We departed the hotel on time Sunday morning and made our way to the Florence airport. Our taxi driver was quite chatty and kept us entertained until we reached our destination.
International travel is a game of hurry-up-and-wait, arriving 2 hours early to get checked in and then wait until the shuttle takes us to the plane... late. It was a short hop over to Paris, only a couple of hours. As we got close, our concern began to grow. We were touching down as our connection began boarding. Not good. We had to deplane, board the shuttle and ride from Terminal C? to 2E, get through immigration, through security, and make our way to our gate. Thank goodness we didn't have to pick up our luggage and recheck it.
The first snag came when there were two signs to Terminal 2E, each pointing a different way, but we didn't realize that until we ran down one hallway, up the steps, and back down the hallway only to find the line for immigration at the top of, yes, an escalator. The second snag: We stood in one line for immigration while we watched the guard guide at least 10 people through from the other line before Scott tried to step forward to the window. The guard made him step back and let another person from the other line through. Then Scott went. Then I had to wait for 3-4 more from the other line before I was able to go. The third snag: Security. Enough said. Laptops out. Liquids out. Belts off. Shoes off. Come on! No time to put the belt back on, so I ran with it in my hand. The fourth snag: Air France staff were incredibly polite and helpful. Shocker. So nice that each gate employee would yell at us to ask where we were going. "Philadelphia!" Then they would yell back: "You'd better run, they're calling your names!!" Yea, no shit! That's what we were doing before you yelled and stopped us!
Last snag: Our luggage didn't get the message to run and spent the night in Paris. In fact, one of my bags like Paris (or Philadelphia) so much that it didn't get home until this morning. Such a rebel!
I have been reunited with my black jacket, my Tuscan cookbook, my parmesan cheese blocks, my study abroad notes, and my dirty clothes. Now all is right with the world. Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Day 7: Free day (and sadly, the last day)
Scott wasn't able to see the Uffizi on Monday, since it was closed, and it was the last thing to see, other than making the rounds to various shops and market stands to gather souvenirs and study abroad table trinkets.
After tasting and purchasing a number of different olive oils and balsamic vinegars, we returned to I Ghibellini for pizza and antipasti. Yummy! A favorite!
Then off to the Uffizi (pronounced oo FEET zee)...
It was incredible to stand in front of Botticelli's(?) Birth of Venus. It was one of a few works that I studied as a high school student that stayed with me. And one of many self-portraits of Rembrandt. For some reason the gallery name "Uffizi" did not stay with me. Perhaps we didn't talk about it, or perhaps Mrs. Thomas didn't mention it, which made Scott question the quality of her teaching. And after seeing the great works in the Uffizi, I am questioning it, too. Regardless, it was incredible to stand in front of the works that I studied 20 years ago (yikes!) and be able to walk the rooms and halls of the Uffizi and talk about them with a "guide" who was so knowledgeable. Scott also shared his story of work on a 40-page essay on a hinged work by a lesser-known artist. The symbolism, which he only briefly described, was astonishing. So many hidden messages, so many subtle details, all of which mean something more than what they may appear to represent on the surface. I am still breathless at the amount of information that artists and art historians are able to hold in their memories. I can only hope that these stories and details are recorded so they are not lost to the next generation.
Temperatures were dropping and the wind was picking up, so we made one more lap through the city, past the Duomo and Tower, and walked back to the hotel. It will be a challenge to strategically pack our bags so the bottles of oil, vinegar, etc., don't break.
Our flight leaves at 10:10am tomorrow. We'll be up at 7:30am to catch our taxi to the airport. If Air France has settled their strike, we should be leaving on time. It won't be long before we're back on U.S. soil and back to work for a couple of days before Thanksgiving Break.
After tasting and purchasing a number of different olive oils and balsamic vinegars, we returned to I Ghibellini for pizza and antipasti. Yummy! A favorite!
Then off to the Uffizi (pronounced oo FEET zee)...
It was incredible to stand in front of Botticelli's(?) Birth of Venus. It was one of a few works that I studied as a high school student that stayed with me. And one of many self-portraits of Rembrandt. For some reason the gallery name "Uffizi" did not stay with me. Perhaps we didn't talk about it, or perhaps Mrs. Thomas didn't mention it, which made Scott question the quality of her teaching. And after seeing the great works in the Uffizi, I am questioning it, too. Regardless, it was incredible to stand in front of the works that I studied 20 years ago (yikes!) and be able to walk the rooms and halls of the Uffizi and talk about them with a "guide" who was so knowledgeable. Scott also shared his story of work on a 40-page essay on a hinged work by a lesser-known artist. The symbolism, which he only briefly described, was astonishing. So many hidden messages, so many subtle details, all of which mean something more than what they may appear to represent on the surface. I am still breathless at the amount of information that artists and art historians are able to hold in their memories. I can only hope that these stories and details are recorded so they are not lost to the next generation.
Temperatures were dropping and the wind was picking up, so we made one more lap through the city, past the Duomo and Tower, and walked back to the hotel. It will be a challenge to strategically pack our bags so the bottles of oil, vinegar, etc., don't break.
Our flight leaves at 10:10am tomorrow. We'll be up at 7:30am to catch our taxi to the airport. If Air France has settled their strike, we should be leaving on time. It won't be long before we're back on U.S. soil and back to work for a couple of days before Thanksgiving Break.
Day 6: Another full SACI day!
What was supposed to be a SACI Consortium business meeting ended up being an unproductive discussion about what it would take to add a design program. Then the area heads came in and talked about the courses they offer and their philosophies of art and teaching. It was long. The chairs were uncomfortable. Otherwise, it was spectacular!
