money this time! I am anxiously awaiting my return to my apartment where my facewash, toothbrush, and shower are all waiting for me. I could also use a little eye makeup remover for these raccoon eyes!
I hope you are all well and I will write soon.
Love and Tanti Bacci
This was to be a grand update with pics and all, but I am afraid there are no pics for two reasons. One, The past few days have led me to places that don't allow photos to be taken. However, Rachel comes today (yayyyyy) so I assure you there will be plenty of pictures soon, with me in them no doubt! The second reason i cannot get pics to you at the moment is because my computer, along with all of my other belongings are locked in my apartment, safe and sound. I, however, am not with them. And here is my story:
Yesterday was very long. I finally got to Lucca. It turns out it may have been just as well that I missed the train on Saturday morning, as i was informed that this past weekend was a big one for Lucca: They were having a festival, well, convention of the comedy and cartoon sort. I was told it was about the equivalent of a Star Trek Convention. So, pictures of the Basilica with Japanimation characters in front of it may not have been quite what I was looking for. When I did get to Lucca, the only remnants of the gathering were large tents in all the Piazzas, which still sort of ruined my picture taking experience. It was very quiet, though. Two of the places I had planned on visiting were closed for construction, so it was a pretty mellow trip. My favorite part was walking the 2.5 mile walk arount the top of the city wall, also called the rampart. Fall was with me as I walked by beautiful oaks with changing leaves. It was an amazingly gorgeous day, sunny and quite warm for November.
Since i got up so early yesterday, I decided that for last night I would save my appetite for a great dinner and a bottle of wine, seeing as I could sleep in and have a luxuriously lazy day today before Rachel got into town. I got back to Florence around 6 last night and lounged around for a bit. Around nine, I got ready to go. I had everything I needed. I looked at my keys, remembering the thought I had had earlier in the day. You see, My inner door is always locked from the outside. Once it is closed, there is no getting in. I thought to myself as I walked in Lucca how glad I was I had never left my keys inside and how much it would suck if I did.
As I was about to grab the keys, my phone rang. I ran into the bedroom to grab it and realized I was starving and so ready for my wonderful dinner. I answered my phone, grabbed my coat, grabbed my purse and stepped out the door and let it shut. The minute I heard the door click shut, I knew what I had done. I got down on my knees, "No, no, no!" I may have thrown in some other not so pretty words. So, there I was, dressed for dinner, with my purse, THANK GOD, and locked out. On top of it, my cell phone was out of minutes, AGAIN, and I would not be able to get more until this morning. I had no phone and I did not know the number for my landlord. Whoever invented the internet is my hero, as all the info I needed was in an email from my landlord. I ran to the internet train, got the info and was even able to make a local call. "Message Gratuito. I am sorry. The person you are trying to reach cannot take calls. Please try again later."
In Italy, everyone has a cell phone, but but many do not have voicemail. The closest you can get is to choose an option that will have the phone you are trying to reach call you as soon as the line is available. It is likely that Roberto had his phone off, or it died. At this point, it was 9:30pm and I had three options: one, go to dinner, then go to a club and stay until 5 or 6 am and deal with it all in the morning. Two, find a hotel. Three, start crying and call Alex even though he is in the middle of a work crisis and has family in town and is most likely on his way to the factory that is 1.5 hours out of town. I opted for option 3 because, perhaps, I am selfish and I was really hungry. As most of you may know, I am not very nice or rational when I am hungry.
So, Alex, being the wonderful person he is, turned around and drove into the city to help me. He dropped everything, saying this was more important than anything. We used his phone to keep trying the landlord, to no avail. While waiting, we enjoyed a great dinner, and I drank some wine to ease my worries. Once 11pm rolled around, we realized there was no other option than to find a hotel room for me to stay the night. First we went to Hotel Cavour, a beautiful hotel far beyond my means for one night while I had a perfectly good apartment down the street. However, I enjoyed fantasizing about a night as a princess as I did the moonwalk in my Kitson's on the unbeliveably slick marble floors while Alex talked to the guy at the front desk. You guys, the moon walk is really all about what shoes you are wearing. Just call me Mr. Jackson. Now, as we all learned before kids, no documents, no room. Luckily, I was with an Italian, so the lady at the next hotel made an exception. I stayed in a tiny little room right around the corner from my house. Roberto called Alex this morning and arranged a meeting for us at my place at noon.
