Vatican Necropolis

Thursday (January 27th) was a day filled of walking and sight seeing.

That morning, I went to the top of the monument of Victorio Emanuele II by elevator with my Italian Rationalism class.  It has the most amazing view of the entire city of Rome.

That afternoon, I went to the Vatican Necropolis with my classmates in the St. Peter's and the Vatican course.  Our professor for that class works at the Vatican and was able to arrange for us to have a private tour of the tombs that lie below the basilica.  The tombs were discovered around 1950 when Pope Pius XI gave permission to dig under the high altar to see if St. Peter's remains were below.  It is said that St. Peter was buried in the location that is under the high altar in the location known as plot P.  In a niche of plot P, a set of bone fragments and stone etchings were found.  The stone says "Petros Eni" which translates to "Peter is here."  The bone fragments have been analyzed and are said to be the remains of a robust man from around the 1st century AD.  We were able to see these exact bones and stone fragments in the tomb below the high altar!  It was really moving to be able to see St. Peter's remains.

We were also able to go into one of the burial tombs that lies below the basilica.  Sadly, we were not able to take pictures during the necropolis tour.  We were able to take pictures while we were in the basilica though.  Our professor was also able to take us behind the red ropes so we could see places in the basilica not always opened for public view.

Van Gogh

Yesterday morning, I did not have class and thought it would be a great time to explore the city and visit a museum.  I decided that I would go to the Complesso Del Vittoriano to see the art exhibition of Vincent Van Gogh: Timeless Country - Modern City.  It has been on display since October 8, 2010 and will be ending next week.  I am so glad I am in Rome as an art history and architecture major and was able to see it.

The exhibition looks at the entire life work of the Dutch artist Van Gogh and contain 70 pieces from him.  In addition, there are other artist's works among Van Gogh's, like Pisarro, Gauguin, and Millet, who inspired many of his paintings.  It was amazing to see the inspirations next to Van Gogh's work.

One of my housemates, Alex, decided to come with me to the exhibit.  Because the text panels were all in Italian, we decided to get an English audio tour.  I always laughed at the people who would walk around a museum with those silly headphones in their ears listening to an expert discuss a specific painting.  I couldn't believe I was now one of them!  There were many Italians looking at Alex and me funny because we were using an audio tour.  It could have been because we decided to share an audio tour device and put two headphones in it.  We kept pulling each other around the exhibit, sometimes pulling out the other's headphones out of the device.  It's hard because in no way would I normally use an audio tour because I like analyzing a work for myself and reading the text panels, yet I don't fully understand the Italian language just yet.  I do believe though that I have a new perspective on audio tours.  The one on Van Gogh gave historical background that I would otherwise not be able to know from just looking at a painting.

The Drinkers or the Four Ages of Man by Van Gogh

Van Gogh is a Post-Impressionist painter who lived from 1953 to 1890.  During his short life (he died at age 37) he had many different styles of painting.  The main part of the exhibition focuses on Van Gogh's love of depicting the dichotomy between rural and urban life.  There were no Van Gogh Sunflowers, Starry Night, or Still-Life, however, I was able to see many paintings of his that usually part of private collections.

One of my favorite paintings in the exhibit was The Drinkers or The Four Ages of Man (1890).  It depicts the four ages of man all partaking in the same activity.  This painting directly reference Honore Daumier's woodcut.  However, Van Gogh's use of vivid color and whimsical brushstrokes modernizes the subjects and places them in the industrial nature of the time.

I would have loved to see some of his paintings he composed right before his death, yet that was not within the scope of the exhibit.

At Piazza del Campidoglio

After the exhibit I continue to do some sightseeing of Rome and made my way from the Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II to Piazza del Campidoglio, Piazza Navona, and then Campo dei Fiori.  And I did this all before my 4pm class!

Statue of Marcus Aurelius

Essere un amante della buona cucina

Today, I would like to blog about one of the loves of my life...Food.  Food and I have always had a love/hate relationship.  Why is it that the food that tastes so good can only be eaten in moderation?

Italy is known for its amazing food.  While most people only think of pizza, pasta, gelato, expresso, olive oil, and wine, Italy offers a wide variety of cibo (food).  Italian cuisine has developed over the centuries and each region is known distinctively for its certain offerings of food.

Pasta alla carbonara

Specifically in the Lazio region, where Rome is located, pasta dishes are very popular.  Pasta alla carbonara is on of its specialities.  It is usually made with spaghetti and includes eggs, pecorino romano, bacon, and black pepper. Pecorino Romano, porchetta (boneless pork roast), and Frascati white wine are all very popular here, as well.  

