Rome, last evening
Unbelievably, it's the last day. I had a wonderful trip, but, unlike past rips, I'm not remorseful, or sad, or wishing it wasn't over. I'm so ready for home. I guess because half my life and heart are waiting for me there.
This morning, we sang in the Pantheon, a temple/later church built by Constantine in 118 AD (meaning it was almost 2000 years old). The famous thing about it is that it's dome is in perfect proportions, with the radius exactly the height of the dome itself, and the diameter the height from the floor to the base of the dome. Consequently, it felt incredibly spacious, almost like the roof was open above you. We sang for about 5 minutes (all they would let us, even though we sounded really good), then hurried off back to the Vatican museums for our tour. It took us about 30 minutes walking very fast in the hot sun to get there, but thank God the building, once we got there, was air conditioned.
They had tons of security measures, bag scanners, guards, metal detectors, but it was like even though they had all the stuff, they really didn't care. The guards didn't really watch the bag scanner, people would beep in the metal detector, and they'd just get waved through. It was really stupid.
The way they did our tour was ingenious. The guide had a microphone that broadcasted to little radio things that we had, that then played through earbuds we had, so everyone in the group could hear. Very smart. The tour was about 1 ½ hours, our guide was good, and although I saw some beautiful stuff, I thought the Vatican Museums really weren't worth it, except that it was the only way to get into the Sistine Chapel.
The Chapel was beautiful, but not nearly as big as one would think. It really is just a chapel, which even though that's what the name says, I kept thinking it would be the size of the cathedrals we'd been at. It was breathtaking though. The entrance to the chapel is at the end of a long string of the modern religious art rooms at the museums. You go through it, wondering when all the weird stuff is going to end, you go through a little door, and all of a sudden you're in the chapel. It kind of takes you by surprise, like that entrance just isn't quite grand enough for something so wonderful. Seeing things with your own eyes that you've seen hundreds of times in pictures is really amazing, which is kind of how this whole Italy trip has been. The fresco of God and Adam touching pointer fingers always moves me, and I loved seeing it. My only complaint was the massive number of people, making impossible to even try to stay together as a group, and the whole experience a little less comprtable.
Our tour took a lot longer than we had expected, so we got out without having had lunch, and with an hour and a half to get to our tour of the Catacombs. Aimee was in the other half of the group with the Hakilas, so when our group finished the tour, we decided to make our way to the Catacombs ourselves. At 3:30, nearly 2 hours, 3 bus rides, and massive amounts of confusion later, half our group, which amounted to 14 people (the other half had lost hope, and gone back to the hotel) arrived at the Catacombs, where we found that the rest of the people we were meeting had thought it was just too difficult to get there, and we were on our own. We raided the scantily supplied vending machines since no one had eaten anything since the roll that was breakfast, and bought our own tickets, determined not to give up after the ridiculous amount of trouble we took to get there.
It was cold down there, and actually a little creepy and morbid. I'm glad I did it, and it was cool (literally and figuratively), but the tour was only about 15 minutes, and there really wasn't much to see, except hundreds of feet of stone and earth corridors stretching ahead of you, and empty graves rising above you. Historically, it was awesome, but I've never felt eerie before in any place I've gone, except there. It would make a great setting for a creepy movie.
Our return trip was nearly as epic as the ride to get there, but it was a little smoother since we sort of knew what to do. I forced myself to not worry about what to do, and let the people more capable than me tell me what to do, and therein, learned a great life lesson: save yourself a lot of stress by knowing when you need to take charge, and when to sit back and let others do it.
I enjoyed the whole crazy day a lot more because of that.
I was hoping to do some shopping afterwards, but since we didn't straggle back into home base until after 5, that didn't happen. We went to dinner at a little restaurant called Miscellane where at least one group of us has eaten lunch and dinner every day we've been here. I had the best caprese (fresh tomatoes and mozzarella in thick slices) there I've ever had, along with 2 shots of the “sexy wine” they have, and some dessert they brought out since it was Davis's birthday.
Altogether, it was an epic day, a fitting end to this epic/crazy/wonderful/irritating/fun/nearly perfect trip. I was planning to post this tomorrow morning before we leave, but I found out our bus to the airport is leaving at 7, and we have to load our bags at 6:45, so that idea went out the window. It's actually wonderful that we have a bus, and don't all have to take separate taxis (which would be a nightmare), so I'm not going to complain. I'm just so glad to be coming home, that no matter what happens tomorrow, I think I will be the eternal optimist. My heart and mind are full to overflowing with sights, and thoughts, and feelings, and experiences, that I've hardly processed them all, but the one overriding emotion is home-readiness. My heart yearns for Nick, for my bed, for my sister, for sweet tea...
I'm coming home.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
On the home countdown...
Rome, second day
This has been a whirlwind of a day, and my body is definitely telling me it's time to put away my walking shoes and go home. I've never had swollen ankles in my life, but today, all the veins in my lower legs are throbbing, and hurt with each step. That coupled with the hurting feet are enough to send me home.
