Tuscany Day Three: Pienza and Orvieto

Day #3 - up and out on the bus by nine. We are tired and sore but still ready to go :)

First stop - the Town of Pienza! Famous for their Pecorino cheese and their cheese rolling competitions every year on the first Sunday of September (wish we could've seen it). But it was a cute little town which I think was roughly the same size as CUA's campus. We didn't spend much time here, but just enough to check out the shops and major church before heading out to Orvieto. Best photo I got from this town was the bathroom (no I didn't use it), you can see why:

I mean, bathrooms aren't really standardized in Europe.

We got to Orvieto around 1pm or so - and spent quite a bit of time in this town just walking around and exploring. I found a shop where I bought myself a beautiful leather wallet :)  and some others found clothing stores, gelato, and great views from the top of the town. We also, of course, visited the Duomo and the place where St. Thomas Aquinas spent much of his life. After lunch (last meal in Tuscany), we left and arrived back in Rome around 7pm. This was the first overnight trip with the program, the first of many, and it was a HUGE success! I look forward to Venice the weekend after the next!

this is from the bus - the town of Orvieto is in the distance

Duomo :)

Ciao Ragazzi!!

Tuscany Day Two: Arrezzo and Castel del Trebbio

Day #2 of our Tuscany trip brought the group around the town of Arrezzo. We saw more basilicas and this town's Duomo, each getting more beautiful than the last. We also found a spot with an incredible view of the landscape surrounding the town. Actually landscapes were pretty common throughout Tuscany, but they certainly never got old.

San Domenico, 13th C., Gothic Style

Around 3pm, it was another bus ride to Castel del Trebbio - oldest castle in Italy and wine making center (we got to do a wine tasting there!!). But first was the tour around the living areas of the castle and then down to the cellar/dungeon where we saw the barrels and barrels of wine they are making down there. We learned a whole lot about the production of wine and olive oil (always go extra-vergin, dark bottle if possible) before heading to a dining room to try out a white wine, two different red wines (both 'chianti' - one was 1 year old and the other was reserved 3 years. Reserved = SO much better), and a dessert wine which you dip biscuits into to drink. All of them were amazing. And after all that was dinner! Rice dish and bread antipasti, pork, tomato, and potato main course, and a custard dessert served on a crunchy and sugary pastry. I love this country. The entire night was so much fun! And I got some good photos of the sunset from the mountains around the castle (currently my cover photo on fb), the food, and other fun stuff:

each barrel holds between 7-9,000 bottles of wine

red reserved, red, white bottles - and the dessert wine in the glass

so beautiful

Tuscany Day One: Siena

Ciao!

I've decided that Tuscany was too amazing to post just one entry about it so I'm going to split it into three, Day One - Siena!!   ...also I turned 20 :)

The day began at approximately 7am when we all got up and ready for a prompt departure from our dorm at 8am sharp. The bus ride was about 3 hours to Siena - with most of us spending the time either catching up on lost sleep or watching the multitude of sheep. That rhymed...sorry. 

Sheep as far as the eye can see.

In Siena we got to visit the Church of San Domenico, the Museo Civico, the Duomo, and the House of Catherine of Siena! The Church of San Domenico held St. Catherine's head. Literally. Like her head (which of course is now a relic) was preserved in a golden box and put in a side chapel. It was slightly disconcerting but awesome at the same time - no pictures were allowed though so I guess you all get spared that sight. The Museo Civico, the town hall of the 13th century which now contains a great collection of artwork, was also a no picture zone. But I promise I can make up for that with the next posts.

but at least I can show the outside of the Museo Civico, taken from Palazzo Pubblico

Then we get to the Duomo (the Cathedral) of Siena. The front of it was unimaginably gorgeous, decorated with a pinkish stone and some gold paintings. VERY pretty. And the inside had some amazing statues, an engraved floor, and papal busts on the ceiling which stare down at you and judge as you walk around.

the popes lined the entire inside perimeter

Last stop for the day was Catherine of Siena's house, where she grew up. Many of the rooms were converted into chapels, but it was still possible to see the preserved fire place in what was the kitchen. There were also a bunch of paintings that lined the wall in her 'bedroom' (in quotes because Catherine preferred to sleep on a rock most nights as an act of humility) that showed some of the big moments of her life. My favorite was the picture of her levitating up some stairs in prayer...it was kinda sci-fi ish. Very cool. Once again though, no pictures allowed inside :(

After this very long day we went to the hotel ca. 7pm to check in and grab dinner in the restaurant downstairs. They served us wine, lots of pasta, potatoes, and some slabs of meat - and I love how the copious amounts of really good food are now just expected here. Afterwards they gave us dessert. Our program director called everyone to sing Happy Birthday for me which was as fun/embarrassing as always, but then I got served a double portion of ice cream. All in all, a fantastic day!!

me being all happy with ice cream :)

Four Weeks In

Ciao!

So it is just hitting the group today that we have now been here in Rome one month. One FULL month has passed already. Four weeks. 1/4 of our total time here. This time is flying by SOO fast. Of course, that was entirely expected and I feel as though a lot has been accomplished so far but still, it's crazy.

Today was the final for my Italian class! I assure the excitement isn't from the fun of taking that exam (..which was far more difficult than I wanted it to be..) but that it's all over :)  The class was an intensive 3 hours a day, 5 days a week - but now I just have that time off for the rest of the semester to relax and maybe even practice some Italian on my own in the city.