Carciofi alla guidia

The large Jewish community in Rome, that actually lives directly across the Tiber River from my apartment in the Jewish ghetto, has also influence Rome’s cuisine.  They are most widely known for their carciofi alla giudia, meaning “Jesish style artichokes.”  Everyone raves about them and I sadly have yet to have one!  The artichokes are put in lemon juice, seasoned with salt and pepper, and then deep fried in olive oil.  It is my mission this week to go to a Jewish restaurant and eat one.

As I travel to more locations in Italy, I will be better to discuss their food selection.  I would really love to go to Naples to visit the birth place of pizza.  Because pizza has become so popular all around the world, it would be great to eat an original style pizza in all its simplicity with tomato sauce and mozzarella.  I would also love to go to Sicily as soon as I heard is the host of many delicious desserts like cannoli, granita (frozen dessert like Italian ice), and cassata (Neapolitan ice cream).  Of course these dishes are only a few of the many offerings in these regions. 

This upcoming weekend I am hopefully going to go to Florence, in the region of Tuscany.  I am going to be visiting my first year roommate from Smith College who is studying in Florence for the year.  I hope that when I visit she will be able to show me not only the beautiful architecture and museums but some of the great restaurants, as well.  As we all know, Tuscany is known for its extensive and well-known regional wine.  I know close to nothing about wine so maybe she will be able to help me.  

Buying food here has also proven to be a challenge!  Not only are the grocery stores smaller and have a limited selection of offerings, but they don’t carry some of the food I would say is essential to my diet.  I search one of the grocery stores for 15 minutes trying to find peanut butter and couldn’t find it!  I was disappointed to say the least.  I finally found it in another store and it is expensive!  It also doesn’t have the same “Jiff” taste.  I was also frustrated that I couldn’t find these items: cheddar cheese, sliced chicken, sandwich bread, canned soda, cheez-its, and a wide variety of cereal.  It’s sad and pathetic that not finding these things have made me sad.

Italians don’t buy food in bulk like Americans do.  Most of the time, they buy food only for the next few days.  Also, there aren’t as much fresh produce in the grocery stores because open air markets are where most people get their fruits and vegetables.  Their is a large open air market within walking distance from where I live and it’s amazing (and slightly overwhelming)!  

Open air market

While pasta and pizza are delicious, I want to try more authentic Italian food.  Thankfully, next Tuesday I will be attending a cooking class with other students from my program and cooking a complete Italian meal.  Who knows, maybe when I get home at the end of April I will invite everyone over to the Knowles’ house and cook a delicious meal of Italian food.

Not the Tower of Terror but Still an Adventure

Last night I went out with a large group of friends from my program and on our return home I decided to take the elevator with one of the girls in my apartment since we live on the fourth floor.  I usually never take the elevator because I think the stair are faster, however, I was pretty tired and the elevator looked like a great idea...Oh how I was wrong!

I got in the elevator with the girl from my floor and a girl from a floor below.  The elevator went up to the second floor and the doors opened to let her out.  After she gets out and doors closed, the elevator makes it way up to the fourth floor.  Well instead of the doors opening, they remained closed!  We frantically hit the fourth floor button and with no luck the doors still don’t open.  We hold down the alarm button but all it does is ring allowing others to know we are in the elevator.

The elevator is fairly small, probably three feet by six feet.  Thankfully, neither of us are claustrophobic and really didn’t mind being stuck.  We weren’t scared and just decided to sit on the elevator floor and wait for our roommates to find a way to open the doors.  The girl with me, Jillian (she’s from Bennington College), was trying to convince the people on the other side of the elevator to slide us a deck of cards under the elevator doors to keep us occupied.

After about twenty minutes or so of our friends switching on and off the circuit breaker to restart the elevator, the elevator doors finally opened!  Let’s just say I will probably think twice about ever taking that elevator again!

Rome Is Going To Be Mine

The song "Rome" by Yeasayer has been stuck in my head for the past couple of days.  I definitely feel like it expresses my feelings towards Italy so far!  As the lyrics says: Rome is going to be mine...it's just a matter of time!

So Much Going On

Hi everyone!  It has been a few days since I last wrote on my blog and I thought I would update you all on what I've been up to in Rome.

I went the other day to visit the Colosseum for the first time.  Everyone is amazed when I tell them that it wasn't the first thing I saw when I got here.  I decided to go one afternoon when everyone else was busy doing work.  So, I had to go by myself.  In contrary to what you most often hear about European countries, Rome is a very safe place to walk by yourself in the daytime (at least in the center of Rome where I live and go to school).  Don't worry though, at night, I always walk with a friend.  On my way to the Colosseum, two Turkish girls came up to me and asked me for directions to the Colosseum.  We ended up walking together there and having a short conversation with what English they new.  It is amazing how many students there are here studying in Rome.  The two girls were very nice and took my picture for me by the Colosseum.

