Ciao!!
The weather in Florence is finally warming up and it is sooooo beautiful!!! I spent some of the day just walking around, appreciating the beauty of the city in sunshine. Of course because its finally sunny the tourists have descended and it is almost impossible to move in the Piazza al Duomo but other than that everything is perfect. School is going well and I was nominated for the Coluccio Salutati Award, an award given to four students who have strived for academic excellence and integration into the Italian culture. I have to write an essay about how Italy and the culture has affected me, and then there are four finalists. My two art history professors nominated me so it is a huge honor! But even more exciting is the trips I have undertaken in the past two weeks!! I wrote form the Brussels Airport but I didn't write about my trip! So it begins:
I landed in Brussels on March 12th in the evening and immediately set out for the Grote Markt and its gloriously decadent buildings, so pretty!! The sun was, unfortunately, nowhere to be seen so I scurried under the cover of a newly purchased umbrella (emblazoned with BELGIUM) to the Manneken Pis. Such a cute like bugger! I had my first waffle, which reminds me! When I stepped off the plane in Belgium, I kid you not, it SMELLED LIKE WAFFLES! I had no idea they were as pervasive as they were. Anyway, that night I stayed at the Hotel Mozart (soooo strange! covered in crazy wallpaper and huge pictures of Barack Obama!). The next morning I headed to the Musee di arte ancien. Such a collection! Though I have to say that it was a bit bittersweet because the two works I was most excited to see: The Annunciate by the Master of Flemalle and the Lamentation by Rogier van der Weyden were not there! Memling, van der Weyden, van der Goes, DAVID, Ingres, Bosch, and many others (see pictures below, and I apologize for the blurriness I have such a hard time without the flash, so please excuse the quality of some of the images). After the museum I headed to the train station and boarded a train for Bruges, the focal point of my Belgian expedition.
When I got there I was immediately captivated by the mediveal and quaint beauty of the city. The canals sparkled in the sun, and it was love at first site. My hotel was situated right on a canal and I had an adorable attic room that looked over the whole city! I immediately dropped off my bags and hiked up the Belfort. WHAT A VIEW! After I stared for sooooo long, I headed down and over to the Cathedral where I saw the Bruges Madonna by Michelangelo, I can't get away from Mike even in Belgium! It was exquiste but so much smaller than I had imagined. It fits so perfectly into his Florentine period right before he went to Rome for the Pieta. I really couldn't believe how minute the details were. The church itself was not very impressive other than its huge tower which was under construction. After my Italian interlude I decided to keep the rest of the gems for the next days and headed home to an amazing Belgian meal at my hotel. I had tomato soup and waterlooi, which is chicken cooked in its own broth with vegetables and yummy sauce. After a hearty beer, I was ready for sleep. The next morning I woke early to head ot the Groeninge Museum, the main reason for my trip..... AND IT WAS CLOSED! Closed for installation for a new show arriving three days after I left. So devasted I dragged myself to the Hans Memling Museum to lift my spirits, and did it!! The small shrine of St. Ursula and the Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine were enough to galvinize me and put a smile back on my face... well those and a couple of waffles :) After my galvinzation, I strutted out to the Jeruzelkerk, which was by far one of the strangest church I have entered, and if I happened to ever need a setting to film a horror movie about virgin sacrifices to a god, I found my place! It was soo dark and creepy with a hidden room where there was a fake dead Christ in the Tomb for veneration. I quickly hightailed it out of there and walked back into the sunshine and warmth of the center. From then on I just wandered and found awesome little hidden alcoves and blind alleys that dot the whole city. I also wandered into the Basilica of the Holy Blood in time to see over 200 christians line up to rub a cylinder that held a "vial of the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ from his time on the cross." I did not point out to any of them that if someone got a vial of JC's blood while he was on the cross then chances are that person was not mourning but rather maybe from the other side...... Anyway! I left that church before someone could spot me as a heretic and headed over the Markt for more people watching. After an eventful day, I retreated to my hotel bar and once again ate wonderful food and retired with a full stomach!