So, here I am killing some time and giving you my long overdue update!
Winter is officially on its way to Florence. The crisp, clean air is filled with the smell of roasting chestnuts, or should I say chestnuts roasting on an open fire? Christmas preparations are already underway, as they don't have Thanksgiving to worry about. There have also been a ton of great concerts going on in the various churches. On Sunday I went to a tenor and organ concert at the church of Santa Maria de' Ricci. The concert was entitled Ave Maria, so included many different composers version of the aria. My favorite is definitely Schubert's, the one you are probably all most familiar with. The organist also did a solo a Bach's, oh I forget what it is called. The one we all associate with Dracula, you know? It was amazing. I never realized how much work goes into playing the organ! I also went to a concert on Monday night at St. Mark's, where I saw La Boheme. It was a piano recital. The girl was from Japan, and quite famous, but I have her name written in the house, so I cannot recall it. Apparently she is a pretty big deal and donated her night to earn money for AMALA, a charity to help children in India. She played Chopin, Mozart, Listz (Sp?), and Ravel. It was amazing. She did not even use sheet music. She knew it all by heart.
Let's see. I went to the old Medici-Riccardi Palace. It was pretty cool. They have a display entitled Apoxyomenos. That is a title of an old Croation statue they found in a shipwreck. Apoxyomenos refers to an Olympian. This particular statue was most likey that of a wrestler. They had to do a lot of work to restore the statue. It told the whole process from start to finish. The statue was not actually there, just the story. I also visited the private chapel in the palace, with frescoes by Gelozzi. They were beautiful. No pics, though.
Well, I suppose that is all the update I have for you now. When I said that after Siena, my trip would have to be smooth sailing, I guess I was not quite right in light of last night's events. However, things could have been much worse. At least I had money this time! I am anxiously awaiting my return to my apartment where my facewash, toothbrush, and shower are all waiting for me. I could also use a little eye makeup remover for these raccoon eyes!
I hope you are all well and I will write soon.
Love and Tanti Bacci
Saturday, November 4, 2006
Italian Sand Through The American Eyeglass: 11/04/06
Dear Friends and Famiglia,
Wow! It has been tough getting to the internet place on time. The café I go to says I can be on the internet until 7:30pm. However, I am always rushed out as they prepare for their evening bar atmosphere. I went there for lunch today and was told to sit wherever I would like. I figured I could do lunch and emailing at the same time. The lady told me to sit wherever I would like. Then I was told, rudely, by another guy that the one free table I was sitting at was reserved. I kindly asked him where I could sit to eat lunch and he said, "Wherever you want to!" So….. I realized I was in a predicament and left. Now I am writing this from home and plan to send it as soon as possible.
I do not mind this, however, as right now I am watching the world's all time greatest movie on TV. Yes, my friends, I have now seen it all. Watching The Goonies in Italian is just as wonderful as watching it in English.
Why am I in my house watching a movie? Well, I started off my day on a bad foot. I overslept and missed my train to Lucca this morning. I decided I was unusually tired and that I would have a relaxing day, mostly around the house. But fear not! I have had a few fun days that I need to catch you all up on!
On Thursday I visited the Brancacci Chapel, located in the Church of Santa Maria Del Carmine. I started the tour by watching an awesome movie that recreated the fire of the 18th century that destroyed most of the church. However, the frescoes by Masaccio and Masolino did survive and were restored to their former beauty. These are perhaps my favorite frescoes in Florence. They tell the stories of St. Peter, and the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Brancacci was a silk merchant in Florence and he commissioned the frescoes for his chapel in the church. Thus, Massacio honored him by dressing the figures in his frescoes in beautiful silk, colorful, Florentine clothing
As I said, the movie I watched was so amazing. It told the story of the Carmenites, who are the oldest order of churchmen in the world, dating back to the time of the Apostles. Other church orders include the Franciscans and the Dominicans. The film used an old painting of Florence and turned it into a 3D map. It would fade in and out of the buildings form the painting to the same buildings in modern day Florence. It really made me realize how old this city is and that the very building I am living in for these five weeks is likely to be very old. If I were living in Florence at the end of the 1400s, Leonardo Da Vinci would be my neighbor, and I would be right next to the official business of Florence and of the Medici Family. It is really incredible when considering the history of our little Nevada City only goes back to the 1800s.
