tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77085501293120227042024-03-14T07:26:00.470+01:00emilanThe history behind the sights of ItalyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-8357090343856104662014-01-16T22:14:00.000+01:002014-01-16T22:16:31.976+01:00I'm Moving!!!!!To a different domain, at least. All of my content is now accessible on <b><a href="http://www.emebis.me/">www.emebis.me</a></b>, which will allow me to expand the site when I feel the need to in the future. In a few days this site will automatically redirect there. Same blog, slightly different address!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-46168881191868784142014-01-15T22:42:00.002+01:002014-01-15T22:42:31.015+01:00Pompeii Scavi: The Ruins of PompeiiI usually start off posts with the claim that "____ is an easy little day trip from ____." That format doesn't really work for Pompeii, however. Even if you're staying in Naples - which is very close to Pompeii - getting there isn't really <i>easy</i>, per se... but certainly worth the effort.<br />
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We started from Rome, leaving for the Napoli Centrale train station at 7:30 am. Rome to Naples is in fact a quick little journey on a comfortable <i>Frecciarossa</i> train. My advice: enjoy the comfortable seats, neutrally smelling compartments, and speedy yet <u>stable</u> transportation. The next leg of the journey is considerably lacking in all those regards.<br />
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The Pompeii ruins are on Italy's west coast, just south of Naples. To get from Naples to Pompeii, you'll have to take the <i>Circumvesuviana</i> - a regional train line that loops around the west edge of Mt. Vesuvius. The tracks are hidden in the darkest depths of the Napoli Centrale station. Tickets must be purchased from the ticket counter - no handy automated machines here. <b>Make sure you specify POMPEII SCAVI </b>(Pompeii ruins) <b>not just POMPEI </b>(the modern day town of Pompei). If your journey is anything like ours was, the ticket man will shove five tickets your way and inform you that the train leaves in one minute. Your brother and dad will have gotten defective tickets somehow and will still be trying to scan them through the machine as the train comes to a stop on the platform.<br />
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Don't worry, you'll make it on.<br />
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Your relief once inside the graffiti decorated car won't last long. There are a slew of colorful adjectives that could suitably describe the <i>Circumvesuviana</i> train, but <b>safe</b> is not one of them. The anxious feeling you have could be attributed to any number of things... perhaps it's the shady, creepy look you're getting from all the other passengers, making you all too aware how very <b>foreign </b>(read: touristy) you must look. It could also be the very loud domestic dispute happening right behind you. Maybe it's the fact that you're not really sure if you're going in the right direction and each stop seems to have less helpful signage than the last. And even if you are heading in the right direction, the sight of the run down, abandoned buildings making up the urban jungle that is Naples isn't very heartening.<br />
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Then again, it's most likely coming from the horrible realization that the train itself feels as though it's being driven by the old man who drives the Knight Bus in Harry Potter... lurching, wobbly, and far too fast for what you suspect is less than adequate structural integrity.<br />
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Come to think of it, everything in that clip is a pretty accurate representation of what it's like to take the <i>Circumvesuviana</i>, particularly Harry's reactions to the entire experience.<br />
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Anyway, you will get there eventually. Hop off at the <i>Pompeii Scavi: Villa dei Mistiera </i>stop and follow the crowd to Pompeii's entrance. For a basic Pompeii experience, just collect your ticket and the free guidebook and explore on your own. For a bit more organization and education, hunt down one of the freelance tour guides and join a tour.<br />
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Founded somewhere in the 7th century BC, Pompeii was a thriving Roman metropolis by the time of its destruction in 79 AD. It was home to a complex plumbing system, an amphitheater, a gym, a sea port, bakeries, and the Roman version of fast food restaurants... all enjoyed by its 20,000 inhabitants.<br />
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At some point between August and November (the date is disputed*) Vesuvius began to erupt - ironically, sometime shortly after the festival to the Roman god of fire, Vulcanavia. While many inhabitants fled at the first signs of danger, others stayed behind, likely realizing their error once it was too late. Scientists estimate that those present in Pompeii during the eruption would have been exposed to waves of 482 degrees fahrenheit heat as lava and fire rolled down Vesuvius.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">via wikipedia.com</td></tr>
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The most likely cause of death was probably suffocation from the heavy ash and tephra that rained down on the city for over six hours. Taking shelter inside homes wouldn't have helped, as the weight of the residue caused cave ins. When it was over, Pompeii was covered in 25 meters of volcanic ash and rock. The city was destroyed, yet perfectly preserved and frozen in time until its discovery in the 18th century.</div>
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Bodies were literally frozen in moments of agonizing death. Over the centuries they decomposed, leaving shapeless skeletons behind within the now-hollow cavities. Upon excavation, these cavities were filled with plaster and the resulting forms were dug up.<br />
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The ruins are vast and you could easily spend hours wandering among them.<br />
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If you don't want to pay for a guide, do a little research ahead of time and be sure to pick up one of the site's free guidebooks, which are full of interesting little historical tidbits to look out for. Some of my favorites are:<br />
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The raised stones in the streets. When the streets were being flushed with water for cleaning, these stones were used to cross without getting your feet wet. One stone indicates a one way street (cart wheels would pass by on either side) while three stones indicate a two way street.<br />
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The "Roman fast-food restaurants." These consisted of a smooth, L-shaped counter with holes. Inside the holes, vats of prepared food would sit and you could stop by and fill up a plate or bowl. Historians are, as of yet, unsure as to whether or not supersizing was an option.<br />
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Colorful mosaics, most notably the "<i>Cave Canem:" </i>an ancient warning to "Beware of the dog." Floor decorations were a sign of wealth.<br />
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The bakery, or at least one of the twenty or so that Pompeii had. Its large oven and flour grinders are still intact.<br />
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Evidence of the ancient city's advanced plumbing system (and a Pompeian zombie who roams the streets, terrorizing tourists).<br />
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Wandering around the ruins is a bit eerie, especially when it begins to hit you how similar their daily lives were to our own - maybe with the exception of the copious, socially accepted brothels dotting the city.<br />
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On the outer edge of the ruins you'll find the amphitheater. Thanks to its preservation over the centuries by Vesuvius' ash, it now has the distinction of being the oldest known Roman amphitheater.<br />
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Like each Roman arena that would come after it, the Pompeian amphitheater functioned as an area for various sporting spectacles; namely, gladiatorial fights. One such fight in 59 AD between Pompeii and the neighboring town of Nuceria escalated into a brawl between spectators, and a ten year ban was placed in effect.<br />
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Just beyond the amphitheater is a seemingly random collection of small temples, tombs, and gravestones.<br />
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Getting back to the entrance/exit requires you to meander back into the twisting streets of Pompeii and of course, getting back to Napoli Centrale requires another treacherous journey on the <i>Circumvesuviana</i>. It goes without saying that Pompeii is worth the effort, though. Even if history isn't a personal interest of yours, it's hard not to feel a bit humbled and in awe as you walk through the streets and into the homes of the ancient Pompeians. If history <b>is</b> a personal interest of yours, you'll probably find yourself wondering what people 2,000 years into the future would think if they took a stroll through one of our cities preserved in time. Would they see us as primitive and unintelligent, or would they find distant connections between our habits and their own daily lives?<br />
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*Documentation of the eruption by historians of the time, notably Pliny, point to a date around August 24, 79 AD. However, modern historians have noted that the clothing on victims was warmer than what would normally be worn in August and food remains point towards the types of fruits and vegetables that would be grown in October. Coins discovered bore an imperial acclimation that wouldn't have been minted until after the second week of September.<br />
<span id="goog_1943137588"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-30656779872559040182014-01-13T13:36:00.000+01:002014-01-13T13:47:04.862+01:00Pisa: Piazza dei MiracoliPisa is home to one of Italy's most popular sights: the Leaning Tower. Located on the northwest coast of Italy, it's an easy day trip from Florence, a quick stop on your way to another city, or a doable (but more time consuming) journey from Milan or Rome.<br />
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Of course, there's plenty more to do in Pisa than just see the tower, like a number of old churches and a few palaces. However, I think Pisa is best done as a quick day trip from Florence to see the tower and Field of Miracles in which it's located. Besides, you don't want to reach your Looking at Old Churches threshold before you get to Rome! With proper planning, you can leave Florence early in the morning and be back by late afternoon. Here's how:</div>
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From Santa Maria Novella Station in Florence, get on one of the regional trains headed for Pisa. Trains to Pisa Centrale leave about every hour while the trains to Pisa San Rossore are less frequent, but you'll save time by getting of at San Rossore. From Centrale, it's a time-consuming walk or a taxi ride to the tower. From San Rossore, it's about a three minute walk. Regardless of which station you chose, you won't see either on the big "Departures" screen; only the final destination is displayed. Check the train number on your ticket to match with the number on the screen to find your platform and once there, double check that "Pisa C.LE" or "Pisa S. Rossore" are listed in the scrolling list of stops above the platform. </div>
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It's about an hour from Florence to Pisa. Assuming you get off at San Rossore, exit the tiny station by taking a left, then a right, then... you're there. Easy! You'll be able to see the top of the tower, the cathedral, the <i>campostanto,</i> and the baptistery just down the street. These are the main buildings that make up the <i>Piazza dei Miracoli - </i>Field of Miracles. </div>
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The cathedral is free to enter. The baptistery, <i>campostanto, </i>and tower require tickets, and entrance to the tower is timed and must be reserved ahead of time. You can do this online <b>no sooner than 45 days and no later than 15 before your chosen date. </b>A bit persnickety, but whatever. As visiting Pisa was somewhat of a last minute decision for us, we hadn't made a reservation. You can, of course, buy tickets on the spot, but an opening may not be guaranteed. We arrived around 1:30 and were luckily able to get a spot in the 3:45 time slot. <b> </b></div>
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This will give you plenty of time to explore the other buildings and take those silly Leaning Tower photos. </div>
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The <i>campostanto</i> is an enclosed cemetery. It's said to be built around sacred soil brought back to Pisa from Calvary during the Fourth Crusade in the 12th century - believe that if you want.</div>
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The building itself is a large, Gothic enclosure began in the 13th century and completed some 200 years later. The interior is lined with Roman sculptures and sarcophagi, and the walls used to be covered in biblical frescoes until WWII bombs set the roof on fire, thus drenching the walls in molten lead. </div>
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The <i>campostanto</i> is certainly beautiful, but not a must-see if you're looking to save a few Euros. </div>
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The cathedral, Santa Maria Assunta was begun in 1064 and has a strange Romanesque-Byzantine style to it...</div>
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... this is more evident inside with the copious mosaics and gilded ceiling. </div>
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Art history buffs will want to see Giovanni Pisano's elaborately carved pulpit inside the cathedral - a good example of pre-Renaissance sculpture. I should have been in appreciative awe of it, but I distinctly recall the distress I experienced when confusing Giovanni's pulpit with the similar looking one of his father, Nicola Pisano, on an exam.</div>
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Don't forget t look up: the dome fresco is a spectacular work of art, as well.<br />
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The baptistery, began in 1153, is actually the largest in Italy, and surprisingly taller than the tower itself. The inside is rather bare but worth a visit anyway; it's said to have some of the best acoustics in Italy.</div>
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Not to mention that perfect shot of a skull and crossbones you've been looking for.<br />
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And then there is the Leaning Tower. It was the last of the structures in the Field of Miracles to be built, starting in 1173 and ending 177 years later. The long construction period and the tower's characteristic lean both result from an incident in 1178. The tower had already reached three stories high at this point when the south side began to sink into the weak subsoil below. </div>
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Construction halted for a century while the subsoil presumably stabilized itself, and when building resumed, architects did not try to fix the tilt; rather, they compensated for it by making the subsequent stories with one side slightly higher than the other. Thus, if the tower were ever set straight again, it would probably look stranger than it does now. </div>
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You'll want to gather at the base of the tower about ten minutes before your scheduled reservation time. If you have a large bag, make sure to get it checked in the yellow building to the right before you enter. Bring your ticket as validation. </div>
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After a short introduction in both Italian and English, you're ready to climb! It's not a difficult climb at all, though there is a distinct, tilting shift you can feel as you make your way up. </div>
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Assuming you arrive in Pisa mid-morning and have a ticket reserved around noon-time, you can feasibly give the other buildings the time the deserve and be ready to go by early to mid-afternoon. Like I said, a quick day trip. From the Field of Miracles, I suggest taking a taxi back to Pisa Centrale, regardless of whether or not it was your arrival station. Pisa Rossore really just a stop, not a station, and you won't be able to purchase a ticket back to Florence from there. It saves time to arrive at San Rossore, but you'll find yourself stranded if you try to return from there. </div>
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Oh, and if you have a dog... feel free to bring him along. In his stroller. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-27643876851414473342014-01-12T12:32:00.000+01:002014-01-12T13:31:12.750+01:00Instagram Recap: DecemberDecember flew by because I was counting down the days until my family's arrival in Milan. It began with all the usual things...<br />
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I took a trip to Parma, where I admired the ceiling of the baptistery.<br />
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Typical December weather for Milan: 40-50 F with just a slight chill in the air. For the first time in my life I didn't have a white Christmas, but I can't say I'm disappointed to have avoided the -50 F temperatures that the midwest U.S. has been experiencing.<br />
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I've since worked through the difficulties of baking with an ancient gas stove, and Greta and I put together this masterpiece of Frosty the Snowman - complete with a real carrot nose.<br />
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And more cupcakes... I'm starting to think I should just open up an American bakery somewhere in Italy.<br />
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I still can't figure out how this is done. I circled this person four times and stared in what was probably a slightly rude manner for a few minutes, and I'm no closer to discovering the secret of Levitation in an Italian Square Using Only a Pole.<br />
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Milan's massive Christmas tree arrived in Piazza del Duomo in late November and it was all decorated and lit up by December 1. Every town I visited over the holidays had some sort of big tree in their main square, but Milan's was definitely the largest.<br />
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The adjacent Via Dante was lit up as well with shimmering ornaments.<br />
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And finally, the family arrived, bringing with them my much anticipated Kindle. If you don't have one, I can't recommend it enough! <u>Especially</u> for traveling!<br />
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In the last week of December, we devoured dinner after dinner of delectable pastas...<br />
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... and a few glasses of wine...<br />
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... though Ben was always on the lookout for a beer. I don't think the Italian brews quiiiite reached the Wisconsin potency he's used to, though they do make up for it with their espressos.<br />
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We snooped around cathedral roofs in Milan...<br />
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... and admired Venice by boat (and later found ourselves lost in its dark, twisting alleys, but let's just admire this photo and assume a fabulous time was had by all!)<br />