Yesterday night, about twenty or so people from our program decided to go to the Ice Club, a bar in Rome made entirely of ice!  When you go in, the club gives you a thermal jacket-like poncho to put over your coat to keep you warm since the inside of the bar is -5 degrees Celsius.  The walls and seating are made all of ice.  All the beverages you get also come in an ice cup, which is really cool.  After a couple of hours of being in there though you decide that you've had enough of the cold despite how radical of a club it is.  It was definitely an experience but I doubt I would go their again to sit in the cold.

I've also decided that Rome is a great place to go running.  I was first under the impression that I would either have to run on the busy streets or buy an expensive gym membership that could cost over 100 euros a month!  Within a short time of living here I found out that there is a bike and running path along the Tiber River.  Not only is the path relatively flat, but it has great views of the River and Rome.  Not many people in my apartment are interested in getting up to go running with me so I usually go by myself.  I have always felt safe when running by myself and always go when it is light outside and when there are a lot of people on the above streets.  I always bring with me a form of ID, a cellphone, and whistle (I know I will make my grandmother proud!).  My whistle has actually become more of a fashion statement and some of the other girls I live with want one, too.  One of them was lucky.  Since I brought two, I gave one away.

Roman Holiday

I have been in Rome now for one week!  It is crazy the amount of stuff I have already done!  It seems like I've been here for more like a month.

At the Trevi Fountain

At the moment I am currently enrolled in 6 course.  They are all so interesting I just don't know which one to drop!  I think instead of dropping a class I will decided to audit it instead so I won't have to worry about doing the work and receiving a grade.  Unlike most study abroad programs, we are going to have a lot of work.  I doubt this will be my "joke" of a semester.  So, I apologize in advance if I am not able to update everyone every few days.

Earlier this week I went to the Trevi Fountain (which is gorgeous!) and did the tourist thing of throwing a coin into the fountain.  I learned that the legend has it that if you throw a coin into the fountain, you are ensured to return to Rome.  Some say throwing two coins will lead to a new romance and three will cause either marriage or divorce.  Not even knowing the superstition at the time, I threw in two coins...I will just have to wait and see if the legend is true!

Yesterday, all of the students from the Pantheon program went to Tivoli.  We first went to the Villa Adriana, also known as Hadrian's Villa.  It is the largest archeological site in Tivoli and it is said that only 1/3 of the complex has been excavated.  It was built as a getaway for the Roman emperor Hadrian during the early second century AD.  We spent the entire morning there listening to lectures and sketching some of the ruins and sculptures.  I really enjoyed being able to sketch, yet I don't think I would be able to spend the entire afternoon sketch, which is what the Penn State students were required to do.

Hadrian's Villa

Hadrian's Villa

Instead, a group of us went to Villa d'Este in Tivoli.  It was absolutely BREATHTAKING.  It was built in the sixteenth century AD and is an example of Renaissance architecture and Italian Renaissance gardens.  I studied these gardens this past semester in my landscape art history course.  It was amazing to be able to see it.  It is one of those places where you get so overwhelmed by how beautiful it is.  There are over 500 fountains in the gardens among emense greenery.  At 4:30pm I was able to witness the playing of the water organ.  The moving water pushes air into the organs pipes which produces a sound.  The visit to Villa d'Este is by far my most memorable experience so far while in Rome!

Hall of 100 Fountains

Amazed!

I just realized the other day when I was going to class that Zaha Hadid's name was one of the call button in the same building as the Pantheon Institute!  I couldn't believe that she might be in the same building I was.


Zaha Hadid is one of the most famous current day architects.  She is originally from Baghdad, Iraq and now works out of London, England.  In 2004, she was the first woman to be awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize.  In 2008, she was ranked 69th in Forbe's list of The World's 100 Most Powerful Women.  Most recently, in 2010, she was awarded the Stirling Prize for the MAXXI (National Museum of the 21st Century Arts) in Rome.  I learned about her this past year in my Gender in Architecture class taught by Professor Van Slyck.  One of my fellow classmates wrote her research paper about Zaha Hadid and her appearance in the media.  If you have never heard of Hadid, I definitely suggest looking her up as well as her architecture.  Her contemporary structures are breathtaking! 

MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Art 

Hopefully I will be able to see Hadid's MAXXI building in Rome as a new architectural structure in the city.  It is rare for there to be new construction in the city because space is limited and buildings are rarely demolished.  It would be great to see how a modern building is integrated among historical structures.

Pantheon

Yesterday and today consisted of an orientation for all students in the Pantheon Institute program.  While there are about 40 or so students from Penn State, there are about 20 students from different colleges and universities.

Yesterday was an all day adventure trying to find my way around the city.  Whenever I got lost, I would take it as a learning experience.  I find it is better to figure your way around the city rather than follow someone else around.  Towards the end of the day, we were given a short tour of the surrounding area of the institute of places that we should know.