On Thursday night, I finally visited my favorite restaurant in Florence: Acqua al' Due. Oh mah Gah, it was delicious. I always order the Chicken with Port Wine sauce. It is soooo good. My mom and I have been trying to master it for 6 years. One time we thought we were close, but upon having it again, I realize we are oh so far away. I could quite possibly eat it every night of my life. I also thought of a dear friend, I will call her by her first initial, K, so as to avoid any embarrassment on her part. She told me that one particular dinner she had in Italy was so good, she licked the plate. Well, K, I know how you feel and you will be happy to know, I have discovered a few methods that allow you to clean your plate, whilst not looking too crazy: One, cut your food into the tiniest pieces possible and them drown them in the sauce. If need be, save the last little piece, using it is a vehicle for the remainder of the sauce in question. While it may look weird to double dip and lick your chicken, it still is not like licking the plate. Second, Italians eat bread at dinner for a reason. Use it to sop it all up!
However, based on what I saw last night, I would not consider someone to be crazy for licking his or her plate. I was dining in a restaurant around the corner and saw an older gentleman eating alone as well. He had ordered two bottles of wine, both different, and was mixing them in his glass. I can't imagine he could drink two whole bottles! Once he started eating, I noticed something. He would take a bite and then lick the fork over and over, while whispering to it between licks. He did this as if he were kissing the neck of a beautiful woman while whispering sweet nothings into her ear. Italians: very romantic and lovers of good food! (I promise, I did not make this up) I was so intrigued that I had to order a second café to prolong my visit, allowing me to watch more. So, a plate of pasta, .5 liter of vino, a BIG bottle of Acqua Naturale, a salad, and two coffees later I was stuffed and could not help but say "Buona Sera," to the man on my way out. A little more wine and might have been talking to my fork too!
Yesterday I finally visited the Uffizi. It was a long day. Please do not get me wrong, I know how wonderful it is for me to have the opportunity to see the Uffizi, but really, in one day there is only so much art one can handle. I rented the audio guide that took me through 50 rooms in the Uffizi Gallery, each filled with priceless works of art. They were beautiful, but I was so exhausted at the end, it did not even bother me that I paid 15 Euro for a cappuccino and a little chicken sandwich in the Uffizi rooftop bar. Some of my favorites in the museum were Botticelli's Primavera and Giotto's Madonna and Child. They also had an extra exhibit entitled the Mind of Da Vinci. It was amazing. They had all of his notebooks, and models of his many inventions displayed.
Leonardo was a bit of a character. He started working under the guidance of Verocchio. When Leonardo was still a boy, he helped to finish one of Verocchio's paintings by painting in one of the angels playing at the baby Jesus' feet. When Verrochio saw the beautiful angel, he vowed never to pick up a paintbrush again, saying he could not possibly go on painting when a mere child outdid him in talent and vision. Verocchio never did paint again, but is well known for his sculptures. As for Leo, he was a genius. He made many important discoveries about math and proportion, and was also an amazing artist. However, he rarely finished his projects. He would become so involved in them, but would soon lose steam as he thought about what he would do next.
This weekend was a very special weekend in Florence. I had not heard anything about it, but on Thursday and Friday night they had set up colored lights in Piazza Della Signoria. On Friday night, they started showing images of the floods in Florence. I then realized that this weekend was the 40 year anniversary of the great flood of 1966 that destroyed countless works of art in Florence. In some places, the floodwaters rose twenty feet in most of the buildings in Florence. Some pieces of art have been restored, but many were lost. I have heard there is a building in Florence that houses thousands of artworks and books simply waiting their turn to be restored. It was a horrible event in Florentine history.