The next morning marked my departure from Bruges for Ghent. A beautiful, and quick, train ride got me to Ghent at about noon, so I climbed the Belfort there (saw MORE amazing views) and headed to the Gravensteen Castle, which was sooo cool! I climbed ramparts, explored torture rooms (with the instruments still in place) and waltzed in the banquet room. All in all, a very nice little interlude. After my brief respite from the visual arts, I headed to St. Bavo's to view the ONE OF A KIND Ghent Altarpiece by the brothes van Eyck. And what a sight. I stood in a tiny room for 30 minutes while I tried to devour every minute detail and inch. It was one of the works that made me fall in love with art and to be able to stand in front of it for a minute, nevermind 30, was an awesome experience. I will admit a tear came out, just like when I saw the Last Supper of Leonardo in Milan. These works are such a part of me and so heartbreakingly beautiful that I miss them when I can not see them. How strange that I say these things about art... but I don't know much that can equal it.
After Ghent I went back to Brussels for my flight, and headed back to Florence where I was welcomed home with beautiful weather and gosh, it was nice to be home!
That was Belgian adventure, and it followed with an easy week at school.
This last weekend I went on another art tour, but this time it was Piero Pilgrimage....can you name the Piero who roamed the hills of Arezzo and San Sepulcro....
Stay tuned for more on that later this week!!
All the love!
Lydia
Brussels:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2531457&id=8642257&l=6f2faab190
Bruges:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2533704&id=8642257&l=8b9a42476b
Ghent:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2533928&id=8642257&l=67f6e27765
Monday, March 23, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
Last Couple of Weeks: Part 3
PRAGUE!!!
Sorry it took me so long, but this will get me up to this weekend (I am currently in the Brussels airport as I write this, and I intend to share those stories with you as soon as I have pictures up!)
I went to Prague to visit one of my close close friends from Wisconsin. It happened that the weekend I went was a bit of a Wisco reunion, because not only was I in town, but three of my guy friends were there, as well as same more girlfriends! All in all I believe we were with about 10 wisconsin kids one night!! It was so great to see everyone that I hadn't seen in so long and I already miss them again!
Sarah came with me, and got to meet a TON of people from back home, and this led to some hilarious moments as she forgot names but all in all it was so much fun. We had an intrepid tour guide in Natalie and she took us all over the city! We headed up the hill to Prague Castle, across Karl's Bridge to see the Lennon Wall (yes that's John Lennon, not Lenin as I originally thought!), did some shopping. We danced over to see Gehry's dancing building, and then we just danced... all night long at a 5-storey club overlooking the river.... it was a fascinating experience. We also particpated in a pub crawl that took us all over the city and I have to say was SUPER fun because I saw parts of the city I definitely never would have visited other wise (mostly residential stuff). It was such a great weekend, and I am really glad I went back to Prague, especially with some of my best friends. It was a very lighthearted weekend, and overall it was a good counterpoint to my trip with Mom that was much more somber in tone, just because we, obviously, visited a concentration camp. I am so glad I got to experience that great city with both my family and my friends, and it once again brought home how lucky I am to be in Europe with som many great people.
My flight is being called so I will tell you all about Bruges, Brussels and Ghent in the next post, and post pictures!!
Love you all, and miss you terribly!! (send emails!!)
Lydia
Sorry it took me so long, but this will get me up to this weekend (I am currently in the Brussels airport as I write this, and I intend to share those stories with you as soon as I have pictures up!)
I went to Prague to visit one of my close close friends from Wisconsin. It happened that the weekend I went was a bit of a Wisco reunion, because not only was I in town, but three of my guy friends were there, as well as same more girlfriends! All in all I believe we were with about 10 wisconsin kids one night!! It was so great to see everyone that I hadn't seen in so long and I already miss them again!
Sarah came with me, and got to meet a TON of people from back home, and this led to some hilarious moments as she forgot names but all in all it was so much fun. We had an intrepid tour guide in Natalie and she took us all over the city! We headed up the hill to Prague Castle, across Karl's Bridge to see the Lennon Wall (yes that's John Lennon, not Lenin as I originally thought!), did some shopping. We danced over to see Gehry's dancing building, and then we just danced... all night long at a 5-storey club overlooking the river.... it was a fascinating experience. We also particpated in a pub crawl that took us all over the city and I have to say was SUPER fun because I saw parts of the city I definitely never would have visited other wise (mostly residential stuff). It was such a great weekend, and I am really glad I went back to Prague, especially with some of my best friends. It was a very lighthearted weekend, and overall it was a good counterpoint to my trip with Mom that was much more somber in tone, just because we, obviously, visited a concentration camp. I am so glad I got to experience that great city with both my family and my friends, and it once again brought home how lucky I am to be in Europe with som many great people.