A highlight was seeing the facility that SACI has recently purchased. The new building will replace the Graduate School studios and an off-site facility for craft courses; however, the main SACI building, a palace(?) honoring Galileo, will remain the main SACI administration building. The new facility will allow each of the studios to have more space, something that rarely happens in the U.S. Many art programs are shoved into spaces that obviously weren't planned for them (like a kiln in the library), with inadequate resources and air filtration. It is difficult to make progress in situations like that, much less be able to compete with students from institutions that provide the support necessary for their majors to thrive. I hope it doesn't offend Scott or other faculty to say that at this conferece I felt like a red-headed stepchild in a room filled with beauty contestant winners. Wanting so desperately for our students to be able to COMPETE for the Consortium scholarship and knowing that won't happen anytime soon. Ok, off my soapbox.
We ate lunch at Osteria _____, which had a well in the middle of the restaurant. With one glance, I was glad that I was only drinking bottled water. :) I actually think it was more for looks than for use. We had several new dishes that hadn't been served before. Very nice.
Over the past day or so, I've been feeling dizzy. The only thing we can figure is that the incredible influx of carbs is causing my sugar levels to spike and then crash, causing some light-headedness. Or perhaps a little bit of dehydration? Or both? Whatever it is, I'm hoping it will pass once I get back to the States and my normal routine.
I made the walk after lunch to the Medici special exhibit on the science of Galileo. This is the year of Galileo in Florence, hence the exhibit. It was one of the few thigns on the SACI conference schedule, other than the informational meetings and tours, that I was looking forward to. Unfortunately, I made it less than 20 minutes before I had to excuse myself and walk back to the hotel. I woke up 4 hours later with a splitting headache and nothing to wash down the Aleve I had in my bag. Hmmm... I could use tapwater... Flashback to a story of GI disturbance from refilling a water bottle from the tap. Let me think about it. No. Instead, I walked to the market for a water (and a Coca). A couple of hours later, I was feeling better again.
Last day tomorrow...
A highlight was seeing the facility that SACI has recently purchased. The new building will replace the Graduate School studios and an off-site facility for craft courses; however, the main SACI building, a palace(?) honoring Galileo, will remain the main SACI administration building. The new facility will allow each of the studios to have more space, something that rarely happens in the U.S. Many art programs are shoved into spaces that obviously weren't planned for them (like a kiln in the library), with inadequate resources and air filtration. It is difficult to make progress in situations like that, much less be able to compete with students from institutions that provide the support necessary for their majors to thrive. I hope it doesn't offend Scott or other faculty to say that at this conferece I felt like a red-headed stepchild in a room filled with beauty contestant winners. Wanting so desperately for our students to be able to COMPETE for the Consortium scholarship and knowing that won't happen anytime soon. Ok, off my soapbox.
We ate lunch at Osteria _____, which had a well in the middle of the restaurant. With one glance, I was glad that I was only drinking bottled water. :) I actually think it was more for looks than for use. We had several new dishes that hadn't been served before. Very nice.
Over the past day or so, I've been feeling dizzy. The only thing we can figure is that the incredible influx of carbs is causing my sugar levels to spike and then crash, causing some light-headedness. Or perhaps a little bit of dehydration? Or both? Whatever it is, I'm hoping it will pass once I get back to the States and my normal routine.
I made the walk after lunch to the Medici special exhibit on the science of Galileo. This is the year of Galileo in Florence, hence the exhibit. It was one of the few thigns on the SACI conference schedule, other than the informational meetings and tours, that I was looking forward to. Unfortunately, I made it less than 20 minutes before I had to excuse myself and walk back to the hotel. I woke up 4 hours later with a splitting headache and nothing to wash down the Aleve I had in my bag. Hmmm... I could use tapwater... Flashback to a story of GI disturbance from refilling a water bottle from the tap. Let me think about it. No. Instead, I walked to the market for a water (and a Coca). A couple of hours later, I was feeling better again.
Last day tomorrow...
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Day 5: SACI Tour Day
- Studio facilities (with photos)
- Art conservation/restoration (sample projects)
- Italian classes, including non-credit Survival Italian
- Housing details and examples (with photos)
- Admissions details
- Lunch
- Orientation and student services
- Disability access
- Faculty opportunities to teach at SACI in summer
- Other members of the Consortium
- 4-hour dinner
Not sure how much you want to know about this. Instead, I'll give you photos:
It's 1am. I'm exhausted.
- Art conservation/restoration (sample projects)
- Italian classes, including non-credit Survival Italian
- Housing details and examples (with photos)
- Admissions details
- Lunch
- Orientation and student services
- Disability access
- Faculty opportunities to teach at SACI in summer
- Other members of the Consortium
- 4-hour dinner
Not sure how much you want to know about this. Instead, I'll give you photos:
It's 1am. I'm exhausted.
Day 4: Rome Part 2, Vatican City, SACI welcome dinner
We awoke early and gathered our things, eager to catch the Metro and arrive to the Vatican City tour early. Today I became certain that I will never visit Europe and specifically Italy during the summer, if I have any choice. Certain places within Vatican City were too crowded for my comfort, but nothing compared to what our students see when they travel in May. The Metro station was packed with people commuting to work. Anyone who complains about having to walk from a far parking lot at HPU needs to recheck their reality. Again, I emphasize that Italian people can eat (almost) as much as they want because they walk so much in getting from one place to another. Scooters and bicycles are much more popular in Florence than in Rome, so much of Rome rides the Metro and then walks. Scott pointed out that Roman officials had plans to build more Metro lines. Yet whenever they dug, they eventually ran into something old/ancient. They would commission an archeological dig/study to extract the item(s). They would be continue digging and within days/weeks they would find something else. Eventually, they abandoned their plans for a complex Metro system.