Today, having missed the train, I was lucky enough to see the ceremony they held in the Piazza. There was a parade filled with trumpeters and flag throwers. They were all dressed in traditional Renaissance Florence regalia. There was a speech by the mayor and then members of the fire brigade descended the face of Palazzo Vecchio, dropping the Italian flag and raising a flag with the city seal (the Giglia) on it. It was a really touching time to be in Florence. The fact that it was not advertised around town was a testament, I thought to the private nature of the celebration. This history is something that the world does feel, but mostly it is the Florentines who lost so much, watching their beautiful city fall to pieces.
I have started reading two more books. One is called Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet by Xinran. It is amazing. It tells the story of a woman who goes through unbearable things to find her husband across the fighting lines of Tibet in the 1950s. If you are feeling down, or like life is tough at anytime, read this book and you will see what true suffering is like. I am also reading the 700 some odd page book, The Lives of the Artists, by Giorgio Vasari. He was a Florentine who, in the 1500s, wrote biographies on all the major Florentine artists. I find it to be interesting, but really tough to read. Vasari clearly never took a writing class, as most of his sentences run on and on. One sentence had 317 words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is a lot!
Well, I suppose that is all for now. I am planning a trip to Volterra on Monday and then the Accademia on Tuesday to see The David. I will have to fit in my Lucca trip sometime soon. I hope you are all well and will catch up with you all soon.
Love and Tanti Bacci
Fire Brigade, Flood Images, and Parade
Wow! It has been tough getting to the internet place on time. The café I go to says I can be on the internet until 7:30pm. However, I am always rushed out as they prepare for their evening bar atmosphere. I went there for lunch today and was told to sit wherever I would like. I figured I could do lunch and emailing at the same time. The lady told me to sit wherever I would like. Then I was told, rudely, by another guy that the one free table I was sitting at was reserved. I kindly asked him where I could sit to eat lunch and he said, "Wherever you want to!" So….. I realized I was in a predicament and left. Now I am writing this from home and plan to send it as soon as possible.
I do not mind this, however, as right now I am watching the world's all time greatest movie on TV. Yes, my friends, I have now seen it all. Watching The Goonies in Italian is just as wonderful as watching it in English.
Why am I in my house watching a movie? Well, I started off my day on a bad foot. I overslept and missed my train to Lucca this morning. I decided I was unusually tired and that I would have a relaxing day, mostly around the house. But fear not! I have had a few fun days that I need to catch you all up on!
On Thursday I visited the Brancacci Chapel, located in the Church of Santa Maria Del Carmine. I started the tour by watching an awesome movie that recreated the fire of the 18th century that destroyed most of the church. However, the frescoes by Masaccio and Masolino did survive and were restored to their former beauty. These are perhaps my favorite frescoes in Florence. They tell the stories of St. Peter, and the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Brancacci was a silk merchant in Florence and he commissioned the frescoes for his chapel in the church. Thus, Massacio honored him by dressing the figures in his frescoes in beautiful silk, colorful, Florentine clothing
As I said, the movie I watched was so amazing. It told the story of the Carmenites, who are the oldest order of churchmen in the world, dating back to the time of the Apostles. Other church orders include the Franciscans and the Dominicans. The film used an old painting of Florence and turned it into a 3D map. It would fade in and out of the buildings form the painting to the same buildings in modern day Florence. It really made me realize how old this city is and that the very building I am living in for these five weeks is likely to be very old. If I were living in Florence at the end of the 1400s, Leonardo Da Vinci would be my neighbor, and I would be right next to the official business of Florence and of the Medici Family. It is really incredible when considering the history of our little Nevada City only goes back to the 1800s.
On Thursday night, I finally visited my favorite restaurant in Florence: Acqua al' Due. Oh mah Gah, it was delicious. I always order the Chicken with Port Wine sauce. It is soooo good. My mom and I have been trying to master it for 6 years. One time we thought we were close, but upon having it again, I realize we are oh so far away. I could quite possibly eat it every night of my life. I also thought of a dear friend, I will call her by her first initial, K, so as to avoid any embarrassment on her part. She told me that one particular dinner she had in Italy was so good, she licked the plate. Well, K, I know how you feel and you will be happy to know, I have discovered a few methods that allow you to clean your plate, whilst not looking too crazy: One, cut your food into the tiniest pieces possible and them drown them in the sauce. If need be, save the last little piece, using it is a vehicle for the remainder of the sauce in question. While it may look weird to double dip and lick your chicken, it still is not like licking the plate. Second, Italians eat bread at dinner for a reason. Use it to sop it all up!
