For my 25th birthday my parents gave me one of the most spectacular and life changing presents I could have ever wanted. I was able to share it with two great friends from UD, Kathy and Forrest, and my new friend in Peace Corps, Megan.
Here is the play by play of my trip through Italy (Stolen for the most part from Megan Buckley's fantastic summary that I was too lazy to record)
TALIA!!!
Day 1—ROMA
St. Peter’s Square, St. Peter’s Basilica 15,000 square meters, receives 20,000 visitors a day, can hold up to 60,000. The most impressive structure that I saw in Rome, with the Pantheon being a close second. I got chills as I walked through the doors. The first basilica was built here in the 4th century on the site of Nero’s stadium where St. Peter was buried. It fell into disrepair and was rebuilt in the mid-15th century. It took more than 150 years to complete the basilica—the second largest in the world. Michelangelo designed the dome. In the front, the altar is framed by a four pillared bronze baldachin. Created using bronze taken from the Pantheon’s bronze roof tiles the four-pillared baldachin frames the high alter. The altar is on top of the spot where St. Peter is buried and only the pope can say mass there. For an extra 7 Euros we hiked the stairs leading to the top of the cupola—a totally worthwhile fee. From the top we could see all of Rome. Michelangelo’s Pieta—he sculpted it when he was 25. Great, what have I done with my life?
From the Basilica, we walked through the Borgo area towards the Tiber
River and the Castel Sant’Angelo. The girls got their first gelato of the trip. The Castel
Sant’Angelo was built as a mausoleum for emperor Hadrian. A secret
passageway from the 13th century beneath it leads to the Vatican,
providing an escape route for popes. The Ponte Sant’Angelo was built
by Hadrian in 134 and in the 17th century Bernini and his students
sculpted the angel sculptures now lining it.
Saw the making of an AUDI wedding commercial and Native American pan flute player.
Shared a kebab. Piazza Navona for dinner. Piazza Navona was built by Domitian in AD 86, though the current paved version wasn’t laid until the 15th century. It served as the city’s main market for 300 years. Bernini’s Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi dominates the square. Symbolizes the four rivers: Nile, Ganges, Danube, and Plate. Our waiter played Ice Cube on his smartphone when Kathy asked for some ice to chill her wine. Wild bachelorette party through the square after dinner.
Day 2—ROMA
Vatican Museums in the morning with the Shaws, a very nice couple that we met on the bus who are from the same town as Kathy and lots of mutual acquaintances. Small world. The Vatican Museum complex was overwhelming—comprised of 2 palaces, 3 courtyards, and covering an area of 5.5 hectares, it would be easy to spend days here. We saw as much as we could before lunch. . Exhibitions of ancient Egypt with sarcophagi and mummies from 1000 B.C., cuneiform tablets, religious art from the beginning, maps from the 16th century. Also here: Octagonal Court, giant basin from Nero’s court made of one piece of porphyry stone, bronze Hercules, countless sculptures from Renaissance, ancient, and modern artists. It was sensory overload.
Seen enough marble breasts and penises for a lifetime.
Sistine Chapel was part of the Vatican Museum complex and was crowded
and dark. The ceiling was impressive, but outshined by St. Peter’s.
Michelangelo painted the scenes of creation over a 4 year period on
wet canvas while reclining is unbelievable. The figures seem to reach
out from the ceiling. We walked back across the river through the
Piazza Navona towards the Pantheon. Lunch at kebab place near Castel
Sant’Angelo. Megan and I are addicts of Turkish food.
Pantheon— house of worship for over 2000 years. Originally built by
Hadrian in AD 120, it is exactly as tall as its diameter-43.3 meters,
with an 8.7-meter oculus to let in light at the top as a symbolic
connection to the gods. It was consecrated as a Christian church in
the 600s. Hidden holes on the floor drain away water. It is
considered ancient Rome’s greatest architectural achievement and is
still the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever built.
From the Pantheon, we headed towards the Colliseum, passing the Roman
Forums along the way. Dance party in the plebs galleries because, hey, why not? The Colliseum was built by emperor Vespasian 69-79 AD. To celebrate its opening, 100 days of games were held during which 5000 animals were slaughtered. It could hold 50,000 people. Arco di Costantino built to honor Constantine in AD 312. Fresh grapes on the street. Pink Cadillac. Obelisks EVERYWHERE. Wine in a square. Love the free water fountains everywhere. Dinner at anoutdoor café of gnocchi and pizza on a busy street.
Day 3—ROMA
Due to a miss reading on my part... Surprise! Extra day in Roma. Shuttle to Rome, breakfast near Vatican. Go to see papal mass with Shaws in St. Peter’s Square. No luck because the Pope was out of town. Sit in shade.Wander the shops near the Vatican. Have a pizza lunch with the Shaws near the Vatican before they depart for home.
Walked to Trevi Fountain. Trevi Fountain was hot and super crowded.