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In Florence, we stood in awe of Michelangelo's <i>David</i>; at least, I did - everyone else thought his hand was grossly out of proportion and my sister cynically declared that any Michelangelo works we saw probably weren't even done by him, but rather by his apprentice "Johnny."<br />
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We strolled through Florence at night...<br />
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... usually with copious cups of hot chocolate which, if you've ever had hot chocolate in Europe, bears more similarity to chocolate pudding (definitely <b>not</b> complaining, they're delicious!)<br />
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We spent a gorgeous, sunny day at Pisa which was only mildly interrupted when Ben tried to crush Celia and I with the tower...<br />
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... and we finished off December - and 2013 - in Rome. Five years ago, I stood by the Trevi Fountain and tossed in a coin. They say that if you do this, you are destined to return again. It must hold some truth, because my 18 year old self never would have imagined that I'd be back in Rome someday - on the five year anniversary of my first visit, no less!<br />
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<b><i>Happy New Year!!!!</i></b></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-40422143995655376152014-01-09T14:45:00.002+01:002014-01-12T12:32:04.432+01:00Hotel Reviews: Milan, Florence, and RomeSomething I never write about on here is where you should stay if you're visiting Italy. That's because I usually bop through a town in one day; being the stingy traveler that I am, I'd rather walk around for 7+ hours and cram everything into one day than pay for a hotel or hostel. But in traveling with my family over the past week, hotels were obviously necessary. We spent two and a half days based in Milan, three and a half days based in Florence, and four and a half days based in Rome - plenty of time to decide whether or not the hotels we stayed in were worth a recommendation or not.<br />
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Like many of my travel decisions, I turned to Rick Steves for his God-like advice while choosing hotels, and 2 out of the 3 we stayed in came from his Italy book. I began booking for our late-December trip in mid-October, and I wouldn't suggest waiting much longer than that if you plan to visit during a busy tourist time (unfortunately, Christmas/New Years is <b>definitely </b>a busy tourist time).<br />
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<u>Milan - <a href="http://www.hotelpalazzostelline.it/en" target="_blank">Hotel Palazzo delle Stelline</a></u><br />
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Palazzo delle Stelline is a good choice if you prefer to be farther away from the busy, touristy city center of Milan. Because 99% of Milan's main attractions are clustered around the Duomo, so are 99% of the hotels. The majority of these are gimmicky and overpriced. You might think you're getting a good deal given their location, but you can save 100 Euros by choosing something a little less flashy and a little further away.<br />
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Palazzo delle Stelline is a quiet hotel in Milan that used to function as a monastery. You won't wake up next to the Duomo, but you will be right across the street from Santa Maria Delle Grazie, home of Da Vinci's <i>Last Supper, </i>and a ten minute walk from Cadorna Station, where you can access any of Milan's three metro lines and an express train to Malpensa Airport. To get to the Duomo area, it's just a 15 minute walk in more or less a straight line. You'll be amongst locals and have plenty of bars and cafes to pop into along your way - you'll notice that they're considerably less expensive and less crowded further away from the Duomo area.<br />
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TripAdvisor has been a bit too harsh to Palazzo delle Stelline, in my opinion. Most complaints are directed towards "boring rooms which lack charm," and "meager breakfast offerings." Like I said, if you want a lavish room, book near the Duomo, but be prepared for a lavish price. Our rooms at Palazzo delle Stelline were tidy, clean, had comfortable beds and functioning bathrooms. You don't need much more when you're spending the entire day outside sightseeing, anyway. As for the breakfast, I think we all agreed that Palazzo delle Stelline had a pretty good spread. You'll find the typical Italian breakfast fare; croissants and pastries, slices of cheese and ham, coffee and orange juice - but there's also a good selection of American fare, like bacon, eggs, cereal, yogurt, and fruit.<br />
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Single room: around 100 Euros/night<br />
Double room: around 175 Euros/night<br />
Suite: around 205 Euros/night<br />
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<u>Florence - <a href="http://www.bbflorencefirenze.com/en/ciompi-inn" target="_blank">Locanda de'Ciompi</a></u><br />
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We were all rather impressed with Locanda de'Ciompi. With only 5 rooms, it's less of a hotel and more of a bed and breakfast. I'm surprised we managed to get two rooms during the busy holiday time.<br />
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The owner is Alessio, and we all found him to be incredibly warm and welcoming. He clearly would have been quick to answer any of our questions - had we had any. The rooms are spacious and very charming, and the bathrooms were very nice as well.<br />
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The best thing about Locanda de'Ciompi is its location. It's a very quick ten minute walk to Piazza del Duomo. Located right in the piazza, the hard to miss cathedral of Florence is a good orientation point for getting around. The main streets that you'll take to get to other sights in the city all fan out from the piazza, making it very easy to walk anywhere. From the piazza, it's another ten minutes to get to the Santa Maria Novella train station. This is very convenient if you plan to do a day trip from Florence, or, if you're coming/going and have lots of luggage, it's only a 10-15 Euro cab ride to/from the hotel.<br />
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Breakfast was complimentary at the cafe next door and included juice, your choice of a form of caffeine, biscuits, and croissants. Not as much selection as other hotels, but I think everyone shares my sentiment that you'll want to save your calories for dinner, anyway.<br />
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Prices fluctuate depending on whether you're visiting in the midst of tourism season or not.<br />
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Single room: 50-60 Euros<br />
Double room: 60-85 Euros<br />
Triple room: 90-130 Euros<br />
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<u>Rome - <a href="http://www.hotelportoghesiroma.it/" target="_blank">Hotel Portoghesi</a></u><br />
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If you've ever seen <i>Eat, Pray, Love</i>, the scene where Julia Roberts gets out of a cab in Rome for the first time is shot right outside Hotel Portoghesi. Like our Florence hotel, what we liked most about this one was its fabulous location.<br />
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Rome can be incredibly confusing at first. It's rather vast and depending on where your hotel is, getting to a certain area for sightseeing can end up being costly or very time consuming. From Hotel Portoghesi, however, we were able to walk to each major area of Rome without much difficulty. It's situated right on the river and takes about 15 minutes to get to the Vatican, 30 minutes to walk to the Colosseum/ruins area (longer if you stop along the way to look at other things) and about 20 minutes to get to the north Rome/Spanish Steps area. You could feasibly walk to the Roma Termini train station as well, but with luggage, we found it easier to take a cab.<br />
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The rooms had slightly more charm than those of Milan, but lacked the character of our Florence hotel. The bathrooms were nice as well, and breakfast was average (assortment of carbs in the form of pastries and cereals, various juices, milk, and coffee). Nothing overly spectacular, but again, it's not like we planned to spend our time in the hotel anyway. With Hotel Portoghesi, the price is definitely due to the location.<br />
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Single room: 160 Euros<br />
Double room: 200 Euros<br />
Suite: 260 Euros<br />
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All bathrooms included complimentary soap, shampoo, and hairdryers.<br />
All hotels charged an extra tax: about 2-3 Euros per person, per night.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-68857215454669513162014-01-08T15:14:00.000+01:002014-01-12T12:31:48.893+01:00I Tried Venice Again And I Still Didn't Like ItAfter I visited Venice in September, I thought perhaps I was a bit too harsh in what I said about it. It is a gorgeous Italian city, after all; full of history and fantastic scenery and charming buildings. Maybe I was too mean when I called it the Wisconsin Dells of Italy.<br />
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So, when my family was here last week, I decided to give Venice another chance. After all, it is one of those bucket list things - it's cool to be able to say you've <i>seen</i> Venice. I thought we might regret not stopping by... we were in the area, after all.<br />
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So, Milan got the short end of the stick (one rainy evening and a few hours the following morning) so that we could spend the majority of the day in Venice. We arrived around 2pm and had tickets back to Milan booked for 8pm. This was about the same amount of time I had there on my first visit.<br />
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To refresh, what irked me about Venice the first time was how fake it seemed. The massive influx of tourists on a daily basis has forced Venice to adapt; thus, 90% of stores, restaurants, and sights on the tiny island cater towards an international audience at the cost of their Italian authenticity. Food is overpriced and souvenirs are mass produced. None of this was any different the second time around.<br />
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Another major negative to Venice are the crowds. My first visit was in late September, near the end of the summer/fall tourist rush. Even then, it was freakishly crowded. The second time around, it was late December - also a busy tourist time, and there were even more people packed into Venice's narrow streets than before.<br />
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Nevertheless, we plodded through the crowds and hopped on a water bus, which my mother likened to cattle being herded into a pen. Really, there was not an open space on that boat. The boat took us down the Grand Canal, which after trudging through the streets of Venice a few times now, I'd have to say is the way to go. You'll be able to see Venice's charm and beauty without the stress and confusion of navigating the hundreds of twisting alleys by foot. If I ever return, I think I'll just ride around on water busses all day and venture onto dry land only for food. Another perk of the water busses; the price. Venice is known for its gondola rides, which cost upwards of 80 Euros per hour. A water bus gives you more or less the same views of Venice - albeit with a few strangers along for the ride - but at a much lower price; 5 Euros for an hours' worth of bus transfers. You can also get a day long or 3 day long pass - each of which are <u>still</u> cheaper than one hour on a gondola.<br />
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We boated to Piazza San Marco with the thought that we could then spend the remaining time ambling back to the train station. The first time I visited, I would have loved to climb the tower in Piazza San Marco, enter the Dodge's Palace, and go into the Basilica of San Marco, but the massive crowds pretty much ensured that those things would only be accomplished if I stood in line for the remainder of my twenties. This time was no different; the line to climb the tower stretched back ridiculously far, as did the line to enter the Dodge's Palace. The entrance to the basilica was quite crowded as well, but we squeezed in for a quick look.<br />
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I didn't know quite what to expect, given the exterior's very Byzantine look, but whatever I thought the interior would look like, it certainly wasn't pure gold. Nearly every surface of the inside was covered in gold and mosaics - it was all very stunning.<br />
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A quick panini and gelato later, we began the confusing task of getting back to the train station. Venice's streets are utterly infuriating - at least for me. I'm pretty sure the rest of my family was getting a bit annoyed as well, whether it was with my inability to properly navigate, or the disorienting state of the streets themselves. Probably a bit of both. In any case, if you plan to visit Venice, I suggest actually <i>studying</i> the map beforehand, and using whatever sort of GPS feature you might have on your phone. You can try to follow the signs on buildings, which will direct you a certain way for a sight. The problem is, however, that with such twisting streets, there are about a hundred and one ways to get to any given place, and the signs tend to lead you around in circles a few times before you actually reach your destination.<br />
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After wandering around somewhat aimlessly among the hordes of people for the better part of 4 hours, we were all ready for a rest and some dinner. Now, I'm sure there is a beautiful, delicious, reasonably priced gem of a restaurant tucked away <i>somewhere</i> in Venice - somewhere that only the locals are aware of. We did not eat at that mystical, unknown place.<br />
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Rather, a waiter took advantage of our exhausted, slightly perturbed state and lured us into his... er... fine establishment. Imagine one of those Party City stores in the U.S. that sell cheap, flimsy decorations for any sort of themed party you can think of. Now imagine you're walking down the Italy aisle of that store, and that will give you a spot-on idea of the interior of the restaurant we ate at. At that point, it was all we could do to just embrace the metallic silver streamers hanging from the ceiling and cardboard palm tree cutouts on the wall.<br />
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Like in my last post about Venice, I do have to give it some credit. I think everyone agreed that it's a very charming city, and at the very least, it's clear why so many people flock there. The buildings are full of character and the canals make everything utterly picturesque. Given enough time and patience, I'm sure the historic sights and museums are well-worth a visit, too. And, though overpriced, the food is certainly delicious.<br />
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If you have been to Venice and loved it, I am envious of your ability to do so. If you are planning to go at some point, don't listen to my cynical opinion because it really is just that - an opinion. I want to love Venice, and I want others who go there to love Venice. So here are my suggestions: give yourself two days and one night to allow for a more relaxed visit and plenty of time to accidently get lost (it will happen). Also, avoid visiting from May-October and over the holiday (end of December-beginning of January). Like most of Italy, Venice should be quieter and far less busy around November/early December, and late January to April. I really think that fewer crowds would make a big difference in the experience. Finally, understand that you're getting a manufactured Italian experience, not necessarily a real one. That doesn't make it bad, it just makes it... like the Disneyland of Italy. There, that's less harsh than comparing it to Wisconsin Dells, right?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-42938434353679437182013-12-30T20:59:00.000+01:002014-01-12T12:31:08.702+01:00By the way...I'm currently bopping around the country with my family. I'll have more posts up in about a week. <i>Buona feste a tutti! </i><br />
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<i><br /></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-63529936056945100162013-12-24T15:16:00.000+01:002014-01-12T12:31:19.999+01:00Parma: Romanesque Cathedrals Parma is home to about a million churches, just like every other Italian city. But what makes Parma different is that nearly every one (at least, every one that I saw) is built in the Romanesque style.<br />
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Romanesque architecture is easily recognizable. It incorporates the architectural styles of ancient Roman and Byzantine churches with the following features: thick walls, rounded arches, large piers, barrel vaults, arcading, and towers. In short: kind of <i>boring.</i> Romanesque churches are typically smaller than later styles, and those that <u>are</u> large get their size from width, not height. They aren't as glamorous as the later gothic style, which tends to be saturated with intricate sculpture, stained glass windows, impressive cross-vaults with fancy fanned details, and enormous pillars.<br />
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Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan is a great example of Romanesque architecture. The facade is pretty plain; just a boring expanse of brick with very few decorative features.<br />
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Romanesque facades tend to eclipse all the business going on in the back of the church, where any number of domes and semi-circular apses - adopted from Byzantine architecture -overlap each other.<br />
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There's a Romanesque church on nearly every street in Parma. Some look like Santa Maria delle Grazie with plain, brick facades.<br />
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Others have had fancier plaster or marble facades overlaid at some point along with more decorative features, but the basic form is the same. </div>
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It's easy to see which facades aren't original and have been dolled up over the years - the rest of the church is still plain old brick.<br />
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Parma's cathedral is also built in the Romanesque style. Construction began in 1059 and was completed by 1178 - a testament to how relatively uncomplex these churches were compared to later styles, which could take multiple centuries to complete.<br />
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Because it's a cathedral and not just a church, it's fairly large. The body of the church is best described as a collection of various geometrical shapes mashed onto one another. </div>
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I prefer Gothic exteriors to Romanesque, but when it come to the inside, Romanesque wins. Gothic interiors tend to be mainly stone and stained glass. Their sheer size makes them impressive, but they lack the frescoes that most Romanesque interiors are covered in. </div>
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Parma's cathedral is a prime example of these lavishly frescoed interiors - nearly every surface is covered.<br />
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And, like all cathedrals, it is made up of a nave (the main aisle) and two side aisles. Romanesque architecture utilizes rounded arches to separate the three aisles.<br />