Since his other trips to Vatican City were during busy in-season months, Scott recommended that we reserve an appointment with a tour guide. He also noted that all of the tour guides he had seen so far were terrible. Not enthusiastic about what they were showing and talking about. And of course the tour is 3+ hours, so it's pretty crappy to get a bad guide. On that crisp morning, we met Simona from www.darkrome.com. I include her name and agency because she was very good. In fact, we will likely contact her agency directly and request her. Highly recommended. Thanks to Aladdin for helping us find her!
Since it was low season, we only had 6 people in our group, which on an in-season day could be as many as 20 or more. Our tour-mates were a couple from Pennsylvania who were living in Slovenia after U.S. Steel opened a site there. He was the CFO of U.S. Steel in Euroasia. The other two were father and daughter from Chicago, but the father was currently working in Egypt, and he had spent time working with the legal setup of U.S. Steel in Slovenia. Again, a small world.
I cannot begin to describe to you what I saw in the Vatican. There were simply too many stories to repeat:
- Michelangelo thumbing his nose at the pope
- Bathtub size = wealth
- Statues being melted down for weapons
- Vatican buying art to art donations to the Vatican
- Fresco creation
- Light and dark illusions
- Welcoming the 7 muses
- Controversy of how art was cleaned
- Controversy of how art was resealed (egg white vs. chemical)
- Architecture
- Julius II and his name choice
- Connections to Egyptian culture, art, and building materials
- Why God's backside was painted over the altar
- How Michelangelo developed as a painter during his first major project
Instead, I'll give you photos:
What I can say is that the Vatican City is like a different country inside the city of Rome. We passed through metal detectors, we had to present proof that we belonged there, and we were subject to their laws while we were there. Everything except showing our passports. Of course using my incredible organization skills (no, really!) I had printed multiple copies of everything, including our tour tickets for the Vatican. The hitch is that in my 5-minute spree for the Rome trip, I didn't grab the tickets. Thanks to Chris for quickly finding the .pdf, saving it as a .jpg, and dropping it into a Word document, so we could print it at an internet cafe. FYI: Roman internet cafes don't have Adobe Reader to open a .pdf.
Much of the tour was a prelude to the "good stuff," including 1) The School of Athens by Raphael(?) that showed the welcoming of the 7 muses into the Vatican City and 2) the Sistine Chapel. We would later see how this welcoming is reflected in the welcoming of astronomy into Florence by the Medici family. And the Sistine Chapel speaks for itself. It's just something you have to see. You have to stand there yourself, silent except for your constantly overwhelming thoughts, and examine every part of the great work. Standing there, I flashed back to the movie Mona Lisa Smile, where Kathryn Watson is asked by her department chair whether she has ever been to the Sistine Chapel, stood there and examined its power. Her response: "I've never been to Europe." But we know she will go, she will see for herself its wonder, the skill and time it required. (Perhaps more incredible than the 4 years it took to create was the 12 years it took to clean.)
There are a hundred hidden stories and hidden meanings and complex relationships among figures of power at that time, this time, and every period of time in between. So many that not for incredibly talented art historians like Mary Beckinsale, its many secrets would be lost.
Leaving the Chapel, I was almost afraid to offer my initial reaction to Scott, for fear of offending his craft. "I thought it would be bigger." Not the ceiling size or the height of the room, but the width of the room on the ground level. I thought the Sistine Chapel frescos would cover part of the ceiling in an area of a much larger cathedral. But I couldn't criticize the strength of the colors, the skill required to paint fresco on a sloping ceiling, overemphasis of some figures or body parts and underemphasis of others to make them look in proportion from the ground.
With a visit to American University of Rome still ahead of us, and our feet throbbing we walked quickly through the rest of the Vatican tour, stopping only to purchase study abroad table materials and mailing a couple of postcards home (upon request), postmarked Vatican City.
We caught a taxi to AUR, where I gave instructions in Italian, or more accurately SpanItal since I studied Spanish rather than Italian. "Via Pietro Roselli en Travesere," and I pointed at my mark on the map. It is pure coincidence that he took us to the wrong place - the Pietro Roselli Hotel. Travesere is an area across the river from historic Rome, but on the same side of the river as Vatican City. I was first suspicious when we crossed to the wrong side of the river. He asked for our map again and began fussing, at himself or us I couldn't tell. We eventually made our way back across the river and to our destination. When he couldn't make change for my 20 Euro bill for the 12 Euro charge, he accepted 10 instead. Perhaps feeling bad that he got us lost, but much more likely because he just wanted rid of us. Mary later advised us that many of the taxi drivers are illerate and, therefore, struggle with maps. I don't think that was the case with our driver. Instead, I think he just thought English-speaking tourists would be going to a hotel rather than a middle-of-nowhere school for undergraduates.