From there we walked past Bernini’s Fontana del Tritone (1643). Not
very impressive. Near the Piazza di Barberini is the 17th century
Chiesa di Santa Maria della Concezione. Very impressive. Capuchin
monks decorated the downstairs with the bones of 4000 monks. Creating
flower arches, chandeliers, and other horrible macabre displays from
1528 to 1878. The cemetery is supposed to strike into visitors that
every one of these monks at one time was covered in flesh and skin, a
living person just like the current viewer and that the viewer too,
will one day be nothing more than an insignificant piles of bones. The
last crypt, which also has the skeletons of two 10 year old princesses
is inscribed with “What you are now we used to be; what we are now you
will be.”
Then we headed towards the Piazza di Spagna and the Spanish Steps,
(1725) towards the Medici and Borghese Gardens. We rented a surrey and
rode around it for an hour then had a mini photo shoot in the modern
sculpture garden. Piazza del Popolo (1538, sculptures Porta del
Popolo-Bernini 1655, twin churches-17th century, obelisk in the middle
brought by Augustus from Heliopolis. Wine at bar near Piazza del
Popolo. Free and fantastic fruit plate, nuts (incl. cornnuts!), and
super thin pizza.
Day 4—TRAVEL
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to station. We had planned to leave our bags at a metro station since the guide book said all were equipted with locker rentals. FALSE. So we end up going to the train station proper only to have some trouble with buying the tickets. Megan ended up having to buy a ticket on the express train, while Forrest, Kathy and I rode on the slow one. Nearly missed our train departing from the station. I vowed that we would be early for everything from then on. Ended up spending most of the day in travel and crashed when we got to the hotel.
Day 5—FIRENZE
Uffizi Museum right away. Waited in line for only 100 minutes. Saw
lots and lots of Renaissance art. Then more Renaissance art. There was
really only so much I could look at before I didn't see any difference.
Then lunch on a side street. The small lunch place gave Megan a
glass of free wine and made a traditional tripe sandwich for me.
I don't know how BG ruins it, but that was the best tripe I have eaten.
Forrest and Megan had Bollito, which was also good.
We continued walking around, making our way to the Plaza del Duomo and
getting the best gelato. We sat on a curb near the Duomo to eat. Then
hiked to the top of the tower next to the Cathedral of Santa Maria del
Fiore. Totally worth it and we got to bypass the absurd lines and heat
of the line for the other tower. Walked to Mercado Centrale and
shopped at the outdoor bazaars picking up some small leather goods. We
met a couple from California who recommended a riverfront restaurant
for dinner and a great tip for a wine tasting in a little town in Chianti.
Returning back towards Uffizi, we crossed the river and wandered to
Palazzo Pitti. It was too hot and we were too tired from standing in
lines and walking to do much. We crossed back over the river via the
gold bridge and stopped in at a small café to wait for the restaurants
to open up again. There we met an older Canadian man travelling alone.
He was already a few beers deep. He recommended another place for
dinner (Antico Fattore) and it was fantastic. Best day of food yet:
sandwiches and bollito at lunch, gelato, then Megan had a huge piece of
steak with porcine mushrooms, Kathy had gnocchi with pesto, Forrest a
mushroom pasta dish, and I had rice with zucchini flowers for dinner.
Dessert of pineapple, fried apples, and amazing tiramisu for dessert.
Plus wine of course. So amazing.
Day 6—FIRENZE
Caught the SITA bus to Greve in Chianti for wine tasting. For 5, 10,
or 20 Euros you receive a debit card and can walk around a large
cellar and taste various wines for different prices. It was lovely. We
purchased food at a small store and ate in the shade. Super hot in
Greve.
While taking turns in the shower (it had been a hot, hot day),
Forrest went to a store and picked up some limonchello, wine, and
mixers. It was lovely. We drank and got ready for the evening, playing
games and some GaGa. Did an excellent job removing red wine from
Kathy’s dress with soda and salt.
On the advice of the front desk we made our way to the university
district and first drinks at an Irish pub. The Mojito was fantastic.
Then to another bar for shots. I miss shots. They called a cab to take
us to the disco. Perfect. To my dismay we ended up splitting up.
Boy:girl ratio was definitely not in our favor. About 10:1.
We got a bit lost searching for our way back. Taxis had stopped
running and we were quite far from out hotel. We stumbled in around 5 am.
Day 7—BOLOGNA
Piazza Maggione-Church of Saint Katrina. Forrest and Iwent in,
but Kathy and Megan nursed hangovers on the steps outside. Each chapel in the
interior of the church was designed by a different family in Bologna
with each trying to outdo the others in the grandioseness of their
space. Unique in the earth tones used in the interior and more brick
work than marble. The clock in the church had a small hole allowing a
point of light to move along the floor to show the months and days on a
calendar.