However, based on what I saw last night, I would not consider someone to be crazy for licking his or her plate. I was dining in a restaurant around the corner and saw an older gentleman eating alone as well. He had ordered two bottles of wine, both different, and was mixing them in his glass. I can't imagine he could drink two whole bottles! Once he started eating, I noticed something. He would take a bite and then lick the fork over and over, while whispering to it between licks. He did this as if he were kissing the neck of a beautiful woman while whispering sweet nothings into her ear. Italians: very romantic and lovers of good food! (I promise, I did not make this up) I was so intrigued that I had to order a second café to prolong my visit, allowing me to watch more. So, a plate of pasta, .5 liter of vino, a BIG bottle of Acqua Naturale, a salad, and two coffees later I was stuffed and could not help but say "Buona Sera," to the man on my way out. A little more wine and might have been talking to my fork too!
Yesterday I finally visited the Uffizi. It was a long day. Please do not get me wrong, I know how wonderful it is for me to have the opportunity to see the Uffizi, but really, in one day there is only so much art one can handle. I rented the audio guide that took me through 50 rooms in the Uffizi Gallery, each filled with priceless works of art. They were beautiful, but I was so exhausted at the end, it did not even bother me that I paid 15 Euro for a cappuccino and a little chicken sandwich in the Uffizi rooftop bar. Some of my favorites in the museum were Botticelli's Primavera and Giotto's Madonna and Child. They also had an extra exhibit entitled the Mind of Da Vinci. It was amazing. They had all of his notebooks, and models of his many inventions displayed.
Leonardo was a bit of a character. He started working under the guidance of Verocchio. When Leonardo was still a boy, he helped to finish one of Verocchio's paintings by painting in one of the angels playing at the baby Jesus' feet. When Verrochio saw the beautiful angel, he vowed never to pick up a paintbrush again, saying he could not possibly go on painting when a mere child outdid him in talent and vision. Verocchio never did paint again, but is well known for his sculptures. As for Leo, he was a genius. He made many important discoveries about math and proportion, and was also an amazing artist. However, he rarely finished his projects. He would become so involved in them, but would soon lose steam as he thought about what he would do next.
This weekend was a very special weekend in Florence. I had not heard anything about it, but on Thursday and Friday night they had set up colored lights in Piazza Della Signoria. On Friday night, they started showing images of the floods in Florence. I then realized that this weekend was the 40 year anniversary of the great flood of 1966 that destroyed countless works of art in Florence. In some places, the floodwaters rose twenty feet in most of the buildings in Florence. Some pieces of art have been restored, but many were lost. I have heard there is a building in Florence that houses thousands of artworks and books simply waiting their turn to be restored. It was a horrible event in Florentine history.
Today, having missed the train, I was lucky enough to see the ceremony they held in the Piazza. There was a parade filled with trumpeters and flag throwers. They were all dressed in traditional Renaissance Florence regalia. There was a speech by the mayor and then members of the fire brigade descended the face of Palazzo Vecchio, dropping the Italian flag and raising a flag with the city seal (the Giglia) on it. It was a really touching time to be in Florence. The fact that it was not advertised around town was a testament, I thought to the private nature of the celebration. This history is something that the world does feel, but mostly it is the Florentines who lost so much, watching their beautiful city fall to pieces.
I have started reading two more books. One is called Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet by Xinran. It is amazing. It tells the story of a woman who goes through unbearable things to find her husband across the fighting lines of Tibet in the 1950s. If you are feeling down, or like life is tough at anytime, read this book and you will see what true suffering is like. I am also reading the 700 some odd page book, The Lives of the Artists, by Giorgio Vasari. He was a Florentine who, in the 1500s, wrote biographies on all the major Florentine artists. I find it to be interesting, but really tough to read. Vasari clearly never took a writing class, as most of his sentences run on and on. One sentence had 317 words!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is a lot!