My flight is being called so I will tell you all about Bruges, Brussels and Ghent in the next post, and post pictures!!
Love you all, and miss you terribly!! (send emails!!)
Lydia
Monday, March 9, 2009
Last Couple of Weeks: Part 2
Ciao!!
What a weekend I just had!! I headed northeast to visit Natalie T. in Prague, but more on that later. First! I must tell you all about Amsterdam!
I got into Amsterdam early in the morning on Friday, March 26th. I immediately met up with some of my friends from school who were also visiting that weekend, including NATALIE!! We reunited for the first time in many months, and it was so great to see her. Amazing how long two friends can go without seeing each other, and still be as if you were never apart except for great stories about the time in-between! We were staying on the fringes of the Red Light District, and so we "explored" the coffeeshops and crazy stores that abound in that area before heading over to Damplein to find PANCAKES. Our breakfast was delicious, but I was surprised because at the small restaurant we went to, not only was our waiter Italian, but the entire place was filled with the Italian language and strong Italian cologne!! It was almost as if I had never left Florence! After we had our late breakfast, we walked around and just got used to our new landscape. That evening we decided to trek across the city and make a light night call at the Van Gogh Museum, which was open until 10pm. It was such a great museum!! A complete range of his artistic process, it had everything from portraits, still lives, and starry nights. It also held two pictures that I had never seen before but fell completely in love with on site. There was an exhibition on his Night scenes, and while the Starry Night of fame was on display (which I was so happy about because I missed it in NYC this summer) there were two works that were spectacular! First, another starry night, though this one was much less flashy and much more contemplative on the source of illumination and the selectivity of colors. My other favorite was a Dance Hall scene that was imbibed with so much color and movement I felt like I could hear the skirts swish and swoop. After a very satisfactory museum jaunt, we went over to Leidenplein which is a nightlife center filled with clubs and restaurants. Interestingly, we ate Italian that night. I am beginning to feel that I will never be able to fully escape Italy... but then again, why would I want to? :)
That night we simply wandered all over the city, stopping in at different bars and such.
The next day, Saturday, we set off for Rijksmuseum (near the Van Gogh, though it seems a lot farther during the day when you can site see for hours just walking around) and found an ADORABLE cafe that overlooked the canals (Villa Zeezicht, Torensteeg 7) where we ate lunch and I had my first hamburger in months, it was superb! After that we head to Museumplein and to the Rijksmuseum. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately for Natalie because who knows how long I would have wanted to stay otherwise) the major building of the museum is closed for renovation and they just have a "Highlights" exhibition open, but it was still an insane collection and really moving. We sat in front of Rembrandt's Night Watch for about 30 minutes just looking and talking about the work and what I had learned from Simon Schama (our god) about it. After that we strolled Museumplein, took pictures of the I AM AMSTERDAM sign, and the concert hall at the other end. While I was reading aloud about the -plein to Natalie from my Rick Steve's guidebook (who I will NEVER buy again) I happened across a passage that was very irritating and insulting to me. It goes, "Dutch art is meant to be enjoyed, not studied." Hmm, then it’s probably a bad thing that I have spent 4 semesters taking classes about Northern and Dutch art, eh?? Stupid Rick Steves. Natalie thought this was highly hilarious, as I had just finished explaining Dutch art in technical and chronologic terms, relating it to other art movements. I guess that was all hogwash. After the plein, it was getting late and we walked another scenic route back to our District where we found incredible Tibetan food near our hotel. It was a great meal, and I remembered how much I love Asian food! That night we headed to the Bulldog Coffeeshop (supposedly one of the first large coffeeshops of its kind) and then toured the Red Light District. This came with some awkward moments, such as when I, distracted by Natalie, tripped and put my hand out to catch myself on the wall beside me. This would have been unnoteworthy had the "wall" not been the window behind which a prostitute was proudly displaying her "wares." Other moments ensued including the moment that I realized there was a brothel immediately beside the Old Kerk. Church + Brothel sharing a wall? I still don't know how I felt about that. The entire experience left me shaken. I kept looking through these glass barriers at the women below the red lights and wondering what they were thinking, and whether they were there by their own accord or were being exploited by someone else. And I couldn't help thinking that whether or not they were there voluntarily, they were still exploited by a tourist trade that promotes and advertises them as if they were products and not people. Even my own curiosity about them, though completely removed from their trade, seemed obtrusive and wrong. I have yet to fully comprehend my own feelings on the matter, but I believe it is something to seriously think about at length.