Breakfast at this hotel has turned out to be rather a poor affair: packaged pastries (though slightly redeemed when they brought out hot rolls), yogurt, and tar-like coffee. Thankfully, I'd stolen 5 Earl Grey tea bags from the hotel in Florence, and so was able to have tea instead of icky coffee. Breakfast was early since we had to start walking to the coliseum by 8:30. The walk was fun. Rome is a fascinating place to be, again, my favorite for it's own reasons. The architecture and history everywhere is amazing. We just walked by the ruins of the old senate building, and then an enormous temple to Venus. Unreal.
The coliseum was amazing, much more interesting than I thought it would be. I hadn't realized that there was a basement underneath the stadium floor, where not only did they keep the fighting animals, they had irrigation and sewer systems and an incredibly complex theatrical system, complete with tilting and rising platforms, tons of trap doors where gladiators and animals entered the arena, but also pulley-and-ropes systems that hoisted set pieces into the arena to make fights more believable. There was also a team of specially trained sailors to worked the huge canvas awning that protected people from the sun and rain. It was fascinating.
After our tour, the group split up for lunch. Mom, dad, and I went with the Bairds and Reeds to a little restaurant around the corner from the hotel, and they did the coolest thing ever. After the meal, they brought out big chunks of watermelon to eat with a fork and knife (I haven't had fruit in so long), and then shots of their specialty wine, which was a red, sparkling wine that had strong notes of strawberry in it. It was so good. Just...amazing.
Mom and I went to go try to find some sunglasses, since this has been a bad 2 glasses days for the Turners. Dad's reading glasses snapped in half, then his regular sunglasses, then the little screw in the corner of mine came out and broke, then mom's lens popped out and won't go back in. We never found any good ones, so we're all still squinting. Which results in splitting headaches for me.
We rested in the room for a while before heading out again. Being in the heat so much here absolutely wipes you out. Our air conditioner works wonders, and even though I have a knack for accidentally picking the uncomfortable, cot-type, extra bed that they pull in that's not supposed to be there, it felt so good to lay down.
We all walked in a humongous clump over to Vatican City which took about 30 minutes. It was hot, but not nearly as hot as Venice, and one of the locals told mom that we were lucky to be here now, not last week when it was sweltering. A little side note about one of my favorite things about Italy: they have fountains of pure, cold water everywhere where you can fill water bottles or whatever for free and it's so awesome. I wish we had something like that in Charleston.
Mr. Cross and Tiffany left immediately for St Peter's after the coliseum, working to get us into the basilica (even though we were singing the freakin mass). We got there around 4, and they had just finally gotten them to not make us stand in the line just to get in. if we'd've stood in the line (which stretched all the way to the end of the colonnade), we would have missed the mass. Just getting in the doors was like trying to see the president. Finally, after we went through a bunch of security, they led us around the back of the building, essentially backstage of the Vatican, to bypass the lines. We felt very exclusive.
I was prepared not to really like St Peter's. I had assumed it was going to be really overdone, and just very...Catholic, I guess. But I was wrong. Other than Canterbury, it is my favorite place we have sung. It was unbelievably beautiful, and tasteful, and spacious, and clean. The size is staggering. You just can't take it in. The church is filled with beautiful sculptures, thousands of them, and huge paintings, and different colored marble in beautiful patterns. I mean, it was just amazing.
The original Pieta was there too, really the only sculpture that bring tears to my eyes, and always has. That was worth the whole trip to see it with my own eyes.
The mass went really well too, although I'm not sure all the kids realized how amazing it was that we were actually singing there. It was an incredible honor, and tons of people stopped, and pressed in around the full pews to hear us, and asked for pictures and autographs, and all kinds of crazy things. First time this choir was ever treated like rock stars. I think they thought we were the basilica choir.
By this time, I was really tired, and my head, feet, and legs were killing me, plus I really had to pee. Sad to say, I turned into a little girl again. Aimee went with the Hakalas, so mom dad and I meandered back toward the hotel, stopping in multiple antique bookstores and trying to find gelato. It has been so nice and fun to spend so much alone time with them. I don't remember ever really having much of that until now, since it was always all 3 of us girls together. I've loved it. Eventually, we got back to the Piazza del Novana (the place to be in the evening in Rome apparently) right near our hotel, looked for a place to sit and have dessert, decided against it, and headed back to the little gelato place called “Chiuri, Chiuri” that we'd found yesterday. It was amazing. Again.
And now, I think I may to go bed early if I can. My brain is shutting down and all it can do is regurgitate the day's events, not add the interesting little tidbits that make travel diaries interesting, so to whoever is reading this, sorry :)
Everything in me is telling me it's time to go home, and I relish the thought more every minute. Yay for home.
This has been a whirlwind of a day, and my body is definitely telling me it's time to put away my walking shoes and go home. I've never had swollen ankles in my life, but today, all the veins in my lower legs are throbbing, and hurt with each step. That coupled with the hurting feet are enough to send me home.
