Florence!

June 9, 2007

The next day had to be our last in Florence, as we had arranged to meet up the following day with two friends of mine in Munich. So we set out early to make the best of it! We stepped out of the hostel and landed right in the middle of an open air market- filled with beautiful leather bags and bound journals, silk scarves, wood works, Venetian glass… after a little shopping, we headed in the direction of San Marco. I don’t know what made us stop at an open door, but we went in to a building attached to a courtyard, and came face to face with Castagno’s Last Supper! It’s ENORMOUS- takes up an entire wall! I think they said it was the refectory of a monastery? Something interesting- in this painting Castagno painted the background (quite successfully) to look like marble!

We spent awhile at San Marco, which is the church/monastery where Fra Angelico spent his life. Climbing the stairs, you turn the corner and your gaze falls on The Annunciation, and then you realize what a treat you’re in for! Each of the little cells has a fresco of some scene in the Bible, painted as if looking out a window onto the action. It’s easy to imagine a monk sitting on his bed, staring at the painting while meditating on his devotions. I wish we could have taken pictures in here, but they would damage the paintings, and reduce the number of people who come to see them (which you SHOULD!) We also saw Savonarola’s cell, who was prior of the monastery and influenced Renaissance Florence with his radical ideas.

The plan was to go to the Accademia after lunch (where works such as Michelangelo’s David and Slaves are exhibited, but the line was outrageous. I wanted to save the Uffizi for another visit, so we went wandering and just took in the city. We walked along the Arno, and went exploring up a mountain on the other side, where we saw a beautiful sunset. Walking the streets of Florence, we happened upon many artists- including students from a local academy reproducing famous works with chalk, and a fabulous guitarist. It took everything I had not to buy pieces from every painter we came across- amazing to see all the different interpretations of the city. We made friends with a man who tried to sell me an overpriced leather bag with flattery (almost worked!) and had our last Italian pizza.

After visiting the Loggia one last time, we stumbled upon Orsanmichele! I walked around the building in awe, gaping up at the guild statues I had studied and rambling on to Laura (that poor girl, she’ll never travel with me again!) We went inside, and mass was just about to start, so we stuck around! I knew a little Italian, and Laura was Catholic, so between us we were able to not stand out too badly. A really special experience, seeing the mass in Italian- though Laura exhibited some fear at the ranting, gesturing priest. We couldn’t understand what he was saying, but he definitely put the “fear of God” into us! A great way to end my first trip to Italy… we collected our things and walked to the train station, to board the overnight train bound for Munich! ETA: 6am.

Trying to Catch Up

June 3, 2007

As of yesterday, I have a month left before I leave Germany. I can’t believe how quickly the year has gone by, and how lucky I’ve been, to do so much in the time that I have had! I realize now though, that I haven’t even written about the best parts! The rest of the first Italy trip… Skiing in the Alps… second trip to Italy… Sweden… Wales. How can I possibly write about everything that has happened, and still include all the little details worth remembering? I’m sorry I’ve been so inconsistent about this. It’s just so hard to stay on top of things when life keeps happening!

*On an interesting note, before I forget… I read on the BBC yesterday that a man in Poland has awoken from a 19 year coma! He’s totally shocked to see the changes westernization has brought… how strange that must be! It’s like Goodbye Lenin: the True Story.

Ok, let’s see… I’ve pretty much covered most of Rome- did I mention Laura getting attacked by an elderly gentleman? Or the fight that broke out over our heads as we ate gelato? What about the two little boys gawking at the lingerie store while their embarrassed mother tried to drag them away? I don’t know if I talked about seeing the Forum, which is simply incredible… you actually get to walk in and among the ruins! We saw the grave of Julius Caesar, and drank from the purest continual well/spring thing (according to Laura’s recollection of a previous tour!) I didn’t get to see the inside of one of the basilicas… supposedly there’s a mosaic on the floor- a question about which I failed for an art history class in college! The Forum was pretty much what you’d expect after so many years, until I found out that it was ransacked in order to build other buildings, and that the destruction was not natural “wear and tear.” How annoying- I want to see what it used to look like! One interesting thing was that a church had been built in the wreckage of an old temple- interesting to see the building take on a new purpose.

The morning before we left, Laura and I went to see the catacombs of San Callisto outside of the city. Italian buses are ridiculous… more about that on Italy part 2, starring Katie. The catacombs were fascinating, but unfortunately I don’t have any pictures to share. They go like 5 levels into the ground, and it’s really cold down there! We were guided by a cute little Catholic priest (who afterwards gave us a video about Jesus, remember Laura?) The tunnels went on and on and on; sometimes you would come to a room and you could tell it was for a more prominent family, as there were tiles and images on the wall- the Good Shepherd, loaves of bread and fish, etc. One room in particular struck me- its where a bishop was murdered when the Romans came in during a clandestine service. We learned about this also in Watkinson’s art history class, and it was thrilling to be there in person. Though honestly, I’m almost more drawn to it because of the infamous (yet sadly fictitious) Luigi Vampa!