Today, Sunday, January 9, we went to the main office of the Pantheon Institute to pick out courses and receive our Italian cell phones.  I am enrolling in the five following classes: Architectural Analysis, Survey of the Masters and Monuments of Rome, Saint Peter's and the Vatican: the Papacy and Architecture, Digital Photography: Capturing Rome, and Italian Language I.  I am very excited tomorrow to start my classes, the first which is Digital Photography.

Today, Caitlin and I (the only two Connecticut College students) decided to get a cappuccino at an outdoor cafe near the Pantheon.  The Institute is right across the street from the Pantheon.  Seeing the building in person, instead of just observing it in a textbook, is an amazing sight!

The history of the Pantheon is pretty amazing.  It was built in 126 AD as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome.  It is nearly 2,000 years old and is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.  The facade is a temple front with large Corinthian columns along its portico while the building itself is circular.  The interior contains an oculus, a circular opening at the top of the dome.   Its placement was originally designed to allow worshippers to have a direct view into the heavens.  The "light of heaven" travels from the oculus in the form of a beam.  It is interesting to know that in the sixth century the Pantheon was transformed into a Catholic Church and is still used as a church today.  I am sure I will be visiting the Pantheon again on many occasions.  Currently, they are doing renovations to the facade and the scaffolding takes away from it beauty

Benvenuto a Roma

Today I arrived safely in Rome after a long day of traveling.  I started out my day yesterday, Thursday, January 6th, in the Providence airport and took a short flight to Philadelphia where I waited to board my flight to Rome.

As I sat waiting for my zone to be called to board, I realized that not knowing much Italian is going to be difficult.  I turned to the man who was sitting next to me to ask him a question about needing to check in with the front desk at the gate.  He looked at me puzzled and said "I don't speak much English."  By the time I boared the plane I realized it was no use trying to engage the man next to me in conversation.  Not only did he not speak English, but he did not appear to be in a good mood.  So, we sat in silence for 8 hours.

I tried so hard to sleep while on the plane yet was unable to sleep a wink.  I didn't sleep much the night before in hope that would help me drift into a sound slumber.  However, no matter how tried, I was the uncomfortable position of my body and neck proved to keep me awake.  The flight attendants "woke" us up at 8am (2am EST) to give us a danish and coffee for breakfast.

Around 9am (3am EST) we landed in Rome.  I was amazed at how beautiful and green the landscape is!  It is also a beautiful 60 degrees Farenheit (a little warmer than I had anticipated).  It took me a while to retreive my luggage from baggage claim and I then dashed off to terminal 3 where I was to meet a group of 21 students who were getting a shuttle to the Pantheon Institute.  I went to the designated spot we were told to go to and no one was there.  I knew they were to leave at 10:30am yet my watch only said 10am.  Well, I decided that it was no use trying to track down a shuttle full of people I didn't know and decided to find my own way to get to the housing department, where I was to be heading.  An older man who was calling taxis for people noticed me in my state of confusion and was kind enough to help.  I went on a flat fee shuttle that took me straight to the housing department.  

After I filled out all the necessary paperwork that was needed, I was handed the key to my apartment.  The apartment is located in Trastevere in Santa Maria in Cappella in an old Roman neighborhood.  The building I am living in was built in 1192 and has the largest private garden in Rome.  I live with 14 other students in the fourth floor apartment and my roommate is another girl from Connecticut College.

Tomorrow is the start of orientation, but right now all I am looking forward to is a good night's sleep!

Arrivederci Rhode Island!

Airport goodbyes! I am off to Rome!

Packing!

I have been busy packing for the last few days, sorting through clothes and necessities.  I leave this Thursday, January 6 and am both excited and nervous!  I am really stuck on how much I should bring with me to Italy though.  I can bring two 50lb bags with me but I am nervous to overpack.  I have never before packed for four months.  I just don't know what I am going to want to need once I am there.

I have tried to do some research to figure out what I need and should bring with me to Italy.  The weather is a little more mild in Rome than it is New England and should be about 40 degrees Fahrenheit when I arrive.  By the time I leave in April, I think the temperature should be around 60 degrees.  So, I have decided not to bring a lot of "floral" spring clothes and have instead decided to pack more winter items.

I have also heard from many different people that I need to be prepared to wear a lot of black!  So what have I packed a lot of...you guessed it! BLACK.  I realized that my wardrobe is pretty "blah" when it comes to color; I am bringing with me a lot of black, blue, and gray.

Supposedly it doesn't matter what I dress like because no matter what I will "look like an American."  Hopefully I will be able to pick up on Italian mannerism and immerse my self in the Italian lifestyle.

I've got to go finish packing and hopefully my bags will be under 50lbs each!