Breakfast at this hotel has turned out to be rather a poor affair: packaged pastries (though slightly redeemed when they brought out hot rolls), yogurt, and tar-like coffee. Thankfully, I'd stolen 5 Earl Grey tea bags from the hotel in Florence, and so was able to have tea instead of icky coffee. Breakfast was early since we had to start walking to the coliseum by 8:30. The walk was fun. Rome is a fascinating place to be, again, my favorite for it's own reasons. The architecture and history everywhere is amazing. We just walked by the ruins of the old senate building, and then an enormous temple to Venus. Unreal.
The coliseum was amazing, much more interesting than I thought it would be. I hadn't realized that there was a basement underneath the stadium floor, where not only did they keep the fighting animals, they had irrigation and sewer systems and an incredibly complex theatrical system, complete with tilting and rising platforms, tons of trap doors where gladiators and animals entered the arena, but also pulley-and-ropes systems that hoisted set pieces into the arena to make fights more believable. There was also a team of specially trained sailors to worked the huge canvas awning that protected people from the sun and rain. It was fascinating.
After our tour, the group split up for lunch. Mom, dad, and I went with the Bairds and Reeds to a little restaurant around the corner from the hotel, and they did the coolest thing ever. After the meal, they brought out big chunks of watermelon to eat with a fork and knife (I haven't had fruit in so long), and then shots of their specialty wine, which was a red, sparkling wine that had strong notes of strawberry in it. It was so good. Just...amazing.
Mom and I went to go try to find some sunglasses, since this has been a bad 2 glasses days for the Turners. Dad's reading glasses snapped in half, then his regular sunglasses, then the little screw in the corner of mine came out and broke, then mom's lens popped out and won't go back in. We never found any good ones, so we're all still squinting. Which results in splitting headaches for me.
We rested in the room for a while before heading out again. Being in the heat so much here absolutely wipes you out. Our air conditioner works wonders, and even though I have a knack for accidentally picking the uncomfortable, cot-type, extra bed that they pull in that's not supposed to be there, it felt so good to lay down.
We all walked in a humongous clump over to Vatican City which took about 30 minutes. It was hot, but not nearly as hot as Venice, and one of the locals told mom that we were lucky to be here now, not last week when it was sweltering. A little side note about one of my favorite things about Italy: they have fountains of pure, cold water everywhere where you can fill water bottles or whatever for free and it's so awesome. I wish we had something like that in Charleston.
Mr. Cross and Tiffany left immediately for St Peter's after the coliseum, working to get us into the basilica (even though we were singing the freakin mass). We got there around 4, and they had just finally gotten them to not make us stand in the line just to get in. if we'd've stood in the line (which stretched all the way to the end of the colonnade), we would have missed the mass. Just getting in the doors was like trying to see the president. Finally, after we went through a bunch of security, they led us around the back of the building, essentially backstage of the Vatican, to bypass the lines. We felt very exclusive.
I was prepared not to really like St Peter's. I had assumed it was going to be really overdone, and just very...Catholic, I guess. But I was wrong. Other than Canterbury, it is my favorite place we have sung. It was unbelievably beautiful, and tasteful, and spacious, and clean. The size is staggering. You just can't take it in. The church is filled with beautiful sculptures, thousands of them, and huge paintings, and different colored marble in beautiful patterns. I mean, it was just amazing.
The original Pieta was there too, really the only sculpture that bring tears to my eyes, and always has. That was worth the whole trip to see it with my own eyes.
The mass went really well too, although I'm not sure all the kids realized how amazing it was that we were actually singing there. It was an incredible honor, and tons of people stopped, and pressed in around the full pews to hear us, and asked for pictures and autographs, and all kinds of crazy things. First time this choir was ever treated like rock stars. I think they thought we were the basilica choir.
By this time, I was really tired, and my head, feet, and legs were killing me, plus I really had to pee. Sad to say, I turned into a little girl again. Aimee went with the Hakalas, so mom dad and I meandered back toward the hotel, stopping in multiple antique bookstores and trying to find gelato. It has been so nice and fun to spend so much alone time with them. I don't remember ever really having much of that until now, since it was always all 3 of us girls together. I've loved it. Eventually, we got back to the Piazza del Novana (the place to be in the evening in Rome apparently) right near our hotel, looked for a place to sit and have dessert, decided against it, and headed back to the little gelato place called “Chiuri, Chiuri” that we'd found yesterday. It was amazing. Again.
And now, I think I may to go bed early if I can. My brain is shutting down and all it can do is regurgitate the day's events, not add the interesting little tidbits that make travel diaries interesting, so to whoever is reading this, sorry :)
Everything in me is telling me it's time to go home, and I relish the thought more every minute. Yay for home.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Spoleto to Rome, the home stretch
Spoleto
This place is beautiful. I was going to say it is my favorite, but I think each place has been so distinct, they've all been my favorites in a way. Venice for the water, and how it reminded me of home, Florence for the shopping and colorful hustle and bustle, and now Spoleto for it's quiet charm and peace.