We spent the remainder of our time searching for something marked in Laura’s book, that was very difficult to find, though now that we know where it is, it’s rather obvious. It’s the Mamertine Prison, more specifically, the cell where Paul and Peter were supposedly held before their execution, and where they baptized their captors with water that trickled down. The cell where they were held is actually under another cell, which is also underground. NO LIGHT comes through- I can’t imagine. It’s a strange feeling, to be in a place where disciples of Christ supposedly spent their last days… it makes me wonder why I’m so attracted to Rome, when the Romans did such awful things- persecutions, executions, slaves fighting and dying in the arena…
After a quick pizza, I bid the Colosseum “Arrevederci,” and we boarded a train for Florence.

Well, if you know me even a little, you probably know that Florence has been my city of dreams for as long as I can remember. Being the art and Renaissance Mecca of the world, in my book at least, we were not disappointed.
We arrived at night and had a rather difficult and frightening time finding our hostel, which was way out across the river. (We kept asking to be directed to the river Arno, and no one else in town seemed to know where it was either!) Finally found our way to the hostel, which is… interesting. It was safe and the people were hospitable, but I felt like Little Orphan Annie- Laura and I were in a coed room of 22 bunks… and our blankets were something like grey potato-sackcloth. It used to be an old nunnery or something, and the building was terribly confusing to navigate. We made a video about our journey to find the bathroom- take a look!
Needless to say, we were a little sketched out, and checked out in the morning. Had a lovely breakfast at a nearby café- a relaxing cappuccino and some pastries. Being accustomed to German breakfasts, where people take their time, we were surprised to see the supposedly “chill” Italians rush in, order a shot of espresso, pound it back standing up, and rush back out again! It felt more like a bar than a café.

The day was just full of possibilities- what a wonderful feeling! We hiked back across the river to drop our things off at our new hostel (a great place where they encourage travelers to write and paint on the walls- they had imitations of all the great masterpieces!) and set out to explore. First stop of course was Il Duomo! Now I’ve seen it in pictures, but never realized that it is actually made of green and pink marble! Incredibly intricate designs. The inside is more austere than other churches we’d seen, but the frescoes by Vasari were magnificent! He painted heaven and hell, with portraits of notable people of the Renaissance (where they ended up, I couldn’t tell you). We went up to the top of the Dome- the view of the hills from there is gorgeous. On the way, we got to pass between the double vaults (another essay question from college!) and walked around just beneath the frescoes- again, very different up close! Lol… if it were me, I would have to rush down my ladder after every stroke, to make sure proportions were right!

Next we went to the Baptistery, and saw the famous golden doors that every AH 101 student studies- “the Gates of Paradise.” Each section is an incredible work of art- and there are four sets of doors… must have taken Ghiberti ages to finish them. The interior was breathtaking- so much gold! The paintings above were layered, and you could actually follow chronologically the stories of the Old and New Testaments. (Quite a sight to see all the tourists staring at the ceiling while turning in circles.) These are the paintings that supposedly inspired Dante to write the Inferno- I can see why, pictures of demons with human appendages hanging out of their mouths!

Since it was nearby, we also went to the Barghello before lunch- I believe it used to be a prison, but now it’s a museum housing Renaissance sculpture. We saw the original door panels created by Brunelleschi and Ghiberti for the Baptistery contest, as well as Donatello’s David! A work of genius… lucky Medici family, to have it in their garden!
As usual, Laura had picked an extraordinary place for lunch- they had a great deal for appetizers, pasta, salad, and chianti. We dined like kings, and finished it off with another cappuccino! Refueled, we set out for the Loggia, where statues like Michelangelo’s David were exhibited (and of which Munich has an exact replica!) Talked to some personable gentlemen there, much to Laura’s dismay, and tried out fun night settings with pictures of the statues. We went to the Ponte Vecchio- the “Old Bridge” which still consists entirely of gem shops (absolutely crowded!) Took a different bridge back across the river, and found ourselves by Santa Croce. (This is why I love Italy- you just stumble upon things! I loved simply “happening” upon art that I had studied, rather than seeking it out. It was like a game!)
We spent a long time in here, as it houses the tombs of Galileo, Dante, Michelangelo, Bruni, and Ghiberti, and has frescoes by Giotto! I told the story of the Golden Legend to Laura, who had never heard it before (she’s Catholic). We toured the accompanying monastery, and saw the famous Crucifix of Cimabue that was damaged in the flood of ’66. Near it are amazing pictures of citizens cleaning up the city, shoveling mud out of churches… incredible.

Laura’s restaurant of choice was quite the experience- you squeeze past a butcher’s counter to a crowded little room: they seat you between people you don’t know, and the chef is in a corner. At first highly awkward, it is the most memorable meal of the whole trip. As it was a hole in the wall, there were almost no tourists, and it was fun being surrounded by gesturing Italians. The woman next to us ordered a block of parmesan for dessert- I watched her eat the whole thing. Incredible meal, followed by gelato and a stroll through the streets…

So that's what all the hype's about...

