Ciao i miei amici e famiglia!
I will be ending the blog today. I have loved sharing Rome with you all so consistently, but am ready to share the rest of my stories with you when I come home. I've realized some important things about travel. The biggest being to let Rome go. I can't ever fully capture these memories, and every time I pull out that camera, I live in them less fully. The best things here, like the smells and sounds, the way it feels to walk down the streets, can only be lived right now. If I want cool museum pictures, I can find them online. New plan: capture less, enjoy more. Looking forward to catching up with you all in person and hearing what you have been up to.
Amore and ciao,
Kendra
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Monday, July 9, 2012
Death by mozzarella
Hello everyone!
We are home from our adventures at the water buffalo farm!
Fun tidbits...
water buffalo mozzarella is a big deal near Naples. The cheese has a very rubbery feel, and when you cut it open, milk comes out. It's usually in balls or braided. It's super rich, full of protein and pretty fantastic. They served us way too many types of mozzarella at the ranch! I have been feeling pretty sick sense last night (I couldn't find my lactose-intolerance pills) unfortunately.
We got to visit the buffalos and see how they make the cheese. The babies were so cute!
Pompeii was pretty fun, but it felt strange and saddening to be looking people in their moment of death. Apparently the heat/ash/lava killed them instantly, but their bodies left holes in the ground, and by filling it in with concrete a pretty accurate replica was made. I was also surprised by how huge the city was.
The area was beautiful though. Mt. Vesuvius is still active, and it looms in the midst of other mountains and the sea. (We spent also an afternoon at the beach as well and loved it! I successfully avoided a sun burn this time.)
We also went to Paestum, the best preserved Greek temples outside of Greece.
Lastly, today we went to a museum in Naples that has Pompeii artifacts and more Roman statues. We got an appointment to visit the 'secret room' for "mature audiences," that held all the Pompeii's various sexual artwork and the like. I didn't want to see glorified ancient porn, so I passed, but let's Pompeii has a reputation all its own.
Naples itself certainly felt like its own country! I awoke from my snooze on the bus to see a couple expressing some "amore" on the street bench, an old man watching them from behind the whole time. A boy squirted water at an old woman sleeping on a park bench. It did not feel like Rome, having skyscrapers, more dirt, scarier mopeds, and people just lurking around. Ladies, hug your purses, and gentlemen, watch your wallets. Also, bring hand sanitizer for those perilous bathrooms!
I'll end with some humor from the trip:
Don't worry, you won't end up like those unfortunate Pompeii-ians. Promise.
The first Leggo! Those Pompeii-ians were so ahead of their time :)
A mosaic entrance to a home in Pompeii that says "Beware dog!" The first of these signs.
Who knew our ranch started Starbucks? :) This is their symbol (above one of the entrances).
We are home from our adventures at the water buffalo farm!
Fun tidbits...
water buffalo mozzarella is a big deal near Naples. The cheese has a very rubbery feel, and when you cut it open, milk comes out. It's usually in balls or braided. It's super rich, full of protein and pretty fantastic. They served us way too many types of mozzarella at the ranch! I have been feeling pretty sick sense last night (I couldn't find my lactose-intolerance pills) unfortunately.
We got to visit the buffalos and see how they make the cheese. The babies were so cute!
Pompeii was pretty fun, but it felt strange and saddening to be looking people in their moment of death. Apparently the heat/ash/lava killed them instantly, but their bodies left holes in the ground, and by filling it in with concrete a pretty accurate replica was made. I was also surprised by how huge the city was.
The area was beautiful though. Mt. Vesuvius is still active, and it looms in the midst of other mountains and the sea. (We spent also an afternoon at the beach as well and loved it! I successfully avoided a sun burn this time.)
We also went to Paestum, the best preserved Greek temples outside of Greece.
Lastly, today we went to a museum in Naples that has Pompeii artifacts and more Roman statues. We got an appointment to visit the 'secret room' for "mature audiences," that held all the Pompeii's various sexual artwork and the like. I didn't want to see glorified ancient porn, so I passed, but let's Pompeii has a reputation all its own.
Naples itself certainly felt like its own country! I awoke from my snooze on the bus to see a couple expressing some "amore" on the street bench, an old man watching them from behind the whole time. A boy squirted water at an old woman sleeping on a park bench. It did not feel like Rome, having skyscrapers, more dirt, scarier mopeds, and people just lurking around. Ladies, hug your purses, and gentlemen, watch your wallets. Also, bring hand sanitizer for those perilous bathrooms!
I'll end with some humor from the trip:
The worst of my bathroom experiences today. Do not travel without hand sanitizer or toilet paper. Ever.
Friday, July 6, 2012
The Vatican Museum
Today I nearly fled the Vatican. I spent from about 10-3:00 soaking up everything I possibly could, and after the Sistine Chapel, was so hungry and overwhelmed, I desperately needed to leave. I was so set on food that I exited the wrong way, and walked around the entire Vatican City. (Another one of those getting-lost Kendra moments) It took an hour and a half to get to our evening class. So a solid 7 hour walking/standing today! Whoo!