The convent we're staying in is on the very edge of the city, which is built on a hill as it was the Roman fortress guarding the narrowing of the Spoleto valley which leads into the rest of Italy. The valley is incredibly verdant, nestled between two mountain ranges. There are 4 defensive cities leading up to Spoleto, and each one has own flavor and charm; one I saw looked like it still had the roman wall surrounding it. There is a 10-arched Roman aqueduct that spans the narrowed gap where the 2 mountain ranges come near each other, and there are ruins of old fortresses jutting out of hills. From the courtyard of the convent where I'm sitting now, you can see over the wall to the mountain beside it, and the space and everything that's growing that's green is so restful to your eyes. I haven't seen grass for trees or plants really in all the other cities, but here, it's overflowing around us. Vibrant flowers everywhere, vegetable gardens with lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs, grape arbors, lush hillsides...a feast for the eyes. Here the courtyard is surrounded by bright red geraniums in terracotta boxes, rows of roses, and random evergreen tree, which work together to be very peaceful and beautiful, and a jasmine vine, which instantly made me homesick.
Our mass at the Duomo in Florence yesterday went very well. That duomo was very different from the ones in Venice. There, the inside of the churches were spectacular, mosaics and paintings and colored light, while the outsides were more plain stone. In Florence, the outside of the duomo was a spectacular design of red and green and white marble, while inside, it was more austere, except for the dome itself, which was like looking into heaven. The acoustics were so alive, a few of the songs we sang didn't really work, as the notes were complex and fast, so they got muddled. But the rest of if was beautiful. Another difference between Italian and English cathedrals is that in Italy, the bell towers are tall, rectangular tower jutting either out the the roof near the domes, or completely separate structures standing beside the church. I find it symmetrically disturbing.
Surprisingly, the loading and embarking of all 86 people and our luggage yesterday went extremely smoothly, and the 3 hour bus trip was really not bad. The scenery was breathtaking, but completely unable to be captured in pictures, so I didn't try much. It's just something you have to see to absorb.
Once we arrived at the convent, we waited around for about 45 minutes for the nuns to finish praying, then it took over an hour and a half to do room and key assignments. Again, we were lucky in our room, somehow, our family got the suite, complete with a full bathroom, a kitchen (with a freezer that has an ice tray!), and hand-washing laundry sink, and a real dryer. Literally, unbelievable riches. It's pretty much how you would expect an hundreds of year old convent to be, but charming and rustic.
We went searching for dinner late last night after settling in, and as we were walking, found big posters advertising our choir, and the old roman amphitheater here perched on the side of the hill. Just being around the history is amazing.
For breakfast, we were served absolutely delicious croissants and hard rolls, one each, with butter and jam, along with wonderful Italian coffee and tea. I had a cup of coffee (so you will understand how that attests to it's yumminess, since I don't like coffee all that much) and 2 cups of tea. Which added up to me having a huge caffeine buzz, plus really having to pee. It was worth it though.
We have our tour of the Duomo this morning, then are free until we sing mass tonight. We leave tomorrow morning, and I'm sorry we're not staying here longer, although, leaving here means Rome, and Rome means home. The other bright side is that I totaled up all the money I've spent so far, and realized I have like $100 some dollars still.
Which is exciting...
Afternoon, Spoleto
It's suddenly storming; thunder is rolling through the mountains, and the rain is pouring down. We have our window open, and a deep, earthy smell is rising up from the rain-soaked ground in the garden outside. Thunder and rain in the mountains is wonderful.
After our small walk through the cathedral, we walked up to see the viaduct. There was an vista point that overlooked the whole city and the mountains, and then you walked a little way further around the mountain to reach the viaduct. It was impressive, unbelievably tall and thick, with the walkway on the north side of it.
We found out that someone had just jumped from the bridge, and they closed it to visitors behind us as we left.
Afterwards, we attempted to find lunch, but most places were still closed since it was only about noon, so finally, incredibly frustrated and tired, the MacMurphys, and Graudin boys, and mom, dad, and I (Aimee was with Oriane and her family) found a tiny little grocery market, and bought some bread, and gouda, and fresh lettuce and tomatoes, and tortellini with a teeny jar on sauce, and some kiwi, and little chocolate wafer things, and a yummy, sour, fizzy grapefruit drink in a humongous bottle. We came back to our room to fix it in our kitchen, and the entire meal for 8 people cost us all of 20 euros, about 2.50 per person. Which was sure a change from the norm.
All I want right now is a sweet tea. It's totally going to be the first thing I'm going to get once I get home...
Train from Spoleto to Rome
Well, this was epic. Turns out that Spoleto didn't have enough public buses and taxis to get us all to the train station, so it looked like we were all going to have to walk the hilly 30 minutes, with our luggage. So we all got up super extra early to get to breakfast in time, then found out that we really hadn't needed to, since they had managed to get the 2 big buses that brought us here to come back to tote us all to the station. So much better, although I'd have preferred to have known I could've slept in a little more. We stood in the misty rain for about an hour and a half (since we had allotted all the extra time for walking, which was brilliant), waiting for the train, then found out it would be 20 minutes late. Then, literally as the train was stopping in front of us, they yelled at us to cross to the other side of the platform. There was a slow stampede of all 86 of us wielding our luggage down a flight of stairs, across the underground hall, and up the other staircase to the platform. People were mad, and rushing, and bunched together, and hoisting, and lifting, and pushing. Ridiculous.