Our last day was a busy one! We headed out early and went straight to the Anne Frank House. What an experience, anyone who has heard about the Holocaust but never really felt they understood the sheer terror people must have felt need only to walk up to the Bookcase that hid the entrance to this tiny annex and it hits you so hard its almost impossible to breathe. Walking up the tiny stairs and into these miniscule rooms was something I will never forget. The stories of those people were told from the perspective of a small girl, but when you read her words its hard to imagine someone so young understanding so much, yet when you see her room, it is so clear how young she was.
We left the Frank's house and walked the whole of the city to the Botanical Gardens, which were an unusual site for me. I have never considered the Botanical Gardens of any city a place I must see, but I am so glad that I was able to walk through Amsterdam's. Not only was it beautiful and contained plants that I had never seen or heard of, but also its history was so interesting! It was first created to house medicinal plants and is one of the oldest growers of some very important herbs that many medicines still contain. We walked through South Africa, Mexico, California, the Desert, and Canada. Afterwards we headed back to our apartment for a quick nap and to rest our tired feet. However, I must say that our walks, more than any single site, were my favorite parts of the trip. The streets were so vibrant, and the canals so beautiful. Our last stop was the Museum Amstelkring. It is a 16th century house that houses a 17th century Catholic church in its attic! Created in the 1640's when the city governors outlawed Catholicism, it was a hidden church where practicing Catholics could gather for Mass and the sacraments. It was so interesting to see another hidden religion and how they incorporated the entirety of a church into a house (including confessional and a pulpit!). That night we had Tibetan food again and headed back to our hotel early for our REALLY EARLY flights home the next day.
All in all I loved Amsterdam and especially its history, however I was very disturbed by its current form and am still deciphering my feelings about why I think its ok for prostitution to exist but not want to see it? Is it a moral issue for me or am I simply so entrenched in my society's view of it that I wish it to be hidden. I do not like the feeling of not knowing my own mind, but at the same time I am distinctly not ok with what I felt when I saw those women below the red lights that loudly proclaim their profession.
Still pondering,
Lydia
Amsterdam, Album 1:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2524469&id=8642257&l=7a304
Amsterdam, Album 2:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2525230&id=8642257&l=9ba2b
What a weekend I just had!! I headed northeast to visit Natalie T. in Prague, but more on that later. First! I must tell you all about Amsterdam!
I got into Amsterdam early in the morning on Friday, March 26th. I immediately met up with some of my friends from school who were also visiting that weekend, including NATALIE!! We reunited for the first time in many months, and it was so great to see her. Amazing how long two friends can go without seeing each other, and still be as if you were never apart except for great stories about the time in-between! We were staying on the fringes of the Red Light District, and so we "explored" the coffeeshops and crazy stores that abound in that area before heading over to Damplein to find PANCAKES. Our breakfast was delicious, but I was surprised because at the small restaurant we went to, not only was our waiter Italian, but the entire place was filled with the Italian language and strong Italian cologne!! It was almost as if I had never left Florence! After we had our late breakfast, we walked around and just got used to our new landscape. That evening we decided to trek across the city and make a light night call at the Van Gogh Museum, which was open until 10pm. It was such a great museum!! A complete range of his artistic process, it had everything from portraits, still lives, and starry nights. It also held two pictures that I had never seen before but fell completely in love with on site. There was an exhibition on his Night scenes, and while the Starry Night of fame was on display (which I was so happy about because I missed it in NYC this summer) there were two works that were spectacular! First, another starry night, though this one was much less flashy and much more contemplative on the source of illumination and the selectivity of colors. My other favorite was a Dance Hall scene that was imbibed with so much color and movement I felt like I could hear the skirts swish and swoop. After a very satisfactory museum jaunt, we went over to Leidenplein which is a nightlife center filled with clubs and restaurants. Interestingly, we ate Italian that night. I am beginning to feel that I will never be able to fully escape Italy... but then again, why would I want to? :)
That night we simply wandered all over the city, stopping in at different bars and such.