Well, I suppose that is all for now. I am planning a trip to Volterra on Monday and then the Accademia on Tuesday to see The David. I will have to fit in my Lucca trip sometime soon. I hope you are all well and will catch up with you all soon.
Love and Tanti Bacci
Fire Brigade, Flood Images, and Parade
Wednesday, November 1, 2006
Italian Sand Through The American Eyeglass: 11/01/06
Dear Friends and Famiglia,
I have decided that Rick Steves is no longer my favorite tour guide. I have found many errors in his travel book thus far that are a huge inconvenience. For example, I went to three places today and they were all closed. I went during the specified open hours. Here I am, finally feeling better and trying to be productive and nothing seems to be open. What is going on? I also am finding his books to be unorganized, with a need to find 3-4 different places in the book to find info on one sight. He also said that it was impossible to visit the church of Orsanmichele without going to an evening concert. Well, today, the one thing I was able to do was go to Orsanmichele. It is a beautiful little church.
It used to be an open loggia, or a covered piazza if you will. The open area was a marketplace for grain, while the floors above it were used to store the grain. The loggia was eventually closed to build the church of Orsanmichele. The outside of Orsanmichele is also very exciting, including sculptures by Donatello and Ghirlandaio. I have included a picture of Donatello's St. George, which is found on the outside of Orsanmichele.
So, I lied when I said the best time to take photos in Florence was in the morning. Sunset is clearly my new favorite. Last night's sunset was so beautiful, and I have included many pictures of the sunset clouds over the Arno river and Ponte Vecchio. Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge, is an extremely important landmark in Florence. Long ago, the Ancient Romans, in conquest for new settlements, came up over a large hill and saw before them a sprawling valley carpeted in flowers. The sight was so beautiful; they knew they had found a new place to settle. They descended the hill and crossed the Arno River into the beautiful valley. They named the settlement Fiorenza: flowers. They then built a bridge at the very spot they crossed over and a bridge has been in that spot ever since. It was destroyed twice, the last time in the 1200s. However, the bridge has always been and always will be rebuilt.
Flowers still play a large role in Florence, now called Firenze in Italy. The city seal is that of a Lily, called the Giglia (pronounce jee lee uh). I love this word, as Lilies are my favorite flower. I have always wanted to name a daughter Giglia, but fear people will always pronounce it wrong, with hard Gs. C'mon, try it. Yeah sounds lame, huh?
Allora. As I said, I am feeling much better. I have decided to treat myself to a nice dinner tonight since I can finally taste things again. Unfortunately my Halloween was really not so exciting, as Alex's mom is in town and very insistent on seeing him during all of his spare time. You know how Italian mamas can be. So, I settled in for a quiet evening with my book, which is terribly interesting. I mean it. I am reading The City of Fallen Angels, by John Berendt. It is a true accounting of the life in Venice and the fire that destroyed the old and beautiful Fenice Opera House (pronounced fe neetch ay) (Clearly I don't know how to do the phonetic pronunciation stuff) in 1996. It is really interesting and fun to see Venice on such a personal and candid level. The writer completely immersed himself in Venice and the people, hob knobbing with many big families in the town. I have decided my new goal is to write this book for Florence. If any of you get a chance to read it, you will love it.
I have now discovered that being unobservant, such as myself, can be very inconvenient. I have a little toaster oven in my apartment, but upon using it the first time, I decided it was broken. No, I am just semi-unintelligent. So, for all this time I have thrown away leftovers and avoided cooking certain things because I though I had no oven. Well, I do and it works great when you set the temperature you want to the BIG RED ARROW, instead of at the opposite place where there is no point of reference whatsoever.
However, on a more positive note, I have finally defeated my arch nemesis, La Tigre. I had recently decided the problem was not mosquitoes, but one particular GIANT bitch of a mosquito that lives under my bed. I mean, lived. This morning I caught her lounging on the wall. I grabbed my towel that I had strategically placed on the nightstand for just this moment. With one snap of the towel, all that was left was a giant blood spot: MY BLOOD! I now realize that the various crimson smudges on my walls must be the ancestors of my dear Tigre! No more bites for Michelle!