But we made it though. We're all on, with no meetings or rehearsals planned. Thank God.
Dad and I walked to a little cafe before we left to get some internet, which was nice, then came back just in time to find out that I'd missed the memo that there was going to be a little concert for the little mother superior. I walked in for the last page of Cantate Domino (which apparently had sounded awful at the beginning) and then Media Vita. We sounded half asleep, which we were. Ah well.
I thought the concert last night was not the best, but everyone else thought it was amazing. The little church was beautiful, even if it was hot. After mass, we sang a little concert for whoever wanted to stay, which most people (who weren't choir parents, who had to stay) did. Afterwards, on Mara's suggestion, we went to a semi-fancy restaurant for a “set meal,” something every single Italian restaurant has, which is basically just a set 3-4 course menu for a single price. It was really good, although not the best meal I've had here, but still very good. Especially because they gave us a discount.
Something I'm enjoying about this trip is being able to slip back a little bit into being a little girl. I don't have a watch with me, and none of the rooms ever have clocks, ever, so I get to have my mom wake me up again, and have my parents pay for my food, and generally not have to be totally responsible for myself. It feels nice. For a while.
Honestly, although this trip has been wonderful, and I've enjoyed the singing more than I ever have before, I am so glad it's so nearly time to come home. I miss everything, and everyone. I'm tired of being on the move, and wearing the same clothes, seeing the same people, living out of a duffel bag, and (unbelievably) eating out. I've never had carbs this many days in a row for every single meal in my life. Give me fruit, and vegetables, and a lean piece of meat for crying out loud. And please...give me home.
There's a certain group of parents who are semi-drunk again. Already.
Rome
So far, this has been our shabbiest hotel, by far. Not that it's actually bad, it has a bathroom, and air conditioning, and free wireless in the lobby. It's more like broken door frames, and leaf-shaped decorations made out of cardboard sprayed with shiny gold paint, and my sheets that smell like sweat kind of shabby.
The train here was not nearly as nice as the one from Venice. My seat was sticky, and there wasn't room to put anything except in your lap. I also had that group of parents across from me, so when I couldn't take their hysterical laughing anymore, I put in my Ipod, listened to love songs, and tried to find a comfortable way to sit. It was cold, and my ears were going crazy from the drastically changing pressure between tunnels and open country, and I really had to pee, but there were sketchy guys standing where the WC was, and I didn't feel like attempting it. Although it doesn't sound that bad, I think it was the most miserable time of the trip.
Thankfully, getting a taxi was very easy, with no long lines, and angry people. The ride to the hotel was only about 10 minutes, then up more flights of stairs to our little room. It's very little. And we're having a hard time getting our electronics to charge in this hotel. Which is not good.
After settling in, our family along with Tiffany and a boy from the choir and his mom went to find lunch. We ended up at a restaurant in the big piazza near the hotel, and had absolutely the best pizza I've had this entire trip. It was fabulous.
It's not as hot here as I thought it would be, at least when you're not in the sun. tomorrow when we're out touring, it may be different, but looking for lunch today was actually quite pleasant. As far as I know, the rest of the day is free. We came back and took a little nap and are now heading out to do some shopping. I'm really fixated on the idea to get a dress or two here. I mean, since I have the extra money...
I guess I'll go ahead and post this now, and maybe a few short ones as I write them, before we leave since the wireless is free. It's so weird and wonderful not to have to wonder if the next place is going to have wireless, or if we'll have a shower, or if the bed will be bearable because the next place I'll be is my own home! I'm so happy. Nearly 3 weeks is a very long time. Even though coming home does mean starting real life again; school and work and choir and all my other responsibilities, it also means being back with Nick, and seeing his family, and my girls at work, and being in my own bed, and starting a brand new thing in school, and working out, and just being back in my normal life. And I love my normal life. Adventure is great, but thank God, nothing can beat all the wonderfulness I already have.
My love to all. I'll be home soon.
This place is beautiful. I was going to say it is my favorite, but I think each place has been so distinct, they've all been my favorites in a way. Venice for the water, and how it reminded me of home, Florence for the shopping and colorful hustle and bustle, and now Spoleto for it's quiet charm and peace.
The convent we're staying in is on the very edge of the city, which is built on a hill as it was the Roman fortress guarding the narrowing of the Spoleto valley which leads into the rest of Italy. The valley is incredibly verdant, nestled between two mountain ranges. There are 4 defensive cities leading up to Spoleto, and each one has own flavor and charm; one I saw looked like it still had the roman wall surrounding it. There is a 10-arched Roman aqueduct that spans the narrowed gap where the 2 mountain ranges come near each other, and there are ruins of old fortresses jutting out of hills. From the courtyard of the convent where I'm sitting now, you can see over the wall to the mountain beside it, and the space and everything that's growing that's green is so restful to your eyes. I haven't seen grass for trees or plants really in all the other cities, but here, it's overflowing around us. Vibrant flowers everywhere, vegetable gardens with lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs, grape arbors, lush hillsides...a feast for the eyes. Here the courtyard is surrounded by bright red geraniums in terracotta boxes, rows of roses, and random evergreen tree, which work together to be very peaceful and beautiful, and a jasmine vine, which instantly made me homesick.