The next day, Saturday, we set off for Rijksmuseum (near the Van Gogh, though it seems a lot farther during the day when you can site see for hours just walking around) and found an ADORABLE cafe that overlooked the canals (Villa Zeezicht, Torensteeg 7) where we ate lunch and I had my first hamburger in months, it was superb! After that we head to Museumplein and to the Rijksmuseum. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately for Natalie because who knows how long I would have wanted to stay otherwise) the major building of the museum is closed for renovation and they just have a "Highlights" exhibition open, but it was still an insane collection and really moving. We sat in front of Rembrandt's Night Watch for about 30 minutes just looking and talking about the work and what I had learned from Simon Schama (our god) about it. After that we strolled Museumplein, took pictures of the I AM AMSTERDAM sign, and the concert hall at the other end. While I was reading aloud about the -plein to Natalie from my Rick Steve's guidebook (who I will NEVER buy again) I happened across a passage that was very irritating and insulting to me. It goes, "Dutch art is meant to be enjoyed, not studied." Hmm, then it’s probably a bad thing that I have spent 4 semesters taking classes about Northern and Dutch art, eh?? Stupid Rick Steves. Natalie thought this was highly hilarious, as I had just finished explaining Dutch art in technical and chronologic terms, relating it to other art movements. I guess that was all hogwash. After the plein, it was getting late and we walked another scenic route back to our District where we found incredible Tibetan food near our hotel. It was a great meal, and I remembered how much I love Asian food! That night we headed to the Bulldog Coffeeshop (supposedly one of the first large coffeeshops of its kind) and then toured the Red Light District. This came with some awkward moments, such as when I, distracted by Natalie, tripped and put my hand out to catch myself on the wall beside me. This would have been unnoteworthy had the "wall" not been the window behind which a prostitute was proudly displaying her "wares." Other moments ensued including the moment that I realized there was a brothel immediately beside the Old Kerk. Church + Brothel sharing a wall? I still don't know how I felt about that. The entire experience left me shaken. I kept looking through these glass barriers at the women below the red lights and wondering what they were thinking, and whether they were there by their own accord or were being exploited by someone else. And I couldn't help thinking that whether or not they were there voluntarily, they were still exploited by a tourist trade that promotes and advertises them as if they were products and not people. Even my own curiosity about them, though completely removed from their trade, seemed obtrusive and wrong. I have yet to fully comprehend my own feelings on the matter, but I believe it is something to seriously think about at length.
Our last day was a busy one! We headed out early and went straight to the Anne Frank House. What an experience, anyone who has heard about the Holocaust but never really felt they understood the sheer terror people must have felt need only to walk up to the Bookcase that hid the entrance to this tiny annex and it hits you so hard its almost impossible to breathe. Walking up the tiny stairs and into these miniscule rooms was something I will never forget. The stories of those people were told from the perspective of a small girl, but when you read her words its hard to imagine someone so young understanding so much, yet when you see her room, it is so clear how young she was.
We left the Frank's house and walked the whole of the city to the Botanical Gardens, which were an unusual site for me. I have never considered the Botanical Gardens of any city a place I must see, but I am so glad that I was able to walk through Amsterdam's. Not only was it beautiful and contained plants that I had never seen or heard of, but also its history was so interesting! It was first created to house medicinal plants and is one of the oldest growers of some very important herbs that many medicines still contain. We walked through South Africa, Mexico, California, the Desert, and Canada. Afterwards we headed back to our apartment for a quick nap and to rest our tired feet. However, I must say that our walks, more than any single site, were my favorite parts of the trip. The streets were so vibrant, and the canals so beautiful. Our last stop was the Museum Amstelkring. It is a 16th century house that houses a 17th century Catholic church in its attic! Created in the 1640's when the city governors outlawed Catholicism, it was a hidden church where practicing Catholics could gather for Mass and the sacraments. It was so interesting to see another hidden religion and how they incorporated the entirety of a church into a house (including confessional and a pulpit!). That night we had Tibetan food again and headed back to our hotel early for our REALLY EARLY flights home the next day.
All in all I loved Amsterdam and especially its history, however I was very disturbed by its current form and am still deciphering my feelings about why I think its ok for prostitution to exist but not want to see it? Is it a moral issue for me or am I simply so entrenched in my society's view of it that I wish it to be hidden. I do not like the feeling of not knowing my own mind, but at the same time I am distinctly not ok with what I felt when I saw those women below the red lights that loudly proclaim their profession.