May 20, 2007

Well, in the time since I’ve last written, I’ve had two more wonderful chances to travel- a week in both Sweden and Wales! No promises, but I’m hoping to write about those soon. For now, I want to write quickly about today! Carlo invited me to the last Rot-Weiss Essen Fussball Spiel. (This is our soccer team, to avoid any confusion.) I see now that I mentioned it briefly in my last entry- we did end up going to that game, which did not end up being do or die because we tied with Hansa Rostock. Last week was the final home game, but today was the last game of the season. Gegen Duisburg “Zebras.” Riigghht… Both teams wanted desperately to win, Duisburg to move up to the 1st Liga, and Essen to stay in the 2nd. Needless to say, they were much better than we were, and despite our best efforts, we suffered a rather peinlich loss, 3-0. However, it was still an amazing experience. The word that can best describe it perhaps is INTENSE. I have never, in all my life, seen anything so heated or people so passionate. I had heard about Europeans and their soccer obsession, but now I’ve witnessed it with my own eyes. It’s rather incredible- a must-see for anyone coming over.
The people show up to the stadium two hours before the game starts. They are decked out, from head to foot, in the colors of their team, faces painted, banners in tow. A unique and common feature is the scarf, or “schal,” which can be bought outside the stadium. In fact, you can collect them all, and tie them around various parts of your body to look cool. I saw an older woman wearing about 7 on each arm. These scarves they hold above their heads like Lloyd’s boombox in Say Anything, and while the song and the moment lasts, the entire stadium is unified in their display of support and solidarity. Today it was a sea of blue and white scarves… and though Rot-Weiss works best under the pressure of away games, I guess the crowd overpowered them today. Not only are there scarves, but also RIESIG flags that actually collapse in on themselves so they don’t obstruct the view for long. But they’re HUGE, and when waved they seem to cover at least 20 seats. Then there are the homemade signs- today’s favorite was the German equivalent of “We’re pushing you back to 3rd, so put your lollipops back in your mouths and stop crying.” 5,000 seats were allotted to Essen fans, and the red and white section was carefully sectioned off by the neon yellow of security. Though vastly outnumbered, you could still hear the songs being sung… “Ai ai aieeeooooo…. RWE…. Null Sieben!” and “Auf geht’s Essener Jungs… schiess ein Tor fuer uns!” Oh, yeah. They have songs. Tons and tons of them. And EVERYBODY knows them! The effect of the songs was more profound in the last game I went to, in our own Stadium against Rostock. Unfortunately, that game ended prematurely when the visiting fans set their own section on fire. (See? Passionate. Perhaps to a fault.) This was no accident- this was malicious. Take a close look at the picture, and just tell me what that man has in his hand.
It was different today, not being on our home turf. And despite being a foreigner, to the sport and to the region, when we lost, I too felt like crying. Our boys, like our fans, were stunned and shell-shocked. Many collapsed on the field and couldn’t get up. And I was moved to tears again to see some players from Duisburg leave their celebrating to come over and put their arms around our men. After all, it is only a game… but I suppose when following the team that your father and his father before him loved, that you have idolized since you could toddle into the stadium, that you have cheered for ‘til you’re hoarse and you bleed red AND white… it becomes much more.

Rhein Fire Football

Last night, I went with some friends to see a German football game. We’ve been planning this for awhile, but it wasn’t until about two weeks ago that I realized when Carlo said “football,” he meant actual American football. (I had been prepping to see a soccer match!) The game was Rhein Fire (based in Duesseldorf) vs. Koeln Centurions; knowing their natural rivalry (“We’ve got the better beer!” “Nein!” “Doch!”) I was expecting an awesome game! Well, we had an awesome time… but football is still has a ways to go here across the pond. I think the final score of the game (I got them to stop saying “match,” as it made it sound like a British invention that required tea at halftime) was something like 14-6. Our team didn’t even score a touchdown. There’s a horse, also called Touchdown, who stood for 3 hours, waiting to ride up and down the field to celebrate points that were never scored… . Still, the environment was exciting, the company was good, so I enjoyed the night.

Actually, I was pleasantly surprised at how wide a following football already has in Germany! There were about 21,000 people there last night- which was only half the stadium’s capacity, (disappointed at the lack of faith of the management- the seats in the stadium are random, different colors to make it appear fuller!) but those who were there were all wearing Fire shirts, tattoos, waving banners and signs, beating folded paper and blowing whistles, and cheering after every play! (like seriously… every… play.) There was also quite the pyrotechnics show during the pre-game show, sending rings of smoke into the air, while the cheerleaders danced around with flaming batons.

Something amusing I noticed: the cheerleaders (a profession taken less seriously here, thereby accounting for their lack of synchronization) did a little dance at the beginning of the night. It took me a minute to realize that they were enacting all the possible referee calls, and the music above was describing what such a call would mean! I realized too late to get it on video, unfortunately, but it was hilarious. Reminded me of flight attendants reviewing how to secure the oxygen masks and properly activate the oxygen flow. The people running the show (wie heissen sie eigentlich?) were eager to keep everyone on the same page, and thus would display a German explanation of the call each time there was a flag on the play. There were quite a few flags… which is funny considering the players are American. They couldn’t seem to hold their positions until the ball was spiked (snapped? I don’t know that much about football either, sadly). They couldn’t seem to hold on to the ball either. Carlo and I joked that they should take some of the big guys in the crowd and stick them in there- surely these massive Germans could do better blocking than our guys last night. And would someone care to enlighten me, why when the ball is handed off, the players run RIGHT in the middle of the other team’s defense, instead of dodging a little to the side where it’s clear? Seems to me like they’d gain some more ground. But what do I know. And are there rules about when the quarterback can run? Because he just kept standing there, completely wide open, looking for someone to throw to until he’s finally sacked. Esther was asking me about this… I had no idea myself- “move ya bloomin’ arse!”