Our mass at the Duomo in Florence yesterday went very well. That duomo was very different from the ones in Venice. There, the inside of the churches were spectacular, mosaics and paintings and colored light, while the outsides were more plain stone. In Florence, the outside of the duomo was a spectacular design of red and green and white marble, while inside, it was more austere, except for the dome itself, which was like looking into heaven. The acoustics were so alive, a few of the songs we sang didn't really work, as the notes were complex and fast, so they got muddled. But the rest of if was beautiful. Another difference between Italian and English cathedrals is that in Italy, the bell towers are tall, rectangular tower jutting either out the the roof near the domes, or completely separate structures standing beside the church. I find it symmetrically disturbing.
Surprisingly, the loading and embarking of all 86 people and our luggage yesterday went extremely smoothly, and the 3 hour bus trip was really not bad. The scenery was breathtaking, but completely unable to be captured in pictures, so I didn't try much. It's just something you have to see to absorb.
Once we arrived at the convent, we waited around for about 45 minutes for the nuns to finish praying, then it took over an hour and a half to do room and key assignments. Again, we were lucky in our room, somehow, our family got the suite, complete with a full bathroom, a kitchen (with a freezer that has an ice tray!), and hand-washing laundry sink, and a real dryer. Literally, unbelievable riches. It's pretty much how you would expect an hundreds of year old convent to be, but charming and rustic.
We went searching for dinner late last night after settling in, and as we were walking, found big posters advertising our choir, and the old roman amphitheater here perched on the side of the hill. Just being around the history is amazing.
For breakfast, we were served absolutely delicious croissants and hard rolls, one each, with butter and jam, along with wonderful Italian coffee and tea. I had a cup of coffee (so you will understand how that attests to it's yumminess, since I don't like coffee all that much) and 2 cups of tea. Which added up to me having a huge caffeine buzz, plus really having to pee. It was worth it though.
We have our tour of the Duomo this morning, then are free until we sing mass tonight. We leave tomorrow morning, and I'm sorry we're not staying here longer, although, leaving here means Rome, and Rome means home. The other bright side is that I totaled up all the money I've spent so far, and realized I have like $100 some dollars still.
Which is exciting...
Afternoon, Spoleto
It's suddenly storming; thunder is rolling through the mountains, and the rain is pouring down. We have our window open, and a deep, earthy smell is rising up from the rain-soaked ground in the garden outside. Thunder and rain in the mountains is wonderful.
After our small walk through the cathedral, we walked up to see the viaduct. There was an vista point that overlooked the whole city and the mountains, and then you walked a little way further around the mountain to reach the viaduct. It was impressive, unbelievably tall and thick, with the walkway on the north side of it.
We found out that someone had just jumped from the bridge, and they closed it to visitors behind us as we left.
Afterwards, we attempted to find lunch, but most places were still closed since it was only about noon, so finally, incredibly frustrated and tired, the MacMurphys, and Graudin boys, and mom, dad, and I (Aimee was with Oriane and her family) found a tiny little grocery market, and bought some bread, and gouda, and fresh lettuce and tomatoes, and tortellini with a teeny jar on sauce, and some kiwi, and little chocolate wafer things, and a yummy, sour, fizzy grapefruit drink in a humongous bottle. We came back to our room to fix it in our kitchen, and the entire meal for 8 people cost us all of 20 euros, about 2.50 per person. Which was sure a change from the norm.
All I want right now is a sweet tea. It's totally going to be the first thing I'm going to get once I get home...
Train from Spoleto to Rome
Well, this was epic. Turns out that Spoleto didn't have enough public buses and taxis to get us all to the train station, so it looked like we were all going to have to walk the hilly 30 minutes, with our luggage. So we all got up super extra early to get to breakfast in time, then found out that we really hadn't needed to, since they had managed to get the 2 big buses that brought us here to come back to tote us all to the station. So much better, although I'd have preferred to have known I could've slept in a little more. We stood in the misty rain for about an hour and a half (since we had allotted all the extra time for walking, which was brilliant), waiting for the train, then found out it would be 20 minutes late. Then, literally as the train was stopping in front of us, they yelled at us to cross to the other side of the platform. There was a slow stampede of all 86 of us wielding our luggage down a flight of stairs, across the underground hall, and up the other staircase to the platform. People were mad, and rushing, and bunched together, and hoisting, and lifting, and pushing. Ridiculous.
But we made it though. We're all on, with no meetings or rehearsals planned. Thank God.
Dad and I walked to a little cafe before we left to get some internet, which was nice, then came back just in time to find out that I'd missed the memo that there was going to be a little concert for the little mother superior. I walked in for the last page of Cantate Domino (which apparently had sounded awful at the beginning) and then Media Vita. We sounded half asleep, which we were. Ah well.
