Venezia, Siena, e piu...

Riding on the bus back from Venice, looking out the window at the snow-covered fields rolling through, tears formed in my eyes. Not because I was sad, but because it was just so beautiful. Then I cracked open my journal and wrote twelve pages, as I was able to snag a seat by myself and get some much-needed “me-time.” That’s right, twelve pages…so get yourselves ready for a long one.

I left you all in suspense on Thursday about the Uffizi Gallery and “L’Italiana in Algeri.” They were both incredible. Peter was my tour guide again. He talks a bit much, but his Dutch accent is so enchanting, you can’t help but listen to what he has to offer about Giotto, Caravaggio, Rafael, and the other artists I had the pleasure seeing in this huge Florentine museum. Of course, he couldn’t resist making his snide comments, poking fun at the other tourists whose voices were “too loud” for Peter to give an audible explanation of any given painting.

The opera was so beautiful. So many colors. So much talent. And so funny, as well. Unfortunately, I was only one of a handful of students who actually stayed through the entire thing. It was understandable, as we were all tired and opera is an acquired taste, I suppose. We were also up with the sun to leave for Venezia on Friday. After a four hour bus ride, with a stop to the most elaborate rest stop I have ever seen (they sold DVDs and wine and nutella-to-go) and a water-taxi ride, we arrived, tired and hungry. So we immediately went to find food, and of course, like American magnets found a panini store. I don’t know how Italians are not obese. The only food we all have for lunch is pizza or panini, senza verdure (lacking vegetables). I don’t know what’s going to happen to my body by the time I come back, but I know it’s not going to be good. I also know I don’t care too much because everything I eat is amazing.

Friday afternoon in Venice, we visited some more great museums flooded with more Renaissance art. I won’t bore you with all their names, partially because I don’t remember them entirely. But we did learn some interesting facts about Venetian art: while other Renaissance artists gave their paintings a very finished look, like Michelangelo, Venetian painters are quick, and don’t attempt to cover their brush strokes, so they show in the finished product, as in works by such artists as Tintoretto, of which I saw many.

After the tour, we went back to the hotel. I was in the Centro Culturale. The other half of the group was in another hotel. Now…let me tell you a thing or two about my hotel. It was once a monastery. And if that wasn’t interesting enough, post-monastery, it was orphanage. And it is a very creepy place. We’re not talking creepy Spanish film “El Orfanato” creepy, but still. We actually got the better of the two hotels, so I can’t complain. The best part about our living situation for the weekend was that I was able to stay with my roommates for Rome. We had a nice bonding experience and it was good to actually live with each other and feel secure that we all mesh well together. It made me quite excited to go on and get settled into Rome, where my apartment is (according to Google maps) only a 20 minute walk from school. Not bad!

For dinner, we found a deliciously cute Italian tavern and enjoyed a nice meal. Then I forced a small group to go on an adventure in search of gelato. After asking for directions at the other hotel, we set out and ran into this place called “Grom,” where we met a really nice English-speaking Italian women studying International Business. After the adventure, everyone was too tired to continue, so I gave up nagging and we turned in early.

With Saturday came more and more cold cold cold museum visits. But it was so beautiful! We took a short gondola ride across one of the rivers, just to get the experience…it was somewhat horrifying. I pity the poor men whose lives are at risk everyday as they actually stand on these things. We went to St. Mark’s Basilica and the Palazzo Ducale (Duke’s Palace), where we saw the largest canvas painting in the world, by Tintoretto. There was also a prison in the basement, which we took a tour through. Despite the loss of feeling in my toes, it was an educational morning.

With our free time Saturday afternoon, we decided to go to the top of the St. Mark’s bell tower (Fun Fact: every church here has a bell tower). We could see pretty much all of Venice. Unfortunately it was a bit foggy, as it had snowed the night before (which also left the piazza in front of St. Mark’s flooded, requiring us to walk around on raised planks). Then we took a water-taxi to Murano, one of the Venetian islands famous for its glass. We got to see glass-blowing at two separate factories. One man was making bicchieri (drinking glasses) and the other made a horse. It was so amazing! Then a few of my friends purchased some glass souvenirs, with the hope of their survival during transportation back home. That night, we found a bar in the Campo de Santa Margherita called Madagan’s. It was full of AIFS students. It was a bit overwhelming, so I hung out in the less crowded back room and had some nice conversations.