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Parma's cathedral departs from the simple, basic piers that are a staple of Romanesque. Here, they've surrounded them with smaller shafts, just like Milan's cathedral (though they clearly lack the massive size of those in Milan). <br />
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The best part about Romanesque architecture is that it almost always involves a dome of some size. In the larger churches and cathedrals, this means that the interior will be beautifully painted. Wall frescoes are great, but the proportions of a dome make for a stunning perspective when painted. </div>
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Painted by Girolamo Mazzola Bedoli in 1538, "Christ, Mary, Saints, and Angels in Glory" depicts...well, Christ, Mary, saints and angels in glory, I suppose. I guess they look like they're having a glorious time?<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-87317945557764306842013-12-22T19:26:00.001+01:002014-01-12T12:30:21.897+01:00Parma: Parmesan, Palazzos, & Pastels Parma has jumped to the top of my favorite Italian cities list. Not many tourists make a point of visiting, and they should. I found it to be a gorgeous, charming town - albeit a tad confusing to get around. Usually I'm lost with a purpose, but in Parma, I was usually just plain lost.<br />
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Parma's roots go all the way back to the Bronze Age; 1500ish BC. It's thought that the first major buildings were constructed on the modern day Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Macina. Parma was founded by the Etruscans, a powerful force in Italy for centuries before Rome more or less engulfed them into its empire. Most historians speculate that the name Parma came from the Etruscan word for shield; maybe because the original settlement was shaped like a round Etruscan shield, or maybe because of its orientation, which faced north and thus shielded the settlement from the vicious Gauls. The Romans came in around 145 BC and the city was subsequently destroyed, rebuilt, attacked, and repaired numerous times as a part of the Empire until the early Middle Ages, when it was sacked by none other than Attila the Hun. Following this, Parma changed hands a number of times; Germans, Goths, Byzantines each ruled the city for some time. Eventually, the Lombard kingdom of Italy took over.<br />
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However, nearly everything you see in Parma today comes from the 13th century AD or later, like the Palazzo della Pilotta. It (like much of Parma's architecture) was built in pale tan brick, which is a welcome change after seeing so much red brick in other Italian cities. <br />
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A large destroyed portion showcases the damage that was done by WWI and WWII bombings. </div>
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You can stroll through the courtyard where the who's who of royalty used to mingle.<br />
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Or wander through the <i>Cortile della Pilotta</i> which used to serve as a grand hall.<br />
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Not too far away is the Palazzo del Governatore, which serves as a main town square. </div>
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It's a hodgepodge of buildings from various centuries... </div>
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... and has recently been taken over by a festive tree. </div>
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What made me fall in love with Parma was, surprisingly, not the historical architecture. Rather, it was the regular buildings, apartments, and shops. </div>
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Each one is bright and colorful. On their own, some are rather atrocious, but when they're mashed together it somehow works. <br />
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Many were various pastel shades, making the city look like a giant easter egg.<br />
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Some of the buildings give you a glimpse into their age, like the pink plaster that has been put over original brick, and the modern window built haphazardly over the old one.<br />
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Or the new grey brick facade put over an old, brown brick building. </div>
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Of course, Parma is full of cheese and meat shops. It's known for its parmesan cheese and prosciutto and there is no shortage of places to sample and buy.<br />
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Adding to Parma's charm is its calm. Once you get off a main street, you'll find yourself practically alone. Aside from Varenna on Lake Como, it's the calmest Italian town I've visited.<br />
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The best thing about Parma is its plethora of Romanesque churches. But that's another post entirely! </div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-14686465838036854592013-12-19T14:52:00.000+01:002014-01-12T12:29:45.481+01:00Living Abroad: A Few Things I've Sort of Effed Up (Part I)<div>
In my three and a half months in Italy, I've accomplished some fairly impressive things which I can say I'm quite proud of. But I've also made some really, really idiotic mistakes, and let's be honest, those make for a more interesting read. From simple cultural differences to some kind of serious snafus, here are a few of my biggest mistakes. Take notes - you might not want to repeat these.<br />
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<b>1. When I boarded a regional train without validating my ticket</b><br />
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Taking the train in Italy is super easy, and Milan Central station connects to pretty much anywhere you'd want to go. Just arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled departure, buy your ticket from a self-serve kiosk to avoid long lines, and you're good to go. Oh, and if you're taking a regional train, make sure to get a time stamp on your ticket before you board. Otherwise, you risk a 50 Euro fine from an angry conductor when he comes around to check tickets. He might glare at you like you're an idiot, and he might yell at you in rapid Italian. This might happen <i>before</i> your language skills are good enough to fully comprehend. A kind passenger might offer to translate for you, but then again, they might not. Maybe you'll just mumble something like "<i>Mi dispiace, sono turista, non ho saputo</i>," (I'm sorry, I'm a tourist, I didn't know). Maybe, if you're lucky, the angry conductor will let you off with a warning. Maybe. Then again, you're reading this, so of course you'll avoid such a silly mistake! And honestly, who would be naive enough to <u>not</u> time stamp their regional train ticket? Psht. Novice error.</div>
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<b>2. When I tried to enter the Duomo wearing shorts and a tank top</b></div>
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Honestly, I should have known better. Jesus doesn't like knees and shoulders make God uncomfortable. Yet in my second week in Milan, I waltzed right up to the massive Duomo door wearing my notorious hot pink J. Crew shorts and a tank top. The guard took one look at me and shook his head. It wasn't until I noticed a well illustrated sign depicting proper cathedral attire that I realized I was pretty much on par with a prostitute, at least for Catholic church standards. Save yourself a little embarrassment and a lot of time by arriving in the right clothes. </div>
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<b>3. When I locked myself out of the apartment</b><br />
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Now this was a fiasco. I spent an entire night in the very cold, very hard-floored foyer of my apartment because I was locked out. To top it off, I inadvertently attended a Latin mass at Santa Maria delle Grazie the following morning. It's too painful to recap... just read <a href="http://www.emebis.blogspot.it/2013/09/the-last-eight-hours-have-been-rather.html" target="_blank"><b>this</b></a> post.</div>
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<b>4. When I got too snap-happy in a Bergamo museum</b></div>
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Let this be a eulogy to a blog post that never was, because the heart of it - a few dozen fabulous pictures of <b>amazing</b> medieval and Renaissance art - was torn from me and unceremoniously deleted as I stood by and cried. Yes, I knew photos weren't allowed. Yes, the gallery was rather small and the guard was clearly on alert for suspicious camera behavior. Yes, I managed to capture a pre-Renaissance Botticelli anyway. I really thought I was clever, and I was already writing an introduction and some captions in my head when the guard actually grabbed my camera out of my hands and started deleting photos - somehow, she really knew her way around an Olympus EPL-5. Moral of the story: as painful as it is to abide, don't try to sneak photos. Having your precious camera ripped from your hands hurts far more. (She didn't catch my iPhone though, and this Lorenzo Monaco escaped with its life.)</div>
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<b>5. When I packed way too much and all the wrong things</b></div>
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You know that saying, "pack light?" It's really sage advice. I thought I did pretty well - I got everything I wanted for 8+ months into two medium sized suitcases. Turns out, I have far more than I need. Neglected Sperrys and sundresses have since been repacked. The three new toothbrushes I brought remain untouched (did I think toothbrushes hadn't yet made an appearance on the Italian dental hygiene scene yet?) Sweaters and shirts have been replaced by far more attractive things I've purchased here in Italy's fashion capital. And then there are the things I <i>didn't </i>bring: comfy hooded sweatshirts, winter pajamas, and enough socks, just to name a few. However, having too many things here with me combined with separation from the rest of my material possessions has made me realize that in the big scheme of things, none of them are necessary. So I guess it's taught me a somewhat humbling life lesson. Not saying I won't be ridiculously happy to sleep in a queen-sized bed with five pillows and an enormous comforter again, though. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-14607144764670027732013-12-17T23:38:00.001+01:002014-01-12T12:29:26.589+01:00Bologna: BaloneyBologna (boh-lone-yuh) is a beautiful city in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, known for its plethora of medieval architecture and its many towers. It's just an hour away from Milan on the fast <i>Frecciarossa </i>trains.<br />
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It first pops up in the history books around 1000 BC, when it was ruled by the ancient Etruscans. Then the Celts swept in, then the Romans, and it became its own municipality sometime in the Middle Ages. It's home to the oldest university <i>in the world</i>, the University of Bologna, founded in 1088 AD. Galileo Galilei was once a full-time lecturer there! Thanks to its lengthy past and some fantastic restoration/conservation policies implemented in the 1970's, Bologna boasts some of the best preserved medieval architecture in all of Italy. I've been eager to go for quite some time... but sadly, I don't think Bologna and I are meant to be friends. You might say my trip to Bologna was baloney.<br />
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After a few weekends of trying to go and having things come up, I finally got myself to Milan Central Station last Saturday. Here, the first of many, many things went wrong. I had intended to take the 10:15am train, but it was nearly booked up with only the pricier business class tickets remaining. Being the stingy traveller that I am, I opted to wait awhile for the next train. Little did I know, this one was not one of the speedy <i>Frecciarossa</i> trains I've become accustomed to. This was a slower train which would get me to Bologna in 2 and a half hours instead of 1 hour flat. Of course, I realized this once we were pulling out of the station at the pace of a snail, and by then it was too late. I arrived in Bologna nearly three hours later than I intended.<br />
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Bologna's train station is located fairly close to the city center. I took a quick look at the map on my phone and set out to find Via dell'Independenzia, which is a busy, main street that would take me directly to the historic center of the city. Unfortunately, due to my terrible navigational skills and a problem called I Always Hold the Map in the Wrong Orientation, I set off confidently in the completely wrong direction. After a few minutes, I found myself in what would probably be referred to as "the wrong side of the tracks" in Bologna. I scurried back to the train station to try again.<br />
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After awhile I located Via dell'Independenzia (like, <i>right</i> outside the train station, <i>obviously</i>) and set off for the center. I picked up this glorious pizza with caramelized onions and ham on my way, followed by the creamiest gelato I've had to date. Little did I know, they would be the high points of my day (cue ominous music).<br />
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I got to the center and went immediately to find the St. Petronius Basilica. It's the fifteenth largest church <i>in the world </i>and was at one point meant to outdo St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. It never quite reached that point; in fact, it was never actually finished. To this day, the facade is half beautiful marble (like Milan or Florence's cathedrals), half hideous brown brick. I really would have liked to see this juxtaposition in person, but as I crossed Piazza Maggiore my heart sank; the entire facade was covered in hideous scaffolding! A guard told me that the interior was closed for restorations, but I could climb the scaffolding if I wanted to. Well... sure, why not.<br />
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In hindsight, it might not have been the wisest decision. The makeshift stairs that wove their way up the side of the church were frighteningly rickety. As I made my way up, all I could think about was the fact that I had just signed a waiver which, despite being written in Italian legal jargon, I'm pretty sure said that I couldn't hold the church or restoration company responsible for any injuries obtained from said rickety scaffolding. Anyway, I made it to the top alive and managed to get a few good photos despite the fact that the structure I stood on was literally swaying back and forth with the wind.<br />
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Another bothersome thing? That smudge on the photo above and a few others. Apparently I need to clean my lens.<br />
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But things continued to go negatively for me when I was approached by a rather attractive gentleman who, to my surprise, struck up a conversation. Why, you ask, is this negative? Well, it <i>wouldn't</i> have been, except for the fact that the delicious pizza I had eaten left me with terribly oniony and garlicky breath! So <b>obviously</b>, in all my travels thus far, <i>this</i> would be the day that a cute boy decided to speak to me! I pretended I was really cold and muttered most of my replies into my scarf, so he probably thought I had a weird disfigurement of the mouth or something. I rationalized it by telling myself I was in Italy to see all of the art and architecture I'm obsessed with, not to seduce cute boys, but I mean...<i> come on.</i><br />
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At this point I was in a mood as foul as my breath. I was about to have another stroke of bad luck as I crossed Piazza Maggiore. A pigeon few right into my head! It flapped and fluttered and got all tangled in my hair for five of the longest seconds in my life. <i>Perfect, </i>I thought. <i>Now I have garlic breath and bird parasites. </i><br />
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Not even the plethora of festive Christmas sights strewn about the city's ancient streets could pull me out of my dreadful mood...<br />
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Eventually, I ended up at the base of one of Bologna's many towers. I wrote in my posts about <a href="http://www.emebis.blogspot.it/2013/10/verona-past-and-present.html" target="_blank">Verona</a> that in the Middle Ages, towers were how wealthy families showed off to one another. As one of the most prosperous medieval cities in Europe, Bologna had a ridiculous amount of these towers. Peasants were often employed to build the towers, and an average 60 meter high tower took anywhere between five years to a decade. This photo shows what the city probably looked like a few centuries ago.<br />
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Today, around twenty of those towers remain. The most recognizable is the very tall, very thin Asinelli Tower. It's located at what used to be an intersection of roads which led to the five gates of the medieval town. For three Euros, I got a ticket to trudge up the 200+ stairs (a piece of cake after climbing Brunelleschi's Dome in <a href="http://www.emebis.blogspot.it/2013/11/florence-climbing-brunelleschis-dome_25.html" target="_blank">Florence</a>!). The tower itself is extremely narrow, so the stairway up is a series of steep, wooden stairs and various platforms.<br />
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I finally reached the top and was greeted by a massive crowd of people squeezed onto the very tiny roof. I practically had to fight my way through with a sword to get to the edge to take photos. The domed building on the bottom left is the church of San Domenico, above it is the Basilica of San Petronius, which looks over Piazza Maggiore, and the large street on the right is Via dell'Independenzia.<br />
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At this point, I realized I wasn't just surrounded by other tourists, I was surrounded by <i>couples</i>. Literally every person up there was with a significant other. It was as if I had invaded some sort of enormous group date! <i>I smell like a clove of garlic, there are bird fleas crawling through my hair, and I am all by my lonesome in one of the most romantic countries in the world,</i> I thought bitterly.<br />
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I planned to stomp down the stairs furiously, hoping to bring the tower crumbling down along with all its lovesick occupants. But my plans were thwarted by the woman ahead of me. She moved slower than a quadriplegic sloth and grasped the railing as if each step were a life or death situation. I tried to brush by her once or twice, which resulted in a head on collision on the narrow stairs with someone on their way up. I was stuck. It had taken me about fifteen minutes to climb the tower, and it took me nearly thirty to descend.<br />
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By the time I got down, I was certain nothing could make my day worse. Of course, I was wrong. As I paused to watch a street performer doing a juggling act, I felt a slight tug on my boot. I looked down; the performer's dog was biting my leg and trying to pull me into the circle where the juggling act was taking place. Why? Why me? Of all the people standing around, the dog had viciously singled me out! What did this dog have against me?! I was rescued by the street performer, who had to stop in the middle of his juggling routine to get his dog off me. I smelled like garlic, I very likely had a bird disease by now, I was all alone and probably destined to be so forever, and a rabid dog wanted to kill me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Barney, NO! Don't try to eat the tourists!"</td></tr>
