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.
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