The Italian Job (Part I)

Well, a lot has happened, and I'm obviously very bad at keeping an up-to-date blog. This may set the record for longest blog post ever.

I haven't done all the traveling around Europe I had originally hoped for. In fact, I haven't even left the country. However, I have seen a lot of an amazing country! For sake of organization, here is a table of contents of what I will be talking about (roughly reverse chronological order) - feel free to skip around where you like:

- Verona
- Toscana (Firenze, Siena, Pisa)
- Cinque Terre
- Milano

Note: While I'm not absolutely certain of which cities will make up the "The Italian Job: Part II", here is an idea of what to expect:

- Napoli/Pompei
- Roma
- Venezia
- Torino

Verona

Ah, the fair city of Verona, fabled town of Juliet and her Romeo! If you've read earlier, you know that I almost went here to grab Juliet's boob. Now, you can clearly see from the pictures that I did go here and grab Juliet's boob! And I wasn't the only one who wanted to grab Juliet's boob. Ok, this is the last time I will write "Juliet's boob." (I know you were waiting for it ;)


Yes, as you can see, it was a grand time. I was scheduled for work that day, and really bummed when my student cancelled, because then I don't get paid and I waste a weekend (to be vented further down...much further down). BUT...the Lord always does provide, and provideth he didith, as you can see from above! ;-)

Yes, the five fair maidens hither in the picture are, counter-clockwise from stage-right (did you get that?) Annie, Chelsea, Allie, Nathalie, and the immortal Giulietta! They were going on to Venice the next day, but I was already committed at church, so I could only make a day trip out of it.

BUT...a full day it was. I serenaded Annie...


and then monologued to Chelsea...


and then I made out with Juliet.


The ladies in their compelling combination of purity and maturity settled with putting their names with their crushes' on the love wall. Somehow I don't really understand how this works. So...you love somebody so much that you want to have a passionate - if tumultuous - fling that ends in all of two weeks with a dagger to the heart? Hmmm....


Then we went over to the much less-traveled house of Romeo (and, of course, all of these are very real places from real historical events between feuding families in the 16th century...)


You could not imagine the traffic we had to beat off...

Anyway, Verona is so much more than Romeo and Juliet. I'm sure someday I'll figure out what.

Nah, but in all seriousness, pictures. Check them.






Tuscany (Florence, Siena, Pisa)

Ok, there needs to be a warning sign on the entrance to this entire region in general: WARNING: DANGER OF FALLING IN LOVE. PROCEED AT OWN RISK.

Now, I'm not exactly a romantic, lovey-dovey kinda of guy. However, even I had those feelings of "wish I had a girl with me here" at times. Why, HOW? (you might ask...)

Here's one reason:


Here's another...


...and still, another...


...yes, love, it comes in many different shapes, shades, and sizes. I found love most often just walking down the cobblestone streets of these enchanting cities right out of a storybook. There was such a magical presence in the air, a palpable feeling that just around the corner, there would be something that would just take you're breathe away. And every now and then, there was!


But please...believe me! As irreverent as I can sometimes be...


...I really legitimately fell in love with Tuscany, by far the favorite place I've been in Europe. After transportation and lodging, I only had 40 euros to spend the entire weekend. I skipped many a meal so that I could pay to enter the fabulous churches and museums. If you go to Florence, you must see David. Just as you must see the Last Supper if you go to Milan. It will change the way you look at the capacity of art. Just be secretive about any photos you take (note strange man staring at me with condemnation)...


...or, just settle for shots of cheap replicas that - while not a true likeness - can be surprisingly effective at suggesting the real thing...


If you go to Italy (Europe?) at all, make it into every church that you can. Religion might be going the way of the dodo in Europe, however the cathedrals will likely stand for ages to come. A powerful testimony of what art, devotion, and worship can (should?) look like.





There was one church, the Duomo (one in every town) in Siena which had this side room that might be the most spectacular room I have ever been in. I don't even know what it was for, but in addition to having beautiful art on walls, ceiling, and floor, it also had a bunch of hymnals with music written before classical notation was even invented!


Now, I made this trip with about two hundred other exchange students who for the most part were more interested in getting hammered in a new city than checking out Medieval churches and Renaissance art:



Ah, there's a time and place for everything. Well, point being, I didn't necessarily get to see everything that I wanted to see in Tuscany. I didn't go into the world-famous Uffizi gallery in Florence (with the group itinerary, I had to in effect choose between that and David). I also did not sample any "local" cuisine or have any "nice" meal that was more than a 6 euro pizza (which killed my 40 euro budget, btw). I did not go on any wine tours or even sample any of the legendary wines that surrounded me (I bought 2 euro box wine for our Saturday night of mayhem). I scarcely even saw the beautiful countryside, only soaking in samples between winks on the bus ride between Florence and Siena. I didn't make my way to any of the innumerable "secret-treasure" smaller towns, away from the tourists, yet still basking beneath the warmth of the Tuscan sun. So many reasons to go back...

...with a girl!

(and now, I leave you with the sounds of the streets of Florence)



Cinque Terre

Ok, so this was just about the first place that all my friends traveled to while I was still in financial distress and starving to death in my room. But all was not to be lost, because my most loving, caring, wonderful parents were coming to visit me, bringing camera, clothes, and much needed ATM withdrawal card. And, well, they hadn't been to Cinque Terre yet (lit. "five lands"), so I figured that'd be the perfect way to spend a Sunday that I had originally kept available for Oktoberfest until ESN started being dumb. I'm not a stranger to salty water, but it really felt good after being estranged from it for over a month:



Plus, the area was so much more than just H2O + NaCl - the coastline was very dramatic, the air crystal clear, and the five coastal towns in a bubble of perfectly stereotypical Italian culture. Unfortunately, the parentals didn't take too much to hiking, so we only stayed in the first town (Monterosso), but it was great to relax, and we hiked out to a cool point where we could see at least three of the other towns at the same time. Here are some more pictures:






And, of course, there was the quaint little town of Monterosso itself:


And, also of course, as in any Italian village, food is kind of a big deal, hence this giant stir fry pan:


Finally, there's my dear mother and father, who flew all the way across the world to see me (and Italy)! It was really awesome hanging out with them. I feel like they are slowly making the transition to grandparents, and I really cannot describe it in any other way other than a feeling I get. It's kinda weird. And kinda cool at the same time. It was funny, I was able to drink a significant amount of alcohol in front of my parents the first time that evening. Nothing like getting tipsy with your parents on a remote Italian beach resort! Oh, the conversations that followed. I miss them, and as much as I love being on my own, they will never have to nag me to come home.


Finally, a nice little video of a motorboat easing its way into the little harbor for the town, textbook Italy... (note my dad monologuing in the background of whether it will make it or not, lol!)



Milan