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By now it was dusk, so I started to make my way back to the train station. <i>The only thing that would make this worse, </i>I thought to myself, <i>is if I juuuuust miss the train and have to wait a million years for the next one.</i> Sure enough, I arrived two minutes after a train had just departed for Milan. I waited an hour for the next one, which just happened to be delayed by 25 minutes.<br />
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So my trip to Bologna definitely wasn't perfect. You know when you're really angry with someone and you have a slew of vicious text messages ready to be sent, and you know you should wait to cool down before choosing wether or not to send them? Perhaps I should have waited to write this post and come up with something a little more positive instead. Or perhaps I should just hit <i>Publish.</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-56235445360598247632013-12-10T13:49:00.000+01:002014-01-12T12:28:38.086+01:00Living Abroad: 10 Things to LOVE About Italy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So there's no Target and a severe lack of clean, <i>free</i> public restrooms here. But honestly whatever, because my bank account doesn't need a store full of goodies to purchase impulsively, and as for the bathrooms, well, just drink your daily 8 oz of water in the security of your own home, eh? Italy is full of things that more than make up for these minor inconveniences. Here are 10 of them - some of them obvious, others you might not have guessed.<br />
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1. Art</div>
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Obviously. But seriously. The Louvre may have Mona Lisa, but Italy has an impressive list of famous works spanning centuries. Everyone knows where the well known ones are; the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, for example, houses numerous Botticelli and Michelangelo works. But you can just as easily pop into an obscure museum or gallery in a small town and find something worth seeing, like Andrea Mantegna's <i>Madonna and Child</i> below. Bergamo and Padua both have impressive collections, and often times these smaller places will have works by famous names <i>before</i> they were famous. Sometimes, those are more interesting to see!</div>
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2. Buildings/Architecture</div>
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You'd be hard pressed to find a boring suburb with matching white fences and identical houses anywhere in Italy. No matter where you go, everything has a quaint, historical look to it. Nothing really matches, yet it all mashes together in some sort of architectural harmony. I found this especially true in Verona, where it was hard to tell if a building was from 1400 or 1900 and every colorful street corner is a photographer's dream. Here in Milan, Mussolini implemented hideous fascist architecture after WWI bombings destroyed much of the city, but there are still colorful facades and quaint little balconies to be found sandwiched between the stark grey 20th century architecture. Oh, and the cathedrals, of course.</div>
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3. Delicious pasta and convenient gelato </div>
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I've recently done a bit of complaining about the pasta situation here in Italy. By that, I mean I ranted on Facebook that I "CANNOT EAT ANOTHER CARB!" That referred more to the fact that the go-to meal here always involves some variation on white flour and starch. However, loading up on focaccia for lunch won't make the spaghetti at dinner any less delicious! I think the biggest difference between 'real' Italian pasta and the stuff at home is in the sauce. Here, it actually tastes like you're taking a bite out of a fresh, ripe tomato instead of one that grew under the watchful eyes of Prego food scientists. Another difference is that the pasta itself is almost always <i>al dente. </i>And if you like cheese on top, forget that weird powdered parmesan that comes in a shaker, and don't even think about getting a bag of pre-shredded cheese to save time. That stuff tastes like shreds of mushy sodium compared to the freshly grated cheese here.</div>
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As for the gelato, well that should be obvious. Going to get ice cream back at home meant hopping in the car and getting either a) a pint of Ben and Jerry's that you <u>swear</u> will last you a week, although you secretly know that 'week' means 'one night,' or b) hunting down an ice cream shop that's halfway across town. Here in Italy, it's as easy as walking a block or two. No matter where you start from, you're bound to run into a <i>gelateria</i> far, far sooner rather than later. </div>
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4. Accessibility </div>
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Which brings me to my next point; Italy has proven remarkably easy to get around. Every town I've visited has been seen by foot - I haven't taken public transportation once. Keep in mind I'm walking entire cities in the span of a few hours. Cities may look daunting on a map, but they're really easily accessible by foot. As for Italy at large, the train system is easy peasy. Milan Central Station has connections to practically anywhere, making travel really simple. </div>
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5. Not much of a language barrier</div>
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If an Italian moved to America with only very basic English skills, I think it would be a bit more difficult for them than it has been for me in Italy with, to start, basic Italian skills (I can proudly call myself intermediate at this point). Even if they were in a huge city like New York, they'd probably have to put in a little work to seek out fellow Italian speakers. But here in Italy, I've really been amazed at how many people know English. When I speak to someone, one of two things happens: 1) My Italian is alright, but my accent is obviously English and the person will just respond in English. 2) My Italian is awful and I resort to speaking in English, to which the person easily responds. Now, to be honest, this has been extremely frustrating at times. I'm trying to <i>improve</i> my Italian language skills, after all. But for any Americans visiting Italy whose "<i>Ciao!" </i>sounds like "CHOW!" it's sure to be a bit of a relief. Plus, you can always find someone looking to improve their English who will in turn help you with your Italian.</div>
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6. Leggings ARE pants!</div>
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America seems to have this constant debate about whether or not leggings are pants. That doesn't really seem to matter here. Leggings, ankle boots, and an oversized sweater or tunic seem to be nearly every young person's outfit of choice, and that is <u>fine</u> with me. Really, when it comes to fashion here, you can't go wrong. In Milan you'll see people dressed to the nines to get groceries, or people dressed casually eating out at a nice restaurant, but in either scenario, they look put together. To achieve both looks at once, start with leggings - they're comfortable and chic! </div>
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7. High quality, handmade goods</div>
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If you're looking for a souvenir to bring back for your friends and family, please please for the love of God don't buy a green "ITALIA" sweatshirt or "I LOVE ITALY" keychain. Spend a day strolling around the less touristy parts of whatever town you're in and you'll eventually happen across a little shop that sells handmade leather bags, handmade jewelry, handmade clothes, handmade trinkets... you get the idea. There are plenty of stores like that here, and they all sell beautiful, <b>unique</b>, well-made items. </div>
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8. Apertivo!!</div>
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So long, American happy hour. You're worthless. Here in Italy, everyone relaxes with <i>apertivo. </i>Between 8pm and 10pm, bars put out buffets of food, ranging from small snacks like olives and bruschetta, to entire dishes of pasta, meats, and desserts. The best part? You can eat as much as you want for free as long as you buy a drink. Depending on where you go, the cover cost of your drink will vary, but I've found they don't go too much higher than 10 euros. The pricier the drink, the better the buffet, and it still ends up being far less than you'd pay for a drink and a meal normally.</div>
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9. Things are sloooooower</div>
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Compared to America, where everything is go-go-go, Italy moves at the pace of a snail. This isn't s<i>o</i> obvious in Milan, which is considered (by Italians) more of a business-oriented city. But most shops will still shut down between 1pm and 3pm for lunch, and if you go out for dinner it can be quite a long affair. People don't seem to have that "Oh my God I'm so late for work I have to rush out the door spilling coffee all over myself," mentality that we tend to get in America. They take their time with things, especially mealtimes, and they always find a moment to relax and just enjoy existing (or co-existing with a bottle of wine, I should say). </div>
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10. Scenery</div>
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Plain and simple, Italy is beautiful. Here in northern Italy, mountains create a gorgeous backdrop for many cities, and as you go farther south the gorgeous coastline becomes the star. The canals in Venice, the hills of Bergamo, Lake Como... the list is endless! The landscape is breathtaking anywhere you go, and fortunately, there are plenty of medieval towers to climb from which to appreciate the views.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-68680964452645461652013-12-08T18:08:00.000+01:002014-01-12T12:28:17.764+01:00Christmas in MilanIn case you couldn't tell from all the Christmas related photos on my Instagram Recap post,<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> <b><i><u>I LOVE CHRISTMAS</u></i></b>!</span> It's my favorite holiday - it's just so festive and joyful! I'm always the one to get the Christmas ball rolling at home by forcing everyone to participate in decorating the house the day after Thanksgiving. I can only imagine what barren, garland-less state it must be in without my presence.<br />
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I am rather sad I'm not in my own cozy home decked out with Christmas things, but Milan's festive sights are making up for it. The city started to get dressed up in November and it is now in full Christmas mode!<br />
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Window displays are always chic and beautiful here in Italy's fashion capital, but now they're wonderfully over the top with Christmas flair!<br />
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Via Dante, the pedestrian-only street connecting Piazza del Duomo and Castello Sforzesca, has been draped with massive ornaments and glittering lights.<br />
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And then there's the Duomo and its enormous tree...<br />
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Right behind the Duomo is a big Christmas market.<br />
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Tents sell everything from kitschy decorations, hats, gloves, and scarves...<br />
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...to various cheeses, olives, and meats...<br />
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...dried and candied fruits, and amazing smelling pastries and breads!<br />
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Everything is alive and buzzing with the Christmas spirit! Including me, obviously! I've punctuated every sentence with an exclamation mark! I can't even write this post with any of my usual sarcastic remarks because I'm so full of holiday love! Joy to the world! Peace on earth! Goodwill to men! And women and children, because this is 2013, people.<br />
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Ah, there. Christmas can't hide all my cynicism. But really, happy holidays to everyone back at home!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-39472855560480241822013-12-05T13:20:00.000+01:002014-01-12T12:27:53.500+01:00Instagram Recap: NovemberDidn't I just post this for October? November came and went in the blink of an eye. Maybe it went so quickly because I wasn't counting down the days of class left until Thanksgiving break, or <strike>half-heartedly</strike> studying really hard for midterms. Either way, somewhere in the beginning of November I made the shift from feeling like I was visiting Italy to feeling like I was really living in Italy. Now that it's December, the countdown to my family's arrival has begun, and I can't wait to show them around!<br />
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"Dear Father Christmas, for Christmas I would please like: XBOX, but can you please bring me two because I have a sister. Thank you! A roll of paper for drawing. Oh and I forgot, can you bring me also a game for the XBOX? For example, FIFA 13? THANK YOU! Merry Christmas, Tobia Pizzoli." Tobia had a hard time coming up with things he wanted for Christmas this year - he just <i>really</i> wants an XBOX! He also made sure to write "a roll of paper <b>for drawing</b>" because he didn't want Santa to think he meant a roll of toilet paper.<br />
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I firmly believe this cat I found wandering around at Pitti Palace is the reincarnation of Cosimo de'Medici. Can't you see it in his eyes? He just has the look of a Renaissance banking lord.<br />
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This beautiful cappucino is from....McDonalds!! Have you ever seen anything so classy from a McDonalds in the States? Not that I frequent them regularly (this cappucino is probably the first McDonalds purchase I've made in 5 years) but I did notice the ones here are just nicer overall than those back home. And, understandably, they offer a vast array of coffee/espresso/cappucino drinks.<br />
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The Duomo in Milan is exquisite on sunny days! The brighter the day, the brighter the church. I don't think I'll ever get sick of walking past it on a gorgeous day, or popping inside to admire the architecture on a rainy day.</div>
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Street music in Palazzo della Repubblica in Florence</div>
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This photo already appeared in my <a href="http://www.emebis.blogspot.it/2013/11/florence-climbing-brunelleschis-dome_25.html" target="_blank">post</a> about Brunelleschi's dome, but I love it so... here it is again.<br />
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My friend Becky knows my love of Harry Potter, so she sent me this photo of a hand-knitted Dobby. I think it's the greatest thing ever! Don't worry, she gave it a sock, so he's a free elf.<br />
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Tobia's basketball coach pulled out all the stops for team pictures with an all-out photo shoot, which Tobia really got into. He loves football and basketball and wants to be a professional football player, but with his charisma, I think he needs to start auditioning for musicals and plays!<br />
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Not the most appealing photo, but words cannot illustrate how <i>vicious</i> the mosquitoes here are! Somehow, they get in the apartment and they literally eat me alive in my sleep. I've been cursed with perpetually dramatic reactions to mosquito bites and bee stings, so you can imagine my horror upon discovering Italian mosquitoes are freakishly large and aggressive.<br />
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I've been really excited to see the enormous tree I was told appears in Piazza del Duomo for Christmas, and I wasn't disappointed! This thing is massive! I have no idea how they transported it through the narrow streets and alleys of Milan, but who cares? I can't wait to see it decorated.<br />
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Speaking of Christmas trees, the apartment has been decked out as well!<br />
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The green thing on the top is from United Colors of Benneton. It used to be a comfy, cozy sweater as big as the pink one underneath. Then I washed it... hung it up to dry... and learned the hard way that wool has to be washed by hand with extra care to avoid creating a 90's crop top catastrophe.<br />
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My obsession with Christmas, as well as a few years of working at Bath and Body Works over the holidays means that I have a love and appreciation for holiday packaging. I became ridiculously excited when I saw a snowflake on the Nutella jar and biscuits in festive shapes.<br />
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St. Anthony's Basilica boasted one of the most lavishly decorated interiors I've ever seen. I got this photo before my phone died. Padua clearly wasn't my best trip, photography wise, but I might return another day to remedy that.<br />
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I took a day trip to Padua to see the Scrovegni Chapel (famously frescoed by Giotto). That took up most of my time, but I managed to hunt down the beautiful Basilica of St. Anthony. It's a gorgeous, multi-domed church, which you can't really tell from this over-filtered Instagram photo. Sadly, I forgot my real camera, so this is the best I have for now!</div>
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More Christmas decorations from around Milan!<br />
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Finally, a massive stained glass window from inside the Duomo. This photo was taken on a cloudy day, so you can just imagine what it looks like when the sun is shining. <i>Bellissima! </i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-3061554611937558012013-12-02T16:46:00.000+01:002014-01-12T12:26:50.205+01:00Florence: Palazzo PittiMy random wanderings on my day trip to Florence brought me to Ponte Vecchio, an old bridge which crosses the river Arno. It is believed that Ponte Vecchio was built in the Roman times, though it doesn't make an appearance in historical documents until 996. Since then, it has been destroyed by the river and rebuilt a number of times. What makes Ponte Vecchio unusual are the shops that run along each side; they used to house butchers and blacksmiths, but today are occupied by jewelry shops.<br />
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The shift from dead cows to diamonds can perhaps be attributed to Cosimo I de'Medici and Giorgio Vasari (remember Vasari from the last post? He painted part of the Santa Maria del Fiore frescoes). The Medici were Florence's reigning family during the Renaissance. They rose to power as bankers and over the years produced several important Florentine figures, including a couple of popes. Of course, the fact that a wealthy banking family secured the papacy more than once absolutely <i>does not</i> mean that the Catholic church was corrupt. But I digress.<br />
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In 1565, Cosimo de'Medici had Vasari build a corridor above Ponte Vecchio so that he could travel from the Palazzo Vecchio, which was Florence's town hall, to the Palazzo Pitti, his residence, without mingling with the commoners. To heighten the corridor's prestige, he made it illegal for butchers to sell on the bridge, and their shops were taken over by gold merchants.<br />
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Ponte Vecchio is great for people watching, gelato eating, and apparently, for ensuring everlasting love. In several different spots you can see clusters of padlocks, part of a growing trend in which star crossed lovers write their names on a lock and toss the key into the river.<br />