Palazzo re Enzo was a fortress built during the war between the Papacy
and the Holy Roman Empire and houses historical siege weapons. Neptune
Fountain in front with water coming out of the women’s breasts. This
fountain, similar to the one in Rome represented the major rivers of
the four known continents at the time.
We continued wandering through Bologna. Love the city. The sidewalks
are covered in archways that keep the pedestrians in the shade. So
nice to be out of the heat. Probably the hottest day yet. We’ve had
perfect weather, but the sun is intense for our full days of walking.
Stopped at an awesome grocery store for snacks to eat in the shade of
one of the pedestrian walkways.
Then we went to the tower, Torri Degli Asinelli, from 11th century.
Forrest, Megan, and I climbed the 498 steps to the top. The towers in
Bologna, dating from the war between the papacy and the Holy Roman
Empire, are emblematic of the city, which was at one time home to over
150 towers. Each one belonged to a different competing family and were
built as residences and personal fortresses. We walked back to our
hotel, picked up our bags, and returned to the train station to catch
an early evening connection to Venice.
Arrived Venice, walk around. Have a very underwhelming dinner for 12
Euros at a set menu place near the station. See a beautiful sunset.
Catch bus to Hilton.
Day 8—VENEZIA
Slow start to day. Bus to Venice. Purchase Roma Card (best
thing→unlimited bus and water taxi rides, discounts, local guide for
72 hours, 18+4 Euros…one water taxi ride otherwise costs 6.5). Take
water taxi to San Marco’s Square. See scary woman on taxi. Reminds
me that I never, ever want to do meth. (Shudders) There are
soooo many people at San Marco. Wander to a slightly less full side
street for lunch and 8 Euro Bellinis.
Not nearly as hot hear thanks to more or less constant shade and
breeze from the water. Return to St. Mark’s to go up the tower. This
one only had the option of an elevator—not nearly as rewarding of an
experience as walking up 400 stairs. Megan finds a family speaking
Bulgarian. They are rather less excited than she is.
San Marco Church. It was okay, but after seeing St. Peter’s in Rome
and so many other churches, it was hard to get excited about it or to
pay extra to go upstairs or to different parts of it. Wandered through
the neighborhoods adjacent to San Marco. Found ourselves in the super
touristy, busy area of the Rialto Bridge. Did some preliminary
shopping recon. Found a place for happy hour spritzers.
Bought wine and snacks and chatted in one of the alleys that opens up
to a canal. Had a mini-photo shoot in a reflective surface. Looked for
a place to eat dinner but decided on kebabs from a doner store.
Took the bus back to the Hilton. While waiting, Kathy and I
unsuccessfully tried to find a bathroom, walked straight through a
hotel. Crazy man tried to kick Forrest and a north African nearly
fought him in protest. Both got on our bus. Sat near a fantastically
witty Australian couple on the bus. Decided to check out the pool upon
our return. It was freezing! Very short swim.
Day 9—VENEZIA
Returned to Venice and took water taxi to the Accademia on the other
side of the Grand Canal between Rialto and San Marco. Such a different
feel than the crammed chaos of the other neighborhoods. This was
quieter, more upscale, and much much less crowded. There is a large
art exhibition going on in Venice with dozens of free venues
throughout the city. Stumbled on one showcasing Asian artists-a bit
too anime-ish with a really disturbing phallic Mickey Mouse. Also
viewed an exhibition of art from the Arab world. I really liked
several of the pieces and they made excellent use of the converted
shipping warehouse.
Ate lunch at on the water facing the outlying islands. Decided to
split up and return for dinner. Wandered around and bought some
really nice hand made leather journals. Explored all the other neighborhoods
of venice and then took a trip over to Murrano. Ended up sitting across from
some funny college kids studying in Spain who came over for a long weekend.
They traveled about the same distance as I did from Bulgaria, but they can
hop over when they want. A little jelious. Forrest and I made our own Bellinis and drank them sitting on one of the canals. Headed back to meet the girls and hear them describe in loving detail their purses. They treated me for dinner which was super nice. Wandered through the city. Found a playground for another photo shoot. Took the bus back to the hotel to collect the luggage and while waiting for the bus to take us to the next hotel watched some "ladies of the night" working.
Caught the flight home the next day. The flight was over an hour and a half late taking off due to ineptitude at the check in desk. I caught the night train back and got home at 5:30 and was at work by 8. It was rough going.
I really enjoyed the trip and the company. Megan was going to be a philosophy major and our breakfast conversations were fantastic. She got me to think about my motivations and what I wanted to do with my life. I had been loafing and simply wasting time rather than spending this valuable interlude wisely. So this summer, between the camps, the tutoring, the PCPP, I think that I will start my applications to Grad School, and pursue either an MBA with a focus in Developmental Economics, or a Masters in International Developmental Policy with a focus in Applied Economics. I may still take the Foreign Service Exam as an extra precaution, but I think that I would be wise to invest in my future now.
