Andiamo!

Monday, August 29, 2011 6:39:26, 27, 28 PM

     As I watch the seconds countdown until I return to the eternal city, the excitement bubbles up inside me.  I can't wait to eat pizza at Remo, chat in my favorite language (Spitalian) with locals, and show my BFF Chloe all the new amazing places we can visit in Rome.  Thanks to my travel seminar last semester with Skidmore, I’ve done the whirlwind touristy walk of the city as well the tour of the tiny secret culture spots.  I have a feeling that I’m going to be most excited for some good Italian food when I first arrive after my 11+ hours of traveling (thanks a lot Irene).  Time to sign off and run to the gate, plus there is no way I could turn these feelings into words of any sort, so I’ll wait to bore all of you with tales of food, wine and city when I get there.  

Ciao for now…

Envoi

     This is my final blog entry until September of this year when I head back to my beloved Citta Eterna for an entire semester.  I am extremely excited about that journey, but for this entry I am going to focus on the last two weeks in the most incredible place on the planet. 

     This trip was the perfect combination of a classics geek-out, a UMiami frat party and the iron man triathlon.  We saw sights, some of my favorites include: the church of Santa Sabina on the Aventine, the Vatican catacombs and even the Jewish ghetto.  We partied too, meeting some of Jackie’s friend’s students and becoming the infamous jordans.  And then there was the walking.  I really enjoyed it, even with my fractured fifth metatarsal I was able to keep up with an awestruck group of twenty-two self-proclaimed professional photographers.  Every moment was precious and we knew it. 

    The sights were by far the most breathtaking parts of the trip.  I distinctly recall everyone making the same gasping noise as they peeped through the Keyhole of Rome.  There wasn’t one person whose jaw didn’t drop when we got out of the metro at the colosseum stop for the first time.  When we stepped into Santa Sabina everyone fell silent because they could feel the history in the air.  I plan on visiting all of these places next year to soak it all up again.  I’ve heard it gets more and more beautiful every time. 

     What would a trip to Europe been with out having a little fun.  Every time we went to dinner we just HAD to try the house wine!  It would have been rude if we didn’t.  For the most part I spent my free time sleeping or writing my blogs, but when we went out—we went out.  But every minute of this was a learning experience as well.  Whether it was wandering the Piazza Venetzia for a night bus or running into our waiter Danelle at a gay bar, we learned something new every single night. 

     This trip wouldn’t have been half as fun if we hadn’t spent most of our time getting to the places we were learning about.  Around every cobblestoned street corner lay a new adventure.  Most of the time everyone was too exhausted to walk home but that didn’t stop many of us.  We wouldn’t have tried the majority of the stuff we did if we hadn’t just stopped into a place on the way to our destination.  Being a born and bred city girl, I loved the walking.  We got to see, hear and feel the Roman way of life by walking the same cobblestone streets our ancient ancestors did.  No matter how badly I would have loved to hop on Paolo’s motorino it just wouldn’t have been the same. 

     Each and every day was a new adventure.  The wheels of my imagination were always turning.  I plan on writing a mystery novel, or at least a short story that takes place in Rome.  (I know I joked about it, but it will be too much fun not too) Now with my extremely intense historical background on Rome, it should be a breeze.  All of my favorite places are sure to appear.  Maybe even some characters I met while on our trip.  I can't wait to use my new knowledge and navigational skills of Rome. 

     This trip would have been great if I went by myself but I couldn’t even imagine it with out all the wonderful people that enjoyed this amazing experience with me.  There are no words to express the love I have for all my twenty-three fellow dorks (that includes you Dan and Jackie).  The jokes, the fun and the interesting conversations could not and will not ever be matched.  This trip bonded us through knowledge, food, fun and exhaustion.  As I look to my future in Rome, I will never forget a single moment of this trip and I hope that none of you guys will either. 

I would like to dedicate this final post to my new family, a Romani!  And a special thanks to Dan and Jackie for not only putting up with me, but for teaching me more then I ever imagined I could learn.  

Giornale 5: Santa Maria del Popolo

     As I was flipping through the photos I took of Santa Maria del Popolo I noticed a common theme.  Death.  It seems to be a theme in all the churches, and almost all of my photos.  Skulls, bones and similar symbols cover the churches of Rome. 