The school is not actually in the middle of nowhere, but it's a long way from any of the Metro stops. That's the drawback. The major location perk I suppose is that the building is in a less touristy part of Rome, which surely comes with lower property costs. Also a perk is that the AUR building is the tallest in Rome and the views from the upper terraces are breath-taking. Great inspiration for an artist or inspiration to study for a student in any major. Thinking that we could walk through the campus and take photos without announcing ourselves was a mistake. In fact, my first hint should have been when I saw that SACI in Florence was a buzz-in building. So instead of going through nonchalantly, we found ourselves waiting to meet with James Lynn, Dean/VP of student services. He was welcoming and accommodating, despite having just left a meeting where a student was expelled. He gave us a quick tour and praised Donna Anderson and their study abroad relationship with UWP. He also gave us some advice about where HPU students should (and should not) live when studying at AUR, which has no residence halls. It was well worth the visit, and I think our students will enjoy the student gathering areas and the commraderie. My question for Donna will be about academic rigor. Perhaps we peeked in on classes working on an informal assignment or students using a classroom for group study, but the structure appeared a bit loose.
Photos of AUR:
After leaving AUR, we caught a taxi back to the Termini (also in Italian) or our train back to Florence. Before leaving we grabbed lunch at Mr. Panini. Pretty good, and actually cheaper than McDonalds. Hard to believe.
I was so tired from walking, standing, walking, and walking some more. I fell asleep on the train. It was dark when we arrived. We walked the 4 blocks back to Hotel Globus and had plenty of time to shower, change, and walk to the ____ for dinner with Mary (SACI president), Jules Maidoff (SACI founder), David ____ (dean for student services) and other SACI Consortium members.
After 3 hours and 4 courses of food, I was exhausted and very full. I had discovered days before that I love the salami-type ham with fennel. And it was very difficult to leave a piece on the plate, even when you know you should have stopped eating 20 minutes ago. The wine flowed and so did the water (naturale and frizzante). One big difference between American dinners and Italian dinners is the amount of liquid that is consumed. Italian people eat a lot of dry food; even the soups are thick. However, they don't drink much. All water is bottled, 1 to 1.5 L. Several times I felt like I could turn up a couple of bottles of water and drink them myself. That doesn't win friends or influence people, so instead I supplemented with repeated trips to the mini-supermarket a block from the hotel.
In our SACI welcome packet, we were given a cookbook, recipes compiled from the Italian grandmothers of SACI staff, faculty, and friends. I can't wait to get home and recreate some of these culinary masterpieces for my friends and family!
Back to the hotel after dinner at 10:30pm.
- Desperately need sleep and a foot rub! Yes, enough said.
Since his other trips to Vatican City were during busy in-season months, Scott recommended that we reserve an appointment with a tour guide. He also noted that all of the tour guides he had seen so far were terrible. Not enthusiastic about what they were showing and talking about. And of course the tour is 3+ hours, so it's pretty crappy to get a bad guide. On that crisp morning, we met Simona from www.darkrome.com. I include her name and agency because she was very good. In fact, we will likely contact her agency directly and request her. Highly recommended. Thanks to Aladdin for helping us find her!
Since it was low season, we only had 6 people in our group, which on an in-season day could be as many as 20 or more. Our tour-mates were a couple from Pennsylvania who were living in Slovenia after U.S. Steel opened a site there. He was the CFO of U.S. Steel in Euroasia. The other two were father and daughter from Chicago, but the father was currently working in Egypt, and he had spent time working with the legal setup of U.S. Steel in Slovenia. Again, a small world.
I cannot begin to describe to you what I saw in the Vatican. There were simply too many stories to repeat:
- Michelangelo thumbing his nose at the pope
- Bathtub size = wealth
- Statues being melted down for weapons
- Vatican buying art to art donations to the Vatican
- Fresco creation
- Light and dark illusions
- Welcoming the 7 muses
- Controversy of how art was cleaned
- Controversy of how art was resealed (egg white vs. chemical)
- Architecture
- Julius II and his name choice
- Connections to Egyptian culture, art, and building materials
- Why God's backside was painted over the altar
- How Michelangelo developed as a painter during his first major project
Instead, I'll give you photos:
What I can say is that the Vatican City is like a different country inside the city of Rome. We passed through metal detectors, we had to present proof that we belonged there, and we were subject to their laws while we were there. Everything except showing our passports. Of course using my incredible organization skills (no, really!) I had printed multiple copies of everything, including our tour tickets for the Vatican. The hitch is that in my 5-minute spree for the Rome trip, I didn't grab the tickets. Thanks to Chris for quickly finding the .pdf, saving it as a .jpg, and dropping it into a Word document, so we could print it at an internet cafe. FYI: Roman internet cafes don't have Adobe Reader to open a .pdf.
Much of the tour was a prelude to the "good stuff," including 1) The School of Athens by Raphael(?) that showed the welcoming of the 7 muses into the Vatican City and 2) the Sistine Chapel. We would later see how this welcoming is reflected in the welcoming of astronomy into Florence by the Medici family. And the Sistine Chapel speaks for itself. It's just something you have to see. You have to stand there yourself, silent except for your constantly overwhelming thoughts, and examine every part of the great work. Standing there, I flashed back to the movie Mona Lisa Smile, where Kathryn Watson is asked by her department chair whether she has ever been to the Sistine Chapel, stood there and examined its power. Her response: "I've never been to Europe." But we know she will go, she will see for herself its wonder, the skill and time it required. (Perhaps more incredible than the 4 years it took to create was the 12 years it took to clean.)
There are a hundred hidden stories and hidden meanings and complex relationships among figures of power at that time, this time, and every period of time in between. So many that not for incredibly talented art historians like Mary Beckinsale, its many secrets would be lost.
Leaving the Chapel, I was almost afraid to offer my initial reaction to Scott, for fear of offending his craft. "I thought it would be bigger." Not the ceiling size or the height of the room, but the width of the room on the ground level. I thought the Sistine Chapel frescos would cover part of the ceiling in an area of a much larger cathedral. But I couldn't criticize the strength of the colors, the skill required to paint fresco on a sloping ceiling, overemphasis of some figures or body parts and underemphasis of others to make them look in proportion from the ground.