I thought the concert last night was not the best, but everyone else thought it was amazing. The little church was beautiful, even if it was hot. After mass, we sang a little concert for whoever wanted to stay, which most people (who weren't choir parents, who had to stay) did. Afterwards, on Mara's suggestion, we went to a semi-fancy restaurant for a “set meal,” something every single Italian restaurant has, which is basically just a set 3-4 course menu for a single price. It was really good, although not the best meal I've had here, but still very good. Especially because they gave us a discount.
Something I'm enjoying about this trip is being able to slip back a little bit into being a little girl. I don't have a watch with me, and none of the rooms ever have clocks, ever, so I get to have my mom wake me up again, and have my parents pay for my food, and generally not have to be totally responsible for myself. It feels nice. For a while.
Honestly, although this trip has been wonderful, and I've enjoyed the singing more than I ever have before, I am so glad it's so nearly time to come home. I miss everything, and everyone. I'm tired of being on the move, and wearing the same clothes, seeing the same people, living out of a duffel bag, and (unbelievably) eating out. I've never had carbs this many days in a row for every single meal in my life. Give me fruit, and vegetables, and a lean piece of meat for crying out loud. And please...give me home.
There's a certain group of parents who are semi-drunk again. Already.
Rome
So far, this has been our shabbiest hotel, by far. Not that it's actually bad, it has a bathroom, and air conditioning, and free wireless in the lobby. It's more like broken door frames, and leaf-shaped decorations made out of cardboard sprayed with shiny gold paint, and my sheets that smell like sweat kind of shabby.
The train here was not nearly as nice as the one from Venice. My seat was sticky, and there wasn't room to put anything except in your lap. I also had that group of parents across from me, so when I couldn't take their hysterical laughing anymore, I put in my Ipod, listened to love songs, and tried to find a comfortable way to sit. It was cold, and my ears were going crazy from the drastically changing pressure between tunnels and open country, and I really had to pee, but there were sketchy guys standing where the WC was, and I didn't feel like attempting it. Although it doesn't sound that bad, I think it was the most miserable time of the trip.
Thankfully, getting a taxi was very easy, with no long lines, and angry people. The ride to the hotel was only about 10 minutes, then up more flights of stairs to our little room. It's very little. And we're having a hard time getting our electronics to charge in this hotel. Which is not good.
After settling in, our family along with Tiffany and a boy from the choir and his mom went to find lunch. We ended up at a restaurant in the big piazza near the hotel, and had absolutely the best pizza I've had this entire trip. It was fabulous.
It's not as hot here as I thought it would be, at least when you're not in the sun. tomorrow when we're out touring, it may be different, but looking for lunch today was actually quite pleasant. As far as I know, the rest of the day is free. We came back and took a little nap and are now heading out to do some shopping. I'm really fixated on the idea to get a dress or two here. I mean, since I have the extra money...
I guess I'll go ahead and post this now, and maybe a few short ones as I write them, before we leave since the wireless is free. It's so weird and wonderful not to have to wonder if the next place is going to have wireless, or if we'll have a shower, or if the bed will be bearable because the next place I'll be is my own home! I'm so happy. Nearly 3 weeks is a very long time. Even though coming home does mean starting real life again; school and work and choir and all my other responsibilities, it also means being back with Nick, and seeing his family, and my girls at work, and being in my own bed, and starting a brand new thing in school, and working out, and just being back in my normal life. And I love my normal life. Adventure is great, but thank God, nothing can beat all the wonderfulness I already have.
My love to all. I'll be home soon.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Firenze to Spoleto, 5 days til home
2nd Day of Florence, or if you speak Italian, Firenze
At the moment, I am feeling incredibly accomplished and satisfied with myself because I have officially finished all of my shopping. I also finally got myself something nice, so I think I've spend all the money I brought, and I think I did it rather well. I found bartering fun.
I'm very thankful for my big sunglasses here, as they give me a certain amount of privacy. Like when guys try to get your attention, and you can pretend you didn't see them. Or while we were rehearsing out in the Piazza del Republica below our hotel, and people were stopping to gawk, which I found rather embarrassing, and therefore, appreciated my slight anonymity. Actually, it was probably pretty funny to watching all 40 of us shuffling around the square, trying to stay out of the sun. But it is worth it; the difference between the sun and the shade is incredible, at least 7 or 8 degrees, and definitely worth trying to stay there.
The two museums were ok. At the Uffizi, there were some original Rembrants, and at the Accademia, of course there was David, which was amazing. Now we're free from any choir business until 11:15 tomorrow when we all have to arrive at the Duomo to prepare for the mass.
I have somehow managed to completely decimate all the nail polish on my right foot, while my left foot is still relatively unharmed. Which is weird. I must be harder on my right foot.
Florence is really different from Venice. I think I like it better. The downside is cars and buses and mopeds, which is not really that great as I liked the water better, but it is much easier to get around in Florence. Venice was literally like a maze. I also completely don't understand traffic here. Very few of the streets actually look like one. Like when we were walking in the piazza last night, 2 cars just came right through the middle of it, and people just kind of got out of the way. Very weird. Almost nothing is marked.