(With that said, I will upload a couple pictures and call it good. I will update later with names/history, etc if I can.)
Today was like 2 days of St. Peter's crammed together, I'd say. I think about half the world's tourists were there. It absolutely deserves it though (although it adds stress to the experience). It was crazy to think about being in this place with some of the greatest artistic masterpieces of all time.
Tomorrow we leave for Pompeii in the Naples area. Guess what? We're staying at a water buffalo farm! How random! I don't think I've ever even seen a water buffalo before. It will be a nice break from the city. No WiFi, so I'll see you Monday or so!
Kendra
(With that said, I will upload a couple pictures and call it good. I will update later with names/history, etc if I can.)
Today was like 2 days of St. Peter's crammed together, I'd say. I think about half the world's tourists were there. It absolutely deserves it though (although it adds stress to the experience). It was crazy to think about being in this place with some of the greatest artistic masterpieces of all time.
Tomorrow we leave for Pompeii in the Naples area. Guess what? We're staying at a water buffalo farm! How random! I don't think I've ever even seen a water buffalo before. It will be a nice break from the city. No WiFi, so I'll see you Monday or so!
Kendra
Thursday, July 5, 2012
The Mother of all churches
One of the hardest things about this program is being asked to try to describe, or at least vaguely capture the brilliance and ruin of 2-3,000 years. How can I fathom a bakery older than my country? Let alone the Roman Forum where they discussed politics, the Colosseum even more spectacular than its ruins, filled with blood and thundering applause, the Pantheon with its ever opening mouth, and today, to write about St. Peter's?
Rome has been one of the most overwhelming experiences of my life. I have loved being here, but "loved" is very complicated. Rome is at once beautiful, at once hideous, at once modern, and all together bursting with antiquity.
I am continually speechless. The words in my journal seem fumbled, my sketches a mere shadow, my camera just a snap shot. I leave some sights thinking I might have captured them, that they might become more graspable in time, but they don't. I think I could sit at St. Peters or the Coloseum forever and still walk away not fully seeing.
Haha so there's my intro to St. Peters, which was absolutely breathtaking. And, like everything else, I can't make it as real to you as I wish I could. I haven't had time to post about the other churches we've seen, but this one is the big mama of them all.
It is 2 football fields long, and 7 stories high! The letters in Latin on the walls are each 7 feet tall. Interestingly though, it doesn't feel that big. You're only reminded of that when you see how tiny the people are next to things.
As a Protestant, I have had some trouble understanding the Catholic churches here, as they are very different. One of the girls who is Catholic explained that St Peters was designed to feel much more intimate, despite its enormous size. The illusion of size is meant to reflect how small and human Peter was, but God's hugeness and the enormity of Peter's calling.
On to pictures! Our brief visit in the Vatican last week or so in the evening. Outside St. Peter's basilica (center). When you enter the Vatican, this is the main focal point. Arcs extend and curve from it.
Above, Peter's obelisk on the right side of the basilica. In 64 AD it became a site of public execution for Christians, and where I believe Peter was executed. It became sacred. Every other obelisk fell, but it was the only one preserved.
Below, view from inside the Capola, the higher point inside the church that you can climb.
Mosaic angel on the wall from the view. It was incredibly intricate and covered the entire wall.
The ceiling above (highest point of basilica)
View from the ground of this view spot.
After another climb of winding stairs, we reached the view of all of Rome. Near the top the walls start to lean to the right, and you have to grab a rope. It was kind of terrifying. I had to tell myself to not think about it, and just keep moving. One of our professors, Johnny, says that every time he goes to Rome he loses five pounds. On these stairs, he loses four.
Above, the view of the Vatican City. Below, Melissa (roomie) and I looking over the city.
One beautiful view of many... in the middle, forested area you can see the Tiber River and one of its bridges in the middle. We live on the right side of the bridge.
We haven't even really gotten inside yet! Here we go...
Notice the light streaming in through the window. I was very excited :)
Believe it or not, but these angels holding the holy water are 7 feet tall!
Mary holding Jesus after his death. Michelangelo's only masterpiece with his name written on it. Mary is actually very young looking, and disproportionate, but that was intentionally done. This doesn't seem to matter when you're caught up looking at the folds in her dress and her expression. Another fun fact- a crazy guy attacked the statue and chipped away at it, so now it is behind glass.
Statue of Peter, considered holy. People rub his foot for good luck. So much rubbing that all this toes have worn away!
Below, the marble floor, gorgeous.
A mass going on...
Above, I couldn't figure out how to make this vertical (but look that way). I don't have time to go into detail on the statues unfortunately. Below covers St. Peter's tomb, which is under the church,
St. Peter's tomb here. Wups, I wasn't supposed to take this picture! Oh well, I get to share it with you.
Here is a poem I wrote about it this afternoon:
Today in St. Peter's I touched a tiny marble piece woven into an angel on the wall.
The piece disappeared, smooth and cool under my pointer finger.
Today I am that tiny mosaic piece too, placed in the rippling crowd of hundreds, all their own stories and colors.