     There is one particular image in Santa Maria del Popolo that I took a bunch of pictures of and couldn’t stop looking at.  It is a sculpture of a cloaked skeleton crossing his arms.  He is imprisoned behind bars toward the exit of the church.  Even though he is just a skeleton, and a statue, and NOT ALIVE, I could have sworn he was smiling at me.  His bony hands lay across his chest in the most relaxed position.  The creepiest parts of this sculpture were the iron bars in front of the skeleton itself.  They were not like prison bars, but more like decorative design.   The spaces between the bars were big, but the statue still seemed trapped. 

     This wasn’t the first time I had gotten a chill from a church or statue.  There were several other skulls around Rome, and also in this particular church that were definitely watching me.  This is getting creepier and creepier as I go on, and I do apologize, but for some reason this, with the exception of one other church (San Sabina), was the only church I was slightly uncomfortable in.  I kept getting hit with just the slightest breeze, and each time, I would look to see if someone had opened or shut the door but they didn’t.  It was just freaky.

     There was also a Bernini statue of a lion in the church that I loved.  My inner Leo couldn’t help but connect with the roaring king of the jungle.  This wasn’t the first Bernini lion I fell in love with (see Giornale 4.)  This was also one of many elaborate statues standing in the church, which surprised me. 

     I was taken by surprise at how much artwork was actually in this small church.  I also use small loosely here because the space itself was by no means tiny, just small in comparison to the many humongous churches of Rome.  It felt like this church was devoted to art, not necessarily to God.  This finally clicked when I remembered what one of guest speakers, Alessandra, had said about it.  She said it was the ‘artist’s church’ of Rome.  This is where all the artists in Rome come to pray.  Then it all made sense.  A church is not only a place to pray and worship, but also a place to learn.  I would certainly love to draw or paint many of the artwork and statues I saw in Santa Maria del Popolo.  Too bad my artistic skills lie elsewhere.  

Space and Place: Vatican Museum

     Cattle.  We were herded like cattle.  The Vatican Museums were such a disappointment.  There was some insanely beautiful art and some breathtaking sculptures but I couldn’t admire them because I was distracted by the sweaty French tourists basically climbing over me to reach the Sistine Chapel.  The chapel itself was so upsetting.  The beauty and detail couldn’t even be admired because of the unbelievably rude people who were inside.  They didn’t deserve to see Michelangelo’s genius. 

     First off, everyone was sick.  They were sneezing and coughing and being disgusting all over everyone else.  Secondly, the Sistine Chapel may be a famous piece of artwork, but it is still a church.  I had more respect for that place the most of the Catholics in there (excluding my fellow romekids of course.)  And finally, once I had taken in what little I could, the exit was clogged with people going the wrong direction and being all around rude. 

     I have never seen something so disorganized before in my life.  Of course I loved seeing all the wonderful art (even if most of it was stolen and doesn’t even belong to the Church), but it is extremely difficult to concentrate when you have a seventy-year-old sweaty tourist breathing down your neck.  

Giornale 4: Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica. Palazzo Barberini

      June 2^nd is Republic Day in Italy.  It is like our Fourth of July, but Italianized –so it is one thousand times better.  The streets were pack with the usual tourists, Italian shoppers and people going to work but on Republic day students, families and military men!  This made Alissa very happy.  The streets of Rome were busier than 30 Rock on December 25^th.  Ok, maybe not that busy, but they were super crowded. 

     Jordan and I got lost a couple of times before we finally turned the right corner and saw the Palazzo Barberini.  It was beautiful.  The building made of –you guessed it– white marble.  It had three levels, each with the same number of beautiful arches.  It was very quite outside and when we approached the door.  Once we got inside it was silent.  We reached the ticket desk and the lady working there already looked like she hated us for no reason at all. 

     We walked through the bottom of the villa and couldn’t really concentrate.  A lot of the paintings were of Madonna and the Child.  I had seen a million of those on this trip already and I really didn’t think I could handle and more.  At the very end of the first floor there was an enclosed courtyard.  It had a fountain with a statue of Bacchus that was still flowing with water.  There were also a bunch of unidentified statues lining the walls of the room.  The rush of the water and moist air gave the room a special presence. 

      By the end of the first floor we were grumpy and hungry but we knew we should really look upstairs.  We shuffled our feet toward the Bernini staircase.  Everything changed when I took my first step upstairs.  The busts and statues lining the staircase were amazing.  I feel in love with a perfectly detailed lion carved out of the side of the wall.  I quickly pet his nose (DEFINITELY not allowed) and headed through the doors. 

      The upstairs was one thousand times more beautiful than the downstairs.  There were a few things I was really glad I saw.  Enrico VIII, Hans Holbein’s famous portrait of Henry the VIII.  While looking at this I was instantly transported back three years when I was standing in front of that glass pillow at the Tower of London where Ann Boleyn was supposedly executed. 