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Once you get to the other side of the river, it's a short walk to the Palazzo Pitti, or Pitti Palace. The heart of the palace dates back to 1458, when it was the home of Luca Pitti, a Florentine banker. The Medici bought the palace in 1549 and expanded it to the size it is today. It housed generations of powerful families until the late 18th century when Napoleon rudely stormed in. He used it as a military base for a few years, but it lay empty for almost a century after his departure. It was donated to the city of Florence by King Victor Emmanuel III in 1919 and today houses several art collections, including that of the Medici family.<br />
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The interior of the palace is, as one might expect, lavish and beautiful. Visitors can walk through the royal apartments, which consist of 14 gorgeously decorated rooms covered in art collected by the Medici. Walls are lined with colorful satin, the ceilings are covered in frescoes, and enormous chandeliers cast sparkling light all around. Of course, photography isn't permitted. The horrendous photos below are the result of my attempts to inconspicuously snap a few shots.<br />
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The palace is home to several other attractions as well, including a costume gallery, modern art gallery, porcelain museum, and the Boboli Gardens.<br />
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The Boboli Gardens are a massive expanse of Alice in Wonderland-esque statues and shrubbery. They stretch far beyond the palace and you could easily spend a few hours walking through the entire thing.<br />
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I got lost for awhile and found myself going in circles, but eventually made it to the other end of the garden. I was greeted by a murky green pond and a statue of Titan topped off with a crane posing casually atop his head.<br />
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You can see all of Florence sprawled out beneath you, as well as a gorgeous view of the back of the palace.<br />
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If you're lucky, you might run into Cosimo de'Medici himself, reincarnated in the form of a shabby cat.<br />
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By the time I was done at Palazzo Pitti, it was dark out and things were beginning to close. I had spent nearly four hours wandering around the palace and the gardens! If I had another day in Florence, this wouldn't be a problem, but if you're making a day trip there, budget your time better than I did. You shouldn't miss out on the palace, but I'd suggest skipping the gardens unless the weather is really nice and only spending an hour or so inside the palace, otherwise you'll find yourself out of time like I did. Then again, Florence is just as charming by night! <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-46224675252484386832013-11-25T22:19:00.000+01:002014-01-12T12:26:16.654+01:00Florence: Climbing Brunelleschi's Dome<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I made an impromptu visit to Florence last weekend, and in my typical travel style, didn't really plan anything ahead of time. Florence is both perfect and terrible for this type of approach. On the one hand, there are <i>so many</i> things to do in Florence, you can easily just show up, wander around, and see plenty without giving it much advance thought. On the other hand, many of the attractions are pretty important, like the Uffizi Gallery, which houses the world's best collection of Renaissance art, or Michaleangelo's <i>David</i> at Accademia. Both of these require reservations ahead of time, so if you don't plan for that, your chances of getting in are slim to none. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Since I'll be returning to Florence in December with my family, I just wanted to get a feel for the city in an attempt to avoid a "blind leading the blind" scenario come December. There was only one thing I absolutely <b>had </b>to make sure I saw: the <i>Duomo di Sanda Maria del Fiore</i> and <i>la cupola di Brunelleschi.</i></span></span></div>
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Florence's cathedral (<i>duomo</i>) and its dome (<i>cupola</i>) is the most recognizable landmark in the city. The cathedral, began in 1296, has a distinctive look thanks to its colorful marble, and its dome, began in 1418, is a feat of engineering. Prior to its construction, the only other dome in the world was Rome's Pantheon. Somewhere between the Pantheon and 1418, the knowledge of how to build such a structure was forgotten. </div>
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For 10 Euros, you can climb to the top of the cathedral's bell tower and dome. Like other towers I've climbed, this one has a few levels to stop at, catch your breath, and admire the view. </div>
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Climbing the dome is another story altogether, and it's not for the faint of heart. Think you can do it? Alright, follow me...</div>
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You will take the first of 467 steps right after scanning your ticket at the side entrance to the cathedral. These steep, concrete steps run up interior of the cathedral wall and are original to the building. This means they're not exactly conducive to <i>thousands</i> of tourists heading up and down each and every day. As you begin to trudge up, you'll find yourself wondering why the dome is so popular. Plenty of cathedrals have domes, don't they? What makes this one so important? </div>
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I mentioned earlier that nobody knew how to actually build such a thing. Yet the masterminds behind the cathedral wanted to top it off with a dome, so a competition was announced to find an architect who could figure out how to build one. Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi (who is pictured below and whose patron was none other than Cosimo de Medici) were the two frontrunners.</div>
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Both had competed against each other to decorate Florence in the past; Ghiberti had beat out Brunelleschi to carve the bronze doors of the baptistery, pictured below. In Ghiberti vs. Brunelleschi round two, Brunelleschi won. Work began on the dome in 1418 and was finished by 1436 - the first octagonal dome in history to be built following the Pantheon.</div>
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Attempting to design the dome must have been a daunting task for Brunelleschi - nearly as daunting as the 400 more steps you have before you reach the top. It's starting to get crowded now; there's a large group of tourists in front of and behind you. The ones in front are moving slowly and those behind are trying to quicken the pace, leaving you in a rather annoying position. Frustrated, those behind you attempt to brush past, but the passageway is so narrow you find yourself in uncomfortably close contact with a complete stranger. He and his friends squish past, but not before you're practically smothered into the stone wall.</div>
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No matter, it's just a slight setback. Persevere, as Brunelleschi did when confronted with a major architectural puzzle. He faced two problems in designing such a large dome: support and weight, both of which, if executed incorrectly, would result in the collapse of the dome. Its proposed size was far too large to use stone to build, like the Pantheon, and there wasn't enough timber in the region to build the support scaffolding that would keep it up while construction took place. To solve these problems, Brunelleschi built with brick instead of stone, since it was lighter, and carried out construction over 16 concealed ribs - a sort of permanent scaffolding. To keep the dome from collapsing in on itself from sheer size, he created a double shell and incorporated internal stone buttressing and iron chains which, without going into the confusing detail of it all, spread the weight of the dome to its eight corners rather than the center. He also laid the inner bricks in a herringbone pattern which further assisted in transferring the weight to the ribs. </div>
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You can see some of these innovations, like the herringbone bricks and the internal stone supports, as you continue to climb your way up. You'll have plenty of time to ponder Brunelleschi's ingenuity, because all movement has come to a complete stop. There's some sort of jam up ahead where the people who are ascending are trying to get past a mass of people descending. As you wait to start moving again, you notice some anxious looking people glancing around. <i>This journey is not for claustrophobics, </i>you think to yourself, feeling grateful that cramped spaces don't cause you any emotional distress. All the same, that miniscule little window letting in a ray of light and molecule of fresh oxygen <u>is</u> a welcome sight right now...</div>
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If two people can't even walk through side by side, how on earth did builders transport materials to the top? Brunelleschi had an answer for that, too. He invented various machinery to hoist pieces up the side of the dome; many of which were used for centuries after. Still, it must have been an incredibly tiring task.</div>
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Speaking of tired, you're starting to feel the effects of having climbed the tower's 414 steps plus the 200ish of the dome so far. The line is moving again, and you ask a passerby how much further it is until the top. "You're not quite halfway yet," they answer, and a small part of you, the part that has always hated Stairmasters at the gym, wants to admit defeat. "But don't worry, there's a cool part up ahead," they add. Sure enough, you pass through a door and find yourself on a circular catwalk which goes around the lowest interior point of the dome, putting you nearly face to face with the massive frescoed ceiling.</div>
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The fresco, which is 3,600 meters in surface area, depicts the Last Judgement. It was carried out by Giorgio Vasari and Federico Zuccari between 1450 and 1579. It's quite a masterpiece, though art historians critique it for its unevenness - the result of two different painting techniques being used. Vasari painted in the <i>buon fresco </i>technique while Zuccari used <i>in secco. Buon fresco</i> is a style of painting in which the pigment is mixed with water and applied to wet plaster. As the plaster dries, the color becomes an integral part of the wall. The<i> in secco</i> style involves mixing the pigment with egg and applying it to plaster that has been re-moistened with water.</div>
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You won't have much time to look for variances in pigment application, however, because you've now come to another door on the other side of the dome. You take a deep breath and head back into the tight, narrow passageway. The steps here are freakishly steep and you're grateful for the handrail that was added to help facilitate climbing.</div>
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You climb and climb and climb. You're getting tired. Your legs are starting to ache. You're sweating through the long sleeved shirt and sweater that you wore, and you try to take off your scarf but end up elbowing somebody in the face. You're thirsty, but there's not enough room to reach into your bag and get your water out. In an attempt to lighten the weary mood that surrounds you, you try to converse with the group ahead of you. "<i>Posso annullare il mio membership per la palestra</i>," (I can cancel my membership to the gym), you joke. Nobody responds, and your grammatically incorrect sentence hangs awkwardly in the air. Whatever.</div>
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You reach yet another door and find yourself at a higher level circling the dome's interior. Straight ahead you see the hell scene from the Last Judgement, and you feel for a moment that the man getting his head speared off by Satan could easily be you. Or perhaps you're the one getting whipped by a bizarre lizard-human hybrid. They taunt you as you pass by and you realize that no, you're not like those poor souls in hell. They have it alot easier than you do. In fact, you'd gladly allow Satan to spear off your head if it meant you could avoid the next 200 steps.</div>
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But you're getting close! You see that more people are descending. They look happy and fulfilled, as though they've just seen something wonderful. You'll wonder what it must be like to feel that way, because you don't think you'll ever be happy again if you're stuck in this cement tunnel for the rest of your life. And you <u>will</u> be stuck there, if the line doesn't start to move again. A rather large woman in front of you is getting anxious and is taking it out by trying to get the line in order. </div>
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"We can't have this! We can't get by! It doesn't work! If you're coming down, you need to be on the right side, not the left!!" She shouts in annoyingly shrill English. Those who understand her roll their eyes. Those who don't just look confused and give her blank stares.</div>
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The line is at a complete standstill now while people try to maneuver around each other up ahead. You don't care - nothing matters anymore. You're stuck between a rock and a hard place - literally. <i>Is this what my life has come to?</i> You ask yourself. A tiny voice in your head tries to remind you that it will be worth it once you reach the top, but it's not loud enough. The optimistic part of you is gone. Forever, probably. You resign yourself to living out the rest of your life packed inside Brunelleschi's dome with strangers, like a bunch of tourist sardines in a can. </div>
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The line moves. You continue to trudge upwards.</div>
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Suddenly, you see the light. </div>
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Jesus himself has left the scene of the Last Judgement and is standing outside, on top of the dome, reaching down a hand to pull you up. Being out in the daylight again is nearly blinding and the wind is bitterly cold, but you don't care. You've made it to the top of the dome! Rejoice, and be glad!!</div>
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It's crowded, but just pick a spot near the railing and take in the scenery. From up here, you can see all of Florence.</div>
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As you look out at the city below you, try to imagine you're looking at it five hundred years ago. Somewhere below you, Michaelangelo is sculpting <i>David</i>, the Medici are counting their money, and Botticelli is painting <i>Primavera. </i>You're looking at the birthplace of the Renaissance where countless masterpieces were created.</div>
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Brunelleschi's innovative dome was copied all over Florence and became the blueprint for many others, including the dome of St. Peter's in Rome. Michaleangelo, who was the architect for the St. Peter's dome, was reported to have said, "I'll make its sister - bigger, but not more beautiful." </div>
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If you ever plan to visit Florence, I suggest checking the cathedral, tower, and dome off your list right away. Lines are sure to be shorter earlier in the morning, and fewer people would definitely make the 467 steps more bearable. Even with hordes of temperamental tourists, however, getting to the top of the dome and the view that greets you there is an experience no one should pass up. Of all the magnificent things that came out of the Renaissance, Brunelleschi's dome is undoubtedly one of the most impressive. Seeing it in person - not to mention actually being inside of it - is something I'll never forget. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-89784232139126962432013-11-21T15:11:00.000+01:002014-01-12T12:25:37.016+01:00The Pillars of MilanI've just finished <i>The Pillars of the Earth</i> by Ken Follett. The book is set in 12th century England, during the years of anarchy that came as a result of a dispute over the throne between Empress Maud, the daughter of the dead King Henry I, and her cousin, Stephen. Maud had the support of those who saw her as the true heir - she was, after all, the king's daughter. But Stephen gained support from those who saw Maud as unfit to rule because she was a woman. Blahblahblah, historical ramblings. Anyway, the story follows the lives of various characters and revolves around the building of a cathedral.<br />
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That probably sounds extremely dull to most of you.<br />
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Admittedly, it even took me a few chapters to really get into it, but I promise you won't be able to put it down if you give it a chance. The characters are masterfully intertwined in surprising ways and you'll find yourself celebrating and commiserating with them as they attempt to finish the cathedral amidst political and religious schemes and strife. What has stuck with me throughout, however, is the silent star of the book - the cathedral itself.<br />
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In the past two and a half months I've lost count of the number of cathedrals I've seen. Their size, intricacy, and beauty never fail to leave me in awe. I've literally spent hours making my way down the nave and the aisles, admiring each chapel and seeking out various architectural features I could identify. I have a deep appreciation for cathedrals, but it's always been, for the most part, academic. <i>Pillars of the Earth</i> has given me a more intellectual appreciation. It's one thing to walk through a cathedral and admire it for purely artistic purposes, or even to feel deeply moved, religiously speaking. But to really <u>understand</u> <b>how</b> and most importantly, <b>why</b> these amazing structures were built puts a whole new spin on what you're looking at.<br />
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If you looked at Christianity as a line on a graph over the centuries, one of its highest points would be the medieval period. The unshakeable belief in God, heaven, and hell that these people held is the sole purpose for building massive churches. Well, that and the income they could generate for a town, but really, 99.99% of it was driven by religion. The taller the building, the closer to God - people honestly believed that this was true. They also believed that creating something on such an enormous scale specifically <i>for</i> God would undoubtedly win his favor, thus abolishing their sins and securing their place in heaven. In <i>Pillars of the Earth</i>, the master builder, Tom, is driven by a deep desire to create the most beautiful cathedral in England, but also very much by his wish to give his wife, who died and is buried in unconsecrated (unholy) ground, a place in heaven.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">"My first wife... Agnes... she died without a priest, and she's buried in unconsecrated ground. She hadn't sinned, it was just... the circumstances. I wondered... Sometimes a man builds a chapel, or founds a monestary, in the hope that in the afterlife God will remember his piety. Do you think my design might serve to protect Agne's soul?"</span><br />
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Philip frowned. "....is this design the best thing you could offer God?"</span><br />
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"Except for my children, yes."</span><br />