Still pondering,
Lydia
Amsterdam, Album 1:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2524469&id=8642257&l=7a304
Amsterdam, Album 2:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2525230&id=8642257&l=9ba2b
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Last Couple of Weeks: Part 1
I was having such a good run of keeping up my posts, but oh well.... life happens! Its been a while I know, and there is soooo much to talk about!
First off, my birthday!! I turned 21!! and that night I tasted, for the first time, the sweet nectar of alcohol! Wow! I know get what all the fuss is about, I wish I had started drinking ages ago! :)
I was supposed to have a small get together at my apartment that night. But before that was going to go off, I went to a salon and was beautified.... it seems to be a tradition that in the weeks before my birthday I let myself go, and then try to fix it the day before... wonder what that's about?? Anyway, on my way out of my apartment I forgot one vital thing.... My keys. So suffice to say the party didn't happen because I couldn't get back into my home, but it was alright because my friends took me out, and the night was amazing. I ended up getting back into my apartment that night, so alls well that ends well. I have decided not to post pictures of that night, because... well.... it was my 21st birthday and I know some people read this who I don't think I want to see those pictures :)
The weekend after my birthday, I returned to my third home away from home, Assisi and set out to explore a new city, Orvieto. Assisi is the most beautiful city, and I just love the serene and tranquil feeling I have whenever I set foot within its city walls. And what walls! I went this time with my friend Sarah M. and two of the girls from Wisconsin studying in Rome (Lauren F. and Sally G.) who have been mentioned below. I must admit that after 6 months of living here, I should be a lot better at the transportation but I still managed to miss our first train to Orvieto. We got there finally on Friday, the 20th and were able to see the Duomo there (with its frescoes from the Renaissance that proudly feature NINJAS, see pictures attached to understand), and walked around the area. We also went 208 feet into the ground! A well called the Pozzo di San Patrizio (because of the similar well in Ireland, no relation to the saint) was built in the mid-1500's to provide the Papal See with an outpost should Rome be sacked again. It is so fantastical to walk all the way into the ground, and very creepy! After climbing back out, we headed back down the hill to head to Assisi.... and what a journey that turned out to be!!
We got on a train to Assisi, and then missed our change station. We had to take a train to ANOTHER station to get back on the right path. However, the next train didn't come for 2 hours, so we were stuck in Terontola for a while, and I still don't really know where we were! After a long trip that should have taken 2 hours but took 5, we arrived in Assisi. We headed straight to our adorable hotel, the Hotel Palloti, and then to dinner which was absolutely fabulous and exactly what we needed. After a restful night, we headed out to explore the city. For me it was a return trip, but none of the other girls had been there so it was such a treat to share it with them!! We went to Santa Chiara, and saw heavily veiled nuns sitting in adoration of the crucifix that converted St. Francis and St. Clare to their respective monastic lives, and then headed up the hill to the Rocca Maggiore. The Rocca Maggiore is one of the oldest surviving fortresses from the middle ages. It was very cool to say the least, we climbed towers, and gazed at one of the most impressive vistas I have seen in Italy. Afterwards we backtracked down the hill and entered the Basilica di San Francesco, a place that now has a super special meaning to me.
I know I have mentioned my internship in the below posts, but to fully explain it I will take a minute. My work is to identify, catalogue and publish the research and images of Bruno Zanardi, an Italian restorer whose work on the Upper Church fresco cycle in Assisi took place in the 1980's. In doing this work, I have been intensely studying Giotto and the controversy about the authorship of the St. Francis fresco cycle. Because I have become an expert at these stories, it was really fun for me to give a mini-tour of the Upper Church with the girls, one of which is another Art History Major. I have to say that knowing so much about them helped me to appreciatate them, but it did not change the overwhelming emotion that is expressed in the works, and I was still completely taken aback by there power. Assisi was so beautiful, and I am so glad I went back, I hope I get to go at least once more before I leave.
This gets us up to about a week ago and I will continue in another post so you can take a break from my babbling! However, I will give you a bit of a teaser! Last weekend was supposed to be a little less about religion, but it strangely became all about it.... Stay tuned for my second installment of the Last Couple of Weeks where we discuss amoung other things.... hiden churches, hidden jews, catholics, weed, and the Red Light District?? Here comes Amsterdam....