With a visit to American University of Rome still ahead of us, and our feet throbbing we walked quickly through the rest of the Vatican tour, stopping only to purchase study abroad table materials and mailing a couple of postcards home (upon request), postmarked Vatican City.
We caught a taxi to AUR, where I gave instructions in Italian, or more accurately SpanItal since I studied Spanish rather than Italian. "Via Pietro Roselli en Travesere," and I pointed at my mark on the map. It is pure coincidence that he took us to the wrong place - the Pietro Roselli Hotel. Travesere is an area across the river from historic Rome, but on the same side of the river as Vatican City. I was first suspicious when we crossed to the wrong side of the river. He asked for our map again and began fussing, at himself or us I couldn't tell. We eventually made our way back across the river and to our destination. When he couldn't make change for my 20 Euro bill for the 12 Euro charge, he accepted 10 instead. Perhaps feeling bad that he got us lost, but much more likely because he just wanted rid of us. Mary later advised us that many of the taxi drivers are illerate and, therefore, struggle with maps. I don't think that was the case with our driver. Instead, I think he just thought English-speaking tourists would be going to a hotel rather than a middle-of-nowhere school for undergraduates.
The school is not actually in the middle of nowhere, but it's a long way from any of the Metro stops. That's the drawback. The major location perk I suppose is that the building is in a less touristy part of Rome, which surely comes with lower property costs. Also a perk is that the AUR building is the tallest in Rome and the views from the upper terraces are breath-taking. Great inspiration for an artist or inspiration to study for a student in any major. Thinking that we could walk through the campus and take photos without announcing ourselves was a mistake. In fact, my first hint should have been when I saw that SACI in Florence was a buzz-in building. So instead of going through nonchalantly, we found ourselves waiting to meet with James Lynn, Dean/VP of student services. He was welcoming and accommodating, despite having just left a meeting where a student was expelled. He gave us a quick tour and praised Donna Anderson and their study abroad relationship with UWP. He also gave us some advice about where HPU students should (and should not) live when studying at AUR, which has no residence halls. It was well worth the visit, and I think our students will enjoy the student gathering areas and the commraderie. My question for Donna will be about academic rigor. Perhaps we peeked in on classes working on an informal assignment or students using a classroom for group study, but the structure appeared a bit loose.
Photos of AUR:
After leaving AUR, we caught a taxi back to the Termini (also in Italian) or our train back to Florence. Before leaving we grabbed lunch at Mr. Panini. Pretty good, and actually cheaper than McDonalds. Hard to believe.
I was so tired from walking, standing, walking, and walking some more. I fell asleep on the train. It was dark when we arrived. We walked the 4 blocks back to Hotel Globus and had plenty of time to shower, change, and walk to the ____ for dinner with Mary (SACI president), Jules Maidoff (SACI founder), David ____ (dean for student services) and other SACI Consortium members.
After 3 hours and 4 courses of food, I was exhausted and very full. I had discovered days before that I love the salami-type ham with fennel. And it was very difficult to leave a piece on the plate, even when you know you should have stopped eating 20 minutes ago. The wine flowed and so did the water (naturale and frizzante). One big difference between American dinners and Italian dinners is the amount of liquid that is consumed. Italian people eat a lot of dry food; even the soups are thick. However, they don't drink much. All water is bottled, 1 to 1.5 L. Several times I felt like I could turn up a couple of bottles of water and drink them myself. That doesn't win friends or influence people, so instead I supplemented with repeated trips to the mini-supermarket a block from the hotel.
In our SACI welcome packet, we were given a cookbook, recipes compiled from the Italian grandmothers of SACI staff, faculty, and friends. I can't wait to get home and recreate some of these culinary masterpieces for my friends and family!
Back to the hotel after dinner at 10:30pm.
- Desperately need sleep and a foot rub! Yes, enough said.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Day 3: David, Rome Part I
On Tuesday morning, we walked to the train station to purchase tickets to Rome for later that morning. Then we were off to the Galleria della Accademia, which houses the Michelangelo's David.
As soon as you turn the corner in the gallery, your eyes follow the floor to four massive blocks of marble (unfinished sculptures) on both sides of the room, and then you fix on it. The David stands under the only noteable source natural light in the room, and it is truly a presence in every sense of the word. It is difficult to look away from it, perhaps afraid the figure might move. The figure I had once thought was at rest following the battle with Goliath was actually set for the battle to begin. His weight is shifted onto one foot as if ready to shift his weight and begin running towards the giant. However, he is actually prepaing to launch a rock (held in his right hand) from a sling shot, which has broken off. The remaining evidence of it is a strap across his shoulders and around his back.
Even his toes were gripped for battle. An odd observation was the appearance of broken little toes. Like the bent shape a little toe takes after it has been jammed into a door frame one too many times. If you don't know what that looks like, take a look at mine. Scott pointed out that since they are near the edges of the marble, Michelangelo may have had to work within the spacial limitations of the marble piece. This was a piece of marble that Michelangelo had to ask to use. And SACI students take a field trip to the quarry where this piece and virgin marble for other noted sculptures were taken.
I noticed as I walked around him that he appears much larger than the replica in the Piazza della Segnoria and city hall. Scott shared that Botticelli (who also sculpted a David figure) joked about Michelangelo's figure looking like a large "bags of nuts," referring to its muscles.