During halftime we got some “cheeseburgers and fries” lol. You know, Germans eat their fries with mayonnaise? Esp. in Essen- Pommes Rot Weiss- red and white, like our fussball team! Hoping to go to a game tomorrow night, before the season ends! It’s do or die for Essen, sonst they get pushed down a division

A Perfect Lesson

April 27, 2007

Today, I led the most amazing lesson of my entire time here at MWG. It’s not the first time I’ve presented this activity, but I’ve been able to reevaluate and refine what I’ve done before, to make it work just how I liked it! This new presentation format, combined with the nature of 9C, whom I’ve only just begun to work with, was like the stars aligning… it was just incredible. 9C is a class of mostly girls, who have somehow managed to use their competitiveness to fuel and drive the whole class to a new level of standards. They seem more advanced than peers of their same age- both in English ability and perhaps in maturity. What struck me most is that they’re not just concerned with grades; they are naturally inquisitive, interested, and eager to speak their own mind. They listen to what the others say, to what I say, and respond with useful information. They brought points to mind that I hadn’t thought of myself. They are every teacher’s dream. I can’t say they’re my favorite, because I have grown quite attached to the personalities of other classes, but I must admit they’re quite surprising.

I wish I could say that today’s lesson was entirely of my own making. But no, I must give credit where credit is due. I got the idea from one of our TA conferences- someone presented the material as a worksheet for conversation hour. The activity has to do with the photography exhibit “End Times,’ by Jill Greenberg. I took some of the suggested questions as a starting point, and developed my own lesson with the primary intention being simply to foster discussion in English. I chose some of the pictures from this exhibit (all of children crying) and taped about five to the blackboard. I looked at the students as they looked at the pictures, and then asked them what they felt based on what they saw. All hands went into the air… wow. They said that they could really feel the emotion, and wanted to know what made these children cry so furiously. Before telling them, I asked them if they thought it was art. As I expected, most were furious that someone had made a profit from such obvious pain… until I told them that all Greenberg did to make them cry was to take away a lollipop! This changed some opinions; suddenly it became ok, because it wasn’t a terrible event that made them cry, their pain was soon eased, and children cry all the time over such things. I played devil’s advocate and asked them if any reason is legitimate grounds for intentionally causing another pain, even if it is soon relieved. I tried to make comparisons relative to age, asking them if someone stole their dog but returned him the next day, is the grief they felt during that time insignificant? This made them think a little more… Despite concluding that it was art, most still said they wouldn’t let their own children be photographed. They were shocked when I told them that Greenberg had photographed her own daughter too, but said that it’s ok if it’s her own child. They wanted to discuss the role of ethics in art until the bell rang, but I had another curve ball up my sleeve.

I wrote the titles underneath the pictures: Shock, Big Brother, Four More Years, Unless, and Earth. I let them sink in a minute, and then asked what the exhibition was about. This took them awhile, so I asked them what “Big Brother” meant to them. The picture was perfect, because the boy in the photograph holds a position that looks like a “protective soldier,” to use someone’s exact words. I asked her to come up to the board and take a closer look at his eyes, which have tears in them and scream FEAR, and she immediately reversed her opinion, telling the class what she now saw. Big Brother went from being a term of looking out for others, to having connotations of being supervised. Then you see all the lightbulbs go on, as they put it together with the reality show. One of the girls even know the original cultural allusion- 1984! Unbelievable… I thought I would have to make them aware of that, but they already knew it! I asked them to focus on “Four More Years”, and again, you could see it in their faces as they realized the artist’s intent; shock, surprise, pain, at the problems of the world, and who she thinks is at fault. Here I was surprised again: the students usually can’t wait to tell me what they’ve heard their parents say about the government, and though this was another such window for them, they rose above the chance. Our discussion did not become a political battle- they didn’t even go there, but simply acknowledged the problems with the environment, the media, the war, without assigning blame.

I asked them to assess Greenberg’s effectiveness in attempting to portray her message through such pictures, and they brought up the importance of her using children as subjects; pure, innocent samples of emotion without their own agenda. It was just fantastic- most everyone spoke, and when I called on those who were holding back, they didn’t sulk, but seemed grateful for my interest in their opinions, and gave it eagerly.

I finished a few minutes early, and apologized for only having black and white copies of the pictures, recommending that they look up the exhibit to see them in color. I was surprised, and thrilled, to hear them say that they’re glad for the black and white, as it enabled them to “focus solely on the intense emotion of the subjects.” (Um… you impressed yet?) The bell rang, and they packed up to leave. As I moved to the back of the room to speak with the teacher, I couldn’t help but grin as I filtered through the students, pushing to the front for a closer look…





Images from http://www.paulkopeikingallery.com/artists/greenberg/index1.htm

St. Peter's

April 1st, 2007

Well, considering I haven’t updated in over a month, I’m not sure how “successful” my blogging experiment has been. Life just goes too fast for you to write everything down! I never have been able to keep a consistent journal- I guess I should have known better ;). Still, I’ll do my best to catch up and fill you in. Strange that I am sitting down to finish describing my last trip to Italy, as I plan my next one! Katie is coming in to visit me on Tuesday, and we’re hoping to go to Tuscany. I just realized that it will put us in Rome on Easter, which is absolutely insane tourist-wise, but we’re choosing to look at it as a once in a lifetime opportunity ;).