Best,
Lydia
Orvieto Pictures @:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2521467&id=8642257&l=7fd51
Assisi, Take Two Pictures @:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2521477&id=8642257&l=136b8
First off, my birthday!! I turned 21!! and that night I tasted, for the first time, the sweet nectar of alcohol! Wow! I know get what all the fuss is about, I wish I had started drinking ages ago! :)
I was supposed to have a small get together at my apartment that night. But before that was going to go off, I went to a salon and was beautified.... it seems to be a tradition that in the weeks before my birthday I let myself go, and then try to fix it the day before... wonder what that's about?? Anyway, on my way out of my apartment I forgot one vital thing.... My keys. So suffice to say the party didn't happen because I couldn't get back into my home, but it was alright because my friends took me out, and the night was amazing. I ended up getting back into my apartment that night, so alls well that ends well. I have decided not to post pictures of that night, because... well.... it was my 21st birthday and I know some people read this who I don't think I want to see those pictures :)
The weekend after my birthday, I returned to my third home away from home, Assisi and set out to explore a new city, Orvieto. Assisi is the most beautiful city, and I just love the serene and tranquil feeling I have whenever I set foot within its city walls. And what walls! I went this time with my friend Sarah M. and two of the girls from Wisconsin studying in Rome (Lauren F. and Sally G.) who have been mentioned below. I must admit that after 6 months of living here, I should be a lot better at the transportation but I still managed to miss our first train to Orvieto. We got there finally on Friday, the 20th and were able to see the Duomo there (with its frescoes from the Renaissance that proudly feature NINJAS, see pictures attached to understand), and walked around the area. We also went 208 feet into the ground! A well called the Pozzo di San Patrizio (because of the similar well in Ireland, no relation to the saint) was built in the mid-1500's to provide the Papal See with an outpost should Rome be sacked again. It is so fantastical to walk all the way into the ground, and very creepy! After climbing back out, we headed back down the hill to head to Assisi.... and what a journey that turned out to be!!
We got on a train to Assisi, and then missed our change station. We had to take a train to ANOTHER station to get back on the right path. However, the next train didn't come for 2 hours, so we were stuck in Terontola for a while, and I still don't really know where we were! After a long trip that should have taken 2 hours but took 5, we arrived in Assisi. We headed straight to our adorable hotel, the Hotel Palloti, and then to dinner which was absolutely fabulous and exactly what we needed. After a restful night, we headed out to explore the city. For me it was a return trip, but none of the other girls had been there so it was such a treat to share it with them!! We went to Santa Chiara, and saw heavily veiled nuns sitting in adoration of the crucifix that converted St. Francis and St. Clare to their respective monastic lives, and then headed up the hill to the Rocca Maggiore. The Rocca Maggiore is one of the oldest surviving fortresses from the middle ages. It was very cool to say the least, we climbed towers, and gazed at one of the most impressive vistas I have seen in Italy. Afterwards we backtracked down the hill and entered the Basilica di San Francesco, a place that now has a super special meaning to me.
I know I have mentioned my internship in the below posts, but to fully explain it I will take a minute. My work is to identify, catalogue and publish the research and images of Bruno Zanardi, an Italian restorer whose work on the Upper Church fresco cycle in Assisi took place in the 1980's. In doing this work, I have been intensely studying Giotto and the controversy about the authorship of the St. Francis fresco cycle. Because I have become an expert at these stories, it was really fun for me to give a mini-tour of the Upper Church with the girls, one of which is another Art History Major. I have to say that knowing so much about them helped me to appreciatate them, but it did not change the overwhelming emotion that is expressed in the works, and I was still completely taken aback by there power. Assisi was so beautiful, and I am so glad I went back, I hope I get to go at least once more before I leave.
This gets us up to about a week ago and I will continue in another post so you can take a break from my babbling! However, I will give you a bit of a teaser! Last weekend was supposed to be a little less about religion, but it strangely became all about it.... Stay tuned for my second installment of the Last Couple of Weeks where we discuss amoung other things.... hiden churches, hidden jews, catholics, weed, and the Red Light District?? Here comes Amsterdam....
Best,
Lydia
Orvieto Pictures @:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2521467&id=8642257&l=7fd51
Assisi, Take Two Pictures @:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2521477&id=8642257&l=136b8
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