Today, we got to leave right after the test about 2 hours earlier than normal. We came back to the dorm and I left again to do some errands like go to the bank and Farmacia (3 guesses what store that is). On the way back, I stopped in about 4-5 random stores just to shop - I found a little art store, kid's toy store, and a full-on mall complete with clothes, shoes, food, a home furnishings dept., bags, and a photo-shoot where some Italian models were showing off the store's collection. I found the photo-shoot by taking a random turn where I heard some commotion (and me being me...I went ahead to explore) and practically walked through the set in front of the cameras. I promptly got yelled at by a group of camera guys/directors/models and later noticed the sign that said something to the effect of "don't enter." My Italian training didn't quite prepare me for that one. Oops.

As for tonight - the CUA crew is participating in a spirituality evening with the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist followed by a free dinner! Should be awesome. And tomorrow is 1. My birthday (turning 20!) and 2. Our Tuscany trip!!! We leave promptly at 8am and return on Monday night. Can't wait :)

Arrivederci!

Cupola!

Ciao!

So this morning 7 friends (mixed CUA and Loyola) and I climbed up the Cupola, aka the Dome of St. Peter's Basilica!!! To say the least it was an epic experience - at the top was a perfect view of the Vatican and Rome, 360 degrees around the dome.

The climb in total was 500+ steps - and a number of the group did the full thing. Honestly though, and I am not quite ashamed to say, I doubted my ability to make the whole thing so a few friends and I took the elevator up the first 200 or so steps then climbed the last 320 with the others. Words can't quite express what we were hit with when we reached the top, so I'll just go ahead and post some of the pictures :)

Half-way up we got to look down into the Basilica!!!

This picture was taken with my camera right side up...the walkway became something of a fun house as we circled our way up the dome

...and then this happened...

Vatican square! from above :)

Vatican Gardens

The city of Rome

Trip to the Hill Towns

Ciao Ragazzi!

Yesterday we took a trip to the hill towns south of Rome! Three major events: Catacombs, Castel Gandolfo, and town of Arricia. Each packed with their own supply of awesome. Here's what went down..

First stop was the Church of St. Sebastian on the Via Appia - yes THE Via Appia, which if any of you studied Latin with Ecce Romani was the road that had the ditch were the Cornelii family got stuck for about 13 chapters. Can't miss it. Anyway, we arrived at the church and descended into the Catacombs - which is exactly as you might imagine in your head where with each step the temperature drops another 4 degrees. It was semi-dark, with narrow passages, a low ceiling and, most importantly, hundreds of early Christian tombs and graves. I loved it. It was just so cool. Plus all the inscriptions that accompanied some of the grave markers were in Latin/Greek, so the Classics Majors had a field day :)  Unfortunately - pictures were prohibited underground, but I still got a few from inside St. Sebastian's church on the way out.

Relics!!

and here is St. Sebastian!                           

directly below him, in the

catacombs, is his real grave.

Next stop was the town around Castel Gandolfo, which is where the Pope's summer residence is located! The little town overlooks a BEAUTIFUL lake, Lake Albano, and we got to spend some time gazing at it and checking out the surrounding stores and pastry shop before moving on to the town of Arricia.

The Swiss Guards outside                                                                                          
      the Pope's house                                                                                                      Lake Albano

Last stop was Arricia for dinner, where I am pretty sure the group of us enjoyed THE best meal we've had since getting to Rome. It was wave, after wave, after wave of assorted meats, mozzarella cheese, bread (regular and baked/garlic), two plates of different pasta per person, wine that is made specifically in the region of that town, then cookies for dessert. It was ridiculous. Hours later and my stomach was still full, and I wasn't the only one. SOO good. 

All in all, an awesome day. It was the first of the many various trips we have planned throughout the semester - next will be Tuscany in a few weeks (on my birthday in fact!). Can't wait!

All-American Prophet

Ciao!

There were many fears that a bunch of my classmates, including myself, had upon entering Italy for this coming semester. One of the most common was the fear of being viewed by the locals as the 'dumb American guy/girl.' Regardless of the intense language/culture preparations we all did over the summer online or in classes - we've all pretty much managed to look like idiots in front of the Italians at some point over the past week. Or, like me, at a multitude of points everyday this past week. This is my personal favorite so far:

Me and the bank yesterday. To get to this particular ATM, you had to swipe your debit card in the slot next to the door and walk inside the little vestibule to the machine. Well I did figure that much out...the US has plenty of similar walk-in ATM's...so I went in, got my money, and turned to leave. And couldn't get out. The door was automatic, but wouldn't open when I stepped in front of it. For the next 6-7 minutes, I gently poked the door with my finger, used my hand to try swiping it open, hit it, pressed the sign that was next to it thinking it was a button, and was at the point where I was waving both my arms at the little motion sensor above the door when a little Italian lady swipes her card from outside, opens the door, and walks in on me as I am doing a little jumping-jack dance inside the bank. We pause, look at each other, I say "scusi," and walk out. Too perfect.

As I believe I said in the last blog, I am also having some fun with the Italian language...and the butchering thereof. A few days ago, and sorry I can't remember the context, I managed to say the phrase "piu buono" to a shopkeeper. This is English equivalent of saying "more good." As in good, more good, most good...instead of good, better, best (and yes the Italian language also uses separate words for the three). I just couldn't remember the word for better..the guy stared at me like I was a four year old trapped in a 19 year old.

When more of these come up, and they will, I will be sure to share :)   In the meantime I am relaxing in my room after a day at the beach, which although fun, could have been better. We got ourselves to the Mediterranean but found ourselves on a cloudy/windy/kinda cold day and on a very rocky shore (just a small patch of sand for us). Some kids braved the frigid water, but I hung out with some other friends on the beach - then we basically got lunch (Italian-style pizza today...MUCH better than new york pizza..) and left. Only thing on tomorrow's schedule is Mass, don't know where yet!

Arrivederci :)