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"Then rest easy, Tom Builder. God will accept it."</span><br />
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Now, I'm certainly <b>not</b> the most religious person you'll come across, but even I have to admire how sincerely the people of this time believed. Were it not for that unshakeable faith, I doubt these beautiful churches would ever have been built.<br />
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So God accounts for most of the why, what about the how? I'm sure I'm not the only person who has found themselves wondering, "How on earth did people a thousand years ago figure out how to build such structures?" The miracle of it all is made even more apparent by the relative simplicity of our modern buildings in comparison. The answer is simple: years and years and YEARS and DECADES, sometimes CENTURIES of hard labor.<br />
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The aptly named Tom Builder in <i>Pillars of the Earth</i> secures his position as master builder of the cathedral thanks to his knowledge and understanding of masonry and the mathematics of building. The engineers of centuries past were, in many cases, as brilliant and knowledgeable as ours today.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Tom designed the three levels of the nave wall - arcade, gallery and clerestory - strictly in the proportions of 3:1:2. The arcade was half the height of the wall, and the gallery was one third of the rest. Proportion was everything in a cathedral. The tower should be either one and a half times the height of the nave or double it. It would give the building an attractively regular profile, with the aisles, the nave, and the tower rising in equal steps, 1:2:3. </span><br />
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These people understood what would look 'good' and exactly how to implement it; they knew what would allow them to build in a straight line, or create a pointed arch, add windows, or solve difficult problems that often arose while building. They knew and carried out all these things without the aid of our modern technology.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">He stood on the scaffolding far above the ground, staring close-range at the new cracks, brooding. He needed to think of a way of bracing the upper part of the wall so that it would not move with the wind. he reflected on the way the lower part of the wall was strengthened. In the outer wall of the aisle were strong, thick piers which were connected to the nave wall by half-arches hidden in the aisle roof. The half-arches and the piers propped up the wall at a distance, like remote buttresses. Because the props were hidden, the nave still looked light and graceful. He needed to devise a similar system for the upper part of the wall....if only he could build piers and half-arches to support the clerestory...</span><br />
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The above passage describes a builder's dilemma regarding the way the height of his cathedral (taller than any other at the time) required additional support, for cracks had been appearing throughout. He needed to add this support without compromising the aesthetic integrity. He later solves the problem by developing flying buttresses - a common feature on many gothic cathedrals. Though the book provides a fictional account of the problem, a similar scenario in real life likely pushed the real inventor of flying buttresses to reach the same conclusion.<br />
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Above is the buttressing on Westminster Abbey in London. Each outer pillar reaches a point inside the wall, providing support to the structure. This support isn't enough, however, when cathedrals are built taller. Additional buttressing is required for the upper portions; thus, flying buttresses were utilized, like on Notre Dame in Strasbourg, pictured below. The higher portion of the church is supported by the half arches that jut out and connect to the original lower supports.<br />
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Innovations aside, even the most simplistic cathedral could not take shape without the basic materials. Take another look at Westminster Abbey and Notre Dame above; all of that stone had to be quarried by hand and transported to the building site via oxen and carts, then cut with hammers and chisels into hundreds of perfectly shaped pieces for building walls, pillars and arches and sculpting angels, saints, and other decorative pieces. Timber had to be cut from forests and transported to the site as well. As the church grew upwards, wood and stone would be moved from the ground up, piece by piece with pulley systems. There were no cranes, no heavy machinery to assist.<br />
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Cathedral building employed hundreds of people and often helped villages prosper into cities. When finished, they would become the churches that held the bishop's throne and often the remains of a particularly important saint. People would flock from all around to hear the bishop say mass or just to kneel at the bones of a saint. There is really no modern day equivalent to describe the sheer importance of the way the people's devotion to God manifested itself in these impressive churches during the Middle Ages.<br />
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I suppose that's the point I'm trying to get at here. These buildings weren't created because the town wanted something nice to look at. Cathedrals were built to worship God. Cathedrals were made enormous to please God. Cathedrals were decorated beautifully because God was worthy of only the most glorious of structures. Because of this driving force, the people who lived thousands of centuries ago managed to find innovative techniques to carry out the construction, without the modern technology we use today to create, in my opinion, many less beautiful buildings. I dare you to walk into any European cathedral bearing all of <i>that</i> in mind and not be at least a bit moved, humbled, and awed at what you're seeing.<br />
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So, after this incredibly long introduction, let's take a look at Milan's own cathedral, shall we? Awhile ago I posted about the exterior of the Duomo. It's extravagant, intricate, and beautiful.<br />
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The inside is no different. Sadly, I must make a disclaimer here; none of my amateur photography does justice to the sights of Italy, and these photos are certainly no exception. Since you can't use flash inside the cathedral, all of my photos taken with my camera turned out dark, so these are iPhone photos. You get the gist of the place, at the very least. Nothing compares to actually walking inside, anyway.<br />
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Milan's Duomo boasts rows of massive pillars. Like many Gothic cathedrals, each pillar is surrounded by shafts, giving it a more impressive look overall.<br />
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Each pillar is topped off with carved capitals featuring various religious figures.<br />
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The shafts that surround each pillar seemingly continue on their way up beneath the decorative capitals and emerge again above them, where they branch off, cross the vault of the nave, and join up with the corresponding shaft from across the way. The square/triangle pattern that results is called a ribbed vault. The very first cathedrals were built with boring barrel vaults - basically just a regular old arched ceiling. Ribbed vaulting was an innovation that allowed cathedrals to be built higher than ever before.<br />
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The side aisles of many cathedrals are lined with smaller chapels dedicated to a particular saint or person. Above is a rather large shrine to Saint Something-or-Other, complete with stained glass windows, which were another innovation of Gothic churches.<br />
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Size comparison: that random man is barely taller than the base of the pillar.<br />
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And like any good Christian church, Milan's Duomo is the final resting place of many esteemed religious men. Yes, these are their real bodies, preserved and enshrined and on display. Rotting popes really liven the place up.<br />
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Pictured above is the crypt of San Carlo, the archbishop of Milan in the 16th century. He helped lead the counter-reformation in Italy and became a saint following his death.<br />
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It really does make me a bit sad that buildings like this aren't made anymore. The art of cathedral building is about as dead as that pope up there. Fortunately, these churches have stood the test of time and they can still be appreciated today - even more so, when you bear in mind how utterly remarkable it is that they were built in the first place. I'll end this how I started it; cathedrals are awesome, and <i>Pillars of the Earth</i> is a great book which I highly recommend it to anyone who has even a remote interest in historical fiction. And who knows, it may inspire you to jump the pond real quick and see some European cathedrals for yourself.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-3574282035827275532013-11-15T14:07:00.000+01:002014-01-12T12:25:01.760+01:00Cimitero Monumentale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Milan's Monumental Cemetery can be summed up with two words: enchantingly eerie. It's hidden up in the northern part of the city, above Parco Sempione and away from the always busy <i>Piazza del Duomo</i> and Sforza Castle area. The nearest metro stop is Porta Garibaldi, and the cemetery is about a ten minute walk through a not-so-nice area from the station. By not-so-nice, I mean there is currently a <i>ton</i> of construction going on, the buildings have a low rent hideousness to them, and you're likely to catch the faint whiff of urine more than once. But trust me, it's worth it!<br />
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The cemetery is hard to miss due to its looming cathedral entrance and stone walls surrounding the nearly 250,000 square meter site. It was opened in 1866 as a "resting place for Milan's most important men" and has since expanded to include anyone willing to pay what I imagine must be a hefty price for a plot of land.<br />
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The entrance to the cemetery takes you through the <i>Famedio</i>, a massive, cathedral-esque structure. The exterior is made of marble and built in the late medieval style, while the inside is decorated with lavish Byzantine blues and golds. The city's most honored and well known citizens lie within the walls of the Famedio, while lesser known graves occupy the expanse of land behind the building.<br />
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I think the interior must be so bright and shiny to make up for the overall gloominess of the cemetery itself. After admiring the dome, I made my way down one of the long hallways, where nameplates and statues line the walls. Eventually the walls disappeared, replaced by pillars and massive tombs commemorating Milan's most famous writers, artists, and politicians. </div>
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My first visit to the cemetery occurred by accident. I noticed the massive dome of the Famedio while wandering around one day and decided to take a look. It was a rather unfortunate day to be walking around a cemetery; the sun was hidden behind dark grey clouds, a brisk wind was causing tree branches to creak eerily, and as I found myself further and further into the shadowy depths of tombs and graves, it began to rain. Telling myself I didn't want to get wet, I abruptly left, but in all honestly, I was completely freaked out. I returned on a much sunnier day, though I still couldn't shake the general uneasiness I felt as I meandered through statues and tombs.<br />
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Every statue is different. Some are religious figures, poised to ward off evil and protect the inhabitants of the graves. Some are likenesses of the deceased, and others portray the surviving family members, keeping watch over their lost loved ones. They're all beautiful in their own strange ways... though some are just downright creepy.</div>
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The crypts are remarkable as well. Some are built for individuals, but most house entire families. Each one is a unique, miniature example of some form of architecture: gothic, renaissance, medieval, modern... there's even an Egyptian pyramid. </div>
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The cemetery is the #5 Milan attraction on TripAdvisor. This either means that Milan sucks for sightseeing if a cemetery is in the top ten, or that it's a pretty damn interesting cemetery. In my opinion, it's a little of both. Either way, it's a rather remarkable place and I highly suggest a visit if you ever pass through Milan.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-38044884291416016002013-11-07T22:00:00.000+01:002014-01-12T12:27:43.005+01:00Instagram Recap: October<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Time really is a strange thing... my second month in Milan has flown by, yet I simultaneously feel as though I've lived here forever. The weather has gotten a bit chillier - meaning, it's consistently in the low 60's instead of the high 60's. It's also rained quite a bit. Apparently, it doesn't snow here until mid-December. Coming from Wisconsin/Minnesota, the lack of snow will be a welcome change! Here are some Instagram favorites from October. </div>
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Halloween in Italy: Greta and I made these pumpkin cupcakes to take to her class on Halloween. Yes, they do celebrate it in Italy, but apparently it has only just gotten popular in the past decade or so. A few storefronts were decorated and I saw a couple kids running around in costumes, but overall it's not quite as big of a deal as it is in the States.<br />
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Fall in Italy = squash, pumpkins, and chestnuts at the market down the road from my apartment. Are roasted chestnuts a thing in the States? I feel as though they must be in the bigger cities like New York, but I've personally never experienced them until coming here. All of the little street foot carts around the Duomo sell roasted chestnuts. If you've never had them, they taste...kind of like ham.<br />
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My coffee prayers were <a href="http://www.emebis.blogspot.it/2013/10/arnold-coffee.html" target="_blank">answered</a> when I stumbled upon Arnold Coffee.<br />
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Countdown to Christmas by the ever so artistic Tobia! He loves Christmas as much as I do, if that's possible, and he's filled me in on all the holiday festivities in Milan. I'm looking forward to an enormous tree in Piazza del Duomo and lights and decorations all over the city. I also learned that in one of the buildings surrounding the Piazza, somebody plays Christmas carols from a window and is joined by a new instrument every day leading up to Christmas, until there's practically a full orchestra on Christmas Eve.<br />
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InterNations threw a party to celebrate 1,000,000 members. Or maybe it was their 10 year anniversary. Or maybe... honestly, I have no idea what it was for. I went with a friend at the last minute and therefore didn't RSVP for the event. I feigned ignorance at the door when they told me I wasn't on the list and somehow managed to sweet talk my way in. I'm glad I did, because the cake pictured above was one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten.<br />
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"Madonna and Child" by Andrea Mantega. This is a wonderfully restored original in the Bergamo art museum. Mantega <i>was</i> a Renaissance genius and all, but I can't help but think Jesus looks a bit...odd? Like he's all strung out on heroin or something. Maybe the Three Kings brought too much frankincense.<br />
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Sample of the words Tobia had to memorize for an English spelling test. As hard as it's been for me to truly learn Italian, it's always interesting to see it the other way around. English really is a difficult language, and trying to figure out how to explain to Tobia why coffee had a C and not a K reminded me of that. Or, as he put it: "But so many rules! Why can't one sound come from one letter?" Though I did applaud his creativity with "coke" - good use of the "ou" combination.<br />
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Ceiling frescoes in the <a href="http://www.emebis.blogspot.it/2013/11/bergamo-citta-alta.html" target="_blank">Bergamo cathedral</a> - definitely one of the most beautiful cathedral interiors I've seen to date.<br />
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Castelvecchio selfies in Verona<br />
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Eerie trip to the Monumental Cemetery in Milan. Multiply this photo by 1,000,000 and you'll have the massive burial ground that is the Monumental Cemetery. All of the crypts and statues are a photographer's dream. (Post coming soon!)<br />
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Pure joy after trudging up an ancient mule track to reach the crumbling ruins of the castle in <a href="http://www.emebis.blogspot.it/2013/10/lake-como-part-ii-castello-di-vezio.html" target="_blank">Vezia</a>, overlooking Lake Como...<br />
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...and this awesome view from the top!<br />
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Speaking of awesome views, here's Verona from the top of the Lambert Tower.<br />
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And the inside of the Verona Arena, where concert prep was taking place.<br />
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Baking chocolate chip cookies with the kids. My first baking attempt here was definitely a learning experience. First of all, measuring in grams and mL was an odd change from using cups and tablespoons. Second, the oven in the house is absolutely ancient. You have to turn on the gas and then physically light it with a flame. It pretty much just has an on/off setting; no temperature options. Needless to say, these cookies came out pretty burnt.<br />
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Finally, some confusing live street art on Via Dante. Always a good way to end another month in Milan. Really though, how is this happening...?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-71179693665133680282013-11-07T13:16:00.002+01:002014-01-12T12:22:54.549+01:00Bergamo: Citta Alta<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Bergamo is a small Italian town just 40 minutes north of Milan. It's popular in the winter for skiing due to its location at the foot of the Alps. It is divided into two parts: the lower, more modern area, and the upper area, or <i>Citta Alta.</i> The Citta Alta area is one of four towns in Northern Italy that is still completely surrounded by its old, Venetian walls.<br />
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Citta Alta is full of twisting, winding streets, small specialty shops, and stunning views of the Alps and lower Bergamo. A piece of real estate in Citta Alta is some of the most expensive in Italy, and its small size makes for a competitive market. It's a cozy, private little town and people flock here, especially in the winter.<br />
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But for history lovers, the real draw is the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.<br />