Everything else is going pretty well, however I am finding my bathroom to be a bit challenging. There is little space, so I have resorted to using the bidet as a storage receptacle. I am also positive that my shower is growing smaller and smaller each day. I am reminded of the time my uncle Larry decided to remodel the bathroom in his house on High St. in Nevada City. He said that the shower was so small (he is 6'7") that whenever he dropped the soap or anything else, he had to open the shower door to pick it up. Uncle Larry, I know how you feel. I could avoid opening the door if I was able to, before entering the shower, place my one leg behind my head, hop into the shower on one foot, stay that way, and then slowly and safely bend my working leg to lower myself to pick up anything I had dropped. Unfortunately, I am not that flexible.
What I am really dying for is a bath. A nice warm, soft bubble bath. I have wanted it from the moment I got here, and was teased even more when I found that Florence has a Lush store. For those who don't know, Lush is an amazing bath product company based in London. Jenny and Jason Maier got me hooked when they bought me a pack of bath bars for Christmas one year. Love em. I am glad I will be coming home to cold weather so I can enjoy as many baths as I want!
Now down to important business. Last night I ate the most incredible candy bar of my life. Forget Kinder Bueno Bars. I may even say this candy could make me swear off my beloved Kit Kat. Please, anyone, go to the store and tell me if they have the new Mars Delight Bar. If not, I will need to buy a case and I will ration them out to friends and family depending on what they can offer me. Believe me, they are the greatest invention ever. Ever since I was little, I have had a fondness for the texture of crispy waffery stuff. I was at my grandma Lucy's house and Father Royer had come to give my grandmother Communion, as she was too sick to go to church that day. On this day, I did Communion with her and liked the cross stamped wafers so much, I asked Father Royer if I could take a bunch home with me. He laughed, understanding I was a little girl, and I did not understand the significance of the wafers. Obviously, he did not let me take any home with me. Therefore, the closest I have been able to get is candy with wafers in it; Kinder Bueno, Kit Kat, Fererro Rocher, etc.
And there you go. Just another day in Florence. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my friend Rachel who just happens to be passing through for 3 days on an Italian tour with her mom. So stoked. I hope you are all well and would love to hear from you.
Ciao e Tanti Bacci!
I have decided that Rick Steves is no longer my favorite tour guide. I have found many errors in his travel book thus far that are a huge inconvenience. For example, I went to three places today and they were all closed. I went during the specified open hours. Here I am, finally feeling better and trying to be productive and nothing seems to be open. What is going on? I also am finding his books to be unorganized, with a need to find 3-4 different places in the book to find info on one sight. He also said that it was impossible to visit the church of Orsanmichele without going to an evening concert. Well, today, the one thing I was able to do was go to Orsanmichele. It is a beautiful little church.
It used to be an open loggia, or a covered piazza if you will. The open area was a marketplace for grain, while the floors above it were used to store the grain. The loggia was eventually closed to build the church of Orsanmichele. The outside of Orsanmichele is also very exciting, including sculptures by Donatello and Ghirlandaio. I have included a picture of Donatello's St. George, which is found on the outside of Orsanmichele.
So, I lied when I said the best time to take photos in Florence was in the morning. Sunset is clearly my new favorite. Last night's sunset was so beautiful, and I have included many pictures of the sunset clouds over the Arno river and Ponte Vecchio. Ponte Vecchio, or Old Bridge, is an extremely important landmark in Florence. Long ago, the Ancient Romans, in conquest for new settlements, came up over a large hill and saw before them a sprawling valley carpeted in flowers. The sight was so beautiful; they knew they had found a new place to settle. They descended the hill and crossed the Arno River into the beautiful valley. They named the settlement Fiorenza: flowers. They then built a bridge at the very spot they crossed over and a bridge has been in that spot ever since. It was destroyed twice, the last time in the 1200s. However, the bridge has always been and always will be rebuilt.