Also, apparently, the Piazza del Republica is a great hangout, with great food, and lots of entertainment. I know this because I could hear it all from our 5h story room last night. It wasn't like drunken, rowdy, annoying noise, just enough Italian singing to keep you awake.
Late evening in Firenze
I'm waiting for mom to get out of the shower, and listening to about 3 different performers down in the piazza through our open window. It's really cool when you're not trying to sleep.
We trecked all around the city with bags of dirty laundry with the MacMurphys looking for the laundromat, which we found, and thank God, cleaned our clothes. Mom and I left Aimee to watch the clothes with some other people from the choir while we went back to the open-air market that I got the rest of my gifts at to shop a little more. We bargained more, and decided more, and found good stuff.
We got back to the hotel for a little breather, and I was able to facebook chat Nick for about 45 minutes, which was nice. The internet connection was taking a long time for some reason, so it was more like a 25 minute conversation, rather than a 45 minute one, but it was still good. After that, our family and Tiffany decided to try to find a particular bridge that is famous because it's the only one the Nazi's didn't blow up on their way through Italy, for whatever reason. We found it, looked at it, and then crossed it to find something to eat. We stopped at a little grocery store, and Dad picked out a very typical meal for our family: wheat bagel-bite things, and a tub of cream cheese. Our family can put away some cheese, I'm telling you. We ate it on a stone wall overlooking the big river in Florence, then ran into another group of our people on the way home, and got cheap but delicious gelato (Aimee's third of the day, by the way.)
We have to be checked out by 10:30 tomorrow, and I have no idea what kind of internet situation it will be in Spoleto, so I'll try to post this last little bit I've written tomorrow before we leave. It makes me happy to know that at least a few people are interested in my trip and me, and reading this. I love you few people :)
Ok, the shower's mine. More tomorrow. Home has nevr looked so good :)
At the moment, I am feeling incredibly accomplished and satisfied with myself because I have officially finished all of my shopping. I also finally got myself something nice, so I think I've spend all the money I brought, and I think I did it rather well. I found bartering fun.
I'm very thankful for my big sunglasses here, as they give me a certain amount of privacy. Like when guys try to get your attention, and you can pretend you didn't see them. Or while we were rehearsing out in the Piazza del Republica below our hotel, and people were stopping to gawk, which I found rather embarrassing, and therefore, appreciated my slight anonymity. Actually, it was probably pretty funny to watching all 40 of us shuffling around the square, trying to stay out of the sun. But it is worth it; the difference between the sun and the shade is incredible, at least 7 or 8 degrees, and definitely worth trying to stay there.
The two museums were ok. At the Uffizi, there were some original Rembrants, and at the Accademia, of course there was David, which was amazing. Now we're free from any choir business until 11:15 tomorrow when we all have to arrive at the Duomo to prepare for the mass.
I have somehow managed to completely decimate all the nail polish on my right foot, while my left foot is still relatively unharmed. Which is weird. I must be harder on my right foot.
Florence is really different from Venice. I think I like it better. The downside is cars and buses and mopeds, which is not really that great as I liked the water better, but it is much easier to get around in Florence. Venice was literally like a maze. I also completely don't understand traffic here. Very few of the streets actually look like one. Like when we were walking in the piazza last night, 2 cars just came right through the middle of it, and people just kind of got out of the way. Very weird. Almost nothing is marked.
Also, apparently, the Piazza del Republica is a great hangout, with great food, and lots of entertainment. I know this because I could hear it all from our 5h story room last night. It wasn't like drunken, rowdy, annoying noise, just enough Italian singing to keep you awake.
Late evening in Firenze
I'm waiting for mom to get out of the shower, and listening to about 3 different performers down in the piazza through our open window. It's really cool when you're not trying to sleep.
We trecked all around the city with bags of dirty laundry with the MacMurphys looking for the laundromat, which we found, and thank God, cleaned our clothes. Mom and I left Aimee to watch the clothes with some other people from the choir while we went back to the open-air market that I got the rest of my gifts at to shop a little more. We bargained more, and decided more, and found good stuff.
We got back to the hotel for a little breather, and I was able to facebook chat Nick for about 45 minutes, which was nice. The internet connection was taking a long time for some reason, so it was more like a 25 minute conversation, rather than a 45 minute one, but it was still good. After that, our family and Tiffany decided to try to find a particular bridge that is famous because it's the only one the Nazi's didn't blow up on their way through Italy, for whatever reason. We found it, looked at it, and then crossed it to find something to eat. We stopped at a little grocery store, and Dad picked out a very typical meal for our family: wheat bagel-bite things, and a tub of cream cheese. Our family can put away some cheese, I'm telling you. We ate it on a stone wall overlooking the big river in Florence, then ran into another group of our people on the way home, and got cheap but delicious gelato (Aimee's third of the day, by the way.)
We have to be checked out by 10:30 tomorrow, and I have no idea what kind of internet situation it will be in Spoleto, so I'll try to post this last little bit I've written tomorrow before we leave. It makes me happy to know that at least a few people are interested in my trip and me, and reading this. I love you few people :)
Ok, the shower's mine. More tomorrow. Home has nevr looked so good :)
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