Climb the winding steps of the Capola and you can see how.
Below, mosaic in the marble sea, spilling roses, golds and light, so much light, resounding with bright echos.
Climb higher, climb to the Basilica's top.
You are a mosaic in Rome now too
a Rome that rolls below in orange rooftops, misty water bridges, toy trains and cars, intricate gardens with perfectly rounded hedges small enough to cup in your hands, tiny forests thick and dark, and the rocky splendor of Rome's Empire like light houses at bay.
All is threaded into the open blue sky, which surpasses even St. Peter's splendor.
Rome has been one of the most overwhelming experiences of my life. I have loved being here, but "loved" is very complicated. Rome is at once beautiful, at once hideous, at once modern, and all together bursting with antiquity.
I am continually speechless. The words in my journal seem fumbled, my sketches a mere shadow, my camera just a snap shot. I leave some sights thinking I might have captured them, that they might become more graspable in time, but they don't. I think I could sit at St. Peters or the Coloseum forever and still walk away not fully seeing.
Haha so there's my intro to St. Peters, which was absolutely breathtaking. And, like everything else, I can't make it as real to you as I wish I could. I haven't had time to post about the other churches we've seen, but this one is the big mama of them all.
It is 2 football fields long, and 7 stories high! The letters in Latin on the walls are each 7 feet tall. Interestingly though, it doesn't feel that big. You're only reminded of that when you see how tiny the people are next to things.
As a Protestant, I have had some trouble understanding the Catholic churches here, as they are very different. One of the girls who is Catholic explained that St Peters was designed to feel much more intimate, despite its enormous size. The illusion of size is meant to reflect how small and human Peter was, but God's hugeness and the enormity of Peter's calling.
On to pictures! Our brief visit in the Vatican last week or so in the evening. Outside St. Peter's basilica (center). When you enter the Vatican, this is the main focal point. Arcs extend and curve from it.
Below, view from inside the Capola, the higher point inside the church that you can climb.
Mosaic angel on the wall from the view. It was incredibly intricate and covered the entire wall.
After another climb of winding stairs, we reached the view of all of Rome. Near the top the walls start to lean to the right, and you have to grab a rope. It was kind of terrifying. I had to tell myself to not think about it, and just keep moving. One of our professors, Johnny, says that every time he goes to Rome he loses five pounds. On these stairs, he loses four.
Believe it or not, but these angels holding the holy water are 7 feet tall!
Below, the marble floor, gorgeous.
Here is a poem I wrote about it this afternoon:
Today in St. Peter's I touched a tiny marble piece woven into an angel on the wall.
The piece disappeared, smooth and cool under my pointer finger.
Today I am that tiny mosaic piece too, placed in the rippling crowd of hundreds, all their own stories and colors.
Climb the winding steps of the Capola and you can see how.
Below, mosaic in the marble sea, spilling roses, golds and light, so much light, resounding with bright echos.
Climb higher, climb to the Basilica's top.
You are a mosaic in Rome now too
a Rome that rolls below in orange rooftops, misty water bridges, toy trains and cars, intricate gardens with perfectly rounded hedges small enough to cup in your hands, tiny forests thick and dark, and the rocky splendor of Rome's Empire like light houses at bay.
All is threaded into the open blue sky, which surpasses even St. Peter's splendor.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Mama Mia!
Italians see things in such different ways sometimes, it can be very fun.
Some of my favorites so far:
Parking near our apartment- only in Italia. I think parking rules/tickets are only applied in theory.
These cookies read something like: "Hugs: No one knows if the chocolate is hugging the cream, or visa versa."
If you are Italian, you should own at least one dog. Or even better, five!
Even the graffiti here can be cute.
McDonalds (yeah, we stopped there, I'll admit it. We were craving fries the other night). Take note of the classy paintings in the background. In addition to the usual fries and Big Macs, they sell pistacchio ice cream and mozarella stick bars.
Giant Nutella displays
Lovers locks on the Tiber. As the tradition goes, the lovers write their names on their lock and throw the keys into the water.
Vespas with built in flying bug protection.
Even the cats like pasta.
What is Rome without gladiators?
So this is how Italians get their power...
Happy 4th of July!
Ciao for now,
Kendra
Some of my favorites so far:
Parking near our apartment- only in Italia. I think parking rules/tickets are only applied in theory.
These cookies read something like: "Hugs: No one knows if the chocolate is hugging the cream, or visa versa."
If you are Italian, you should own at least one dog. Or even better, five!
Even the graffiti here can be cute.
McDonalds (yeah, we stopped there, I'll admit it. We were craving fries the other night). Take note of the classy paintings in the background. In addition to the usual fries and Big Macs, they sell pistacchio ice cream and mozarella stick bars.
Giant Nutella displays
Lovers locks on the Tiber. As the tradition goes, the lovers write their names on their lock and throw the keys into the water.
Vespas with built in flying bug protection.
Even the cats like pasta.
So this is how Italians get their power...
Happy 4th of July!
Ciao for now,
Kendra
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