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It's one of the more unusual cathedrals I've come across and can best be described as a hodge podge of architectural styles built over and around each other, all piled upon the original site: a Roman temple to the goddess Clemence dating back to the first few centuries.<br />
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Portions of the ancient Roman foundation can be seen in a basement-level museum underneath the cathedral. It's not much to look at via a computer screen, but to literally walk among the thousand year old artifacts, floors, walls, and columns is eerie and humbling.<br />
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Around the 8th century, a small church dedicated to St. Mary was built over the original Roman site. Fragments of frescoes are still visible from that particular renovation.<br />
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In 1137, the foundation for the majority of what still stands today was began. A bell tower was added in the 1400's, the final portal was completed in 1521, and after a few 17th century modifications, the cathedral was finished. Though it still looks a bit <b>unfinished, </b>don't you think? Kind of looks like it's in the midst of an identity crisis; unsure as to whether it wants to be simple and medieval or fashionable and gothic.<br />
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In any case, the interior is pretty magnificent. The frescoes are gorgeous and everything is trimmed with gold. The majority of the inside work was done in the 17th-18th centuries, so it has a lighter, less depressing look to it, as opposed to the dark, gloomy cathedral interiors of centuries prior.<br />
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Bergamo also has a number of bell towers, one of which you can climb up to the top for spectacular city views (I feel like I use some variation of "spectacular city views" in nearly every post...)<br />
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But really, how else am I supposed to describe these views?</div>
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If you're into skiing, I could see why Bergamo is a great place to stay for the winter. Otherwise, it makes for a good day trip. The train ride from Milan is short and cheap, and it's just a fifteen minute walk from the Bergamo station to the lift that takes you up to Citta Alta. Aside from the cathedral, there's also a small but impressive collection of northern Renaissance art, a castle-turned history museum (closed when I visited), and enough shopping and dining options to fill out the day. All in all, a charming little town.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-54635121639727265512013-10-30T20:21:00.001+01:002014-01-12T12:22:00.363+01:00Arnold's Coffee<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In case you haven't seen on my Instagram or Facebook, my coffee woes have been solved. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've stumbled upon what may be the sole establishment in Milan to break free of the rich espresso served in dainty, shot glass teacups tradition. Arnold's Coffee, henceforth known as my savior, boast that they can deliver "the American coffee experience," and I wasn't disappointed. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I stepped into this piece of heaven on earth around 2:30pm; still a busy lunch time by Italian standards, and the place was packed. Now, a few hours later as I write this, it's still full of people. I guess I'm not the only one who craves my caffeine fix in the American style. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I paid 2.20€ for a small cup of coffee, stirred in some milk, and found myself a seat by the window. I took a full 45 minutes to finish my liquid gold and relished every sip. For those 45 minutes, I was back in Dunn Bros coffee shop on University Avenue in Minneapolis. Then I had to pee, and the general unsanitary conditions of European bathrooms brought me back to reality. Honestly, I'd live in that bathroom if it meant I could have American coffee whenever I wanted. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Fortunately, I won't have to go to those extremes, as Milan has 3 Arnold Coffee locations. If you live near the center like me, make your way to the Duomo and you'll find Arnold's Coffee on Via Orefici. Otherwise, check out Via Festa del Perdono or Via Nirone.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Arnold, I don't know who you are, but I owe you big time. </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-72195414988534672612013-10-25T15:52:00.000+02:002014-01-12T12:21:21.506+01:00Verona: Castelvecchio<i>Castelvecchio</i> (literally: Old Castle) is an early Renaissance fortress built alongside River Adige in Verona. In many ways, it's a twin to Milan's Castello Sforzesca. Construction on both red brick castles began within four years of each other in the late 14th century. Both were built for the reigning family of that time - in Castevecchio's case, the Scaligeri. Like Castello Sforzesca, it was originally intended as a fortress, became barracks and training grounds for various foreign legions over the next few centuries, and today, it houses a museum.<br />
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Castelvecchio is home to a spectacular collection of northern Italian art, spanning from the Middle Ages to about the late 18th century. As you wander through the ancient fortress, pieces are organized chronologically, so you really get a feel for the evolution of Italian painting over roughly 1,000 years. The sculptures and paintings are displayed in a more liberal fashion than most museums - pieces are hung on the wall of course, but they are also suspended from the ceiling or stand alone in the middle of the room. The ability to stand centimeters from a fragment of fresco circa the 5th century made for a great experience in the museum... although I couldn't help but feel a bit wary of the many guards' constant eyes on my back as I snapped away with my camera.<br />
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Though photography <i>was</i> permitted, flash was not allowed - so I apologize for the terrible quality of the photos. That said, here is a selection of some of my favorite pieces in the collection.<br />
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"Christ with Peter and Paul", Pelegrinus, 730. Something that always puzzles me about the evolution of art in Italy - particularly sculpture - is how the portrayal of human bodies and faces can go from the classical perfection of ancient Rome to the cartoonish style shown here. For comparative purposes, here's Emperor Antonius Pius from about 86 AD - over 600 years <b>before</b> Jesus and his buddies up there. He looks a bit more realistic, in my opinion.<br />
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Unknown subject, unknown artist, circa 8th c.<br />
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Christ on the cross, unknown artist, circa 8th c.<br />
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"Battle of the Horsemen," Veronese painter, 14th c.<br />
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"Saints Gregory and Bartholomew," Tuscan painter, 14th c.<br />
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Unfinished portion of the "Coronation of the Virgin " fresco in the tomb of Aventino Fracastoro, unknown artist, 14th c.<br />
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"Thirty Stories of the Bible," from the convent of Saint Caterina, Veronese painter, 14th c. This comic-book style arrangement was a common form of storytelling in the Middle Ages.<br />
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"Presentation of Christ," Veronese artist, 14th c. You may have noticed that artists responsible for most medieval works are nameless and unknown. At best, only the city of origin and a date can be estimated. Compare this to Renaissance art and you'll see a stark difference. Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo, and Raphael were household names and cities took immense pride in what they created. From a historical standpoint, it's a testament to how the importance of art and its role in society has evolved over time. Tough luck for the medieval painters though, whose works are largely uncredited. </div>
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"Polyptych of Boi," attributed to Altichiero, 1369. The prefix 'poly' means many, and 'tich' is the Latin term for wall, thus, polyptych means 'many walls.' Polyptychs are simply paintings made up of many panels. Most polyptychs served as altarpieces which were decorated on both sides, so when the altarpiece closed, an entirely different scene was shown. Though not a part of the Castelvecchio collection, the "Ghent Altarpiece" by Flemish painter Jan Van Eyck is a beautiful example of this. It's also the source of relentless studying in my attempt to memorize each panel's subject matter for an exam. At the time, of course, I thought to myself, "When will I <b>ever</b> use this information again!?" But look, I've accurately identified a polyptych! Dad, that tuition money was worth it after all.<br />
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View when opened...<br />
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...and closed. </div>
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"Madonna and Child," unknown artist, 1345 AD<br />
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"Crucifix," Jacopo Bellini, 1464. Bellini is not as glamorous or well-known as his famous Renaissance counterparts, but he was responsible for bringing the early Renaissance style of painting from its birthplace in Florence to northern Italy. <br />
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"Saint John the Baptist and Saint Michael, Archangel," from the workshop of Zavattari, 1456.</div>
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"The Legend of Orpheus," German painter, 16th c. Orpheus was an ancient Greek musician and poet who had a legendary ability to charm all living things with his music. In this particular portrayal of his musical finesse by a German painter, the human form has made a bit of progress compared to some of the previous examples. Yet, the animals and landscape still have an unnatural feel to them. The artist has also made a valiant attempt at perspective, but the overall affect is still somewhat strange to our modern eye.<br />
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"Ancona Fracanzani," (translation?) Giovanni Badile, 1373. Mary, why so dour?<br />
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"Augustus and Sybil," Giovanni Maria Falconetto, 1501. </div>
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"Deposition of Christ," Liberale da Verona (literal translation: a liberal from Verona, but in this case it's the artist's actual name), 1479. <i>Deposition of Christ</i> is an image that you can find everywhere in medieval and Renaissance art. It's a common religious theme - the removal of Christ from the cross - and has been portrayed by countless artists. Popular 'themes' such as this make it easy to compare techniques between two paintings of the same subject matter from different time periods.<br />
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"Sphere of the Trinity," Francesco Morone, 16th c.<br />
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Unknown title, unknown artist, unknown date - because I forgot to record it. Probably late 16th century.<br />
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"Salome," Unknown artist, mid 16th century. No, <i>Salome</i> does not refer to a man's decapitated head being likened to salami. Rather, Salome is the name of King Herod's daughter, and the unfortunate head belonged to St. John the Baptist. As the story goes, St. John was imprisoned by Herod after chastising him for divorcing his wife. On Herod's birthday, his daughter Salome performed a dance for him, which he liked so much he promised her anything she wanted. Naturally, she asked for St. John's head on a platter. This is another biblical image that's duplicated often; this is probably the sixth or seventh time I've seen it around. Yet I had never heard this story before coming here, seeing paintings of it everywhere, and finally looking into it. I'm no fan of the bible, but I'm not sure how a decapitated St. John could have escaped the general scope of my religious knowledge. I mean come on, the man's head is just casually on a plate!<br />
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"Deposition," Paolo Caliari, late 16th century. Another example of the deposition image, but painted nearly a hundred years after the first one I showed:<br />
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Same image - subtle differences. Faces in the latter painting look more realistic, more mournful. Christ's body is more detailed and more muscular, showing that advances in basic anatomical knowledge had been made. The background is shown more realistically as well; the subjects and the landscape are almost on the same plane in the first painting, whereas the subjects are clearly the focal point and the landscape is clearly in the background in the second.<br />
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"Christ Shown to the People," Paolo Farinati, early 17th century. It's fairly evident that this painting is much better than the first few I've shown. (<u>Technically</u> speaking, at least. Let's not get into that silly argument about what defines works of art as "better" or "worse.") You can see the tension in Christ's body and can get a good sense of feeling and movement. The idea of perspective is carried out well to give the viewer the feeling that they are <i>in</i> the painting rather than just <i>looking</i> at the painting, like in this previous example from nearly 300 years prior.<br />
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When we think of our modern world, we often find ourselves wondering, "What did people do before cars? Or cellphones?" Sometimes<b> I</b> wonder, "What did people do before <i>perspective?</i>" Really, what were people's reactions when they saw their faces portrayed with buggy eyes and abnormally large foreheads? How did the ability to properly duplicate a human face on canvas (or in stone) evolve? How were techniques like perspective and angles and shadowing discovered?<br />
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While I don't have the answers to those questions, I <b>do</b> know that very few people find them as fascinating as I do. So, if you've stuck with me to the end of this post, I thank you.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-17117649146425218972013-10-20T22:40:00.001+02:002013-10-21T00:11:51.837+02:00Living Abroad: 10 Things I Miss About AmericaIt doesn't take long after moving to a foreign country before you develop a profound appreciation for certain things in your homeland. Some of these are pretty obvious - of course you'll miss your friends and family. Others are a bit more surprising, like things which used to annoy the hell out of you when you had everyday access to them, or things you barely even took notice of. Here are the top 10 (non obvious) things I miss about America, in no particular order.<br />
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<b>1. Pumpkins</b><br />
Around this time of year, America is invaded by armies of orange pumpkins. They find their way into our everyday lives for an entire month via coffees, lattes, breads, pies, cookies, muffins, and of course their original forms, which we promptly cut up and carve hideous faces into. While Italians do celebrate Halloween, I've been really disappointed by the severe lack of pumpkins around here. No pumpkin espressos or pumpkin pizzas. I didn't even see canned pumpkin in the supermarket when, on a whim, I walked in just to look for it. Mind you, it's not so much the literal pumpkin that I miss, it's the cozy fall feeling that you get from drinking a spiced pumpkin latte from Starbucks while you wait for your pumpkin muffins to bake.<br />
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<b>2. Football</b><br />
Growing up and throughout college, I enjoyed football. I was happy when my team won and sad when they lost. That's about it. I was never a die-hard fan, just... a fan. In fact, I recall telling somebody that I didn't think I'd miss American football in Europe. Surprisingly though, I do. I check the Packers Twitter religiously to keep updated on their games and have somehow found myself more emotionally invested in the results than I ever was at home. Like the pumpkin thing, I think it's more the general feeling of watching a game on a crisp fall day with friends that I miss, not literally watching Aaron Rodgers throw a touchdown pass. Either way, I'll be happy when I can refer to football again without having it mistaken for soccer.<br />
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<b>3. Sandwiches</b><br />
Dear God above, I <i>really</i> miss turkey sandwiches. My go-to lunch in America was a turkey, cheddar, avocado and tomato sandwich on wheat bread and I cannot seem to properly duplicate it here in Italy. Yes, the <i>paninis </i>are to die for, and I'm sure I'll miss fresh mozzarella, tomato, and basil on focaccia just as much once I return home. But right now, I'd do just about anything for a pound of sliced deli turkey from Lund's in Minneapolis.<br />
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<b>4. Peanut butter</b><br />
If these were in order, peanut butter just might be number one. I love, love love peanut butter. It is, without a doubt, the food I'd choose if I were stranded on a desert island. Now here I am stranded on a peninsula, and there's hardly any peanut butter to be found. Back at home, a 24 oz jar of Skippy would barely last two weeks with me. Here, I'm reduced to making a little 4 oz jar which cost upwards of 5 Euros last just as long. While I'm grateful I was able to hunt down said 4 oz jar of Skippy, I find myself eternally frustrated that there's nothing larger. They sell Nutella by the gallon for God's sake. WHERE ARE THE MASSIVE PEANUT BUTTERS!?<br />
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<b>5. Coffee shops</b><br />
For two years of college I lived a block away from a lovely little coffee shop. I'd go from time to time when I needed to study or write a paper (though I rarely actually accomplished any studying or paper writing). One of my dear friends would drop in all the time, and now I'm kicking myself for not accompanying her more often. It is literally <i>impossible</i> to locate a coffee shop here, which is frustrating, given the surplus of bars and restaurants that serve <i>cafes</i> round the clock. But a cozy little shop with squashy couches and free Wi-Fi? Nonexistent here. This also ties in with my ongoing battle against Italian <strike>coffee</strike> espresso. I still haven't formed an appreciation for the stuff, and while I wasn't a <i>huge</i> coffee drinker back home, I'd kill for a large blonde roast from Starbucks right now.<br />
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<b>6. Netflix and Hulu</b><br />
Now I'm sure you're asking yourself, "Why does she want to waste her time watching T.V. shows? She's in Italy, for God's sake!" True, but I'm not vacationing or studying abroad for a short period of time in which I should live it up every waking moment I have. I'm living and working here, I'm exhausted at the end of the day, and sometimes I just want to watch Juan Pablo on the Bachelor, okay!!?? Much to my dismay, Netflix and Hulu are "not available in my region." Thus, I've resorted to <a href="http://cokeandpopcorn.eu/">cokeandpopcorn.eu</a> (which actually has a massive selection of free T.V. shows), but sadly, they don't have The Bachelor. I guess I'll just have a marathon waiting for me whenever I return home.<br />
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<b>7. Free water</b><br />