Ok, so, what to cover… the rest of Rome, Florence, New Years, Ski trip, birthday, and everything in between! Hmmm… let’s see how far I can get in these few hours before my battery dies. I’ve taken myself out to the Wiese (meadow) just outside the dorm. It’s 60 degrees, and I’m determined to get some sun on this pasty frame. (Considering I will be wearing pale pink in August, I better start early, ne? Love you Annie…) The wind is blowing, I’m being stalked by this enormous raven, and Lord of the Rings music is wafting out through someone’s open window. Yes, it’s a good day to write.

So right. Rome. I have to look at my pictures to rekindle the memories. I don’t remember the days specifically anymore, so I’m going to walk you through with landmarks. Poor Laura… the more I recall, the more I realize I really ran her ragged! On our second day in Rome, we woke up reasonably early and set off to find the Pantheon! We chose to avoid direct routes, preferring instead to cast ourselves adrift in the winding streets, and see what we see on the way (the best way to get to know a city!) We happened upon the first non-Catholic church in Rome, as well as a seat of government guarded by men with guns… scary! This route led us to a beautiful sidestreet, complete with statues of Augustus and orange stucco buildings- completely what you’d imagine as “Italy.” We stumbled upon the Trevi fountain again, which is just as breathtaking in the daylight! After a few more winding turns, we found the Pantheon. Honestly, I think this building was more impressive than the Colosseum. A perfect globe can fit inside, and when you stand in the center and peer up at the ceiling, it’s impossible not to marvel at Roman architectural genius. And the oculus in the center? A perfect circle of glass, lowered and fitted HOW? A section of the church (yes, it's now a catholic church devoted to Mary- odd for a pagan building, but I’m just glad it’s still being used and protected) was partitioned off, because archaeologists were researching/restoring the art in a certain niche (catch me, I’m falling). We paid the 2 Euros to listen to the information on the building, which was fascinating, though unfortunately I can’t remember much to put down here. Before leaving, I paid my respects to a man who earned his rest here, the great Raphael.

Though it pains me to do so, if I’m ever going to get through Italy, I’m going to have to be a little more concise… Let’s see if that’s possible. So, in the map in Laura’s handy dandy Let’s Go Europe (buy one of these- they’re really worth it!) I saw a sign for the Ara Pacis museum- a must-see for anyone who claims to enjoy Art History. It lies by the river, a good hike north, and rather hard to find. It’s a monument (I believe, off the top of my head) to commemorate the peace achieved by Augustus after his victories in… Gaul? Don’t quote me, I might be way off here… it’s been awhile. Still, I remember seeing it in every AH class- it’s a lot bigger than I expected! An altar of white marble, on which are scenes that include many of Augustus’ relatives coming together to celebrate. Funny, they built this museum around the Ara Pacis to protect it from water damage, after having removed it from a floodplain. Interesting choice then, to build the museum next to the river!

After getting yelled at for using the wrong exit (remember Laura?), we walked around Augustus’ mausoleum; a large brick/earth structure unfortunately sealed off to the public. We then made our way to the Spanish steps… on the way I ran into a street artist, and made a purchase of some beautiful watercolors! We had some gelato, Audrey Hepburn style, while narrowly avoiding being in the middle of an Italian brawl (just, when in Rome, don’t let them put bracelets on your wrists… that’s all I’m going to say about that). At the top of the steps was another ENORMOUS nativity scene, set in Rome among figures going about their daily business- washing laundry, selling vegetables… interesting. We also came across another group of artists… it was the perfect Italian moment- bright sunshine, looking out over the rooftops towards the domes in the distance. I found another painting that I longed to have, and used some savvy bargaining to get it! (Laura was quite impressed… honestly, so was I!) Quick pic of a Medici villa (couldn’t get close) before we headed off to the Vatican for the rest of the day!

Saint Peter’s was just amazing… it’s strange to stand in a place that you’ve seen on TV so many times… the long colonnades, the balcony where the Pope gives his address. The Christmas tree and life size nativity were still up too! The line moves quicker than you’d expect; while going through the metal detectors, Laura told me about the Swiss Vatican guards. Apparently, they have enough applicants to be choosy about looks! St. Peter’s was definitely a highlight- to appreciate it fully be prepared to spend several hours… like, 6. After taking a peek inside, we opted to go back and get the audio tour- a well-spent 5 Euros. The best moment was going through a partition on the right and coming face to face with Michelangelo’s Pieta. My favorite statue, and I completely forgot it was there! Honestly, some art can bring you to tears. He completed it when he was 23 years old… and to me, it is as close to creative perfection as man has ever come.