Photos weren't permitted in this area, and we were reminded every few minutes when someone would say in a strong, bored Italian accent "NO-FO-TOS." Regardless of how tempting it was, I respected their request, so I have nothing to show other than a few trinkets that will be added to the HPU study abroad table.
The most valuable piece of information was a comment Michelangelo left behind. He saw David trapped in the marble, and he had to let him out. His unfinished works were just as notable, although on a much smaller scale and of course unfinished, yet you could see where each was headed. The viewer's imagination is left to complete the projects.
After seeing David, we returned to the hotel to pack a quick overnight bag and then walked the four blocks to the train station. We were able to get two seats on Eurostar Italia, 1.5 hours to Rome for a reasonable 38 euro each.
The train was very nice, crowed with teen and 20-something groups of students. The Tuscan countryside whizzed by quickly, but a hillside villa stood on each of the outcroppings. Any of them could be the one that housed Bromasole, the house that helped Diane Lane's character rebuild her life, her will to laugh, and her ability to love after a painful divorce. This country contains that kind of magic and charm. It's not there when you look for it, like when Scott asked me on Monday if Florence had charmed me yet. It hadn't. But this country sneaks in on you slowly, like cool air in open window during late fall. At first you don't notice it, but eventually the crispness of the air is so that you are acutely aware of it and you wonder why you didn't notice it before. That's what day 3 was about for me.
Scott found a hostel/apt in his travel book that was just blocks from the Rome train station, which was also the only intersection of Metro Line A and Line B. The Beehive was owned by a woman whose dream was to move from Boston to Rome and open a hotel. She did well. It was a quaint, well-kept hotel, hostel, and cafe with a private courtyard and ring-in security. The cafe serves only vegetarian food, and prices are on an honor code-type system. You pay what you think the food is worth, or in some cases, you pay what you have. They have free internet and don't charge for towel, very refreshing since his stuff was in a bookbag and mine was in a souvenir plastic bag. No space for a towel. We took the last 2 beds in the co-ed hostel, sure that we would be the room's oldest occupants.
Later that night, we found out we were right. We dropped our overnight stuff and walked back to the train/Metro station.
To make the most of our time, we visited the Colesium first. I was shocked that it was in the middle of city life (streets, Metro stops, etc.). The city had literally grown up around it. Up because after thousands of years of settling and building up the ground surrounding the Colesium, we truly walked downhill to it.
It was incredible to stand in front of, almost surreal. This was a structure I had seen in photos since I studied world history in elementary school, and I was standing in front of it. Despite all the photos, I learned several valuable detals. 1) The Colesium is not round with walls all the way around. Instead, it is two amphitheatres built facing one another to form a fat ellipsis(?) where the ends end but don't touch. Now I know. What was really interesting was to see the line between where it had been cleaned and where the dirt remained, more from air pollution than from weather damage.
Scott and others had warned me about the schemes of pickpockets who spill a drink on you and take your wallet when you're not looking... Italian men selling goods and prints who follow you down the street trying to get you to buy something... gypsies who hand you a baby and refuse to take it back until you give them money... all very creative. I wish I could say the Colesium was without its money-making schemes. For any hot, built dark-haired guys... Have you been working in that dead-end job far too long? Wish you were cool like Russell Crowe's character in Gladiator? Dream of exotic lands where you can make money just by playing with your sword and hanging on the ladies? Need a place to vent that raging bad temper of yours? Then you too can be a Colesium warrior! Do you fight? No. Do you answer to the emperor? No. Do you have to even break a sweat? Well, only if it's hot outside. Just dress in the gladiator costume and take photos alongside 60- and 70-something women on bus tours. But it's not all fun and games. If you catch someone taking a photo of you without tipping, then you get to lay into them with every foul word and Italian gesture you can imagine. Sign up starts tomorrow at the concierge desk.
We paused at the Triumph/Victory (?) Arch, the first arch used to symbolize a military victory.
I'll fill in more details when I get my info straight. Explained below.
We walked all the way around the Coliseum looking for just the right angle and saw an odd, out-of-place piece of technology. An airbag was set up on the ground along the edge of the Coliseum wall, the kind used when someone (intentionally) falls out of a window or jumps off a building. Then we saw the movie cameras. Then we saw the actress. Evidently, an Italian star but no one we recognized. I took a photo anyway.
We made our way back to the Metro, switched trains at the Termini, and started walking towards the Pantheon. Within steps after exiting the Metro, we passed the Spanish steps, a gathering place for people to sit in the afternoon.
The steps have some historical significance, like everything else in this country. However, in light of everything else I've learned about monuments, artists, obscure histories, and the like, I have forgotten the story of the steps. I'll have to ask Scott tomorrow. On to the Pantheon...
I remember studying the Pantheon way back in 1988 in Mrs. Thomas's art history class at Heritage High, and it was surreal (I plan to overuse that word often) to be standing in front of it after all these years. International travel wasn't something that people from my childhood talked about. It just wasn't something that people did. I didn't study abroad as a student because I was a student athlete who was always in season. Yet if circumstances were different, I probably would have let the opportunity pass me by. Either due to financial limitations or short-sightedness, I never thought I would actually go, even though I started creating my international wish list since that first art class. Now, not only do I want to go once, I want to return several times. Yesterday I rubbed the boar's nose, so I'm hoping a return trip to Firenze is in my future. I am incredibly fortunate to have these opportunities, and I am determined to make them available to our students, even the ones who don't think they have the time or the means to go.
But I digress... again...
In my mind, the Pantheon (and the Parthenon, which I hope to see very soon) was set high on a hill outside of town but visible from almost anywhere in town. And I was surprised when Scott said, It's just around the corner up here. And then we were there.