Flowers still play a large role in Florence, now called Firenze in Italy. The city seal is that of a Lily, called the Giglia (pronounce jee lee uh). I love this word, as Lilies are my favorite flower. I have always wanted to name a daughter Giglia, but fear people will always pronounce it wrong, with hard Gs. C'mon, try it. Yeah sounds lame, huh?
Allora. As I said, I am feeling much better. I have decided to treat myself to a nice dinner tonight since I can finally taste things again. Unfortunately my Halloween was really not so exciting, as Alex's mom is in town and very insistent on seeing him during all of his spare time. You know how Italian mamas can be. So, I settled in for a quiet evening with my book, which is terribly interesting. I mean it. I am reading The City of Fallen Angels, by John Berendt. It is a true accounting of the life in Venice and the fire that destroyed the old and beautiful Fenice Opera House (pronounced fe neetch ay) (Clearly I don't know how to do the phonetic pronunciation stuff) in 1996. It is really interesting and fun to see Venice on such a personal and candid level. The writer completely immersed himself in Venice and the people, hob knobbing with many big families in the town. I have decided my new goal is to write this book for Florence. If any of you get a chance to read it, you will love it.
I have now discovered that being unobservant, such as myself, can be very inconvenient. I have a little toaster oven in my apartment, but upon using it the first time, I decided it was broken. No, I am just semi-unintelligent. So, for all this time I have thrown away leftovers and avoided cooking certain things because I though I had no oven. Well, I do and it works great when you set the temperature you want to the BIG RED ARROW, instead of at the opposite place where there is no point of reference whatsoever.
However, on a more positive note, I have finally defeated my arch nemesis, La Tigre. I had recently decided the problem was not mosquitoes, but one particular GIANT bitch of a mosquito that lives under my bed. I mean, lived. This morning I caught her lounging on the wall. I grabbed my towel that I had strategically placed on the nightstand for just this moment. With one snap of the towel, all that was left was a giant blood spot: MY BLOOD! I now realize that the various crimson smudges on my walls must be the ancestors of my dear Tigre! No more bites for Michelle!
Everything else is going pretty well, however I am finding my bathroom to be a bit challenging. There is little space, so I have resorted to using the bidet as a storage receptacle. I am also positive that my shower is growing smaller and smaller each day. I am reminded of the time my uncle Larry decided to remodel the bathroom in his house on High St. in Nevada City. He said that the shower was so small (he is 6'7") that whenever he dropped the soap or anything else, he had to open the shower door to pick it up. Uncle Larry, I know how you feel. I could avoid opening the door if I was able to, before entering the shower, place my one leg behind my head, hop into the shower on one foot, stay that way, and then slowly and safely bend my working leg to lower myself to pick up anything I had dropped. Unfortunately, I am not that flexible.
What I am really dying for is a bath. A nice warm, soft bubble bath. I have wanted it from the moment I got here, and was teased even more when I found that Florence has a Lush store. For those who don't know, Lush is an amazing bath product company based in London. Jenny and Jason Maier got me hooked when they bought me a pack of bath bars for Christmas one year. Love em. I am glad I will be coming home to cold weather so I can enjoy as many baths as I want!
Now down to important business. Last night I ate the most incredible candy bar of my life. Forget Kinder Bueno Bars. I may even say this candy could make me swear off my beloved Kit Kat. Please, anyone, go to the store and tell me if they have the new Mars Delight Bar. If not, I will need to buy a case and I will ration them out to friends and family depending on what they can offer me. Believe me, they are the greatest invention ever. Ever since I was little, I have had a fondness for the texture of crispy waffery stuff. I was at my grandma Lucy's house and Father Royer had come to give my grandmother Communion, as she was too sick to go to church that day. On this day, I did Communion with her and liked the cross stamped wafers so much, I asked Father Royer if I could take a bunch home with me. He laughed, understanding I was a little girl, and I did not understand the significance of the wafers. Obviously, he did not let me take any home with me. Therefore, the closest I have been able to get is candy with wafers in it; Kinder Bueno, Kit Kat, Fererro Rocher, etc.
And there you go. Just another day in Florence. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my friend Rachel who just happens to be passing through for 3 days on an Italian tour with her mom. So stoked. I hope you are all well and would love to hear from you.
Ciao e Tanti Bacci!
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