The basilica plays tricks with your mind. When walking through it, you realize how enormous it really is, but from some angles, it seems much smaller. It’s the most lavish building I’ve ever seen, with frescoes and gold and statues and wood… the bronze canopy above the altar, side chapels galore. We even got to go underneath and see the tombs of the popes, as well as that of St. Peter himself. When we were finished, the sun had long since set, and to see the twinkling tree and the lit up church was quite a treat!

I promised Laura that since I was being so demanding on the artistic side of things, that she could be demanding in her area of specialty. So, this is why we walked for an hour to a restaurant past the Colosseum called I Buoni Amici. Laura really knows how to pick them- this place was wonderful! Kind of strange experience because when we arrived at 7:15, the restaurant had only just opened for the night, and the waiters themselves were just finishing dinner. They insisted however that we come in and have a glass of wine while they finished. We talked to them in broken Italian and English, telling them that we came from Germany. After this bit of information, they continued to talk amongst themselves, saying “Germania” and turning around to blatantly stare at us every few minutes. Even after serving us (an incredible meal of pasta with lobster and mussels), our waiter continued to stare, from a “polite” distance. We were relieved when, after about 40 minutes, other people began to trickle in. I guess the Italians eat late! We walked along the Appian Way back to the hostel for another good night’s rest. Laura jumped at the presence of a rat in the street, and I marveled at two trees full of what must have been the great bird gathering of the century- at 10pm they were unbelievably loud!

Roman Holiday

February 21, 2007

I guess it’s about time I took a stab at recording Italy; I’ve been hesitant to write because the time was so incredible, filled with so many details and thrilling moments, that I didn’t know if I could capture it all, or if I could do it justice. But people have been asking for it, so I’ll do my best.
Strange thing- I’ve been waiting my entire life to go to Italy, but the day before the time came, hatte ich gar keine Lust zu reisen. I tried to reason with myself, and I figured that I was just pouting about not being home for Christmas. As it turned out, this was the perfect distraction to perk up my spirits. I just wish I could have shared it with everyone back home… there are a few art connoisseurs in particular I would have given anything to have there with me.
Laura and I flew out early on the morning of the 26th. My hesitations disappeared as I flew over the Alps for the first time. It was like flying over Greenland on the way back from Russia: honestly breathtaking to see these towering giants. I pieced together enough Italian to ask the Donna next to me if I could lean over and take pictures! (I’ve got Laura totally baffled- she thinks I can speak Italian, and Spanish come to that, for reasons you’ll read later- when really I barely remember the basics… “buon giorno,” “dov’e?,” “gelato,” the necessities.
The excitement peaked as we touched down; I couldn’t WAIT to deboard the plane. Then we realized how ridiculously warm it was- we had to start shedding layers! I honestly think I forgot what warm weather felt like. (Best kept secret in Europe: travel in the south in WINTER! It’s not too cold, and you beat the tourism… just perfect.) We hopped a bus from the RyanAir airport to Termini Station for 5 Euros, and started off. One of my favorite things about Italy I actually loved before I ever saw in person: these amazing trees that tower, tall and skinny, to the sky (think Gladiator). Are they Cyprus trees, does anyone know? Well, I was delighted to find that they’re everywhere!
Laura and I arrived at Termini and set out to find our hostel, so we could drop our things and wander the city before it got too dark. Favorite thing about Rome #1: the street signs are actually of carved marble, are inset in the buildings, and all begin with “Via.” How incredible is that? It just adds to the "authentic" atmosphere (sorry- I picked that word up in Germany.) We were greeted within five minutes of arrival by a man on the street who kindly pointed us towards our hostel, and insisted on kissing our cheeks as if we were old acquaintances. We left our bags at Papa Germiano’s and set out to explore. I wanted no map, but rather just to wander and soak it in. We grabbed a panini and set off down a main avenue. The sun was just beginning to set, and I was ecstatic- after so long, I was actually in ITALY!!! Poor Laura, I think I practically dragged her around for 6 days- she was a great sport though.
So, I kinda flipped out when I saw the ruins of the Forum in the distance. As Becca would say, I began “walking with purpose,” and nothing could stop me. Nothing, that is, except Laura’s casual “hey look!” She pointed down an alleyway, and this is what I saw:

Now that’s enough to stop me in my tracks. I swear I’ve never switched directions so fast. I took Laura up on her previous offer to let me call home, where my family was celebrating a belated Christmas. It was amazing to be able to share that moment with them… despite not being together, I think we all felt more of the holiday spirit. Actually, as it turns out, Christmas was a lovely time to be in Rome. Everything was decorated, and there were nativities and lights by every church (and there’s over 900 in Rome alone, so the city was pretty decked out!)
Like crazy tourists, we took maybe fifty pictures of the Colosseum. Only as the sun was going down did I concede to tear myself away and see what other treasures the city offered. Hence, my first glimpse of the monuments of Rome was by night! What a perfect experience- I highly recommend it. Wait until the sun sets, and allow yourself to get swept away in this timeless city…
We walked around the Arch of Constantine (built in the fourth century!!!), the Roman Forum, the Capitoline Hill, and into any church or sidestreet we desired. Somehow, by luck, inclination, serendipity, or what-have-you, we found the sights- and I promise, this is much better than looking for them on a map. But then again, there is so much to see in Rome… just pick a street, follow it to its end, and you’ll arrive at something incredible. As it turns out, we ended up first at the Pantheon. Beautiful by night, but unfortunately closed, so it became the first thing for the next day’s agenda. A few more back-roads, (#2 great thing about Rome, the streets are narrow and cobble-stone!) and we found ourselves in front of La Fontana di Trevi! This is something one must see first by night… it’s gorgeous. After sitting and watching the water, taking in the moment and the atmosphere, and throwing in coins to ensure a speedy return, we went off searching for a hole-in-the-wall pizza place. It didn’t take long to stumble across “Pizza Romana,” and with gaping mouths we indicated which we wanted. (We only realized later that they sold the pizza by weight, and you can have pieces of each!) Laura and I took our pizza back to the Trevi Fountain, and slowly ate in an hour of pure contentment. I had only been in Italy a matter of hours, but with some of the most divine creations known to man (one shooting water before us, the other in our hands), I was basking in the glory of dreams fulfilled.
To top things off, we hunted down San Crispino’s, reportedly the best gelateria in Rome. I believe it- I had honey and pear flavored ice cream, and it was absolutely incredible. We wandered the streets with our sweets, admired a few street artists (one incredible woman with spraypaint!), acknowledged a few “ciao bellas,” and headed home to rest, so we could get up early and make the most of tomorrow!
I’ll write about the following wonderful days soon, but I’ve been thinking… I cannot decide if I “did it right”- I’ve been waiting to see Rome for so long, and everything is so near to everything else in the city, that I acted like a child on Christmas morning (ironically) who opens each present right after another; overcome by happiness with each successive treasure, yet opening them all so quickly, that the surprise ist schnell vorbei. Still, I think considering the circumstances of our trip, having only 3 days to spend in Rome, we did very well; we experienced so much, but somehow I never felt rushed. We took our time at the places we visited, and perhaps that’s why I feel satisfied… as in, happy with the trip, but still eager to return!

Kegeln!!

February 5, 2007

Yes yes, I know, still so much to write- I haven’t even touched on Italy yet- it’s coming. I just had to write a quick note about “Kegeln!” It’s the German version of bowling, and it’s a blast. I went with a fellow teacher and her friends on Friday, and it was so different, I had to tell about it.

As we walked in the bowling alley in Bottrop, we were confronted with huge signs everywhere that say something like “America’s favorite mode of entertainment.” The best touch was the huge “USA” and eagle stretched over all the lanes. Just before I had time to worry about not knowing my shoe size, I was told we were instead going downstairs… to the kegeln lanes! It felt like stepping into the 70s- instead of machines there are chalkboards on the wall to keep score, and there is that distinct “wood” paneling on the walls like the kind we had in our old basement before we remodeled. There’s also a long table to sit around, rather than the chairs in a semi-circle.

So, Keglen: there are nine pins instead of ten; they’re wooden and smaller, and attached by a string to the machine above, that just picks them up and replaces them after each bowl. The lane is narrow, but widens at the end, and is about half as long as a bowling lane. The balls are wooden, smaller, without holes. The aim of the game is to get exactly 51 points- you get a point for each pin you knock down. If you get exactly six pins in your roll, you get to go again. And here’s the best part- if you catch up to someone and end up with the same score, they go back to zero! It’s so much fun… takes awhile to get used to throwing the ball without having the holes to guide you though. Then there are also other games you can play- something where you “build your own tomb” around your name (think Horse or Hangman), and things to achieve with points. They tell me that kegeln is a popular children’s birthday party choice- I can see why, it keeps you entertained for hours! Oh, and one of the best things about kegeln is, the waiters come to YOU! (While I’m thinking of it, one of my friends gave me a piece of traditional “little kid birthday cake”- it’s like layered wafers smothered in cooled chocolate- absolutely amazing.)

The people I spent the time with were wonderfully funny- we kept conversation to German, so of course much of the time I just listened, but I’m able to catch the jokes now and then. I learned a new phrase that I found interesting: “Schicht im Schacht”- meaning a shift in the shaft. A distinctly Ruhrgebiet Sprichtwort that means schon vorbei- something that’s already over. This is the old coal mining region, but as the mines are closed now, to have a shift in them means… to not… have a shift in them? Anyway, Ruhrgebiet slang J

Sorry for the shorter entry. I’m going to try to do more like this though, so they don’t take too long to write, and you can get a sense of my daily life, and not just my travels. Enjoy~

Return from Ireland

January 14, 2007

Our last day in Ireland promised to be less hectic than the ones before. We had a leisurely and most marvelous full Irish breakfast at the Bunratty Manor Lodge- we even were bold enough to try the pudding, both black and white! (If you don’t know what this is made from, you should look it up.) The hostess told us that all pregnant Irish women drink Guinness and eat black pudding- it keeps you strong! I believe it… after those breakfasts, you feel ready to take on anything (which turned out to be a good thing…).

We headed over to Bunratty Folk Park (picture Colonial Williamsburg of Ireland, with houses made of thatch instead of bricks). Annie and I were surprised to find that the sketchy road was actually right against the river- it’s a miracle we didn’t fall in while slinking along the shoulder the night before! "Bring me Shrubbery!"