Sunday morning was my favorite. We went to the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, which, once home to Peggy herself, is now home to some of the most famous contemporary artists. I saw Picasso, Magritte, Chagall, and Jackson Pollock. My favorite was a painting called “At the Cycle-Race Track” by Jean Metzinger. Ah! I could have stayed there forever, but eventually hunger took over. On our way out, we were stopped by a Venetian man trying to sell us water color paintings. He gave us a demonstration of his work, speaking quickly in broken English (much like I would sound speaking in Italian). He gave us a nice parting, saying "Love art. Everyday. Ciao. Happiness. Ciao." We hung out in Venice until two o’clock and then trekked it back to Florence, glimpsing the breathtaking snow-capped Alps as the bus pulled away.

Travelling didn’t stop there. On Monday, we made our way to Sienna for the day. It was so beautiful! The view, the Duomo, and square in which they have really intense horse race competitions every summer between the “neighborhoods” of Siena, which are all named after animals. My tour guide was wearing a gothic pink and black hat with cat ears…she even showed us the store she got it from! I can give you the address if anyone is interested in expanding their wardrobe.

Unfortunately, in Siena, I experienced my first taste of culture shock. After our guided tour, we went shopped around as almost every store had “SALDI!” written on their windows in big red letters, meaning “SALE!” And now for the story of how I got a stern talking-to from an angry Italian woman: In America, (any sentence starting with this phrase for the next three months has a high probably of ending badly)…In America, when shoe boxes are laid out on the floor, it’s typically a self-service deal. In Italy, nothing is self-service. If you try to serve yourself, they know you’re a foreigner. So I kneel down and open a box to examine a shoe and the angry Italian woman came running toward me, first yelling in Italian, and then switching to English at the look on my face. I felt as though I was being scalded for theft. I felt so awful, I just apologized (in Italian, of course) and left. Other than that little mishap, I’d say Siena was a success. I got some real nice pictures out of it… but I’m still gonna leave you all in suspense on those. Our advisors also got us a nice treat. Something fried and delicious. I will find out the name later. Promise.

Yesterday was another great day…there are nothing but things to do here. We went to the Academia after classes and I saw Michelangelo’s David. I stared up in awe until my back hurt and I had to sit down. This guy has got it going on. He is all that is man. He is literally the most beautiful piece of three-dimensional artwork I have ever seen. He is perfect. My guide for this tour was an interesting man named Luca, who gave me and a friend travel advice: Sicily is now on the dream travel map.

Then I had a meeting about volunteering while in Rome. There is a variety of opportunities, but two in particular interested me: language assistance to elementary school children, or working with a center for immigrants and refugees. I’ll have to look more into them before I make a final decision.

Then, to end the night right, we went to a bar called “Bebop,” at which a Beatles cover band was playing. I again got that delicious drink with all the crazy ingredients and the funny name, for the sole reason of being able to commit its name to memory: Caipiroska alla freggola (freggola means strawberry, one of its main ingredients).

Today we are going to a wine tasting in Tuscany. It should be good. If I discover any delicious delicious wine, I shall inform you and demand that you go find it at your local wine (or grog) shop. And tomorrow we have double class to make up for the class we missed for our trip to Venice on Friday. Not exactly what I would call fun, especially since during the double part of the day, we have an oral listening and comprehensive quiz. Zero fun. But it’s always good to face your biggest fears. Of which I have many…but that’s what I’m here to do. Face my fears. It’s the scariest feeling, but I’m pretty sure this is what it’s supposed to feel like, so I’ll go with it.

Until next time,

Ciao. Happiness. Ciao.