In America, I drank water directly from the kitchen sink, and it's free and complimentary at restaurants. Here, I'm told the tap water "isn't always good," (the vagueness is a touch worrisome) and you can expect to pay anywhere from 1-3 Euros for water at a restaurant. Families buy bottled liters of water like we buy milk and refilling a bottle is frowned upon. Now, if the tap water tends to be a bit dirty, fine, I won't drink it <i>all</i> the time. But I can't get behind the whole paying for water in restaurants thing. It's annoying and I miss the days when I could mindlessly bother the waiter for "more water, please."<br />
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<b>8. Free (and clean) public restrooms</b><br />
So you're going out for a day of sightseeing. Not wanting to waste the price of a metro ticket on a glass of water at lunch, you drink your fill before you leave the house. A few hours later you're at the Duomo and need to use the bathroom. First, good luck finding one. Second, be prepared to pay. Third, consider purchasing a home STD test immediately following your use of the restroom. Okay, so all that might be a bit of exaggeration, but let me just say this. Public bathrooms in Europe are few and far between, usually cost a Euro to enter, and aren't the cleanest places on earth. God bless America and our bathrooms that are polished with tax dollars.<br />
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<b>9. The U.S. measurement system</b><br />
Cooking is done in grams, bodies are weighed in kilograms, distance is measured in kilometers, and temperature is recorded in celsius. What? Math has never been my strong suit, so I'm grateful for the conversion app on my iPhone. But it can get a bit tiresome converting cups and tablespoons into grams for a cupcake recipe, wondering if you've gained or lost weight when you step on a scale, and being momentarily freaked out when you check the weather and see it's going to be twenty degrees that day.<br />
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<b>10. Target</b><br />
After much Googling and asking around, I have come to the devastating conclusion that Milan does not have an Italian version of Target. Nowhere in this city does a structure exist that houses fashionable clothing at a reasonable price, home decor that makes you feel like a grown up, and Archer Farms brand food that looks healthy but really isn't. I suppose this is for the best; after all, I don't need any designer Missoni clad fashionistas glaring at me as I walk down Via Montenapoleone in my Target brand Missoni shirt, but still. I miss utter bliss of wasting time in Target with a friend, each of us vowing to stick to our lists but always leaving with a few extra Chobanis, a new mascara, or on those crazy days, a new set of sheets. Target, I think of you often. Know that no matter where in the world I am, you are forever in my heart.<br />
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**Edited to add: Problems 1 and 6 have been solved!! A friend in America is sending me a pumpkin spice latte in the mail, and two people have offered solutions to get around my Netflix/Hulu woes. Thanks guys!! :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-41435664678107822002013-10-18T00:13:00.000+02:002013-10-18T01:00:47.697+02:00Verona: Romeo & Juliet, According to Me"Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?" Cried Juliet from her balcony.<br />
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"I'm on Via Capello, just about to arrive at your house. Sorry it's taking so long. There's about a trillion people crowding the streets," Romeo replied, sounding annoyed. "Ugh, and they're totally blocking the door to your house. Can we just reschedule? I can't stay long anyway, I'm supposed to be meeting Mercutio later."<br />
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"No. I've been waiting all day. Get yourself up here, now!" Juliet hung up the phone.<br />
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Romeo rolled his eyes and fought his way through the crowd towards the door. <i>Pity I left my sword at home,</i> he thought wryly to himself.<br />
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"Six Euros, please," a dour looking woman just inside the door told him.<br />
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"Excuse me?"<br />
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"Entrance fee is six Euros. Six for the balcony, seven for the accompanying museum. Are you a student or over 60? You can get a small discount."<br />
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"Do I look over 60?" Romeo asked sarcastically. "Let me in, I'm here to see Juliet."<br />
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"You and everyone else. Pay, or leave," the woman snapped.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Romeo sighed and texted Juliet.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Crazy lady downstairs charging me to enter. Do you have six Euros? I'll pay you back. </span><br />
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"Ugh! You always do this Romeo, <i>always!!</i>" Juliet shrieked so loudly Romeo heard it downstairs. <i>And that's my cue to exit,</i> he thought.<br />
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Juliet threw her phone off the balcony in a fit of rage, where it hit an unsuspecting tourist on the head. Thinking it was a clumsy Asian or rude American who had hit him, the tourist whirled around and punched the man behind him in the face. The small square erupted in chaos right as Romeo came trudging out of the house. Unwillingly ensnared in the fight, he did his best to defend himself, but without his sword he was nothing. A burly German tourist pushed him roughly into an iron gate which bore hundreds of gimmicky locks, upon which people wrote the names of their true loves. Blood spattered the Post-it notes stuck to the adjoining brick wall, obscuring little girls' pleas to Juliet for love advice. There, slumped against the names of lost loves from all over the world, Romeo suffered a brain hemorrhage and died.<br />
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A few hours later, following a long and restful nap, Juliet descended from her balcony. A young man who had been knocked out during the fight was just coming to.<br />
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"What happened here??" Juliet cried as she stepped outside.<br />
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"I don't know," the man answered, looking around. "Some sort of fight. All I remember is being hit on the head."<br />
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"Typical. Men are always fighting over me," Juliet said matter-of-factly. "I'm famished. Want to get some dinner?"<br />
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"Uh, sure! Where?"<br />
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"I dunno. Let me ask Siri."<br />
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Juliet wandered off with the young man, never once noticing Romeo amongst the fallen. His dead eyes stared, unseeing into the gift shop selling shirts, mugs, posters, and candies bearing his name. Though to this day, some will argue that it was Juliet who suffered a worse fate following their argument: after a night of (unprotected) passion with the random tourist, she found herself pregnant and husband-less, for the child's father had caught a flight back to his native Uzbekistan the very next morning.<br />
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My visit to <i>Casa di Giulia</i>, as it's referred to in Verona, was rather less exciting than that riveting tale. Hidden away on Via Capello, Juliet's house is a modest apartment looking over a small square that's packed with tourists like sardines in a can. I had expected it to be busy, but not nearly as busy as it was. There were more people gawking at a balcony than there were admiring the city from the top of the Lambert Tower. Like Romeo, I didn't even bother to pay the six Euro entrance fee to see the inside of the house or wait in line to have my turn on the balcony (which would also mean appearing in about 60 "Our Trip to Verona!" photo albums around the world).<br />
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Instead, I stood alone in a corner and marveled at the power of words. I doubt Shakespeare had <i>any</i> notion that, four hundred years after writing <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>, his story of star crossed lovers would still be thriving and a bible of sorts for modern day romanics. And I'm certain he never imagined people from all over the world would flock to Verona just to look at the balcony where Juliet uttered those now famous words.<br />
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<b>Supposedly</b> uttered, I should say. Apparently, the notion that Juliet Capulet lived here is a rumor started by a tour guide in the 1970's to attract more visitors to Verona. Yet I guarantee you that at least half of the people who come to Juliet's house truly believe that it was actually Juliet's house. Of course, this means that those people believe <i>Romeo and Juliet </i>is a true story. Now, the rational (and cynical) part of my mind tells me that of course, <i>Romeo and Juliet </i>is pure fiction. There are absolutely no historical records that hint towards the existence of any of the characters in the play.<br />
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Then again...<br />
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The whimsical, imaginative part of my mind - the part that desperately wants to find a time machine to take me back to Tudor England so I can get to Henry VIII before Anne Boleyn does (and presumably, before the syphilis does) - tells me that nothing is impossible. Many of Shakespeare's plays were based on fact. Who's to say he didn't hear a tale of ill-fated lovers in Verona from some Italian visiting England? And, as Rick Steves puts it, "You just walked down Via Capello, the street of the cap makers. Above the courtyard entry is a coat of arms featuring a hat - representing a family that made hats and which would be named, logically, Capulet." (If you didn't know, Juliet's last name is Capulet).<br />
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Then AGAIN...<br />
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Though the <u>house</u> part of Juliet's house dates back to the 13th century, the balcony was added during the 20th. Despite the prominent use of cell phones in <b>my</b><i> </i>version of <i>Romeo and Juliet</i>, we all know Shakespeare's version happened well before the 20th century.<br />
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I pondered all of this as I watched masses of people purchase locks to put on the iron fence with the hope that as long as it remained locked, their relationships would be intact. I watched as they paid six Euros to enter Juliet's house, the inside of which contains a bed used in one of the film versions and "art inspired by Romeo and Juliet." I watched as they knelt on the pavement to hastily write a letter to Juliet and dropped it in a box containing thousands of other letters. I watched as couples strolled - I mean, maneuvered - their way through the square with stars in their eyes, each of them thinking that only they had a love strong enough to rival that of Romeo and Juliet's. Might I add that I too was there with my one true love, a love I firmly know to be more powerful and everlasting than that of anyone else: ice cream.<br />
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So, whether that is Juliet's house or isn't, whether it's a waste of time and money or not, one thing is for sure: it is a source of intrigue and inspiration, even for a cynic like myself. After all, I just devoted an entire blog post to it, didn't I?<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07715382097223128717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7708550129312022704.post-46600351428494054082013-10-16T00:55:00.000+02:002013-10-18T01:00:18.278+02:00Verona: Past and PresentOne thing I really loved about Verona is how the past still functions in the present. Many of the historic sites or places have been adapted to fit modern needs while still maintaining their "oldness," so to speak, and there are random bits of historical architecture everywhere you look. For example, Roman and medieval portals - entrances to the city - still stand at random points in the street - though you no longer need to pay the toll in order to pass.<br />
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Upon entering the city center through one of these portals, you'll see the ancient Roman arena. Built in 30 A.D. on a piece of land that was, at the time, a few miles outside the Roman city center, its first few centuries of existence saw lots of bloodshed. Gladiator battles pitted man vs. man and man vs. animal in Roman times, and public beheadings took place there during the middle ages. Thanks to a newfound appreciation for the arts cultivated during the Renaissance, the arena started to be used for opera performances. This trend continues today, and it has also seen the likes of One Direction, Duran Duran, The Who, and Whitney Houston. The arena can fit up to 25,000 spectators and as everyone knows, is the blueprint for our modern stadiums. </div>
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The arena's entrance fee is 6 Euros, but if you have a student I.D. that still remotely looks like you and are capable of mumbling "<i>Sono studentessa/o</i>," you can get in for 4.50. Visitors are free to climb up and all over the seats (the lower half of which have had cushions added to them). But... to be completely honest, I was a little disappointed. When it comes down to it, it's just a massive stone complex, and it lacks the romance and intrigue of a well-known arena like Rome's Colosseum. To be fair, it may well have been the horde of teenagers belting out awful Disney songs in Italian on the stage in the center that tainted my arena experience. Oh, and just a friendly hint: those "gladiators" posing with that poor little boy in the above photo are <b>not</b> affiliated with the arena. They're just a local group that prey on tourists by overcharging for a gimmicky photo. Stay away! </div>
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Right outside of the arena is a relatively small, thin column positioned rather randomly in the piazza. 99% of people probably just walk past it without a second thought. It's called a devotional column, and most piazzas had one back in the day (back in the day in this case = middle ages). People would gather around the column to ask for blessings for the market. The one in Verona is still intact, and today people gather around it to gawk at the street performer posted up beneath it, who I strategically did not photograph because I found him frightening. </div>
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Speaking of markets and piazzas, Verona's Piazza Erbe is my favorite piazza I've seen so far. You can make absurd statements like "I have a favorite piazza" when you live in an Italian city. A <i>piazza</i> is just a square, and Italian cities have loads of them. Piazza Erbe is probably one of the few that looks very much like it used to centuries ago. It dates back to the Roman times, when it functioned as a <i>forum</i> - a meeting place for politics and law - and of course, as a marketplace. The fountain in the middle of Piazza Erbe has been bubbling for nearly 2,000 years, and the statue of a lion that sits at the northern end has been there since 1405, when Venice conquered Verona. </div>
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Today, Piazza Erbe is still home to a market of sorts - vendors line up to sell fruits and vegetables, pastries, handmade leather bags, and a few "I visited Verona!!" t-shirts and keychains. You can also find a plethora of tasty restaurants and <i>gelaterias </i>surrounding the square. Here, I found a deliciously cheap sandwich and the first of <strike>too</strike> many gelatos. </div>
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Do you see that tower in the upper left corner of Piazza Erbe? It's one of the few remaining from the Middle Ages, back when the town was full of them. Noble families built towers to show off their wealth to one another. If you see a bell tower that either stands on its own or is connected to a smaller structure that isn't a church, you can be almost certain it was constructed by an important family. <i>Torre dei Lamberti</i>, or the Lambert Tower (built in 1172), is another that's still standing in Verona, and for 6 Euros you can climb 245 steps to the top. </div>
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Clearly, it's worth the climb. Verona's terra-cotta rooftops seem to go on for miles, and the Italian Alps make for a stunning backdrop. The Lambert Tower sits in the Romanesque <i>Palazzo della Ragione,</i> which is home to yet another beautiful and well-preserved piece of architecture: an outdoor staircase, completely original and intact since its construction in 1447. I stood at the base of the staircase for <b>fifteen minutes</b> to get a photo of it without people strewn all over it. As I watched person after person lay on the banister and pose with freakish arm gestures as if to say, "Yeah, man, look at me! I'm on a staircase, b*tch!" I wondered how many of them even knew anything about what it was they were standing on. In other words, STOP POSING LIKE THAT, YOU'RE DISGRACING THE STONES WHERE VERONA'S ELITE ONCE TROD!! Ugh.</div>
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But anyway. Just outside Palazzo della Ragione is <i>Piazza dei Signori</i>, or "The Lord's Square." This little area is a melting pot of architecture; the buildings surrounding it span from the middle ages to the Renaissance. You can easily tell which are from the Renaissance; just look for the frescoes. Like medieval nobles and their towers, wealthy Renaissance families did their bragging with exterior frescoes. I find it pretty remarkable that much of what can be seen today is, for the most part, original and unrestored. </div>
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In the middle of Piazza dei Signori stands a somber looking Dante Alighieri. Quick history: this is indeed the Dante behind <i>The Divine Comedy</i>, the self-narrated tale of his journey through hell and purgatory to reach heaven. It was the first literature to be written in something <b>other</b> than Latin, the language of the church. Dante took a hodgepodge of spoken dialects and called the written result "Italian." For this reason, it was accessible by the masses and wildly popular. It also depicted several well known popes and other church figures in less than flattering situations (Pope Boniface VIII buried up to his head in the 8th circle of hell, for example) and for <u>this</u> reason, Dante was exiled from Florence to Verona, where he lived out the rest of his life. As Dante became a literary genius in history's hindsight, Florentines tried to reclaim him as their hero and even built him a tomb in the 18th century. Verona has maintained a tight grasp on him though, and his body lies not in Florence, but in nearby Ravenna where he died. </div>
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On the topic of tombs, literally right around the corner from Piazza dei Signori are the Scaligeri family tombs. Remember how Florence had the Medici family, Siena had the Borghese, and Milan had the Sforza? When Italy was divided into kingdoms, Verona and the surrounding area had the Scaligeri. Their bodies still lie in the fanciful tombs created for them in the 15th century, which are surrounded by the original wrought iron fences. Not a bad place to rest for all eternity! Just watch out for what looks to be the first version of barbed-wire, though. </div>
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Speaking of resting, this might be enough history for one post. But there's still alot more to see in Verona! Let's spend the night back in Piazza Erbe and pick it up another day, shall we? </div>
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