We were amused by the little reconstructed houses- and amazed by how short people were, and that they didn’t pass out from smoke inhalation. The park was done up in Christmas theme, and unfortunately, many things were closed. We did see the church… riddle me this. What does this church and the Wren Chapel have in common? We saw deer, ducks, and dwarves… all the little town shops were closed, but the castle was open!

Bunratty was one of the most amazing castles I’ve ever seen (not like I’ve seen a ton, but definitely a few in my months here). What made this different from the others is that it was so… functional! It had multiple levels with enormous rooms in the center, and the four corners of the structure were like separate towers, with bedrooms upon work rooms upon chapels upon kitchens- the windy stairs lead you up indefinitely. It was like a maze, a fully self sufficient building where people could really hole away and survive a siege. My favorite room was the grand entry, with a large spit in the fireplace for roasting meat, an out of the way door that led down to the dungeon, a throne on one end where all the villagers would bring their requests before the lord... I was totally waiting for Aragorn to come striding through the heavy wooden doors. There were antlers on the wall, tapestries, intricately carved wooden furniture, all kinds of ancient treasures. Best thing was the hidden assassin hole- from the staircase one had a clear shot of whoever was approaching the throne.

Needless to say, Annie was ecstatic- she had her castle moment on the top as we were looking out at the view of scary road. I let her shriek and look over the edge while I recited Monty Python (“I told zem we’ve already got one!” Totally wasted on Annie…) She wanted us to have a picture taken together, and vouched to pounce upon the next unsuspecting victim to ascend the stairs. Now good children, remember back in the story and guess which unlikely character decided to make a final appearance: yes! the airplane man! Annie started speaking English to him (as one does in Ireland) and he had a rather confused look on his face. Wait a minute… he looks kinda familiar… I know him! Much to Annie’s surprise, I reverted to German. He didn’t seem as surprised to see me as I was to see him, which, combined with the brief account of his travels from Ennis to Cliffs of Moher to Galway to Bunratty, certainly aroused some suspicion. He took our picture, and I heard him mention to his buddies something about an American from the plane… hehe.

We parted ways, and Annie and I went to the Creamery for a last Irish meal before we headed back to Shannon. I had Christmas pudding, which is like a warm fruitcake with vanilla sauce- Annie got more of that wonderful bread. After a little window shopping, finally we picked up our things from the Lodge, and got back on the bus, ready for a few simple hours of travel.

Check-in and everything went smoothly at the airport. Annie checked her email and found out she was accepted into nursing school (yay!) and I browsed a book on U2’s early years. We made it to our gate in plenty of time, didn’t even get stopped through security. It was in the “holding area” that we noticed the indefinite delay on our plane, vaguely worded in big, red letters on the screen. Reason? Yes, ladies and gentlemen… there was fog on the runway.

We took off about an hour later than scheduled- not bad, and really we were just relieved to be in the air. Annie made friends with the cute flight attendent, and once again we mistakenly thought it was smooth sailing (flying?) from here on out. Just before we were about to land however, the captain’s voice came over the intercom and said a little something in German, to which a synchronized groan emerged from the passengers. Annie looked at me questioningly. I hated to tell her, that we were being rerouted. Why? It was too FOGGY… to LAND… in WEEZE!!!!!!!!! Ok, so where are we headed? I crouched apologetically as I told her: Frankfurt. And not Frankfurt as in big city right near the main train station, but Frankfurt Hahn- also one of RyanAir’s middle of nowhere landing sites. It was at this point that I started banging my head into the seat in front of me.

We landed about 11pm, and I wondered how the hell I was going to get us home (in time to teach class tomorrow at 8:30am!) As luck would have it, we ran again into my German friend… He explained that the airline had hired some charter buses to take us back to Weeze (not ideal, as this was also in the middle of nowhere, but what else could be done?) So all the passengers loaded up on the buses (Annie wisely bought a pretzel from an outdoor vendor) and we drove for about four hours to get to our original destination. I don’t see why they didn’t just drop us off on the way at a main city hub, for when we actually got to Weeze, we had no way of getting out! With the help of our German buddy, we arranged for a taxi (yes, the only one in Weeze) to cart people in shifts to the little train station. We thanked him, took some pictures, and headed out with some new travel companions. It was unbelievably cold back in Germany, with about an inch of frost on all the cars in the parking lots. We waited (in the cold) for the train to arrive, and were not surprised at its many delays along the way. Shared a chocolate bar with our travel companions, and just laughed at the predicament we were in. Switched trains in Krefeld, where we picked up coffee and brotchen and bade adieu to our fellow victims. Annie and I pulled into Essen as the sun was rising- about 7:30am. At this point, we didn’t even have enough time to drop our things off at my WG before we had to be back at school, so we headed straight there.

As we walked in the door, one of my “colleagues” asked us where we were headed with our suitcases. Ha.

We prepared a lesson in about 30 minutes, talked to the students about life in America, and our obligations fulfilled, took our tired selves home to bed. Slept long and hard, and when I opened my eyes and looked out the window, I just had to laugh. The city below me was hidden from view… in a thick, misty blanket of fog.