    I couldn't decide between two for my favorite paintings in the museum.  It is between Caravaggio’s Narciso and Tiziano’s Venere e Adone.  The first, Narciso, is a painting of the myth of Narcissus.  There is a young boy (Narcissus) looking longingly into a pond at his own reflection.  Caravaggio captured the moment he fell in love with himself.  This is one of my all time favorite myths and I have never seen it depicted so perfectly.  The other painting is also portraying a myth.  Tiziano (Titian in English) is telling the story of Venus and Adonis.  Interestingly enough, this painting tells a different story than Ovid’s myth.  In the myth, Venus falls in love with Adonis then warns him of the dangers of hunting.  She then leaves him to attend to her duties and he is killed by a wild boar.  In the painting Venus clings to Adonis not wanting him to leave her.  I really liked this representation because it gave Venus a vulnerable side we never get to see.  Something she hides from the world while being tortured by the fear of being alone. 

     This was by far my favorite museum we have seen so far.  I can't believe the trip is almost over!!

Momentary Blindness

     The wheels of a stroller were crushing the gravel underneath my bench.  A light breeze grew stronger from the north side of the city, right off the Tiber.  The fresh air hit the nearby trees carrying with it the light sweet scent of a citrus fruit.  As the trees rustled I could feel sunspots hitting my skin as they peaked through the leaves.  I could still taste the mineral water on my tongue from my water bottle that I had filled up three times at the natural fountains that day.  I stood up from my shady bench and walked straight.

     The gravel was crunching again under my Converse.  I reached a wall that felt like cold stone and lay down in the sun.  It warmed my back and hair so fast.  I was near a couple.  They were kissing.  I could hear the soft and quiet kisses over the soft breeze.  The occasional camera click and conversation in foreign tongues didn’t bother me.  It was almost time to go.  A church bell went off in the distance.  I took in one last deep breath of pristinely fresh air.  This is my new favorite spot in Rome, and I didn’t even have to see it.  

Giornale 3: Campo de’ Fiori

      It was so hot.  The sun was beating down on us during the hottest time of day, noon.  None of us really knew what time it was though because of our jetlag.  It was our first, real, full day in ROMA!  Time to hit the Campo de’ Fiori for a bite to eat.  I had been here once before but all I could remember were the delicious artichokes for sale.  On first approach I didn’t think I was going to be able to handle it.  The jetlag and hunger pains had taken quite a toll at this point.  Some of my friends ran to a sandwich shop near by but I wandered off.

   The sights and smells were just too distracting.  Workers were unpacking some of the freshest fruit I have ever seen.  There were newly picked wild strawberries, juicy slices of pineapple and beautiful vegetables surrounded me.  I was immediately drawn to a gigantic cup of bright red strawberries.  The woman had to repeat the price three or four time before I actually caught what she was saying because I was too distracted by my gastronomic excitement. 

     I eventually gave the disgruntled cashier three Euro and moved on.  I went on to not only eat my strawberries but I also managed to demolish an apricot, a box of cherries, a banana and an apple.   I was stuffed!  While I had been eating my face off for the last twenty minutes my friends had gotten lunch and gelato.

     Before I knew it, it was time to shop.  Jordan and I were super excited.  We were looking for shoes, bags, clothes and jewelry.  We went into fifteen different shops in the first thirty minutes of shopping.  Pumps, peep-toes, sandals, wedges, gladiators (the shoe, not the male kind, those were the next day), flip-flops, and ballet flats –we couldn’t handle it.  We then moved on to look at dresses.  We noticed a little shop across from a sandwich place that we decided to stop into.  As everyone was trying on dresses, I noticed the building next door.  It looked pretty interesting so I went outside for a moment just to check it out.  It was a church!  Right in the middle of the shopping streets of Campo de’ Fiori. 

     The church was closed but the outside was enough for my historically hungry eyes.  It had a beautifully detailed façade of white plaster and light blue paintings.  There was also a tiny cherub (if you have been reading this, you know I love them!) sculpture over the door.  It was amazing to me that there was just a church straight in one of the loudest neighborhoods in Rome. 

   Once my friends pried me and my camera away from the front steps of the church we headed to our next destination only to return to Campo de’ Fiori a few days later for cocktails!  Liz and I split a delicious bottle of white wine and used our Spanish to eavesdrop on an Argentinean couple at the table next to us.  We had a blast.