Like the Colesium, the Pantheon was lowered than the ground that surrounded it. It was designed and built using the basic geometric shapes - square, circle, triangle. It is the first building with an oculus (sp?), an opening in the center top of the dome. I have heard different explanations: 1) so the statues of the gods, which sat around the walls of the circle, would all be lit by sunlight throughout the days and changes in seasons; 2) so the gods could come and go even when the doors were closed. I like both explanations. We talked about whether the opening was covered with glass or something else to prevent rain from coming in. Mary Beckinsale (SACI president) later told us that it is still open, no glass. It's nice that some things about it haven't been updated. In some instances, that's not the case. I use past tense when talking about the original purpose of the building because it has quite a different purpose now. The building once built for and that housed the pagan gods has been converted into an actively used Catholic church. It's odd to see Christian symbols where Roman gods once stood. Disappointing.
The last stop on the Rome (non-Vatican) tour was the Trevi Fountain. But nature had other plans for us. Within minutes of leaving the Pantheon, we were swept up in an Alfred Hitchcock sequel. See for yourself.
And it didn't take long before I got pooped on. A minor poop, but still! Good luck or not, I can live without it!
The Trevi Fountain was an incredible place to walk past or near because you could hear the water falling long before you saw the fountain.
We approached from behind it, and as it came into full view, I was amazed. First by its scale, and second by the care that had been taken of it. Every piece of marble still looked as pristine as the day they were placed. The perfect evening was capped with, yep, another gelado. Frutti di bosco again. Yum! Per tradition, Scott and I both threw coins into the Trevi with wishes for prosperity and good health. Over the shoulder, of course.
- Dinner with caprese... enough said!
Then back to the Beehive for a chat with two 19-year-old recent high school graduates from Australia (outside Melbourne). They were traveling during their gap year, the year between high school graduation and the start of college. Another hostel room occupant had been traveling for months throughout Europe and Eurasia and is returning home to Las Vegas in the morning. Small world, he lived in Greensboro for a short time.
Vatican City and American University of Rome are tomorrow.
As soon as you turn the corner in the gallery, your eyes follow the floor to four massive blocks of marble (unfinished sculptures) on both sides of the room, and then you fix on it. The David stands under the only noteable source natural light in the room, and it is truly a presence in every sense of the word. It is difficult to look away from it, perhaps afraid the figure might move. The figure I had once thought was at rest following the battle with Goliath was actually set for the battle to begin. His weight is shifted onto one foot as if ready to shift his weight and begin running towards the giant. However, he is actually prepaing to launch a rock (held in his right hand) from a sling shot, which has broken off. The remaining evidence of it is a strap across his shoulders and around his back.
Even his toes were gripped for battle. An odd observation was the appearance of broken little toes. Like the bent shape a little toe takes after it has been jammed into a door frame one too many times. If you don't know what that looks like, take a look at mine. Scott pointed out that since they are near the edges of the marble, Michelangelo may have had to work within the spacial limitations of the marble piece. This was a piece of marble that Michelangelo had to ask to use. And SACI students take a field trip to the quarry where this piece and virgin marble for other noted sculptures were taken.
I noticed as I walked around him that he appears much larger than the replica in the Piazza della Segnoria and city hall. Scott shared that Botticelli (who also sculpted a David figure) joked about Michelangelo's figure looking like a large "bags of nuts," referring to its muscles.
Photos weren't permitted in this area, and we were reminded every few minutes when someone would say in a strong, bored Italian accent "NO-FO-TOS." Regardless of how tempting it was, I respected their request, so I have nothing to show other than a few trinkets that will be added to the HPU study abroad table.
The most valuable piece of information was a comment Michelangelo left behind. He saw David trapped in the marble, and he had to let him out. His unfinished works were just as notable, although on a much smaller scale and of course unfinished, yet you could see where each was headed. The viewer's imagination is left to complete the projects.
After seeing David, we returned to the hotel to pack a quick overnight bag and then walked the four blocks to the train station. We were able to get two seats on Eurostar Italia, 1.5 hours to Rome for a reasonable 38 euro each.
The train was very nice, crowed with teen and 20-something groups of students. The Tuscan countryside whizzed by quickly, but a hillside villa stood on each of the outcroppings. Any of them could be the one that housed Bromasole, the house that helped Diane Lane's character rebuild her life, her will to laugh, and her ability to love after a painful divorce. This country contains that kind of magic and charm. It's not there when you look for it, like when Scott asked me on Monday if Florence had charmed me yet. It hadn't. But this country sneaks in on you slowly, like cool air in open window during late fall. At first you don't notice it, but eventually the crispness of the air is so that you are acutely aware of it and you wonder why you didn't notice it before. That's what day 3 was about for me.
Scott found a hostel/apt in his travel book that was just blocks from the Rome train station, which was also the only intersection of Metro Line A and Line B. The Beehive was owned by a woman whose dream was to move from Boston to Rome and open a hotel. She did well. It was a quaint, well-kept hotel, hostel, and cafe with a private courtyard and ring-in security. The cafe serves only vegetarian food, and prices are on an honor code-type system. You pay what you think the food is worth, or in some cases, you pay what you have. They have free internet and don't charge for towel, very refreshing since his stuff was in a bookbag and mine was in a souvenir plastic bag. No space for a towel. We took the last 2 beds in the co-ed hostel, sure that we would be the room's oldest occupants.
Later that night, we found out we were right. We dropped our overnight stuff and walked back to the train/Metro station.
To make the most of our time, we visited the Colesium first. I was shocked that it was in the middle of city life (streets, Metro stops, etc.). The city had literally grown up around it. Up because after thousands of years of settling and building up the ground surrounding the Colesium, we truly walked downhill to it.
It was incredible to stand in front of, almost surreal. This was a structure I had seen in photos since I studied world history in elementary school, and I was standing in front of it. Despite all the photos, I learned several valuable detals. 1) The Colesium is not round with walls all the way around. Instead, it is two amphitheatres built facing one another to form a fat ellipsis(?) where the ends end but don't touch. Now I know. What was really interesting was to see the line between where it had been cleaned and where the dirt remained, more from air pollution than from weather damage.
Scott and others had warned me about the schemes of pickpockets who spill a drink on you and take your wallet when you're not looking... Italian men selling goods and prints who follow you down the street trying to get you to buy something... gypsies who hand you a baby and refuse to take it back until you give them money... all very creative. I wish I could say the Colesium was without its money-making schemes. For any hot, built dark-haired guys... Have you been working in that dead-end job far too long? Wish you were cool like Russell Crowe's character in Gladiator? Dream of exotic lands where you can make money just by playing with your sword and hanging on the ladies? Need a place to vent that raging bad temper of yours? Then you too can be a Colesium warrior! Do you fight? No. Do you answer to the emperor? No. Do you have to even break a sweat? Well, only if it's hot outside. Just dress in the gladiator costume and take photos alongside 60- and 70-something women on bus tours. But it's not all fun and games. If you catch someone taking a photo of you without tipping, then you get to lay into them with every foul word and Italian gesture you can imagine. Sign up starts tomorrow at the concierge desk.
We paused at the Triumph/Victory (?) Arch, the first arch used to symbolize a military victory.
I'll fill in more details when I get my info straight. Explained below.
We walked all the way around the Coliseum looking for just the right angle and saw an odd, out-of-place piece of technology. An airbag was set up on the ground along the edge of the Coliseum wall, the kind used when someone (intentionally) falls out of a window or jumps off a building. Then we saw the movie cameras. Then we saw the actress. Evidently, an Italian star but no one we recognized. I took a photo anyway.
We made our way back to the Metro, switched trains at the Termini, and started walking towards the Pantheon. Within steps after exiting the Metro, we passed the Spanish steps, a gathering place for people to sit in the afternoon.
The steps have some historical significance, like everything else in this country. However, in light of everything else I've learned about monuments, artists, obscure histories, and the like, I have forgotten the story of the steps. I'll have to ask Scott tomorrow. On to the Pantheon...
I remember studying the Pantheon way back in 1988 in Mrs. Thomas's art history class at Heritage High, and it was surreal (I plan to overuse that word often) to be standing in front of it after all these years. International travel wasn't something that people from my childhood talked about. It just wasn't something that people did. I didn't study abroad as a student because I was a student athlete who was always in season. Yet if circumstances were different, I probably would have let the opportunity pass me by. Either due to financial limitations or short-sightedness, I never thought I would actually go, even though I started creating my international wish list since that first art class. Now, not only do I want to go once, I want to return several times. Yesterday I rubbed the boar's nose, so I'm hoping a return trip to Firenze is in my future. I am incredibly fortunate to have these opportunities, and I am determined to make them available to our students, even the ones who don't think they have the time or the means to go.
But I digress... again...
In my mind, the Pantheon (and the Parthenon, which I hope to see very soon) was set high on a hill outside of town but visible from almost anywhere in town. And I was surprised when Scott said, It's just around the corner up here. And then we were there.
Like the Colesium, the Pantheon was lowered than the ground that surrounded it. It was designed and built using the basic geometric shapes - square, circle, triangle. It is the first building with an oculus (sp?), an opening in the center top of the dome. I have heard different explanations: 1) so the statues of the gods, which sat around the walls of the circle, would all be lit by sunlight throughout the days and changes in seasons; 2) so the gods could come and go even when the doors were closed. I like both explanations. We talked about whether the opening was covered with glass or something else to prevent rain from coming in. Mary Beckinsale (SACI president) later told us that it is still open, no glass. It's nice that some things about it haven't been updated. In some instances, that's not the case. I use past tense when talking about the original purpose of the building because it has quite a different purpose now. The building once built for and that housed the pagan gods has been converted into an actively used Catholic church. It's odd to see Christian symbols where Roman gods once stood. Disappointing.
The last stop on the Rome (non-Vatican) tour was the Trevi Fountain. But nature had other plans for us. Within minutes of leaving the Pantheon, we were swept up in an Alfred Hitchcock sequel. See for yourself.
And it didn't take long before I got pooped on. A minor poop, but still! Good luck or not, I can live without it!
The Trevi Fountain was an incredible place to walk past or near because you could hear the water falling long before you saw the fountain.
We approached from behind it, and as it came into full view, I was amazed. First by its scale, and second by the care that had been taken of it. Every piece of marble still looked as pristine as the day they were placed. The perfect evening was capped with, yep, another gelado. Frutti di bosco again. Yum! Per tradition, Scott and I both threw coins into the Trevi with wishes for prosperity and good health. Over the shoulder, of course.
- Dinner with caprese... enough said!
Then back to the Beehive for a chat with two 19-year-old recent high school graduates from Australia (outside Melbourne). They were traveling during their gap year, the year between high school graduation and the start of college. Another hostel room occupant had been traveling for months throughout Europe and Eurasia and is returning home to Las Vegas in the morning. Small world, he lived in Greensboro for a short time.
Vatican City and American University of Rome are tomorrow.
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